Islanders Fall Short in Season Opener with Overtime Loss to Utah

Despite promising moments, the Islanders' special teams faltered, leading to a 5-4 defeat in their first game of the season.

The Islanders struggled to maintain leads, allowing Utah to equalize twice within a minute of taking the lead in the third period.
Special teams were a key issue, with the Islanders scoring only once in six power-play opportunities and conceding two power-play goals.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau provided a highlight with a shorthanded goal, but the penalty kill quickly conceded afterward.
Maxim Tsyplakov's late third-period goal briefly gave the Islanders a lead, but Utah's Josh Doan tied it up just 13 seconds later.
Goalie Semyon Varlamov made 21 saves, showing resilience despite the team's overall defensive lapses.