Bedeviled Isles finally snap skid
THE STRUGGLING Islanders desperately needed a boost and thanks to rookie Sebastian Aho, they received a lift heading into their bye-week break.
The 21-year-old Swedish defenseman scored his first NHL goal with his team down two scores in the third period, then assisted on the tying goal by Cal Clutterbuck before the Islanders won in the shootout, 5-4, over the Devils on Sunday to snap a five-game skid. “There’s no panic in his game. He’s come in with a lot of poise,” Islanders captain John Tavares said of Aho, a fifth-round draft pick by the Islanders last June who was playing in his third game. “Over the course of a season, we need everybody to make contributions.”
Brock Nelson scored the only goal of the shootout to give the host Islanders (21-18-4) their first win since Dec. 27. Nelson beat Devils netminder Cory Schneider in the fifth round.
The Devils had a grand chance to win in overtime when Tavares was assessed a tripping penalty halfway through, but New Jersey did not register a shot on goal. Jaroslav Halak made 42 saves for the Islanders, who were badly outplayed over their five-game stretch of losses in which they were outscored 25-8 and didn’t register a point.
The Devils (22-11-8) lost their fifth straight before both teams start a leaguemandated five-day break. Two of the five losses have come in shootouts and one in overtime. “When you have a two-goal lead, you’ve got to learn to lock it down,” Devils GETTY coach John Hynes said. “Little things make a difference.”
Clutterbuck and Aho tied the game after Miles Wood and Taylor Hall had given the Devils a 4-2 lead early in the third period.
Clutterbuck’s tying score came at 15:43 after Aho narrowed the deficit to 4-3 with his first goal at 7:58. Aho’s power-play goal was assisted by Tavares and Mathew Barzal, who leads all rookies with 26 assists.
“It’s huge. It’s a special moment,” Aho said of his first goal. “I’ve been dreaming out it since I was a little boy.”
Wood’s 11th goal this season came at 2:41 of the third and snapped a 2-2 tie.
Hall made it 4-2 for the visitors at 3:18 with his 15th goal, after which Halak smashed his stick against the net in frustration.
Islanders coach Doug Weight credited his goaltender’s burst of emotion for giving his team an extra jolt. “Jaro was obviously excellent,” Weight said. “Hopefully we will look back at this win. It was a really great effort by the guys.”
Travis Zajac’s fifth goal of the season and second of the game at 16:25 of the second came while the Devils were short-handed and tied the game at 2. It was the ninth short-handed goal allowed by the Islanders this season.
Zajac was perplexed and frustrated by the game’s ultimate outcome.
“We can’t hold leads these last five games,” said the 32-year-old forward in his 12th season with the Devils.