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Islanders Erase Early Two-Goal Deficit, Beat Canes 3-2 in OT; Pulock, Hogberg Leave Injured

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The Islanders and Hurricanes Battle in OT on 1/25/25 // Russ Macias

ELMONT, NY — The New York Islanders (21-20-7) fought back from an early 2-0 deficit to win their fourth straight game and defeated the Carolina Hurricanes (30-16-4) 3-2 on Saturday night in UBS Arena. Brock Nelson won it in overtime for the Islanders.



The Hurricanes scored two quick goals in just 1:12 before the game had even grown seven minutes old. From there, the Islanders had to chase the game for the rest of the night and eventually caught Carolina in the third period.

It’s the first time the Islanders have won two straight home games against Carolina since 2012.

Jack Roslovic and Sebastian Aho scored the early goals for the ‘Canes. Roslovic’s goal came on the rush, when he beat Marcus Hogberg with a nice wrister. Aho banked in a pass off of Isaiah George’s skate, an unlucky break that cost the Islanders mightily.

Alexander Romanov’s first-period tally cut the early deficit in half, but it took almost 30 full minutes of hockey before Anders Lee would tie the game early in the third period.

Ryan Pulock left the game in the first minute when Jackson Blake somewhat slew-footed Pulock, who fell awkwardly and immediately went down the tunnel and did not return. The team labeled it as an upper-body injury.

Hogberg also exited the game at the end of regulation for the Islanders with an upper-body injury.

Meanwhile, Tony DeAngelo debuted for New York and looked pedestrian but showed some offensive flash, something the team desperately needs from their backend with Noah Dobson, now on LTIR.

Mikko Rantanen and Taylor Hall debuted for Carolina and showed some flashes, but clearly had to work out positional and technical kinks with their new team.

Hogberg made 24 saves before exiting and received no decision. Ilya Sorokin played overtime. He made one save, and claimed the victory. Pyotr Kochetkov made 23 saves in defeat.

First Period:

Immediately from the moment the puck dropped, Carolina came out stronger and faster. They won the majority of puck races, and an early chance for Juha Jaaska on a rebound set the tone. Hogberg stood tall and earned early “Hog-berg” chants from the crowd. Moments later, Marc Gatcomb dropped Eric Robinson with a thundering hit that jolted the crowd further.

Unfortunately, the good times didn’t last very long. Just 5:18 into the game, Roslovic got a step on George and sniped one past Hogberg’s blocker, making it 1-0 Hurricanes.

1:12 later, Aho looked to find Rantanen in the slot, where he found an extremely soft spot between DeAngelo and George. As Aho sent the pass, George stepped into the lane, but the puck hit his skate and skittered through Hogberg’s legs. Just like that, Carolina led 2-0.

That 2-0 lead would be one they’d play with the rest of the night.

After that initial goal, DeAngelo turned the puck over in neutral ice, but again, Gatcomb laid a tremendous hit and prevented a rush for Carolina. Later, Gatcomb forechecked and stole a puck in the Hurricanes zone. He sent a backhand that beat Kochetkov but went just wide. He then won that puck race and tried a wraparound, but again, Kochetkov said no. Jean-Gabriel Pageau dropped the gloves with Jesperi Kotkaniemi and drew an extra minor on the ‘Canes forward, giving New York a man advantage.

The moment tum built for New York into a power play where DeAngelo’s quarterbacking didn’t help matters, and it generated little momentum until the tail end when the second unit came on the ice. Adam Pelech moved the puck to Casey Cizikas, who found Romanov. Romanov fired a wrister that found its way through Kochetkov’s legs and in. Pelech moved to a four-game point streak with the assist.

Second Period:

The second period felt like a clinic for New York. They constantly out-chanced and out-rushed Carolina, but they couldn’t buy a goal.

Carolina’s best chance of the period came early in the frame. Rantanen hit the inner post, and the puck trickled back behind Hogberg’s legs but did not bank in before the Swedish goaltender covered. They wouldn’t record a shot on goal for the last 16 minutes of the period.

Simon Holmstrom, who had another strong game, stole the puck clean from Shayne Gostisbehere. As he walked in for a potential break, the Carolina defender hooked him and sent the Islanders to their second power play.

On that mad advantage, DeAngelo made a great pass to Bo Horvat, who streaked in all alone but found himself poke-checked by Kochetkov. That chance became the only good chance generated by the Islanders’ man advantage.

After the power play, Cizikas sprung Jean-Gabriel Pageau for a break. Pageau pumped and tried to make a move, but Kochetkov poked the puck away again. As the second period came to a close, the Islanders drew a late penalty on Aho with 25 seconds left in the frame.

Third Period and Overtime:

The Islanders had 95 seconds left on the man advantage. Unfortunately for the blue and orange, they squandered yet another man advantage as DeAngelo looked unsettled, and the unit as a whole was not in sync.

However, just over six minutes into the third, Romanov slipped a pass to Horvat. With a man draped on him, Horvat sent a backhander through the crowd and into Kochetkov. Kochetkov fumbled the puck out of his glove, and Lee scooped up the garbage and roofed his team-leading 21st goal of the season.

Just like that, the Islanders erased Carolina’s 2-0 lead. Although they had only five defensemen for the vast majority of the game, the Islanders routinely suffocated Carolina’s offensive attacks.

Eventually, Carolina started to break down their defenses. With around seven minutes to go, Carolina really buzzed. Gostisbehere found a soft spot in the slot, walked in, and rifled a shot so hard it sent Hogberg’s stick away. The puck remained loose and Jesperi Kotkaniemi had a golden opportunity to nudge the ‘Canes in front, but Hogberg’s blocker hand got just a piece.

As the game drew closer to the end of regulation, the teams traded chances. High speed, energy, and forechecking all over. You’d be forgiven if you forgot the Islanders entered tonight tied for 13th in the Eastern Conference on points percentage. They’re a confident group right one, and look every bit like the squad that fights tooth and nail every year.

With under five minutes to go, the debuting Hall stole the puck from Pelech. Kotkaniemi fed Svechnikov, who sent a howitzer past Hogberg, but it clanged the iron. Svechnikov whacked his rebound toward the goal, but George deflected it.

The game bled into overtime, where Kyle Palmieri knocked the puck free to Nelson. Nelson walked in, fired, and scored. UBS Arena exploded as the Islanders moved above NHL .500 for the first time since November 14. This team never waves a white flag, especially in the face of adversity.

The homestand ends on Tuesday with one game against the new-look Colorado Avalanche. The Islanders have won four straight, reviving a season once thought to be dead. Let’s see if this zombie keeps marching.

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