The Skinny: Isles 3, New Jersey 2 (OT)

"The Skinny" 

By Eric Hornick

Game 16

Isles 3, New Jersey 2 (OT)

Forty-eight hours after keeping the Rangers winless at home, Mathew Barzal scored 1:17 into overtime as the Islanders became the first visiting team to win in Newark, defeating the Devils 3-2 before a sellout crowd of 16,514 at Prudential Center.

After Timo Meier gave the Devils an early lead, Bo Horvat scored for the 12th time in 13 games to knot the game in the second period. Kyle Palmieri converted a Matthew Schaefer rebound for a power play goal with 2:53 to play in the third to give the Isles the lead but Simon Nemec scored with less than five seconds to play forced overtime. Ilya Sorokin made 33 saves to improve to 5-1-2 in his last eight games.

The Isles have won three straight road games and are 4-1-1 in their last six games, as they have won the first two games of a seven-game road trip. The trip heads west to Vegas for a game with the Golden Knights on Thursday. 

The Scoring:  

1st Period

Timo Meier (5) Jesper Bratt (10), Luke Hughes (8) 02:12 NYI 0,NJD 1 PPG

2nd Period

Bo Horvat (12) Kyle Palmieri (8) 06:55 NYI 1,NJD 1

3rd Period

Kyle Palmieri (5) Matthew Schaefer (7), Bo Horvat (8) 17:07 NYI 2,NJD 1 PPG

Simon Nemec (1) Jesper Bratt (11), Timo Meier (8) 19:55 NYI 2,NJD 2

OT

Mathew Barzal (4) Jonathan Drouin (9), Ryan Pulock (7) 01:17 NYI 3,NJD 2

The Skinny

Bo Horvat extended his point streak to six games (6-3-9) and recorded his 300th assist; at game's end he was tied for 2nd in the NHL with 12 goals… The Isles killed three of four Devil power plays; they have killed 18 of the last 20; and scored on their only power play attempt (now 2 for last 3, after 2 of prior 26)….Kyle Palmieri's power play goal was the Isles' third in 25 road attempts (12.0%); the Devil PK had gone 11-11 in the prior five games… Palmieri is 8-12-20 in 19 career games against the Devils… Matthew Schaefer is only the second 18-year-old in club history to record seven assists in a season, trailing only Tim Connolly (20); he is now third among rookies with those seven assists… Schaefer is 3-3-6 on the power play, tying Zeev Buium for the rookie PP point lead …New Jersey had won the first eight games that they scored first…The Isles are 6-1-0 when outshot; only Anaheim is better (7-1-0)…Mathew Barzal extended his point streak to four games (1-3-4) with his overtime goal; Jonathan Drouin's assist on the winner allowed his to tie Barzal for the club lead in assists (9)…Jesper Bratt earned assists on both Devil goals; he has 19 assists in 27 games vs. the Isles….The Isles held Jack Hughes, who had scored ten goals in thirteen games against Ilya Sorokin, without a point.

Milestone Men

• Bo Horvat recorded his 300th NHL assist.

• Ryan Pulock passed Jean Potvin for seventh place among Islander defensemen with 168 assists.

• Ilya Sorokin earned his 130th win, tying Rick DiPietro for 3rd in club history.

• Mathew Barzal is one assist behind John Tonelli for 7th in club history.

First Time in A Long Time

• Jonathan Drouin is the first Islander since Johnny Boychuk (2014) to record nine assists in his first fifteen games as an Isle. 

• Jonathan Drouin is the first Islander forward since Doug Weight (2008) to record at least nine assists in his first fifteen games as an Isle. 

OT Magic

Mathew Barzal recorded his sixth career overtime goal, and his second at Prudential Center:

• 27-Dec-17 Vs Buffalo

• 23-Nov-18 @ New Jersey

• 28-Jan-23 Vs Vegas

• 30-Nov-23 @ Carolina

• 11-Jan-24 Vs Toronto

• 10-Nov-25 @ New Jersey

Only John Tavares (11) and Brock Nelson (9) have more overtime goals for the Isles; Bo Horvat, Josh Bailey, and Kyle Okposo also have six.

Return to Form

Ilya Sorokin was 2-4-1 (.868 and 3.75) in his first seven games this season;  he is 3-0-1 (.949 and 1.46) since October 30th giving him the 2nd-lowest goals against average and 2nd-highest save percentage of any NHL goalie who has made at least three appearances in that span (Yaroslav Askarov .972 and 1.32).

