Isles open trip with win in Detroit
DETROIT -- Josh Bailey collected a goal and an assist as the New York Islanders opened a season-long nine-game road trip with a solid 3-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday.
Bailey opened the scoring and set up a third-period insurance goal. Leaping to keep a Detroit clearing attempt in the zone with his outstretched glove, Bailey carried the puck into the zone before feeding John Tavares, who snapped the puck top shelf from the slot for his 22nd goal of the season.
The victory was just the eighth road win all season by the Islanders and it brought a halt to Detroit's two-game winning streak.
Islanders forward Josh Bailey opened the scoring with an unassisted gift at the 15-minute mark of the first period. Detroit goaltender Petr Mrazek stopped a rim around attempt behind his net but Bailey intercepted Mrazek's clearing attempt and whipped it into the vacated Detroit net before Mrazek could return to his position.
Detroit tied it with a buzzer beater on the power play. With 3.2 seconds left in the first period and the Red Wings on the power play, Frans Nielsen won the draw to Thomas Vanek, who zipped a cross-ice pass to Henrik Zetterberg. Zetterberg's quick wrist shot found the net behind Islanders goalie Thomas Greiss with 0.1 seconds to play.
The Islanders reclaimed the lead on a power play at 10:46 of the second period on another bizarre goal. Calvin De Haan's point shot hit Mrazek in the chest, bounced off the face of Detroit defenseman Xavier Ouellet and off Mrazek's left leg and into the net.
NOTES: Detroit D Mike Green returned to the lineup after a two-game absence because of illness. ... Detroit F Gus Nyquist sat out the third contest of his six-game NHL suspension for a high-sticking infraction. ... This game began a season-long nine-game road trip for the Islanders. ... Since Nov. 23, only Montreal's Max Pacioretty (24) and Toronto's Auston Matthews (23) scored more goals than Islanders F Anders Lee (22). ... Islanders F Cal Clutterbuck returned to the lineup after missing nine games with a lower-body injury. ... Detroit scratches were F Tomas Jurco and D Ryan Sproul. G Jimmy Howard (knee) and D Jonathan Ericsson (wrist) are on injured reserve. ... Islanders scratches were F Shane Prince (upper body), F Stephen Gionta and D Adam Pelech. D Travis Hamonic (lower-body) is on injured reserve.