The New York Islanders (35-35-12) lost their season finale 6-1 to the Columbus Blue Jackets (40-33-9) in Nationwide Arena on Thursday night. After a scoreless first period, the Blue Jackets ran over the hapless Islanders, scoring five goals in the second. Hudson Fasching scored the lone Islanders goal in the third period.
Matt Martin played in what could be his final career game. He played the last minute plus of the game with Casey Cizikas. As he exited the ice, the Blue Jackets stopped him and exchanged another set of hugs and handshakes. A fitting end for a hard-effort player who has spent the last 16 seasons in the league, Martin has played 987 games and has the second-most hits in NHL history.
Once Columbus scored a couple of goals, things got out of hand. The Islanders played shorthanded defensively, with Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock taking the night off while Alexander Romanov remained sick. Scott Perunovich played his second game since February, while Mike Reilly and Adam Boqvist played their first games in weeks. The results went about as one would expect, with Marcus Hogberg in goal for the Islanders not having much of a chance all night. He’d probably want Dante Fabbro’s 4-0 goal back, but he couldn’t have done much to prevent the onslaught.
The season ended with a whimper for the Islanders, who clinched their lowest finish in the standings since the 2017-18 season, the final year of the Garth Snow era. However, there is a silver lining; the Islanders entered the Draft Lottery holding the 10th and 12th overall picks (Calgary via Travis Hamonic trade). They will have a 3.5% chance of landing the first overall pick.
The lottery is loosely scheduled for May 5, 6, or 7, 2025, but has not been formally announced. One apple of the Islanders’ eye is purportedly James Hagens, a Long Island native. The current Boston College standout is projected to go either third or fourth overall. The only way to land him is either through lottery help or a trade-up.
Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets ended their season on a high note, storming into the offseason with a decisive 6-1 victory over the Islanders. Despite the disappointment of being eliminated from playoff contention by the Montreal Canadiens just a day prior, they showcased a strong performance in front of an announced sellout crowd of 18,874 at Nationwide Arena.
Backed by a stellar performance in net from rookie goalie Jet Greaves, who made 36 saves, the Blue Jackets finished the season with 89 points, just two behind the Canadiens for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Blue Jackets scored five unanswered goals in the second period, with Zach Werenski, Cole Sillinger, Dante Fabbro, Dmitri Voronkov, and Sean Kuraly all finding the back of the net.
Sillinger kicked off the scoring with his 11th goal of the season just 2:21 into the second period. Fabbro followed at 7:43, Voronkov at 10:09, Kuraly at 15:14, and Werenski capped it off with a goal at 17:27, pushing his franchise record for goals by a defenseman in a season.
Greaves, who nearly pitched a third straight shutout, extended his streak of not allowing a goal to 173:38 before Hudson Fasching finally broke through with 5:12 left in the game. This streak began with a goal by Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, who scored just 1:10 into the Blue Jackets’ previous game.
Despite the loss, the Islanders can take solace in the fact that they have a chance to improve through the draft. The team’s struggles this season, while disappointing, could lead to a brighter future. The Blue Jackets, on the other hand, will look to build on this strong finish and carry momentum into the offseason.
As the season comes to a close, both teams are left with plenty to reflect on. The Islanders will be looking to regroup and rebuild, while the Blue Jackets can celebrate a successful campaign despite the missed playoff opportunity.
Thank you to all readers for following along this season. While the regular season might now be over, coverage will continue throughout the spring and summer, keeping fans informed and engaged until the next puck drops in October.
