Trailing 2-0 in the second period, the NY Islanders got on the board after a puck landed at the feet of Anders Lee, who hammered home his second goal in as many games to cut the deficit to one. Just 22 seconds later, JG Pageau created a rebound after a shot from just inside the circle, following up his own shot that somehow found its way behind Jet Greaves.
But with Drouin out of the lineup, Gatcomb has returned to the lineup and has given the Islanders' fourth line a spark. In the four games since his recall, Gatcomb has recorded a team high 22 hits, including nine in Tuesday's OT win against the Vegas Golden Knights, the most for the Islanders since Casey Cizikas back in January. In fact, through five games this season, Gatcomb has registered 22 hits, seventh most of any Islander this season.
After squandering another two-goal lead, the Isles were on the winning end of a game in which they've typically lost in the past. Trailing 3-2 with under three minutes remaining, Mat Barzal knotted the game at three after some nifty passing from Jonathan Drouin and Matthew Schaefer. Only twice in NY Islanders history The Isles took a too-many-men penalty in overtime after Schaefer jumped on the ice too quickly, as things looked bleak facing a potent Vegas Golden Knights power play at 4-on-3.
Romanov and DeAngelo were two of Patrick Roy's most trusted defensemen last season, leading all blue liners in 5v5 ice-time, both averaging around 19 minutes per game - the top two for all Islanders defensemen. Those numbers have rapidly decreased through the early portion of this season, with Romanov playing just over 16 minutes and DeAngelo around the 15-minute mark.
"The other day, Schaef put on Paw Patrol for the girls and was like, 'I used to love this show,'" Sydney Martin said on the Never Offside podcast with Julie Petry and Cat Toffoli. "I was like, holy... what year were you born? He was like '2007.' I was like, all right, I need a minute. He sat there with the girls and watched Paw Patrol."
The NY Islanders are a team in transition. Since the end of the 2024/25 season, the Isles have a new General Manager, new assistant coaches, have welcomed in some new talent and said goodbye to core players. With change such as this, if not done correctly, can have a tremendous impact; either a step in the right direction or misery for years to come.
"At the end of the day, I want to get back to playing in the NHL," Bear said. "Hopefully, if I stay positive, (and) play well, I can get a chance to play. That's just all I'm working for."
When Semyon Varlamov went down with an injury in late November, forcing him to miss the remainder of the season, the NY Islanders were missing part of their two-headed monster in the crease, obliging Ilya Sorokin to take on the lion's share of starts. With training camp beginning tomorrow and Varlamov undergoing knee surgery in December, Head Coach Patrick Roy and the Islanders are still uncertain of their netminder's status heading into camp.
After being unable to agree on an extension, Mathieu Darche elected to trade Dobson while still an RFA, receiving two first-round picks and Emil Heineman in return.
