Takeaways: Shorthanded Isles Rally For 4-1 Win Over Maple Leafs

There are 84 games in an NHL regular season, and each of them has an ethos that will add up to tell the story of the season.

For the Islanders, Saturday’s ethos was one of resilience and determination as the team defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1 at Scotiabank Arena, playing almost 75% of the game with just 10 forwards.

“A gutsy, gritty road win,” Head Coach Pete DeBoer said. ”You lose two men that early in the game. You’re short on the bench. We didn’t hang on and you know our goalie was outstanding. We stayed on our toes. We kept working. We stuck to our systems. We trusted each other. There were a lot of great things out there tonight.”

The Isles got goals from Anthony Duclair and Bo Horvat, along with a pair from Simon  Holmström in the third period. Troy Stecher had the lone goal for the Maple Leafs.

Ilya Sorokin stopped 28 of 29 shots on his way to his fourth win of the season. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 16 of 19 shots in the loss.

Isles Resilient Amid Adversity

The Islanders controlled the pace from the opening faceoff and were rewarded 8:18 into the first period. J.G. Pageau collected the puck along the offensive-zone boards and sent a backhand pass to Duclair, who made a strong move in the slot before beating Bobrovsky with a quick wrist shot. Duclair’s second goal of the season gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead.

“Tonight we got a big one from Duke [Duclair]  that got us out in front,” DeBoer said after the game. “That first goal changes the feel of the game. If you’re chasing, it’s a different game.”

The Islanders also held Toronto without a shot for a 7:11 stretch in the opening frame, but lost two forwards to injury.

Cal Ritchie took a hard hit from Maple Leafs defenseman Nick Blankenburg in the neutral zone during his first shift and headed to the bench less than two minutes into the game. Matias Maccelli, who entered Saturday on a five-game point streak, was tripped with 3:24 remaining in the first period and needed help leaving the ice.

Both forwards sustained lower-body injuries and did not return.

“We’ll have those two guys evaluated when we get back and see where they’re at. But you know the guys that finished the game there tonight all deserve credit,” DeBoer said. “I mean, that was, that was probably our most complete game of the year and our smartest game of the year.”

Horvat And Holmstrom Lead Offense

With just under two minutes remaining in the second period, Toronto forward Gavin McKenna collected a puck poked ahead by Brandon Duhaime and accelerated into the Islanders’ zone. The 2026 first-overall pick had only Matthew Schaefer, the 2025 first-overall pick, chasing him as Maple Leafs fans rose to their feet.

Schaefer caught McKenna and did enough to force his shot wide, setting up an Islanders rush the other way.

Horvat gathered the puck along the boards, shook free of McKenna, who had made his way back on defense, and found Kyle Palmieri skating into the zone. Bobrovsky stopped Palmieri’s initial shot, but Horvat buried the rebound to give the Islanders a 2-0 lead with 1:27 remaining in the period.

The goal gave Horvat nine points (five goals and four assists) through eight games this season. Palmieri’s assist was his first of the season and gave him three points in his past three games. Horvat’s 24:21 TOI tied Schaefer for the team lead and was a season-high for the captain.

Following a strong penalty kill with 10 minutes left in the third period, Horvat continued his strong offensive night, taking a pass from Schaefer behind the net and finding Simon Holmstrom in the slot to push the Islanders’ lead to two goals with 5:52 to play, silencing the Toronto crowd.

“We knew that they were going to come out with a lot of speed and a lot of pressure [in the third period],” Holmstrom said postgame. “I thought we got better and better, and I kind of killed their momentum a little bit as well, and then we’re able to get one late as well.”

Holmstrom scored his second goal of the night and third of the season into an empty net, giving the Islanders a 4-1 lead with just over two minutes to play.

Sorokin Stands Tall, Moves Into Second On Isles Wins List

If Duclair got the game going for the Islanders and Holmstrom closed it out, it was Sorokin who assumed the role of middle reliever Saturday, holding court throughout the game and not allowing Toronto to gain momentum. The 31-year-old goaltender stopped 28 shots, including five on the penalty kill.

“Sorokin made some unbelievable saves when he had to,” Horvat said postgame. “He was our best [penalty] killer tonight, and he has to be.”

With win 158 tonight, Sorokin is now in sole possession of second place all-time in wins in Isles history, passing Chico Resch.

The Islanders’ penalty kill went 3-for-3 Saturday, including a late kill in the third period, never allowing the Maple Leafs to gain momentum.

“Bob Boughner does a great job with it. He had a good penalty kill last year, so you know they’re detailed, they’re well coached, and we’ve got some guys that are, that have very good penalty kill instincts,” DeBoer said. “You know, particularly Pelly [Pelech] and Pully [Pulock] and then up front, obviously, you know those six forwards we kind of roll through.”

Next Game

The Islanders return home for two games at UBS Arena, beginning Tuesday against the Anaheim Ducks. Faceoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. EDT, with coverage on MSGSN.