Islanders blow multiple leads, lose to Predators in overtime as playoff hopes dwindle
Nashville Predators goaltender Justus Annunen (29) blocks the shot of Islanders right wing Maxim Tsyplakov (7) during the second period at Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday, April 8, 2025 in Nashville. Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images/Steve Roberts
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Islanders did pretty much everything they couldn’t afford to do Tuesday night, failing to keep their longest of long-shot playoff hopes from becoming anything but the remotest of mathematical possibilities.
“We didn’t play as well as we did at home,” Bo Horvat said. “There’s no excuse especially when we’re trying to fight for a playoff spot and keep ourselves in it. We definitely didn’t help ourselves tonight.”
Help? The Islanders, despite a career-high four points from Simon Holmstrom on two goals and two assists, consistently hurt themselves in a 7-6 overtime loss to the Predators at Bridgestone Arena.
It left them eight points behind the Canadiens — who have won six straight — for the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot. Any combination of two points gained by the Canadiens or lost by the Islanders will seal their playoff elimination.
The Islanders (34-32-11), who had won the last two of a three-game stand at UBS Arena, lost their defensive structure and engaged in some of the season’s most pond hockey-inspired, back-and-forth craziness. They lost a two-goal lead in the final 2:07 of regulation. And they lost goalie Ilya Sorokin to an upper-body issue after two periods, even though coach Patrick Roy said it was a precautionary move to insert backup Marcus Hogberg.
“We are really disappointed,” Hogberg told Newsday after stopping six of the nine shots he faced in relief. “We needed two points. One point is not good enough.”
It’s hard to pinpoint the ending as a comedy of errors — though it was — after the rest of the match was also a surrealistic collage of goofiness.
“It was a weird one,” said Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who had three assists, including on both of Holmstrom’s goals. “I didn’t think it was our best game but I thought we put ourselves in a good position to win it and it didn’t happen. It stinks.”
Kyle Palmieri snapped a 4-4 tie with a strong backhander at 15:21 of the third period and, despite defenseman Ryan Pulock being called for hooking 36 seconds later, defenseman Scott Mayfield’s shorthanded goal gave the Islanders a two-goal edge at 16:19.
But Horvat was whistled for tripping defenseman Brady Skjei in the neutral zone at 17:01, just 23 seconds after the Predators were issued a bench minor for unsportsmanlike conduct. And Steven Stamkos’ second power-play goal pulled the Predators within 6-5 at 17:53.
Goalie Justus Annunen (16 saves) remained off the ice for an extra skater and Michael Bunting tied it with 39.2 seconds left in regulation.
Fedor Svechkov then won it at 1:56 of overtime just 17 seconds after Holmstrom’s backhander hit the right post, denying the Swede his first career hat trick and, ultimately, the Islanders the second point they so desperately needed.
“We weren’t crisp all night, we weren’t our best,” Horvat said. “You’re up by two with three minutes left, you’ve got to find a way to get it done. Again, it’s on me taking that penalty and letting them get back into it. I take responsibility for that one.”
The seven goals matched the most the Islanders have allowed this season and they were one short of matching their season high for goals scored.
The game featured five ties — it was 2-2 after the first period, 4-4 after the second and 6-6 after regulation — and three lead changes.
“There’s nights where you’re not playing your best and your legs are not there,” Roy said. “But we had the lead with a couple of minutes left in the game. Took some penalties. They have a really good power play.”
Sorokin (19 saves) was hurt as the Predators tied it 4-4 at 13:25 of the second period as 6-6, 232-pound Michael McCarron fell over the goalie as he muscled to the crease to score.
Notes & quotes: Anders Lee’s first-period goal to tie it at 2-2 at 16:12 was the 288th of his career, breaking a tie with Pat LaFontaine and Brent Sutter for sole possession of sixth all-time in Islanders’ history ... Predators assistant coach Todd Richards ran the bench with coach Andrew Brunette away from the team while dealing with a family matter ... The Islanders have lost six straight in Nashville and have not won at Bridgestone Arena since Oct. 28, 2017.
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.
