Isles' sloppy play against Wild halts five-game point streak at UBS Arena

Isles' Sloppy Play Against Wild Ends Point Streak at UBS Arena

The Minnesota Wild struck early, scoring on their first shot and setting the tone for a rough night as the New York Islanders lost 5-2 on Friday at UBS Arena. The defeat halted the Islanders’ five-game home point streak and wrapped up their homestand at 1-1-1.

The Islanders appeared out of rhythm throughout the game, struggling with turnovers, missed passes, and poor execution. Their defensive play faltered as well, allowing the Wild to capitalize repeatedly.

“I don’t think we executed well at all,” said captain Anders Lee. “I think we were clearly off from the get-go. When we struggle to break the puck out and we struggle with our turnovers, it’s going to be a long night.”

Goaltender David Rittich recorded 21 saves, but it wasn’t enough to stem the tide. The Islanders’ lone surge came in the second period when Bo Horvat assisted Emil Heineman to make it 2-1 at 4:38. Yet, just over a minute later, Brock Faber’s shot deflected past Rittich to restore Minnesota’s momentum.

“I think they beat us to a lot,” Horvat said. “They outworked us a lot tonight. We’ve got to correct that come Saturday.”

Coach Patrick Roy remained composed after the loss, summing up the team’s uneven performance.

“I guess you’ve got nights like this,” Roy said. “You have nights where you’re on and there’s nights where you’re not on.”

The Islanders, now 6-6-2, move on quickly to begin a seven-game road trip Saturday night against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

Author’s Summary

The Islanders’ lack of discipline and poor execution led to a 5-2 home loss to the Wild, ending their five-game point streak and exposing key defensive flaws.

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Newsday Newsday — 2025-11-08

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