Toronto's 20 penalty minutes handed NYI the power-play ladder they climbed to a win the shot sheet had already made inevitable.
Toronto arrived at UBS Arena needing points in a playoff race they had no margin for error in β and spent the night generating 16 shots against a team that fired 44. The Islanders' shot dominance wasn't incidental; it was the structural reason this game was never truly in doubt.
β‘TURNING POINT
Ritchie's power-play goal at 10:20 of the third extended the lead to 5-2 at a moment when Toronto still had enough time to threaten a comeback. By converting on the man advantage to push the gap to three, NYI removed the realistic scenario in which Toronto's mounting penalties became irrelevant β the deficit was now mathematically punishing.
πWHY NYI WON
β’
A 44-16 shot advantage reflects total territorial control; NYI dictated zone time from puck drop and never conceded the neutral zone.
β’
Toronto took 20 PIMs against NYI's 2, gifting the Islanders six power-play opportunities β the structural imbalance in special teams was the game's defining factor.
β’
DeAngelo's two assists from the blue line and Schaefer's goal from 24:50 of ice time show NYI's defensive corps drove offensive production, keeping Toronto pinned without surrendering the back end.
πWHY TOR LOST
β’
20 PIM against a team with a functioning power play is self-inflicted damage Toronto's talent level cannot absorb.
β’
16 shots on goal is not a competitive offensive output; Toronto never generated the volume needed to pressure Sorokin consistently.
β’
Sorokin conceded 1.40 goals above average on 16 shots β yet Toronto still lost by two, because Akhtyamov conceded 0.60 goals above average on 44 shots, and the sheer volume made that margin irrelevant.
Three Stars
Calum Ritchie1st
NYI, C
1G 1A 2P4 shots on goal1 power-play goal
His assist opened the scoring and his third-period PP goal closed Toronto's comeback window entirely.
Tony DeAngelo2nd
NYI, D
2 assists4 shots on goal+220:33 TOI
Operating from the point across both middle periods, his playmaking directly produced two NYI goals.
Matthew Schaefer3rd
NYI, D
1G3 shots on goal+1led all skaters at 24:50 TOI
His goal extended the lead and his ice time anchored NYI's defensive structure through sixty minutes.
