BELMONT PARK, N.Y. (Interstat) — The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the New York Islanders 2-1 on Tuesday night at UBS Arena. Nikolaj Ehlers opened the scoring for Carolina at 3:05 of the first period. The Islanders’ Bo Horvat answered with a second-period goal, assisted by Mathew Barzal. Mark Jankowski netted the decisive goal for the Hurricanes late in the third period. Carolina goaltender Frederik Andersen made 20 saves for the win. David Rittich stopped 19 shots in the loss for New York. Attendance was 15,231. The Hurricanes improved to 53-29. The Islanders fell to 43-39.

BELMONT PARK, N.Y. (Interstat) — In a tightly contested defensive battle defined by goaltending and a late third-period strike, the Carolina Hurricanes edged the New York Islanders 2-1 on Tuesday night at UBS Arena. The victory improved Carolina’s record to 53 wins and 29 losses, while the Islanders fell to 43-39 in the final week of the NHL’s regular season. A crowd of 15,231 saw the Hurricanes sweep a critical home-and-home set after defeating the Islanders in Raleigh just 10 days prior. The game’s outcome defied the offensive expectations of oddsmakers, as the combined three goals fell well under a pregame over/under line of 6.5. The Hurricanes, installed as 1.5-goal favorites, covered the spread with the narrow victory, though the final score was one goal lower than the 3-2 projection from National Statistical’s game simulator. Carolina opened the scoring early in the first period. At the 3:05 mark, winger Nikolaj Ehlers of Aalborg, Denmark, collected his 26th goal of the season, firing a wrist shot past Islanders goaltender David Rittich. The play was set up by rookie Felix Unger Sorum, who notched his first career NHL assist, and center Logan Stankoven of Kamloops, Canada, who earned his 23rd helper. The Islanders responded in the second period to knot the game. At 16:14, captain Bo Horvat of London, Canada, buried his 31st goal of the year on a wrist shot, assisted by playmaker Mathew Barzal of Coquitlam, Canada, and Victor Eklund. The 1-1 deadlock persisted deep into the third period as both netminders stood tall. Rittich, a native of Jihlava, Czechoslovakia, was particularly busy, turning aside 19 of the 21 shots he faced in a losing effort. His counterpart, Carolina’s Brandon Bussi, was equally sharp, making several key saves among his 20 stops to preserve the tie. The decisive blow came with just 2:38 remaining in regulation. Carolina center Mark Jankowski of Hamilton, Canada, won an offensive zone faceoff back to defenseman Joel Nystrom. Alexander Nikishin then fired a shot toward the net that Jankowski deftly deflected past Rittich for his 11th goal of the campaign, sealing the road win for the Hurricanes. Jankowski’s contribution extended beyond the score sheet, as the 6-foot-4, 212-pound forward delivered three hits and was a force in the faceoff circle. Ehlers led all skaters with five shots on goal. For the Islanders, Horvat’s goal was the lone bright spot on a night the team struggled to generate sustained offense, managing just 21 shots on Bussi. The game was a relatively clean affair, with only three minor penalties called. Carolina’s Eric Robinson was cited for delay of game for shooting the puck over the glass in the first period, and teammate Mike Reilly was called for hooking in the third. The Islanders’ only infraction was a cross-checking penalty against defenseman Adam Pelech in the final frame. The Hurricanes’ structure and defensive commitment in the third period stifled New York’s attempts to find an equalizer after Jankowski’s go-ahead goal. The Islanders pulled Rittich for an extra attacker in the final minute but could not solve Bussi a second time. Carolina entered the contest having won seven of its last ten games, though it was coming off a shootout loss in Philadelphia the previous night. The Islanders, meanwhile, have found consistency elusive down the stretch, having alternated wins and losses in their past several outings. The result continues a recent trend in the season series, with Carolina taking two of the three meetings. The teams last met on April 4, a 4-3 Hurricanes victory. With the regular season winding down, the Hurricanes continue to solidify their playoff positioning, while the Islanders’ postseason hopes were officially extinguished with the loss. Carolina will look to carry its defensive momentum into its final games, while New York plays out its schedule seeking to build for the future.

Hurricanes, Islanders Set for Pivotal Clash at UBS Arena ELMONT, N.Y. (Interstat) — The Carolina Hurricanes, riding high as one of the NHL’s top teams, visit the struggling New York Islanders on Tuesday night in a late-season Metropolitan Division matchup at UBS Arena. The Hurricanes (52-28) enter with momentum, having won seven of their last 10 games. They are coming off a 4-1 road victory over the Utah Mammoth on Saturday. Carolina has dominated the recent series against New York, including a 4-3 win at home on April 4. The Islanders (43-38), meanwhile, are in a tailspin, losers of five of their last six contests. They were shut out 3-0 by Ottawa on Saturday before falling 4-1 to Montreal at home on Sunday, managing just one goal in their last six periods. A player to watch for Carolina is veteran center Jordan Staal. He is on a hot streak, recording a goal and an assist in Saturday’s win over Utah and posting six points (3 goals, 3 assists) in his last 11 games. His two-way play will be crucial against New York’s checking lines. For the Islanders, center Casey Cizikas has been a rare bright spot during the slump. He scored the team’s lone goal in Sunday’s loss to Montreal and has two goals in his last four games, providing energy and physicality from the bottom six. The teams last met on April 4 in Raleigh, with Carolina edging New York 4-3. The Hurricanes also won the first meeting this season, 6-2, back on Oct. 30, 2025. According to National Statistical’s game simulator, the projection favors the visiting Hurricanes with a 3-2 final score. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EDT. The game marks the final regular-season meeting between the clubs, with Carolina looking to solidify its playoff positioning and the Islanders desperate to stop their slide and find a spark before the postseason.