The Islanders won the final two games of their 2023-24 regular season slate. This featured a playoff clinching win over the Devils and another win at home over the Penguins. The Islanders finished the 2023-24 season with a 39-27-16 record and 94 total points. They placed third in the Metro Division and will take on the Hurricanes in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Islanders opened the week with a 4-1 victory on the road against the New Jersey Devils. The massive storyline looming over this game was the Islanders being able to clinch with any kind of win. J.G. Pageau got the team on the right foot towards that goal, scoring on a two-on-one with Pierre Engvall. Next up was Kyle Palmieri, who scored a deflection power play goal to give the Islanders a 2-0 lead in the first.
The Devils struck back in the second period by way of a Timo Meier rebound goal. However, that would be the only one of the Devil’s 24 shots that would beat Semyon Varlamov. The Islanders were perfect in defending the opposition for the remainder of the game. Brock Nelson took advantage of a rebound in the second to restore the two-goal lead. Then, Kyle MacLean buried a goal up close in the third period to put this game away. The Islanders got the win they needed to secure a playoff berth for the second straight season.
In the final game of the regular season, the Islanders defeated the Penguins by a 5-4 final score. Several players sat in this game, which also featured the debut of prospect Ruslan Iskhakov. Nelson got the Islanders started in the first, scoring off a perfect setup pass from Simon Holmstrom. Near the end of the period, Rikard Rakell got the game-tying goal past Ilya Sorokin. In the second period, Evgeni Malkin scored a power play goal to give the Penguins their first lead. Casey Cizikas answered back later in the period with a deflection goal past Alex Nedeljkovic. But Valtteri Puustinen was quick to respond, scoring off a turnover a minute later.
Late into the period, the Islanders tied the game again on a Palmieri power play goal. This secured the second 30-goal season in Palmieri’s career. After an unsuccessful challenge of that goal, the Islanders opened up the third on the power play. Samuel Bolduc capitalized on that opportunity, giving the Islanders the lead back on a play that saw Iskhakov get his first NHL point. Despite the go-ahead goal, the Islanders weren’t in the clear yet, as Jeff Carter scored what might’ve been his final NHL goal before retirement to tie this game for the fourth time. In a 4-4 tie, Holmstrom came through with what would be the game-winning goal in this one. After surviving a six-on-five attack as well as a Sidney Crosby penalty shot, the Islanders ended their season with one final win. They’ll enter their first round matchup with the Carolina Hurricanes having won eight of their last nine games.
1. Brock Nelson (2 goals, 2 assists)
2. Kyle Palmieri (2 goals, assists)
3. Pierre Engvall (2 assists in win over Devils)
Featured image courtesy of NHL.com
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