Predators 7, Islanders 6 (OT): Crazy ending spoils Holmstrom’s 4-point night
Yep. | Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images
And yet it was all completely fitting. The New York Islanders somehow lost to one of the league’s worst teams in a game they led by two goals with a little over two minutes to go, although it was all somehow appropriate for a crazy game and a persistently disappointing season.
The final, 7-6 in overtime to the Nashville Predators, spoiled a four-point night for Simon Holmstrom — one of this season’s few bright spots — who hit the post in his bid for a hat trick in overtime. He and linemates J-G Pageau and Max Tsyplakov had a plentiful night, though the former two were on the ice for the overtime goal after nearly generating the winner at the other end.
[NHL Gamecenter | Game Summary | Event Summary | Natural Stat Trick]
Both goalies were generally sieves in this game, getting beat repeatedly on clean looks, though their defenses did not provide much help in preventing golden scoring opportunities to make it a goalfest. NOTE: In my rage at the closing minutes, I completely neglected to mention the big news of the night, Ilya Sorokin leaving with an “upper body” injury after the second period. Those responsible for this oversight have been sacked.
The game was 2-2 after one, 4-4 after two and of course 6-6 after three, but the final five minutes were the crazy part.
Kyle Palmieri gave the Isles their fourth lead of the game with just under five minutes left in regulation on a very good backhand that nonetheless shouldn’t have puzzled Justus Annunen, who somehow allowed six goals on 22 shots for the win.
Kyle Palmieri with a beauty of a backhand! pic.twitter.com/UDyF2Y4DVS— NHL (@NHL) April 9, 2025
But rather than kill the game, the Isles made things difficult for themselves when Ryan Pulock took a hooking penalty that Steven Stamkos may have created by clutching Pulock’s stick in front of the Isles goal.
Still, an uncalled high stick on Alex Romanov in an awkward three-way collision during the penalty kill led to an Isles shorthanded rush. Of all people, Scott Mayfield sniped the insurance shorty on a great heads-up feed from Holmstrom, who found the trailing man rather than forcing a shot.
What a snipe by Mayfield. #Isles pic.twitter.com/aiKSbOS7e7— Isles Territory (@IslesTerritory) April 9, 2025
The Predators were absolutely livid at the missed call and the sequence, and the refs let them carry on a bit before play resumed, Stamkos leading the way in berating the refs. But it apparently got worse, so much that the refs blew play dead after it resumed to give the Predators a bench minor to put things at 4-on-4.
At 6-4, and given a reprieve from Pulock’s penalty, that should be it, right? Heh.
No, of course not: 21 seconds into the 4-on-4, Bo Horvat let his stick get in the skates of Brady Skjei, putting him in the box for tripping and initiating the ominous music.
The Predators pulled the goalie to make it a 5-on-3, and 50 seconds into that Stamkos just barely kept a clear inside the zone, and was allowed to waltz down the slot to rifle one past a screened Marcus Hogberg. That made it 6-5 with 2:07 to go.
Back at full strength, the Predators pulled the goalie again and a Stamkos point shot was deflected in from the low slot by Michael Bunting.
BUNTS SENDS IT TO OT!! pic.twitter.com/s2Y8NbtGJj— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) April 9, 2025
That tied it at 6-6 and sent the game to overtime — where again, Holmstrom in particular nearly won it. Of course, the Predators also had some glorious chances in OT that they didn’t finish, before Fedor Svechkov finally did after only 1:56 of 3-on-3 chaos.
FEDOR SVECHKOV WINS IT FOR THE PREDATORS IN OVERTIME!#Smashville pic.twitter.com/EmVbQqetC2— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) April 9, 2025
A suitable ending, all in all. If the Isles still had a significant rather than only mathematical chance at a playoff spot, this loss would’ve been crushing. Instead, it’s just kind of more of the same from this season, which still has five games to go as they trail the wild card by eight points.
Quote of the Night
“I think this game not for goalies.”
Enjoy OT winner Fedor Svechkov’s post-game, a moment of laughter amid the futility:
Just really delightful stuff from Fedor Svechkov in the post game. He’s just so happy and hilarious. pic.twitter.com/fXNRJY9A3B— Alex Daugherty (@AlexDaugherty1) April 9, 2025
Up Next
The Isles return home Thursday to host the Rangers, who are in an identical position. Which team wants to flush the toilet more?
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