The New York Islanders ended their four-game skid on Thursday evening with a 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings.

This win marked the first time New York had beaten LA on the road since 2018 and was a much-needed victory in order to try to get the team back on track.

The Islanders got some much-needed help in the lineup, as Matias Maccelli and Ryan Pulock made their returns, both making an immediate impact.

Pulock recorded two assists on the night; his first assist came in the first period after Brayden Schenn found the back of the net to give the Islanders a 1-0 lead, and his second assist came late in the second period on a goal by Victor Eklund. Maccelli also recorded an assist on a power-play goal by Matthew Schaefer to give New York the lead midway through the first period.

Islanders offense wakes up against Kings

The Kings were held to only 28 shots, which made Ilya Sorokin's job in the net a lot easier than it was during the four-game skid. Sorokin made 26 saves, bringing his goals-against average down to 2.53 on the year.

One thing to note is that the Islanders only recorded 21 shots during the game, which was enough to take down one of the weaker teams in the league. However, as New York prepares to take on the Anaheim Ducks, they will definitely need to take a more aggressive approach in order to try and finish the West Coast trip with a 2-1 record.

One area that could be seen as concerning after the game was the number of hits issued on both sides. LA finished the game with 33 hits to the Islanders' nine hits, meaning the Kings provided a much more physical style of play. However, New York was playing with eleven forwards and seven defensemen in this game, which ultimately could account for the lack of physicality on its end.

Their win against the Kings may have been a perfect way to get this team back on track. They're getting healthier and came away with a victory in a building that gave them trouble for the last eight years.

Now, as the Islanders get ready to take on the Ducks on Saturday, they will be looking forward to possibly hearing more good news regarding Mathew Barzal, who was seen wearing a green jersey during practice on Thursday. If Barzal is ready to make his season debut, his presence would provide another boost and playmaking ability that the team has been lacking so far this season.