On most occasions, this game would’ve ended with a whimper.
The New York Islanders already held a 3-1 lead on the Chicago Blackhawks with about 90 seconds left. Chicago had pulled its goalie, but the odds of a comeback were slim.
That’s when Bo Horvat took a shot most of the length of the ice toward the empty net, and he slotted it home.
But at the other end, chaos ensued. Frank Nazar was the source.
What Did Frank Nazar Do?
As it turns out, replays show Nazar coming in with a late hit on Horvat.
The Blackhawks’ youngster hit the Islanders’ veteran up high after he let go of the shot.
Horvat went down to the ice in pain, not even seeing his long-range shot go in.
Nazar, meanwhile, was quickly surrounded by Islanders.
Why Blackhawks-Islanders Brawled
With both teams all involved, it wasn’t the most heated brawl ever, but it was an all-hands-on-deck situation.
The Islanders were defending Horvat and trying to exact a bit of revenge after Nazar had put him on the ground.
The Blackhawks’ bigger guys then had to defend Nazar, because that’s how the code of hockey works for teammates.
You can watch it in the post embedded below — and if that doesn’t work, this link will take you to the video on X (formerly Twitter).
Nazar clips Horvat on his empty net goal and then CHAOS breaks out š³
Nazar was given a Major Penalty. https://t.co/7JG8JE36jy
ā B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 9, 2026
Islanders-Blackhawks Score
The Islanders had the last laugh, as you’d expect given the circumstances when this feud took place.
That Horvat goal was the final one as the Islanders won 4-1.
Horvat had actually scored the game’s first goal, as well, the only one in the first period. He scored on the power play to take a 1-0 lead after 19 minutes had been played.
Emil Heineman had the second midway through the second to make it 2-0 Islanders, and three minutes after that, Anthony Duclair scored as well to make it 3-0 New York.
The Blackhawks only got on the board with two-and-a-half minutes to play when Nazar scored to pull within 3-1.
It was Nazar’s goal that prompted Chicago to even pull the goalie and chase a surprise result, and so that led to the eventual late hit and the dispute that followed.
Amazingly, these teams won’t meet again until Feb. 23 in Chicago. It seems like tempers would’ve chilled out by then, although hockey players don’t usually forget grudges.
This Late Frank Nazar Hit Started Blackhawks-Islanders Brawl