Islanders Show Fight, But Hagel’s Hat Trick Lifts Lightning Past New York at UBS Arena

By Mackenzie Guarascio | Elmont, NY | October 10, 2026 |

ELMONT, N.Y. — For much of Saturday night at UBS Arena, the New York Islanders showed exactly the kind of resilience head coach Peter DeBoer has been demanding throughout the opening weeks of the season. Twice they erased deficits against one of the NHL‘s most dangerous teams, continued their recent special teams surge, and received another brilliant performance from rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer.

In the end, however, Brandon Hagel proved to be the difference. Hagel scored twice in the final 1:14, completing a hat trick and breaking a 3-3 deadlock as the Tampa Bay Lightning escaped Long Island with a 5-3 victory in the first meeting of the season between the Eastern Conference clubs.

The loss dropped New York to 2-3-0 on the young season, but the final score hardly reflected how closely contested the game became after a difficult opening period. The team under head coach DeBoer is now 3-6-0 since he took over for Patrick Roy at the end of last season.

Horvat Returns Following Frightening Injury

One of the biggest storylines entering the night centered around Islanders captain Bo Horvat.

Just days after sustaining an illegal check to the head from Chicago Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar, Horvat returned to the lineup despite suffering a broken nose on the play. Earlier Saturday, the NHL announced Nazar had been suspended two games for the hit.

Horvat’s presence alone gave the Islanders an emotional boost. More importantly, he continued to lead by example.

The captain recorded an assist on New York’s power-play goal late in the second period, giving him five points through the first five games of the season while continuing to establish himself as the heartbeat of the Islanders under the newly appointed captaincy.

His ability to battle through injury reinforced the culture DeBoer has been attempting to build. Against one of the league’s elite teams, Horvat’s return became a symbol of the fight his club displayed throughout the night.

Lightning Establish Control Early

For the opening 20 minutes, the Islanders found themselves trapped in a familiar and dangerous position against one of the NHL’s premier contenders: reacting instead of dictating.

Tampa Bay established control almost immediately, setting the pace through the neutral zone and forcing New York into a game built around retrievals, defensive zone exits, and damage control. The Lightning’s speed through the middle of the ice consistently disrupted the Islanders’ structure, preventing them from generating the sustained offensive pressure that has fueled much of their success when at their best.

The breakthrough came at 5:45 when Jake Guentzel capitalized on a defensive lapse and beat Ilya Sorokin to give Tampa Bay an early 1-0 advantage. While the goal itself was damaging, the larger concern for New York was how comfortably the Lightning were generating space and carrying play. Tampa Bay looked faster to loose pucks, sharper in transition, and more dangerous every time they crossed center ice.

The Islanders Never Fully Recovered Before the Period Ended

Brandon Hagel doubled the Lightning lead at 15:42, slipping a shot through Sorokin five-hole after Victor Hedman and Max Crozier helped create another quality scoring opportunity. By that point, Tampa Bay’s territorial advantage was becoming increasingly apparent. The Lightning were winning races, controlling possession, and forcing New York to defend for extended stretches rather than attack.

The situation worsened during the closing minutes of the period. Ryan Pulock was assessed a tripping penalty against Scott Sabourin at 17:45, and Adam Pelech followed with another tripping minor with just nine seconds remaining. While Tampa Bay failed to add to the scoreboard, the penalties allowed the visitors to maintain momentum and ensured the Islanders would begin the second period still under pressure.

What stood out most was not the two-goal deficit itself, but how the deficit developed. The Islanders were a step behind for much of the opening frame, struggling to establish their forecheck, create traffic in front of Andrei Vasilevskiy, or generate sustained offensive-zone time to slow Tampa Bay’s attack. Against a veteran Lightning team loaded with offensive talent, those lost battles added up quickly and translated directly into the scoreboard.

By the first intermission, the Islanders trailed 2-0 and were fortunate the margin was not larger. The challenge ahead was obvious: find a way to match Tampa Bay’s urgency and level of physical engagement, or risk watching the game slip away before the halfway mark.

DeAngelo Ignites the Pushback

The Islanders entered the second period needing more than a goal; they needed a pulse.

