On Halloween, the Islanders faced a nightmare of a game against the Hurricanes. Star forward Mathew Barzal was benched for being late, and top prospect Cal Ritchie couldn't make it due to flight cancellations. The team struggled from the start, allowing three early goals and never recovering. Despite a power-play goal from rookie Matthew Schaefer, defensive breakdowns and bad energy plagued the Islanders. The game ended in a disastrous 6-2 loss, with the Islanders allowing two late goals, including one with just eleven seconds left. Barzal is expected to return on Friday, but the team's struggles raise questions about the impact of benching him and the consequences of travel delays.

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