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 On Monday, the Islanders beat the Stars 7-3 at Nassau Coliseum.
In both losses, Dallas had led 2-0 after one period.
Right winger Kyle Okposo scored twice for the Islanders, including
the game-tying goal with 4:16 remaining in regulation. Islanders
center John Tavares then delivered the eventual game-winner with
1:24 remaining and center Brock Nelson added an empty-net goal with
52 seconds remaining.
"That's a good hockey team," Islanders coach Jack Capuano said of
Dallas. "They've got a lot of speed on that team there and they can
give you trouble. I was proud of the guys and the effort. They were
resilient tonight."
New York left winger Thomas Vanek and defenseman Calvin de Haan each
had two assists, joining Okposo and Tavares, who had a goal and an
assist, as players with multiple points for the visitors.
The Islanders (18-22-7, 43 points) won their seventh straight road
game while Dallas (20-18-7, 47 points) lost its sixth straight game
in regulation for the first time since the 1995-96 season.
"We turned the puck over too many times," Stars coach Lindy Ruff
said. "We gave them breakaways. Dan (Ellis) made probably three or
four great saves to keep the score where it was at. It caught up to
us."
New York goaltender Kevin Poulin stopped 29 shots in the win. Dallas
had led for 37:32 prior to Okposo's second goal of the night.
"(He made) spectactular saves and I know he was a little frustrated
on the couple he let in," Okposo said. "Came in here and just told
him he just kept us in the game and we're going to go out there and
have a better effort and that's what he did. He shut the door and
that's all you can ask for."
Dallas struck first 11:45 into the game when left winger Ray Whitney
scored his fifth of the season with a wrister from the left circle
that went under Poulin's glove. Stars center Vernon Fiddler picked
up the secondary assist after sacrificing himself behind the New
York goal by taking a hit from Islanders defenseman Matt Donovan.
Prior to the hit, Fiddler laid the puck off to rookie right winger
Alex Chiasson, who quickly passed it to Whitney, who then delivered
his first goal since Dec. 21, 2013.
[to top of second column] |
With 4:14 remaining before the first intermission, New York
right winger Cal Clutterbuck had a breakaway with the Islanders
shorthanded, but Stars goaltender Dan Ellis stopped his bid to
tie the game with a pad save.
Dallas went ahead by a pair when defenseman Sergei Gonchar
capitalized on an Islanders' mistake in their own zone with 1:48
left in the opening period. Islanders center Frans Nielsen
passed the puck to Nelson, but when Nelson couldn't control the
puck, Gonchar gained possession and beat Poulin with a wrister
from the high slot for his first goal with the Stars.
The Stars had another great chance 1:12 into the second when
left winger Erik Cole rushed in front of the New York goal from
the right side of the ice. However, Cole's wrister from the slot
instead found the crossbar.
New York pulled to within a goal when Okposo sent a wrister from
the right circle through Ellis' legs at 10:47 of the second
period. Okposo's goal culminated a nice display of passing from
Vanek and Tavares.
The Islanders were down to five healthy defensemen in the third
period when defenseman Travis Hamonic wasn't able to return to
the ice.
"(Harmonic) just wasn't feeling well," Capuano said. "We'll
re-evaluate him tomorrow and know more tomorrow."
The Islanders nearly tied it with 9:48 remaining in regulation
when Vanek fed it to Okposo from behind the Dallas net. However,
Vanek's wrister from the slot was deflected high by Ellis.
Ellis stopped 27 shots in the loss.
NOTES: Islanders LW Eric Boulton, D Matt Carkner and C Peter
Regin were scratched. ... Stars C Dustin Jeffrey and D Aaron
Rome were scratched. ... The Islanders were playing their third
game of a six-game road trip. ... Stars G Dan Ellis got his
first start in three games. Ellis started a 5-1 loss to Detroit
on Jan. 4 but was pulled after one period after allowing three
goals on 13 shots by the Red Wings. ... Islanders RW Kyle Okposo
scored his 18th goal of the season midway through the second
period, giving him 12 goals over his past 19 games. ... The
first-period goal by Dallas LW Ray Whitney, his fifth of the
season, was his first in seven games. ... Representatives from
seven NHL clubs were in the press box. ... Announced attendance
was 13,765.
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