Islanders defeat Wild to end 6-game skid, gain in East race

ELMONT, N.Y. -- Noah Dobson had a goal and an assist, and the New York Islanders ended a six-game skid with a 3-1 win against the Minnesota Wild at UBS Arena on Friday.

Casey Cizikas and Simon Holmstrom also scored, and Ilya Sorokin made 27 saves for the Islanders (33-32-10), who moved within five points of the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.

“We played really well from the start to the end,” New York coach Patrick Roy said. “I thought that we had a lot of jump. We played really well defensively. We had great sticks. I thought our forecheck was good. Offensively, I thought we managed the puck well, so we did all those things. I thought it brought us success.”

Mats Zuccarello scored, and Filip Gustavsson made 24 saves for the Wild (41-29-7), who have lost four straight games (0-2-2).

They remained four points ahead of the Calgary Flames for the second wild card from the Western Conference and two points behind the St. Louis Blues for the first wild card. Minnesota has played two more games than Calgary.

The Wild were swept on their three-game road trip (0-1-2), which included a 3-2 shootout loss at the New Jersey Devils on Monday and a 5-4 overtime loss at the New York Rangers on Wednesday.

“We go on this road trip and we don’t win a game,” Wild head coach John Hynes said. “We go to a shootout and we go to overtime. … I think guys should be disappointed in the urgency, the competitiveness, the execution, and the energy to play in a game like this.

“I mean, let’s not talk about being in the funk and feeling sorry for ourselves. This was a game that we knew coming in that we had four out of six points (on the trip with a win). We didn’t have the required intensity level, attention to detail, so there’s no reason to feel sorry for ourselves. We didn’t play the game we needed to play to win.”

Zuccarello gave the Wild a 1-0 lead at 1:42 of the second period. He gathered a rebound off the end boards and banked a shot off the back of Sorokin’s helmet and in from below the goal line.

Cizikas tied it 1-1 just 36 seconds later, deflecting a Dobson point shot to the glove side at 2:18.

“I don’t really have much to say,” Zuccarello said. “I’m so sick and tired of standing here and telling you guys this and that. I’m sorry but it’s just not good enough … it [stinks] that they score right away.”

Holmstrom put New York ahead 2-1 on the rush at 4:02. He sent the puck toward the net from low in the right face-off circle, and his pass banked in off the right skate of Minnesota forward Frederick Gaudreau.

“I thought we played a really good game,” Cizikas said. “We had our chances, and even them getting that [first] goal didn’t deter us from what we wanted to accomplish, and I think that's the biggest takeaway from tonight. We played a full 60, we had a ton of chances, and we can have a lot of confidence with the way we played tonight.”

Dobson extended the lead to 3-1 on the power play at 3:36 of the third period, scoring with a one-timer from the point that went past Gustavsson’s blocker.

“Obviously, we're not in the position we want to be in,” Dobson said. “But, there were lots of times last year where we thought we're down and out, and it takes one game, a couple of losses elsewhere, and you're right back in it. So, that's our mindset. It was a great game tonight, and build on it, and it starts with one.”

Wild defenseman Jake Middleton left the game at 11:04 of the second after being boarded by Islanders forward Bo Horvat. He skated off the ice with assistance from a trainer. Hynes had no update on him.

NOTES: The Islanders defeated the Wild for the first time since Dec. 29, 2019, ending an 0-6-1 streak. ... Dobson ended a seven-game goal drought. …. New York defenseman Tony DeAngelo (assist) has nine points (two goals, seven assists) over his past 10 games. … Islanders forward Matt Martin had three hits and played 7:49 in his first game since Jan. 16. … Minnesota forward Marcus Johansson (assist) has four points (one goal, three assists) in his past two games.