Lee Saves Islanders in 5-3 Win Over Penguins

Anders Lee saved the day on Wednesday, scoring the game-winning goal with 26.6 seconds to play as the Islanders beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-3 at Barclays Center.
Deadlocked 3-3 after the Islanders had - and lost - 3-0 lead, Lee deflected Thomas Hickey's point shot past Matt Murray. The goal made sure the Islanders best offensive effort in weeks was not in vain and gave them their first win over a Metropolitan Division opponent.

"That was big for us," Lee said. "It was an ugly third, but we won the game and right now we need that kind of momentum."
Johnny Boychuk, Jason Chimera and Casey Cizikas built the 3-0 lead through two periods, while Nikolay Kulemin added the empty-netter. Thomas Greiss made 31 saves for the win, but while the Islanders were happy to get the two points, Chimera offered a reality check.

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"The win is big, but you can't give up a three-goal lead in the third period," Chimera said. "You can't sit back against any team, especially against that team... Anders goal was a huge goal for us and a scrappy two points is big because we need them forsure."
The Islanders had their offense going early, as Shane Prince set the tone with a pair of posts early in the first period. Boychuk was the first to break through, hammering a slapper from the half wall past Murray with 12.8 left in the first period.

The Islanders didn't let up in the second, as Chimera put the Islanders up 2-0, 2:10 into the middle frame. Murray stopped Scott Mayfield's point shot, but the puck deflected off of Chimera's skate as he was tangled up with Justin Schultz in front of the net. Chimera's goal was his first since Nov. 7.
Before the end of the period the Islanders found that elusive third regulation goal, as Cizikas put his team up 3-0. Cizikas was in the right place at the right time, as Mayfield's pass deflected off of Bryan Rust right to Cizikas who roofed it on Murray at 17:21.

"As a coach, that's where you want to see your guys go. Jason goes to the paint. Casey goes to the paint. Anders Lee goes to the paint, that's where you're going to score in this league," head coach Jack Capuano said. "You go to those dirty areas."
The Penguins did not go quietly however, showing their quick-strike potential as Conor Sheary buried a Patric Hornqvist rebound past Greiss 32 seconds into the third period.
That put the Islanders on their heels, but while Greiss stopped a Phil Kessel breakaway shortly after, the Penguins kept coming in waves. Justin Schultz and Evgeni Malkin scored goals 2:28 apart in the middle of the period, tying the score up with 6:52 to play. Barclays Center went quiet, as the Islanders had pause to think about the bevy of close, AAA chances they had, from Murray's circus glove save on John Tavares, to Kris Letang sweeping a Brock Nelson shot off the goal line.

But instead of succumbing to the disappointment of allowing the Penguins back in, the Islanders dug themselves out.
"We just had to grind it out and we did," Lee said. "We faced this kind of stuff enough this year and we're sick of it. Tonight we were able to pull through on it."

Boomer and Carton Call Islanders Game:

Radio hosts Boomer Esiason and Craig Carton - of WFAN's Boomer and Carton show - called Wednesday's contest.
Read more about it at NHL.com. 

NEXT GAME:

The Islanders head to Washington and wrap up a back-to-back set against the Capitals. Puck drop is at 7 p.m.