NY Islanders rewrite franchise history with this season's close game mastery

It may not always be pretty. It may not always be comfortable. But for the New York Islanders, it is undeniably effective.

Thursday night’s 2-1 win over the Dallas Stars wasn’t just another critical result in a tightening playoff race — it was historic. The victory marked the Islanders’ 27th one-goal win of the season, the most in the NHL and a new franchise record, surpassing the 2014-15 team.

And if there’s one thing this Islanders group has proven, it’s that they thrive in the chaos of close games.

Head coach Patrick Roy has spoken all season about his team’s character and resilience, and no stat captures that identity better than this one. One-goal games are where discipline, structure, and mental toughness are tested the most — and the Islanders have consistently delivered.

Even more telling is their flawless 11-0 record in overtime.

That’s not luck. That’s execution.

While fans may feel their pulse rise in these moments — every missed clearance, every odd-man rush, every late push — the Islanders seem to settle in. They don’t panic. They don’t chase. They trust their structure and, more often than not, rely on elite goaltending and timely scoring to close the door.

“It's definitely a nice cushion to have, but at the same time, you can’t sit back by any means,” Horvat said. “I thought we did a good job of that, especially in the third period, pushing for it.”

It speaks to a team that understands how to win when it matters most.

Against Dallas, it was Ilya Sorokin shutting things down, Bo Horvat, Matthew Schaefer and Calum Ritchie providing just enough offense, and a group commitment to holding the line late. It followed a script Islanders fans have seen time and time again this season.

In a league where parity is razor-thin, the ability to consistently win tight games is often what separates playoff teams from the rest.

For the Islanders, it’s become their identity — and their greatest strength.

They may make it nerve-wracking.

But they also keep finding ways to finish.