Back from three games as a healthy scratch, the 20-year-old rookie lit the lamp, scoring the game-winner in the Islanders' 6-3 win over Toronto.
When the New York Islanders faced the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, defenseman Isaiah George was back in the lineup after serving the last three games as a healthy scratch.
The 20-year-old, who grew up 30 minutes away from Scotiabank Center in Oakville as a die-hard Leafs fan, made the most of his return. scoring his first NHL goal in front of friends and family in career game No. 20.
The goal came early in the third period as the Islanders cycled the puck around the offensive zone. After Scott Mayfield got the puck in deep, Anthony Duclair sent the puck back up to the left point for George to let a shot go. The puck found its way through traffic in front to beat Joseph Woll, making it 4-2 Islanders at 5:23 of the frame:
The goal was another milestone in George's rapid rise to NHL regular status. He made his NHL debut against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Nov. 5, and while the Islanders were facing several defensive injuries, he stabilized the unit in the face of uncertainty.
Here's George postgame:
Across his first 20 games, he's totaled a goal and three assists for four points, and he's also earned the trust of Patrick Roy in any situation. He's averaged over 17 minutes of ice time per game, even earning time late in games as well. After Grant Hutton was sent back to the AHL on Wednesday, his role is only expected to grow until Mike Reilly returns.
Here's his interview from Hockey Night in Canada:
George is the second Islanders rookie to score his first NHL goal this season. Max Tsyplakov recorded the feat in his first NHL game on Oct. 12 against the Utah Hockey Club.