Sports

Barzal's Go-Ahead Goal Gives Islanders Win Over Flyers

April 3, 2018 / 10:47 PM EDT / CBS New York

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NEW YORK (AP) — Mathew Barzal had two goals and an assist, including the go-ahead score after New York gave up a three-goal lead in the third period, and the Islanders beat the playoff-chasing Philadelphia Flyers 5-4 on Tuesday night.

John Tavares also scored twice and Anthony Beauvillier added a goal and two assists to help the Islanders get their third win in eight games, but just the fourth in their past 20 (4-12-4). Thomas Greiss stopped 27 shots.

Nolan Patrick had two goals and an assist, Claude Giroux added a goal and an assist, and Wayne Simonds also scored for Philadelphia, which squandered a chance to move closer to clinching a playoff spot. Petr Mrazek finished with 32 saves while falling to 6-6-3 in 15 games since being acquired from Detroit.

The Islanders appeared to take control with a three-goal second period to take a 4-1 lead, but the Flyers — who were 5-0-3 in their previous eight — tied it with three goals in a nine-minute stretch of the third.

Barzal then regained the lead for New York just 28 seconds after Giroux tied it, as he was streaking to the net, got a pass from Beauvillier and beat Mrazek for the rookie's 22nd of the season with 6:28 left.

Patrick started the Flyers' rally in the third as he deflected Shayne Gostisbehere's point shot in at 4:07 to make it 4-2. Giroux's assist on the play extended his points streak to eight games.

Beauvillier nearly restored the Islanders' three-goal lead 2½ minutes later but his shot hit a goalpost.

However, Patrick got Philadelphia to 4-3 as he knocked in a loose puck in front at 8:16 for his 13th and the rookie's first multi-goal game.

Giroux then tied it with 6:56 left as he beat Greiss top-shelf on the glove side for his 30th.

The Islanders went ahead with three goals while outshooting the Flyers 17-5 in the second.

Beauvillier gave New York a 2-1 lead as he got the puck by the right circle, skated across the slot and fired it past Mrazek on the blocker side for his 20th at 3:43. It gave the second-year forward a goal for the fourth straight game and sixth of his past seven.

Tavares put the Islanders up two with his second of the game with just under nine minutes left in the middle period. He took a pass from Josh Bailey in the left circle, skated in on Mrazek, and put the rebound of his initial shot over the falling goalie's glove for his 36th.

Barzal made it 4-1 as he got the puck on the right side by the boards, skated into the right circle and beat Mrazek for the rookie's 21st with 3:33 left in the period.

Tavares got the Islanders on the scoreboard 7:15 into the game, just 10 seconds into a tripping penalty on the Flyers' Sean Couturier. Off a faceoff in the offensive zone, Barzal sent a pass back to Tavares in the left circle and he put the puck through Mrazek's legs at 7:15.

Simmonds tied it with 53 seconds left in the opening period as got a backhand pass from Patrick and beat Greiss on the glove side for his 24th.

NOTES: Tavares has six goals and 13 points in his past 15 games. He is two goals away from his career high of 38 set in 2014-15. ... Barzal's assist on Tavares' goal was his 60th, moving him two away from Sergei Makarov (62 for Calgary in 1989-90) for third by a rookie since the 1983-84 season. Joe Juneau leads that list with 70 for Boston in 1992-93, followed by Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby with 63 in 2005-06. Barzal is also three away from tying Bryan Trottier for the Islanders' rookie mark set in 1975-76. ... Bailey, back after missing two games with an upper body injury, played in his 713th game, moving past Pat Flatley into sole possession for seventh place on the franchise list. ... The Islanders won three of four in the season series, including two overtime victories in a home-and-home around Thanksgiving. ... Giroux has four goals and 10 assists during his scoring streak. He also has 49 points (17 goals and 32 assists) — his most against any team — in 45 games against the Islanders. ... Simmonds' goal was his first since he scored twice against Washington on March 18. He had two assists in six games since.

UP NEXT

Flyers: Host Carolina on Thursday night, and the New York Rangers on Saturday to close the regular season.

Islanders: Host the Rangers on Thursday night before closing season at Detroit on Saturday night.