Eight weeks later, the biggest piece still missing from the Islanders’ puzzle finally clicked back into place.

There was no rally in Raleigh on Tuesday night, as the New York Islanders were shut out 4-0 by Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center. Andrei Svechnikov (PPG), Jordan Martinook, Tyson Jost and Sebastian Aho scored for the Hurricanes, as the Isles were blanked for a fifth time this season.

JG Pageau sent a cross-ice pass to Simon Holmstrom at the top of the left circle in the waning seconds of the Islanders’ first power play. Holmstrom sent a pass to Cholowski at the point for the defenseman to blast a slapshot through Soderblom to tie the score at one apiece at 6:59 of the middle frame.

Noah Dobson, Bo Horvat and Maxim Tsyplakov scored within a span of 2:19 for the New York Islanders, who held off a late rally by the Chicago Blackhawks to earn a 5-4 win on Thursday in Elmont, N.Y.

The Chicago Blackhawks put up one of their better efforts in weeks, but a two-minute stretch in the third period that saw the New York Islanders score three times gave New York a wide enough lead that held off a furious Blackhawks comeback,

The Carolina Hurricanes (20-10-1) manhandled the New York Islanders (12-14-7) in Raleigh on Tuesday night. The score finished 4-0. It never felt close.

and the New York Islanders held on to beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-4 on Thursday night. Dennis Cholowski, Bo Horvat, and Max Tsyplakov also scored for New York, and Jean-Gabriel Pageau had three assists. Ilya Sorokin made 27 saves as the Islanders ...

The goal has been to tread water until healthy, and after beating the Blackhawks, 5-4, at UBS Arena on Thursday, the Islanders are back at NHL-.500 — the definition of treading water — with wins in three of their past four and a group of injured stars getting close to returning. That is as good a spot as the Islanders have been in all season.

Dennis Cholowski, Bo Horvat, and Max Tsyplakov also scored for New York, and Jean-Gabriel Pageau had three assists. Ilya Sorokin made 27 saves as the Islanders improved to 3-2-1 in their last six ...