Islanders Blank Flyers in Dominant Road Win: Sorokin Shines, Philly Falls Flat
The Flyers came into Monday night riding some momentum, fresh off a big win over the league’s top team. But whatever juice they had didn’t carry over. In a game that felt lopsided from the opening puck drop, the New York Islanders rolled into Wells Fargo Center and shut the door-literally and figuratively-with a convincing 4-0 win.
Let’s start with Ilya Sorokin, who was nothing short of sensational between the pipes. The Islanders’ netminder turned away all 21 shots he faced, picking up his league-leading sixth shutout of the season.
That’s not just a stat-it’s a statement. Sorokin was in complete control, tracking pucks through traffic, controlling rebounds, and frustrating a Flyers offense that never really found its footing.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau led the charge offensively, scoring twice-including a shorthanded goal that ended up as the game-winner. That one stung.
A power play that was supposed to tilt the ice in Philly’s favor instead turned into a gut punch. Pageau’s speed and finish on the breakaway gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead in the first, and they never looked back.
Mathew Barzal added a goal and an assist, showing off the kind of playmaking that makes him such a dangerous presence in open ice. Tony DeAngelo, facing his former team, added a power-play goal to cap off a night that was all Isles, all the way.
As for the Flyers? It just wasn’t there.
The offense looked disconnected, generating only 21 shots and going 0-for-3 with the man advantage. That’s a tough pill to swallow, especially at home and in a divisional game with playoff implications.
The loss drops Philly to 24-18-9 and leaves them four points back of the Islanders in the Metro Division standings. New York, meanwhile, improves to 28-19-5, bouncing back nicely after dropping their previous two.
The home crowd let their frustration be known, with boos echoing through the arena at the end of periods and after the final horn. And Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet didn’t shy away from the blame postgame.
“We had no energy,” Tocchet said. “Kind of disappointing, a division game, coming off the road.
That’s a tough effort, it’s on me. We are 3-11-4 after a win, it’s on me, I’ll wear it.”
It’s rare to see a coach take that kind of accountability so directly, but Tocchet’s not wrong-this team has struggled to string wins together. That post-win record (3-11-4) is a red flag for a club trying to stay in the playoff race.
So what was the biggest issue last night? Was it effort?
Execution? Or did Sorokin simply steal the show?
Honestly, it felt like a combination of all three. The Flyers weren’t sharp, the Islanders capitalized on their chances, and Sorokin slammed the door shut every time Philly tried to claw back.
The good news? There’s still time to respond.
But if the Flyers want to stay in the mix, they’ll need to find some consistency-and fast. Because in a division as tight as the Metro, nights like this can come back to bite you.