The New York Islanders began a critical pre-Christmas four-game road trip on the right foot, getting a late first-period lead and then sucking the life out of the Colorado Avalanche on the way to a 4-1 win in Denver.
They may have lost Brock Nelson — kneed by Ian Cole in the second, not to return — and Thomas Hickey — he left the game after a crash into the boards, and the Isles have a back-to-back — but otherwise things proceeded according to plan as they kept the Avalanche’s top line off the (even strength) scoreboard and got a virtually unprecedented two goals from the power play to provide the non-empty-net margin of victory.