Islanders hold off Ducks 3-2 after scoring three times in first period

The New York Islanders beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 on October 20 at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, after scoring all three of their goals in the first period, according to the Associated Press. The result gave New York a second straight win and extended Anaheim’s losing streak to four games.

Ondrej Palat, Viktor Eklund and Simon Holmstrom scored for the Islanders. Frank Vatrano and Alex Killorn answered for the Ducks, but Anaheim could not erase New York’s early lead. Ilya Sorokin made 15 saves for the Islanders, while Lukas Dostal stopped 22 shots for Anaheim, the AP reported.

How the Islanders built their first-period lead

Anaheim responded quickly. Vatrano scored on a backhand from an A.J. Greer feed 49 seconds after Eklund’s goal, cutting the deficit to one. Holmstrom restored the Islanders’ two-goal advantage on a power play with 1:18 left in the period, deflecting Mathew Schaefer’s shot from the point past Dostal. Those were New York’s final goals of the game.

Anaheim’s late goal and New York’s recent form

The Ducks drew within one again when Killorn scored with 2:40 remaining in the third period. The Islanders protected the 3-2 lead through the finish. The AP said New York improved to 3-0-1 over its past four games, while Anaheim’s defeat was its fourth in a row.

Before the game, the Islanders had beaten Toronto 4-1 on October 17 and collected three of four possible points on the road trip leading into the Ducks matchup, according to New York’s game preview. The club identified the October 20 contest as its first meeting with Anaheim this season. That recent run gave the Islanders a chance to build on their momentum at home; their three-goal opening period made the difference against the Ducks.

Both teams play again Thursday night: Anaheim visits New Jersey, and the Islanders host Los Angeles, according to the AP.