Islanders Down Devils In Shootout

NEW YORK (AP) — Brock Nelson scored the only goal in the shootout to lift the New York Islanders over the New Jersey Devils 5-4 on Sunday.

The victory snapped a five-game losing streak for the Islanders, who trailed 4-2 early in the third period.

Nelson beat Devils netminder Cory Schneider in the fifth round of the shootout.

Jaroslav Halak made 42 saves for the Islanders.

The Devils lost their fifth straight before both teams start a league-mandated five-day break.

Cal Clutterbuck and rookie Sebastian Aho tied the game with third-period goals after Miles Wood and Taylor Hall had given the Devils a 4-2 lead early in the period.

Clutterbuck's tying goal came at 15:43 after Aho narrowed the deficit to 4-3 with his first career goal at 7:58. Aho's power-play score was assisted by John Tavares and Mathew Barzal, who leads all rookies with 26 assists.

Wood's 11th goal this season came at 2:41 of the third and snapped a 2-2 tie.

Hall made it 4-2 for the visitors at 3:18 with his 15th goal, after which Halak smashed his stick over the crossbar in frustration.

Travis Zajac's fifth goal of the season and second of the game at 16:25 of the second came while the Devils were short-handed and tied the game at 2. It was the ninth short-handed goal allowed by the Islanders this season.

Anthony Beauvillier put the Islanders ahead 2-1 with his fifth of the season at 10:44 of the second after Zajac scored his first of the game at 4:43 of the middle period.

The Devils had a 15-1 shots advantage six minutes into the game — and outshot the home team 21-10 overall in the first — but it was the Islanders who scored first when Anders Lee knocked a rebound past Schneider for his 25th goal at 15:28.

The Islanders were without injured forwards Josh Bailey and Andrew Ladd, both of whom were hurt during Friday's 4-0 home loss to Pittsburgh. It was first missed game this season for both players.

They also continued to miss key defensemen Johnny Boychuk and Calvin de Haan. Boychuk has been out for the past six games while de Haan hasn't played since suffering a shoulder injury in an overtime win over Los Angeles on Dec. 16.

Alan Quine took Bailey's place on right wing the team's top line with Tavares at center and Lee on the left.

Bailey with Tavares and Lee combined for 57 points in December, making the trio the highest scoring line in the league.

NOTES: The Devils are 11-2-8 in one-goal games. ... The teams meet again at Barclays Center on Jan. 16, then in Newark on Feb. 24 and March 31. ... The Devils played with 11 forwards and seven defensemen, scratching forwards Drew Stafford, Jimmy Hayes and Stefan Noesen. ... The Islanders scratched defenseman Dennis Seidenberg.

UP NEXT

Devils: Next Saturday at home against Philadelphia.

Islanders: Next Saturday afternoon at Rangers.

(Copyright 2017 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)