Islanders 4, Jets 2
NEW YORK - Center John Tavares had a goal and two assists as the New York Islanders earned their first regular-season win in Brooklyn by defeating the Winnipeg Jets 4-2 on Monday afternoon.
Goaltender Thomas Greiss earned his first win an Islander by stopping 22 shots.
Right winger Ryan Strome and left wingers Brock Nelson and Josh Bailey also scored for the Islanders, who improved to 1-1-1 this season.
Jets goaltender Ondrej Pavelec did everything he could to keep his team close, turning aside 40 shots while his team was dominated territorially most of the contest. He denied Tavares on a penalty shot with 2:15 remaining in the third period to keep the score 3-2.
Center Mark Scheifele notched his third goal and defenseman Dustin Byfuglien scored for the Jets, who fell to 2-1-0.
Strome opened the scoring with 11.8 seconds remaining in the first period. With the Islanders on their fourth power play of the period, right winger Kyle Okposo fired a shot from the high slot that went wide. The puck bounced off the end boards and right to Strome, who deposited his first of the season into a gaping net.
Nelson increased the lead to 2-0 at 6:46 of the second period by converting a 3-on-1 rush with a quick shot that beat Pavelec to the stick side.
Nearly four minutes later, Tavares scored the Islanders' second power-play goal of the game by collecting the rebound of a shot by defenseman Marek Zidlicky and snapping it past Pavelec to make it 3-0.
The Jets were shorthanded six times during the first two periods and were whistled for eight minor penalties.
Scheifele got the Jets on the board with 4:19 remaining in the second period. He found himself alone in the slot after an offensive-zone face-off and whipped a shot past Greiss' blocker to trim the lead to 3-1.
Byfuglien made the final 8:08 of regulation interesting with a third-period power-play goal. He fired a shot from the point that deflected off the stick of Islanders defenseman Johnny Boychuk and beyond a screened Greiss to make it 3-2.
Bailey's empty-net goal with 18.1 seconds remaining sealed the Islanders win.
NOTES: Islanders G Jaroslav Halak (upper body) and D Thomas Hickey (upper body) did not play. Neither player has appeared in a game this season. Coach Jack Capuano said Halak is day-to-day. ... Islanders RW Steve Bernier and D Ryan Pulock were healthy scratches. ... Jets D Grant Clitsome (back) missed his third straight game and has yet to make his season debut. ... Jets D Paul Postma, D Adam Pardy and RW Anthony Peluso were healthy scratches. ... The Jets will conclude their four-game trip Tuesday night against the New York Rangers.