Recap: Pulock's 5 points lead Isles to 7-3 win in Chicago

On Saturday night, the Madhouse was Ryan Pulock's house.
Pulock had his first-career five-point night (1G, 4A) as the New York Islanders beat the Chicago Blackhawks 7-3 at United Center - a.k.a the Madhouse on Madison - their first win in the Windy City since March 15, 2009.
It was a breakout night for Pulock, who became the first Islanders defenseman to score five points in a game since Uwe Krupp had an identical stat line in Vancouver on March 20, 1993.

"It definitely feels good. It's a big win," Pulock said. "A couple of them was just getting pucks to the net, rebounds, one was pretty lucky with the dump-in, but sometimes when you're hot, they go in. It's definitely a good feeling."
The rookie blue liner as a part of the Islanders first five goals and started his night with a three-point first period (1G, 2A). The first two were created off Pulock shots, a pair of rebounds that were cleaned up by Anthony Beauvillier - who scored twice - and Jordan Eberle, giving the Isles a 2-1 lead.
Pulock finished the period in style, skating in off the blue line and sniping a wrister over Anton Forsberg's shoulder.

"He was just real aggressive," Head Coach Doug Weight said of Pulock. "You see a difference when someone gets confident. They immediately get stronger, faster, braver, it's an amazing word. Pulie has been slowly getting confident."
Pulock's heater carried into the second period, picking up the secondary assist on Beauvillier's second power-play goal of the game to make it 4-1. Pulock fed Josh Bailey, who made a nifty pass to find the 20-year-old in front of the net for what was the eventual winner at 1:25 of the middle frame.
"We're an offensive team with a lot of depth in our lineup," Beauvillier said. "We can score goals and make plays. It was a good way to start the road trip and it was a great win tonight."

Beauvillier's two-goal night was his second in five games and the young winger now has six goals in six games since being recalled from the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
Pulock capped the five-point night with a secondary assist on Brock Nelson's 10th of the season, a dump-in that Forsberg fumbled at the side of the net that Ross Johnston worked to Nelson for the easy tap-in.
Saturday's game was the polar opposite of Thursday's stifling affair, the Islanders and Blackhawks volleyed chances back and forth, combining for 85 shots. The Islanders finished the game with seven goals on 46 shots, their second seven-goal output in the past five games.

The game could have easily gone the other way for the Islanders, who trailed 1:01 into the game after a Patrick Kane snipe beat Halak from the right circle, but the Islanders answered with four straight goals.
"That was a tough one to swallow starting on the road," Weight said of Kane's first goal, noting that defending Kane's side was a key to the game for his team. "Great response though."
The Islanders led 4-1 early in the second and snuffed out any chance of a Chicago comeback by answering quickly when the Blackhawks were able to beat Halak.

Erik Gustafsson's first-career goal made it 4-2 at 18:27 of the second period, but Nelson restored the three-goal lead off the Johnston feed, which was the rookie's NHL point and ended Forsberg's night, as 32-year-old Jeff Glass came in relief.
Kane's second of the night made it 5-3, but Anders Lee made it 6-3 with a breakaway at 7:10. John Tavares rounded out the scoring with a slap shot through traffic at 10:30.
The win snapped the Islanders two-game losing streak. The Islanders continue their three-game road trip in Arizona on Monday night.