The New York Islanders have fared well against the NHL’s upper echelon this season.
Good thing, because their tasks aren’t getting any easier.
The Islanders close out a seven-game homestand Thursday night when New York faces the red-hot Colorado Avalanche in the final regular-season meeting between the clubs in Elmont, N.Y.
Both teams were off Wednesday after earning wins Tuesday night at home. Ilya Sorokin carried a shutout bid deep into the third period and finished with 30 saves as the Islanders edged the Tampa Bay Lightning, 2-1. The Avalanche ran their point streak to 17 games by beating the Vancouver Canucks, 3-1.
The win snapped a three-game losing streak (0-2-1) for the Islanders and ended the seven-game winning streak for the Lightning, who lead the Atlantic Division with 34 points.
The victory was also the Islanders’ second of the homestand over a team that entered Wednesday in a playoff spot. New York edged the Seattle Kraken, 1-0, in a shootout on Nov. 23.
The Islanders are 10-6-2 this season against teams that entered Wednesday in a playoff spot. Among New York’s defeats was a 4-1 loss to the Avalanche on Nov. 16 in which Colorado scored twice in the final minute.
The end of the homestand marks the beginning of a challenging stretch for the Islanders, who visit the Lightning and the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers in a back-to-back set Saturday and Sunday. New York then returns home next week to face the Vegas Golden Knights and Anaheim Ducks, two of the top three teams in the Pacific Division, before hosting the Lightning again on Dec. 13.
“I think we’ve played some of the best so far,” Islanders captain Anders Lee said. “We went into Colorado and played a great game there, came up short. We’ve fared well with the top (teams).”
Nobody has fared better than the Avalanche, who are 14-0-3 since taking their lone regulation defeat on Oct. 25 when they fell to the Boston Bruins. 3-2. Colorado authored the NHL’s longest winning streak of the season, a 10-game run from Nov. 4-26 during which it won in regulation nine times.
The Avalanche lead the NHL with 106 goals while surrendering 53 goals, the fewest in the league. The 2010-11 Vancouver Canucks, who reached the Stanley Cup Final, were the last team to score the most goals and allow the fewest over a full season.
“I’m happy with what I’ve seen, for sure,” said Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog, who had two assists Tuesday. “I think that’s one of the keys to our game, that commitment to defending. That’s where our offense starts. That buy-in from everyone has been awesome from the get-go.”
The Avalanche overcame a pair of hiccups Tuesday. The Canucks’ Linus Karlsson gave the visitors an early lead by scoring 2:55 after the opening faceoff.
NHL scoring leader Nathan MacKinnon began the Avalanche’s comeback by collecting a goal with 37 seconds left in the period, but Colorado goalie Scott Wedgewood exited shortly beyond the midway point of the second period with back tightness.
Head coach Jared Bednar said he believed Wedgewood would accompany the team on the road trip, but didn’t know whether a third goalie will be added to the roster.
MacKenzie Blackwood stopped all 10 shots he faced and earned the win when Brock Nelson and MacKinnon scored in the final 6:08 of the second.
