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Tavares, Islanders pound Lightning

Oct 14, 2011 - 3:03 AM Uniondale, NY (Sports Network) - John Tavares had two goals and two assists in the first period, leading the New York Islanders to a 5-1 drubbing of the Tampa Bay Lightning at Nassau Coliseum.

The other two members of New York's top line -- Matt Moulson and P.A. Parenteau -- both contributed a goal and an assist for the Islanders, who have won five of their last six meetings with the Lightning.

Michael Grabner added the other goal for New York and Al Montoya was solid in net, stopping 34 of 35 shots.

Steven Stamkos netted the only goal for the Lightning with a clever deflection in front off a point shot from Marc-Andre Bergeron.

Former Islander Dwayne Roloson struggled in net for Tampa Bay, surrendering five goals on 18 shots before being relieved by Mathieu Garon, who stopped all 16 shots he faced.

The Islanders struck just 36 seconds into the game when Tampa Bay had trouble breaking out of its defensive zone and the puck found its way to Tavares at the left circle. He fired a wrister in and out of the glove of Roloson, but Victor Hedman inadvertently knocked the puck into his own net while backchecking. The goal was credited to Tavares, his first of the season.

"I think we're just building off of what we had last year," Tavares said of his line's chemistry. "We had a good training camp together so we're starting to feel more comfortable with each other and we just want to continue it."

Tampa tied the game at the 7:10 mark when Bergeron intercepted a clearing attempt at the left point and flipped a soft shot toward the net. The slow velocity as well as a deflection from Stamkos fooled Montoya and the puck found its way into the net.

Just over two minutes later, Mark Eaton accepted a pass from Parenteau at the point and fired a shot that went wide of the cage, but the puck came right back out in front and Moulson was on the doorstep to slam it home at 9:28 to give the Isles a 2-1 lead.

New York created its third goal of the period with some excellent passing off the rush. Parenteau brought the puck up the right wing into the Lightning zone and found Moulson with a cross-ice pass to the left circle. Moulson then feathered a pass to Tavares in front and the 2009 No. 1 draft pick tucked it into the open net for his second goal of the game and a 3-1 lead.

Good puck pursuit in the offensive zone late in the period got the Isles their fourth goal. Tavares picked up a loose puck in the slot and found Parenteau standing all alone to the right of the net. The winger calmly one-timed Tavares' pass into the net at the 18:39 mark for a 4-1 lead.

Sloppy in-zone offense cost Tampa early in the second as Grabner poked a pass out to the neutral zone and sent the Islanders the other way with a 2-on-1 rush. Kyle Okposo wristed a shot from the right circle off the arm of Roloson and Grabner batted home the rebound out of mid-air as he was crashing the net at 6:47 of the second stanza, giving the Islander a comfortable 5-1 margin.

"We turned the puck over and we weren't making plays and it cost us," Stamkos said. "When you give up four goals in the first period it's tough to win in this league."

Game Notes

New York went 3-for-3 on the penalty kill and is 15-for-16 so for this season...It was the first meeting of the season between the teams. Last season the Islanders took three of four...Lightning defenseman Bruno Gervais played his first game against New York after spending his first six NHL seasons with the Islanders...Islanders forward Jay Pandolfo, who was scoreless in 12:44 of ice time, is one goal short of 100 for his career...The Islanders will play the Rangers on Saturday, while Tampa Bay will visit the Florida Panthers, also on Saturday.