Matthew Schaefer sets Isles and NHL records, JG Pageau scores fifth career OT goal and Anders Lee scores in 900th game
JG Pageau was the hero for the New York Islanders with the overtime winner in a 4-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night at Centre Bell.
Pageau scored his fifth career overtime winner after Anders Lee found the equalizer with 1:41 left in regulation while Matthew Schaefer potted two goals within a minute. Noah Dobson (2G) and Cole Caufield scored for Montreal. Ilya Sorokin backstopped the Islanders with 21 saves while Sam Montembeault stopped 22 of 26 shots.
The win was a character one, as the Islanders rallied out of 2-0 and 3-2 deficits and improved to a perfect 6-0 in OT in a high-stakes conference matchup.
“Character, that’s the first thing that comes to mind,” Head Coach Patrick Roy said after the win. “These guys are fun to watch. Even if we were down by two goals, I felt like we were composed and we kept playing our game. “
The win was the Islanders (71 points) third straight and helped the Islanders keep pace on a night where the Pittsburgh Penguins (72 points) also picked up a victory.
“Every game is massive,” Pageau said. “We know how tight the standings are, we can’t let a few games slip. That’s our focus, we take it one game at a time. We got the win tonight so we’re happy.”
Islanders 4, Canadiens 3 OT | Highlights
The Islanders scratched and clawed their way to a 4-3 OT win in comeback fashion. Down 3-2, the Islanders pulled Sorokin for the extra attacker and came through, with Lee taking a Bo Horvat shot off the chest with 1:41 to play in the third. It was a fitting goal for Lee, who had scored plenty of deflections in his Isles career, which hit the 900-game mark on Thursday.
“That was more protection than deflection,” Lee joked after the game.
That sent the game to overtime, where the Islanders withstood an early storm from Montreal before Pageau’s winner. It started in the defensive zone, as Simon Holmstrom gained control of the puck along the left half wall in the Canadiens zone and sent it up ice to Pageau, who rushed in and went forehand to backhand to win it for the Islanders.
“We were resilient tonight,” Lee said. “We didn’t waver from our game. They had some long shifts on us and we’re down two, but it didn’t faze us at all. We knew we had a lot of hockey left, just needed to get one, and another one.”
Pageau’s heroics were only possible because of the strength of two goals by Schaefer.
NYI@MTL: Pageau scores goal against Samuel Montembeault
“There’s no right word to describe him,” Pageau said. “We’re lucky to have the chance to experience [his rookie season] by his side and watch his game grow. He’s so mature for 18 years old. Not only goals, but defensive plays in the right spot, good first passes. Those are the details that make him so special. We’re lucky to have him.”
NYI@MTL: Schaefer scores goal against Samuel Montembeault
“That’s not just me, that’s our team here,” Schaefer said of his accolades. “I wouldn’t be doing this without the guys in this room. It’s crazy to think I’m coming in as an 18-year-old and every player in this room and every staff member have welcomed me so much.”
Caufield scored a power-play goal for Montreal off a broken play to make it 3-2 in the third.
Snapshots from the New York Islanders’ 4-3 OT win over the Montreal Canadiens on February 26, 2026. Photo credit: Arianne Bergeron/NHLI via Getty Images and Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Islanders head to Columbus to take on the Blue Jackets on Saturday to complete the two-game trip. Puck drop is set for 6PM.