Islanders Fall to Ducks, Suffer Setback in Wild-Card Race

A sluggish performance on the second night of a back-to-back leaves New York four points out of playoff contention.

The Islanders lost 4-1 to the Anaheim Ducks, missing a critical opportunity to move closer to a wild-card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Sam Colangelo scored twice for Anaheim, while Lukas Dostal made 31 saves to secure the win for the Ducks.
The Islanders struggled with defensive lapses and a lack of physicality, which has been a recurring issue throughout the season.
Marcus Hogberg returned from a six-week injury absence to make 23 saves in his first start since January but could not overcome the team's defensive breakdowns.
The loss leaves the Islanders four points behind the second wild-card spot, with a challenging matchup against the Kings up next in their California road trip.