The game ended with a dangerous play that left the home crowd and the team shaken, as Hurricanes defenseman Jusso Valimaki wound up for a full slap shot in the final second. The puck struck New York forward Kyle MacLean just as the horn sounded, sparking an immediate on-ice scrum.
Islanders players were quick to condemn the move, calling it unnecessary and reckless. Captain Bo Horvat backed his teammate’s reaction, noting that taking a shot at a player when the game is effectively over shows a lack of judgment. This incident overshadowed the team’s effort to rally twice and tie the game before the final period.
A Dangerous Finish to the Game
Kyle MacLean did not hold back his frustration in the aftermath of the play. He told amNewYork, “One second left, the game’s over, he takes a full slap shot.” MacLean made it clear that he felt the move was completely wrong. “I thought that was stupid. To take a slap shot at a guy in the last second, that’s completely messed up,” he said.
Valimaki, a journeyman blueliner in his first season with the Hurricanes, chose to shoot when nearly everyone else on the ice had already eased up. MacLean’s linemate Mitchell Chaffee explained why the Islanders reacted with such intensity. “We’re not going to let that fly. That’s why the scrum happened,” Chaffee said. “We’re always going to have each other’s backs out there no matter what, and if someone’s going to do that, we’re not going to let that happen.”
Horvat Supports the Scrum
Islanders captain Bo Horvat had no sympathy for the Hurricanes’ defenseman. He praised MacLean for standing up for his teammate. “It’s just an unnecessary shot,” Horvat told amNewYork. “I’m happy Mac went and did what he did.”
Horvat pointed out that Valimaki targeted both the goalie and a player with the shot. “There’s a second left in the game, and he decides to take a slap shot at our goalie and even at our player,” Horvat said. “Not a very smart play by him. Obviously, Mac didn’t like it either.” The scrum that followed highlighted the tension in the room, but the Islanders could not recover from the earlier deficit.
Game Context and Season Struggles
The loss to Carolina was another setback in a season where the Islanders have struggled with consistency. William Carrier broke the deadlock for Carolina with 5:08 left in regulation, and Jalen Chatfield sealed the 5-3 win with an empty-netter 50.3 seconds later. Despite the defeat, Bo Horvat tried to find a positive note. “I thought we did a lot of good things tonight,” Horvat said. “It was just a couple of lapses on our part that cost us.”
Goaltender Semyon Varlamov had a mixed performance, giving up early goals but making key saves later. The team’s second period was strong, outscoring Carolina 3-1. Meanwhile, Mitchell Chaffee recorded his first goal as an Islander, helping to spark a gritty effort that nearly turned the tide. The team will need to focus on finishing games if they want to climb the standings.
This is opinion and commentary from the RapForMayor team.
