With a three-goal third period uprising Friday night, the Islanders defeated the Senators, 5-2.
Travis Hamonic made a triumphant return to the lineup after a four-game absence scoring the go-ahead goal 2:58 into the third period. John Tavares played a game of keepaway with the puck, shifting side-to-side before dishing to Hamonic who beat Senators netminder Andrew Hammond with a blast from inside the blueline.
Tavares added a goal five minutes later, swatting in his own rebound shot. Hamonic drew the lone assist, the 100th of his career.
Kyle Okposo capped off the evening with a fluke goal. His shot to the net went in off Senators defenseman Jared Cowen’s back.
Fresh off a thrashing by the Devils the previous night, the Senators came out fighting. Mark Borowiecki and Matt Martin dropped the gloves 2:52 in. The game settled down once the fisticuffs ended.
Nick Leddy’s goal opened the scoring on the power play 3:49 into the first period. With Anders Lee providing a screen, Leddy’s point-shot found its way past Senators goaltender Andrew Hammond for his third goal the season. The defenseman’s marker came with Erik Karlsson in the box. Moments later Karlsson caught Leddy with a thundering hip check. Leddy was fortunate not to be injured on the play.
The Islanders earned three man-advantages in the opening 20 minutes, capitalizing once. Ottawa native Calvin de Haan came close to making it 2-0, but was denied by the left post.
Earlier, Tavares had a solid opportunity, but failed to convert a Mikhail Grabovski two-on-one pass by Hammond.
Martin tripped Senators forward Bobby Ryan off the second period puck drop. Ryan made it 1-1 with a wrist shot seconds after the penalty expired.
Karlsson gave the Senators a temporary 2-1 lead with a blast from the faceoff dot by Jaroslav Halak. Curtis Lazar made a nifty pass from behind the net to find the Senators’ leading point-getter.
However, the lead was short-lived. Nineteen seconds later, Cal Clutterbuck banged in a loose puck through a maze of players for his 10th on the
season.
Halak picked up the win stopping 28 shots. Hammond made 29 saves for the Senators.
Islanders’ leading goal-scorer Brock Nelson appeared in his 200th NHL game. The Islanders return home to face the Flyers Saturday evening at the Barclays Center, weather permitting.