Anthony Beauvillier scored the game-winner, but Jaroslav Halak was the story in the Islanders 2-1 win over the New York Rangers in Bridgeport. 

Halak stopped 34-of-35 shots in the win, playing his first full game of the preseason. It was his first win of the exhibition schedule and helped the Islanders improve to 3-0-2 in preseason play. 

"Jaro was great," Head Coach Doug Weight said. "He made the big saves, but you don't just look at the score, but his body language, energetic, athletic, aggressive. He was good."

The New York Islanders and Kieffer Bellows have agreed to terms on a three-year, entry-level contract.

Selected in the first round, 19th overall, of the 2016 National Hockey League Draft, Bellows scored 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in 34 games during his freshman season at Boston University last year. The 6'0, 201-pound forward will play the 2017-18 season for the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League. 

Scott Mayfield had the best hair on the team. 

It was long, blonde and in a helmetless era, it would have flown in the wind as he skated down the ice and made for a magnificent hockey card. Even in a helmet, it looked pretty good.

Mayfield got some good years out of his long hair, but decided that it was time for someone else to enjoy it. On Thursday he got it cut and is donating it to Wigs 4 Kids, an organization that creates wigs and offers support to kids who have lost their hair due to cancer and other ailments. Learn more about Wigs4Kids.

Kieffer Bellows, Arnaud Durandeau and David Quenneville were returned to their junior clubs on Friday. 

Bellows, the Islanders' 2016 first-round pick, will report to the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League, his first season with the junior club. Bellows played at Boston University last season before transferring to the Canadian junior league. This was Bellows' first training camp with the Islanders. 

NEW YORK ISLANDERS VS NEW YORK RANGERS

7:30 P.M., WEBSTER BANK ARENA, BRIDGEPORT CT

TV: MSG+

RADIO: MIXLR.COM/BRIDGEPORT-SOUND-TIGERS

The New York Islanders went 1-0-1 in split-squad action on Wednesday night, skating to a 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers at Barclays Center, while dropping a 3-2 OT decision at PPL Center in Allentown, PA. 

Andrew Ladd's power-play goal held up as the game-winner in Brooklyn, tapping in a Jordan Eberle rebound with 2:50 to play. That made it 3-1 and while T.J. Brennan cut the deficit with 1:06 to play, the Islanders held on for the win. 

Devon Toews and Johnny Boychuk also scored for the Islanders, while Travis Konecny rounded out the scoresheet in Brooklyn. 

Anders Lee forced overtime in the final 24 seconds of regulation in Wednesday's split-squad exhibition game in Allentown, Penn., but the New York Islanders fell to the Philadelphia Flyers, 3-2, at PPL Center. 

Mathew Barzal also found the back of the net for the second time this preseason, scoring a power-play goal less than two minutes into the first period. On the flip side, Shayne Gostisbehere logged the game-winner 53 seconds into the extra session. 

NEW YORK ISLANDERS VS PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

GAME 1: BARCLAYS CENTER - BUY TICKETS

GAME 2: PPL CENTER, ALLENTOWN, PA

7 P.M. - FOLLOW ON TWITTER

There was a notable absence at last year's New York Islanders Training Camp. 

While John Tavares went out to win the 2016 World Cup of Hockey with Team Canada, the captain's stall at Northwell Health Ice Center sat vacant for the first two weeks of camp. It's not that the Islanders didn't work without their best player, it's just that something was missing. Doug Weight summed it up best: a presence. 

The New York Islanders suffered their first loss of the preseason on Monday, falling 1-0 in overtime to the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

Neal Pionk scored the game's only goal 2:31 into the extra frame, as the Islanders lost a closely-contested and tightly-called game. Jaroslav Halak (22 saves) and Eamon McAdam (19 saves) combined for 41 saves in the loss. 

"It was a tough game, but we battled," Head Coach Doug Weight said. "The goaltending was outstanding for us. Jaro was great and gave us a chance and Eamon came in and was stellar, so it was good to see."