Islanders tame Panthers

Islander Frans Nielsen scores in shootout against Jose Theodore (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images)

          The Islanders battled back twice against the Florida Panthers, and eventually ousted them in a shootout, to win 3-2.
          The win was the Isles' third in four chances, on this current five-game road trip.  They will end the road trip in Pittsburgh on Tuesday.
          The Islanders fell behind early, when the Panthers scored just six minutes into the game.  At the 5:55 mark center Stephen Weiss took a pass from behind the net and buried a wrist shot over the glove of Islander goaltender, Evgeni Nabokov, to make it 1-0.  The goal was Weiss' nineteenth of the year.  
          The Islanders would bounce back, and tie the game, late in the second period.  At the 18:57 mark, while on the powerplay, left winger Matt Moulson took a pass from linemate, center John Tavares, and buried a wrist shot past the Florida goaltender, Jose Theodore, to tie the game at one.  The goal was Moulson's team leading thirty-fourth of the season.  
          The two teams would match each other in goals in the third.  Florida scored first at the 9:51 mark, when left winger Tomas Fleischmann would take a weird bounce off the boards and fired a wrist shot under the right pad of Nabokov, to make it 2-1.  The goal was Fleischmann's twenty-fourth of the year.  Just over two minutes later, at the 12:22 mark the Isles would tie the game once again.  Right winger Kyle Okposo would throw the puck towards the net and it would deflect off the stick of Florida defenseman Dmitry Kulikov, and past Theodore, to tie the game.  The goal was Okposo's seventeenth of the year, and his second in two games.  Regulation time would end with the game tied at two, and it was time for overtime.
          Neither team would score in the overtime period, sending this game to a shootout.  Florida shot first, and it was center John Madden against Nabokov.  Madden would try to go over the glove of Nabokov, but was not able to put it past him, giving the Isles the early advantage.  The Islanders would send out one of the best lead-off hitters in the game, center Frans Nielsen.  Prior to this shot Nielsen had been 6-10 (60%) in shootouts this year.  Nielsen would go in on Theodore and bury his famous backhand over him and give the Isles the 1-0 advantage.  Nielsen continued his amazing showing in shootouts, and is now 7-11 (63.6) this year.  That would be all the Islanders would need as Nabokov would stop the following two Florida shots, and the Islanders would skate away with the shootout victory.
          Unfortunately for the Isles, the eighth place Washington Capitals also won, and their hopes for the playoffs are almost gone.  With only seven games left, the Islanders sit eleven points out of a playoff spot.  
          The Islanders will conclude, what has been a successful road trip so far, when they visit the CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh, for a tilt against Sidney Crosby and the Penguins.  Puck Drop is scheduled for 7PM.            

Islanders struck by Lightning

Tim Wallace celebrates after giving the lightning the late lead (Photo by Scott Audette/NHLI via Getty Images)

          After falling behind early, the Islanders bounced back from a 2-0 deficit, but were left heartbroken, as the Lightning beat the Isles, 4-3.
          It was the former Islander, Tim Wallace, who delivered the final dagger in the Isles' heart, with his goal late in the third.
          With the loss the Islanders fell to 30-33-11 on the season, to give them 71 points.  With eight games left to play the Islanders sit thirteen points out of a playoff spot, and their hopes of making a run are quickly slipping away.  
          The first period saw the Lightning score the only goal.  The Lightning's star center, Steven Stamkos, scored his first of two goals at the 15:49 mark of the first.  Stamkos would find the puck in a crowd of players and was able to slip a backhander through the five-hole of Isles' goaltender, Al Montoya.  
          The Isles would fall further behind at the start of the second period.  At the 1:46 mark, Stamkos would fire a one-timer over the right pad of Montoya for his second of the game.  The scores were Stamkos' league leading fifty-first and fifty-second goals of the year.  He now sits seven goals ahead of Evgeni Malkin.  The Isles would cut the Lightning lead down, at the 8:15 mark of the period.  
While on the powerplay center Frans Nielsen picked up a loose puck and buried a backhander over the glove of the Lightning goalie, Dwayne Roloson.  The goal was Nielsen's fifteenth of the year.  The Isles would then tie the game late in the period.  At the 19:24 mark, right winger Kyle Okposo took a pass from behind the net by his linemate, center Josh Bailey, and buried his own backhander past Roloson, to tie the game at two.  The goal was Okposo's sixteenth of the year.
          The Isles would take their first lead of the game at the beginning of the third.  Just forty-six seconds into the frame left winger, Matt Moulson would bury his team leading thirty-third goal of the year, knocking in a rebound left by Roloson.  The Islanders would hold the lead until the 9:08 mark, when center Tom Pyatt would tip the puck into the upper right corner of the net, to tie the game at 3.  The goal was Pyatt's eleventh of the year.  The Lightning would get the final goal of the game at the 12:10 mark of the third.  Former Islander, right winger Tim Wallace, would take a Stamkos drop pass and bury a wrist shot over the right pad of Montoya, to give the Lightning the 4-3 win.  The goal was Wallace's third of the year.  
          The Islanders will try to right their ship when they travel a bit more south, to take on the Florida Panthers.  Puck drop is scheduled for 5 PM. 

