"The Skinny"
By Eric Hornick
Game 41
Utah 7, Isles 2
Dylan Guenther recorded his first career hat trick and added an assist as the Utah Mammoth earned a 7-2 win over the Islanders before a sellout crowd of 17,255 at UBS Arena.
Cal Ritchie scored for the second straight game to tie the score after Guenther's opening goal, but the Mammoth scored the next four goals before fellow rookie Matthew Schaefer scored for the Isles in the third period.
The Isles are still 7-2-0 in their last nine home games and 18-10-3 in their last 31 games overall; they will host Toronto on Saturday night.
The Scoring:
1st Period
No Goals
2nd Period
Dylan Guenther (18) Barrett Hayton (6), Mikhail Sergachev (22) 00:36 UTA 1,NYI 0
Calum Ritchie (6) Max Shabanov (9), Marshall Warren (3) 02:35 UTA 1,NYI 1
Dylan Guenther (19) Lawson Crouse (8), Barrett Hayton (7) 10:20 UTA 2,NYI 1
Nick Schmaltz (13) 16:19 UTA 3,NYI 1
3rd Period
Mikhail Sergachev (6) Clayton Keller (22), Dylan Guenther (16) 02:52 UTA 4,NYI 1 PPG
Clayton Keller (13) Nick Schmaltz (22), Mikhail Sergachev (23) 05:41 UTA 5,NYI 1 PPG
Matthew Schaefer (10) Jonathan Drouin (14), Max Shabanov (10) 11:48 UTA 5,NYI 2 PPG
Dylan Guenther (20) Lawson Crouse (9), Sean Durzi (9) 13:54 UTA 6,NYI 2
Nick Schmaltz (14) JJ Peterka (14), Clayton Keller (23) 16:55 UTA 7,NYI 2
The Skinny
The Isles are 22-12-4 since they opened 0-3-0; the 48 points since October 16th are the most of any team in the Eastern Conference…The Isles went 1-5 on the power play and killed 3 of 5 penalties; the Isles are 11-52 on the power play in the last seventeen games and have killed 16-21 over the last seven games…The Isles are 2-12-1 when trailing after two periods … The Isles have been held to two goals or fewer in nine straight games, going 4-4-1 in that stretch… The Isles had four rookies combine for five points; rookies are 21-33-54 this season, passing last season's totals in all categories… The Isles fail to go nine games over NHL-.500 for the third time this season…Dylan Guenther has scored a goal in the opening minute of a period four times this season; the Isles have scored first minute goals in a period only twice…David Rittich started a sixth straight game, which is one shy of his career high, set with Calgary in 2019…The Isles are now 1-9-0 in ten games played on New Year's Day…The Isles have sold out the last five home games and ten of their 22 home games this season….The Isles allowed seven or more goals for the sixth time in five seasons at UBS Arena.
The Injury
Bo Horvat, who was named to the Canadian Olympic Team yesterday, left the game with 12:00 to play and did not return.
The Standings
The Isles remain in 2nd place in the Metropolitan Division, still three points behind Carolina and still one point ahead of both Washington and Philadelphia.
Milestone Men
• Matthew Schaefer (18 years, 118 days) is the youngest defenseman in NHL history to record 10 goals; only three forwards since World War II have done so at a younger age.
• Schaefer drew two penalties, making a total of 24 on the season, which broke Matt Carkner's club record (23) for the most by any defenseman since the statistic was first tracked in 2009-10.
• Mathew Barzal still has 348 assists, one behind John Tavares for 6th place.
• Anders Lee still needs one goal to become the fifth Islander with 300 goals.
• Ryan Pulock remains at 231 points, one point behind Kenny Jonsson for 5th on the club's defenseman point list.
• Patrick Roy still has 97 wins as the Islander coach.
First Times in a Long Time
• Three rookies combined for the Isles' first goal; that last happened on February 24, 2011, when Micheal Haley earned his only Islander assist and Mark Katic earned his only NHL assist on Matt Martin's third NHL goal.
• The Isles allowed seven goals on 21 shots or fewer for the first time since March 18, 1993, in Los Angeles (and the first time at home since January 9, 1986 (also against the Kings).
• The Isles have been held to two goals or fewer in nine consecutive games; it is the first time that has happened since a ten-game streak (1-8-1) in November 6-December 2, 2021.
