NY Islanders Bo Horvat sets career-best point streak; injury concern in final seconds vs Montreal in 5-3 loss

Bo Horvat is showing why he was a highly coveted trade target last season and proving he was worth the eight-year extension he signed before ever playing a game for the New York Islanders.

The 2022-23 All-Star center is playing his best hockey since coming to Long Island and extended his point streak to a career-best 10 games with a goal in the third period of last night's 5-3 loss to Montreal. He now has seven goals and nine assists for 16 points during this stretch.

Horvat scored his 12th of the season off a deflected Noah Dobson shot at the point at 14:06 to pull the Isles to within one after entering the third period down 4-0. The former Vancouver Canucks captain is second on the team in goals (Nelson, 15), and his 18 assists are third behind Mathew Barzal and Dobson, who each have 32.

“He's feeling it,” captain Anders Lee said after the game. “Things are coming to him and he's also taking advantage of those opportunities. He's playing great hockey. And when you get in those rolls like that you always feel like something good is going to happen and when you get that opportunity you're feeling good with the puck and that's evident the way he's playing.”

Horvat Injury Concern

Horvat collided with Habs' center Christian Dvorak at the Isles' blueline in the final minute. The Islanders were trying to find the game-tying goal and complete a remarkable comeback after trailing 4-0 heading into the third period. In the play, Horvat landed awkwardly on his left hand or wrist and was seen in pain on the bench as time ran out and the buzzer sounded.

The 28-year-old skated off the ice with his left glove off and kept his arm pinned close to his body. As the injury occurred at the end of the game, there was no way of knowing if Horvat would be able to take his next shift, and no update was provided after the game on his status.

The Islanders host the red-hot Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night at UBS Arena. While the Islanders' defense has battled injuries all season, the forward group has remained healthy, except for Matt Martin, who hasn't played since Nov. 15. If Horvat were to miss any time, Barzal would be able to slide back over to center, which could result in Oliver Wahlstrom drawing back into the lineup after being a healthy scratch over recent games. Head coach Lane Lambert has elected to play Hudson Fasching on the fourth line and Julien Gauthier with JG Pageau and Simon Holmstrom.