The New York Islanders rediscover their defensive identity with a gutsy 1-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets—can they keep this resilience alive for a playoff push? Gil Martin spotlights Ilya Sorokin’s shutout heroics, Anders Lee’s pivotal playmaking, and Matthew Schafer’s evolving physical presence, while dissecting how the Islanders finally executed strong gap control, backchecking, and board battles in a must-win game.
The episode contrasts this gritty triumph with Saturday’s frustrating collapse against the Montreal Canadiens, questioning Patrick Roy’s tactical decisions and the team’s inconsistency under pressure. Hot takes on the NHL’s baffling goalie interference rules and the Islanders’ playoff formula (defense first, full 60-minute efforts) set the stage for analysis of upcoming games and playoff implications. Plus, tribute is paid to franchise legend John Tonelli and his historic five-goal night. Can the Islanders maintain this level of commitment down the stretch?
All this and more on today’s Locked On Islanders Podcast with Gil Martin.
Everydayer ClubJoin the Everydayer Club for ad-free audio, access to our group chat on Discord, and more. Use code DEADLINE ahead of the trade deadline for one month free. Tap here to learn more: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub
Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!
QuoMake this the year where no opportunity — and no customer — slips away. Try Quo for free plus get 20% off your first 6 months when you go to http://Quo.com/lockedonnhl.
IndeedNow, you can speed up your hiring process with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit. Just go to https://indeed.com/podcast right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply.
RobinhoodYou’re no longer just a spectator. Play by play. You decide. Trade Every Play with Robinhood. Now available across the U.S. Download the Robinhood app now to begin. Futures and cleared swaps trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. Event contracts are offered by Robinhood Derivatives, LLC., a registered futures commission merchant and swap firm.
GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.
FanDuelToday’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel. During the tournament FanDuel is offering$300 back in Bonus Bets every day for ten days. Visit https://FANDUEL.COMto get started — Play Your Game.
FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)
Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOIslanders?sid=YouTube
Locked On NHL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Prospects & More
🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNHL
And follow the show and Gil Martin on Twitter where he’ll share the latest news on your New York Islanders and will talk with fans like you.
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/LockedOnIsles
and https://twitter.com/icewarsnyrvsnyi
#Islanders #NYIslanders #NHL
29 Comments
By far the Islanders most important win of the season. You're not going to win too many 1-0 games, but it was encouraging to see how good the Isles were on the defensive end, and making a fast skilled team look very ordinary
Goaltender interference is determined by the stripes when they check how their doing on Fan Duel etc.
Matthew Schaefer’s final shift (during 6v5 until the end of the game) was MUST SEE hockey AND the very best defense he’s played in his entire young career.
I was fully prepared and expecting to see the Isles hemmed into their own zone for the entirety of the 6v5 (as usual). But Matthew Schaefer came out like Mariano Rivera stepping to the mound and singlehandedly nailed the coffin closed on the Blue Jackets.
The way Schaef utilized his skating and speed for pure shutout defense was breathtaking: he was east to west, north to south – seemingly EVERYWHERE all at once. In the final 30 seconds he broke up at least 3 plays and cleared the puck from dzone just as many times.
Schaefer bailed the Isles out of what on most other nights would’ve likely been a late blown lead, and instead dragged his team back into the playoffs while preventing the Jackets from gaining a single point for the first time in a dozen games. How he failed to be named a Star of the Game (SOUCY?! Are you freaking kidding me?!) is beyond me…
If ANYONE wants to put down Schaefers defensive game – I implore you: watch the final minutes of this game.
Then, look me directly in the eye and answer me this:
What other dman can play defense like that?
Shorthanded??
As a rookie???
AT EIGHTEEN????
If your answer is “No one… EVER” you are CORRECT 👏🏻 🎉
Oh, and did we mention he has 22 goals? 😂
#LGI
-once again 30. without 30 isles are nowhere. had no choice but to clamp down after hab debacle.
