The New York Islanders kicked off 2024 with a 5-4 loss to the Colorado Avalanche in overtime.
The New York Islanders kicked off 2024 with a 5-4 loss to the Colorado Avalanche in overtime.
After being scratched Sunday night, Pierre Engvall snapped a 10-game pointless streak as he beat Avalanche netminder Alexandar Georgiev through the wickets on a semi-breakaway at 5:39 of the first for his fifth goal of the season after Brock Nelson sprung him.
Just 32 seconds later, former Islander Devon Toews was left wide-open in the high slot, and his ensuing shot deflected off Mike Reilly and in to tie the game at 1-1.
Semyon Varlamov left the game with 5:08 to play in the first due to what appeared to be a lower-body injury.
Despite being outshot 16-8 in the first period, it was the Islanders who entered the second period up 2-1 thanks to a late goal by Brock Nelson on the power play. He beat Georgiev five-hole with 31.3 seconds to play in the first for his 17th of the season.
Noah Dobson earned his 30th assist of the season, as Sorokin notched the secondary.
Simon Holmstrom extended the Islanders lead to 3-1 at 1:09 of the second period after he sniped Georgiev for his 11th of the season from the left circle, with Cal Clutterbuck earning the lone assist.
The Avalanche erased their two-goal deficit in 4:06, as Valeri Nichushkin -- who was left all alone -- banked home a rebound to make it 3-2 before a bad line change allowed Jonathan Drouin to snipe Sorokin from the slot at 8:24 of the middle frame.
The Islanders answered the Drouin goal with a funky one, as Alexander Romanov's point shot deflected off Ryan Johnson's skate and in at 10:18 of the second for his third of the season. Mathew Barzal, who had struggled up to that point, was credited with the lone assist.
With 4:19 to play in the second, Robert Vortuzzo needed to be helped off the ice after falling into the boards awkwardly after a Samuel Girard hit.
Nichushkin's second of the game tied the game at 4-4 at 12:21 of the third, coming on the power play after Mike Reilly negated the Islanders man advantage.
Seconds before Sorokin kept the game tied with 20 seconds to play in the third, Scott Mayfield was called for holding as the Avalanche took a power play into overtime.
Nathan MacKinnon won the game 32 seconds into overtime, beating Sorokin short side.
UP NEXT: The Islanders are in Arizona to face the Coyotes Friday night at 9 PM ET.
LINES:
Anders Lee -- Bo Horvat -- Mathew Barzal
Pierre Engvall -- Brock Nelson -- Kyle Palmieri
Simon Holmstrom -- Jean-Gabriel Pageau -- Julien Gauthier
Hudson Fasching -- Casey Cizikas -- Cal Clutterbuck
Alex Romanov -- Noah Dobson
Samuel Bolduc -- Robert Bortuzzo
Mike Reilly -- Scott Mayfield
Semyon Varlamov
Ilya Sorokin