Lee scores goal in 800th game and Sorokin has shutout as Islanders beat Golden Knights 4-0

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Captain Anders Lee, playing in his 800th career game, scored a goal and Ilya Sorokin made 30 saves as the New York Islanders beat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-0 on Thursday night.

This was the Islanders' second shutout this season. The other occurred Nov. 30, same day as the Golden Knights were last blanked. This also was Sorokin's second shutout this season and 20th of his career.

Lee became the 10th player in franchise history to reach 800 games and the first to score a goal while hitting that milestone.

Brock Nelson had a goal and an assist, and Bo Horvat and Casey Cizikas also scored for the Islanders. Alexander Romanov had two assists.

Adin Hill stopped 17 shots for the Golden Knights.

Vegas entered this game having won three games in a row, nine of 10 and 13 of 15.

The Islanders have won back-to-back games for the first time since Dec. 7-8 when they defeated the Carolina Hurricanes and Ottawa Senators.

Islanders: New York was opportunistic, scoring its first two goals off Vegas turnovers.

Golden Knights: Defense had been the key to the Golden Knights' recent surge, but it let them down in this game. The first three Islanders goals came from the slot.

The Golden Knights appeared to get on the scoreboard first when Tomas Hertl scored from the slot with 6:10 left in the first period. But the Islanders successfully challenged for offside and Lee scored 3:14 later to take a lead they never gave back.

6 — The number of shots on goal the Islanders had in each of the first two periods, yet they scored three times.

Islanders play at Utah on Saturday and Golden Knights host the New York Rangers.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill (33) passes the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee, left, collides with Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, right, during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee (27) checks Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb (3) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

New York Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield (24) celebrates with left wing Anders Lee (27) after Lee's goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Vegas Golden Knights, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

New York Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock (6) skates past Vegas Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl (48) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Gael Monfils became the second oldest player since 1990 to reach a final on the men's elite tennis tour after beating American Nishesh Basavareddy 7-6 (5), 6-4 in the semifinals at Auckland on Friday aged 38 years, 131 days.

Ivo Karlovic holds the ATP Tour record, having won through to final in Pune, India in 2019 at the age of 39 years, 311 days. Monfils edges Stan Wawrinka who was aged 38 years and 124 days when he reached the final at Umag, Croatia in 2023.

Karlovic also reached the final at Den Bosch in 2017 aged 38 years, 110 days while Roger Federer (Basel in 2019 aged 38 years and 80 days) and Rafael Nadal (the 2024 Swedish Open at 38 years and 48 days) also are in the top five.

Frenchman Monfils has been breaking records steadily in Auckland to reach his 35th ATP Tour final. When he beat Jan-Lennard Struff to reach the quarterfinals, he became the oldest player in the professional era to reach the last eight in Auckland.

He became the oldest-ever semifinalist in Auckland when he beat Facundo Diaz Acosta 6-3, 6-1 to reach his 73rd ATP Tour semifinal. Only Novak Djokovic has played more.

Monfils will face Zizou Bergs of Belgium in Saturday's final.

“Everybody knows I’m a warrior on the court, I don’t give up easy,” Monfils said after his semifinal. “I’m very pleased with the way I got through today, it wasn’t easy.

"The true fans know, that’s the way I am. I love defense and I feel like from day one if you ask anyone who knows me and tennis really well they will never tell you I’m an offensive player. I’m good in defense. It’s the way I’ve been blessed by the one upstairs.”

The 19-year-old Basavareddy also has been making waves in Auckland. He is the youngest American since Reilly Opelka to reach an ATP Tour level semifinal on hard courts. Opelka did so aged 18 in Atlanta in 2016.

He turned pro in December after a stand-out 2024 season on the ATP Challenger Tour.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

France's Gael Monfils plays a forehand to Serbia's Novak Djokovic during their match at the Brisbane International in Brisbane, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Pat Hoelscher)

France's Gael Monfils reacts during his match against Serbia's Novak Djokovicat the Brisbane International in Brisbane, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Pat Hoelscher)

France's Gael Monfils looks on during his match against Serbia's Novak Djokovic at the Brisbane International in Brisbane, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Pat Hoelscher)