Browsing: Isles

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  Greg WyshynskiDec 4, 2025, 11:39 PM ET

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  Greg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer.

ELMONT, N.Y. — The Colorado Avalanche entered Thursday night’s game at the New York Islanders as a juggernaut, having lost just once in regulation in 26 games. Islanders coach Patrick Roy’s message to his team before that game: “If there’s a team that could surprise them, it’s us and the way we’ve been playing.”

St. Patrick was prophetic: Roy’s team defeated the mighty Avalanche 6-3 to snap Colorado’s 17-game point streak in a statement win for the Islanders (15-10-3).

The Islanders built a 4-0 lead against Colorado and responded every time the Avalanche crept back into the game. That included a late third-period penalty kill, as the Avalanche pulled goalie Mackenzie Blackwood for a 6-on-4 advantage. Forward Casey Cizikas iced the win with an empty-netter.

“That’s a really good hockey team over there,” Cizikas said. “They’ve proved it all season. They’re never out of a game, so you’ve got to complete it.”

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Even after the loss, Colorado remained the NHL’s top team in points percentage (.815), goal differential (plus-47), offense (4.04 goals per game) and defense (2.19 goals against per game). The Avalanche have the NHL’s leading scorer in center Nathan MacKinnon (46 points) and the leading scorer among defenseman in Cale Makar (33 points).

But Islanders forward Mathew Barzal said New York’s 4-1 loss in Denver on Nov. 16 gave his teammates confidence they could hang with the NHL’s best.

“We feel like when we played them in Colorado, we probably should have won,” said Barzal, who had a goal and two assists in the win. “As a group, too, we know who we’re playing and that always makes a difference. Against Colorado, if we don’t show up, it could be ugly.”

The Islanders showed up on the scoresheet at 5:56 in the first period, on a controversial goal by forward Kyle MacLean. His shot sailed into the top corner of the net with Blackwood (36 saves) flat on the ice. Replays showed that after a scramble in the crease, the stick of Islanders center Marc Gatcomb had become wedged in Blackwood’s pads as Blackwood attempted to defend the net.

Colorado coach Jared Bednar challenged the goal. The NHL Situation Room cited Rule 69.7 in upholding the goal, which states that “in a rebound situation, or where a goalkeeper and attacking player(s) are simultaneously attempting to play a loose puck, whether inside or outside the crease, incidental contact with the goalkeeper will be permitted, and any goal that is scored as a result thereof will be allowed.”

Bednar disagreed with that assessment.

“Listen, I think goalie interference is a joke. If that’s not goalie interference, I don’t know what is. You can’t just shove the goalie’s pads out of the way to create a loose puck,” said Bednar. “I’m not going to challenge unless it’s obvious. And I thought that was obvious.”

On the other end of the ice, Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin was great when he needed to be in making 35 saves against the high-octane Avalanche. Roy cited one save in the second period where Sorokin stopped Artturi Lehkonen on a 2-on-1 before Barzal increased their lead to 5-2 with a power-play goal.

“I think that gave us the confidence. Ilya made the key save at the right time,” said the coach.

The Islanders’ win over the Avalanche came on a poignant night at UBS Arena for the players. Their fathers and mentors were in attendance, ahead of their road trip to Florida. The game also marked the return of former Islanders star Brock Nelson, who was sent to Colorado at last season’s trade deadline. He received a standing ovation from Islanders fans after a video tribute.

It was just the second loss for the Avalanche (19-2-6) in the past 14 games.

“It’s closer than you think, but it still wasn’t good enough,” Bednar said. “We’ll refocus on the things that we need to do to make us successful.”

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Nov 15, 2025, 02:49 AM ET

SALT LAKE CITY — Matthew Schaefer scored on a slap shot 2:08 into overtime to become the youngest player to score an overtime goal in a regular-season NHL game as the New York Islanders beat the Utah Mammoth 3-2 on Friday night for their third straight extra-time victory.

Jonathan Drouin and Emil Heineman also scored for the Islanders (10-6-2) in their fourth straight win. David Rittich stopped 27 shots, including all 16 after the first period.

Schaefer, the defenseman selected first overall in this year’s NHL draft, has 15 points, most among NHL rookies. He is 18 years, 70 days old, younger than Sidney Crosby, who was 18 years, 101 days when he scored an overtime goal on Nov. 16, 2005.

