New York Islanders watch Ottawa Senators short-handed strike decide the third period at Canadian Tire Centre

The New York Islanders entered Canadian Tire Centre at 39-25 with 5 overtime losses and 2 points, and the the Ottawa Senators arrived at 35-24 with 9 overtime losses and 3 points. The game finished 3-2, and the New York Islanders vs Ottawa Senators final score reflected Ottawa’s 2-goal third period against the Isles’ 1-goal push.

First period

The opening period ended 0-0 as the Isles put 19 total shots into the game’s flow while the Sens carried 26 shots overall by the horn. The Isles recorded 19 hits and 10 blocked shots in the defensive work that also included 14 giveaways and 5 takeaways.

Second period

The second period produced 1 goal for the Isles and 1 goal for the Senators, keeping the matchup even heading to the third period in this New York Islanders vs Ottawa Senators review. The Isles finished 0-for-4 on the power play with 4 power-play shots, while Ottawa went 0-for-2 with 4 power-play shots.

Third period

The third period swung on Ottawa’s short-handed production, as the Senators scored 1 short-handed goal and added 1 even-strength goal in a 2-goal frame. The Isles answered with 1 third-period goal at even strength, and their even-strength line delivered 2 total goals with 4 assists on 15 shots across the game in the New York Islanders vs Ottawa Senators key moments.

Goaltending, special teams, and the numbers that shaped it

Ilya Sorokin finished with 23 saves on 26 shots against, and his night included 17 even-strength saves plus 4 short-handed saves. Ottawa’s goaltender posted 17 saves on 19 shots against, and the Senators’ 29 hits and 17 blocked shots matched the physical edge on the stat sheet. Faceoffs landed at 47 percent for the Isles and 53 percent for the Senators, and the Isles’ penalty line showed 14 penalty minutes compared with Ottawa’s 18. For a New York Islanders match rating snapshot, Matthew Schaefer’s previous-game line of 1 goal on 3 shots and Scott Mayfield’s previous-game 1 assist aligned with a blue line that needed to absorb Ottawa’s third-period pressure.

The Isles will be back on the ice on 3/21/2026 at 7:00 PM EDT as an away team against the the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, and the broadcast will be available on ESPN+ and MSGSN. Catch the next one live, then share this article with other Isles fans and keep the conversation going.