Creating and sustaining an impact has been a lingering issue during the first 3 1⁄2 months of the season. It’s part of the reason the Islanders (17-19-7, 41 points) entered the first of three games in 14 days against the Flyers in 15th place in the Eastern Conference, two points ahead of last-place Buffalo.

Anders Lee scored a first period goal in his 800th NHL game, and Ilya Sorokin made 30 saves for his 20th career shutout as the Islanders blanked the Vegas Golden Knights 4-0 before a sellout crowd of 17,713 at T-Mobile Arena.

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Sean Couturier scored his 199th NHL goal and Travis Konecny added three assists as the Flyers overcame the first two Islander power play goals in the last fifteen games for a 5-3 win over the Isles before a crowd of 15,761 at UBS Arena.

Mathew Barzal scored earlier in the second while Noah Dobson and Ryan Pulock added goals for the Islanders, who snapped a two-game losing streak but remained in last place in the Metropolitan Division and seven points out of the second wild-card spot. Goalie Marcus Hogberg made 18 saves.

Result: The Islanders are playing faster hockey (a necessity in the NHL), are breaking the puck out of their defensive zone quickly and cleanly and are able to sustain momentum shift to shift as one group of players can build upon the forecheck or physicality of the players returning to the bench.

Coach Patrick Roy reunited Anthony Duclair with Nelson and Kyle Palmieri and Mathew Barzal with Bo Horvat and Lee. Marcus Hogberg, making his third start in four games (but with Ilya Sorokin healthy this time), stopped 18 shots. The Sharks (14-28-6) lost for the 16th time in 20 games.

At least for now, the Islanders stopped the bleeding. Doing so on the same night the organization honored Brent Sutter — inducting him into the team’s Hall of Fame and unveiling his name on the Ring of Honor at UBS Arena — with one of the season’s better crowds in attendance,

The New York Islanders (18-20-7) snapped their two-game skid with a 4-1 win over the lowly San Jose Sharks (14-28-6) on Saturday night. The Islanders fueled their win with a strong second period, scoring three goals.

The game against the Rangers kicked off a stretch of eight games out of nine away from home, which continues tonight just a little to the east as the Blue Jackets take on the Islanders. Defenseman Damon Severson said the team wants to keep playing that tighter style on the road as the Jackets try to rack up points.

After a busy seven days in the National Hockey League, the movement in ClutchPoints' NHL Power Rankings is significant in Week 16.

Welcome back to NHL Predictions! Today, like every day, Last Word on Hockey looks at the games happening and gives our predictions for each. We’ll also break down head-to-head matchups and other factors that may play in.