Islanders 6, Devils 0: Sorokin's 37-Save Shutout

October 3, 2026 - Elmont - The first period at UBS Arena was a 0-0 grind. Then the Islanders scored three in the second, three in the third, and Ilya Sorokin never moved the goals-against column.

The New York Islanders beat the New Jersey Devils 6-0 in their home opener. New York is 1-1-0 after a loss in Toronto on Wednesday. New Jersey is 1-1-0 after beating Philadelphia in its opener. The Associated Press called it Sorokin's 30th career shutout. The NHL box is 37 saves on 37 shots. The ESPN recap said 36. The gamecenter box is the line we scored.

Viktor Eklund, the 16th pick in 2025, scored his first NHL goal. Matthew Schaefer, named the youngest assistant captain in Islanders history on Tuesday, had two assists. Bo Horvat is the 16th captain in franchise history. He scored on the power play.

Scoreless for 20, then 1:28 that flipped the building

New Jersey outshot New York 37-32 and still left with zeros. Nico Hischier played 19:19. Jack Hughes played 21:01. Luke Hughes played 21:41. Timo Meier put six shots on Sorokin. None of it found the net.

Simon Holmstrom opened it at 3:32 of the second. The AP recap had Jean-Gabriel Pageau sliding a puck past Jonas Siegenthaler's stick. Adam Pelech got the other assist. 1-0.

Brayden Schenn scored 88 seconds later at 5:00. Eklund and Schaefer on the play. 2-0. Horvat made it 3-0 at 12:08 on the power play, Schaefer the lone helper. Three goals in one period. The Devils had not put a puck behind Sorokin.

Eklund's first, then Palat, then a short-handed sixth

The third was faster. Eklund scored at 11:32 from Cal Ritchie and Schenn. First NHL goal. 4-0. Forty-two seconds later Ondrej Palat finished a pass from Casey Cizikas and Logan Stanley. 5-0.

Cizikas added a short-handed goal at 18:41 from Holmstrom and Stanley. 6-0. The NHL landing lists that last one as short-handed. The box still gave Cizikas a goal, an assist, and four shots.

Nico Daws stopped 26 of 32 in 59:52. Jake Allen did not see a shot. New Jersey's night was volume without a finish. Luke Hughes played 21:41. Jesper Bratt played 15:53. Attendance was 17,345.

The Devils host Utah on Tuesday. The Islanders visit the Rangers the same night.

AthX Engine on a 6-0 home opener

AthX Engine (our projection and scoring system) pays a goalie 3 for a win, 0.4 per save, minus 1.2 per goal against, and 2 for a shutout. Sorokin's 37-save shutout is 19.80, the top player line on this 13-game Saturday. Cizikas is 8.90. Schenn is 8.90. Holmstrom is 7.60. Palat is 6.90. Schaefer is 6.20. Horvat's power-play goal, four shots, two blocks, and 2 PIM are 7.40. Eklund's goal, assist, one shot, and 2 PIM are 6.60. He is not seeded on AthX player pages yet, so the name stays unlinked. Daws is unlinked for the same reason.

New York's team line is 25.20 (win, 6 goals for, none against). New Jersey floors at 0.

Fantasy points measure the box. Price is what traders will pay for a shutout at UBS and for a Devils group that put 37 shots on net and still lost 6-0. They are not the same number.

Track Sorokin, Horvat, Schenn, and both clubs on the marketplace.

*Sources: AP recap (ESPN), ESPN box score, NHL.com scoreboard, NHL gamecenter boxscore 2026020029. AthX Engine fantasy points scored from that verified box. Information only; not financial advice.*