Islanders Finally Beat Toronto

Islanders celebrate goal in Toronto (Photo by Graig Abel/NHLI via Getty Images)

          After losing their previous three contests against the Maple Leafs, the Islanders finally broke through and got a commanding 5-2 victory in Toronto.
          With the win the Isles moved out of last place in the conference, and nine points behind the eighth place Washington Capitals.  
          From the start it was clear the Islanders were playing with a sense of urgency.  They were out-skating, out-hitting, and out-shooting the Leafs.  By the end of the game, the Islanders had out-shot the Leafs, 34-14.  It was a season low for shots given up by the Isles.
          Even though the Islanders played like the better team, the Leafs struck first, at the 10:24 mark of the frame.  Taking advantage of the only time the Isles defense broke down, the Leafs took an early 1-0 lead.  Right winger Phil Kessel took a pass from center Tyler Bozak, and was left all alone.  He buried a wrist shot past the sprawling Islander goalie, Evgeni Nabokov, for his thirty-sixth of the season.  The Islanders would answer back just five minutes later, at the 15:34 mark of the frame.  Centers Josh Bailey and John Tavares skated on a two on one and worked it to perfection.  Tavares would skate with the puck into the Leafs zone, and made a beautiful cross ice pass to Bailey, who put the puck past the Toronto goalie, James Reimer.  The goal was Bailey's eleventh of the year.  
          Toronto would take their second lead of the game at the 4:12 mark of the second period.  Center Matthew Lombardi would take the puck from behind the net, come out to the front and slid a backhander under the pads of Nabokov.  The goal was Lombardi's eighth of the year.  The Islanders would answer back later in the frame, at the 13:08 mark.  The line of left winger David Ullstrom, center Casey Cizikas, and right winger Michael Grabner, worked hard and got rewarded with a goal.  Cizikas would poke the puck away from a Toronto player, which would land on Grabner's stick, who would slide a backhander cross ice to Ullstrom who would tap the puck past Reimer.  The goal was Ullstrom's third of the year. 
          The Islanders would run away with the game late in the third.  It started at the 13:56 mark, when left winger Matt Moulson would get a rebound and bury it by Reimer, to make it 3-2 Isles.  Under two minutes later, right winger PA Parenteau would take advantage of a breakaway he skated on, by sliding one by the right pad of Reimer, to make it 4-2.  The goal was Parenteau's sixteenth of the year.  The Isles would seal it with an empty net goal by Moulson at the 18:25 mark.  The goals were Moulson's thirty-first and thirty-second.  He now sits ahead of Tavares for the team lead in goals.  
          The Isles will play their third game of a five-game road trip, when they visit Tampa, to play the Lightning.  Puck drop is 7 PM.    

Islanders Lose Heartbreaker to Capitals....agian

Alexander Ovechkin celebrates after his game-tying goal (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

