Hockey Update: John Tavares leads New York Islanders past Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1
The New York Islanders made points in their third consecutive game as John Tavares shovel in the winning goal at 3:23 of the overtime period to give New York an unexpected 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night.
In the first period, Ryan Malone made a power-play goal for Tampa Bay to a 1-0 lead. Dan Ellis made 26 saves in his second consecutive start since Mike Smith got a knee injury that is likely to keep him out for about two weeks.
Ellis had a comparatively easy first period when the Lightning dominated in shots, but then had a tough third period when the Islanders had numerous major scoring chances (including two 2-on-1 breaks during one shift).
At the end of the first period, New York was lucky to be down by just one-goal deficit. Even though Tampa bay took three penalties but only capitalized on one chance as Ryan Malone successfully beat Dwayne Roloson to score at 11:28.
Nothing in the first period proposed the Islanders were hanging for their first real comeback of the season. They trailed by a goal. They were outshot 35-28, including 16-3 in the first period and were facing a rising Tampa Bay team that was looking to tie
a season best with a fifth consecutive win.
In the second period, the browbeaten NY Islanders, 3-17-4 in their past 24 play-offs, showed some life. The Islanders tied it at 19:43 with P.A. Parenteau’s sixth goal.
With 17 seconds remaining in second period, Tavares chased the puck near the Tampa Bay net and passed it to Parenteau, who sent a high shot under Ellis' leg for his second goal in three games.
"We've given up enough leads and enough opportunities to close out games. It was nice for us to step up," Tavares said.
The second period had started off slow. John Tavares got two back-to-back penalties at 10:10 and 12:23, which the New York successfully killed.
Josh Bailey got a breakaway chance in the second as he came down the right side, but as he crossed over to the left, he enforced Victor Hedman to take a penalty for hooking at 8:33 to stop the play.
With1:37 left in overtime, James Wisniewski, who was on the top of the faceoff circle, received the puck from Andrew McDonald and fired it to Dan Ellis. Tavares went in to collect his own rebound and swept a shot past goalie Dan Ellis to give the Islanders
their first win of the season when they did not score first (1-15-3).
Dwayne Roloson stopped 34 shots to give Islanders points in 3 consecutive games (2-0-1) and duelled with Ellis almost the whole length of the match as both net minders made a series of amazing saves on several opposing scoring chances.
Tampa Bay’s top-ranked power play had five other chances to produce, but failed.
The Islanders have two victories over the Tampa Bay this season, the other overtime win at Tampa Bay came on 21st of October, which stretched Islanders’ one winning streak of the season to three games. Tampa Bay won 4-2 on Long Island in the only other meeting
on 17th of November.
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