-in hab L habs showed the importance of having a sniper that can break a game wide open. something isles lack big time. pathetic isles can't see this and turn their nose up at that.
-keys to success down the stretch. bj game showed that's the only choice isles have for isles to get in. clamp it down.
-27 tonelli. was like a bulldog out there. never lost a corner battle. isles run almost ended at two if not for 27 saving isles against pens. the game 5 ot winner was just 27 dogged determination never giving up on the play.
The Islanders are hanging on by their fingernails…but for how much longer? Thursday they get out muscled by Ottawa and then Saturday they get completely outclassed by Montreal, credit where due…they outplayed Columbus but it doesn't get any easier. Two against Carolina, Buffalo, Montreal, Dallas and Ottawa again. I can't see them winning enough of these games to make the playoffs…unless they start getting some help. The grind of a truncated season and fatigue setting in to this aging roster are taking their toll. When the season ends we can discuss the failures of their rookie GM and why he has done more harm than good.
I saw every possible angle on that no goal and just shook my head and said to myself that was a goal!! Anders was obviously shoved into the goal crease. How could that not be a goal?
What got me on that Anders Lee goal was the fact that Lee didn’t actually put it in the net, it was an own goal. That’s why I thought for sure it would be a good goal. Ridiculous.
Im so tired of the league micro-analyzing these goalie interference calls. The defensive players know this and routinely push their opponents into their own goalie on purpose when they get beat.
Schaefer is a Generational Talent at this point already in His young career! He already has to be considered a top 5 Defenseman in the League . Hopefully I get to see our future Captain lift the Cup in the near future! We can’t look back now only forward! We can’t change the missed cross check to Pelech in the Sens game. We can’t change Lee’s disallowed goal 🥅 last night! We must play man to man coverage and generate more shots.. Rittich should be playing vs the Hawks! What can one say about SoroKing! Sorokin and Schaefer are clear favorites and deserve their Trophies 🏆! Thank You 🙏 Gil For all You do! You are simply The Best ! You cover our team like no other! Greatly appreciate You! You deserve perks as the Best Lock On Network member! Thank You 🙏! I still owe You a shot and a beer 🍺! Goooooo Islanders!
this to me was a great team win…sorokin was awesome as usual ad came through with a big shutout but he wasn't stand on his head..barely faced any pucks that weren't on the ice..they didnt elevate anything …sorokin in his butterfly stops 99 out of 100 on the ice with his pads….but the team was great too….no breakdowns, odd rushes, bad penalties, bad turnovers …great great team effort. great corner work….keeping jackets from high danger chances. kept stuff to the outside. very few bad screens pf Sorokin with three jackets in front of the net…great game on a back to back especially
Gm Gil. I hope Matthew Darche heard announcers say that without Vezna level goaltending the team will not make the playoffs. Was a real nailbiter against Columbus. Columbus has a game in hand. I think its unknown if the Isles will make the playoffs.
Too little too late 😢
Hirvat said “ heres your goal Sorokin. Niw hold it.” HE DID! Ace Sorokin
Certainly did not see that coming. Played with intensity whole game. Really liked the d pairings. Solid effort by everyone. Pulock in, 7 goals allowed. Pulock out, shutout. Coincidence?
How were any of the Montreal goals not soft? 🤔
A great win for the team, will you be going to the final games of the season Gil?
Good morning team! Gil, my thoughts on the weekend games.. the game against the Habs was a bad game. Not too many ways to say it, and that's the truth. It was a bad game. Every team has a bad game. Look at the league. There isn't any team that is undefeated. Was I disappointed with the team's play? ABSOLUTELY. What is more important to me though, what does a team do after a bad game. This latest shutout by Sorokin and team was very well timed. This was an extremely exciting game that ended 1-0 in our favor. There were high danger opportunities for both teams, and both goaltenders were on their game. Can this win propel us to a mini win streak? I'm hoping so. Excellent title and episode, Gil. I think the rest of the games are Must-Win games. Fingers crossed we can give our netminders some more scoring help. Everyone, have a great day! See you all again tomorrow. Until then.. Let's Go Islanders!!
