Islanders special teams fuels 3-1 win over Oilers

Dec 19, 2023; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders center Bo Horvat (14) celebrates his power play goal against the Edmonton Oilers with center Brock Nelson (29) and center Kyle Palmieri (21) during the second period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

ELMONT, N.Y. — Three second-period special-teams goals — two on the power play and one shorthanded — lifted the New York Islanders to a 3-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night at UBS Arena.

Power-play goals from Anders Lee and Bo Horvat allowed the Islanders to overturn an early 1-0 deficit before the shorthanded specialist, Simon Holmstrom, netted yet another goal on what eventually developed into a pivotal 5-on-3 penalty kill at the end of the second.

“The power play came up huge tonight but so did the penalty kill,” Horvat said. “Special teams are such a big part of the game and for us to kill those off and get those two power-play goals was huge.”

After allowing a goal on the first shot he faced, New York goalie Ilya Sorokin saved the remaining 31 that came his way, including 16 in the third period that saw Edmonton outshoot the Islanders (15-8-8) 16-2 in the final period.

“Sorokin came up huge,” Horvat said. “He’s been huge for us all year and he proved it again tonight.”

Edmonton’s goalie Stuart Skinner turned away 17 of 20 shots in the loss.

The Oilers took the lead on their first shot of the night 1:23 into the game when Draisaitl snapped a wrist shot under the glove arm of Sorokin.

Following the quick start, the visitors dominated the first 15 minutes of the period before the Islanders found their footing and began to mount some consistent pressure on the Edmonton goal. A bevy of Grade-A chances including a Brock Nelson wraparound attempt, a Holmstrom wrister from the left circle, and a Mathew Barzal breakaway were all turned away by Skinner.

A 1-0 deficit after 20 minutes was just the third time all season that the Islanders trailed…