Nelson’s Late Goal Lifts Islanders Over Slumping Golden Knights, 2-1

Angelo Apuli
Angelo Apuli
2 Min Read
Feb 4, 2025; Elmont, New York, USA; Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (9) attempts a rebound on New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (30) during the third period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images

Brock Nelson broke a third-period deadlock, and Ilya Sorokin turned in a stellar performance with 34 saves as the New York Islanders edged the Vegas Golden Knights 2-1 on Tuesday night. The win marked the Islanders’ eighth victory in their last nine games.

Nelson redirected a shot from defenseman Alexander Romanov past Vegas goaltender Ilya Samsonov at 10:43 of the third period, securing his 16th goal of the season. Tony DeAngelo also helped with the play.

Islanders Stay Hot, Golden Knights Struggle

Bo Horvat opened the scoring for New York late in the first period, slipping a backhand past Samsonov for his 19th goal of the season.

Vegas answered in the third when Brandon Saad found the net at 7:40, scoring his first goal since joining the Golden Knights on January 31 following his contract termination with St. Louis. However, the Knights couldn’t capitalize on their momentum, falling to their fourth straight loss.

Despite missing top scorer Mathew Barzal, who was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, the Islanders continued their strong form, improving to 11-3-0 since January 5.

Takeaways

Golden Knights: Vegas continues to struggle on the road, dropping to 12-11-3 away from home. They’ve now lost six of their last seven road games, though they remain dominant at home with a 19-6-3 record.

Islanders: Sorokin reached 20 wins for the fourth consecutive season, improving his record to 20-14-4. He has now won six straight starts and seven consecutive appearances.

Key Moment

With just over three minutes remaining, Sorokin made a crucial close-range stop against Ivan Barbashev, preserving New York’s one-goal lead and securing the win.

Stat of the Night

Bo Horvat has been a key offensive contributor for the Islanders, notching five goals in his last eight games while leading the team with 40 points.

What’s Next

The Islanders head to Winnipeg on Friday to face the Jets, while the Golden Knights continue their road trip against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday.