The NY Islanders accomplish an OT feat for only the second time in franchise history

For those who stayed awake until nearly 1:00 am on the East Coast, you were surely treated to some late-game dramatics from the NY Islanders.

After squandering another two-goal lead, the Isles were on the winning end of a game in which they’ve typically lost in the past. 

Trailing 3-2 with under three minutes remaining, Mat Barzal knotted the game at three after some nifty passing from Jonathan Drouin and Matthew Schaefer. 

Only twice in NY Islanders history

The Isles took a too-many-men penalty in overtime after Schaefer jumped on the ice too quickly, as things looked bleak facing a potent Vegas Golden Knights power play at 4-on-3. 

But VGK didn’t get an opportunity to convert, after Pageau won the ensuing faceoff, taking the puck down the ice on his own and beating Akira Schmid blocker side for the winner, marking only the second time the Islanders have scored a short-handed OT winner.

“That’s what you do in Vegas, right?” Pageau said postgame. “Take a chance, play the odds, put the puck on net, and it went in.”

The one other occasion came nearly 23 years ago when Michael Peca’s OT goal defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 1-0. After a Jeremy Roenick shot went wide, Peca collected the puck, taking it down the ice, beating Roman Cechmanek while tumbling down with Simon Gagne hit on his heels. 

In that game, the Isles successfully killed all eight Flyers power plays, and though it didn’t reach the level of 2002, the Isles were 5-5 on the PK last night. 

The Islanders are playing with a new intensity this season, figuring out how to win games they’ve typically lost. They’re now riding a three-game win streak to start their road trip, looking to make it four in a row tonight against the Utah Mammoth.