Bo Horvat comes to rescue, Islanders sweep series with Devils

New York Islanders captain scores late goal to lead team to 3-1 victory over New Jersey Devils

Feb. 6, 2026 at 2:55am

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Bo Horvat scored the go-ahead goal with 3:27 left to play to lead the New York Islanders to a 3-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday. Casey Cizikas and Mathew Barzal also scored for the Islanders, who won all four games against the Devils this season. Nico Hischier scored the lone goal for the Devils, who will go into the Olympic break on a three-game losing streak.

Why it matters

The Islanders' victory over their division rival Devils extends their winning streak and keeps them in the playoff hunt in the competitive Metropolitan Division. For the Devils, the loss continues their recent struggles and they will look to rebound after the Olympic break.

The details

Horvat's team-high 24th goal of the season came off a faceoff win in the Devils' zone. After the puck stayed loose for a few seconds, the Islanders' captain slid a backhand shot past goaltender Jake Allen to give the Islanders a 2-1 lead. Barzal added an empty-net goal with 24 seconds remaining to seal the victory. The Islanders opened the scoring in the second period when Cizikas tipped in a rebound for his seventh goal of the season. Hischier tied the game at 1 with 1:34 left in the second period, beating Ilya Sorokin with a slap shot.

  • The game was played on Thursday, February 6, 2026.
  • The Islanders and Devils will go into the Olympic break after this game.

The players

Bo Horvat

The captain of the New York Islanders who scored the game-winning goal in the third period.

Ilya Sorokin

The goaltender for the New York Islanders who saved 23 of the 24 shots he faced.

Nico Hischier

The forward for the New Jersey Devils who scored the team's lone goal.

Jake Allen

The goaltender for the New Jersey Devils.

Mathew Barzal

The forward for the New York Islanders who scored an empty-net goal to seal the victory.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

The takeaway

The Islanders' victory over their division rival Devils extends their winning streak and keeps them in the playoff hunt in the competitive Metropolitan Division. For the Devils, the loss continues their recent struggles and they will look to rebound after the Olympic break.