Islanders Squeeze Past Canucks 3-2, Sorokin Delivers as Promised

The Islanders gutted out a 3-2 win over the Canucks at UBS Arena, and DarkHorse's Islanders -220 pick cashed exactly as scripted. This wasn't pretty, but it was profitable—and that's what matters when you're backing a goaltending mismatch this lopsided.

Ilya Sorokin did his part, continuing his elite early-season run and giving Vancouver nothing easy. The Canucks managed just two goals against the brick wall we told you about, while Kevin Lankinen—who entered with a cartoonish 6.89 GAA—somehow kept it respectable enough to make this interesting. Credit where it's due: Lankinen didn't implode. But he still lost, because that's what happens when you're riding a four-game skid and can't score more than two on the road.

The Islanders' 4.33 goals-per-game home average didn't show up in full force, but three was enough. Vancouver's road woes (1-3 coming in, allowing 5.5 per game away from home) continued, and their losing streak is now five games.

This was textbook situational handicapping—elite goalie versus a dumpster fire, home team with momentum, road team in freefall. The Islanders didn't dominate, but they didn't need to. Sorokin was the difference, just like we said he'd be. Chalk up the W and move on to the next one.