Return to Form
Ilya Sorokin was 2-4-1 (.868 and 3.75) in his first seven games this season; he is 10-6-1 (.927 and 2.06) since October 31st with three shutouts. Only Jesper Wallstedt (4) has more shutouts in that span or this season; no goalie has more than eleven wins in that span.
Sorokin has won each of his first nine games facing at least 30 shots; that breaks a tie with Chico Resch's 1980-81 streak for the second-longest in club history, and the longest to start a season. Mark Fitzpatrick won ten straight when facing 30 shots in the 1989-90 season.
Big Save Dave
David Rittich is 10-5-2 on the season. In his last twelve games (7-3-2), he has stopped 289 of 34 shots for a 2.07 GAA and a .920 save percentage.
Islander goalies not named Sorokin won only five games all last season (tying a franchise record for fewest by the non-winningest goalies on the team).
Schaefer and Penalties
Matthew Schaefer has drawn 24 penalties this season, more than any other NHL defenseman, and second to Connor McDavid's 25. He is a net +14 (having taken only 10 penalties), which is also second to McDavid's +16.
Since penalties drawn was tracked in 2009-10, no Isle defenseman has finished a season higher than +11 (Noah Dobson 2021-22), John Tavares holds the club record for a season at +29 in 2011-12, while Mathew Barzal +26 in 2017-18 is the only other Islander to finish higher than +15. Cale Makar is the only NHL defenseman to finish higher than +16 (Makar was +19 in 2024-25 and +17 in 2023-24).
Most Penalties Drawn by an Islander Defenseman (Season, Since 2009-10)
1. Matthew Schaefer 2025-26 24
2. Matt Carkner 2013-14 23
3. Thomas Hickey 2016-17 22
Most Penalties Drawn by an Islander Rookie (Season, Since 2009-10)
1. Mathew Barzal 2017-18 40
2. Matt Martin 2010-11 25
3. Matthew Schaefer 2025-26 24
[Travis Hamonic (17 in 2010-11) is the only other Islander rookie defenseman to draw more than 10,)
Most Ice Time by an Islander Teenager, Game
1. Matthew Schaefer 28:53 11/28/2025 vs PHI (SO)
2. Matthew Schaefer 28:12 12/9/2025 vs VEG
3. Matthew Schaefer 27:40 10/25/2025 at PHI (SO)
4. Matthew Schaefer 27:30 11/22/2025 vs. STL
5. Matthew Schaefer 27:23 11/23/2025 vs. SEA (SO)
6. Matthew Schaefer 27:03 12/27/2025 vs. NYR
A 20-year-old Islander has played more than 28:53 only twice (Bryan Berard -31:30; Travis Hamonic -28:54). The younger of these was Hamonic (vs PIT) on April 8, 2011, when he was 20 years, 235 days old; Schaefer will not hit that age until April 27, 2028.
Most Ice Time by an 18-Year-Old, Game
1. Rasmus Dahlin (BUF) 29:15 12/4/2018 vs TOR (OT)
2. Drew Doughty (LA) 29:04 11/22/2008 vs COL (SO)
3. Matthew Schaefer 28:53 11/28/2025 vs PHI (SO)
Schaefer has played at least 27 minutes six times and at least 26 minutes eleven times. He is the first 18-year-old to do either of these things since ice time became official.
Most Goals by an 18-Year-Old Defenseman
1. Phil Housley (BUF) 17 (1982-83)
2. Bobby Orr (BOS) 13 (1966-67)
3. Matthew Schaefer 10 (2025-26)
4. Rasmus Dahlin (BUF) 9 (2018-19) and Zach Bogosian (ATL) 9 (2008-09)
Most Power Play Goals by an 18-Year-Old Defenseman
1. Phil Housley (BUF) 10 (1982-83)
2. Matthew Schaefer 6 (2025-26)
3. Rasmus Dahlin (BUF) 5 (2018-19)
Most Goals by an Islander Teenage Defenseman
1. Matthew Schaefer 10
2. Bryan Berard 7
Only eight Islander teenagers, regardless of position, have scored at least ten goals, led by Bryan Trottier's 32 and Pat LaFontaine' 26. Duane Sutter (11) is the one now above Schaefer.
Most Assists by an Islander Teenage Defenseman
1. Bryan Berard 32
2. Matthew Schaefer 16
Only eight Islander teenagers, regardless of position, have recorded at least 16 assists, led by Bryan Trottier's 63 and Tim Connolly's 51. Josh Bailey (18) is the one now above Schaefer.
