Isles' sloppy play against Wild halts five-game point streak at UBS Arena

Isles’ Sloppy Play Against Wild Ends Five-Game Point Streak at UBS Arena

The Wild scored on their first shot, and the night only worsened for the Islanders, who lost 5-2 on Friday at UBS Arena. The Islanders struggled with passing, turned the puck over frequently, and were outworked by the Wild, who capitalized on the Islanders' poor execution and defensive lapses.

“I don’t think we executed well at all,” captain Anders Lee said. “I think we were clearly off from the get-go. When we struggle to break the puck out and we struggle with our turnovers, it’s going to be a long night.”

The loss ended a five-game point streak at home and concluded a 1-1-1 homestand for the Islanders, who fell to 6-6-2. Goalie David Rittich made 21 saves during the game. The Islanders began a seven-game road trip on Saturday against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden, providing a quick chance to rebound.

“I think they beat us to a lot,” said Bo Horvat, who assisted Emil Heineman’s goal that brought the Islanders within 2-1 early in the second period. “I think they outworked us a lot tonight. We’ve got to correct that come (Saturday).”

Any momentum from Heineman’s goal was short-lived as defenseman Brock Faber scored a shot off Rittich’s glove just over a minute later.

“I guess you’ve got nights like this,” coach Patrick Roy commented. “You have nights where you’re on and there’s nights where you’re not on.”

The Islanders now look to reset during their upcoming road trip after a frustrating performance on home ice.

Summary: The Islanders’ lack of execution and defensive mistakes led to a 5-2 loss against the Wild, ending their five-game home point streak and highlighting areas needing improvement ahead of a long road trip.

more

Newsday Newsday — 2025-11-08

More News