Bo Horvat supplied two goals as the New York Islanders settled into the win column with a 4-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks at UBS Arena on Thursday. His opening tally extended his run of power-play goals to three consecutive games, while Ilya Sorokin turned aside 22 shots.
- Islanders: Bo Horvat scored twice, including the late empty-netter, in New York’s 2-2-0 start.
- Horvat opened the scoring at 19:03 of the first period on the man advantage. He won the draw to Matthew Schaefer, collected the rebound from Schaefer’s point shot and tucked it inside the left post.
- Emil Heineman made it 2-0 at 6:44 of the second period, taking Matias Maccelli’s feed from the right wall and finishing from the high slot.
- Anthony Duclair added a one-timer at 9:38 of the middle frame. Logan Stanley set up the goal from the right side; Stanley finished with two assists.
- Sorokin’s biggest stop came 1:08 into the second, when he denied Cole Smith on a backhand breakaway. Smith and the Blackhawks pushed for a goal after Sorokin slid into the net, but video review could not establish that the puck crossed the line.
- Blackhawks: Frank Nazar spoiled the shutout with 2:34 left, firing Patrick Kane’s pass high on Sorokin’s blocker side while Chicago had pulled Arvid Soderblom for an extra skater.
- Soderblom stopped 15 shots for Chicago, which fell to 1-4-0.
- Horvat closed the scoring 61 seconds after Nazar’s goal, sending the puck into the vacant Chicago net at 18:27 of the third.