What a Start

Bo Horvat is the fifth Islander in the last 40 years to record at least twelve goals in the first sixteen games:

• Bo Horvat 12 2025-26

• John Tavares 12 2017-18

• Mark Parrish 13  2001-02

• Pat LaFontaine 12 1989-90

• Pat LaFontaine 15 1987-88

Most Ice Time by an Islander Teenager, Game

1. Matthew Schaefer 27:40 10/25/2025 at PHI (SO)

2. Eric Brewer 26:57 4/3/1999 vs ANA (OT)

3. John Tavares 26:46 4/11/2010 vs. PIT (SO)

4. Matthew Schaefer 26:35 10/13/2025 vs. WPG

5. Matthew Schaefer 26:04 10/11/2025 vs. WAS

A 20-year-old Islander has played more than 27:40 seven times (Bryan Berard – four times; Travis Hamonic -3 times). The youngest of these was Hamonic (at MTL) on February 10, 2011, when he was 20 years, 178 days old; Schaefer will not hit that age until March 1, 2028.

Most Assists by an Islander Teenager

1. Bryan Berard 32

2. Gerald Diduck 8

3. Matthew Schaefer 7

4. Eric Brewer 6

The Isles will play 152 more games before Schaefer is no longer a Teenager.

Most Games Played as an 18-Year-Old (Isles history)

1. Tim Connolly 81   (14-20-34)

2. Dave Chyzowski 34  (8-6-14)

3. Mathew Schaefer 16 (5-7-12)

Lots of Travel

The Isles are in a stretch where they are playing 11 of 14 games on the road. They are 4-3-2 in this stretch (1-1-1 home, 3-2-1 road).

Did Somebody Say Comeback?

The Isles have six come-from behind wins this season, including two when they trailed in the third period. The opponents have come-from-behind to win four times this season, including three in the third period.

Overtime

The Isles are 1-0 in games decided by an overtime goal, and they are 0-2 in shootouts. 

Empty Netters 

The Isles have scored 3 empty-net goals and allowed 2.

Building on a Lead

The Islanders have had a two-goal lead 7 times this season:

• Score the next goal: 2 times

• Allowed the next goal: 3 times

• Game ended with 2-goal difference: 2 times

Last Year vs. This Year

• 2025-26  8-6-2 for 18 points in 16 games

• 2024-25  6-6-4 for 16 points in 16 games

It is the Isles' best record through sixteen games since 2022-23 (10-6-0).

Offense from Defense

• Today:   0-2-2

• Season: 6-25-31

• Last Season (Final) 32-129-161

Home and Road

The Isles are 8-6-2 overall; they are 4-3-1 at home and 4-3-1 on the road.

New Jersey is 11-4-1 overall; they are 7-0-1 at home and 4-4-0 on the road.

East and West

The Isles are 6-4-2 against the East (4-3-1 vs. Metropolitan and 2-1-1 vs. Atlantic) and 2-2-0 against the West (0-2-0 vs. Central and 2-0-0 vs. Pacific).

First Things First

The Isles are 4-1-2 when scoring first and 4-5-0 when allowing the opening goal. 

The Shots

Isles           7-8-8-1=24

New Jersey  11-10-14-0=35

The Isles are 1-5-1 when they outshoot their opponents, 1-0-1 when the shots are even and 6-1-0 when the opposition has more shots.

In the Nets

Ilya Sorokin made 33 saves; he is 5-4-2 this season and 9-5-2 vs. New Jersey.

Jacob Markstrom made 21 saves; he is 4-2-1 this season and 8-6-3 vs. the Isles. 

Special Teams

The Isles were 1-1 (1:08); New Jersey was 1-4 (7:34).

The Isles are 5-2-0 when they score at least one power play goal and 3-4-2 when they do not. The Isles are 4-3-2 when they allow at least one power play goal and 4-3-0 when they do not.

The Isles are 5-1-0 when they outscore the opposition on special teams, 2-3-1 when they are outscored, and 1-2-1 when special team goals are equal.

Three is a Magic Number

The Isles are 8-1-2 when they score at least three goals (including shootout winners) and are 0-5-0 when they do not. 

One-Goal Games

The Isles are 4-1-2 in games decided by a single goal including 3-1 in regulation. They are 1-0 in games decided in overtime and are 0-2 in shootouts. The Isles are 2-0 in games in which an empty-net goal turns a 1-goal game into a 2-goal game.

Back-to-Backs     

The Isles are 0-2-0 on the front end and 2-0-0 on the back end this season. The next back-to-back will be on November 13-14 in Vegas and Utah. 

The Isles are 3-2-0 when the opponent is on the back end, including 1-0-0 when the Isles also played the previous day.

Ice-time Leaders

Isles: Ryan Pulock (23:25); New Jersey: Luke Hughes(27:24)

Simon Holmstrom led Isles forwards (18:18).

