Recap: Islanders 6, Wild 3

The New York Islanders offense broke out on Sunday evening, scoring a season-high six goals in a 6-3 win over the Minnesota Wild at the Grant Thornton Ice Rink at Barclays Center.
John Tavares scored a pair of goals and an assist, while Johnny Boychuk, Calvin de Haan, Thomas Hickey and Alan Quine all lit the lamp for the Islanders, who returned to .500 with the offensive outburst.

"We got some big goals from all parts of our lineup," Tavares said. "That goes a long way. Good to get a couple of wins in a row here."
The goals came in bunches on Sunday night, with the Islanders netting three goals in a 3:08 span in the second period and two in 2:06 in the third. Only Tavares' empty-netter stood on its own.

"We did some good things," Tavares said. "We know they played last night and as the game went on we wanted to try and wear them and make it tough on them. Once we were able to build a lead it takes a lot of work to come back."
Tavares started the second period goal rush, one-timing a feed from Josh Bailey low glove side on Darcy Kuemper at 4:23 - an important goal for the Islanders' top line, which had only generated two goals in the previous three games.
"They got a few and they could have had more," Capuano said. "Hopefully that will give them a little bit of a boost to get going to get on the board like that."

Thirty-four seconds later the Islanders struck again, with de Haan sneaking a wrister through traffic and Kuemper's five-hole at 4:57. Boychuk scored his second in as many games shortly after, ripping a slapper past Kuemper at 7:31.
"Our defense played well," Capuano said. "All six of them. They contributed."

The Islanders outburst was sandwiched by a pair of goals by Zach Parise, who beat Thomas Greiss five-hole 1:15 into the second period and squeaked one by Greiss from the side of the net at 12:37. Greiss did get a few licks in on the Wild star, denying him on a breakaway in the second period and making a pair acrobatic blocker and stick saves when the score was 3-1. He finished with 26 saves for his first win of the season.
But while the Wild's offense was tamed in the third period, the Islanders kept pressing. Quine's first of the year - a gorgeous top-corner snipe off a drop pass from Anthony Beauvillier - put the Islanders up 4-2 at 6:29 and Hickey made it 5-2 by picking a corner of his own at 8:35.

Nino Niederreiter's late goal made it 5-3, but by then the Islanders were well on their way to the win. Still, Tavares iced it with an empty-netter with 1:43 to play.
"We were just getting it deep and driving our legs," Boychuk said of the third period push. "Just limiting the turnovers and getting in deep, driving our legs and forechecking hard."

BEAUVILLIER GETS A PAIR OF POINTS:

Anthony Beauvillier recorded two assists on Sunday evening, assisting on de Haan and Quine's goals. The rookie now has five points (1G, 4A) in five games and is tied for third in rookie scoring with Patrick Laine, Travis Konecny, Zach Werenski and Sebastian Aho.

STROME GETS 100TH

With a pair of assists on Sunday, Ryan Strome recorded his 99th and 100th career NHL points (34G, 66A).

LEDDY RETURNS

Nick Leddy returned to the lineup after a one-game absence, skating a team-high 21:36 with two shots, one hit and one block.

NEXT GAME

The Islanders wrap up their five-game homestand on Wednesday night when they host the Montreal Canadiens at Barclays Center. Puck drop is at 7 p.m.