Tavares, Islanders overcome Parise, Wild
NEW YORK -- John Tavares scored twice and the New York Islanders overcame 10 shots on goal by Zach Parise in a 6-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild Sunday night.
Defensemen Calvin de Haan and Johnny Boychuk also scored for the Islanders, who won three of their first four home games and took the lead in a span of 3:08 during the second period.
Alan Quine and Thomas Hickey added insurance in the opening half of the third period for the Islanders, whose previous four games had finished with a 3-2 final score.
Tavares added an empty-net goal with less than two minutes remaining.
Parise became the 18th active player to score 300 career goals early in the second period. He also was credited with a second goal for Minnesota following an official's review.
Parise has 20 goals and 44 career points in 48 games against the Islanders, who are familiar with him from his time with the New Jersey Devils.
Nino Niederreiter scored late in the third for Minnesota.
Thomas Greiss made 26 saves in his first home appearances since last year's postseason.
Darcy Kuemper tied a career-worst by allowing five goals for the fourth time.
Parise reached his milestone 75 seconds into the second period.
As the Wild quickly advanced into the offensive zone, Mikael Granlund made a quick cross-ice pass while being slightly covered by two defenders. Parise kept pace and released a quick wrist shot from the left faceoff circle through Greiss' pads.
The Islanders struck twice in a span of 34 seconds after Parise scored.
Tavares tied it with 15:37 left when he fired an uncontested wrist shot from the low slot over Kuemper. Before Taveres' goal could be announced, De Haan sent a low rising shot from the left faceoff circle through traffic and past Kuemper's stick side.
New York extended the lead to 3-1 with 12:26 remaining in the second when Boychuk scored off a faceoff. Moments after Ryan Strome won the draw from Joel Eriksson, Boychuck gained possession and lifted a slap shot over Kuemper's glove.
Minnesota made it a one-goal game with 7:25 remaining when Parise jammed a loose puck past the goal line. Smothered by Islanders defenseman Dennis Seidenberg, Parise's shot crossed the line before Griess could get his pad on it and he was credited with the goal following a review.
NOTES: New York D Nick Leddy returned to the lineup and was reunited with Travis Harmonic. Leddy missed Friday's win against the Arizona Coyotes with a lower body injury, and it was the first game he missed since March 2015. ... Minnesota C Erik Haula (lower body) and D Jared Spurgeon (upper body) each missed their second consecutive game. ... The Islanders announced LW Eric Boulton cleared waivers and was assigned to Bridgeport of the AHL. Boulton has not played this season and was placed on waivers Saturday. ... Since the Islanders are carrying three goaltenders, Jaroslav Halak was scratched while J.F. Berube was the backup.