Lee, Beauvillier fuel Islanders past Devils
NEW YORK -- Clinging to the fringes of playoff contention, the New York Islanders played desperately Friday night at Barclays Center and secured two crucial points with a 2-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils.
The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Islanders (36-29-12), and moved them within four points of the idle Boston Bruins for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with five games to play.
Anders Lee and Anthony Beauvillier each scored a goal for the Islanders, and Jaroslav Halak made 26 saves. Halak lost his shutout bid on Adam Henrique's power-play goal with 8:37 remaining in regulation.
Five minutes after Henrique's goal, the Islanders got worse news when team captain John Tavares was helped off the ice at 16:46 while clutching his left hamstring area.
It was the fifth straight loss for the Devils (27-36-14), who have won just twice since Feb. 19.
The Islanders started quickly Friday, one night after surrendering five first-period goals in a 6-3 road loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.
Just 5:44 into play, Lee converted a rebound on a power play for his team-leading 29th goal of the season.
The Islanders, who have the 26th-ranked power play overall and 28th on home ice, had four more opportunities in the first period, including a pair of two-man advantages, but failed to convert. They did not score on two more power plays early in the second period either, and were just 1-for-10 in the game.
However, the Islanders limited New Jersey's chances at even strength. When called upon, Halak was very sharp, making clutch saves on a pair of second-period open looks for the Devils' Stefan Noesen and John Moore.
Beauvillier finally doubled New York's lead by wiring a right-wing shot past Devils goalie Keith Kinkaid at 17:54 of the second.
NOTES: The Islanders were without D Travis Hamonic and C Casey Cizikas due to unspecified injuries suffered in Thursday's loss to the Flyers. Before the game, Islanders coach Doug Weight said it is unlikely either Hamonic or Cizikas will play again this season. ... The Islanders also scratched C Ryan Strome (upper body), LW Nikolay Kulemin (upper body), G J.F. Berube, and D Scott Mayfield. ... Devils D Michael Kapla made his NHL debut and LW Michael Cammalleri returned to the lineup after a 13-game absence due to an upper body injury. ... Earlier in the day the Devils assigned LW Blake Pietila to Albany of the American Hockey League. ... The Devils scratched C Jacob Josefson (upper body), RW Devante Smith-Pelly (lower body), D Jon Merrill, and D Dalton Prout.