DENVER — The Islanders’ late-game magic, which had carried them to three consecutive overtime victories, ran out on Sunday. Their hopes for a fourth straight overtime win and an extended four-game winning streak were dashed in a 4-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche. This marked their first defeat on a seven-game road trip that still includes stops in Dallas and Detroit.
Despite the loss, the Islanders’ performance wasn’t drastically worse than in their recent overtime wins in Utah and Las Vegas. They received solid goaltending from Ilya Sorokin, but they weren’t as threatening on the rush. Outside of the fourth line, the team lacked the same cycle effectiveness. Mat Barzal’s six-game point streak came to an end, and it was a night when No. 13 occasionally held onto the puck too long, overskating to his own detriment. Matthew Schaefer, fresh off a series of outstanding games, was solid but not spectacular.
Heading into the third period trailing 2-1, the Islanders looked poised to mount a comeback. They created opportunities early in the period, earning two power plays within the first 10 minutes. The first, which carried over from the second period, went by without result. The second was nullified after Anders Lee drew an additional roughing penalty following a fight with Josh Manson. Later, the Islanders were handed a crucial penalty when Martin Necas sent the puck over the glass with 3:20 remaining, giving Colorado a chance to kill off the penalty before sealing the victory with an empty-net goal.
Scott Wedgewood, outstanding in Colorado’s net, denied the Islanders’ best scoring chances late in the game. He stopped Kyle Palmieri’s one-timer from the slot and later made a key save on Bo Horvat, who had a prime opportunity while shorthanded. Throughout the night, the Islanders struggled to create traffic in front of Wedgewood, who maintained his composure and stifled their offense for nearly 58 minutes after Colorado’s early goal.
The Islanders struck first just 2:05 into the game when Tony DeAngelo’s shot above the right circle deflected off Emil Heineman’s skate and found the net. Heineman’s goal, his ninth of the season and just one shy of his total from last year, underwent a quick review for a potential kicking motion but was ultimately upheld.
Colorado responded quickly in the second period. Ross Colton converted a feed from Cale Makar on a rush to tie the game. Just 1:19 later, Victor Olofsson tipped in a pass from Sam Malinski to give the Avalanche a 2-1 lead.
On the Isles’ fourth line, Max Shabanov returned from an upper-body injury sustained in Ottawa a month ago. Joined by Cal Ritchie and Casey Cizikas, this newly formed trio kept the puck in the offensive zone frequently, maintained puck possession, and proved difficult to defend—a welcome contribution from a fourth line that has struggled for much of the season.
Defensively, the Islanders largely held their structure against an Avalanche squad known for their ability to move opponents side to side with ease. Notably, this was one of the stronger outings for defensemen Tony DeAngelo and Alexander Romanov, the latter reunited with Scott Mayfield, who returned from paternity leave after missing the previous two games.
Overall, the Islanders competed hard against an Avalanche team that has lost just one game in regulation all season. However, they were unable to deliver the decisive blow. While the loss could have been worse, in the NHL, every defeat counts, and there’s no room for margin.
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https://nypost.com/2025/11/17/sports/islanders-run-out-of-late-magic-in-loss-to-avalanche-as-win-streak-ends-at-four/