The Islanders came out with a strong, first period effort and Sorokin played a huge role in that, turning aside all eight shots faced in the opening 20 minutes including a dangerously close tip-in attempt by Ovechkin.

The strong defensive effort allowed the Isles to jump to an early 2-0 lead. Simon Holmstrom swooped up the puck behind the net and sent a centering feed to Horvat, who wristed the puck under Lindgren’s pads to open the scoring at 7:06 of the first period. Less than two minutes later Gatcomb scored on the rush, chipping the puck to MacLean while buzzing into the Capitals zone and burying the return feed from the low slot to double the Isles lead at the 9:00 mark of the opening frame.

In the second period, Casey Cizikas took a tripping penalty and Ovechkin – in his wheelhouse in the circle – loaded up a wrister from the top of the left circle, beating Sorokin for his record-breaking 895th career goal.

After the 20-minute ceremony, the Isles regrouped and kept their foot on the gas. Horvat had a prime scoring chance in the slot and Pierre Engvall hit the post – and Gatcomb broke through again to regain a two-goal lead. From behind the net, Matt Martin sent a perfect pass to Gatcomb, who was cutting into the low slot to bury his second goal of the game.

“After [Ovechkin] scored, you get a little starstruck for a bit, watching all the guys come on the ice in a big ceremony,” Gatcomb said. “But it was a great turning point in the game, good play by Marty to find me out front there so I think it switched the momentum back in our favor.”

Ovechkin was still buzzing and had two quality chances at the start of the third. He fired a shot that Sorokin saved with his blocker and missed wide in the slot shortly after.

The Isles extended their lead to 4-1 in a chaotic scene in front of the net, when Pageau snuck the puck past Lindgren at the 4:20 mark of the third period. Sorokin stopped all 12 shots he faced in the third period to limit the Caps to one goal and seal the win for the Isles.

Ovechkin led the Capitals with five shots on goal and the Isles knew that he was hungry to score his record-breaking goal and them some, but the Islanders turned aside the pressure, remained focused overall and stuck to their game through three periods.

“We tried our best to limit what we knew was coming, which was an onslaught of giving Ovi the puck and his ability to shoot it,” Captain Anders Lee said. “We just played a solid game. Ilya was strong.”