The New York Islanders are battling for a playoff spot ahead of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline. The Islanders have made some moves before the deadline, but with less than 48 hours to go, time is of the essence. Before all that, though, Matthew Schaefer and his teammates had to take care of business against the Anaheim Ducks.
Unfortunately, New York could not pick up the two points. New York fell on Wednesday night to the Ducks. Anaheim goaltender Ville Husso made 42 saves to give his team the momentum they needed. The Islanders fell to 35-22-5 with this defeat.
The Islanders were not completely healthy, with Ryan Pulock missing this contest due to an upper-body injury. However, the team was not interested in making any excuses after the loss. “We can't just say, ‘Oh, if we had Pully (Ryan Pulock). We've got to find a way. That just wasn't our best hockey,” Schaefer said, via Andrew Gross of Newsday.
Pulock is one of the most important defensemen on the team. In fact, he trails only Schaefer in terms of average ice time per game. The veteran defenseman is in his 11th season, having spent his entire career with the Islanders.
New York's loss on Wednesday snapped a five-game winning streak. Overall, the Islanders have played well, as they won eight of their last nine games before losing to the Ducks. They are tied on points with the Pittsburgh Penguins for second in the Metropolitan Division, as well.
The Islanders return to the ice on Tuesday when they take on the Los Angeles Kings in their final game before the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline.
