Nov 5, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Juuso Välimäki (8) and New York Islanders center Kyle MacLean (32) are separated by an official after the end of the game at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
ELMONT, NY — The Islanders were left steaming following Thursday night’s 5-3 loss to the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes at UBS Arena, when defenseman Jusso Valimaki wound up and rocketed a slap shot in the final second of the game, which hit New York forward Kyle MacLean as the horn sounded.
“One second left, the game’s over, he takes a full slap shot,” MacLean told amNewYork. “I thought that was stupid. To take a slap shot at a guy in the last second, that’s completely messed up.”
A scrum ensued, with MacLean going all out to have a go with Valimaki — a journeyman blueliner in his first season with the Hurricanes.
“It’s just an unnecessary shot. I’m happy Mac went and did what he did,” Islanders captain Bo Horvat told amNewYork. “There’s a second left in the game, and he decides to take a slap shot at our goalie and even at our player. Not a very smart play by him. Obviously, Mac didn’t like it either.”
The Islanders came back twice to tie the game at three going into the third period, but William Carrier broke the deadlock with 5:08 left in regulation before Jalen Chatfield iced it with an empty-netter with 51 seconds remaining.
With the clock set to expire and the puck in the Islanders’ zone, nearly everyone on the ice eased up, except for Valimaki.
“I’m not sure why he’s taking a slap shot like that,” MacLean’s linemate Mitchell Chaffee said. “We’re not going to let that fly. That’s why the scrum happened. 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.”
Chaffee, who is no stranger to a scrum, recorded his first goal as an Islander in the first period to headline a two-point night. His partnership with MacLean and Casey Cizikas provided New York with a steady, gritty effort to wrench some momentum back after the Hurricanes went up 2-0.
“They were relentless,” head coach Pete DeBoer said. “They tilted the ice for us, and we haven’t had that much this year. It was a really good sign. They got on top of pucks; they were hard to play against; they got on the forecheck, which is what they have to do.”
For more on the Islanders, visit AMNY.com
