The New York Islanders have conceded the least number of goals in the NHL and had 13 straight home games without loss.

So when Mattias Ekholm midway into the match fit Filip Forsberg, who splashed the reduction to 2-3 for visiting Nashville, few in the Nassau Coliseum thought it was just the start of the season's biggest proclamation in the arena.

Forsberg's 12th goal for the fall was followed by a receipt two minutes later and two more Nashville goals at the end of the middle period.

Islanders goalkeeper Thomas Greiss thanked him for the period, but the guests did not settle down. Replacement Semjon Varlamov only managed six of the nine shots the guests fired in the last 20 minutes. The first goal he let in came from Calle Järnkrok's club nine minutes into the final period, five minutes later the Russian had let in two more pucks.

"Important victory for us"

When the final signal went, it was 3-8 on the Jumbotron and the Islanders had gone on their first home loss in regular time of over two months, and so far the biggest loss in all of 2019.

- This was an important victory for us. We came back really well at the end of the second period and then we just continued to play as we said. In the past we have been a bit on the heels and sometimes the opponents have come back, but today we just kept on running, says Rocco Grimaldi, who put 5-2, according to Nashville's website.

The big win wasn't the only positive message Nashville made on Tuesday. In a radio interview, the team's general manager David Poile said of Swedish star Viktor Arvidsson is starting to approach a return to the ice.

"He comes closer and feels better," Poile said, according to The Tennessean.

New points for Olofsson

Arvidsson got an ugly cross-check against St Louis on November 25, and has not been able to play since. Then it was said that the Swede risked being away for six weeks. Asked if Arvidson and Finnish Mikael Granlund could come back before Christmas, Poile said:

- It is possible. We have to take it day by day. Both are approaching games and I don't think they are far away, but they are not playing the closest matches anyway.

Buffalo's Victor Olofsson matched Rasmus Dahlin and Jack Eichel, who both scored goals against Toronto. Olofsson's two points make him one of the hottest Swedes on the NHL ice right now. In total, there have been twelve points in the last eight games.

However, Toronto did not go all the way. The home team, where William Nylander was noted for an assist, won 5-3.