Isles stay tough at Coliseum

ISLES 2 PENS 0

Oliver Wahlstrom and Jean-Gabriel Pageau each scored power-play goals and rookie Ilya Sorokin stopped 20 shots as the Islanders finished a strong February with a 2-0 victory over the Penguins on Sunday night at Nassau Coliseum.

The Islanders went 8-2-2 during February, with all four losses coming against the Penguins — a team they were playing for the sixth time in the month. The Islanders remained the only team in the league without a regulation loss at home, with a 7-0-2 mark at Nassau Coliseum.

The 25-year-old Sorokin made his fifth start for the Islanders and recorded his second win, both shutouts. His first victory came Feb. 16 at Buffalo. It was the first time the Penguins were shut out in 20 games this season.

Wahlstrom put the Islanders ahead at 19:20 of the first with his third goal of the season, blasting a one-timer over the left shoulder of Casey DeSmith on the power play.

Wahlstrom, the Islanders’ 2018 first-round pick, has become a lineup mainstay in recent weeks. The 6-foot-2 right wing extended his points streak to four games with the goal, while Nick Leddy’s assist was his eighth in the last eight games. Leddy leads the Islanders with 13 assists. Josh Bailey also assisted.

The Islanders outshot the Penguins, 9-2, in the opening period.

Pageau made it 2-0 at 14:56 of the second with his ninth goal, also on the power-play. Wahlstrom and Bailey assisted. Pageau is tied with Islanders captain Anders Lee for the team lead in goals.

The Islanders held a 16-8 shots advantage in the second period, while the Penguins outshot them 10-4 in the third.

DeSmith started for the Penguins for the first time since he defeated the Islanders, 4-3, in a shootout on Feb. 11 at Nassau Coliseum. DeSmith made 27 saves.