Islanders 3, Lightning 2
TAMPA, Fla. -- John Tavares had the game-winning goal on a power play with 3:36 remaining in regulation to give the New York Islanders a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday.
Tavares' 11th goal of the season came after Lightning winger Erik Condra was sent off on a hooking call. With the Islanders putting a lot of traffic in front of Lightning goaltender Ben Bishop, it was Tavares that poked a rebound off a shot from center Frans Nielsen past Bishop.
The Islanders (12-8-4) trailed 2-0 early in the second period after Lightning forward Alex Killorn and defenseman Anton Stralman scored.
Tampa Bay (11-11-3) took a 1-0 lead at 16:20 in the first period on Killorn's fourth goal of the season. Stralman took a slap shot from the point that Islanders goalie Thomas Greiss stopped with his pad but the puck went into the air and Killorn poked it in on the fly while center Steven Stamkos provided a screen.
Stralman made it 2-0 at 1:39 in the second period when he scored a goal in the slot off an excellent backhanded pass from Stamkos in front of the net.
The Islanders trimmed the deficit to 2-1 on Josh Bailey's fifth goal at 3:51 in the second period. Bailey sent a hard wrist shot past Bishop to complete a two-on-one rush with Brock Nelson.
Islanders right wing Cal Clutterbuck tied the game at 16:51 of the second when he poked a loose puck past Bishop after Lightning defenseman Braydon Coburn had the puck bounce off his stick in the defensive zone to give Clutterbuck the unexpected opportunity.
Greiss had 29 saves, including a stop on a penalty shot from Stamkos in the second period. Bishop finished with 19 saves for the Lightning.
NOTES: Lightning C Tyler Johnson was ruled out Saturday after leaving Friday's game against the Washington Capitals early in the first period with an undisclosed injury. Tampa Bay was also without Fs Ondrej Palat, Jonathan Drouin and Cedric Paquette. ... Islanders D Thomas Hickey returned the lineup after being sidelined with a leg injury since Oct. 24. ... The Lightning recalled LW Mike Angelidis from Syracuse of the American Hockey League. ... The Islanders recalled G Jean Francois Berube from a conditioning stint in Bridgeport to put him on the injured reserve with a lower-body injury.