Rookie goalie Ilya Sorokin didn’t have to work particularly hard for his latest win. The Islanders kept the puck at the other end of the rink most of the night.
Matt Martin scored twice as the Islanders took a season-high 45 shots in Thursday’s 5-2 win at Nassau Coliseum in the opener of a five-game homestand with the first of three straight against the East Division-trailing Sabres. The Islanders, 8-0-2 at home, have won three straight and are on a 5-0-1 streak.
Sorokin needed to make just 16 saves in his sixth start.
The teams also play Saturday and Sunday afternoons. It’s likely Sorokin will also start one of those games.
Sorokin earned his first NHL victory — and shutout — with 20 saves in a 3-0 road win over the Sabres on Feb. 16. He followed that with another 20-save shutout in Sunday’s 2-0 victory over Penguins at the Coliseum in his first home start.
But his shutout streak ended at 143:08 — the third longest for an Islanders’ rookie goalie — as former Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall ended a 19-game goal drought with his first goal since the Sabres’ season-opener to cut the Islanders’ lead to 2-1 at 3:08 of the second period. Defenseman Adam Pelech was unable to clear the puck out of the zone and Hall converted the long rebound of Cody Eakin’s shot from the left.
But the Islanders regained a two-goal advantage on Anthony Beauvillier’s breakaway backhander at 14:58 of the second period. Josh Bailey started the rush at the Islanders’ blue line, poking the puck away from defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen and pushing it ahead to Brock Nelson, who sprung Beauvillier.
Sorokin faced just 11 shots through two periods, continuing a strong defensive trend in his starts. He faced 10 shots through the first two periods on Sunday and 12 shots through two periods in his shutout in Buffalo.
Defenseman Noah Dobson, with his second goal of the season as Jordan Eberle patiently found him with a cross-ice feed as he cut toward the right circle, made it 1-0 at 10:25 of the first period.
Dobson and fellow 2018 first-round pick Oliver Wahlstrom (five-game point streak) have infused the Islanders’ lineup with some much-needed youthful talent.
"I think it’s necessary for a team to grow," coach Barry Trotz said before the game.
Dobson has inherited a full-time role this season with Devon Toews traded to the Avalanche and Johnny Boychuk forced into de facto retirement after playing in 34 games as a rookie with a goal and six assists.
"Each day, I’m trying to get better," said Dobson, who has seven assists with his two goals in 23 games. "I’m trying to play my best each night. I don’t take for granted being in the lineup every night. I just focus on the games and, when I get there, do the right things and play well and continue to build."
The shots were even at 3-3 at 4:55 of the first period before the Islanders went on to an 18-6 shot advantage through 20 minutes.
Martin made it 2-0 at 16:21 with a sharp-angle shot from the left (he was behind the goal line) that he banked in off the mask of Jonas Johansson, who made his second start of the season. He also ended the scoring by muscling to the crease at 14:28 of the third period.
Jordan Eberle, left open in the slot, slapped home a rebound for a 4-1 lead at 3:14 of the third period. Ristolainen jammed in a rebound to make it 4-2 at 7:23 with the teams skating four-and-four and a delayed call pending on Casey Cizikas.