          On a night where everything seemed to be going the Islanders way, the Capitals emerged as the victor, beating the Isles 5-4.
          The Isles had friendly bounces going their way, a working power play, a pair of three-goal leads and even a shootout, but came out of the game with a single point.  
          The loss is the Islanders fourth one in a row, as their chance for making the playoffs, seems to slipping out of their grasp.  The Islanders now sit at 28-31-11 with sixty-seven points.  That's now eleven points behind the eighth place Capitals.  Each team has twelve games left to play.
          The first period was all Islanders.  They outshot the Capitals 10-4, and outscored them 2-0.  It started at the 8:54 mark of the period when left winger Matt Moulson scored one of the wackiest goals, in all of hockey, this year.  Moulson took a hard slap shot that went high off the glass behind the net.  Washington goalie, Michal Neuvirth, turned around and looked behind the net, but had no idea where it was.  Suddenly the puck bounced off his stomach and into the net, to give the Isles an early 1-0 lead.  The goal was Moulson's thirtieth of the year.  The Islanders would add to their lead near the end of the period.  While on the powerplay, at the 19:39 mark, defenseman Travis Hamonic took the puck down low and threw towards the front of the net.  The puck then ricocheted off a Capitals player's skate and in.  The goal was Hamonic's second of the year.  
          The second period would see the Islanders extend their lead even more.  On the powerplay again, at the 9:05 mark, center John Tavares would get a rebound, kick it to his stick, and bang it home, to give the Islanders a 3-0 lead.  Just under thirty seconds later, at the 9:33 mark, right winger Mike Knuble would tip a shot past, Isles goalie, Evgeni Nabokov, to trim the Isles' lead to 3-1.  The Islanders would get their momentum back at the 11:44 mark, when Tavares would bury a wrist shot over the glove of Neuvirth, for his second of the game, which gave the Isles a 4-1 lead.  The goals were Tavares' twenty-ninth and thirtieth.  He is now tied with his line mate, Matt Moulson, as the team leader in goals.  With under a minute left in the period, at the 19:07 mark, left winger Alexander Ovechkin would bury a rebound left by Nabokov, to make it 4-2 going into the third.  
          Under two minutes into the third the Capitals would trim the lead again.  At the 1:51 mark, defenseman Dmitry Orlov would bury a wrist shot over the blocker of Nabokov, to make it 4-3 Isles.  Then at the 10:51 mark the Capitals' comeback would be complete.  Ovechkin would be stopped on a one-timer by Nabokov, but he couldn't hold onto the puck and Ovechkin would bury his own rebound to tie the game at 4, and send this one into overtime.  
         With both teams securing a point, the overtime saw nobody score and the game went to a shootout.  The Islanders sent out center Frans Nielsen, Tavares, and Moulson.  The Capitals countered with left winger Alexander Semin, Ovechkin, and Orlov.  Nielsen was first to shoot, and he clanked his famous backhander off the post.  Trying to give the Capitals the advantage Semin came in fast, but had the puck poked away from him by the stick of Nabokov.  Tavares would give the Isles the advantage as he was able to bury his wrist shot under the glove of Neuvirth, to give the Isles a 1-0 lead.  Ovechkin would tie the shootout, burying a backhander by Nabokov, to make it 1-1.  Next up was Moulson, who tried to go over the blocker of Neuvirth, but he was up to the challenge, stopping him and giving the Capitals a chance to win it.  With a chance to win it, Orlov skated towards Nabokov, but he lost control of the puck and never got a shot off.  With the shootout going into sudden death, Islander coach Jack Capuano sent out his captain, defenseman Mark Streit.  Streit tried to go five hole, but Neuvirth closed his pads in time and stopped him.  The Capitals then sent out center Matt Hendricks to face Nabokov.  Hendricks put on a ton of moves and fooled Nabokov enough to get one by him and give the Capitals the win.  
          With their playoff hopes slipping a way, the Islanders will try to end their losing streak on Thursday night, when they play host to the Philadelphia Flyers.  Puck drop is scheduled for 7 PM.             

Islanders Edged by Rival Rangers

Islanders #41 David Ullstrom drives on Rangers #41 Stu Bickel (Photo by Scott Levy/NHLI via Getty Images)

