After Saturday's win, Islanders 9-0-2 at Coliseum
Semyon Varlamov of the Islanders celebrates with his teammates after defeating the Sabres at Nassau Coliseum on Saturday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
It’s now been more than four decades since the Islanders have been this dominant at home to start a season.
Saturday’s 5-2 win over the Sabres improved the Islanders to 9-0-2 at Nassau Coliseum as they remain the only team without a regulation loss at home.
The 2017-18 team started 8-0-2 at Barclays Center.
In 1978-79, back when the last category was ties, not overtime losses, the Islanders started 19-0-4 at the Coliseum.
And there still are two more games left before even a limited number of fans are allowed into Nassau Coliseum.
"It’s just nice being at home," Mathew Barzal said. "You’ve got your own locker. You’re at home, eating well. There’s something about being at the Coliseum. We probably have a little extra juice. It’s a tough thing to explain, but it’s just really comfortable being at home."
Sorokin Sunday?
Barry Trotz did not name his goalie for Sunday’s rematch against the Sabres after Semyon Varlamov made 20 saves Saturday, joking only that his goalie was born in Russia.
But rookie Ilya Sorokin has started all three previous times the Islanders have played on back-to-back days. Sorokin made 16 saves against the Sabres in Thursday’s 5-2 win.
Isles files
Cal Clutterbuck logged 12:30 and scored his second goal of the season in his 500th game as an Islander . . . The Islanders wore their reverse retro jerseys, with a darker blue base, for the first time . . . The Islanders had their first four-goal second period since an 8-1 win over the Oilers at Barclays Center on Feb. 7, 2016 . . . Jacob Bryson’s goal 33 seconds into the first period was the quickest goal the Islanders have allowed at home since the Flyers’ Claude Giroux scored 26 seconds into a 7-0 loss at the Coliseum on Feb. 18, 2013.
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.
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