Face-offs

Isles 25, New Jersey 17 (60%)

Bo Horvat won 8 of 12 for the Isles; no Devil won more than he lost. 

Hit Count

Isles 17 (Emil Heineman -4)

New Jersey 13 (Zack MacEwen -4)

Fights 

None. Season total: 2 (Mayfield, McLean) 

 

Blocked Shots

Isles 19 (Three with 3)

New Jersey 11 (Jonas Siegenthaler -4)

For the Analytics Crowd 

Corsi: All situations: Isles 40, New Jersey 74

Corsi: 5-on-5: Isles 38, New Jersey 46

 

5-on-5 leaders:

Isles: Bo Horvat +12

New Jersey: Luke Hughes +12

High Danger Scoring Chances (per Natural Stat Trick)

All situations: Isles 8, New Jersey 25

5-on-5: Isles 7, New Jersey 11

Scratches

(Pierre Engvall-LTIR), (Semyon Varlamov-IR), (Ethan Bear-IR), (Max Shabonov-INJ). Kyle MacLean,  Adam Boqvist.

Games Lost to injury: 63. (Last season's total: 304)

The Ironmen

Kyle Palmieri is the Islanders' ironman, having played 214 consecutive games. Casey Cizikas (124) and Anders Lee (107) are the only other Isles to have also played every game since the start of last season.

National TV Games 

The Isles are 1-1-0 in games that air on one of the NHL's US national broadcast partners. Their next appearance will be on TNT on December 9th vs VEG.

Matinee Isles

The Isles are 1-1-1 in matinee games this season; the next matinee will be at 3:30pm on November 22nd against St. Louis. The NHL considers games that start before 5:00 local time to be afternoon contests. Since the start of the 2019-20 season, the Isles are 16-18-13 in matinees.

Challenges

Isles: 0 successful, 0 failures  

Opponents: 0 successful, 3 failure (No hand pass – WAS 10/11), (No interference – DET 10/23), (No offside – WAS 10/31)

Hockey Opps: 0 favorable, 0 unfavorable

Quickies (Two goals in under a minute)

For (2): DET 10/23, CBJ 11/2

Vs (1): BOS 10/28

Quick Responses (One team scoring within a minute of other team)

Isles responses (3): OTT 10/18, SJS 10/21, BOS 11/4

Opponent responses (2): WPG 10/13, CAR 10/30

Multi-Goal 3rd Period Comeback Wins 

For (0): 

Vs (0):  

Last Minute Heroes (Tying or go-ahead goals in the final three minutes of the third period):

For (4): Anders Lee, GWG(18:57)10/18 OTT, Matthew Schaefer, GTG (18:53) and Simon Holmstrom GWG (19:22) 11/2 CBJ, Kyle Palmieri GAG (17:07 11/10 NJ)- Isles won in OT

Vs (1):  Simon Nemec GTG (19:55 11/10 NJ) but NYI won in OT

OT Winners

For (1): Mathew Barzal 11/10 @NJ

Vs (0):  

Shootout Winners

For (0): 

Vs (2):  PHI 10/25, BOS 11/4

All-time Islander Leader Boards:

Games Played (skaters)

1. Bryan Trottier 1,123 *** 2. Denis Potvin 1,060 ***  3. Josh Bailey 1,057 ***

4. Casey Cizikas 913 *** 5. Brock Nelson 901 *** 6. Bobby Nystrom 900 *** 7. Clark Gillies 872 *** 8. Anders Lee 857 …

20. Kenny Jonsson 597 *** 21. Garry Howatt 596 *** 22. John Tonelli 594 *** 23. Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock 576 *** 25. Scott Mayfield 551 *** 26. Ken Morrow 550 *** 27. Duane Sutter 547 *** 28. Mathew Barzal 545

