Islanders 4, Wild 1
Blake Comeau scored twice and Kyle Okposo added a goal and an assist as the New York Islanders snapped a four-game slide with a 4-1 victory over the visiting Minnesota Wild on Wednesday.
Andrew MacDonald added a power-play goal and Frans Nielsen recorded three assists for the Islanders, who were coming off a crushing defeat on Tuesday when they allowed the tying goal in the final minute and lost in overtime at the Washington Capitals.
New York made sure this one did not come down to the final minute. The Islanders grabbed the early lead at the 10:31 mark in the first when Comeau scored on the power play. Okposo added his tally with 1:23 left in the period and Comeau struck again just 41 seconds into the second to give New York a three-goal cushion.
Then, things got ugly as New York enforcer Trevor Gillies drew a match penalty after he charged at Cal Clutterbuck and was promptly ejected from the contest.
Returning to the ice following a nine-game suspension, Gillies recorded a five-minute penalty for checking from behind and a 10-minute game misconduct for his action.
MacDonald’s one-timer from just inside the blue line made it 4-0 with just under four minutes left in the second.
The Wild ruined Al Montoya’s shutout bid midway through the third when John Madden scored but could not make up the deficit. Montoya finished with 34 saves for the Islanders.