The Colorado Avalanche hosted the New York Islanders on Sunday, Nov. 16, for their Hockey Fights Cancer Night. The Avalanche entered the game on a nine-game point streak and a five-game winning streak. Regarding the visiting Islanders, they came into the game on a four-game winning streak, with the last three games coming in the form of overtime victories. Both teams were looking to continue their winning streaks on Sunday night. After the final horn, the Avalanche defeated the Islanders 4-1 to continue their winning streak.
The first period, for the most part, was a “going through the motions” type of flow, lasting just over 17 minutes. The Islanders did get on the board first after a puck deflected off Emil Heineman’s skate and somehow got past Scott Wedgewood. The Avalanche were trying to generate offense, but passes seemed not to be connecting like they wanted. The energy and effort were there, but nothing was stringing together. Wedgewood, after the goal, was dialed in and made saves for the Avalanche to keep them within one. Shots were tied at 7-7, but the Islanders were up 1-0 after 20 minutes.
The second period saw a pair of goals, both from the Avalanche. It only took 4:32 of the middle frame to see the home team tie it up as Cale Makar hit Ross Colton on a stretch pass into the Islanders’ zone. Colton, with the quick wrist shot, caught Ilya Sorokin off guard and scored shortside between the netminder and the right post. Then, not even 1:19 later, Victor Olofsson tipped a Sam Malinski shot from the blue line to redirect the puck past Sorokin to propel the Avalanche into the lead.
After being down 1-0 after the first 20 minutes, it only took 5:51 into the second period for the Avalanche to go from 1-0 down to 2-1 up. Wedgewood was standing tall for Colorado as he made multiple 10-bell saves throughout the second period. He kept the Avalanche in the game and then made sure to keep them in the lead heading into the second intermission. Despite being outshot 12-10 by the Islanders, the Avalanche had a 2-1 lead after the second period.
The third period seemed like the game would remain 2-1 as both Wedgewood and Sorokin were trading big save after big save. Following killing off their fourth penalty, the Avalanche, with 35 seconds left in the game, made it 3-1 after an empty net goal from Martin Necas. His 13th of the season, for the most part, put the game out of reach. Then, with 15 seconds left, Brent Burns made it 4-1 after his shot from the blue line near the benches got past Sorokin to really put the game out of reach.
Wedgewood’s 28 saves helped push the Avalanche’s winning streak to six games, and the team is now on a 10-game point streak. They’re 13-1-5 on the season, and their next game is not until Thursday, Nov. 20, against the New York Rangers. Regarding the Islanders, their winning streak was snapped, and they are now 10-7-2 on the season. Their next game is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 18, against the Dallas Stars.
On Sunday night, Scott Morrow made his New York Rangers debut after being called up from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League earlier that day.
The Rangers acquired Morrow over the summer as part of the sign-and-trade deal with the Carolina Hurricanes centered around K’Andre Miller.
During training camp, Morrow was given an opportunity to make the opening-night roster, as he played in multiple preseason games while practicing on the second power-play unit.
He was one of the last players to be sent down to the AHL before the start of the 2025-26 season. In 11 games for the Wolf Pack, Morrow recorded one goal, one assist, and two points.
With Will Borgen out with an upper-body injury, the Rangers called up Morrow, and he was immediately slotted into the lineup in place of Urho Vaakanainen.
The 23-year-old defenseman played 9:56 minutes in his NHL season debut, the fewest amongst all Rangers blueliners.
However, Rangers assistant coach David Quinn praised Morrow for his performance.
“I liked his game. I thought Scotty did a good job,” Quinn said. “I thought he kept it simple. He moves the puck well, gets us out of our end when we needed to get out of our end when the chances presented themselves. I thought he defended well.”
Borgen’s injury status remains a mystery, so it’s possible Morrow could find himself back in the lineup on Tuesday night when the Rangers go up against the Vegas Golden Knights.