Goals    

1. Mike Bossy 573 *** 2. Bryan Trottier 500 ***  3. Denis Potvin 310 ***

4. Clark Gillies 304 *** 5. Brock Nelson 295 *** 6. Anders Lee 292 …

19. Mariusz Czerkawski 145 *** 20. Kyle Okposo 139 *** 21. Mathew Barzal 138…

26. Three with 118 *** 29. Ray Ferraro 116 *** 30. Casey Cizikas 115

Assists

1. Bryan Trottier 853 *** 2. Denis Potvin 742 *** 3. Mike Bossy 553 …

6. John Tavares 349 *** 7. John Tonelli 338 *** 8. Mathew Barzal 337…

18. Tomas Jonsson 249 *** 19. Frans Nielsen and Kyle Okposo 230 *** 21. Anders Lee 226…

26. Kenny Jonsson 175 *** 27. Alexei Yashin and Duane Sutter 171 *** 29. Ryan Pulock 168… 

32. Ziggy Palffy 163 *** 33. David Volek 154 *** 34. Mariusz Czerkawski and Casey Cizikas 150

Points

1. Bryan Trottier 1,353 *** 2. Mike Bossy 1,126 *** 3. Denis Potvin 1,052…

12. Bob Bourne 542 *** 13. Anders Lee 518… 

15. Patrick Flatley 488 *** 16. Mathew Barzal 475…

27. Ed Westfall 286 *** 28. Casey Cizikas 265

+/-

1. Bryan Trottier +467  ***2. Denis Potvin +456 *** 3. Mike Bossy +380

15. Bob Lorimer +105 *** 16. Adam Pelech +88 *** 17. Tomas Jonsson +76  *** 18. Garry Howatt +75 ***  19. Pat Price +70 *** 20. JP Parise +67 *** 21. Ryan Pulock +62 *** 21. Jude Drouin +58 *** 23. Patrick Flatley +57  ***  24. Greg Gilbert +54  

Defense Goals

1. Denis Potvin 310 *** 2. Tomas Jonsson 84 *** 3. Kenny Jonsson 57 ***

4. Ryan Pulock 53…

13. Bryan Berard 31 *** 14. Scott Mayfield 28 *** 15. Vladimir Malakhov 27 *** 16. Adam Pelech and four others 26  

Defense Assists

1. Denis Potvin 742***  2. Stefan Persson 317 *** 3. Tomas Jonsson 249 ***

5. Noah Dobson 180 *** 6. Kenny Jonsson 175 *** 7. Ryan Pulock 168 … 

9. Jeff Norton 166 ***10. Mark Streit 139 *** 11. Adam Pelech 137… 

15. Tom Kurvers and Gerry Hart 108 *** 17. Bryan Berard and Scott Mayfield 100

Defense Points

1. Denis Potvin 1,052 *** 2. Stefan Persson 369 *** 3. Tomas Jonsson 333…

5. Kenny Jonsson 232 *** 6. Noah Dobson 230 *** 7. Ryan Pulock 221…

10. Mark Streit 179 *** 11. Adam Pelech 163…

16. Johnny Boychuk and Bryan Berard 131 *** 18. Gerry Hart and Scott Mayfield 128

Goalie Games

1. Billy Smith 674 *** 2. Rick DiPietro 318 *** 3. Glenn Resch 282 ***

4. Ilya Sorokin 264 … 

8. Jaroslav Halak 177***  9. Glenn Healy 176 *** 10. Semyon Varlamov 173

Wins

1. Billy Smith 304  *** 2. Glenn Resch 157 *** 3. Rick DiPietro and Ilya Sorokin 130 …

7. Jaroslav Halak 88 ***  8. Roland Melanson 77 *** 9. Semyon Varlamov 76

Shutouts 

1. Glenn Resch 25 *** 2. Ilya Sorokin 23 *** 3. Billy Smith 22 ***

4. Rick DiPietro and Semyon Varlamov 16

On the Farm   

Bridgeport has won two straight and are 5-6-1-0 as they will host a sold-out 10:30am game against Wilkes-Barre Scranton on Wednesday; there is a rematch in Pennsylvania with the Penguins on Friday.

Leaders:  Goals: Joey Larson -6;  Assists: Matthew Maggio 8; Points: Matthew Highmore and Maggio 9

Goalies:  Marcus Hogberg 3-4-1 2.53, .909;  Parker Gahagen  2-2-0 3.29, .883

Season Series Stats

The Isles lead the season series, 1 game to 0 (and 2 points to 1). The teams will meet again on December 23rd  and January 6th at UBS Arena before completing the series on February 5th in Newark. 

The Isles are 9-3-2 in the last fourteen games against the Devils and are 6-1-0 in their last seven trips to Newark.

UP NEXT

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13th  —ISLANDERS AT VEGAS 10:00pm

[MSGSN (pre-game at 9:30), WRHU 88.7 FM, WRCN 103.9FM, Isles + UBS Arena App]

The final five games of the road trip are outside of the Metro Area (and Metropolitan Division), beginning Thursday at the Fortress in Las Vegas.

The Isles swept the Golden Knights last season as Ilya Sorokin stopped 63 of 64 shots. All-time the Isles are 4-3-0 in Vegas, and 8-5-1 overall against the Golden Knights.

Eric Hornick has been the statistician on Islander home game telecasts since January 21, 1982. Information contained in "The Skinny" has been gathered from various sources. Follow Eric @ehornick on Twitter & on his blog www.nyiskinny.com

Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home telecasts since January 21, 1982. Visit my blog: NYISkinny.com and follow me on Twitter @ehornick