Anders Lee scores twice as Islanders defeat Sharks
Josh Bailey of the Islanders celebrates his third-period goal against the Sharks with teammate Anders Lee at NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum on Sunday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Now comes the waiting for Monday afternoon’s NHL trade deadline.
“I don’t think we’re focused on that, knowing there’s not a lot of names out there from our team,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. “I think we like our group. If we can add something like we added [defenseman Andy] Greene, then we’ll go and do it if it makes sense.”
The current Islanders did their part on the ice on Sunday, beating the fading and possibly soon-to-be-gutted San Jose Sharks, 4-1, before a sellout crowd of 13,917 at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum for their second straight win.
Anders Lee scored twice but passed up a chance to record his first career hat trick by setting up an open Josh Bailey for an empty-netter to clinch it for the Islanders (35-20-6).
They hold the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, two points ahead of the Blue Jackets and Hurricanes, and are within one point of the Flyers for third place in the Metropolitan Division (all three of those teams were idle Sunday).
Still, it’s believed that president and general manager Lou Lamoriello is in the market for additional scoring help after acquiring Greene from the Devils a week ago.
“Who knows?” said Mathew Barzal, who set up both of Lee’s goals to leave him one shy of 200 career points. “I don’t know what Lou has got going on. He keeps his cards pretty close. But we like the group that we have in here. So I don’t think there’s going to be anything drastic.”
“I completely forgot about it,” said defenseman Devon Toews, whose top-shelf wrist shot from the high slot gave the Islanders a 3-1 lead at 17:38 of the second period. “The goal coming into today was to win this game and tomorrow will take care of itself.”
Jordan Eberle had his third career hat trick and first with the Islanders in Friday’s 4-1 win over the Red Wings, and his top line’s strong play continued from the start on Sunday.
Eberle’s wall play allowed him to set up Barzal on a two-on-one rush and Barzal, from the right, fed Lee for a 1-0 lead at 6:49 of the first period.
Barzal’s line also was on the ice as Dylan Gambrell deflected Radim Simek’s blue-line wrist shot past a surprised Semyon Varlamov to make it 1-1 at 10:36 of the first period.
Lee’s second goal made it 2-1 at 1:10 of the second period as Barzal set up him at the top of the left circle.
Varlamov made 29 saves in his fifth straight start and seventh straight appearance.
Martin Jones stopped 22 shots for the Sharks (26-31-4), who lost to the Rangers, 3-2, on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. They have dropped four straight and five of their last seven.
The Islanders continue to play without identity-setters Casey Cizikas (left leg laceration) and Cal Clutterbuck (left wrist) on the fourth line. Center Derick Brassard missed his second straight game after being hit in the head with a puck during a 3-1 loss in Colorado on Wednesday that concluded an 0-4-0 road trip in which the Islanders managed only two goals. Top-pair defenseman Adam Pelech (Achilles tendon) is out for the season.
The tight playoff race and the holes in the lineup are why the Islanders are expected to be buyers — most likely at the cost of draft picks and prospects, not core players.
“There’s a little bit of nerves for everyone involved,” Lee said. “You hate to see guys go. But whatever’s best will happen and we’ll move forward as a group. I know we’re always trying to get better.”
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.
More Islanders