          For the second straight game the Islanders' opponent came from behind and delivered a heartbreaking loss.  With just six seconds left in overtime until a shootout, the Rangers scored a power play goal, lifting them over the Isles 4-3.
          Since the game did go into overtime, the Islanders did get a point. However, that is not their desired outcome as they hope to make a final playoff push.  With the point the Islanders now have 66 on the season.  That is ten points behind the eighth place Washington Capitals.
          The first period saw the two teams exchange goals.  The Islanders took the first lead of the game, at the 11:15 mark, when center John Tavares had the puck bounce off his leg and past Rangers goalie, Henrik Lundqvist.  The goal was Tavares' twenty-eighth of the year.  The Rangers would answer back at the 18:47 mark, when center Brad Richards took the puck from behind his own net, skated the length of the ice, and then fired a wrist shot over the glove of goalie Evgeni Nabokov, to tie the game.
          The second period saw the Islanders take their second lead of the game.  At the 7:44 mark, with the Islanders on the power play, defenseman Mark Striet fired a slap shot that went wide and off the glass.  The puck then landed on the stick of left winger Matt Moulson who banked one off of Lundqvist skate and in.  The goal was Moulson's team-leading twenty-ninth of the year.  The Rangers would answer back at the 16:03 mark when Richards would get his second goal by firing a slap shot by Nabokov's blocker, to tie the game.  The goals were Richards' twentieth, and twenty-first.  The Islanders would get a huge momentum boost at the end of the frame.  With his penalty ending defenseman Andrew MacDonald would take a pass from Tavares and go on a breakaway.  MacDonald would capitalize on his chance by burying a wrist shot in the top left corner to give the Islanders the lead going into the third.  The goal was MacDonald's fifth and his second in three games.  
          The third period would see the Rangers score the only goal.  At the 3:29 mark center Brian Boyle would tip a shot by Nabokov, to tie the game.  The goal was Boyle's sixth of the year.  No goals were scored for the rest of the frame and the game went into overtime.
          In the overtime frame the Islanders' defenseman Travis Hamonic would take a costly tripping penalty, which would give the Rangers the four on three power play.  On the ensuing power play at the 4:54 mark of overtime, Rangers right winger Marian Gaborik would bury a wrist shot over the shoulder of Nabokov to seal the win for the Rangers.  The goal was Gaborik's thirty-third of the year.
          With the loss the Islanders record fell to 28-31-10, giving them 66 points on the year.  
          The Islanders will now travel home for a huge meeting with the eighth place Washington Capitals, on Tuesday night.  The puck drop is scheduled for 7 PM.    

Islanders Win Battle in Beantown

Islander celebrate one of three goals (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

          The Islanders got two much needed points, beating the Boston Bruins 3-2.   
          Isles goaltender Evgeni Nabokov was named the first star of the game, and he earned it.  He made thirty-two saves on thirty-four shots, none better than his last one.  With less than twenty seconds left, Bruins left winger Milan Lucic had a point blank shot at an empty net.  Nabokov stuck out his arm and the paddle of his stick saved the game for the Isles.  
          The first period saw a pair of goals, one for each team.  It started at the 15:10 mark when Lucic opened the scoring by burying a shot over the shoulder of Nabokov.  It was Lucic's twenty-second of the year.  Just two minutes later the Islanders would answer back.  Islanders' winger Josh Bailey would take a cross-ice feed from center Frans Nielsen, and bury it under the pads of Bruins goaltender, Tukka Rask.  The goal was Bailey's tenth of the year, and his fourth in his last three games. 
          The Bruins' Rask would not last long in the second period.  With eleven minutes left in the second period, Rask suffered an apparent leg injury, and was replaced by Tim Thomas.  It would only take the Islanders five minutes, after Thomas entered, to find the back of the net.  On the power play center John Tavares would find left winger Matt Moulson, who would bury one past the right pad of Thomas, to make it 2-1.  It was Moulson's team leading twenty-eighth goal.  
          The third period would see the Bruins bounce back and tie the game.  Off of a face off Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara passed one off the boards to center Tyler Seguin, which lead him on a breakaway.  Seguin would capitalize by burying a backhander over the blocker of Nabokov to tie it 2-2.  It was Seguin's twenty-second.  The Islanders third goal would be a result of a very confusing play.
          With five minutes left the Bruins believed they should have been called for icing, but the ref never made the call.  He seemed to believe that the Islanders never touched it before the Bruins, which negated the icing and allowed play to go on.
          With some of the Bruins standing around confused, Moulson would carry the puck up with Tavares on his side.  When Moulson skated into the Bruins zone he fired a slap shot that was tipped in by Tavares and gave the Islanders the 3-2 lead.  It was Tavares' twenty-sixth goal of the year.  Nabokov would hold off a late fury of shots in the last minute, and seal the win for the Isles. 
          The Islanders now have 63 points, which is seven points behind eighth place Winnipeg.  The Isles have seventeen games left to play, while Winnipeg has sixteen.  
          The Islanders now start a stretch of three straight games against the rival Devils.  Two will be played at the Coliseum, and one at the Prudential Center, in Newark.  
          The games start today on the Island.  Puck drop is scheduled for 3 PM.    

