Tsyplakov Chat After a semi-quiet offseason, there weren't major expectations for the New York Islanders [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/] this season. Then, when the injury bug hit, with the Islanders losing free agent signing Anthony Duclair (lower body) five games into the season, star Mathew Barzal (upper body) 10 games into the season, and Adam Pelech (upper body) and Mike Reilly (upper body) in Game 11, the Islanders were written off -- rightfully so. When healthy, the Islanders looked lost out there, so how on earth could they find a way to be better without two-thirds of its top line, its best shutdown defenseman, and its best mobile blue-liner? It's still a question being answered with none of their injured players back in the lineup. While the Islanders have done their best to stay afloat, it didn't seem like their Salsa play -- a step forward, a step backward -- would be enough to stay close enough to a wild-card spot as they waited to get healthy. As of a few games ago, things were looking incredibly bleak. Following a disastrous 5-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken on Thursday, a game where Ilya Sorokin wasn't at his best being pulled after allowing four goals on 13 shots, playing in front of a team that wasn't ready to go, the Islanders woke up in last place in the Eastern Conference. Fortunately for them, the difference between last place and a second wild-card spot was only a few points. If the Islanders were going to find some consistency in their game while they waited for injured players to return, they would need their $8.5 million forward, Bo Horvat [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/latest-news/bo-horvat-new-york-islanders-carolina-hurricanes-goal-celebration], to start finding the back of the net. Horvat entered the Islanders' weekend back-to-back with no goals in 13 straight games despite having countless chances to light the lamp. However, No. 14's fortunes changed. He scored against the Carolina Hurricanes in a 4-3 win before securing his team's victory with an empty-net dagger in their 4-2 win against the Ottawa Senators on Sunday: Sorokin played both games of the back-to-back, stopping 59 of 62 shots for a .919 SV% and a 2.5 GAA. He made incredible saves in both games but really stole the two points in Ottawa, with the Islanders being outshot 31-13. Where Sorokin really shined was on the penalty kill, which entered Onatario as the league's worst, stopping three of four dangerous shots that came his way. It's important to note other players who have taken strides the last few games. Maxim Tsyplakov has looked as comfortable as we have seen him in his first NHL season, flat-out dominating on the ice every shift. Recently, we've seen a struggling Noah Dobson skate the puck up the ice and join the rush, making the Islanders exponentially more dangerous. A healthy Alexander Romanov is blocking everything at will, and the Islanders are getting some depth scoring, with the likes of Oliver Wahlstrom and Kyle MacLean tallying goals this past weekend. With the win, the Islanders caught the second-wild-card New York Rangers in points with 29, despite their cross-town rival having three games in hand. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjExMjc2NDkzODk0OTg1Njg3/img_8440.jpg] "One thing I will say is that we're a very resilient team, and that's what makes me proud of this group," Islanders head coach Patrick Roy said. "Every time people think we're going to -- I won't say the word -- we're going in a different direction. We always find a way to win games and come back. So, I love that resiliency from our group." Continuing their modest two-game winning streak will not be an easy task, with the surging Los Angeles Kings coming to Long Island on Tuesday night riding a five-game winning streak. And consecutive wins in early December don't write off the atrocities of this 2024-25 season. But, given how tight the Eastern Conference wild-card standings are with Horvat heating up and a dialed-in Sorokin, what can this Islanders group accomplish? Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjExMjc2NTE5MTI3OTE4NTUx/usatsi_24883979.jpg] For most of the season, Roy has only been able to rely on the Brock Nelson line for scoring consistency, with Horvat's line cold, then hot, then cold again. Albeit a great start to his season after offseason back surgery, Sorokin has very rarely out-goalied the opposition, as we saw this past weekend. Two years ago, Sorokin played like we saw in Ottawa on a nightly basis, but he fell short of his first career Vezina Trophy. The Islanders have a chance, even when they aren't the better team, to win every night when Sorokin plays at the top of his game. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjExMjYzOTAyNjYxNDg2MjY5/usatsi_24944869.jpg] It became clear early on after the injuries that general manager Lou Lamoriello wasn't going to make any drastic changes. With a playoff spot still very much in reach, it made more sense to see how this team can play when they are at full strength. With Pelech back at practice, it's only a matter of time before he's back in the lineup, potentially by the end of this week. Duclair has been skating on his own for a few weeks, which means he should be back at practice very soon, with Barzal just returning to the ice late last week. The Islanders have nine more games before the calendar flips to 2025. Will they be holding down a playoff spot to ring in the new year?
