Eberle finds net as Isles top Wings
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DETROIT — With no goals in his first 14 games this season, Jordan Eberle was understandably frustrated.
“Ever since the ankle injury, I’ve come back and had a ton of chances,” he said. “Sometimes they don’t go in.”
Eberle finally ended that drought with two goals Monday night, and Semyon Var- lamov made 30 saves to lift the Islanders over Detroit, 4-1, extending the Red Wings’ winless streak to 10 games.
“It’s funny how it works,” Eberle said. “You don’t score for a while and then you score two.”
Anders Lee and Anthony Beauvillier also scored for the Islanders, who were outshot, 31-25, but never trailed. Dylan Larkin scored the only goal for Detroit. The Islanders alternated starting goalies for their first 25 games this season, a franchise record. Monday was Varlamov’s turn, although he actually played in the team’s previous game — a 2-0 victory over Columbus on Saturday — after starter Thomas Greiss had to exit in the first period. The Islanders nearly pulled off a second straight shutout against the struggling Red Wings.
“We got to clean up a few things, but they’re playing desperate,” Islander coach Barry Trotz said. “They threw a lot of pucks — they had 56 attempts, I think. I thought we did a pretty good job.”
The Islanders scored twice in the first period. Lee beat goalie Jonathan Bernier from point-blank range off a pass from Mathew Barzal. Then the Islanders scored again immediately after killing off a penalty. Beauvillier came out of the penalty box, took a pass from Josh Bailey and skated in on a breakaway to make it 2-0.
Larkin’s power-play goal made it 2-1 in the second, but the Islanders also struck with the man advantage in that period.