Canucks hand Islanders seventh straight loss

VANCOUVER --Brendan Leipsic scored his second goal 2:47 into overtime to give the Vancouver Canucks a 4-3 win against the New York Islanders at Rogers Arena on Monday.
Leipsic also set up Jake Virtanen's go-ahead goal on a 2-on-1 at 10:31 of the third period, but was in the penalty box for the third time when Jordan Eberle tied it 3-3 with 1:04 left in the period. He made up for it by stealing the puck from Anthony Beauvillier in overtime, skating around Jaroslav Halak's diving poke check and scoring into an empty net.
"It was lucky I was able to bail my team out there, but it was a disappointing start for me," said Leipsic, who has two goals and three assists in three games since arriving in a trade from the Vegas Golden Knights on Feb. 26. "To be able to help my team out in the end was a plus."

WATCH: [All Islanders vs. Canucks highlights]
Canucks forward Brock Boeser, who leads all NHL rookies with 29 goals, had to be helped off the ice with 27 seconds left in the third period when he fell into an open gate after trying to make a hit on Cal Clutterbuck. He was placed on a stretcher and left the arena in an ambulance.
"He's gone to the hospital for precautionary reasons," Canucks coach Travis Green said. "I don't want to make a comment on it. I hope he's all right. I think our guys feel like it's a bruise."
Darren Archibald scored on a penalty shot to tie it 2-2 at 15:59 of the second period, and Jacob Markstrom made 31 saves for the Canucks (25-32-9, 59 points), who ended a three-game losing streak.

"It was nice for Leipsic to get a goal after taking a couple penalties," Markstrom said. "He owed me that one."
John Tavares had a goal and an assist, Josh Bailey also scored and Halak made 19 saves for the Islanders (29-29-9, 67 points), who have lost a season-high seven in a row (0-4-3). It's their longest losing streak since they went 0-8-2 from Nov. 19 - Dec. 9, 2013.
New York is four points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.
"We just seem to find ways to lose," Tavares said. "We've just got to find a way, a full 60 minutes to finish one out. We just haven't seemed to finish games off.
"Whatever that is, whether it's mental or just execution of a few plays, we've just got to find a way to do it. No one's going to feel sorry for us or change the outcome but us."
Mathew Barzal had two assists, giving him 69 points (18 goals, 51 assists) this season. He extended his lead when Bailey scored on a rebound at 9:51 of the first period to give New York a 1-0 lead, and Tavares made it 2-0 shortly after a power play expired 2:59 into the second period.

Leipsic beat Halak with a backhand from the top of the crease at 14:25, and Archibald tied on a penalty shot 1:34 later after Johnny Boychuk hooked him on a breakaway. Archibald cut right to left through the slot and beat Halak over the blocker in tight.
"I scored a few times down there (in the American Hockey League) in shootouts, so I used my only move in the bag of tricks," said Archibald, who signed with the Canucks on Feb. 7 after having 16 points in 25 games for Utica of the AHL.
Eberle tied it on a Tavares rebound with Halak pulled to create a 6-on-4.

"Playoff teams find ways to get two points every night," Eberle said. "Especially right now down the stretch, some nights you're happy with one and you're all right with the way you played, but we can't be happy with one. We needed two."

Goal of the game

Leipsic's goal at 2:47 of overtime.

Save of the game

Halak against Virtanen's wraparound at 3:55 of the third period.

Highlight of the game

Thomas Hickey's pass that led to Tavares' goal at 2:59 of the second period.

They said it

"I mean, geez, they're going to score a goal or two, but it seems every time a team does that against us right now, the momentum just completely shifts. And we get stuck in mud for whatever reason. It's extremely, extremely frustrating." -- Islanders forward Anders Lee
"That's one of those if you don't put it in, you are going to be sitting up for a couple nights. (Halak) thought he could get it; I was lucky enough to get it around." -- Canucks forward Brendan Leipsic

Need to know

Tavares' goal was his first in seven games. … Barzal is the first NHL rookie to have 50 or more assists in a season since 2007-08, when Nicklas Backstrom of the Washington Capitals had 55 and Patrick Kane of the Chicago Baclkahwks finished with 51. ... Clutterbuck played his 700th NHL game. … Canucks forward Jussi Jokinen became the first to play against the Islanders with four teams in the same season (Canucks, Blue Jackets, Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers).

What's next

Islanders: At the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday (9 p.m. ET; SNW, MSG+ 2, NHL.TV)
Canucks: Host the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday (10 p.m. ET; SN1, SNP, FS-A, NHL.TV)