Blackhawks sink Islanders with midgame 4-goal surge

Field Level Media|published: Tue 24th March, 22:12 2026

Mar 24, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech (3) fights for the puck against Chicago Blackhawks right wing Ilya Mikheyev (95) during the second period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Nick Lardis, Ilya Mikheyev, Tyler Bertuzzi and Frank Nazar scored consecutive goals in a 13-minute span bridging the first and second periods for the Chicago Blackhawks, who held off a furious rally to edge the New York Islanders 4-3 on Tuesday in Elmont, N.Y.

Arvid Soderblom made 44 saves -- including 21 in the third period -- for the Blackhawks (27-31-13, 67 points), who won for the second time in six games (2-2-2).

Anders Lee scored in the opening minute of the first before Simon Holmstrom and Calum Ritchie collected goals in the third for New York (40-27-5, 85 points). The Islanders took their third loss in four games (1-3-0) as they fell level on points with the Ottawa Senators for the second and final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

New York is one of six Eastern Conference teams with between 83 and 87 points.

Islanders starting goalie David Rittich was pulled after giving up three goals on 12 first-period shots. Ilya Sorokin took the loss after stopping 11 of the 12 shots he faced.

Lee redirected Matthew Schaefer's shot to give the Islanders the lead just 49 seconds into the game before the Blackhawks mounted their surge.

Rittich turned back Nazar on a 2-on-0 breakaway, but Nazar retrieved the puck and fed Lardis, who buried a shot from the slot at 12:46 of the first.

Chicago's Anton Frondell, making his NHL debut, set up the go-ahead goal fewer than six minutes later. He picked up Lee's pass, which skipped past teammates Scott Mayfield and Carson Soucy, and dished to Mikheyev, who beat Rittich on the breakaway.

Bertuzzi tucked in the rebound of a shot by Alex Vlasic with 29 seconds left in the opening period.

Nazar capped the flurry at 6:02 of the second when he beat Sorokin from the right faceoff circle after Lardis forced a turnover by Mayfield.

Holmstrom began the Islanders' comeback bid 8:45 into the third when he beat Soderblom stick side. Ritchie tucked in the rebound of Soucy's shot with 3:23 left, but New York had just three more shots.

--Field Level Media

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