Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesAndrew ChelneyWed, December 3, 2025 at 11:54 AM UTC·4 min readBELMONT PARK, N.Y. — There is no help on the way for the New York Islanders’ offense. In two full games since Kyle Palmieri went down for the season with an ACL injury against Philadelphia, the Islanders mustered just three goals.
And yet, Tuesday, the Islanders beat the red-hot Tampa Bay Lightning in a tight 2-1 game at UBS Arena.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“Guys up and down are contributing,” Islanders captain Anders Lee said after the win. “Sorokin played great. Better defense and better penalty kill, guys were blocking some big shots.”
“We were due for one of these games. Maybe it wasn’t our best of the last little bit but we come out with the two points and end this little drought we’ve been on. Now we can take a breath of fresh air and get back to work tomorrow,” Lee added.
Just 55 seconds into the second period, Bo Horvat scored on his own rebound to give the Islanders a 1-0 lead. Max Shabanov found Horvat open along the left side boards. Horvat was stopped on his initial shot by Andrei Vasilevskiy. Horvat wouldn’t be denied, skating into the slot and burying his own rebound.
Cal Ritchie dished a pass to an open Anthony Duclair in the slot. Duclair beat Vasilevskiy blocker side to double the lead at 5:30 into the third period.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“We’ve been playing really good hockey, but haven’t been able to win the past few. It was good to get that win tonight,” Cal Ritchie said after the game.
Dominic James made the game interesting late in the third. He ripped a shot off a sharp angle and found an opening underneath Ilya Sorokin’s glove to cut the deficit in half.
Tampa had a strong push late in the third, but the Islanders defended well and preserved the victory.
“Big saves, big blocks by our guys,” Bo Horvat said after the win. “[Horvat] and [Heineman] were big there. We defended well, we protected our house…it was a good overall effort.”
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementPatrick Roy elevated Max Shabanov to Palmieri’s spot. Roy hopes Shabanov can fill some of the big shoes left by Palmieri’s absence. Through two games, Shabanov has one point and two shots on goal. Shabanov has three goals and five assists through 15 total games.
Shabanov was noticeable. Against Tampa Bay, his skating, decision-making, and puck movement were highlights. Shabanov was one of the Islanders’ most effective overall skaters.
“I am [leaning on him],” Roy said after the win. “I feel it’s a great opportunity for him. He’s taking advantage of it. I’m very happy the way he’s playing. He’s very shifty [and] makes great plays…it’s a good mix with [Horvat] and [Heineman]. Emil is more physical, he goes to the net. Bo is a mix of the two…I think they’re a great fit for each other.”
According to HockeyStatCards, Shabanov had the second-best +2.15 game score. The only Islander higher was Bo Horvat with a +2.55. This number is calculated based on production, play driving, special teams, and overall usage.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDespite positives from the win, the Islanders’ offense continues to struggle putting the puck in the net.
Heading into Dec. 2, the Islanders sat 29th in the NHL on the power play, scoring on just 13.8% of their opportunities. They went 0-for-3 against Tampa, sending that number lower. Kyle Palmieri was tied for third on the Islanders with 18 points alongside Mathew Barzal. Only Bo Horvat (26) and Matthew Schaefer (19) had more. Palmieri and Jonathan Drouin were tied with 12 assists.
The Islanders played seven of the eight games in this home stretch. They scored a combined eight non-shootout goals. The Islanders were tied for 22nd in the NHL at 2.88 goals scored per game.
Via PuckPedia, the Islanders have just over $2 million in cap space after putting Palmieri on LTIR. That space is more than the $44,185 they had before the injury. The Islanders had potential trade options before the injury if Darche was willing to get creative. Now with more financial breathing room, does that provide Darche with enough incentive to pull the trigger on a trade?
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBoth can be true: there are plenty of positives to take away from the game; the overall negative trends for the Islanders continue to come up.
After working the locker room and speaking to players, it was clear the win meant more than two points. It was a bit of hope and something to build upon in the wake of losing Palmieri for the season.
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