Rapid Recap: Islanders 5, Devils 1

The New York Islanders broke out of a two-game winless skid with a 5-1 win over the New Jersey Devils.
Kyle Palmieri (2G, 1A), Pierre Engvall, Bo Horvat (ENG) and Zach Parise (ENG) scored for the Islanders, while Erik Haula's shorthanded goal was the lone tally for New Jersey.
With the win, the Islanders take the season series from their Metropolitan Division rivals two games to one. The Islanders also protect their first wild card status reaching 85 points with seven regular season games remaining.
The Pittsburgh Penguins (82 points) were not in action on Monday, while the Florida Panthers (79 points) stayed put in the standings after a 5-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators.

THE SCORING:

1st Period
7:37 - NYI 1, NJD 0 - Kyle Palmieri is denied on a partial breakaway by Vitek Vanecek, but Pierre Engvall is there to collect the loose puck, depositing his fourth goal as an Islander and his 16th of the season overall. Scott Mayfield picks up the secondary assist.

2nd Period
6:15 - NYI 1, NJD 1SHG - Erik Haula intercepts a Brock Nelson pass in the offensive zone and is off to the races shorthanded. Haula makes a forehand-backhand move and beats Ilya Sorokin for a shorthanded goal.
14:22 - NYI 2, NJD 1 - Kyle Palmieri circles the net and patiently loads up a backhander, cutting across the slot and unleashing it high past Vanecek. Brock Nelson with the lone assist.

3rd Period
15:25 - NYI 3, NJD 1 - Palmieri scores his second goal of the game, moving across the high slot, collecting the loose puck and firing a shot past Vanecek to extend the Islanders lead.

18:58 - NYI 4, NJD 1 - Bo Horvat buries an empty-netter, snapping an 11-game goal drought. Casey Cizikas and Anders Lee pick up the assists. Cizikas gives up a shot at an empty-netter in a selfless play to Horvat.

19:59 - NYI 5, NJD 1 SHG - Zach Parise buries a buzzer-beater into an empty net to deepen the Islanders lead with less than one second on the clock. Jean-Gabriel Pageau picks up the sole assist.

NOTEBOOK:

Simon Holmstrom drew back into the lineup after being a healthy scratch on Saturday night. Holmstrom played alongside Anders Lee and JG Pageau on a new-look line... Bo Horvat started the game with Hudson Fasching and Zach Parise in another new-look line... Scott Mayfield set a career-high with his 16th assist of the season... The Islanders allowed their sixth shorthanded goal of the season, while the Devils netted their eighth... Palmieri recorded the 14th three-point game of his career and the second time in six games... Parise buried his 21st goal of the season with an empty netter... Pageau has five points (1G, 4A) in his last five outings... Adam Pelech played a team-high 25:02 in the win.

GOALTENDING BATTLE:

Ilya Sorokin stopped 31 of 32 in the win.
Vitek Vanecek stopped 31 of 34 in the loss.

SPECIAL TEAMS:

The Islanders power play went 0-for-1, and gave up a shorthanded goal, while their penalty kill went 2-for-2.

IMAGE OF THE GAME:

NEXT GAME:

The Islanders head out for the first of three-straight games on the road, starting with Washington on Wednesday night. Puck drop for this nationally-televised game (TNT) is at 7:30 p.m.