Islanders rally from two goals down to defeat Blues for fourth win in a row
Islanders center Bo Horvat wraps around the goal to score past Blues goaltender Joel Hofer in the third period of an NHL game at UBS Arena on Tuesday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
The X factor is a combination of increased confidence and more aggressive play. It’s allowing the Islanders to win games in the third period.
Bo Horvat was both a part of that and a benefactor in Tuesday night’s 4-2 victory over the Blues at UBS Arena as the Islanders rallied from a two-goal, second-period deficit for their fourth straight win to match a season high.
Turnovers by Horvat led to both of those goals but his wraparound just 55 seconds into the third period proved the winner.
“Those first two goals were definitely my fault but my teammates stepped up big there,” Horvat said. “Happily I made up for it there in the third. It definitely wasn’t the cleanest of games for us but we found a way to get it done.”
“Character, that’s what I saw from him in that third period,” coach Patrick Roy said of Horvat. “I knew he was playing heavy in that third period. He was on a mission. I think he wanted to give back to his teammates and win the game and be a difference maker.”
This wasn’t nearly as clean in their passing accuracy or puck management as was the case three days in a 5-1 win over the Bruins, perhaps their best feel-good win of the season.
But it was another two points as the Islanders (27-20-14) crept closer to a playoff spot.
“It’s having that same mindset to play as hard as you can and compete every shift,” said Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who tied the game at 2-2 at 17:47 of the second period after he was left open at the left post with defenseman Sebastian Aho’s initial shot was blocked in the slot. “I think everyone is starting to believe if we do that, we’ll win. Tonight we were down two and we felt we had a chance to come back.”
The Islanders are within four points of the third-place Flyers — who have played two extra games in the Metropolitan Division — as well as the Red Wings and Lightning for the Eastern Conference’s two wild-card spots.
Ilya Sorokin made 19 saves in his fifth straight start.
“It’s huge,” Kyle Palmieri said of the winning streak. “It’s so important this time of year to keep yourselves in games night in and night out. We know we have the goaltending to do it. It’s just up to us to go out and find ways to execute and play our style of hockey that’s making us successful.”
Palmieri, who recorded the earliest natural hat trick in team history against the Bruins, matched a career high with his fourth goal in two games as he brought the Islanders within 2-1 at 12:32 of the second period. Palmieri took defenseman Adam Pelech’s stretch pass and got to the crease to beat Joel Hofer (29 saves) on the forehand.
“This line has been on fire,” Roy said of his new second line of Pageau between Palmieri and captain Anders Lee. “That was two big goals for us. They connect really well. Kyle, since I’ve been here, is probably our best forward.”
The Blues (32-27-3) won the teams’ first meeting, 4-0, on Feb. 22 in St. Louis as they set a franchise record with three goals in 32 seconds in the second period.
This time they led 2-0 at 8:30 of the second period as Jordan Kyrou was left wide open at the right post to stuff in the puck after Horvat had the puck taken from him as he hesitated on a clearing attempt.
Horvat’s offensive-zone turnover led to Alexey Toropchenko’s two-on-one goal at 1:21 of the first period.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
