Schmaltz scores as Coyotes crumble late in loss to Islanders

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Bo Horvat scored twice, the second in New York’s three-goal third period, and Ilya Sorokin made 24 saves to help the Islanders beat the Arizona Coyotes 5-1 on Thursday night.

Anders Lee and Julien Gauthier scored 52 seconds apart for a 4-1 lead early in the third, and Horvat skated in alone for an unassisted goal with seven minutes remaining.

Mike Reilly also scored for the Islanders, who had lost three of four. Sorokin had three shutouts in five previous games against Arizona.

Matthew Barzal had two assists to give him 401 points in the NHL. Barzal, named to his third All-Star team Thursday, has six assists in his last six games.

Nick Schmaltz scored and Connor Ingram made 23 saves for Arizona. The Coyotes had won six of eight.

Nick Schmaltz gets one back on the power play! 👏 pic.twitter.com/Ci2dW9n0Fp

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 5, 2024

Lee scored on an open chance from the slot at 4:49 of the third, when Barzal got a stick on an attempted clearing pass and it deflected to Lee. Gauthier carried the puck from his end and scored on a first short from the left circle.

Horvat opened the scoring at 7:56 of the first period, 11 seconds into a power play. Noah Dobson slapped a rolling puck from the right circle that ricocheted off an defender right to Horvat, who put a quick wrister past Ingram from the slot.

Reilly made it 2-0 four minutes later, when he scored on a wrist shot from the low left circle. An Arizona turnover in the Islanders’ end led to a quick 3-on-1 break.

Schmaltz scored on a power play 3:29 into the second period to make it 2-1. The Coyotes had a 5-on-3 advantage for nine seconds after consecutive New York penalties and Schmaltz scored four seconds after the first penalty expired.

The Coyotes played without forward Jason Zucker, who served the first game of a three-game suspension after taking a boarding penalty against Florida on Tuesday night.

Islanders defenseman Robert Bortuzzo was placed on injured reserve before the game because of a lower-body injury. He was checked into the boards in the second period of a 5-4 overtime loss at Colorado on Tuesday night.

New York goalie Semyon Varlamov also sustained a lower-body injury in Colorado and was not available. Goalie Ken Appleby was recalled from American Hockey League Bridgeport.

UP NEXT

Islanders: At Vegas on Saturday night.

Coyotes: Host Winnipeg on Sunday night.