NY Islanders collapse in disastrous third period; lose 7-3 to Montreal Canadiens

The New York Islanders saw a tied game slip away in a disastrous third period, falling 7-3 to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.

New York entered the final frame with momentum and quickly erased a deficit when Matthew Schaefer blasted a one-timer from the point just 45 seconds in to make it 3-3. But from there, the game unraveled.

Montreal responded with four unanswered goals, capitalizing on defensive breakdowns and sustained pressure. Kaiden Guhle restored the Canadiens’ lead at 3:17, and Juraj Slafkovský extended it midway through the period. Cole Caufield then took over, scoring twice late to complete a five-point night and put the game out of reach.

“The other night it was too many battles that were lost,” Anders Lee said. “Tonight it was more they made plays through us, and we had a couple missed assignments.”

For the Islanders, it marked a frustrating finish after showing signs of life earlier. Emil Heineman and Simon Holmstrom also scored, helping New York stay within striking distance through two periods.

But the third told a different story.

The Canadiens outpaced the Islanders in execution and urgency, turning a tight game into a lopsided result in a matter of minutes.

In net, Ilya Sorokin stopped 26 of 32 shots before being pulled late in the third. David Rittich entered in relief and made three saves.

The loss was New York’s second straight and came at a costly time in the standings. The Islanders remain just outside a playoff position in the Eastern Conference, with little margin for error down the stretch.

After briefly clawing back into the game, the Islanders were unable to withstand Montreal’s push—another reminder of how quickly momentum can swing this time of year.

“Once we gave up that one to give them the lead again in the third we just kind of broke down after that,” Ryan Pulock said. “What's important is a regroup in here. Tomorrow's huge, so that's where our focus has to be.”