Uniondale, NY (SportsNetwork.com) – Jaroslav Halak posted 34 saves, and the
New York Islanders grabbed a 3-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.
Casey Cizikas had a goal and an assist while Cal Clutterbuck and Nikolay
Kulemin each scored a goal for the Islanders, who have won six of their last
seven.
Damien Brunner had the only goal of the game for the Devils, who have lost
four straight and six of seven. Cory Schneider allowed two goals on 27 shots
in the loss.
The Islanders grabbed a 1-0 lead with 7:20 to play in the first as Kyle
Okposo’s slap shot from the right point got behind Schneider and sat on the
goal line where Kulemin swept it in for his fifth of the year.
New Jersey tied the game less than two minutes later as Adam Larsson threw a
shot on net from the right point, and it was deflected in by Brunner for his
second of the season.
Just 3:32 into the second, New York went on top as Calvin de Haan’s blast from
the high slot was tipped in by Clutterbuck in front of the net.
Halak stopped 16 shots in the third period to preserve the lead, including
several saves during a New Jersey power play late in the game that saw the
team skating 6-on-4 after pulling Schneider.
Cizikas sealed the victory with an empty-netter in the final seconds of the
contest.
Game Notes
New Jersey plays in Pittsburgh on Tuesday … The Islanders host the Senators
for the start of a home-and-home on Tuesday … New York won three of the five
games with New Jersey last season … Both teams were 0-for-4 on the power
play.