Most Points by an Islander Teenage Defenseman
1. Bryan Berard 39
2. Matthew Schaefer 26
Only eight Islander teenagers, regardless of position, have recorded at least 26 points, led by Bryan Trottier's 95 and Tim Connolly's 75. David Chyzowski (28) is the one now above Schaefer.
Schaefer will still be a Teenager for the next 125 Isles games.
Most Games Played as an 18-Year-Old (Isles history)
1. Tim Connolly 81 (14-20-34)
2. Mathew Schaefer 41 (10-16-26)
Did Somebody Say Comeback?
The Isles have ten come-from behind wins this season, including four when they trailed in the third period. The opponents have come-from-behind to win eight times this season, including four times in the third period.
Overtime Is Our Time
The Isles are 3-0 in games decided by an overtime goal, and they are 4-4 in shootouts.
The Sixth Attacker
The Isles have scored six goals with the 6th attacker (most in NHL) and allowed eight empty net goals.
Opponents have scored five goals with 6th attacker and allowed six empty-netters to the Isles.
Most Extra Attacker Goals, Isles (since 2009-10)
1. 2017-18 9
2. 2019-20 and 2023-24 7
4. Five years, including 2025-26 6
Most Career Empty Net Goals
1. Bryan Trottier 27
2. John Tavares 20
3. Mike Bossy 15
4. Brock Nelson 13
5. Jason Blake and Casey Cizikas 11
Building on a Lead
The Islanders have had a two-goal lead 21 times this season:
• Score the next goal: 8 times
• Allowed the next goal: 9 times
• Game ended with 2-goal difference: 4 times
Last Year vs. This Year
• 2025-26 22-15-4 for 48 points in 41 games
• 2024-25 16-18-7 for 39 points in 41 games; they reached 48/49 points in their 48th game.
Offense from Defense
• Today: 1-1-2
• Season: 16-56-72
• Last Season (Final) 32-129-161
Rookie Scoring
• Today: 2-3-5
• Season: 21-33-54
• Last Season (Final) 19-30-49
• This season's totals are the most since 2017-18 (38-101-139)
The 21 rookie goals are 2nd in the NHL while the 54 points are 3rd.
Home and Road
The Isles are 22-15-4 overall; they are 12-8-2 at home and 10-7-2 on the road.
Utah is 19-19-3 overall; they are 9-7-1 at home and 10-12-2 on the road.
East and West
The Isles are 12-9-4 against the East (6-5-2 vs. Metropolitan and 6-4-2 vs. Atlantic) and 10-6-0 against the West (4-5-0 vs. Central and 6-1-0 vs. Pacific).
First Things First
The Isles are 16-4-2 when scoring first and 6-11-2 when allowing the opening goal.
The Shots
Isles 11-8-3=22
Utah 5-6-10=21
The Isles are 5-10-3 when they outshoot their opponents, 1-0-1 when the shots are even and 16-5-0 when the opposition has more shots.
In the Nets
David Rittich made 9 saves before being replaced by Marcus Hogberg after Utah's fifth goal; he is 10-5-2 this season and 1-1-0 vs. Utah. Hogberg made five saves in his first NHL game since April 17th in Columbus.
Karel Vejmelka made 20 saves; he is 17-10-2 this season and 3-2-1 vs. the Isles.
Special Teams
The Isles were 1-5 (8:58); Utah was 2-5 (8:05)
The Isles are 12-4-2 when they score at least one power play goal and 10-11-2 when they do not. The Isles are 7-7-4 when they allow at least one power play goal and 15-8-0 when they do not.
The Isles are 11-1-0 when they outscore the opposition on special teams, 3-7-1 when they are outscored, and 8-7-3 when special team goals are equal. (Their only loss when outscoring the opposition on special teams was in the home opener against Washington.)
Three is a Magic Number
The Isles are 17-1-3 when they score at least three goals (including shootout winners) and are 5-14-1 when they do not.
One-Goal Games
The Isles are 13-3-4 in games decided by a single goal including 6-3 in regulation. They are 3-0 in games decided in overtime and are 4-4 in shootouts. The Isles are 4-3 in games in which an empty-net goal turns a 1-goal game into a 2-goal game.
Back-to-Backs
The Isles are 3-4-0 on the front end and 4-2-1 on the back end this season. The next back-to-back will be January 28-29 when they face the Rangers in a home-and-home series.
The Isles are 4-3-0 when the opponent is on the back end, including 2-1-0 when the Isles also played the previous day.
