New York Islanders eliminated from playoff contention with loss

Montreal Canadiens defeat Islanders 4-1 to end their postseason hopes

Apr. 13, 2026 at 1:51am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a hockey game, with players and the puck fragmented into sharp, overlapping shapes and planes, conveying the intensity and chaos of the Islanders' elimination from playoff contention.The Islanders' playoff hopes shattered as the Canadiens capitalize on their mistakes in a decisive late-season matchup.NYC Today

The New York Islanders were officially eliminated from playoff contention after a 4-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday night. Nick Suzuki scored a goal and added an assist to reach the 100-point mark for the season, while Ivan Demidov, Alex Newhook, and Zachary Bolduc also scored for Montreal. Ilya Sorokin made 18 saves in the loss for the Islanders, who have struggled down the stretch, going 1-2 since a late-season coaching change.

Why it matters

The Islanders' elimination from playoff contention marks the end of their postseason hopes after being in playoff position for most of the regular season. This is a disappointing outcome for the team and its fans, who were hoping to see the Islanders return to the playoffs after missing out last year.

The details

The Canadiens broke the game open late in the second period, scoring three goals in a 55-second span. Suzuki opened the scoring with his 29th goal of the season, reaching the 100-point mark for the first time in his career. Demidov made it 2-0 just 28 seconds later, finishing a one-timer off Suzuki's feed on the power play. Newhook capped the surge at 16:51 of the second with a wrist shot on a two-on-one rush. Casey Cizikas redirected a shot from Scott Mayfield to spoil Fowler's shutout bid midway through the third period.

  • The Islanders were eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday, April 13, 2026.
  • The Islanders have lost six of their last seven games, leading to their elimination.

The players

Nick Suzuki

The Montreal Canadiens center scored a goal and added an assist to reach the 100-point mark for the season.

Ilya Sorokin

The New York Islanders goaltender made 18 saves in the loss.

Casey Cizikas

The New York Islanders forward scored the team's lone goal in the loss.

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What they’re saying

“That's what a good team does to you, it exposes you. We didn't make a lot of mistakes, defensively, tonight. I thought we battled pretty hard. But when we did [make mistakes], they capitalized.”

— Pete DeBoer, New York Islanders Head Coach

“It's hard to win in this league with one goal. We've got to find a way to convert some of the opportunities that we're getting into goals. We didn't really do that this weekend, at all.”

— Pete DeBoer, New York Islanders Head Coach

“It's definitely tough. You compete so hard with these guys all year. You put yourselves in such a good spot, and you kind of let it slip away.”

— Casey Cizikas, New York Islanders Forward

What’s next

The Islanders will play their final game of the season on Tuesday, April 15, 2026 against the Carolina Hurricanes.

The takeaway

The Islanders' elimination from playoff contention is a disappointing end to their season, as they were in a strong position for most of the year. This loss highlights the need for the team to find ways to be more consistent and convert on scoring opportunities in order to return to the playoffs next season.