Match date: 8 November 2026.
Final score: Islanders 4, Devils 5.
The Islanders built a two-goal lead and received 45 saves from I. Sorokin, but the Devils kept coming and claimed a 5-4 overtime win on 8 November 2026. J. Hughes supplied the equaliser in the third period before finishing the contest 1:18 into overtime.
Game Story
The Islanders struck first at 15:06 of the opening period, A. Duclair scoring from S. Holmstrom and J. Pageau. The response was immediate. E. Rodrigues levelled for the Devils 17 seconds later, with A. Mantha assisting, before M. Schaefer restored the home side’s lead at 17:14, helped by B. Horvat and E. Heineman.
D. Chisholm made it 2-2 early in the second period, converting assists from J. Bratt and A. Gritsyuk at 4:42. Again the Islanders answered quickly, S. Holmstrom putting them back ahead 26 seconds later from K. Palmieri and B. Horvat. V. Eklund then extended the advantage to 4-2 at 11:54, with T. DeAngelo and B. Schenn on the play.
That score held through the second interval, but the Devils found the way back. L. Evangelista cut the deficit at 6:08 of the third, assisted by B. Pesce and N. Hischier. D. Hamilton tied it at 13:42, with J. Hughes and L. Evangelista collecting the assists.
The Devils had recovered from two down, and they completed the reversal in overtime. J. Hughes ended it at 1:18, taking the feed from L. Hughes for the decisive goal.
Turning Point
D. Hamilton’s goal at 13:42 of the third period was the defining swing. It erased the Islanders’ 4-2 advantage, completed the Devils’ comeback and took a game that had appeared to be under home control into overtime.
Standout Performers
J. Hughes delivered when the game was at its tightest, recording a goal and an assist. His assist on D. Hamilton’s equaliser was followed by the overtime winner. L. Evangelista also had a goal and an assist, scoring the Devils’ first third-period goal before helping to set up the tying strike.
For the Islanders, S. Holmstrom posted a goal and an assist, while B. Horvat contributed two assists. I. Sorokin faced 50 shots and made 45 saves, a sizeable workload in a defeat.
Tactical Observations
The shot totals tell an important part of the contest. The Devils generated 50 shots to the Islanders’ 23, forcing I. Sorokin into sustained work even while the Islanders carried a 4-2 lead after two periods. The home side were efficient in turning a comparatively limited number of attempts into four goals, but New Jersey’s pressure eventually created enough scoring opportunities to overturn the deficit.
Neither team had a large margin for error once the third period tightened. Evangelista’s goal gave the Devils a route back, Hamilton’s finish reset the game, and the overtime winner came before the Islanders could settle into the extra session.
Coach Mark Comment
A 4-2 lead after 40 minutes can look reassuring, particularly when your goaltender has already done so much work, but it can also make the third period feel very long if the other team keeps sending pucks towards the net. The Islanders had scored four times on 23 shots, yet Sorokin still faced 50 by the finish. That is a demanding balance for any bench: enjoy the lead, certainly, but recognise that the game has not changed shape just because the scoreboard has. Once Evangelista scored, the Devils had something tangible to chase, and the equaliser turned every remaining decision into a nervous one.
What It Means
The Devils left with an overtime win after trailing by two goals at the second intermission. The Islanders gained a point from the overtime defeat, but will rue allowing a 4-2 lead to become a 4-4 game despite Sorokin’s 45-save effort.
What Comes Next
For the Devils, the immediate question is whether the third-period persistence shown here can travel into their next tight game. The Islanders must consider how to turn a four-goal performance and a heavy goaltending workload into a result when holding a late lead.