After spending much of the opening 20 minutes chasing Tampa Bay’s speed and structure, New York finally began to tilt the ice in its favor thanks to a veteran defenseman who had been searching for his first breakthrough of the season.

At 6:27, Tony DeAngelo provided it. The play was less about individual brilliance than collective execution. The Islanders established extended offensive-zone possession, forced Tampa Bay’s defenders into coverage assignments, and created the net-front traffic that had been missing in the first period. With Scott Mayfield planted atop the crease and effectively eliminating Andrei Vasilevskiy’s sightline, DeAngelo recognized the opening and fired a shot through layers of bodies that found the back of the net before the Lightning goaltender could react.

The goal cut the deficit to 2-1, but its significance extended well beyond the scoreboard.

For the first time all night, the Islanders were the team dictating terms. The crowd came to life, Tampa Bay was forced onto its heels, and New York began playing with the confidence that had been absent through much of the opening frame. Ondrej Palat, whose line change by Peter DeBoer helped spark the turnaround, collected the primary assist and continued what became one of the Islanders’ most effective performances among the forward group.

Momentum in the NHL, However, Can Be Fleeting

Just as UBS Arena began sensing the possibility of a comeback, the Islanders handed Tampa Bay an opportunity it rarely wastes. Emil Heineman’s tripping penalty at 6:45 put the Lightning power play back to work, and one of hockey’s most dangerous offensive units needed little time to capitalize. Jake Guentzel buried his second goal of the night, restoring Tampa Bay’s two-goal cushion and momentarily quieting the building.

The sequence served as a reminder of the slim margin separating good teams from great ones. New York had fought for nearly seven minutes to reclaim momentum only to see a single penalty allow Tampa Bay’s stars to seize it back almost instantly. Guentzel’s finish pushed the score to 3-1, while Brandon Hagel continued adding to what would become a dominant four-point performance.

Against many opponents, that goal would have been the knockout punch. Instead, it became the moment the Islanders revealed their character.

Rather than unravel after seeing their comeback bid interrupted, New York responded with arguably its most complete stretch of hockey this season. The forecheck became more aggressive, the defense activated deeper into the offensive zone, and the energy inside UBS Arena steadily grew with each shift. What had looked like a game Tampa Bay was controlling comfortably suddenly evolved into a contest the Islanders were prepared to drag into a fight.

The scoreboard still favored the Lightning, but the momentum no longer did. The stage was set for the Islanders’ young star, Matthew Schaefer, to take over.

Matthew Schaefer Continues His Rise

If there was a defining player behind the Islanders’ second-period resurgence, it was once again Matthew Schaefer. The 19-year-old defenseman continued what is rapidly becoming one of the most impressive starts to a young career in franchise history, delivering another performance that showcased his offensive instincts and growing influence across every aspect of the game.

With the Islanders attempting to claw back from a 3-1 deficit, Schaefer helped change the trajectory of the night at the 11:41 mark of the second period. After carrying the puck into open ice from the blue line, Schaefer created his own shooting lane rather than settling for a low-percentage point shot. The rookie showed the confidence and poise of a veteran, navigating through traffic before beating Andrei Vasilevskiy with a shot that cut Tampa Bay’s lead to one and reignited a crowd that had spent much of the evening waiting for a breakthrough. Tony DeAngelo and Ondrej Palat picked up assists on the goal, but the play itself belonged to Schaefer, whose ability to recognize space and attack it has become one of the defining traits of his game.

The goal represented far more than a highlight-reel moment. It was the latest example of a young defenseman increasingly taking ownership of critical situations against elite competition. Throughout the second period, Schaefer appeared intent on driving the Islanders forward, whether that meant leading breakouts, activating from the blue line, creating offensive-zone pressure, or simply forcing Tampa Bay to defend deeper in its own zone than it had during the opening period.

The Impact

His impact was reflected throughout the stat sheet. Schaefer logged a game-high 27:07 of ice time and generated eight shots on goal while frequently serving as the catalyst for the Islanders’ most dangerous offensive sequences. Peter DeBoer repeatedly leaned on him in key situations, a reflection of the trust that has quickly developed between the coaching staff and the rookie blueliner. More importantly, Schaefer rewarded that trust by consistently influencing the pace of play whenever he was on the ice.

