ELMONT, N.Y. — For the Islanders, it’s momentum, such as it is.
They swept a two-game homestand heading into their eight-day All-Star break/bye week with a 2-1 overtime win over Vegas on Saturday night at UBS Arena.
Mathew Barzal snapped home the winner with 31.5 seconds remaining in the three-on-three period for the feel-good win.
Still, February, March and the start of April will have to be radically different than this month was for the Islanders.
The Islanders (25-22-5) went 4-8-3 in January to make their ability to qualify for the playoffs after last season’s miss more challenging. They were 0 for 1 on the power play on Saturday — albeit with five shots — to deepen their man-advantage rut to 0 for 25 over their last 10 games and 3 for 64 (4.7%) over 24.
They also scored two or fewer goals for the 12th time in 13 games. They are now 4-5 in overtimes.
Semyon Varlamov stopped 44 shots including denying William Carrier’s penalty shot 26 seconds into overtime after defenseman Adam Pelech hindered his breakaway. Logan Thompson made 35 saves for Vegas (29-18-4), who have now lost four straight with five goals scored in that span.
The Islanders went ahead 1-0 at 3:52 of the second period as Kyle Palmieri skated hard to the crease before falling. Anders Lee, also falling, knocked in the loose puck from the low slot for his fourth goal in four games. That coincides with Palmieri returning to the lineup after missing 27 of 28 games with an upper-body injury.
Palmieri has five primary assists since his return.
Varlamov preserved that one-goal lead as he reached back with his paddle to rob Reilly Smith’s power-play try as he cut to the crease at 5:53 of the second period.
But Vegas tied it at 1-1 at 16:08 of the second period as Chandler Stephenson won a puck battle with defenseman Scott Mayfield behind the Islanders’ crease and fed a wide-open Carrier in front after he slipped away from Casey Cizikas.
The Islanders and Vegas, also playing on back-to-back nights after Friday’s 4-1 loss to the Rangers at Madison Square Garden, were up tempo off the opening faceoff. The Islanders held a 15-8 shot advantage through 20 minutes and outchanced Vegas 24-12.
Nelson’s trio with Palmieri and Lee was particularly strong, with Nelson taking three shots and Palmieri strong on the forecheck.
Barzal’s line with Anthony Beauvillier and Cizikas also created some odd-man chances, with Beauvillier unable to convert Barzal’s feed to the crease at 12:44 and Thompson denying Mayfield down low at 18:45 after Barzal and Beauvillier set up his chance.
One of the more positive developments this disappointing month has been center Aatu Raty and defenseman Samuel Bolduc, two of the organization’s top prospects, showing flashes they can handle a full-time NHL role.
Raty, 20, the 52nd overall pick in 2021, has two goals in his first 11 NHL games as he centers the fourth line. Bolduc, 22, a second-round pick in 2019, is without a point in four NHL games as Noah Dobson missed his fourth game with a lower-body injury but has shown poise in his own end as he learns to use his 6-4, 220-pound frame.
“That’s been a bright spot with each one of the players that have come up,” president/general manager Lou Lamoriello said. “I think each and every one of them, in a different way, have handled every situation the way we would have liked them to handle it and also given us an indication that they’re not far away from being a significant factor in our lineup.”
