Islanders Smash Opponents 6-2 for Season-High 8 Points!
The Calgary Flames mounted a late push but couldn’t overcome a rough opening period, falling 3–2 to the New York Islanders on Saturday night in Long Island. The opening frame belonged almost entirely to the Islanders, who jumped out to a quick lead and never looked back. At 10:36 of the first period, Casey Cizikas opened the scoring after battling for the puck along the boards.
The veteran forward pulled it free from the corner, circled out from beside the net, and jammed the puck past Flames starter Devin Cooley for his eighth goal of the season to make it 1–0. New York doubled its lead later in the period. At 16:35, Simon Holmstrom joined the rush and took a feed from newly acquired Brayden Schenn before snapping a shot past Cooley.
The goal, Holmstrom’s 15th of the season, gave the Islanders a 2–0 advantage. © Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images The Islanders weren’t done there. Late in the period, while shorthanded, Jean‑Gabriel Pageau moved the puck ahead to Holmstrom, who was driving up the ice.
Holmstrom slipped the puck through Cooley’s five-hole at 19:35, giving New York a commanding 3–0 lead heading into the intermission. The Flames made a change to start the second period, bringing in Dustin Wolf in relief of Cooley. The move helped stabilize Calgary defensively as the Flames tightened things up and prevented further damage.
Despite generating a few chances, neither team found the back of the net in the middle frame, leaving the Flames with a three-goal deficit heading into the third period. © Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images Calgary finally broke through early in the third. Kevin Bahl helped start the play before Olli Maatta fired a shot toward the net.