Blues beat Islanders 1-0 in overtime – Hockey Writers – New York Islanders

St. Louis Blues defeated the New York Islanders 1-0 in overtime on Thursday night. Forward Jake Neighbors scored one goal 2:04 into overtime, and Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin stopped 29 of 30 shots. Blues goaltender Joel Hofer turned away all 34 shots he faced in his season opener.

Blues Defense Is Bright

The Blues, coming off a two-game losing streak, delivered arguably their best performance of the season. The defense was led by Pierre-Olivier Joseph, playing his second game of the season in place of the injured Nick Leddy. Joseph led the Blues with an expected field goal percentage of 85.6% (xG%), according to MoneyPuck.

Joseph was paired with Matthew Kessel, who was suiting up for his fourth game of the season but the first with Joseph. Kessel posted an 83.9% xG%, second-highest among Blues players, and registered three blocked shots. Together, the duo finished with an 87.4% xG%, the highest of any defensive pairing. With the defense struggling early in the season, head coach Drew Bannister may have found a reliable third pairing combination.

Defenseman Philip Broberg also stood out, logging 22:01 of ice time over 28 shifts and recording the key assist on Jake Neighbors' overtime-winning goal. Broberg set the franchise record for the longest point streak by a Blues defenseman to start his career, with five points (one goal, four assists) in his first five games for St. Louis.

The Islanders Fourth Line continues to struggle

The Islanders fourth line continued to struggle. Combined with Kyle MacLean, Casey Cizikas, and Oliver Wahlstrom, the line finished the night with an 8.3 xG%, the only combination of Islanders forwards to finish below 55%. The line allowed 14 shots and produced just two in 7:01 combined ice time.

Related: The Islanders Need More From Their Depths

It wasn't the first night this row struggled. Entering the game, the Islanders' fourth line ranked third last in the NHL with 25 percent expected goals (xG%) and last in the league with 0.0 percent goals (G%). It also ranked second to the Islanders in expected goals per 60 minutes (0.96) and expected goals against per 60 minutes (2.87). Although the line did not directly experience losses, its continuing negative impact is a concern that needs to be addressed.

Bade Strikers

The score sheet gives a clear picture of how the two goalies performed on Thursday night. The Islanders' Sorokin, making his second start of the season, missed overtime but was the reason his team had a chance to win. His .967 save percentage and 1.55 goals-against-average showed that he has fully recovered from his offseason surgery.

After the game, veteran defensive end Ryan Pulock told the media “[Sorokin’s] he was smart…Both nights he made some great saves and he makes some tough saves. We trust him a lot when he is there, both of our boys.”

Head coach Patrick Roy gave his opinion, saying “It's very encouraging because [Sorokin’s play] it takes a lot of pressure off us…. We are a little successful at the moment in our penalty kill, three games in a row without conceding goals which is good for us. Setting goals is good.”

On the other side of the ice, 24-year-old Joel Hofer bounced back from allowing four goals on 29 shots against the San Jose Sharks on Oct. 10, stopped all 34 shots he faced against the Islanders to earn his second career NHL shutout.

The Blues will continue their Saturday night game against the Carolina Hurricanes in their second straight game against a Metropolitan Division rival. The Islanders return home following their three-game Midwest road trip to face the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday at UBS Arena.