{allcanada} Hickey's OT goal helps Isles stay strong at home vs Flames

 

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NEW YORK (AP) Thomas Hickey scored 1:53 into overtime, helping the New York Islanders again find their footing at home with a 2-1 win over the Calgary Flames on Monday night.

With the Flames caught in an awkward change after Michael Frolik broke his stick, captain John Tavares wheeled around the zone and then backhanded one that Hickey tipped past Brian Elliott.

Tavares also scored in the first period.

Thomas Greiss stopped 25 shots for the Islanders, standing tall during a barrage late in the second period before allowing Sean Monahan's tying goal 5:51 into the third.

New York rebounded from a wild, frustrating three-game trip to the West Coast. They beat Anaheim in a 14-round shootout but then lost twice on goals in the final 3 minutes of regulation against Los Angeles and San Jose.

Last-place New York is just 1-6-1 on the road but remains respectable in Brooklyn, improving to 6-4-3 at Barclays Center.

Elliott made 25 saves and lost his seventh straight start. He was acquired from St. Louis over the summer to be Calgary's primary goalie but had sat three straight games in favor of journeyman Chad Johnson.

Calgary finished a six-game, nine-day trip 3-2-1. The Flames fought fatigue in a 5-2 loss to the Flyers on Sunday and didn't show much life early in this one.

Both teams flailed through a mostly dull first period, each getting one shot on goal in the first 5 minutes, and Calgary finished with just four in the first 20 minutes.

Josh Bailey and Tavares teamed up for a 1-0 lead 7:28 in. Bailey rushed into the middle of the zone, turned left in the high slot, and then delivered a no-look, backhand pass for Tavares, who shot over Elliott's shoulder from the right side for his sixth of the season.

The goal started a strong stretch by New York, and the Islanders had a few near misses later in the first, including a shot off the post from Cal Clutterbuck with about six minutes left.

Calgary made a push in the second period but got stalled by solid goaltending. Greiss gloved Michael Ferland's shot on a rush and got his pad on a chance by Sam Bennett around the midpoint of the period. Later, he stopped Matt Stajan on a breakaway and Alex Chiasson on a heavy one-timer about 15 seconds apart.

The Islanders have won five straight over the Flames and improved to 17-1-3 against Western Conference foes at Barclays Center.

NOTES: The Flames had scored two goals or fewer in 12 of their past 15 games. ... Flames F Johnny Gaudreau missed his eighth straight game with a broken finger. Calgary was also without Ladislav Smid (neck) and Lance Bouma (shoulder). ... The Islanders made Ryan Strome and Scott Mayfield healthy scratches and also sat Ryan Pulock (lower-body injury) and Dennis Seidenberg (upper-body injury).

UP NEXT

Flames: Host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night to begin a three-game homestand.

Islanders: Host the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday for the second time in two weeks. Pittsburgh won the first matchup 3-2 in overtime.

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