WINNIPEG, Manitoba — The pre-game analysis was not difficult, though ultimately way off base. With current Vezina Trophy candidate Ilya Sorokin guarding the Islanders’ net and Connor Helleybuck, the reigning back-to-back recipient of the award as the NHL’s top goalie and a three-time winner since 2020 at the other end, all involved on Tuesday night at Canada Life Centre planned for a stingy, low-scoring match. Instead, the Islanders, who survived a first-period scare when Matthew Schaefer was pulled for concussion spotting before being cleared to return, scored three goals within three minutes, 58 seconds in a wild second period to overcome a three-goal deficit but still lost 5-4. Schaefer,...