Ice-time Leaders
Isles: Matthew Schaefer (24:24); Utah: Mikhail Sergachev (20:36, despite playing only 1:03 of first 10:48)
Mathew Barzal led Isles forwards (17:49).
Face-offs
Isles 25, Utah 24 (51%)
Jean-Gabriel Pageau won 4 of 5 for the Isles; Nick Schmaltz won 7 of 12 for Utah.
Hit Count
Isles 13 (Scott Mayfield -4)
Utah 16 (Jack McBain -7)
Fights
None. Season total: 4 (Mayfield, MacLean, Lee, DeAngelo)
Blocked Shots
Isles 13 (Adam Pelech -3)
Utah 14 (Sean Durzi -3)
For the Analytics Crowd
Corsi: All situations: Isles 55, Utah 56
Corsi: 5-on-5: Isles 34, Utah 36
5-on-5 leaders:
Isles: Max Tsyplakov +11
Utah: John Marino +14
High Danger Scoring Chances (per Natural Stat Trick)
All situations: Isles 12, Utah 6
5-on-5: Isles 9, Utah 4
Scratches
(Pierre Engvall-LTIR), (Semyon Varlamov-IR), (Alex Romanov-IR), (Kyle Palmieri-IR), (Ilya Sorokin -IR), Adam Boqvist, Marc Gatcomb, Anthony Duclair
Games Lost to injury: 197. (Last season's total: 304)
The Ironmen
Casey Cizikas is the Islanders' ironman, having played 149 consecutive games. Anders Lee (123) is the only other Isle to have also played every game since the start of last season.
National TV Games
The Isles are 2-1-0 in games that air on one of the NHL's US national broadcast partners. Their next appearance will be on ESPN+ on January 6th vs New Jersey.
Matinee Isles
The Isles are 2-4-2 in matinee games this season; the next matinee will be at 3:00pm ET on January 17th in Calgary. 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 17-21-14 in matinees.
Challenges
Isles: 0 successful, 1 failure (No goalie interference – VEG 11/14)
Opponents: 0 successful, 4 failure (No hand pass – WAS 10/11), (No interference – DET 10/23), (No offside – WAS 10/31), (No interference – COL 12/4)
Hockey Opps: 1 favorable, 1 unfavorable (No missed stoppage- NJ 11/10), (goalie interference -DAL 11/18)
Quickies (Two goals in under a minute)
For (2): DET 10/23, CBJ 11/2
Vs (4): BOS 10/28, COL 11/16, PHI 11/28, TB 11/30
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 (3): WPG 10/13, CAR 10/30, COL 12/4
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 (7): 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, Mathew Barzal GTG (17:23 11/13 VEG)- Isles won in OT; Emil Heineman GTG (19:31 12/20 BUF)- Isles lost in OT; Adam Pelech GWG (18:45 12/23 NJD)
Vs (3): Simon Nemec GTG (19:55 11/10 NJ) but NYI won in OT, Pavel Dorfeyev (19:46, 12/9 VEG) but NYI won in SO; Alex DeBrincat GWG (17:43 12/16 DET)
OT Winners
For (3): Mathew Barzal 11/10 @ NJ, JG Pageau 11/13 @ VEG, Matthew Schaefer 11/14 @ UTA
Vs (0):
Shootout Winners
For (3): SEA 11/23, VEG 12/9, TBL 12/13, CHI 12/30
Vs (4): PHI 10/25, BOS 11/4, PHL 11/28, BUF 12/20
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 938 *** 5. Brock Nelson 901 *** 6. Bobby Nystrom 900 *** 7. Anders Lee 882…
19. Frans Nielsen 606 *** 20. Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock 601 *** 22. Kenny Jonsson 597 *** 23. Garry Howatt 596 *** 24. John Tonelli 594 *** 25. Scott Mayfield 574 *** 26. Mathew Barzal 570
Goals
1. Mike Bossy 573 *** 2. Bryan Trottier 500 *** 3. Denis Potvin 310 ***
4. Clark Gillies 304 *** 5. Anders Lee 299 …
18. Pierre Tugeon 147 ***19. Mariusz Czerkawski 145 *** 20. Mathew Barzal 144…
24. Alexei Yashin and Frans Nielsen 119 *** 26. Steve Thomas/Matt Moulson/Mark Parrish 118 *** 29. Casey Cizikas 117
Assists
1. Bryan Trottier 853 *** 2. Denis Potvin 742 *** 3. Mike Bossy 553 …
