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Islanders break snide in much-needed 2-0 victory over Red Wings

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Islanders Red Wings Anders Lee
Detroit Red Wings goaltender Magnus Hellberg (45) reacts as New York Islanders’ Anders Lee (27) celebrates after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game Friday, Jan. 27, 2023, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

ELMONT — The Islanders’ power play remains entrenched in a remarkable skid, but they managed to break two massive droughts on Friday night with a 2-0 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. 

Goals from Anders Lee and Brock Nelson — two formerly slumping players that have begun to round into form — ended a six-game losing streak for the Islanders (24-22-5), who also entered Friday night at UBS Arena having lost 10 of their last 11. 

“We needed it tonight. We needed it for a while,” Lee said as the Islanders prepare for a quick turnaround on Saturday against the Vegas Golden Knights before the All-Star break. “But tonight was an opportunity to stop it. I thought we played a really solid game. And we did what we needed to do with two games left before the break set ourselves up to have a go on tomorrow night.”

The win keeps the Islanders ahead of Detroit in the pursuit of the final Eastern Conference Wild Card spot, which is currently owned by the Washington Capitals five points ahead of New York with 58 points.

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While Lee’s second-period tally and 400th career point that put New York in front was his third goal in three games after going six without one, Nelson’s wrister that whizzed over Detroit goalie Magnus Hellberg’s glove 4:31 into the third period was the Islanders’ first third-period goal scored in 12 games to break a franchise-worst stretch.

For Nelson, it was his fourth goal in five games after going 14 consecutive games without a tally.

“We needed a good look. There was such a great shot from [Nelson] but they haven’t been going in the way we would have liked especially in the third,” Lee said. “So for us to just push through. Didn’t matter when they were coming tonight. As long as we won the game.”

In no way does this go down as the offensive breakout the Islanders have needed considering they’ve scored three goals or fewer in 21 of their last 28 games, but they were given ample time to find just enough thanks to the undimmed brilliance of goaltender Ilya Sorokin, who posted his fourth shutout of the season and 14th of his career, which already ties him for fourth-place in franchise history alongside Tommy Salo. 

Lee put the Islanders in front 4:44 into the second period when, while on his side after being knocked down in front of goal, he redirected a pass from Nelson that was ticked by Kyle Palmieri. It appeared that Hellberg didn’t know much about it as it snuck in past the goalie’s low-blocker side.

Nelson doubled the Islanders’ lead 4:31 into the third period when a wrister from the point straightaway from goal meandered through a forest of bodies and over the glove of Hellberg to end an 11-game skid that saw the Islanders unable to score in the final 20 minutes of games. 

“Through the stretch that we’ve had… it maybe feels a little bit lighter,” Nelson said on getting a win. “Take a deep breath now and refocus and try to finish tomorrow to rake on a high note and call it up.”

Palmieri picked up his second primary assist on the night and his fourth in his last three games. He had just three assists in his previous 20 games that included a lengthy stint on injured reserve. 

“It was a long time waiting there for things to be ready to go,” Palmieri said. “So I’m happy to be back. Obviously, the last two games haven’t been the results we wanted but we went out there tonight and took care of business and we’ll reset and try and do it again tomorrow.”

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