Palmieri's Two Goals Lift Islanders Over Canucks to Reach .500

Kyle Palmieri scored two goals, including the game-winner, to help the New York Islanders defeat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 on Tuesday night, bringing the Islanders' record back to .500.

Under coach Pete DeBoer, the Islanders played a structured and effective game, overcoming a shaky second period to regain control in the third. This victory concluded their homestand, which began with a win against the Blackhawks.

The Islanders took an early lead with two goals in the first period. Kyle Palmieri opened the scoring at 15:50 with a tip-in of Matt Kessel's shot. Kessel was playing in his first game of the season, inserted into the lineup for Scott Mayfield, and paired with Tony DeAngelo on the third defensive pairing. Palmieri's goal was his first since November 18, 2025, following an ACL tear. Shortly after, at 15:50, Matias Maccelli extended the lead to 2-0, assisted by Matthew Schaefer.

Vancouver managed to cut the lead in half during the second period when Max Sasson scored at 7:52. The Canucks then tied the game with a one-timer from Brock Boeser on a power play, after Palmieri took a penalty late in the second. The period ended with further disruption for the Islanders, as Tony DeAngelo received a penalty after the horn.

Despite the momentum shift, the Islanders regrouped. After successfully killing DeAngelo's penalty, they regained offensive pressure in the third period. Matthew Schaefer was instrumental in creating chances, leading to Palmieri's second goal of the night, which proved to be the game-winner.

The Islanders maintained possession and strong forechecking for much of the third period. Late in the game, Emil Heineman drew a penalty on Vancouver's Zeev Buium, allowing the Islanders to control play when the Canucks were attempting to pull their goalie.

Goaltender Ilya Sorokin made 23 saves in the win. The victory marked a positive step for the Islanders, demonstrating an ability to maintain focus and secure wins against teams they are expected to defeat, a trait that has been inconsistent in previous seasons. The team's performance suggests a potential improvement in consistency under DeBoer's leadership.