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Leafs sweep home-and-home with Islanders

Jan 25, 2012 - 6:28 AM Uniondale, NY (Sports Network) - Clarke MacArthur scored two goals, including the game-winner 2:06 into overtime, as the Toronto Maple Leafs skated past the New York Islanders, 4-3, to sweep a home-and-home series.

Mikhail Grabovski gained the puck in the neutral zone and went in on a 2-on-1 with MacArthur. He glided to the left dot before feeding MacArthur, whose one- timer first appeared to be stopped by Islanders netminder Al Montoya.

However, a review showed Montoya made the glove save but the puck was already across the line, sealing the win for Toronto.

"To tie it up, get the lead then have the kind of bounce we got for them to tie it, we made a great play," Maple Leafs head coach Ron Wilson said. "Grabo [Grabovski] made a great play on that 2-on-1."

MacArthur also had an assist, while Grabovski had a goal and three helpers and Jake Gardiner finished with a goal and an assist for the Leafs, who have won three of their last four. Jonas Gustavsson made 29 saves in the victory.

With a record of 25-19-5 at the All-Star break, the Leafs are third in the Northeast Divsion and ninth in the Eastern Conference with 55 points.

John Tavares, Josh Bailey and P.A. Parenteau scored and Montoya was tagged for four goals on 21 shots in defeat. New York lost both ends of the home-and-home after winning three straight games.

New York currently holds a 19-22-7 mark, which is good for 45 points, last place in the Atlantic Division and 13th in the Eastern Conference.

"It's a tough loss," Islanders head coach Jack Capuano said. "I thought our guys played really well tonight. Montoya made some big saves for us."

The Islanders opened the scoring just 1:54 into the first period when Kyle Okposo chased down a loose puck in the right corner, fought off a Maple Leafs checker and slid the puck to Taveres, who chipped it past Gustavsson from the slot to give the Islanders the lead.

New York struck again while shorthanded at 9:17 of the second frame. Matt Martin chipped the puck past Grabovski on the right wing and went in on a 2- on-1 with Bailey. Martin feathered a soft pass to Bailey, who backhanded it past Gustavsson from the slot.

Toronto cut the deficit to 2-1 with 1:05 to play in the second period when Luke Schenn fired a shot from the right point that missed the net and Grabovski corralled the puck off the end boards and sent it to an unmarked MacArthur, who tipped it home from in close.

The Leafs tied the game at 1:46 of the third period when Grabovski swarmed upon a loose disc behind the net and fired it out to Gardiner, who one-timed a slap shot from the point that got through traffic and past Montoya.

Toronto took the lead with 3:31 remaining in regulation when Grabovski entered the offensive zone on the right wing, moved to the circle and fired a wrist shot that deflected off the stick of Islanders' defenseman Milan Jurcina and fluttered high in the air, over the goal stick of Montoya and into the net.

With the net empty, the Islanders tied the game with 13 seconds to play in regulation with the help of a very fortunate bounce.

Grabovski fired the puck around the boards from behind the net in an attempt to clear the zone, which likely would have won the game for Toronto, but the puck took a crazy bounce off the boards and came to an unchecked Parenteau, who ripped a slap shot home from the slot.

Game Notes

The Maple Leafs went 0-for-2 with the man advantage, and the Islanders have now killed 36-of-37 penalties against over their last 15 games...New York fell to 15-3-4 when scoring the first goal and 12-1-4 when leading after two periods of play...New York did not have any power play chances...Following the All-Star break, the Leafs will travel to Pittsburgh to face the Penguins on January 31, while the Islanders will play the Carolina Hurricanes.