Andrew Gross: Islanders' Brayden Schenn praises his new team's 'no-quit attitude' after overtime win
The Islanders surround Mathew Barzal after his overtime goal against the Blues on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, in St. Louis. Credit: AP/Jeff Roberson
ST. LOUIS — The Islanders deserve all the credit for moxie, fortitude, belief, whatever it is that goes into their nail-biting ability to rally from multi-goal deficits.
That certainly sounds like a “but…” statement. And it absolutely should be. Constantly having to rally is not a recommended recipe for the playoff push.
Yet let’s eschew the “but…” and just appreciate it for what it is. In other words, hey, whatever works.
“We talk about it all year to be bold and play with some swagger and clarity and believe in what we’re doing,” coach Patrick Roy said. “That’s all we’re doing.”
This time it was a 4-3 overtime win on Tuesday night at Enterprise Center to make former Blues captain Brayden Schenn’s quick homecoming after his trade six days ago a happy one. The Islanders, now 10-0 in the three-on-three extra periods after taking a season-high 49 shots, spotted the hosts a three-goal edge. It would have been a four-goal deficit in the second period had not Roy successfully challenged that one was offside.
“Resilient from the inside and they back it up on the ice,” Schenn said after getting an up-close look at his new team’s ability to rally. “There is a positive mindset around here. It’s a team built on culture and character and you can definitely tell. They have a no-quit attitude in this room. They’re a team. They truly want to play hard for each other.”
Remember the “theys.” We’ll get back to those.
The victory capped a 2-2-0 road trip — Schenn’s debut was a 2-1 overtime win in San Jose on Saturday — and the two points were again crucial for the Islanders (37-23-5), in third place in the Metropolitan Division. The Blue Jackets won and remain three points back having played one fewer game. The Penguins lost a shootout in Carolina and remain in second place despite having the same 79 points as the Islanders because they, too, have played one fewer game.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored a key goal late in the second period. Rookie Cal Ritchie scored a power-play goal in the third period and set up another by Bo Horvat a minute later after Pavel Buchnevich’s double-minor for high-sticking Ritchie. Mathew Barzal scored the winner.
“We just have a lot of heart in this room,” Ritchie said. “There’s so many veteran guys that never give up and they’re saying the right things in the room and we’re never out of the game.”
The Islanders won three straight after the Olympic break after falling behind by two goals each time.
But things started to fragment to start this trip.
The Islanders allowed three quick goals before the first intermission after taking a 1-0 lead in a trip-opening 5-1 loss in Anaheim this past Wednesday. The next night, in Los Angeles, the Islanders fell behind by three goals in a 5-3 defeat.
Against that backstory, things looked bleak against the Blues at 14:28 of the second period as Robert Thomas banged in the puck after Sorokin left a rebound on his doorstep.
It certainly seemed like the appropriate time for Roy to pull Sorokin in favor of backup David Rittich.
Sorokin told Newsday he had no idea whether the play was offside or not.
“I felt bad at 4-0,” Sorokin said. “I see the shots attempted at 30-10. I said, ‘Oh, my god.’ I looked at Ritty and maybe I’ll get changed today. But it was no goal. After that, I play simple and try to play every shot like the last shot and it’s a good thing that happened that the guys came back.”
This was all after an emotional video tribute to Schenn midway through the first period for his eight-plus seasons in St. Louis, the last three as the Blues captain. As highlights of his Blues’ career, including lifting the Stanley Cup in 2019, played on the scoreboard, the crowd rose to its collective feet.
The standing ovation continued as the words, “Thank you,” concluded the montage, with Schenn skating to center ice with his stick raised and tapping his heart with his glove to acknowledge the moment. Players on both benches tapped their sticks against the wall.
Schenn said he is usually very good about keeping his emotions in check. That proved impossible all day on Tuesday.
In many respects, he still felt like a Blue.
Which is why Newsday asked him how quickly he thought he can change “they” to “we” when he spoke about the Islanders.
“Yeah, it’s a good question,” Schenn said. “It’s a great question. I haven’t dealt with being new for a long time. You have some moments of the rookie feeling. You’re trying to get your surroundings. You’re trying not to get in the way of guys’ routines. I’m comfortable speaking in the room. I don’t think it will really take long.”
Bonding moments like Tuesday’s win will speed the process.
Whatever works.
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.
