Schenn scores 1st with Islanders, who top Maple Leafs for 4th win in 5 games
Matthew Schaefer, who grew up about 50 miles southwest of Toronto in the Hamilton, Ontario, area, had an assist for the Islanders (39-24-5), who are 4-1-0 in their past five games.
“Just seeing friends, family, some teachers were in the building tonight, too,” Schaefer said. “I always talk to all the teachers back at (my old school). I’ll definitely go visit back there if I’m there back in time, but hopefully we can’t because we’re in the playoffs.”
Mathew Barzal had three assists, Calum Ritchie had a goal and an assist, and Ilya Sorokin made 26 saves for the Islanders, who are tied for second in the Metropolitan Division with the Pittsburgh Penguins, two points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
“Everyone’s winning games, including us,” Barzal said. “So, that’s just the race it is this year, and we just got to keep pace and hopefully push the pace. And we were looking at the score in the intermission — I think Columbus probably won — so every game is so big right now, it’s fun. That’s the best part about this, this time of year, every game just means a little more. And every play, means a little more. The power play, it means a little more. This is what you play for.”
Steven Lorentz scored, and Joseph Woll made 31 saves for the Maple Leafs (29-28-12), who were 2-0-1 in their previous three.
“Tonight, not enough (offense),” Toronto coach Craig Berube said. “Our forecheck and how we got a lot pucks back, we have to do more with it, we didn’t do enough with it to generate, and we didn’t get to the net front. That’s the bottom line, that’s where it all start for me. If that goalie sees the puck, he’s going to stop most of them. We didn’t get to the net front and create some chaos and some second and third opportunities. That’s the difference in the game.”
Schenn put the Islanders up 1-0 while on the power play at 4:15 of the first period. Ritchie spun a no-look backhand pass to him at the side of the net for a shot from the right hash marks.
Ritchie then made it 2-0 on another power play at 9:43. He took a pass from Barzal at the side of the net, spun in front and jammed in his own rebound.
The 21-year-old forward, who is from Oakville, Ontario, was also playing his first NHL game in Toronto like Schaefer.
“They made a couple nice plays, it’s a tough play to defend when they’re doing that little pop guy down low,” Woll said. “He made a nice play on one, they get a fortunate bounce on the other. Our kill has been pretty dialed all year so you’re going to have bounces that go either way. That’s really what it was tonight.”
