Islanders 2, Lightning 0: Ritchie delivers the winner as Sorokin logs his 25th shutout
This game started quietly, with little offense and steady goaltending from Ilya Sorokin. The Isles weathered several threats and even rang the post a few times, leaving the scoreless affair intact into the third period – a rarity for a squad that can be defensively leak-prone. A decisive four-minute Isles power play in the final frame broke the deadlock, capped by a stunning between-the-legs strike from Cal Ritchie.
Sorokin was stellar all night, tying a franchise record with his 25th career shutout, matching Chico Resch. He controlled the crease, tracked the puck with precision, and produced key saves that kept New York in the game as Tampa Bay peppered him with 32 shots.
The opening period was relatively tame, with Sorokin turning aside all nine Lightning attempts. Early in the night, Max Shabanov departed briefly to the locker room but returned quickly and appeared fine for the remainder of the game.
In the second period, Sorokin absorbed occasional contact, notably when a Lightning forward drove the net and Mayfield fell on him. He remained unfazed and continued to anchor the Isles’ defense.
Marc Gatcomb created chances against Jonas Johansson, though none found the net. A tripping call on Casey Cizikas sent Victor Hedman to the penalty box, but the Isles failed to capitalize. Soon after, Anders Lee drew a high-sticking minor, yet the Isles killed it off.
Both Lee and Anthony Duclair hit the post on shots that skimmed past Johansson, and Bo Horvat drew a hooking penalty that the Islanders also killed.
In the third, Adam Pelech’s shot yielded a strong rebound that narrowly eluded Shabanov, who would have had an empty net chance. A hit by Pelech on Curtis Douglas looked routine, but Douglas appeared shaken and left the game after the collision.
Cizikas absorbed a high-stick to the face, and Brandon Hagel was assessed a four-minute double minor after discussion. There was some controversy over Kyle MacLean appearing to influence Hagel’s stick, but the onus remains on the player to control their own blade.
Simon Holmström rattled the post again before Cal Ritchie finally broke through. His goal, a deft between-the-legs finish off a pass that banked off Johansson, gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead.
With under three minutes to play, Tampa Bay pulled Johansson for an extra attacker and dominated the Isles’ end for most of the stretch. Sorokin made several crucial stops, then Cizikas sealed the win with an empty-net tally for his second straight game with a goal, pushing the final score to 2-0.
Up Next
The Islanders stay in Florida to face the Panthers as the dads-and-mentors trip rolls on.
