Holmstrom, Islanders defeat Avalanche for 5th straight win

ELMONT, N.Y. -- Simon Holmstrom had two goals and an assist for the New York Islanders, who won their fifth straight game with a 5-2 victory against the Colorado Avalanche at UBS Arena on Tuesday.

Anders Lee had a goal and an assist, and Bo Horvat and Alexander Romanov also scored for the Islanders (22-20-7), who were concluding a seven-game homestand (5-2-0). Jean-Gabriel Pageau had two assists, and Ilya Sorokin made 30 saves.

“We gave up a little too many scoring chances. I would have loved to see us give up less,” New York coach Patrick Roy said. “But, there’s nights like this. How many times have I said you don’t need to be perfect to win hockey games? And that’s exactly what we did. We gave ourselves a chance tonight."

Artturi Lehkonen and Jack Drury scored for the Avalanche (29-21-2), who have lost four of their past five games (1-3-1). Mackenzie Blackwood made 23 saves.

“I thought we’ve played three solid hockey games (since trading Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes), and we’re [1-2-0], so that’s getting a little old for me,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. “I think, ultimately, we have to do a better job converting on some of our chances. That’s a big one, because this game and the one in Boston (a 3-1 loss on Saturday) were very similar in that regard. I’m not liking the goals we're giving up.”

Lee gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead at 4:11 of the second period. After receiving a cross-ice pass from Brock Nelson off the left boards, Lee cut to the net and slid a backhand five-hole on Blackwood.

Lehkonen tied the game 1-1 at 13:00. Martin Necas found Nathan MacKinnon all alone in the right circle, and he then skated in and sent a cross-crease pass to Lehkonen, who lifted a shot over Sorokin's blocker while lying on the ice.

Holmstrom put the Islanders back in front 2-1 at 1:54 of the third period, skating out into the right circle before scoring blocker side with a turnaround shot. The play started after Pageau poked the puck away from Avalanche defenseman Sam Malinski behind the net.

Sorokin preserved the lead at 3:09 when he slid to his right to rob MacKinnon from in tight with his blocker arm.

“It was a really good hockey game,” Lee said. “They have a high-octane offense, and I don’t think we did a good enough job slowing them down tonight. In our zone, in the second, I thought Ilya stole the period completely. He gave us an opportunity, a 1-1 game going into the third period in our building. Let’s go win it.”

Josh Manson thought he had tied the game on a point shot through traffic at 4:39, but Roy successfully challenged the play for goaltender interference on Drury.

Horvat then pushed the lead to 3-1 at 11:23, beating a sprawling Blackwood near the left post after Lee's wraparound attempt landed right on his stick.

Drury cut it to 3-2 at 14:55. Catching the Islanders on a line change, Drury hopped off the bench, took a cross-ice pass from Necas, and beat Sorokin blocker side on a breakaway.

Romanov responded to make it 4-2 at 17:31, scoring with a wrist shot from the left point that deflected off Samuel Girard past Blackwood’s glove.

Holmstrom scored into an empty net at 18:50 for the 5-2 final.

“It was a great effort,” said defenseman Scott Perunovich, who was making his Islanders debut after being acquired in a trade with the St. Louis Blues on Monday. “I haven’t been here long, but this is a really good hockey team. We played a really good hockey game tonight.”

NOTES: Perunovich had an assist and was plus-2 in 18:52 of ice time. ... Horvat extended his point streak to six games (five goals, three assists). ... Lee has 39 points (22 goals, 17 assists) in 49 games this season. He had 37 points (20 goals, 17 assists) in 81 games last season. ... Lehkonen has scored 21 goals this season, tying his NHL career high he set in 64 games with the Avalanche in 2022-23.