Boyes Scores on OT Power Play to Give Isles Win

Brad Boyes scored a power-play goal on a rebound at 2:01 of overtime and the New York Islanders beat the Devils 5-4 on Thursday night, handing New Jersey its third straight loss in overtime.

John Tavaras scored twice, and Keith Aucoin and Mark Streit once for the Islanders, who avenged an opening-night loss to the Devils. Evgeni Nabokov made 28 saves for New York, including a big one on an early Devils power play in overtime.

Adam Henrique Steve Bernier, Ryan Carter and Henrik Tallinder tallied for the Devils, who three times rallied to tie it. Martin Brodeur made 30 saves, but had the puck stolen from him by Boyes, setting up the game winner.

Boyes banged in Frans Nielsen's rebound, while Tavares also picked up an assist.

Nabokov and Brodeur both came up big early in the overtime, which was witnessed by the Devils' fourth sellout in as many games. Nabokov stopped defenseman Marek Zidlicky late in a power play that started late in the third period.

Tallinder picked up a cross-checking penalty with 3:13 left in the overtime and Boyes tallied 14 seconds later.

Henrique, who missed the first five games while recovering from surgery on his left thumb, came back in style, roofing a loose puck in front past Nabokov to tie the game with 6:10 to play.

Streit had given New York a 4-3 lead a little more than two minutes earlier when his shot from the point was deflected past Brodeur by New Jersey defenseman Adam Larsson, who also was playing in his first game of the season.

The Islanders, who had scored only one goal in each of their last five games with New Jersey, took leads of 2-0 and 3-2 only to see the Devils tie the game at 3-all after two periods.

Tallinder, who did not score a goal last season after missing much of the year with a blood clot in his leg, tied the game at 3 with a shot from above the right circle after the Islanders failed to clear the puck out their zone after sustained pressure.

Tavares, who didn't score in the first four games, had put New York ahead with his second goal of the night and fourth in the last three games. Nabokov made a save on David Clarkson and Matt Moulson sprung his center for a breakaway tally that seemed to catch Brodeur a little too far out of his net.

Bernier and Carter had rallied the Devils from a 2-0 deficit with goals in a 3:08 span in the second period.

Bernier put the rebound of Stephen Gionta's shot just 32 seconds after Keith Aucoin's power-play goal had stretched the Islanders' lead to two goals.

Carter tied the game at 2, swatting the rebound of a ankle shot by 30-year-old rookie Matt Anderson, who was playing his second game.

The Islanders, who came into the game converting 30 percent of their power-play chances, got their first two goals with the extra man.

Tavares hit a wide-open net after Boyes faked a shot and slid the puck to him alone at the side of the net.

Aucoin tallied his fourth of the season, swatting his own rebound past Brodeur after taking a nifty cross-ice pass from the point by defenseman Travis Hamonic.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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