Stars 4, Islanders 3: Out (ref?) matched

Some calls go against the Isles, who were close but not good enough.

The New York Islanders started out slow coming off of the 4 Nations mid-season layoff but rebounded to reasonably say they were unfortunate to come away with zero points in their Sunday night tilt with the Dallas Stars.

A debatable major penalty that cost them Casey Cizikas (and two goals conceded) and an aggressive goalie interference call that waived off a would-be tying goal late in the third were both part of the story in their 4-3 loss.

On the bright side, Pierre Engvall and Anthony Duclair each got much-needed goals, and they had Ryan Pulock and Scott Mayfield back from injuries, the break having done their bodies good.

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As noted, the first wasn’t a great start, with the Stars getting on the board just 2:10 in and the Isles appearing a little disjointed and sluggish. Shots were 9-8 for the Stars but it felt more lopsided than that headed to the intermission.

The second period was much better for the Isles, though the scoreboard didn’t quite reflect it by the end.

Engvall tied it up early, and then when Jason Robertson regained the lead, Kyle Palmieri answered right back with a highlight goal off the ensuing faceoff, sent in clear with a long through ball from Tony DeAngelo.

But four-plus minutes later, a controversial match penalty call on Casey Cizikas — they ruled it a headshot and match penalty even after video review — put the Stars on a lengthy power play that changed the game.

It was only three minutes instead of five thanks to Matt Dumba getting an instigator after starting a fight with Cizikas, but the Stars still cashed in twice with power play goals by Robertson to complete his in-period hat trick.

Granted, the Isles penalty kill, which had completely transformed its previously historically- bad form in 2025 before the break, should’ve done better. But the result still smarts after an otherwise good period from the Isles.

In the third, Duclair followed up his own shot to bring the Isles back to within one midway through the period.

And the Isles kept up the pressure down the stretch against one of the West’s top teams. It looked like they’d leveled it with just under five minutes left on some good work and a J-G Pageau one-timer setup from the slot.

But notorious net crasher Pierre Engvall was adjusted to have interfered with Jake Oettinger, even though it was the Stars defenseman Dumba who prevented the Stars goalie from playing the puck, and he led the way into the crease.

The Isles called a timeout to consider challenging, but since Engvall was technically in the crease, the Stars had already scored twice on the power play, NHL goalie interference review is completely unpredictable, and the Isles were putting pressure on with five minutes left, the coaching staff made the safe call not to challenge.

I think it was a bad call by the ref though. Engvall stopped above the crease, was turned toward the play, did not push Dumba at all, and Dumba’s own movement provided all of the interference. Through my Isles-tinted glasses (but honestly through my frustration with overly paternalistic calls on a rule that’s inconsistently enforced), I think the refs should’ve dared the Stars to challenge the play rather than vice versa.

But whatever.

The Isles had a late power play they didn’t convert, and didn’t with Ilya Sorokin pulled for a sixth attacker either. Throughout the game, Oettinger made some highlight saves and Brock Nelson had a couple of golden looks that he didn’t release quite quickly enough. So ultimately, they faced obstacles they did not overcome, which is probably the right reflection of this team this season (and last season…and the season before…) anyway.

Combined with other results, it leaves the Isles five points and four teams outside of the second wild card, while a busy run-up to the trade deadline continues.

Up Next

They host the Rangers Tuesday night. Which team’s fanbase will want them to lose more?