Shifting Storylines

Isles rally to beat Habs 4-3 in OT in first game after break

Good Morning, Islanders Country.

Sometimes, a hockey game can’t decide what it wants to be.

For nearly two periods in Montreal, the storyline was Noah Dobson, the former Islander, scoring twice against his old team, each goal serving as a reminder: maybe you don’t trade a player like Noah Dobson. And for a while, the narrative wrote itself. The headline would be Noah’s Mark.

Then Matthew Schaefer grabbed the pen.

The wunderkind. The phenom. The kid who somehow keeps making you say “incredible.” Schaefer scored twice of his own, and in doing so broke the NHL record for most goals by an 18-year-old defenseman in league history. It wasn’t just a counterpunch — it was a rewrite. Whatever nostalgia or second-guessing Dobson stirred up was quickly replaced by the future unfolding in real time.

By the third period, the game had shifted again.

The Islanders, as they’ve done all season, refused to let the night tilt away from them. Anders Lee, skating in his 900th NHL game, found the equalizer in the most Anders Lee way imaginable — the puck caroming off his chest with the extra attacker on and into the net.

And then overtime.

The Islanders have made a habit of this, and they did it again. Jean-Gabriel Pageau, the peskiest of Islanders, ended it, pushing their record to 7-0-0 in overtime. “I have that feeling this year. When we get down we always have a chance to come back,” said Pageau. Another extra-session win. Another reminder that this team doesn’t blink late. It was a character win. A resilient win. The kind that suggests the Olympic break didn’t dull their edge — it sharpened it.

Dobson’s revenge. Schaefer’s record. Lee’s milestone. Pageau’s finish.

Three different storylines in one night. One familiar ending.

Let’s dive in.

Game Recap

Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored 3:14 into overtime to lift the New York Islanders to a 4-3 comeback win over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night in both teams’ return from the Olympic break.

Rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer stole the spotlight, scoring twice in a 55-second span late in the second period to swing momentum. His 18th goal of the season set a new franchise record for most goals by a rookie defenseman, surpassing Denis Potvin, and also moved him past Phil Housley for the most goals ever by an 18-year-old defenseman in NHL history.

Anders Lee scored while skating in his 900th NHL game, and Ilya Sorokin made 21 saves, improving to 7-0-2 in his career against Montreal.

Former Islander Noah Dobson scored twice — once at even strength and once on the power play — in his first game against New York since being traded last June. Cole Caufield added his team-leading 33rd goal for Montreal, while Samuel Montembeault stopped 23 shots in defeat.

GameScore Impact Card

⏭ NEXT UP: The Islanders are back on the ice Saturday night in Columbus as they take on the Blue Jackets. Face-off is scheduled for 6:00 PM EST.

📊 STANDINGS

Back To Normal

Bo Horvat rejoined his teammates for Thursday’s morning skate in Montreal and is expected to suit up against the Montreal Canadiens after earning silver with Team Canada at the Winter Olympics.

Horvat, who missed earlier practices this week, described returning as a reset following what he called “by far the coolest experience I’ve had in my life and career.” He added, “I’m so grateful to say I was there and be part of that team. That experience is something I’ll never forget.”

Back in Islanders colors, Horvat skated alongside Ondrej Palat and Mathew Barzal. He leads the team with 24 goals and is one of two Islanders with 40 or more points this season, joining Barzal (51).

Horvat noted the Olympics felt like “a whole new season,” citing the different rink dimensions and atmosphere. Head coach Patrick Roy echoed that adjustment. “The first thing he said to me this morning was that the three feet makes such a big difference,” Roy said. “It’s about re-focusing on what you have to do. I’m not nervous about him.”

Better of the Deal?

Three-quarters into the season, Andrew Gross of Newsday examined the Islanders’ offseason trade that sent Noah Dobson to the Canadiens following a contract impasse in exchange for Emil Heineman and two first-round picks. Initially, the deal appeared lopsided.

Moving a young, puck-moving defenseman of Dobson’s caliber — especially one who quickly signed an eight-year, $76 million contract in Montreal — felt risky and reminiscent of past cap-driven departures.

But months later, the narrative has shifted.

Heineman has blossomed into a productive top-six winger in his second NHL season, bringing scoring touch and physicality to the Islanders’ lineup. Meanwhile, the first two round selections turned into Victor Eklund and Kashawn Aitcheson at Nos. 16 and 17, strengthening the organization’s prospect pool. The true swing factor, however, was general manager Mathieu Darche’s confidence in drafting Matthew Schaefer first overall. Schaefer’s rapid emergence as a top-pair defenseman and power-play quarterback has softened the blow of losing Dobson.

Dobson has thrived in Montreal and embraced the spotlight of playing in Canada, but the Islanders’ combination of immediate impact and long-term upside has reframed the trade. “It was special to be an Islander, just the history they have there, being part of such a great group of guys. I’m thankful for them drafting me and believing in me. I’m extremely grateful for everything they’ve done for me,” said Dobson before the game.

What once looked like a loss now appears balanced — if not tilted in the Islanders’ favor — proving that context and development ultimately define trade outcomes.

900 and counting

Playing in his 900th NHL game, all with the Islanders, captain Anders Lee scored the tying goal at 18:19 of the third period. It was the 58th tying goal in the final two minutes of regulation in the NHL this season and the third by the Islanders.

📚 SOUND SMART: Per NHL PR, Matthew Schaefer picked up his 40th and 41st NHL points (18-23—41 in 59 GP). He became the third 18-year-old defenseman in League history to hit 40 points (single season or career), after Phil Housley (17-40—57 in 66 GP) and Rasmus Dahlin (9-35—44 in 82 GP). He also became the third D in team history to score two goals in under 60 seconds (0:55), following Denis Potvin (0:34 on Oct. 24, 1985) and Jean Potvin (0:45 on Jan. 22, 1976).

🎥 ISLES REWIND: On February 27, 1981, future Islanders captain Brent Sutter scored the first goal of his NHL career and added an assist in a 5-1 Isles’ win at Vancouver. The goal was Sutter’s first of 363 career goals, 287 of which came during his 12 seasons on Long Island. The younger Sutter brother also assisted on Mike Bossy’s 57th goal of the season. It was one of only three regular-season games played for Sutter that season.

📺 Up The Turnpike: Post-Game Recap

🔗 Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s overtime goal pushes Islanders over Canadiens in first game since Olympic break by Ethan Sears, New York Post “Maybe the first game back after three weeks was always going to be about which team could shake the cobwebs off quicker, and certainly neither the Islanders nor Canadiens were anything like the best versions of themselves on Thursday night. You would have been forgiven for assuming all 40 players on the ice had just gotten back from Milan, as the hockey took on a jet-lagged and disjointed quality.”

🔗 Matthew Schaefer steals the spotlight from Noah Dobson in NY Islanders comeback win via Eyes on Isles “Schaefer’s two goals gave him 18 on the season, the most ever by an 18-year-old defenseman in NHL history. He also reached 40 and 41 points (18-23—41 in 59 GP), becoming just the third 18-year-old blueliner to hit the 40-point mark, joining Phil Housley and Rasmus Dahlin.”

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And we leave you with this…it was all about the details in Episode 5 of “On The Island”

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