Sorokin makes 33 saves, Islanders shut out Rangers

NEW YORK -- Bo Horvat scored twice, Ilya Sorokin made 33 saves and the New York Islanders delivered the New York Rangers their franchise-worst seventh consecutive home loss to start the season, 5-0 at Madison Square Garden on Saturday.

"That was a good game," Islanders coach Patrick Roy said. "We played really well. I thought we were focused. I thought we played with some swagger. I could tell along the way we were more and more confident out there, which I love."

The Rangers are 0-6-1 at home and have been shut out five times, including twice in a row.

They are 7-1-1 on the road.

"We've won a lot of games on the road with the same gameplan, with the same concept, so I know when we play the game a certain way we're competitive and we beat some really good teams in the process," Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said. "I wish I could put my finger on the struggles that we've had at home to this point, but what I do know is we've got to work through it together and we'll certainly do that."

Jonathan Drouin and Jean-Gabriel Pageau each had a goal and two assists, and Anders Lee scored for the Islanders (7-6-2), who had lost their past two, including a 5-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild at home on Friday.

Horvat is tied for second in the League with 11 goals. He also has four in his past three games.

"The guys are finding me," Horvat said. "I'm just trying to get into those areas to get my shot off and thankfully they're going in right now."

Igor Shesterkin made 21 saves for the Rangers (7-7-2), who have scored six goals in their seven home games, including five in a 6-5 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks on Oct. 23.

"More of the same for us at home," New York defenseman Adam Fox said. "Good start and got away from it, and then odd-man rushes and not close to where we should be at."

Sorokin's most important save sequence came on the first shift of the game, when he stopped Mika Zibanejad's one-timer from the top of the right face-off circle at 12 seconds and came across to swat away Artemi Panarin's chance off the rebound from the left side with his blocker.

"It set the tone for us," Drouin said.

Horvat gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead at 10:29 of the first period when he got behind Fox and scored off the rush from the bottom of the left face-off circle.

Kyle Palmieri moved the puck up the ice on the right side to Emil Heineman, who entered the zone with possession and speed. Heineman found Horvat dashing past Fox and delivered a pass to the bottom of the left circle in stride so Horvat could put it in.

"Luckily, I dragged my leg as far as I did to get that onside," Horvat said. "It was a great heads-up play by 'Heini' to get it over to me but I'm just trying to get it off as quick as possible. I think maybe the speed put him back on his heels a bit."

Drouin made it 2-0 at 19:27, finishing off a pass from Anthony Duclair as he drove the net following a Rangers' neutral zone turnover.

Panarin couldn't handle Zibanejad's pass along the wall and Pageau got to the puck. He moved it up to Duclair, who found Drouin in the middle. Drouin pulled off a forehand-backhand move and slid the puck past Shesterkin.

"For me, tonight we beat ourselves," Sullivan said. "This is one of the better teams at generating chances off the rush. We talked about it before the game. The most important aspect of that is managing the puck, making them play goal line to goal line and not three quarters of the rink. We did none of the above.

"It's inexplicable to me."

Horvat's second of the game gave the Islanders a 3-0 lead while on a power play at 18:42 of the second period.

Horvat, in the right circle, gave Drouin the puck down by the right post. Drouin had space and time but couldn't find an opening.

"Shesterkin was just staring at me," Drouin said. "I didn't have much to do except jam it in his pads."

He said he saw Horvat and decided to send it back to him with a pass through Vladislav Gavrikov's legs.

"I saw the hole there," Drouin said. "That was where I was aiming, hopefully Bo was in that lane."

Horvat said he was surprised to get the puck back, but he sent a snap shot from the right face-off circle past Shesterkin's glove.

"When he dumped it back to me I was kind of in shock so I just tried to get it off as quick as possible," Horvat said.

Pageau scored into the empty net at 17:59 of the third period to make it 4-0, and then he led a 2-on-1 to set up Lee, who scored at 19:30 for the 5-0 final.

"We've talked enough about it," Fox said. "We've just got to find a way to win at home."

Their next chance is Monday against the Nashville Predators.

"We've got to find a way to score," Zibanejad said.

NOTES: Sorokin's shutout was his first of the season and 23rd of his career, all with the Islanders. He passed Billy Smith to move into sole possession of second place on the team's all-time shutout list, two behind Glenn "Chico" Resch. … It was also Sorokin's second shutout against the Rangers. He's the third Islanders goalie with multiple shutouts against the Rangers, joining Semyon Varlamov (five) and Jaroslav Halak (two).