Andrew Gross: Islanders earn their losing result against the Predators
Steven Stamkos of the Nashville Predators celebrates a goal by teammate Roman Josi (not pictured) against the Islanders' Ilya Sorokin late during the third period at UBS Arena on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. Credit: Jim McIsaac
The Islanders had no trouble verbally picking themselves apart in the losing dressing room. And rightfully so.
There were so many deficiencies to choose from in a 4-3 loss to the Predators on Saturday night at UBS Arena that snapped their winning streak at three games, starting with allowing defenseman Roman Josi’s winner at 18:46 of the third period. It denied the Islanders at least an undeserved point after they ceded a two-goal first-period lead and a one-goal second-period lead.
Oh, and there was this assessment from coach Patrick Roy of that second period in which the Islanders were outshot 22-13 and the Predators had a 12-5 edge in high-danger chances, according to NaturalStatTrick.com.
“It was probably our worst period of the year,” Roy said. “Sloppy a bit and everything.”
Ilya Sorokin was tremendous in making 38 saves as the Predators (25-23-6), who snapped a three-game losing streak, too often had free passes to his crease.
Everything else was suspect for the Islanders (30-20-5), who fell two points behind the second-place Penguins in the Metropolitan Division (the Penguins have played two fewer games). The Blue Jackets and Capitals both moved within four points of the Islanders.
“When these points are so important and you’re in a tie game late and you give one up, it’s really frustrating,” defenseman Ryan Pulock said. “You’ve got to get it to overtime and worry about the second [point] after.”
The Islanders struggled turning the puck over in the neutral zone. They struggled getting the puck deep in the offensive zone. They struggled with some of their defensive structure. They struggled on the power play, which went 0-for-2 and generated one shot.
Rather than simplify their game, the Islanders instead were too cute with the puck.
“As a group, you’ve got to simplify in the neutral zone,” Pulock said. “Get it in and go chase it in. When we were doing that [early] in the first, we had a lot of looks, we had a lot of zone time. We didn’t really do that the rest of the game.”
“We just couldn’t make plays,” Mathew Barzal said. “Our breakouts were not where they needed to be to change momentum in the [second] period. Credit to them, they pressured all night.”
Added Anders Lee: “We had a tough night, there’s no doubt about it. We know we have better. It felt like we were under pressure quite a bit coming out of our zone. They were on top of us and we weren’t clearing pucks and we weren’t getting the blocks we wanted. They played a good offensive game within the zone and over the 60 minutes, it wore on us.”
Even Roy had a suspect night. He unsuccessfully challenged a goalie interference call on Anthony Duclair that waved off defenseman Tony DeAngelo’s apparent goal at 1:10 of the third period with the score tied at 3. Duclair appeared to be outside the blue paint and was knocked into Juuse Saros (27 saves) by defenseman Nick Perbix.
It put the Predators on the power play and left Roy 0-for-3 this season on coach’s challenges, all on goalie interference calls.
“For us, incidental contact outside of the crease, we thought that was the right call to challenge that play,” Roy said. “I think Saros did a pretty good job to sell it. Throw the blocker and everything. He might have an Oscar for that one.”
Filip Forsberg’s second goal, at the right post, tied it at 3-3 at 14:11 of the second period after Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored off a rush at 7:21.
Barzal opened the scoring at 1:29 of the first period and rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer’s 15th goal made it 2-0 at 5:57. But Forsberg’s power-play blast at 9:59 and Matthew Wood’s rising one-timer at 12:53 quickly tied it.
And the Islanders never really recovered.
Notes & quotes: Left wing Jonathan Drouin (illness) was a late scratch after participating in the morning skate . . . Roy said rookie center Cal Ritchie (lower body) will not play before the Olympic break and likely will not skate, either. Ritchie missed his fourth game, meaning his absence will extend at least seven games. “He tried [skating Friday], but not good enough,” Roy said. “So I don’t think he will until the break.” . . . Recently retired Newsday sportswriter Neil Best received polite applause from the crowd as the Islanders honored him on the scoreboard during a second-period stoppage for “40 years as NY sports journalist.”
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