The night also carried historical significance. Earlier in the game, Schaefer’s assist moved him into sole possession of third place in franchise history for points by a teenager, another milestone in what has already become a remarkable opening chapter to his NHL career. While accomplishments like that often serve as markers of future potential, Schaefer’s performance against Tampa Bay suggested something more immediate. He was not merely contributing offensively or accumulating impressive numbers. He was directly influencing the flow of the game against one of the league’s perennial contenders.

As the Islanders mounted their comeback effort, Schaefer repeatedly found himself at the center of momentum swings, creating opportunities, sustaining offensive pressure, and giving the home crowd reasons to believe the game remained within reach. For a team searching for foundational pieces capable of impacting games at both ends of the ice, Saturday provided another reminder that Schaefer is rapidly evolving from a promising prospect into one of the organization’s most important players.

Stanley’s Fight Helps Shift The Game

The Islanders’ comeback effort was fueled by more than goals. It was fueled by a noticeable shift in emotion and physical engagement that began midway through the second period after Tampa Bay had restored its two-goal advantage. At that point, the Lightning appeared to have regained control following Jake Guentzel’s power-play goal, and the atmosphere inside UBS Arena had quieted considerably compared to the energy that followed Tony DeAngelo’s breakthrough earlier in the period.

That changed at the 10:44 mark when Logan Stanley and Scott Sabourin dropped the gloves in the neutral zone. While the fight officially resulted in matching five-minute majors, its significance extended well beyond the penalty sheet. Stanley’s willingness to answer the moment provided a spark for a team searching for another emotional push after seeing its momentum temporarily stalled. The reaction was immediate both on the Islanders’ bench and throughout the building as the intensity level increased with every shift that followed.

The Islanders began finishing checks with greater authority, forcing turnovers deeper in the offensive zone and putting Tampa Bay under sustained pressure for the first extended stretch of the night. What had been a relatively controlled game for the Lightning suddenly became uncomfortable. New York’s forecheck became more aggressive, its defensemen more involved in the attack, and the overall pace tilted toward a style favoring the home team.

The importance of Stanley’s fight was not measured by the number of punches landed. It was measured by what followed. The Islanders spent much of the remainder of the period dictating play against one of the NHL’s most experienced and structured teams, turning a game that had been trending toward a comfortable Tampa Bay victory into a genuine battle.

Islanders’ Power Play Delivers Again

The Islanders entered the night having scored a power-play goal in each of their previous three games, a promising sign for a team that spent much of last season searching for consistency on the power play. By the end of the second period, that streak had grown to four games, but the significance of the goal extended far beyond continuing a statistical trend.

Following Victor Eklund’s cross-checking penalty on Zemgus Girgensons at 12:43, the Islanders’ power-play unit went to work as confidence continued to build with every shift. Rather than forcing plays through Tampa Bay’s structure, New York showed patience, moved the puck effectively, and created the type of traffic around Andrei Vasilevskiy that had become increasingly difficult for the Lightning to defend as the period progressed.

The reward arrived with just seven seconds remaining before intermission. Brayden Schenn established position near the crease and redirected a puck past Vasilevskiy, tying the game at 3-3 and completing an improbable comeback from a 3-1 deficit. Bo Horvat and Matias Maccelli earned assists on the play, with Horvat continuing to contribute despite playing through a broken nose and Maccelli recording a point in his 300th NHL game.

Significance of the Goal

What made the goal significant was the context surrounding it. Less than ten minutes earlier, the Islanders were trailing by two goals against a Lightning team that rarely allows opponents back into games once it establishes a lead. Instead of fading after Guentzel’s second goal restored Tampa Bay’s cushion, New York responded with arguably its strongest stretch of hockey this season. The equalizer served as the culmination of that effort and sent the Islanders into the second intermission with all of the momentum.

The scoreboard showed a tie game, but the emotional landscape of the contest had changed completely. Tampa Bay entered the dressing room having watched a two-goal lead disappear, while the Islanders returned to theirs believing they had successfully imposed their game on one of the Eastern Conference’s premier teams. That shift in confidence became one of the defining stories of the night and set the stage for a tense third period in which every mistake carried added significance.

