By ,
Published May 02, 2016
Uniondale, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - John Tavares had four points and the New York Islanders scored three goals in the third period to double up the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-3 on Saturday for their fourth consecutive win.
Tavares, who leads the Islanders in points, hadn't scored in their previous three wins but found the net twice in the last 13 minutes against Columbus to seal the win.
Frans Nielsen scored the go-ahead goal earlier in the third, Josh Bailey had two goals and Ryan Strome also scored for the Metropolitan Division leaders. Bailey chipped in an assist for three points.
Jaroslav Halak made 34 saves and the Islanders extended their winning streak to 11 games over division opponents since a loss in Washington on Nov. 28, the day after Thanksgiving.
Brandon Dubinsky, Cam Atkinson and Nick Foligno scored for the Blue Jackets, who opened a five-game road trip.
Anton Forsberg faced 46 shots, stopping 40 while doing all he could to keep the Blue Jackets in the game. Eventually, the Islanders had their way.
"I don't think the third period was different than the first two other than our goaltender made some great saves in the first and second," said Columbus coach Todd Richards.
Thomas Hickey set up New York's go-ahead goal with a pass from the left side that bounced across the slot to Nielsen, who buried a one-timer 1:54 into the third period to make it 4-3.
Tavares scored his first goal 7:08 into the period, spinning around with the puck to beat Forsberg from the bottom of the right circle. He got his 26th of the season at 11:15, scoring through Forsberg's legs off Bailey's pass.
The Islanders' four-game winning streak has come against teams -- Buffalo, Edmonton, Toronto and Columbus -- that have an average of 44.5 points. The first-place Islanders have 75.
Still, New York coach Jack Capuano said no win comes easy.
"I think every night's a battle," he said. "(Columbus) is a team that gave Pittsburgh all it could handle (in the playoffs). ... For us it's just each period, each game, the focus, the commitment and the passion -- that's how we have to go about our business."
Bailey scored twice in the first 8:21 of the game, first on a loose puck in the slot 67 seconds in and then on a one-timer set up by Tavares, who skated back and forth behind the net before releasing the pass.
Dubinsky got the Blue Jackets on the board at 15:45 with a wrister from the left circle on a 2-on-1 and Atkinson slashed in from the right side to tie the score with 32 seconds left in the period.
Forsberg stopped Lubomir Visnovsky's slap shot, but Strome scored on the rebound to give the Islanders a 3-2 lead 7:02 into the second period.
Foligno tied the score in the final minute of the period, three seconds after a Columbus power play ran out.
Game Notes
Each team was 0-for-4 on the power play ... The Islanders also beat the Blue Jackets 5-2 in Columbus on Jan. 10. The teams will meet two more times this season, with both games scheduled for April ... The Islanders will wrap up a four-game homestand on Monday against the Rangers ... Columbus continues its road trip Tuesday in Philadelphia.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/isles-double-up-blue-jackets-6-3