Islanders Suffer Crushing loss to Capitals

Capitals celelbrate their game-tying goal (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

          The Islanders suffered a crushing 3-2 defeat to Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals, Tuesday night in Washington. 
          The Islanders carried a 2-0 lead deep into the game.  But a desperate Capitals team was able to score two goals in the final 3:30 before winning it in overtime.
          The Islanders seemed to have luck on their side early in the game.  The Capitals outplayed them in every aspect of the game in the first period, outshooting the Isles 13-3.  However, Evgeni Nabokov was able to stop all thirteen Capital shots.  Josh Bailey was able to capitalize on one of the Isles' shots, netting a backhander by Caps goalie, Michal Neuvirth.  It was Bailey's seventh goal of the year.  
          In the second period the Islanders were able to right the ship, and played a much better road period.  They outshot the Caps 12-7 but none of those got by either net minder.  
         The third started out great for the Islanders.  Coming off a better second period the Isles continued their solid play in the third.  And just over two minutes into the frame the Isles were able to extend their lead.  Matt Moulson was able to tip a Steve Staios shot past Neuvirth to make it 2-0 Isles.  It was Moulson's team leading twenty-seventh goal. 
         The game clock was at 3:30 and the Islanders had a comfortable lead and seemed to be ready to skate out of Washington with two points in hand.  However, the Capitals had other plans.  
          With 3:29 left in the third Troy Brouwer tipped one by Nabokov's left pad and cut the lead to 2-1.  Then with just twenty-six seconds left in the game the Isles confidence was crushed.  With their goalie pulled, the Capitals were able to tie the game when Brouwer scored his second, tipping one by Nabokov yet again.  The goals were Brouwer's sixteenth and seventeenth.  That sent this contest into overtime.
          With the Islanders having one point secured they did not want to lose this crucial second point in a contest they thought they had locked up.  But just 1:35 into the overtime period, Alex Ovechkin snapped a shot by Nabokov and sent the Islanders to their locker room dumbfounded.  It was Ovechkin's twenty-sixth of the year.
          The Islanders did get one point, however, and now sit eight points behind the Capitals, the very team they just lost to.  They now have 19 games left and need to turn it up to another gear, and get as many points as they can.  
          The Islanders continue their four game road trip, when they travel to Philadelphia for a matchup against the Flyers, Thursday night.  Puck drop is scheduled for 7 PM  
                

Islanders win Battle of New York

Islanders celebrate after 1st period goal (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

          In front of a sellout crowd, the New York Islanders picked up two big points with a shootout win over the New York Rangers 4-3.
          It was the fifth meeting between the big city rivals.  Previously, the Rangers had the Isles' number, winning three of the first four meetings.  
          Evgeni Nabokov returned between the pipes for the Isles, after missing the last three games because of the flu.  He faced off against the Rangers backup net minder Marty Biron.  
          It was also the NHL debut for call up Casey Cizikas.  He admitted being nervous coming into the game, but proved to be a very solid player.  He crashed the boards well, and his teammates were impressed with how strong he was with the puck.  Cizikas finished with 11:33 of ice time two hits and a blocked shot.
          The game lived up to the hype, as it was a very physical battle from the opening faceoff.
          The Islanders would get the upper hand quickly though.  Just 6:07 into the game Matt Moulson took a beautiful pass from behind the net by John Tavares, and buried it behind Biron.  It was Moulson's twenty sixth of the season.  The Islanders would add another one two minutes and thirty-five seconds later when P.A. Parenteau blasted a slap shot over the right shoulder of Biron to make it 2-0 Isles.  The Rangers would answer back at the 12:47 mark when, on the power play, Marc Staal snuck one by the blocker of Nabokov to make it 2-1.
          The second period would see the Islanders increase their lead yet again when at the 8:11 mark Parenteau would get his second goal sneaking a backhander five-hole on Biron.  Parenteau now has fourteen goals on the season.  The Rangers would answer just three minutes and thirty-eight seconds later when Marion Gaborik found himself on a breakaway and buried a backhander past Nabokov, for his twenty-eighth goal of the campaign.  With just 3:20 left in regulation the Rangers caught a huge break as a Derek Stepan shot was stopped by Nabokov, but then went in off of Islander defenseman Travis Hamonic.  That tied the game at three and sent it into overtime.
          The overtime period saw no scoring so the game went into a shootout.  
          Rangers head coach John Tortorella sent out Gaborik, Ryan Callahan, and Brad Richards against Nabokov.  Islander head coach Jack Capuano countered with Frans Nielsen, Tavares and Parenteau against Biron.
          Nielsen and Gaborik would each score and make it 1-1 after the first round.  Tavares was next and clanked one off the left post giving the Rangers the advantage.  Nabokov would ease the Islanders minds when he poke checked the puck away from Callahan's stick and kept it tied going into the third round.  Parenteau tried to give the Isles the upper hand but could not get one by Biron's glove.  With the game on the line Nabokov came up huge when he stopped Richards, who put on a bevy of moves but couldn't bury his backhand.  In sudden death Capuano called on Moulson, the teams leading goal scorer.  Moulson made Capuano look good as he buried his wrist shot past the stick side of Biron.  Needing to make a save to win it Nabokov faced John Mitchell.  Mitchell tried to go five-hole but Nabokov closed his legs in time and the Islanders got the win, and more importantly the extra point.  
          The Islanders now sit six points out of the playoffs with twenty-one games left to play.  They next take a trip to Ottawa for a battle against the Senators, Sunday night.  Puck drop is scheduled for 5 PM.            

