NEW YORK — In a tense matchup that extended into a shootout, the New York Islanders were narrowly defeated by the Columbus Blue Jackets, 4-3. Late in the regulation period, the Islanders believed they had secured a win with a last-second goal, only to have it dismissed by the officials.
With just nine seconds left on the clock, Islanders forward Kyle Palmieri redirected a shot from Alexander Romanov that found its way past Columbus goalie Elvis Merzlikins. However, the celebration was short-lived as officials immediately ruled the play as goaltender interference. This decision was later backed by the situation room in Toronto after reviewing the play, thus confirming the no-goal call.
Islanders coach Patrick Roy expressed frustration with the decision, remarking, “If Toronto is afraid to overturn calls made by their referee, we don’t need Toronto. That’s all I want to say.”
The sequence of events began when Palmieri skated in front of the crease, causing a collision with Merzlikins as the goalkeeper moved forward. The league’s statement clarified that “Palmieri impaired Merzlikins’ ability to play his position in the crease prior to the goal.”
Palmieri disagreed with the ruling, recounting his exchange with the referee: “He said there was contact initiated in the crease. And I guess the goalie needs five minutes to get reset and ready for the shot, and it looked like he couldn’t wait to wave it off.”
Despite the disappointment, the Islanders gained a point from the shootout loss, positioning them in a tie with the New York Rangers, and placing them just one point behind Montreal for the second wild card slot in the Eastern Conference. Columbus is trailing by an additional point.