Unsurprisingly in the lead up to this game, all the media attention for the New York Islanders was on rookie phenom Matthew Schaefer, who is from Hamilton, Ontario, and grew up going to Toronto Maple Leafs games. Blah, blah, you’ve heard it all before. But it would be a different rookie from the Toronto area who dominated the scoresheet tonight, as Cal Ritchie, also playing in his first game against the Maple Leafs (or should I say the St. Pats?) in Toronto, picked up a goal and an assist in the first period,
both coming on the power play.
Ritchie set up Brayden Schenn’s first as an Islander before scoring what would be the eventual game winner himself, showing off in front of his family and friends. And Schaefer picked up an assist on Ritchie’s game winner, while Mathew Barzal, noted Leaf killer, assisted on all three goals, and he’s now up to 25 points in 21 games against the Maple Leafs.
Big win, and a solid start to a Canadian road trip, since Columbus won yet again and Boston picked up a point against Montreal.
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First Period
William Nylander had a chance early that Ilya Sorokin saved after an Islanders giveaway.
After Cal Ritchie took a light slash on a developing 2 on 1, the Islanders went to the power play. On that power play, Mat Barzal passed the puck off to Ritchie, who went for a behind the back pass to Brayden Schenn, who scored his first goal as a New York Islander.
Adam Pelech took a hooking penalty on John Tavares, but the Islanders were the more dangerous team on the Leafs PP, as Simon Holmstrom had a short handed chance saved by Joseph Woll, and as the penalty expired, Holmstrom set up JG Pageau for a great chance that was saved by Woll as well.
Anthony Duclair was high sticked by Brandon Carlo, putting the Isles on the power play again. And again, they’d score quickly, as Barzal set up Ritchie in front. Ritchie picked up his own rebound and made it 2-0 batting the puck in past Woll.
Later, Sorokin made a big save on Mattias Maccelli to maintain the two goal lead.
Second Period
Bo Horvat hit the post on a good chance in front of Woll, and Nylander had a shot saved by Sorokin. Pelech was called for his second penalty of the game for slashing Nylander on that play.
Shorthanded, Matthew Schaefer set up a 3 on 2, but Holmstrom was knocked down, and Dakota Joshua was called for holding. There were chances exchanged during the 4 on 4, but neither team scored.
And then shortly after, the Leafs cut the Isles lead in half when Steven Lorentz made it 2-1. The Leafs looked much stronger this period, but a few minutes later, Emil Heineman restored the two goal lead, making it 3-1 off a pass from Tony DeAngelo. Barzal also picked up his third assist of the game on the goal.
Casey Cizikas was called for hooking, but the Islanders killed that.
Kyle MacLean made slight contact with Woll while skating across the ice near the crease, and Morgan Rielly cross checked him and then they exchanged punches. Both players got five minute majors, and Rielly also picked up the extra 2 minutes for cross checking, sending the Isles to the PP.
Horvat’s stick broke on a one timer chance, and he had to get back with a new stick off the bench to help defend a shorthanded chance from the Leafs, and the Leafs killed the penalty.
Third Period
Sorokin saved Calle Jarnkrok’s shot but left a big rebound, and Jacob Quillan put the puck wide as Sorokin was getting across.
That was the most dangerous chance for a while, but then Tavares took a four minute high sticking double minor. The four minute power play was pretty dangerous, but the Isles didn’t score on it. The Leafs pulled Woll as soon as they got possession, while still on the penalty kill, but they couldn’t score anything, and the Islanders would close out the 3-1 win.
Up Next
Next, the Islanders head to Ottawa to take on the Senators on Thursday night. The Senators are just hanging on in the wild card mix with a couple extra games to play, so this will be another important game with playoff implications as the Isles try to maintain their 3rd seed in the Metro Division.
