“Islander’s Close Calls: Major Insights as Some calls go against the Isles, who were close but not good enough.

February 24, 2025 Nero Scoffield NHL 0

Stars 4, Islanders 3: Out (ref?) matched

The New York Islanders got off to a sluggish start after returning from the 4 Nations mid-season break, but they can argue that they were unfortunate to leave their Sunday night game against the Dallas Stars without any points.

A controversial major penalty that sidelined Casey Cizikas (leading to two goals conceded) and a questionable goalie interference call that nullified a potential tying goal late in the third period were key moments in their 4-3 defeat.

On the positive side, Pierre Engvall and Anthony Duclair each scored crucial goals, and the return of Ryan Pulock and Scott Mayfield from injury was a welcomed boost, highlighting the benefits of the break.

As mentioned, the first period was not ideal, with the Stars taking an early lead just 2:10 in, leaving the Isles looking a bit out of sync and lethargic. The shot count was 9-8 in favor of the Stars, but it felt much more one-sided as they headed into the intermission.

However, the second period saw a marked improvement for the Isles, even if the scoreboard didn’t fully reflect it. Engvall tied the game early on, and after Jason Robertson put the Stars back in front, Kyle Palmieri quickly responded with an impressive goal off the ensuing faceoff, set up beautifully by a long pass from Tony DeAngelo.

However, just over four minutes later, a contentious match penalty assessed to Casey Cizikas for a headshot—upheld despite video review—gave the Stars an extended power play that shifted the momentum of the game.

It ended up being three minutes instead of five, as Matt Dumba received an instigator penalty for initiating a fight with Cizikas. Nevertheless, the Stars capitalized by scoring twice on the power play, with Robertson completing his hat trick in the process.

While the Isles’ penalty kill had improved significantly compared to its historically poor performance earlier in 2025 before the break, they should have done better in this situation. The outcome still stings, especially following an otherwise solid period from the Isles.

In the third period, Duclair scored on the rebound of his own shot, bringing the Isles back within one goal midway through the frame.

The Isles maintained their pressure in the closing moments against one of the top teams in the West. It looked like they had tied the game with just under five minutes remaining, thanks to some solid effort and a one-timer from J-G Pageau in the slot.

However, Pierre Engvall was deemed to have interfered with Jake Oettinger, despite it being Dumba, a Stars defenseman, who obstructed the goalie’s ability to play the puck and led the charge into the crease.

The Isles took a timeout to consider challenging the call, but since Engvall was technically in the crease, the Stars had already scored twice on the power play, and with five minutes left in the game, the coaching staff wisely chose not to contest it due to the unpredictable nature of NHL goalie interference reviews.

In my opinion, it was a poor call by the referee. Engvall had stopped above the crease, was facing the play, didn’t push Dumba at all, and the interference was caused entirely by Dumba’s own movement. I feel that, through my Isles lens (and honestly out of frustration with the inconsistent enforcement of such paternalistic rules), the refs should have challenged the Stars to dispute the play rather than the other way around.

But, it is what it is.

The Isles had a late power play that they failed to convert, and they couldn’t find the net even with Ilya Sorokin pulled for an extra attacker. Throughout the game, Oettinger made several impressive saves, while Brock Nelson had a few prime scoring opportunities that he didn’t capitalize on quickly enough. In the end, they faced challenges they couldn’t overcome, which is likely a fitting reflection of this team this season (and also last season…and the one before that).

As a result of other game outcomes, the Isles now find themselves five points and behind four teams for the second wild card spot, as they navigate a busy lead-up to the trade deadline.

Next Up

They will be hosting the Rangers on Tuesday night. Which fanbase will be hoping for their team to lose the most?

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