Islanders can’t top skidding Red Wings
DETROIT — Ilya Sorokin made 37 saves but the Islanders couldn’t win their third in four games without star center Mathew Barzal as the Red Wings ended a three-game skid with a 2-1 victory over the Isles on Tuesday night.
Dylan Larkin got his team-high 11th goal and Michael Rasmussen also scored for the Red Wings.
Anders Lee scored for the Islanders, who enjoyed some positive play following an 11-game losing streak.
“Our third period was really good, other than we gave up that 2-on-1,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. “We tried to force a play that really wasn’t there. It ended up a 2-on-1. And then we got one and tried to get it tied up and we almost did.”
After a scoreless first period, Larkin broke the deadlock at 10:32 of the second. He scored a power-play goal with a shot from the point that deflected off Sorokin’s right arm.
Nedeljkovic made a diving stop against Brock Nelson on a three-on-one break for the Isles in the closing seconds of the period.
Rasmussen made it 2-0 on a two-on-one rush with 7:05 remaining when he whistled a shot past Sorokin for his third goal of the season.
The Islanders pulled Sorokin for an extra skater and Lee scored with 2:33 left by deflecting in Noah Dobson’s shot.
Barzal, who leads the team with 17 points, was placed in COVID-19 protocol on Tuesday.
“You hope he’s OK. You hope he’s not having any serious symptoms,” forward Casey Cisikas said. “As a team, we move forward. It’s a next-man-up mentality. You just do what you’ve got to do to help the team win that day.”
Red Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi made his first appearance this month after clearing COVID-19 protocol. He had five shots on goal.