Kyle Palmieri Finds Form, Scores Twice in Islanders' Victory

Kyle Palmieri scored his first goals in 11 months, netting two goals, including the game-winner, in the New York Islanders' 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night. The forward's performance marked a significant milestone as he continues his recovery from an ACL injury that ended his 2025-26 season.

Despite the successful outing, Palmieri had expressed dissatisfaction with his play just prior to breaking his scoreless streak. He admitted to head coach Pete DeBoer that he was not happy with his performance, even as he was beginning to find his timing. "We talked about that, everything he’s going through is normal," DeBoer said. "The fact he’s not 25 makes this process even a little bit tougher but again, you saw it tonight. I saw signs of it last game, and I told him that. I thought last game was his best game. There was some really good signs that he was starting to get his timing back and do some of the things that he does well."

Palmieri's goals, his first since the injury, were a welcome sight for his teammates. "It’s awesome to see," Cal Ritchie told The Post. "Obviously you see how much he went through last year, that’s a hard rehab. You gotta put in a ton of work."

The injury, which occurred in late November of the 2025-26 season, has required Palmieri to manage his body closely. "I knew it was gonna be hard coming back and finding a way to be an impact player," Palmieri said. "That process is ongoing. Obviously it feels good to get on the board and get a win tonight, but for me, it’s staying focused on the next day and getting myself ready and staying healthy."

In other team news, Simon Holmstrom was moved to the fourth line, with Ondrej Palat shifting to the third line. Matt Kessel entered the lineup for Scott Mayfield, and Tony DeAngelo returned to his natural right side. Ilya Sorokin started his fifth game of the season in goal.