Colorado Avalanche 4-1 New York Islanders: Makar drives turnaround in Denver
Date: November 17, 2025 – Author: IHM News
Colorado turned an ugly first period into a comfortable 4-1 home win, outclassing the New York Islanders once the game settled into five-on-five structure. The visitors grabbed the early lead, but the Avalanche’s top core - with Cale Makar tilting the ice from the back end - completely rewired the contest in the second period. Two quick goals flipped the scoreline, and from there Colorado managed the risk level, tightened up their own blue line and trusted their goaltender to handle the few clean looks the Islanders generated. A pair of third-period strikes, including an empty-netter, turned a tense one-goal game into a statement victory that kept Denver’s home rink one of the toughest buildings in the league.
Game flow: from flat start to full control
First period – Islanders punch first
New York settled faster and were rewarded when Emil Heineman opened the scoring, finishing a feed from Anthony DeAngelo and Kyle Palmieri off a broken-play look in the slot. The Islanders were comfortable playing in layers, collapsing to the middle and forcing Colorado into low-percentage outside shots. A couple of early penalties slowed the period, but the Avalanche penalty kill held firm and prevented the deficit from growing beyond 1-0.
Second period – Avalanche flip the script
The second frame was pure Avalanche hockey. Colorado’s forecheck arrived on time, their D-men walked the blue line with confidence, and zone time tilted heavily in the home team’s favour. Ross Colton tied the game at 1-1, burying a quick release from between the circles after a sharp low-to-high play from Cale Makar and Brock Nelson. Only a couple of minutes later, Victor Olofsson made it 2-1 when he snapped home a feed from Sam Malinski, punishing the Islanders for a slow line change. New York struggled to exit cleanly under pressure and spent long stretches defending their own end.
Third period – discipline and game management
The final period was defined by discipline and composure. Colorado took a few penalties, including a high-sticking minor and fighting majors after tempers flared, but their structure on the kill protected the middle and allowed their goalie to see nearly everything. With the Islanders pressing late, Martin Necas hit the empty net to extend the lead to 3-1, and Brent Burns added another insurance marker in the closing minute to seal a 4-1 result. New York’s push never really generated second-chance looks, while Colorado calmly closed out the night with layered support through the neutral zone.
Numbers box | IHM Performance Metrics
- Final score: Colorado Avalanche 4, New York Islanders 1
- Shots on goal: Avalanche 29, Islanders 29
- Shots off target: Avalanche 12, Islanders 15
- Shooting percentage: Avalanche 13.79% (4/29), Islanders 3.45% (1/29)
- Blocked shots: Avalanche 14, Islanders 10
- Goalkeeper saves: Avalanche 28, Islanders 25
- Save percentage: Avalanche 96.55% (28/29), Islanders 89.29% (25/28)
- Penalties: Avalanche 5, Islanders 4
- Penalty minutes: Avalanche 13, Islanders 11
- Key trend: Colorado’s second-period surge in controlled entries and blue-line play changed the expected-goals profile of the game in their favour.
Coach Mark comment
Colorado won this game by trusting their identity after a poor first period. Once they started attacking in layers with the D activating and the forwards supporting underneath, the Islanders’ defensive box began to stretch and openings appeared in the seam. Over 60 minutes the Avalanche played the more repeatable hockey - strong gap control, tight neutral-zone structure and quick support on retrievals.
Questions & Answers | IHM Performance Metrics
How did Colorado overturn the early 1-0 deficit?
Colorado increased their pace through the neutral zone and activated their defencemen on controlled entries. Once Ross Colton tied it up, the Avalanche kept the Islanders pinned with extended offensive-zone shifts. That pressure forced turnovers and created the two quick second-period goals that flipped the scoreboard.
Was the 4-1 final scoreline reflective of the overall play?
Yes. Shots on goal finished 29-29, but the quality tilted toward Colorado after the first 10 minutes. The Avalanche generated more slot and seam looks, while most New York attempts came from the perimeter or off broken rushes. Once Colorado settled into their structure, they dictated tempo and limited second chances in front of their own net.
What stood out about the Avalanche penalty kill?
Their PK stayed tight in the middle, with aggressive pressure on the half walls and quick clears on loose pucks. They denied cross-ice seams, which are the lifeblood of the Islanders’ power play, and allowed their goaltender to see pucks cleanly. Every kill in the second period fed straight into Colorado’s momentum at five-on-five.
Did the Islanders ever have a stretch where they controlled the game?
Their best window was the opening 10 minutes, when they managed the puck cleanly, forced Colorado into penalties and took the early 1-0 lead. After that, they struggled to exit against the Avalanche forecheck and spent too many shifts defending in their own zone.
What does this result mean for both teams going forward?
For Colorado, it reinforces that their forecheck-and-activation model still overwhelms opponents when they stay disciplined. For the Islanders, it is another reminder that they cannot sit back after a good start; they need more sustained five-on-five offence and cleaner puck movement under pressure if they want to hang with elite possession teams.
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