Maxim Tsyplakov Makes Islanders Debuts With Flair

The newcomer notched a point after an early setback; Islanders to hold full time National Anthem Singer tryouts on Monday.

Stefen Rosner

The Elmonters

, and

David Kolb

Sep 23, 2024

NEWARK, NJ — For the first time in his hockey career, Maxim Tsyplakov suited up for an NHL game. No, it didn’t count, being that it was the New York Islanders’ first preseason game of the season. But for a hungry fan base, an intrigued Patrick Roy, and a semi-nervous Tsyplakov, this game meant a lot.

The 26-year-old’s start was a tad nightmarish, having been thrown on the penalty kill, leading to a costly turnover that led to the Devils’ opening dagger.

“It was my fault,” Roy said postgame about the penalty kill blunder. “He didn’t have a chance to practice in our practice, so going into the game there made it a little tougher on him. Maybe I should have waited a little bit before [putting him there], giving him at least some reps in practice before sending him out there.”

But, the night turned around for the newest No. 7.

He settled in alongside Kyle MacLean and Julien Gauthier, a line that had plenty of chances throughout the sixty-minute affair.

And at 17:05 of the second period, with the Islanders trailing 2-1, he left his mark.

On an odd-man rush, Tsyplakov tricked Devils’ defenseman Colton White and starting nemtinder Jacob Markstrom. He pulled back the puck in what everyone thought was an effort to shoot off the toe-drag move.

However, he no-look passed the puck to Gauthier, who tapped home the tying tally:

“I know what my plan [was],” Tsyplakov said postgame. “I need to look shoot, and the defenseman believed me, and I made the pass.”

Gauthier added, “He looked at me before we got to the blue line, and he did a great job selling the shot. It was a really nice pass by him.”

Tsyplakov finished the night with one assist, a shot on four attempts — one blocked — in 12:21 minutes (0:53 on PP, 0:22 on PK) with three giveaways and a takeaway.

“I thought he did well,” Roy said. “He made a super nice play on that goal, a nice assist on that second goal. But yeah, he played well. He protects the puck well. And I was very happy with this effort, and I was happy with the way he played.”

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Islanders Defeat Devils 4-2

NEWARK, N.J. -- The New York Islanders went into New Jersey and beat the Devils and Sheldon Keefe 4-2 in their first preseason game.

Here's how it happened:

While the Islanders were on the penalty kill -- it was our first look at their new system, a wedge flush under Tommy Albelin -- they allowed the opening goal at 2:18 of the first period.

Read the rest at The Hockey News.