Hagel Delivers the Deciding Blow

After spending the second period dragging themselves back into the game, the Islanders entered the third with an opportunity to complete a comeback that had seemed unlikely an hour earlier. What followed was the most evenly played stretch of the night as both teams tightened defensively and recognized the significance of the next goal.

The Islanders continued to generate opportunities through sustained offensive-zone pressure while Tampa Bay relied on the skill and experience of its top players to create chances in transition. Neither side was willing to sacrifice its defensive structure, resulting in a period that increasingly felt less like an early-season game and more like the type of disciplined, detail-oriented hockey commonly associated with late-season matchups between playoff contenders.

New York’s confidence was evident throughout the period. After spending much of the opening twenty minutes chasing the game, the Islanders were now matching Tampa Bay shift for shift. Matthew Schaefer continued to drive play from the back end, Bo Horvat remained heavily involved despite playing with a broken nose, and the Islanders repeatedly tested Andrei Vasilevskiy as they searched for the goal that would complete their comeback.

For much of the third period, the Islanders appeared positioned to earn at least a point. They had successfully erased deficits of 2-0 and 3-1, weathered Tampa Bay’s best offensive pushes, and carried the emotional momentum generated during their second-period surge. Against one of the Eastern Conference’s most dangerous teams, New York had transformed a difficult night into a winnable game.

The Difference Ultimately Came Down to Elite Finishing in a Critical Moment

With 1:14 remaining in regulation, Brandon Hagel found space in the offensive zone and delivered the play Tampa Bay needed. His shot navigated through traffic and beat Ilya Sorokin to restore the Lightning lead at 4-3, stunning a UBS Arena crowd that had spent most of the previous period believing the Islanders might complete the comeback.

As New York pushed forward in search of another equalizer, the gamble that every trailing team must eventually make created additional space for Tampa Bay’s top players to operate. Just 11 seconds after breaking the tie, Hagel struck again to complete his hat trick and officially close the door on the Islanders’ comeback effort.

Hagel finished with three goals and four points, while Jake Guentzel added two goals of his own as Tampa Bay’s top offensive weapons produced the decisive plays whenever the game demanded them. Sorokin turned aside 21 shots and kept the Islanders within striking distance throughout the night, but the combined offensive firepower of Hagel and Guentzel ultimately proved too much to overcome.

A Measuring Stick More Than A Moral Victory

The final score will show a 5-3 loss and another two points left on the table, but reducing this game to the standings alone would ignore much of what unfolded over sixty minutes.

The Islanders were facing a Lightning team that entered the night on a three-game winning streak and looked fully in control after building 2-0 and 3-1 leads. Rather than allowing the game to unravel, New York responded with one of its most resilient performances of the young season. The Islanders found offense from multiple areas of the lineup, continued their recent power-play success, received contributions from veterans and young players alike, and spent much of the final 40 minutes controlling the pace against one of the NHL’s established contenders.

Matthew Schaefer’s performance stood out as one of the night’s most encouraging developments. Already carrying significant expectations, the rookie defenseman continued to demonstrate why the organization views him as a foundational piece moving forward. His ability to influence the game in all three zones, handle heavy minutes, and elevate his play as the intensity increased gave the Islanders a glimpse of what their future blue line could look like for years to come.

The Islanders also received important contributions from Horvat, who played through a broken nose just days after absorbing an illegal hit that led to Frank Nazar’s two-game suspension. Maccelli marked his 300th NHL game with an assist, the power play connected for a fourth consecutive game, and players throughout the lineup responded when faced with adversity.

Urgency Missing For Isles

What ultimately prevented New York from securing a better result was not a lack of effort after falling behind. It was the inability to match Tampa Bay’s urgency from the opening faceoff. Against teams with the Lightning’s combination of experience, skill, and finishing ability, climbing out of multiple-goal deficits is an extremely difficult path to victory regardless of how well a team plays afterward.

That lesson may prove valuable as the season progresses. The Islanders demonstrated they possess the character and talent necessary to battle back against elite opposition. The next step is ensuring they do not place themselves in those situations to begin with.

When these teams meet again in Tampa on January 30 and March 13, the Islanders will likely remember how close they came to taking points from this game. More importantly, they will remember that for large stretches after the first intermission, they played the type of hockey capable of challenging one of the Eastern Conference’s perennial contenders.