Andrew Ladd sends Islanders past Canucks in overtime

VANCOUVER -- New York Islanders coach Doug Weight had a brief moment of panic after they blew a lead late in the third period, but it didn't take long for his players to recover.
Andrew Ladd scored 1:33 into overtime to give the Islanders a 4-3 win against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on Thursday.
With goalie Ryan Miller pulled for the extra attacker, defenseman Troy Stecher tied it 3-3 with 19.3 remaining, but Ladd tapped in a backdoor pass from defenseman Calvin de Haan for the game-winner.

WATCH: All Islanders vs. Canucks highlights
"I was in full panic," Weight said of Stecher's tying goal. "It's a bad feeling, especially amidst the game we had. Two poor periods and you can't believe you're in the lead after two, and you come out and have a good third period, so it's frustrating to give the goal up, but that's what overtime is for. … It's just a big win, and we're going to march on."

Vancouver was outshooting New York 30-14 entering the third period, but the Islanders had a 3-2 lead after Brock Nelson scored on a deflection with 23.8 seconds left in the second.
John Tavares and Anthony Beauvillier also scored, Josh Bailey had three assists, and Thomas Greiss made 36 saves for New York (32-23-11), which is 5-2-1 with one game left on a nine-game road trip and leads the Toronto Maple Leafs by one point for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.
"We didn't look exhausted today, we looked a little overconfident," Weight said. "It's frustrating a little bit. I think we just got a little too much swagger."
Reid Boucher and Sven Baertschi scored 1:56 apart early in the second period, and Miller made 24 saves for the Canucks (28-30-9), who are 2-0-2 in the past four games and six points behind the St. Louis Blues for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference.
"We're getting points," Stecher said. "We have to stay positive and continue to fight."

Tavares made it 1-0 at 15:01 of the first period after Bailey's cross-ice pass left him with an open net.
Boucher, who was moved up to the second line after Nikolay Goldobin was scratched with the flu, tied it 1-1 by knocking in his own rebound 1:35 into the second.
Baertschi made it 2-1 at 3:31 after a turnover by Tavares sent him in alone on Greiss from the right faceoff dot.
Beauvillier tied it 2-2 on a breakaway at 9:44, taking a long pass from Bailey, who stole the puck from Jayson Megna in the Islanders zone, and beating Miller with a deke to the backhand.
New York is 15-6-3 since Weight took over for Jack Capuano as coach Jan. 17.
"We just stay with it," Bailey said. "We have a lot of poise in the group, and Doug does a great job being calm behind the bench, and that sets the tone for us."

Goal of the game

The puck hit Stecher after Nelson deflected Nick Leddy's point shot in the slot. Miller was caught moving the wrong way on the initial shot, and it went in off his stick.

Save of the game

Greiss missed with a poke-check but got his pads down in time to stop Megna's breakaway shot 4:18 into the first period.

Unsung performance of the game

Henrik Sedin was open for a backdoor pass a Canucks power play with 6:10 left in the second period, but Islanders defenseman Dennis Seidenberg broke up the pass with his stick at the last second.

Highlight of the game

A point shot wide of the net bounced out front to Sedin at the side of the crease with 6:16 left in the third period, but Greiss dove back head-first to knock it away with his stick.

They said it

"We might have to send some sticks into St. Louis. I think [Cal Clutterbuck] broke the last four that were good in the room after." -- Islanders coach Doug Weight on Clutterbuck's failed clearing attempt that led to the late tying goal
"We have to find ways to get over the hump. One point here, one point there isn't really going to do it for us." -- Canucks goaltender Ryan Miller after a second straight overtime loss at home (2-1 to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday)

Need to know

Forward Stephen Gionta replaced Shane Prince in the Islanders lineup after Prince was sent back to New York after injuring his ankle during a 4-1 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. … With Goldobin out with the flu, Vancouver dressed seven defensemen, using Alex Biega as a forward on the fourth line. Defenseman Nikita Tryamkin returned after missing six games with the mumps.

What's next

Islanders: At the St. Louis Blues on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; NHLN, FS-MW, MSG+, NHL.TV)
Canucks: Host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, ROOT, NHL.TV)