ELMONT, NY — There will be no playoff hockey on Long Island this spring. Undone by three Montreal Canadiens goals in a 55-second span late in the second
Apr 12, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; Montréal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson fends off a challenge from New York Islanders center Calum Ritchie in the second period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Alexander Wohl-Imagn ImagesThere will be no playoff hockey on Long Island this spring.
Undone by three Montreal Canadiens goals in a 55-second span late in the second period, the New York Islanders lost 4-1 on Sunday, officially ending their postseason hopes.The game was even throughout the first 35 minutes, with the two teams trading chances, but both goalies standing tall. Ilya Sorokin, who is a leading candidate for the Vezina Trophy, made a few big stops, including a stellar one on Alexandre Texier, to keep the game tied at zero.Everything changed during a second-period sequence when Canadiens’ forward Juraj Slafkovsky set up Nick Suzuki to open the scoring. While the play gave the Canadiens a slim lead, it became even more important when Islanders’ star rookie Matthew Schaefer was assessed a high-sticking penalty, giving the Canadiens a power play. Ivan Demidov scored with the man-advantage shortly after, and then Alex Newhook added one more for good measure, giving the Canadiens three goals in 55 seconds to take a decisive lead. The Islanders pushed to start the third period, generating a few solid scoring chances and doing everything they could to keep their season alive. They finally managed to break through when Casey Cizikas tipped home a Scott Mayfield point shot, making it 3-1 with just over 11 minutes remaining. They kept pushing but it was too little, too late. Zach Bolduc scored with under 20 seconds remaining to reinstate the Canadiens three-goal lead and finish the game. After generating just 23 shots and being shut out by the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, the Islanders once again struggled to create offense, scoring just a single goal. They didn’t score until nearly halfway through the third period, finally breaking a goal-scoring drought that extended over more than five periods across two games. Just missing out on the playoffs stings, but this season has been a massive success for the Islanders in many ways. Above all, it served as the coming-out party for Schaefer, the phenom who should be a lock for the Calder Trophy. The Islanders have one of the best young talents in the sport, and that’s plenty of reason to be excited about the future. New head coach Pete DeBoer has just one victory in his three games behind the Islanders’ bench. While he’s not off to a blazing-hot start, the decision to hire him was made with a long-term vision, and his contract goes for three more years. Jumping into the driver’s seat and making the postseason this year was always a tall ask, but he’ll be the one to lead this group as they look to take a step next year and beyond. The Islanders do have one game left on the schedule as they’ll host the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday to finish out the year. Puck drop is at UBS Arena at 7 pm ET.Schaefer ties NHL rookie record, Islanders stay alive in Pete DeBoer’s debut with 5-3 win over LeafsMets bats putrid again, swept by Athletics in 1-0 lossIn need of arms, Mets DFA Luis Garcia, call up Joey GerberSuspect knocks down, attempts to rob couple walking near Central Park
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