Islanders get 3 goals from defensemen, snap 7-game skid with win over Predators

Islanders snap skid with SO win over Predators

UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Mark Streit scored the tying goal in the closing seconds of regulation, and Frans Nielsen and John Tavares connected in the shootout to help the New York Islanders snap a seven-game losing streak with a 4-3 victory over the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night.

Streit rescued a point for the Islanders with a rare power-play goal, scored with only 11.4 seconds left in regulation. New York, which hadn’t scored during a man advantage the previous five games, connected twice in six chances against Nashville.

Martin Biron made the most of his first NHL game in over a month by making 24 saves through overtime and three more in the shootout. Only Martin Erat got a puck past him during the tiebreaker.

The Islanders put constant pressure on the Predators in the closing minutes of regulation, and gained a 6-on-4 skating advantage when Erat was called for boarding after New York pulled third-stringer Biron. Streit scored from the edge of the right circle.

New York hadn’t earned a standings point since a shootout win against Florida on Jan. 21.

Steve Sullivan’s power-play goal early in the third had given Nashville a 3-2 lead.

After New York killed off the first half of a brief two-man advantage, Sullivan took a cross-zone pass from Erat — who had faked a shot — and whistled a one-timer from the left circle at 4:12 to make it 3-2.

Nashville dropped its fifth straight on the road at the start of a four-game trip that will take the Predators into the Olympic break.

Cal O’Reilly and Joel Ward scored in the second period, and Pekka Rinne made 29 saves for the Predators, 2-1-2 following a five-game losing streak.

Biron was good enough in his first Islanders appearance since Dec. 27. Rick DiPietro served as the backup, and Dwayne Roloson was scratched. New York was scheduled to play at Pittsburgh on Wednesday night, provided the team could navigate a snowstorm at home and in Pennsylvania.

Defensemen Freddy Meyer and Bruno Gervais also had goals for the Islanders, outscored 30-12 the past eight games.

New York forged a 2-2 tie before the second period ended by converting on a long 5-on-3 power play. The Islanders, who own the NHL’s worst home power-play percentage, cashed in on the second half when Gervais took a pass from Matt Martin and scored with 56.3 seconds left in the period.

Martin, recalled from Bridgeport of the AHL on Monday, earned assists on New York’s final two goals in his first NHL game. Gervais’ goal snapped the Islanders’ 0 for 24 power-play drought. They have 16 man-advantage goals at home in 106 chances.

After recording only three shots in the first period, the Islanders took a 1-0 lead 5:10 into the second on Meyer’s second of the season.

Nashville appeared to tie it about 3 minutes later when Patric Hornqvist put in a rebound of captain Jason Arnott’s shot. Biron immediately complained to the officials, swinging his leg in the air to indicate that Hornqvist kicked in the puck. Following a brief video review, referee Frederick L’Ecuyer waved off the goal.

Biron’s good fortune didn’t last long.

J.P. Dumont’s hard shot bounced in the air off the goalie and landed in front. Islanders forward Frans Nielsen tried to clear the puck, but instead swept it onto O’Reilly’s stick for the center’s first of the season and fourth in 20 NHL games.

The Predators needed only 2:16 to go ahead 2-1. Jerred Smithson took advantage of a poor Islanders line change and hit Joel Ward with a pass at center ice that sent him in alone on Biron. Defenseman Andy Sutton chased in vain as Ward scored his 12th.

Sutton let out his frustration with a two-handed chop of his stick across the top of the crossbar, leaving just the broken shaft in his hands. He then flung it against the right-wing boards, narrowly missing an official.

NOTES: Sullivan has eight goals and 11 assists in 16 games vs. New York. … The Islanders entered with the NHL’s second-worst power-play unit. … The Predators are 4-1-1 on Long Island. … Tavares, the No. 1 pick in last year’s draft, has two goals and five assists the past 28 games.