Mat Barzal is quietly carrying the Islanders when they need him most

Had Mat Barzal completed a dominant overtime period by scoring past Alex Lyon at 3:38 of the extra period Saturday, much of the conversation around the Islanders right now would be about No. 13’s seven-game point streak and the game he put up against the Sabres in particular.

Instead, Lyon made a breakaway save on Barzal, setting up an eventual 3-2 Sabres win in the shootout, and leaving Barzal with a two-point night instead of three.

Still, the way Barzal played for the last two periods against Buffalo was more than encouraging. He spearheaded the Islanders’ comeback with a goal and an assist, was the best player on the ice in overtime and kept up what has quietly been a great month of December.

Mathew Barzal looks to control the puck as Buffalo Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson defends during the third period at KeyBank Center. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Barzal has 11 points in 10 games this month, including a seven-game point streak he’ll take into Tuesday’s game against the Devils. His six-game assist streak matches a career high.

The Islanders need all they can get from Barzal right now with Bo Horvat injured. And he is obliging with his offense just about every night.

“It’s a great opportunity for him to lead the team and he’s doing that,” coach Patrick Roy said. “That’s the leadership we need from him. Produce every night and give ourselves a chance to be in every game. That’s a role Barzy wants to play as well. It’s nice to see him be successful.”

Barzal has also been on this streak as he deals with a nagging issue of some kind. He missed two morning skates last week with what the Islanders called maintenance, though the team did say it’s unrelated to the kneecap injury that ended his 2024-25 season.

Jack Hughes’ return against the Sabres Sunday night means that the star center will be in the lineup for the Devils when they face the Islanders Tuesday night.

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Emil Heineman’s 10 shots on net Saturday were a career high for the Swede. Per team statistician Eric Hornick, his power-play goal to tie the game at 19:31 of the third was the latest game-tying power-play goal for an Islander since Mark Streit on Feb. 9, 2010, against Nashville. , which happened to be Matt Martin’s NHL debut.

The Islanders did not practice Sunday after the back-to-back.