Jarry helps Penguins hand Islanders eighth straight loss

ELMONT, N.Y. --Tristan Jarry made 25 saves, and the Pittsburgh Penguins handed the New York Islanders their eighth straight loss, 1-0 at UBS Arena on Friday.

Kasperi Kapanen scored for the Penguins (10-6-4), who have won five in a row while outscoring opponents 16-2.
It was Jarry's first game against the Islanders since the best-of-7 Stanley Cup First Round last season, which New York won in six games. Jarry has three shutouts during the win streak; each has come on the road.
"It was just another game against a different team," Jarry said. "I think that's been my mindset this year, is I just want to put my best foot forward and make sure I'm doing my part to try and help the team.
"The guys are doing a great job in front of me, blocking shots, making sure we're getting pucks deep, and I think that's been the key over our last five games."
Ilya Sorokin made 29 saves for the Islanders (5-10-2), who have lost their first four home games and have been shut out twice. They have not held a lead since Nov. 15, when Mathew Barzal scored at 2:53 of the first period in a 4-1 loss at the Tampa Bay Lightning. It lasted 23 seconds.
New York has been outscored 32-7 in the streak and has six players in COVID-19 protocol: forwards Anders Lee, Kieffer Bellows and Ross Johnston, and defensemen Adam Pelech, Andy Greene and Zdeno Chara. Defenseman Ryan Pulock and center Brock Nelson are also out, each with a lower-body injury.
"This is one of the biggest challenges I've ever faced in 20-something years, and I started with an expansion team (Nashville Predators in 1998-99), and expansion teams are built a lot different than they are now," coach Barry Trotz said. "But this is one of the bigger challenges. We're in a real tough division. Obviously, we want to do well in this rink. Our fans want us [to do well], they're excited about that, and we get hit with COVID, we get hit with injuries, those type of things. Very untimely, but that's life."
Kapanen scored on a wrist shot from the left face-off circle off a pass from Sidney Crosby at 16:41 of the second period.
"It took a while [to score against Sorokin]," Kapanen said. "All game we put a lot of pucks on him and he was making some great saves. Lucky enough, we got one past him today."

Sorokin kept it 0-0 with a sprawling save against Crosby at 2:30 of the first period.
The Penguins outshot the Islanders 12-6 in the first period.
"He kept us in the game," New York forward Anthony Beauvillier said. "We just couldn't get a goal for him."
Jarry responded for Pittsburgh at 8:29 of the second with a save on Kyle Palmieri's wrist shot from the right face-off circle.
"He's just confident, you can tell," Kapanen said. "He's calm and he's poised in net. That gives us confidence, and I feel like this group, ever since he's been playing well, we've been playing well too. He's been a big key for our success."
Sorokin kept it a one-goal game when he slid across the crease to make a save on Crosby's one-timer at 4:22 of the third period. He also denied Jason Zucker on a breakaway at 12:39.
Jarry preserved the shutout with a left pad save against Otto Koivula with 2:25 remaining. He earlier made a glove save on a backhand shot from Casey Cizikas during a Penguins power play at 3:38 of the third and on Oliver Wahlstrom's one-timer from the left circle while Pittsburgh was shorthanded at 8:03.
Jarry made 11 saves in the third period.
"I think all across the board, everyone's giving it their all," Islanders forward Matt Martin said. "We're all a little bit snakebitten. … We've just got to stick with it. Everybody's working hard, it's just sometimes you've got to almost will your way to one, and then the bounces start to come your way after that."
NOTES:Penguins forward Bryan Rust was a late scratch with a lower-body injury sustained during warmups; coach Mike Sullivan said he is being evaluated. Rust was replaced by center Brian Boyle, who won three of eight face-offs (37.5 percent) in 11:20 of ice time. … Pittsburgh forward Jake Guentzel had an assist to extend his point streak to an NHL career-high eight games (five goals, four assists). … Islanders forward Josh Bailey was removed from COVID-19 protocol but missed his fifth straight game. He could return Sunday at the New York Rangers. … Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson played 20:26 after missing a 4-1 loss to the Rangers on Wednesday because of a lower-body injury.