New York Islanders forward Oliver Wahlstrom, right, celebrates his game-winning goal as Calgary Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom looks on during shootout NHL hockey action in Calgary, Alta., Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
CALGARY – Oliver Wahlstrom scored the shootout winner for the New York Islanders in a 5-4 win over the host Calgary Flame on Saturday night.
Kyle Palmieri had a goal and an assist for the New York Islanders (6-6-5), who snapped a seven-game losing streak and picked up their first victory of a four-game road trip.
Hudson Fasching, Matt Barzal and Brock Nelson also scored for the Islanders, with starter Ilya Sorokin stopping 35 shots in regulation and overtime. Bo Horvat also scored in the shootout.
Martin Pospisil scored twice, while Blake Coleman and Yegor Sharangovich each contributed a goal for the Flames (6-8-3), who twice tied the game in the third period. Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom made 29 saves in the loss.
Playing their third road game in four days, the Islanders were outshot 21-17 by the Flames after two periods, but led 3-2 heading into the third.
Pospisil tipped a MacKenzie Weegar shot from the point at 3:12 for his second of the game, but Nelson restored the Islanders’ lead just 20 seconds later when he backhanded a rebound past Markstrom.
Calgary’s Sharangovich knotted the score again at at 13:42 tipping in a Noah Hanifin shot from the point.
Down two goals, the Flames generated sustained offensive-zone pressure late in the second period culminating in Coleman’s redirection to score off a Nick DeSimone pass at 17:03.
The Islanders led 3-1 at 8:07 on Barzal’s unassisted, four-on-four goal off a Calgary giveaway. Flames defenceman Rasmus Andersson had put a clearing attempt on the stick of Barzal in the slot.
With Calgary’s Nazem Kadri in the box for hooking, the visitors pulled ahead 2-1 at 4:07 when Palmieri batted in a rebound. Noah Dobson’s assist was his eighth point (two goals, six assists) in 10 games.
The Flames held a 9-8 margin in shots after the opening period that ended 1-1. The Isles drew even at 16:52 when Fasching skated in from the boards to whip the puck by Markstrom short side.
Pospisil collected a Kadri pass off the wall in the neutral zone and patiently waited for Sorokin to go down before shovelling the puck over the prone Isles goalie at 12:16.
Pospisil’s two goals gave him four in seven games since the Slovak centre’s promotion from the American Hockey League’s Calgary Wranglers.
The Flames twice negated man advantages with their minor penalties within seconds of an opposing player entering the box to go 0-for-3 on the power play and 0-for-16 in their last six games. The Islanders scored once on three power-play chances Saturday.
UP NEXT
The Islanders head home to host the Flyers on Wednesday when winger Cal Clutterback of Welland, Ont., is scheduled to play his 1,000th NHL game.
The Flames head out on a four-game road swing starting Monday in Seattle versus the Kraken.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 18, 2023.
