It's safe to say that last night's 5-1 triumph over the very much rival Washington Capitals at UBS Arena was "a statement game."
It's safe to say that last night's 5-1 triumph over the very much rival Washington Capitals at UBS Arena was "a statement game."
Or, as coach Lane Lambert aptly put it: "We had a good, character response."
The Orange and Blues' statement essentially was, "We'll make up for Wednesday's debacle with a 100 percent effort, fortified with the intensity egregiously lacking in the 7-0 loss to Pittsburgh."
There was no need for a victory guarantee; just play as darn hard as each Islander has in him and let the goals come where they may.
They pulled hard throughout and, this time ensured that there would be no third-period collapse, especially since the final stanza began with a tenuous 2-0 lead.
Lambert: "There were games in the past when we had the opportunity to put a game out of reach. This time we recognized the situation and had a pretty solid game all around."
What the holiday crowd got was a victory engineered by foot soldiers led by the French Connection of Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Julien Gauthier.
Pageau -- winner of 11 out of 14 face-offs -- had a career-high plus-four thanks to two goals and two helpers, including the vital game-opening red light at 4:51 of the second period.
"We have a lot of character in this room," said Pageau, "and we weren't happy with our effort against Pittsburgh. This time we came back all for business and did the job."
After Noah Dobson scored what proved to be the game-winner just 1:50 after Pageau's opener, it still was a nail-biting 2-0 game heading into the third frame.
Finally, Gauthier -- a rising star if ever there could be one -- let the capacity crowd breathe easier, scoring at 10:28 of the third and repeating the feat just 18 seconds later.
"He (Gauthier) is using his speed and his size and showed it by putting together the string of goals and assists," added Lambert. "He's going up and down and creating plays. He's done a good job."
Charlie Lindgren started in goal for the Caps and, after making three saves, had to leave the game due to an injury. Veteran Darcy Kuemper took over and made 24 saves the rest of the way.
While this jamboree was erupting, Ilya Sorokin stopped 26 shots, only losing his shutout with 18 seconds remaining in the tilt, which was the last home game of 2023.
This time, the Elmont crowd got its money from the get-go. Returning to action for the first time since November 15, Matt Martin made his presence known literally with a bang. On for the opening face-off, Matt delivered a series of hits within a minute on a revised Identity Line.
With Casey Cizikas scratched because of an illness, Martin worked alongside Cal Clutterbuck and Hudson Fasching. Martin totaled 11:32 of ice time and roused the crowd in typical Double M fashion.
"It felt nice just to get into it right away," Matty enthused after the win.
The Three Stars were Pageau, Sorokin, and Gauthier, although Dobson was worth a star, having totaled his 35th point in his 35th game. The Dobber also led the team with 11 shot attempts while ever-productive Bo Horvat collected a pair of assists.
"We were committed in terms of finishing and closing all around," Lambert concluded.
The Islanders close the year 2023 on New Year's Eve in Pittsburgh and hope to finish with a win in what will be yet another redemption game!
Put simply, this playoff race is a doozie!