By IHM Team | IHM News | November 5, 2025
Khusnutdinov lifts Bruins over Islanders in shootout
Rookie ties it from his knees late in the third and beats Sorokin in the skills contest
ELMONT, N.Y. Boston found a way in a heavy game and extended its streak to four straight wins. Marat Khusnutdinov tied the contest 3-3 at 15:06 of the third from his knees after pouncing on a rebound in the low slot, then scored the only goal of the shootout to push the Bruins past the Islanders 4-3 at UBS Arena.
Head coach Marco Sturm praised the poise on the bench, noting the group never sagged after New York punches. The Bruins had already erased two separate deficits with goals from Viktor Arvidsson and Pavel Zacha, the latter on a power play, while Jeremy Swayman delivered 29 saves including key stops late in regulation and another on a last-second rush during a New York power play.
Bo Horvat powered the Islanders with two goals, exploiting transition windows off quick touches from Mathew Barzal and Kyle Palmieri. Anthony Duclair opened the scoring early in the second with a turnaround look through a screen. Ilya Sorokin stopped 24 of 27 for New York, sharp on east-west sequences before the equalizer and shootout.
Arvidsson first leveled it 1-1 at 12:21 of the second by jamming at the left post, the puck deflecting in off Anders Lee’s skate. Horvat answered 45 seconds later on a two-on-one with Barzal, finishing short side off the post. With 17:29 gone in the period, Zacha buried a rebound into an open net after Charlie McAvoy’s shot caromed off Sorokin’s pad, tying the game 2-2 on the man advantage.
New York regained the lead at 5:05 of the third when Horvat struck again, this time in stride after Matthew Schaefer exited the penalty box and quickly connected with Palmieri in the neutral zone for a stretch feed. The Bruins pressed, created volume through the middle, and finally got level on Khusnutdinov’s second-chance effort. In the dying seconds of regulation, Schaefer nearly won it for the Islanders on a power-play rush but Swayman blocked the in-tight attempt.
Scoring summary
- 2nd, 5:11 NYI – Duclair, turnaround shot through a screen, 1-0
- 2nd, 12:21 BOS – Arvidsson, jam at left post, 1-1
- 2nd, 13:06 NYI – Horvat, finish on Barzal 2-on-1, 2-1
- 2nd, 17:29 BOS PP – Zacha, rebound into open net, 2-2
- 3rd, 5:05 NYI – Horvat, high-slot release off stretch sequence, 3-2
- 3rd, 15:06 BOS – Khusnutdinov, from knees on rebound, 3-3
- SO BOS – Khusnutdinov, winner
Goaltenders
BOS: Swayman 29 saves on 32. NYI: Sorokin 24 saves on 27.
Team notes
- Boston improves to 8-7-0 and has won four in a row including a 5-2 victory over New York on October 28.
- Islanders fall to 6-5-2. They created multiple third-period looks but could not extend the lead to two.
- Khusnutdinov shows deception on the shootout attempt with a shoulder fake and blocker-side finish.
Coach Mark comment
Boston stayed connected between forwards and defense, which is why the third-man support looked clean late. Khusnutdinov’s touch around the crease is real and Swayman managed screens well in traffic. This is the type of controlled response that travels on the road.