Bruins 1 - 3 Islanders
Final
  for this game

Vanek scores, Islanders beat Bruins

Nov 3, 2013 - 3:50 AM Uniondale, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Thomas Vanek scored his first goal as an Islander and added an assist in New York's 3-1 win over the Boston Bruins in a battle of backup goaltenders at Nassau Coliseum.

Kevin Poulin, who had given up seven goals in his first two starts this season, only allowed one on 27 shots Saturday to earn the win.

John Tavares and Andrew MacDonald lit the lamp for the Islanders, who have won back-to-back games for the first time this season.

"They played excellent in front of me," Poulin said of his teammates.

Dougie Hamilton scored Boston's lone goal, while Chad Johnson, in his second start between the pipes this season, made 31 saves in defeat.

A scoreless first period gave way to a four-goal second.

Tavares got the scoring started when he batted home a Vanek rebound out of the air at the 6:15 mark. Seven minutes later, MacDonald earned his first goal of the season with a shot from the point that got through traffic.

The Bruins cashed in on the game's first power play with 4:33 left. Hamilton threw a puck into a crowd in front of Poulin. Carl Soderberg, the lone Bruin in the scrum, was originally credited with the goal when the puck slid over the crease, but replay showed Hamilton was the last Boston player to touch the puck.

The Islanders answered just 41 seconds later with 3:52 remaining in the period. Kyle Okposo took control on a 2-on-1 break, faked a shot at the right circle and passed over to Vanek for a one-timer for his first goal in a sweater other than Buffalo's. It was Vanek's third game with New York after being traded on Wednesday.

The Bruins rallied to beat the Ducks in a shootout on Thursday but were denied another comeback as Poulin saved all 12 shots he faced in the third period, including several from point-blank range in the final minute, to seal the outcome.

"We know we've got a good team on paper, we've just got to transfer that to the ice," Bruins head coach Claude Julien said.

Game Notes

The Islanders have scored at least two goals in every game this season, one of only three teams to do so (Chicago and St. Louis) ... The goal was the 500th point of Vanek's career -- 497 coming with the Sabres ... Okposo and Travis Hamonic each had two assists.






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