National Hockey League
NY Islanders 3, Ottawa 2
When: 7:30 PM ET, Thursday, October 26, 2023
Where: UBS Arena, Elmont, New York
Referees: Frederick L'Ecuyer, Graham Skilliter
Linesmen: Scott Cherrey, CJ Murray
Attendance: 14911

Noah Dobson scored the tie-breaking goal early in the third period Thursday night for the host New York Islanders, who edged the Ottawa Senators 3-2 in Elmont, N.Y.

The Senators played the final 31-plus minutes without defenseman Erik Brannstrom, who was wheeled off the ice with 11:17 left in the second after he hit his neck on the ice following a check from Clutterbuck.

Brannstrom didn't move as Senators trainers quickly reached the ice and the stretcher was wheeled out of a tunnel. Nine Ottawa players took a knee and the Islanders stood in a circle in a silent UBS Arena as Brannstrom was moved onto the stretcher. Brannstrom's teammates tapped him on the lower leg as he was wheeled off the ice.

Per a Senators social media post at 9:30 p.m. ET, Brannstrom was "alert, has use of his extremities and has been transported to a local hospital for further evaluation."

Bo Horvat and Cal Clutterbuck scored in the first for the Islanders, who snapped a three-game losing streak (0-2-1). Goalie Ilya Sorokin made 45 saves.

Claude Giroux and Jakob Chychrun scored in the second for the Senators, who have lost three straight (0-3-0). Goalie Joonas Korpisalo recorded 35 saves.

The Senators couldn't take advantage of a 5-on-3 opportunity in the first 1:06 of the third nor the next 54 seconds of a 5-on-4 chance before Dobson put the Islanders ahead with a slap shot from the slot at 6:45.

Horvat opened the scoring 2:41 into the game and just five seconds after Rourke Chartier was whistled for interference. The Islanders doubled the lead a little more than 10 minutes later, when Casey Cizikas sent a backhand feed from behind the Senators' net to Clutterbuck, who swooped into the slot and fired a shot past Korpisalo with 6:55 left.

The Senators tied the score during a second period in which the Islanders committed six penalties. Giroux cut the lead in half at the 6:52 mark when his shot sailed past Sorokin, who was screened by teammate Ryan Pulock and Ottawa left winger Brady Tkachuk.

The Senators tied the score on Chychrun's even-strength goal at 12:25 of the second period, a little more than four minutes after Brannstrom was injured.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Ottawa   NY Islanders
Jakob Chychrun 1 Points Noah Dobson 2
Jakob Chychrun 1 Goals Noah Dobson 1
Rourke Chartier 1 Assists Noah Dobson 1
Claude Giroux 1 Power Play Goals Bo Horvat 1
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Joonas Korpisalo .921 Save Percentage Ilya Sorokin .957
Joonas Korpisalo 35 Saves Ilya Sorokin 45
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Ottawa 47 2 1-8 3-4 15 35
NY Islanders 38 3 1-4 7-8 21 32
Upcoming Games
  • NY Islanders will play their next game on the road against Columbus. The Islanders have a W/L % of .500 after a win and .500 after a loss.
  • Ottawa will play their next game on the road against Pittsburgh. The Senators have a W/L % of .667 after a win and .250 after a loss.