Islanders vs. Devils Recap: John Tavares Shines Late

Jan 9, 2015; Newark, NJ, USA; New York Islanders center

(91) and New Jersey Devils left wing

(23) battle for the puck during the first period at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

Islanders vs. Devils Recap

The New York Islanders were able to win their 27th game of the season with a come-from-behind win against the New Jersey Devils. The Islanders win moves them into first place in the Metropolitan Division ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Here are a few takeaways from a very entertaining game at ‘The Rock’

– Slow First Period

With the Devils coming off a loss to the Bruins on Thursday night, and the Islanders returning from a Canadian road-trip, both teams certainly looked like tired teams in the first period of the game. The Islanders definitely won the first period outshooting the Devils 7-2, but they didn’t get anything past Devils’ goalie Keith Kinkaid. The Islanders did have a power play in the period, but there was not a great scoring opportunity for them on the PP.

– Penalties Galore

In the second period there was a lot more action than in the first period, and a lot of that action was caused by penalties. The first penalty of the period was on the Islanders’ Travis Hamonic for tripping on Jaromir Jagr. The Islanders would kill that penalty, and then the fun would begin.

Matt Martin with his team trailing by one-goal would square off with the Devils’ Mark Fraser in a fight, which landed both players in the penalty box for five minutes. One minute and eight seconds later the Islanders would go on the PP after an Adam Larsson high-sticking penalty on Ryan Strome. The Islanders’ PP would be short-lived however, as John Tavares would head to the box with a tripping penalty.

After some 4 on 4 action, the Islanders would briefly get back the advantage with a 4 on 3 after a Jagr penalty. Despite all of the penalties, no goals were scored during this time.

– Islanders Come Alive Late

After two scoreless periods for the Islanders, and trailing in the third period to the Devils after the first period goal by Travis Zajac, things would pick up for the Islanders. New York would strike quick in the period, as Josh Bailey would score just over one minute into the period on a redirect from Calvin de Haan.

With the game tied, Jaroslav Halak would make a costly error behind the net mishandling a puck similar to what he did against the Edmonton Oilers, and the result was the same, as Scott Gomez was able to put the puck in the empty net giving the Devils a 2-1 lead.

The Islanders would respond however, as John Tavares was able to score his 18^th goal of the season after shooting the puck off of Kinkaid into the net. Both teams would go scoreless for the rest of the period sending the game into overtime.

– Captain Clutch

After tying the game in the third period, the Islanders’ captain would win the game for his team, as Tavares stole the puck in New Jersey territory, and then finish the play by putting one past Kinkaid for the win in OT.