Islanders play most complete game of season in win over Ducks

Here is how the Islanders can survive whatever injuries come: Play like they did Tuesday.

Play territorial, tight hockey, hound the puck relentlessly and outwork teams that are still easing into the season. Play with intensity and emotion, make quick, crisp, correct decisions with the puck. Do all of that and the players who are missing from the lineup will not be so front of mind.

Do all of that, and there will be a lot more games like Tuesday’s 3-2 win over Anaheim, in which the Islanders played their most complete 60 minutes of the season to improve their record to 5-3-1 with the hapless Kings coming into town Thursday.

“I think what guys really respect and are buying into this team is everyone has a role and everyone feels important,” Brayden Schenn told The Post. “[Coach Pete DeBoer] plays everyone. And it’s a tight defensive system where we know if we play that way, we give ourselves a chance to win every night with the goalies we have. So far it’s looking pretty good.”

Ondrej Palat celebrates after scoring the first goal of the game in the first period of the Islanders’ 3-2 win over the Ducks on Oct. 20, 2026 at UBS Arena. Robert Sabo for New York Post

This was a near-perfect showcase of how the Islanders can make it through the next few weeks, and really, much longer than that. The philosophy showcased Tuesday would be the right one even if Mat Barzal, Calum Ritchie and Matias Maccelli received clean bills of health tomorrow.

The Islanders weren’t perfect, and missed chances to put away Anaheim in the second period, but they were hardworking and, mostly, smart with the puck.

They owned the neutral zone, suffocating Anaheim for shifts at a time. They backchecked. They looked all game like the faster team, despite being the far older team — a sign of preparedness if there ever was one.

“Other than sticking the puck in the net, we probably couldn’t have done much more,” DeBoer said. “We did let them hang around because of our lack of finish. That was the only issue I had with the game.”

Indeed, despite their efforts, the Islanders held a 3-1 lead late into the third, owning the puck while failing to tack on a needed insurance goal.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s short-handed attempt that drew iron came closest, but even as the Islanders rarely looked troubled — the Ducks had just two shots on net in the third period when they emptied their net with 3:32 to go — they were playing with fire.

Alex Killorn’s one-timer in the slot threatened to make them pay for it, with Anaheim pulling back to 3-2 at 6-on-5 with 2:40 to go. The Islanders needed to scramble to hang on with Anaheim’s net empty, and though they did so successfully, that may serve as a warning of sorts.

Ilya Sorokin defends the net during the Islanders’ win over the Ducks. Robert Sabo for New York Post

Still, it does nothing to erase what was, in sum, a terrific performance.

“We know that’s the way we need to play to be successful,” Ryan Pulock told The Post. “From training camp it’s been something we’ve been trying to build. I think we’re giving ourselves a chance every night to win just from playing good defense. That leads to offense.”

The four goals in the first period had all come in a 5:05-long flurry, starting with Ondrej Palat burying Pageau’s feed off the rush. Victor Eklund doubled the Islanders lead off Emil Heineman’s rebound before Frank Vatrano pulled one back for the Ducks, having been lost in the crease by Tony DeAngelo.

The Islanders got their third on the power play with Matthew Schaefer’s bullet from the top of the zone that was tipped in by Simon Holmstrom, denying No. 48 his first goal of the season, albeit happily so.

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Kyle MacLean and Mitchell Chaffee, the two injury-induced additions to the lineup, both had solid nights on the fourth line with Casey Cizikas. Chaffee dropped gloves with A.J. Greer, the latter challenging him after a legal hit on Vatrano along the boards.

While DeAngelo had a few too many questionable decisions in his own end, there was little overall to nitpick in the Islanders’ play. Adam Pelech and Pulock had one of their better games as a pair. Schaefer was impeccable. Matt Kessel had his best game of the season. All four lines contributed.

Simon Holmstrom scores a goal on Ville Husso during the Islanders’ win over the Ducks. Robert Sabo for New York Post

This was, in whole, the closest the Islanders have come to DeBoer’s vision of what they can be.

“I think you see it right now,” Schenn said. “It’s reloads, it’s defense. It’s taking away the middle of the ice, playing the right way. Taking care of pucks. The little details and habits of the game that ultimately win you hockey games.”