How Good Has Marcus Hogberg Been? ELMONT, NY -- After winning three straight on the road, the New York Islanders [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/latest-news/new-york-islanders-patrick-roy-ubs-arena-ottawa-senators-home-ice] fell in the opening game of their seven-game homestand, falling 2-0 to the Ottawa Senators. Marc Gatcomb, 25, made his NHL debut, filling in for the absent Jean-Gabriel Pageau (illness). Here's how the game unfolded. The Senators appeared to score the game's first goal at 1:42 of the first period after Adam Gaudette's aggressive drive to the net, but a coach's challenge overturned the play due to goaltender interference. Just 19 seconds later, Gatcomb took the ice for the first time in his NHL career, but a fight between Matt Martin and Zack MacEwen quickly blew the play dead. The period ended without much additional action, but the Islanders had a few quality looks, including one off the hands of Maxim Tsyplakov just over seven minutes in. Notably, Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot left the game following his sixth shift after taking a puck to the face. The opening frame ended scoreless, with the Islanders outshooting the Senators seven to five. At 11:18 of the second period, Tyler Kleven established possession on the blue line and put a powerful wrist shot on net to open the scoring. Gaudette got his stick on the puck and deflected it up high past Hogberg's glove: It marked his 14th goal of the season and first since Dec. 8, also against the Islanders. The Islanders earned the game's first power play at 11:48 of the period after Nikolas Matinpalo was called for slashing but failed to create any significant scoring opportunities. This marked the 25th consecutive power play the Islanders failed to convert. Despite generating a few quality chances in the final minutes and outshooting Ottawa 9-7 in the period, the Islanders entered the third frame trailing by a goal. The Senators began the third period with Kleven in the locker room, but he quickly returned to give head coach Travis Green a fifth defenseman at his disposal. Five minutes into the frame, Claude Giroux came in with speed off the rush on Hogberg, but a beautiful save with his left leg kept the Islanders within one. Just over eight minutes into the period, Giroux fed Gaudette with a beautiful look in front of the net, but a great defensive play by Pierre Engvall poked the puck loose to prevent a shot. At 10:54, a holding penalty on Dobson gave Ottawa their first power play of the night. The Senators had scored three goals in their previous six road power-play opportunities, but Hogberg remained sharp, making a crucial net-front save on Drake Batherson, among others, to keep his team within one goal. With 2:47 left in regulation, Roy pulled Hogberg for an extra attacker. However, with possession in the offensive zone, Artem Zub buried his first goal of the season on the empty net at 18:36. Ottawa held on to win 2-0, with goaltender Leevi Meriläinen posting his second career shutout with 24 saves. Hogberg stopped 23 of 24. UP NEXT: The Islanders continue their seven-game homestand on Thursday night at 7:30 PM ET against the Philadelphia Flyers.
