Islanders beat Flyers in Horvat’s debut

Kyle Palmieri and Mathew Barzal scored, and Semyon Varlamov stopped 25 shots for the New York Islanders in their first game since they acquired All-Star center Bo Horvat, helping them to a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night.

THAT'S AN #ISLES WIN! pic.twitter.com/A4PIY2eiEZ

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) February 7, 2023

The 27-year-old Horvat made his debut a day after the Islanders signed him to an eight-year contract worth $68 million.

“My face looks like a little boy right now,” he said before the game.

He was chosen as an All-Star and played for the Pacific Division on Saturday and already tied his career high with 31 goals this season in 49 games with Vancouver Canucks.

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“The guys made me feel really comfortable and they were great,” Horvat added after the game. “It feels even better to get that win and get my legs under me.”

Islanders Coach Lane Lambert said Horvat can only help as the team make a playoff push in a crowded bottom half of the Eastern Conference.

“In terms of how it changes moving forward, it gives us more options,” Lambert said. “We know what we have to do as a group. We’ve got to string together some wins. That’s the focus right now.”

The Islanders now have 57 points and matched the idle Pittsburgh Penguins for eighth in the East.

Palmieri had his seventh on a wrist shot in the first that snapped the Islanders’ 0-for-26 power-play drought. Barzal beat Carter Hart for his 13th goal in the second.

Nicolas Deslauriers scored his third goal for the Flyers.