ELMONT, N.Y. — Anders Lee and Mathew Barzal each scored twice for the New York Islanders in a 5-1 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins at UBS Arena on Tuesday.
Josh Bailey had a goal and an assist, and Brock Nelson had two assists for the Islanders (20-14-2). Ilya Sorokin made 20 saves.
“I think it was,” New York coach Lane Lambert said when asked if the performance against Pittsburgh was among its most complete games this season. “From start to finish, I thought we were dialed in and we were doing things the right way, and I just thought we played a real solid hockey game.”
Video: PIT@NYI: Barzal fires from the side for a goal
Pierre-Olivier Joseph scored, and Tristan Jarry made 37 saves for the Penguins (19-10-5).
“One of the things we talked about was playing straight ahead early on,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. “Simplifying the game, especially after coming off a break. We know that our experience usually tells us that it takes a little bit after having a few days off like that. We wanted to simplify the game and play straight ahead. We did none of the above.”
Lee gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead 1:03 into the first period after a cross-ice feed from Nelson.
“It’s nice to get the momentum going and continue it from where we thought we were,” Lee said. “Coming out of the three-day break to kind of pop one just kind of [settle] the game a little bit and relieve some of the pressure that you can sometimes feel. Our guys dropped the puck tonight, we had our legs and made sure to keep [them moving]”
Video: PIT@NYI: Bailey scores in 2nd period
Joseph tied it 1-1 at 15:13 with a shot from the top of the right face-off circle.
Barzal gave New York a 2-1 lead just 50 seconds into the second period with a redirection Hudson Fasching‘s one-timer after a backhand feed from Bailey.
Fasching was elevated to Barzal’s line after Oliver Wahlstrom sustained an undisclosed injury on his first shift of the game.
“Physical, winning battles,” Barzal said of Fasching. “He’s got a good head for the game, so [he’s] easy to play with.”
Video: PIT@NYI: Lee scores in 3rd period
Bailey extended the lead to 3-1 at 11:32 when he one-timed a pass from Noah Dobsonand Barzal scored again when he banked a shot off Jarry’s left arm at 16:42 to make it 4-1.
“Guys are making plays,” Barzal said. “Guys are making good passes. Seemed like everything was on the tape tonight.”
New York outshot Pittsburgh 20-4 in the second and 43-20 overall.
“Might have been our worst game of the year,” Sullivan said.
Video: PIT@NYI: Lee gets a pass from Nelson to score
Lee scored his second of the game at 3:33 of the third period for the 5-1 final.
“We played quick in the right areas and were poised with the puck at the right time,” Lee said. “Solid defensively when we needed to be. Start to finish, a really solid game.”
NOTES: It was Sorokin’s 51st win in 100 NHL games. … Lambert did not have an update on Wahlstrom after the game. … New York is 13-4-0 this season when it scores first. … The Islanders went 0-for-4 on the power play and are 0-for-26 in their past eight games. … Barzal, Bailey, Dobson and defenseman Alexander Romanov were each plus-3; Penguins defensemen Kris Letang and Brian Dumoulinand forward Bryan Rust were each minus-3.
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