A year to the day that Kyle Palmieri had a goal disallowed on a phantom goalie interference call and that call ended up being the end of the Islanders season. You can't make this up.
What drives me crazy is the power play. Why don't they shoot. Pass pass and turnover
It’s still concerning how bad our POWERPLAY is – for a must win game they really decided to win by the skin on their teeth.
I have a huge issue with Barzal’s approach to the PP – several times he’ll be in his corner with a clear angle to the net with one of our guys screening the goalie, yet 100% of the time he passes the puck back or across. He needs to shoot every single time that opportunity presents itself.
And if he really is that adamant to not shoot then we need to have a SHOOTER in his position on the PP1 unit
Needed that win, gutty performance. They still need to fix the offense and power play. Goalie interference called was bogus. LGI
They ain't doing nothing much in playoffs sorry you gotta rebuild mann
Nice win Sunday night. But we know you can't only rely on Sorokin to keep the puck out. Our offense needs to step up and bury the puck much more. Does an 18 year old beast ever get tired? The answer is obviously no, as MS has averaged 25 minutes on ice per game, and doesn't seem to be slowing down. If anything, the kid is just getting started as he revs up his Oldsmobile 442 engine. The kid is a muscle car on the ice.
The goal being called off is inexplicable. It met every standard of Lee being pushed into the crease and goaltender by the defense man. The fact that the defender's momentum carried himself to the goal line is evidence enough of the amount of force that was on Lee's backside while he was spraying snow trying to stop. I understood why Bowness challenged … I don't understand why the challenge was successful.
As for the game on Saturday, the Isles gave up after the 6th goal. What we saw in the 3rd period was one team trying and the other not.
hey Gil. I think you are right on the money when you stated that the isles have to play with an emphasis on defense from here on out. I know that Roy wanted to play with a more up tempo offense this year and because we are a faster team this year than in the past it made sense and it got the team into the playoff hunt all year. However the isles have given up a ton of high danger chances all year so it’s prudent for the playoff push to help our best player on the team (Sorokin) and get back to playing with a defensive structure mentality that Barry Trotz emphasized when we went to 2 straight conference finals. They seemed to have that mentality against the jackets so hopefully they stay with it.
I can't remember there was a reason they traded him. Something up with wives Gil, do you remember why? Tonelli was heart and soul of this team. Boy we could use a player like that today.
Good 🌆, Gil. How are you? The Islanders looked great against the blue jackets last 🌙, but they made the Canadiens look like The 🪽 Frenchmen from way way back in the day. The Islanders need to play a solid game of 🏒 for 60 minutes. HAPPY 🎂, JOHN TONELLI. The man was a work 🐴. He scored 5 goals in a win against the Maple 🍁. Heat from you later, Gil, but before I go, I compared Gerry Hart 1948-2023, to Luca Brasi from The Godfather. He didn't have Luca 's size but he came thru. As for Rip Wheeler from Yellowstone, he was loyal and went to the 🚆 station when he had to. Now LGI 🏒 🔵🍊
i remember that 1-0 win playoff game against penguins in mid 70's. derek sanderson of the rangers said the isles would not win another playoff game. well he was almost correct, but then they won 4 in a row versus pittsburgh. watched that game on wor-tv channel 9, with tim ryan and george michael as the tv announcers (if i remember correctly), or was john sterling the announcer? i cant remember. isles have a must win coming up versus chicago. connor bedard scares me. he's the kind of scorer i wish isles had. he delivers! he has 29 goals (only 7 more goals than our rookie star). after chicago, they have 6 difficult teams to play – dallas, florida (always a tough game), pittsburgh, buffalo, philly (always a tough game), and carolina.
Schaffer had his best defensive nhl game by far and cal Ritchie has been by far the worst player on the ice for 2 games in a row. Turnover after turnover, bad pass after bad pass, fails to get it out of the zone under pressure over and over again.