The Islanders wanted to celebrate the return of the Fisherman jersey on Saturday night. But the game turned out to be a reminder of 1995 in more ways than just their uniforms.

A night after scoring six goals in a high-flying, end-to-end performance against the Devils, the Islanders’ offense went dead against the Hurricanes in a 3-0 loss at UBS Arena. After what might have been their best victory of the year, the game Saturday just might have been their worst loss, and it knocked their record down to 17-12-0.

Carolina won by doing what the Islanders have done to so many opponents over the past few seasons: playing with a relentless forecheck and physicality, taking advantage of a few scoring chances and dominating a low-event game. Outside of Mathew Barzal, the Islanders never managed to skate effectively, and struggled to make it through the neutral zone with alarming regularity.

Paul Stastny’s goal at 7:06 of the second period, from Andrei Svechnikov’s cross-crease pass, proved to be the difference for the Hurricanes.

The Islanders squandered a golden chance with a five-on-three that was set to go for 1:15 in the first period, when Anders Lee committed interference, essentially nullifying the advantage.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi doubled the Carolina lead early in the third period, deflecting Brent Burns’ shot from the point at 4:05. And while the Islanders have so often looked equipped to come back from deficits this season and turn the tenor of games on a dime, they did not on Saturday.

Indeed, the Islanders gave up a third goal instead of scoring one of their own, as Jordan Staal put away Jordan Martinook’s feed at 8:49 of the third.

The Islanders’ performance was night-and-day from Friday night. Whereas that game was jammed with intensity, this one felt like air slowly being let out of a balloon. The Hurricanes made it boring — and the Islanders could not respond. Even when coach Lane Lambert turned to a top line of Lee, Barzal and Brock Nelson, the Islanders proved incapable of generating looks.

They looked disjointed when they got on the power play, and struggled to cobble together zone exits at even strength. After putting up 40 or more shots in three of their past four games, the Islanders had just 16 on Saturday. They ended up being shut out for just the third time this season, and they didn’t make it all that hard on Pyotr Kochetkov in Carolina’s net.

Whether the Islanders grew tired after playing an intense game against the Devils or were simply stymied by the Hurricanes, the result was the same. Carolina didn’t generate much offense either, but what it got was enough.

Before the game, both coaches spoke about the importance of divisional games this season, with just four points separating second place from sixth in the Metropolitan Division.

“I think it’s the best division in hockey,” Carolina’s Rod Brind’Amour said. “It’s gonna come down to the wire.”

“It’s just tight,” Lambert said. “I see it as being a battle right till the bitter end.”

After 60 minutes of hockey, Carolina had reestablished itself in second place, with 36 points to the Islanders’ 34. Heading into a five-game road trip jampacked with tough games against the likes of the Bruins, Golden Knights and Avalanche, it was exactly the kind of performance the Islanders would rather have avoided.

The margin for error in the division is that small — and it grew smaller for the Islanders on Saturday.