5. Clark Gillies 359 *** 6. John Tavares 349 *** 7. Mathew Barzal 348…
18. Tomas Jonsson 249 *** 19. Anders Lee 233…
24. Ed Westfall 181 *** 25 Noah Dobson 180 *** 26. Ryan Pulock 177…
32. Ziggy Palffy 163 *** 33. David Volek 154 *** 34. Casey Cizikas 153
Points
1. Bryan Trottier 1,353 *** 2. Mike Bossy 1,126 *** 3. Denis Potvin 1,052…
10. John Tonelli 544 *** 11. Bob Bourne 542 *** 12. Anders Lee 532 *** 13. Bob Nystrom 513 ***
14. Derek King 499 *** 15. Mathew Barzal 492
27. Ed Westfall 286 *** 28. Casey Cizikas 270
+/-
1. Bryan Trottier +467 ***2. Denis Potvin +456 *** 3. Mike Bossy +380
15. Bob Lorimer +105 *** 16. Adam Pelech +84 *** 17. Tomas Jonsson +76 *** 18. Garry Howatt +75 *** 19. Pat Price +70 *** 20. JP Parise +67 *** 21. Ryan Pulock +65 *** 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 54…
13. Bryan Berard 31 *** 14. Scott Mayfield 29 *** 15. Adam Pelech 28
Defense Assists
1. Denis Potvin 742*** 2. Stefan Persson 317 *** 3. Tomas Jonsson 249 ***
4. Nick Leddy 198 *** 5. Noah Dobson 180 *** 6. Ryan Pulock 177 …
9. Jeff Norton 166 ***10. Mark Streit 139 *** 11. Adam Pelech 138…
15. Tom Kurvers and Gerry Hart 108 *** 17. Scott Mayfield 101
Defense Points
1. Denis Potvin 1,052 *** 2. Stefan Persson 369 *** 3. Tomas Jonsson 333 ***
4. Nick Leddy 243 *** 5. Kenny Jonsson 232 *** 6. Ryan Pulock 231…
10. Mark Streit 179 *** 11. Adam Pelech 166…
15. Tom Kurvers 134 *** 16. Johnny Boychuk and Bryan Berard 131 *** 18. Scott Mayfield 130
Goalie Games
1. Billy Smith 674 *** 2. Rick DiPietro 318 *** 3. Glenn Resch 282 ***
4. Ilya Sorokin 277 …
8. Jaroslav Halak 177*** 9. Glenn Healy 176 *** 10. Semyon Varlamov 173
Wins
1. Billy Smith 304 *** 2. Glenn Resch 157 *** 3. Ilya Sorokin 137 …
7. Jaroslav Halak 88 *** 8. Roland Melanson 77 *** 9. Semyon Varlamov 76
Shutouts
1. Ilya Sorokin and Glenn Resch 25 *** 3. Billy Smith 22 ***
4. Rick DiPietro and Semyon Varlamov 16
On the Farm
Alex Jefferies scored a goal and added an assist, and Henrik Tikkanen made 32 saves for his second career AHL shutout as Bridgeport closed out 2025 with a 4-0 win in Hartford on Wednesday. The Baby Isles are 12-14-2-1 on the season.
They will head to Springfield on Friday and then host Hartford on Saturday.
Leaders: Goals: Joey Larson- 11 (one of six AHL rookies with at least 11); Assists: Matthew Maggio-15; Points: Maggio and Alex Jefferies 20.
Goalies: Marcus Hogberg 5-7-2, 3.08, .881; Henrik Tikkanen 5-2-1, 2.57, .898
Season Series Stats
The teams split the season series, 1 game to 1 (Utah earned 3 points to the Isles' 2).
The road team has won all four meetings in the first two years of the Utah franchise, with each team going 2-1-1.
UP NEXT
SATURDAY, JANUARY 3rd — TORONTO AT ISLANDERS 7:00PM
[MSGSN (pre-game at 6:30), WRHU 88.7 FM, WRCN 103.9FM, Isles + UBS Arena App]
It has been a year and a day since the Isles faced the Leafs, but they will do that on Saturday at UBS Arena.
It is the first of three meetings on the season between the two teams, who contested their entire season series in a 13-day span last season; the Isles won the first meeting 6-3 and then dropped a back-to-back by 3-1 and 2-1 scores.
Overall, the Isles are 6-3-0 in their last nine games against the Leafs and have won three of the last four meetings at UBS Arena.
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
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