Jankowski's 3rd-Period Goal Lifts Hurricanes Past Islanders 2-1

Carolina clinches top spot in Eastern Conference with late-season surge

Apr. 15, 2026 at 2:11am

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A fractured, multi-perspective painting featuring sharp, overlapping geometric planes in vibrant colors that abstractly capture the raw energy and movement of a hockey game.A cubist interpretation of the intense action and energy of a high-stakes hockey matchup between the Hurricanes and Islanders.NYC Today

Mark Jankowski scored the go-ahead goal in the third period to lead the Carolina Hurricanes to a 2-1 victory over the New York Islanders on Tuesday night. Nikolaj Ehlers also scored for the Hurricanes, who finished the regular season with four wins in their final five games and clinched the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Bo Horvat scored his 300th career goal for the Islanders, who lost for the seventh time in eight games.

Why it matters

The Hurricanes' late-season surge and top conference finish sets them up as a top contender heading into the Stanley Cup playoffs, while the struggling Islanders will miss the postseason after making it last year.

The details

Ehlers opened the scoring for the Hurricanes in the first period, but Horvat tied the game late in the second period. Jankowski then netted the game-winner in the third period to lift Carolina to the victory. Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi made 28 saves, while Islanders netminder David Rittich stopped 19 shots.

  • The game was played on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
  • Ehlers scored in the first period to give the Hurricanes the early lead.
  • Horvat scored his 300th career goal late in the second period to tie the game.
  • Jankowski scored the go-ahead goal for the Hurricanes in the third period.
  • The Hurricanes finished the regular season with four wins in their final five games.

The players

Mark Jankowski

The Carolina Hurricanes forward who scored the game-winning goal in the third period.

Nikolaj Ehlers

The Carolina Hurricanes forward who opened the scoring in the first period.

Brandon Bussi

The Carolina Hurricanes goaltender who made 28 saves in the win.

Bo Horvat

The New York Islanders forward who scored his 300th career goal to tie the game in the second period.

David Rittich

The New York Islanders goaltender who made 19 saves in the loss.

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What they’re saying

“We must have left it all out on the ice tonight. The guys really battled hard and it paid off with a big win to close out the regular season.”

— Rod Brind'Amour, Carolina Hurricanes Head Coach

“Reaching 300 goals is a special milestone, but it doesn't mean much when you're not making the playoffs. We have some work to do this offseason.”

— Bo Horvat, New York Islanders Forward

What’s next

The Hurricanes will host the Ottawa Senators in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, while the Islanders' season has come to an end.

The takeaway

Carolina's late-season surge and top conference finish make them a team to watch in the playoffs, while the Islanders' struggles this season mean they have some important offseason decisions to make in order to return to the postseason next year.