Music: {allcanada} Tavares' OT goal lifts Islanders past Maple Leafs

Monday, March 9, 2015

{allcanada} Tavares' OT goal lifts Islanders past Maple Leafs

TORONTO -- New York Islanders captain John Tavares scored with 21.8 seconds remaining in overtime in a 4-3 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre on Monday.

Tyler Kennedy, Frans Nielsen and Casey Cizikas scored in the third period for the Islanders (43-21-4), who rallied from a 3-1 deficit. Michal Neuvirth made 22 saves for his first win with the Islanders.

David Booth, Peter Holland and James van Riemsdyk scored for the Maple Leafs (26-35-6). Jonathan Bernier made 39 saves.

The Maple Leafs took a 1-0 lead at 18:23 on a fine play by Booth. The speedy veteran muscled his way past Nick Leddy and Ryan Strome, cut to the net and beat Neuvirth with a hard backhand shot to the top corner on the far side of the goal. It was Booth's fourth goal of the season and third in as many games.

Holland made it 2-0 when he collected Richard Panik's rebound and tapped home his 11th goal of the season at 10:27. The goal extended Holland's point streak to four games.

Kennedy, playing in his first game for the Islanders since being acquired from the San Jose Sharks at the NHL Trade Deadline, got his new team on the board at 1:32 of the third period when he took a pass from Tavares and connected on a wrist shot to the short side from a sharp angle. It was Kennedy's fifth goal of the season.

Van Riemsdyk restored Toronto's two-goal lead five minutes later when he broke into the Islanders zone on the left side and sent shot from 30 feet past Neuvirth for his 23rd goal of the season. It was his second goal in 18 games.

Nielsen made it 3-2 at 9:58 with a tap-in from the side of the net 29 seconds after Booth was penalized for holding. Thirty seconds later, Cizikas tied it when he redirected Travis Hamonic's shot past Bernier for his seventh goal of the season.

Islanders defenseman Nick Leddy collided with Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly in the second period and did not return.

The Islanders will host the New York Rangers on Tuesday. The Maple Leafs play the Buffalo Sabres at Air Canada Centre on Wednesday.