TAMPA, Fla. — Semyon Varlamov stopped 31 shots, Brock Nelson scored twice in the third period, and the New York Islanders beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-1 on Monday night.
Ross Johnston, Josh Bailey and Anders Lee also scored for the Islanders, who are 18-0-1 when scoring three or more goals.
Tampa Bay got a goal from Steven Stamkos. Curtis McElhinney stopped 19 shots.
Varlamlov made an in-close rebound save on Stamkos and a diving glove grab on Pat Maroon early in the third.
In addition to Nelson’s goals at 7:31 and 14:41, Lee added a power-play goal with 3:55 remaining.
The Islanders got on the scoreboard first. After Tampa Bay’s Cory Conacher failed to score on a breakaway, Johnston put the Islanders up 1-0 on the ensuing rush at 6:44 of the second.
Bailey made it 2-0 with a short-handed breakaway goal 1:53 later. The Lightning lost control of the puck in the offensive zone during a 4-on-2 and Casey Cizikas dove forward to swipe the puck ahead to Bailey.
On the same Tampa Bay power play, McElhinney turned aside Nelson’s breakaway shot.
Stamkos cut the deficit to 2-1 on an in-close backhander that went off the mask of a diving Varlamov with 4:25 left in the second.
Tampa Bay had an apparent goal by Victor Hedman with 10:07 to play taken away after a video review clearly showed that Anthony Cirelli was offside.
NOTES
New York D Nick Leddy (lower body) didn’t play and is day to day. … Tampa Bay C Tyler Johnson (lower body) sat out and could miss a few games. … Bailey stopped a nine-game goal drought. … Lightning D Kevin Shattenkirk had an assist and has 14 assists and 18 points in 17 games against the Islanders. … New York D Johnny Boychuk assisted on Bailey’s goal for his first point in 17 games.
UP NEXT
Islanders: At Florida on Thursday night to complete a three-game trip.
Lightning: At Florida on Tuesday night.
___
More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Mark Didtler, The Associated Press
