Sim, Streit score 50 seconds apart against Danis, Islanders top Devils 4-2

Sim, Streit strike to lift Isles over Devils

UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Jon Sim and Mark Streit scored 50 seconds apart in the second period against New Jersey backup goalie Yann Danis, and the New York Islanders snapped a four-game losing streak with a 4-2 victory over the Devils on Saturday night.

With New Jersey playing for the third time in four nights and in the midst of four games in six, Devils coach Jacques Lemaire gave workhorse netminder Martin Brodeur the night off. He was helpless from his seat in the tunnel to the dressing room as the Islanders beat former teammate Danis.

The Devils were seeking their first three-game winning streak since a five-game run in December, but instead dropped to 2-11-1 in their past 14 road games.

Freddy Meyer got New York even at 1 late in the first. Sim struck with 8:01 left in the second, and Streit followed with a power-play goal that made it 3-1.

Dwayne Roloson shook off Devils defenseman Mike Mottau’s fluke goal 2:52 in and made 38 saves. Ilya Kovalchuk’s slap shot from above the right circle 1:41 into the third brought New Jersey within 3-2.

Sean Bergenheim scored a short-handed goal to restore the Islanders’ two-goal advantage with 8:27 left. Roloson held on for his 21st win, keeping the Devils at bay during a lengthy 5-on-3 power play in the third.

The Devils might have gotten caught in a trap against the free-falling Islanders, who had gone 4-13-1 in their previous 18 games to slip to 14th in the Eastern Conference.

Brodeur rested after he topped Pittsburgh on Friday night to bring the Devils within two points of the Atlantic Division-leading Penguins. New Jersey will face playoff-hopeful Boston at home on Monday and host the Penguins again Wednesday.

This one was played while a strong rain and wind storm battered the Northeast. Three pieces of the aluminum facade — including one 12-by-18 feet — that surrounds aging Nassau Coliseum flew off the building about 90 minutes before the game. No one was injured, but the main box office exit was closed.

Danis finished with 25 saves in his 10th outing. He hadn’t played since relieving Brodeur on Feb. 13 during New Jersey’s loss at Carolina.

Roloson appeared to be the shaky one when Mottau flipped a puck from the right point that dipped during flight and eluded Roloson on New Jersey’s first shot. It was Mottau’s second goal this season, both scored against New York.

The Devils jumped out to an 11-1 edge in shots, but that run was stopped when Meyer scored his third of the season off a rebound of Tim Jackman’s shot with 2:37 left in the first. New York recorded 10 straight shots and finished the period behind 12-11.

The Islanders continued to control play in the second and were rewarded.

Richard Park had the puck knocked off his stick, but it bounced right back to Sim. He quickly let go a drive that sneaked inside the right post for his 10th goal.

Just 41 seconds later, Kovalchuk was sent off for high-sticking. Streit needed only 9 seconds of that advantage to make the Devils pay. Streit took a cross-zone pass from Frans Nielsen and ripped a slap shot past Danis to match Sim with 10 goals.

That prompted chants of “We Want Marty” from a group of young Devils fans.

NOTES: Islanders 39-year-old captain Doug Weight will have season-ending shoulder surgery. … Danis, who spent last season with New York, has three wins with the Devils including one over New York on Nov. 6. … New Jersey leads the season series 3-2. … Kovalchuk, who had a goal and two assists against Pittsburgh on Friday, has five goals and seven assists in 12 games since being acquired from Atlanta on Feb. 4. … Mottau had gone 41 games since scoring on Nov. 28.