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Sillinger, DiPietro help Islanders continue Senators' slide

Nov 29, 2007 - 4:40 AM By Doug Mittler PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

UNIONDALE, New York (Ticker) -- It took some late heroics by Mike Sillinger and Rick DiPietro, but the New York Islanders finally ended years of frustration against the Ottawa Senators.

Sillinger scored in regulation and netted the decisive tally in the sixth round of the shootout, and DiPietro made it stand as the Islanders posted a 3-2 victory over the Senators on Wednesday.

DiPietro stopped 35 shots for New York, which defeated Ottawa for the first time since January 19, 2004 - ending an eight-game skid.

"Last year when we played against Ottawa, it was almost like men playing against the boys," Islanders coach Ted Nolan said. "We couldn't get through, we couldn't penetrate anything. Tonight was a much better effort."

Ottawa, which had a goal waved off in the third period, has lost four straight for the first time since a five-game slide from October 28-November 8, 2006.

"It's more like we haven't won in four games," Senators coach John Paddock said. "You get a point for tonight, but it can still feel like a loss. Then again, it could feel like a tie, and they got the bonus point."

Bill Guerin, who shot wide on an excellent scoring opportunity in the third, kept the Islanders alive by scoring in the third round of the shootout, beating goaltender Ray Emery to the glove side.

Five shooters later, Sillinger fired a wrist shot past Emery to give New York a 2-1 edge.

"I saw Billy waited him out and I went high over his shoulder," Sillinger said.

The veteran admitted the Islanders may have gotten complacent with the lead in the third.

"We can't do that," he said. "We're at our best when we're forechecking."

DiPietro made Sillinger's tally stand, making a great glove save on Dean McAmmond to seal the win.

"I just wanted to make sure I was patient, and I was able to get my glove on it," DiPietro said.

Daniel Alfredsson - who had missed Ottawa's previous game with a groin injury - scored in the opening round of the shootout, but it was not enough.

Senators defenseman Andrej Meszaros, who entered with just two goals on the season, tied the game at 2-2 with 1:55 left in the third with his second tally of the night. Meszaros fired a wrist shot from just inside the blue line through a crowd and past DiPietro.

The Islanders had taken a 2-1 lead when Sillinger scored on a rebound at 4:58 of the period. Emery made the initial save on a shot by Andy Hilbert, but Sillinger gained control of the puck low on the left side and scored his fourth goal of the season.

New York opened the scoring as Josef Vasicek netted his team-high ninth goal with 26 seconds left in the first period.

Ottawa tied it at 1-1 just 65 seconds into the third, when Meszaros scored on the power play, firing a wrister from a sharp angle in the left faceoff circle past DiPietro.

A goal by former Islander Randy Robitaille minutes later was waved off because Antoine Vermette was in the crease. No penalty was called on the play, however.

"I got cross-checked by (Andy) Sutton, then I felt I got pushed into the net. It felt like I was stuck there," Vermette said. "I couldn't move at all. That's why I wasn't happy about the call. It was a big difference for us."

Emery stopped 20 shots for the Senators, who were 1-for-7 with the man advantage.