Dec 4, 2025; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders center Bo Horvat (14) celebrates his goal against the Colorado Avalanche with left wing Emil Heineman (51) and defenseman Matthew Schaefer (48) and right wing Max Shabanov (49) during the second period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

ELMONT, NY — At UBS Arena on Thursday night, the Islanders reminded the NHL what resilience and opportunism can look like when everything clicks. With a 6–3 victory over the Avalanche, New York didn’t just beat one of the league’s top teams; they ended Colorado’s impressive 17-game point streak in emphatic fashion. 

Before the puck even dropped, head coach Patrick Roy sensed his team was ready for the challenge. “The focus was to play against the best team in the NHL… I believe that if there’s a team that could surprise them, it’s us,” Roy said.

For the first period, the momentum was instant. Just 5:56 into the first period, Kyle MacLean pounced on a loose puck in front of the net and chipped it over a sprawled Avalanche goalie, giving the Islanders (15-10-3, 33 points) an early lead and sending the UBS Arena crowd roaring.

Before the period ended, Anders Lee buried a wrist shot from the right circle off a perfect feed from Mathew Barzal, making it 2–0 and setting the tone for what would become a defining night for the home team. 

The night also carried a layer of emotion with Brock Nelson making his first appearance at UBS Arena since his offseason trade to Colorado. A franchise pillar for more than a decade, Nelson was greeted with a standing ovation during a first-period tribute video, a reminder of how deeply his steady scoring touch and quiet leadership had resonated with Islanders fans.

As the second period opened, the Islanders struck again. Bo Horvat hammered home a rebound at 6:58 from close range, a testament to the Islanders’ relentless attack and willingness to crash the net.

Moments later, defenseman Adam Pelech added to the lead with a sharp wrist shot from the left circle, making it 4–0 in favor of New York. 

At that point, the game felt like it was slipping from Colorado’s grasp. But the Avalanche fought back. Early in the second, Valeri Nichushkin redirected a point shot into the net, his sixth of the season, getting the visitors on the board. 

Shortly after, Martin Necas cashed in on a fortunate bounce off an Islanders defenseman’s skate, narrowing the gap to 4–2 and giving hope of a comeback. 

But the Islanders weren’t done. With under two minutes left in the period, Barzal, who had already collected two assists, delivered a highlight-reel backhand that beat the goalie blocker-side on the power play. 

After the game, Roy singled out Barzal’s performance with respect. “He was outstanding tonight… The goal that he scored, that was a highlight goal. I felt like he was on his game,” Roy said.

Colorado did manage one more push in the third, with Artturi Lehkonen sneaking in a one-timer off a feed from defenseman Cale Makar, but by then the tide had turned. With time winding down, Casey Cizikas buried an empty-netter to make it 6–3 and sealed the game. 

Backing up all the offense was goaltender Ilya Sorokin, who stopped 35 shots and gave New York a steadiness in net that Colorado couldn’t crack.

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