Schenn's Three-Point Night and a Healthier Lineup Lift the Islanders Past the Kings, 5-2, Ending a Four-Game Skid

Sometimes a hockey team needs its regulars back to remember who it is. The New York Islanders got two of them back Thursday night in Los Angeles, and the result was their most complete night in more than a week.

Brayden Schenn scored a goal and set up two more as the Islanders beat the Kings, 5-2, ending a four-game winless streak, The Associated Press reported ^[1]. Ilya Sorokin made 26 saves, and New York has now earned at least a point in three straight games, according to the AP ^[1]. The Islanders improved to 8-6-4, while Los Angeles dropped its third straight and fell to 5-10-2, according to Ball Exclusives ^[3].

Back From the Injury List

The return of two veterans set the tone. Defenseman Ryan Pulock, who had missed four games with an upper-body injury, and forward Matias Maccelli, who had been out nine games with a lower-body injury, were both back in the lineup, Field Level Media reported ^[2]. Before he was hurt against Toronto on Oct. 17, Maccelli had two goals and four assists in eight games, including a five-game point streak, according to Eyes On Isles ^[4].

Maccelli said before the game his plan was simple: "Just keep playing the way I was before I got hurt" ^[4].

Both men made an immediate difference. Pulock finished with two assists, and Maccelli set up a power-play goal in the first period ^[2][3].

The night was not without a setback. Center Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who had played in each of the team's first 17 games, was held out with a lower-body injury after he could not get ready during the morning skate, Eyes On Isles reported ^[4]. Coach Pete DeBoer said he did not believe the injury was serious ^[4].

How the Goals Came

Schenn opened the scoring at 5:50 of the first period, finishing a rebound after a Pulock shot from the point was tipped by Mitchell Chaffee, according to Field Level Media ^[2]. Trevor Moore pulled Los Angeles even at 8:55, deflecting a Brandt Clarke wrist shot from the right point ^[2].

The Islanders went back in front on the power play at 12:56 of the first, when teenage defenseman Matthew Schaefer scored with assists from Maccelli and Schenn, according to Ball Exclusives ^[3].

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Victor Eklund made it 3-1 at 5:35 of the second period, converting a backhand feed from Schenn in front of the net after a stretch pass from Pulock ^[2]. The Kings answered at 7:52 on a 5-on-3 power play, as Quinton Byfield put home a rebound ^[2]. Kevin Fiala, playing his first game of the season after breaking his left leg at the Milan Cortina Olympics in February, picked up an assist on the goal, the 300th of his career, the AP reported ^[1].

Simon Holmstrom restored the two-goal cushion just 39 seconds into the third period, pouncing on a loose puck off a faceoff ^[2]. Bo Horvat sealed it with an empty-net goal with 2:46 remaining ^[2]. Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper, playing in his 500th career game, made 16 saves, according to the AP ^[1].

Milestones for the Young Guns

The Islanders' youngsters keep adding to the record book. The AP reported that Schaefer, playing in his 100th NHL game, now has 29 career goals and 77 career points, the fourth-most by a teenage defenseman in league history behind Phil Housley, Rasmus Dahlin and Ray Bourque ^[1]. He has a point in four straight games ^[1].

Eklund, a rookie, has now scored in four consecutive games, which the AP said makes him the third Islanders rookie in the past 20 years to do it ^[1].

For Los Angeles, the loss stretched a rough patch. The Hockey News noted the Kings had owned this matchup in recent seasons, going 10-0-1 in their previous 11 games against New York ^[5]. The teams have now split their season series, after the Kings won the first meeting 3-2 on Oct. 22 ^[3].

What Comes Next

The Islanders stay in California and visit Anaheim on Saturday night, while the Kings close a seven-game homestand against Calgary the same night ^[1][2].

There is a lesson here that applies far beyond the rink. A roster is only as good as the people who show up healthy and ready to do their jobs, and Thursday the Islanders had a few more of them. Pulock and Maccelli did not need to be heroes. They simply did the work they were doing before they got hurt, and the rest of the lineup followed. If Pageau's absence is as short as his coach believes, New York may finally have the full group it has been waiting for.