Islanders Fly by Jets

Islanders celebrate after #26 Matt Moulson scores their first goal  (Photo by Travis Golby/NHLI via Getty Images)

          The New York Islanders now sit 6 points out of a playoff spot, as they defeated the Winnipeg Jets 3-1 last night in Winnipeg.  It was their 4th consecutive road win, the first time they've had such a streak since January 2008.  

          Evgeni Nabokov made 37 saves in the win and upped his record to 14-14-0.  Nabokov has now won 8 out of his last 11 games.  

          The first period was evenly played with both teams exchanging chances, but both Nabokov and Winnipeg goalie Ondrej Pavelec, stopped every one of them.  It was not until 17:50 of the first period that the Jets broke through and scored.  Jim Slater took a wicked slap shot that Nabokov was able to stop with his right pad, but it left a big rebound that Chris Thorburn picked up and buried a backhand into the empty net, for his 3rd goal of the season.

          The Islanders bounced back at 3:55 of the second period, when on the power play Winnipeg defenseman Ron Hainsey attempted a hard clear that Matt Moulson knocked out of mid air and then passed it down low to John Tavares who gave it right back for a one-timer shot by Moulson that got by Pavelec's blocker.  It was Moulson's 25th goal of the season, which makes him the first Islander since fan favorite Ziggy Palffy to have 3 straight 25 goal seasons.  It was also Taveres' team leading 55th point of the season.

          The Islanders would quickly grab the lead in the 3rd period when just 1:36 into the frame PA Parenteau took a Milan Jurcina slap shot-pass and tipped it in past Pavelec.  It was Parenteau's 12th goal of the season.  The Islanders would seal it late in the game at 19:07 of the period, as with the goalie pulled Parenteau made a nice play to hold onto the puck behind the net and then make a beautiful pass for Matt Martin to bury a snap shot and make it 3-1.  It was Martin's 7th goal of the season and Parenteau's 39th assist of the season, which gives him 51 points, 4 behind the team leader Taveres.

          The Islanders are now 24-24-8 and have 56 points which is 6 points behind 8th place Toronto's 62.  

          Their next contest is Thursday with a road game in St. Louis to take on the team in 4th place in the Western Conference, the Blues.  Another extremely tough game as the Blues don't lose many games at home as they are 24-3-4 at the Scottrade Center.  The Islanders will look to extend their road win streak and inch closer to that coveted 8th place spot.  The puck drops at 8:00 pm.  

Canadiens skate to victory over Islanders

Canadiens celebrate after scoring a goal to make it 2-0 (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

          The Montreal Canadiens skated into the Nassau Coliseum and left with a 4-2 victory over the New York Islanders, on Thursday night.  
          Max Pacioretty scored his first career hat trick and Scott Gomez scored his first goal in over a calendar year to lead the Canadiens.  
          After Evgeni Nabakov won the game for the Islanders in Philadelphia, making 45 saves, he was not able to stop all of the 31 shots the Canadiens threw at him.  Nabakov finished the game making 28 of 31 saves.  
          The Canadiens got off to a quick start, with Pacioretty scoring his first goal just 1:23 into the game.  There was no goal scored for the rest of the first period.  Montreal  scored again in the second period with Pacioretty connecting on a slap shot 9:30 into the frame.  The Islanders would fall behind by yet another goal when for the first time in over a year Scott Gomez got one by Nabokov at the 10:10 mark in the 3rd period, to give the Canadiens a 3-0 lead.  
          The Islanders would show some fight in the final 5 minutes of the game.  They began to get their cycle going in the offensive zone and scored two quick goals against Carey Price.  The first goal was scored by Matt Moulson on the power play, with the second one coming from Mark Streit with 1:53 left in the contest.  The Islanders kept pushing for that game tying goal but would lose steam when Pacioretty hit the back of the empty net at the other end of the ice, completing his hat trick, giving the Canadiens the 4-2 win.  
          Next up the Islanders play a matinee home game against the Los Angeles Kings with the puck drop at 1:00