Islanders 5, Avalanche 3
NEW YORK -- Right winger Cal Clutterbuck scored the tie-breaking goal 1:52 into the third period Monday and center Casey Cizikas added an unassisted goal less than seven minutes later as the New York Islanders beat the Colorado Avalanche 5-3 at Barclays Center.
Clutterbuck scored seconds after Cizikas won a faceoff in front of the Avalanche net. The puck found its way to defenseman Thomas Hickey, whose shot was redirected by Clutterbuck.
Left winger Matt Martin forced the turnover that resulted in Cizikas' insurance goal. Defenseman Zach Redmond was trying to get to the puck deep in the Avalanche zone and clear it, but Martin hit him as Redmond fired the puck and Cizikas picked it off and fired a shot past Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov at the 8:16 mark.
Right winger Kyle Okposo scored in the first, center Mikhail Grabovski scored in the second and center Ryan Strome added an empty netter with 47.9 seconds left for the Islanders (13-8-4), who began a three-game homestand by winning for the third time in four games (3-0-1).
Goalie Thomas Greiss made 24 saves as the Islanders moved into sole possession of third place in the Metropolitan Division, two points ahead of the idle Pittsburgh Penguins.
Left winger Blake Comeau, right winger Jarome Iginla and defenseman Nick Holden scored for the Avalanche (9-14-1), which has lost five of seven (2-5-0). Holden was credited with the goal that pulled Colorado within 4-3 with 3:34 left when his pass into the goalmouth bounced off Islanders defenseman Calvin de Haan and fluttered into the New York net.
Varlamov recorded 21 saves for the Avalanche, which began a four-game road trip Monday that will end a 13-game stretch in which it played just two home games.
NOTES: The Islanders scratched RW Steve Bernier and D Brian Strait. ... Islanders LW Josh Bailey played in his 500th NHL game. ... Islanders G Thomas Greiss started a second consecutive game for the third time this season. He has started four of the past six games overall. ... The Avalanche scratched C John Mitchell, who has missed 11 of the past 13 games due to an oblique injury, as well as D Nate Guenin. ... Avalanche C Matt Duchene started despite missing the morning skate due to illness. ... The Avalanche entered Monday with 19 points in 23 games, the franchise's fewest through 23 games since the Quebec Nordiques had 12 points (5-10-2) in 1991-92.