National Hockey League
NY Islanders 6, Tampa Bay 2
When: 8:00 PM ET, Thursday, February 8, 2024
Where: UBS Arena, Elmont, New York
Referees: Jake Brenk, Steve Kozari
Linesmen: David Brisebois, Kyle Flemington
Attendance: 17255

Six different players scored Thursday night for the New York Islanders, who rolled to a 6-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Elmont, N.Y.

Noah Dobson, Mathew Barzal and Kyle Palmieri scored in the first period while Ryan Pulock, Bo Horvat and Casey Cizikas scored in unanswered fashion in the second for the Islanders, who improved to 3-2-1 under new head coach Patrick Roy.

Barzal and Horvat each added an assist, and New York goalie Ilya Sorokin made 18 saves.

Nikita Kucherov and Brandon Hagel scored for the Lightning, who lost both ends of a back-to-back in New York -- including a 3-1 loss Wednesday to the Rangers -- following a three-game winning streak prior to the All-Star break. Goalie Jonas Johansson recorded 18 saves.

Tampa Bay announced before Thursday's game that defenseman Mikhail Sergachev underwent surgery to repair a broken tibia and fibula in his left leg sustained Wednesday against the Rangers.

Dobson was credited with the game's first goal 4:07 after faceoff, when his shot glanced off the stick of Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak, who was angling for position with Oliver Wahlstrom, and trickled into the net.

Kucherov tied the game 2:35 later, when his shot sailed to the stick side of Sorokin -- screened by Horvat and Steven Stamkos -- as the Islanders goalie stuck his glove up.

The Islanders took the lead for good with 5:53 left in the first following a faceoff win deep in the Lightning zone. Horvat outdueled Stamkos and beat him to the puck before dishing to Barzal, who backhanded a shot over Johansson's stick shoulder.

Palmieri extended the lead to 3-1 with 1:25 remaining in the first when he beat Johansson from point-blank range.

The Lightning pulled within 3-2 when Hagel put back the rebound of Anthony Cirelli's shot for a power-play goal 74 seconds into the middle period.

The Islanders began their decisive flurry at 7:10 of the second, as Pulock scored a power-play goal when his 90 mph slap shot from just inside the blue line caromed off the far post. Horvat scored from the high slot just 68 seconds later, when his shot sailed past Johansson as he was screened by Anders Lee.

Cizikas, who missed the previous 10 games with a lower-body injury, scored an unassisted goal with 4:38 remaining after Cal Clutterbuck forced a turnover by checking Brayden Point as he delivered a backhanded pass.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Tampa Bay   NY Islanders
Brandon Hagel 1 Points Mathew Barzal 2
Brandon Hagel 1 Goals Mathew Barzal 1
Anthony Cirelli 1 Assists Mathew Barzal 1
Brandon Hagel 1 Power Play Goals Ryan Pulock 1
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Jonas Johansson .750 Save Percentage Ilya Sorokin .900
Jonas Johansson 18 Saves Ilya Sorokin 18
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Tampa Bay 20 2 1-2 3-4 8 28
NY Islanders 24 6 1-4 1-2 4 20
Upcoming Games
  • NY Islanders will play their next game at home against Calgary. The Islanders have a W/L % of .429 after a win and .433 after a loss.
  • Tampa Bay will play their next game on the road against Columbus. The Lightning have a W/L % of .464 after a win and .583 after a loss.