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Dylan Guenther and JJ Peterka scored for the Mammoth in the Utah franchise’s 100th game. Karel Vejmelka had 19 saves.

The Mammoth are the best in the NHL in limiting shots on goal, and they outshot the Islanders 29-21 as they dropped to 5-1-1 at home.

New York tied it 2-2 with 6:16 remaining when the puck went off Drouin’s skate and was touched by Utah defenseman Nate Schmidt’s stick as it passed over the goal line. The goal was initially disallowed but reversed after video review.

At 18 years, 70 days old, Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer broke Sidney Crosby’s record as the youngest player to score an overtime goal in a regular-season game. Aaron Baker/Icon Sportswire

Heineman opened the scoring 7:13 into the first period — the second straight contest he notched the first goal of the game.

Peterka tied it with just under 7 minutes remaining in the first with his sixth of the season.

The Mammoth ended their seven-game power-play goal drought when Guenther’s slap shot went over Rittich’s shoulder during a 5-on-3 with 1:25 left in the opening period to take a 2-1 lead. That marked the first time this season the Islanders gave up a goal with a two-man disadvantage.

The Islanders beat the Vegas Golden Knights in overtime Thursday and was in the second half of a back-to-back but matched the Mammoth’s energy with rugged defense and deft power-play kills, squelching 5 of 6 opportunities.

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PITTSBURGH — Matthew Schaefer jumped onto the darkened ice at PPG Paints Arena and, along with New York Islanders teammate Maxim Shabanov, took the traditional solo lap every player makes before his NHL debut.

It’s the only time the 18-year-old Schaefer looked like a rookie all night during New York’s 4-3 loss to Pittsburgh.

Confident and poised from the opening faceoff, the top pick in the June draft wasted little time showcasing why the Islanders coveted him after the balls bounced their way during the draft lottery.

Schaefer needed all of 12 minutes to collect the first point of his career, making a deft pass from the half wall to Jonathan Drouin in the slot. Drouin’s knuckler fluttered by Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry to pull New York even.

“I thought it was a great first game for us,” Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer said after collecting the first point of his career in his NHL debut. “I just wish we got the win.” Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images

“Our team is so easy to make plays with, everyone is in the right spot,” Schaefer said with a shrug. “I found [Drouin] there, and it was an easy pass to him and of course he puts it in the back of the net.”

Islanders coach Patrick Roy didn’t hesitate to go to Schaefer, who played more than seven minutes in the opening period alone. Schaefer finished with 17:15 of ice time in all, including some with the New York net empty late as the Islanders tried to tie it.

“I thought he was really good,” Roy said of Schaefer. “He was good at the end. Throwing pucks at the net. I thought that he seemed very comfortable, very confident out there. So I’m very pleased with him.”

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Schaefer, who had around 30 friends and family in attendance, admitted there were some jitters during his first couple of shifts, but he didn’t exactly genuflect in the direction of Penguins icons Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. The club’s big three are entering their 20th season playing alongside each other, a run that began before Schaefer was born.

Although Schaefer isn’t entering the league with the same external expectations that followed Crosby two decades ago — when Crosby himself arrived in the league at 18 as the top pick in the draft — Schaefer understands how important his arrival and development are for a team that hasn’t won a Stanley Cup in more than 40 years.

Yes, it’s cool that he made the club out of training camp barely a month after turning 18. He’s not here to sell tickets and generate interest, but to help the Islanders take a step forward in the competitive Metropolitan Division sooner rather than later.

Near breathless as he talked after becoming the second-youngest NHL defenseman to make his debut in 70 years, Schaefer wasn’t as interested in trying to put the moment in perspective as he was regretting the result.

The Islanders controlled the game for extended stretches and threw 38 shots at Jarry. Save for a couple of costly breakdowns in front of their own net — which allowed Malkin and Crosby to work their magic — the Islanders played with speed and purpose, which they hope offers a blueprint for what’s to come, the new kid included.

“I thought we brought it tonight,” Schaefer said. “Wish we could have got the win. Hate losing. Now we know and we’re going to learn from it and focus on our next game. But I thought it was a great first game for us. I just wish we got the win.”

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