Isles down Devils in home finale
UNIONDALE, N. Y. — Brock Nelson scored twice in the second period as the New York Islanders beat the New Jersey Devils 5- 1 Saturday night in the final regular season game at Nassau Coliseum.
Mathew Barzal had a goal and an assist, and Jordan Eberle and Kyle Palmieri also scored for the Islanders. Ilya Sorokin stopped 23 shots to help New York snap a three- game losing streak and get its sixth regulation win in the last 23 games.
New York moved one point behind third- place Boston in the East Division. The Islanders visit the Bruins on Monday night. New York will face either Pittsburgh or Washington in the first round of the playoffs.
Andreas Johnsson scored for New Jersey while Mackenzie Blackwood made 22 saves. The Devils lost for just the second time in their last seven games.
Eberle opened the scoring for the Islanders with just under 2 minutes remaining in the first period. Barzal led a break across the blue line before orchestrating a giveand- go with Eberle, whose shot beat Blackwood short side and high. It was Eberle’s 16th goal of the season, equaling his total from last year.
Miles Wood had a chance on a breakaway to tie the game for the Devils with just under a minute left in the first but was unable to jam the puck past Sorokin.
A flurry of penalties early in the second period resulted in a 4- on- 3 advantage for the Devils but they failed to capitalize. The Islanders finished their last home game of the season 2- for- 2 on the penalty kill. New York’s home penalty kill of 92.3% for the season ranks second in the NHL since the league started tracking the stat in 1977- 78, topped only by the 1998- 99 Bruins ( 92.4%).
Johnsson scored for the Devils to tie the game at 1- 1 nearly 5 minutes into the second period. Matt Tennyson’s pass from behind the net found Johnsson in the slot and he scored his fifth of the season — all of which have come on the road.
Nelson gave New York a 2- 1 lead midway through the second period. Just 15 seconds after Will Butcher was sent to the penalty box for hooking, Nelson took advantage of a rebound in front of net.