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Islanders end slide behind Sillinger, Park

Jan 12, 2008 - 6:57 AM CALGARY, Alberta (Ticker) -- After coming close on several occasions, the New York Islanders finally eked out a win on their road trip thanks to Mike Sillinger, Richard Park and their lone All-Star.

Sillinger scored twice in the first period and also tallied in the shootout, Park netted the decisive tally in the bonus format and Rick DiPietro made two big saves as the Islanders skated to a 5-4 triumph over the Calgary Flames on Friday.

Trent Hunter and Ruslan Fedotenko each had a goal and two assists for New York, which lost its first three games of its five-game trek, including a pair beyond regulation.

"It was a tough road game," DiPietro said. "They came out hard and generated a lot of offense, but we held our ground and were opportunistic. We got two much-needed points. It was a big two points for us.

"Everyone knew this road trip was going to be a big challenge. A lot of teams we've played so far are either hot or leading their division. We fought hard, got two points, and we're happy with the win."

The Islanders' trip concludes Sunday at Ottawa.

After a scoreless third period and an overtime session that failed to produce a winner, Kristian Huselius lifted a backhander past DiPietro on the first shot of the shootout to give Calgary the advantage. But Sillinger answered for the Islanders, beating goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff to the stick side to even things.

"I wasn't sure what I was going to do," Sillinger said. "He came out and challenged me and I caught him going back a bit and went low stick (side). That's a tough save for a goalie."

DiPietro, who was named as the Islanders' lone representative on the Eastern Conference All-Star team earlier in the day, then made a huge stop on Jarome Iginla, closing his pads to deny the Flames' captain.

On New York's next attempt, Park deked to his backhand before banking the puck off the outstretched left pad of Kiprusoff, putting the Islanders ahead.

"Kipper's a great goalie," Park said. "I had a penalty shot against him once before, so I kind of did the same move. But this time, I went to the other side, although he probably doesn't remember that. I'm just happy it went in."

DiPietro proceeded to seal the win by preventing Owen Nolan - who tallied twice in regulation - from putting the puck between his pads on Calgary's last chance.

"They both tried to go five-hole, but I managed to get down quick enough and get a stick on it," DiPietro said.

"I think it showed the people up here in the west what kind of goaltender we have," New York coach Ted Nolan said. "If it wasn't for the play of Rick again, we probably wouldn't be in that game. That's why he is going to the All-Star Game and that's why he is our most valuable player and that's why he is an All-Star."

Sillinger opened the scoring at 8:18 of the first period, beating Kiprusoff on a breakaway from the blue line for his ninth goal of the season.

"I was going in with some good speed and I think I caught him backing in, and I saw some open net there," Sillinger said.

Nolan knotted the contest with 4:18 to go in the session with his first tally of the night, but Calgary's celebration lasted just 17 seconds as Hunter deflected defenseman Freddy Meyer's one-timer from along the left wing boards past Kiprusoff at 15:59 for a 2-1 edge.

Sillinger capped his 23rd career two-goal game - and first this season - with 2:52 to go in the period, burying a backhander from alone in front after receiving a pass from Fedotenko to make it 3-1.

His impressive offensive performance aside, Sillinger nearly became a goat for the Islanders as he received a double-minor for high-sticking with just under five minutes left in the third period. However, New York was able to successfully kill the penalties.

"It was a long penalty," Sillinger admitted. "It's one of those things where it was accidental, but the team did a great job killing the penalty."

Despite allowing two late tallies in the first, the Flames came out with a purpose in the second, scoring twice in the first two minutes to forge a 3-3 tie. Nolan finished off his second two-goal effort of the campaign 61 seconds into the session, and Craig Conroy tipped All-Star defenseman Dion Phaneuf's one-timer from the right point past DiPietro just 57 ticks later for the equalizer.

"I liked the first period where we had a 3-1 lead, and I didn't like it too much the way we started the second period, but those things happen in this league," Nolan said. "Modern league hockey - no lead is a safe lead."

Dustin Boyd jabbed in a loose puck in the crease with 3:28 left in the second to give Calgary its first lead of the game. But Fedotenko got a piece of blue-liner Marc-Andre Bergeron's wrister from the right point, deflecting the puck by Kiprusoff 83 seconds later to knot the contest at 4-4.

"I thought we came out well in the second, but we fell back in the third," Nolan said. "It's disappointing because we lost an opportunity to move back into first (place in the Northwest Division."

DiPietro turned aside 38 shots for the Islanders, who had dropped four straight overall.

"He's a good goalie," Nolan said of DiPietro. "I think we could've added a little more effort and tried to find some second or third chances. I think we tried to win that game on talent alone, especially in the first (period). We didn't have the work ethic needed to beat that team."

Alex Tanguay and Daymond Langkow each recorded two assists and Kiprusoff made 21 saves for Calgary, which has lost two in a row following a five-game winning streak.

"Our goaltending wasn't as solid as we like," said Flames coach Mike Keenan, who reportedly are interested in signing veteran free-agent netminder Curtis Joseph. "We're going to have to improve that aspect of our game. If you look at our goals for and goals against and compare the goals against to the league, we're going to have to be better if we're going to be tight enough to play in playoff hockey."