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Moulson scores twice as Islanders top Leafs

Mar 21, 2012 - 5:01 AM Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Matt Moulson tallied two goals in the third period to help the New York Islanders defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs, 5-2, at Air Canada Centre.

P.A. Parenteau had a goal and two assist, Josh Bailey and David Ullstrom also lit the lamp, while John Tavares added three assists for the Islanders, who earned their second straight win on the heels of a five-game losing streak.

Evgeni Nabokov stopped 12-of-14 shots in the victory.

Phil Kessel and Matthew Lombardi tallied goals for Toronto, which lost for the seventh time in nine games. James Reimer gave up four goals on 33 shots in defeat.

"I asked a few questions after the game on how they felt," said Toronto head coach Randy Carlyle. "I was just listening to what they had to say, I wasn't asking the questions. They were displeased with the way they played tonight."

It was a 2-2 game entering the third period, but the Islanders used a late power play to take the lead.

Toronto's Matt Frattin was whistled for a delay of game penalty for firing the puck over the glass 13:24 in and New York took advantage. Mark Streit's slap shot from the high slot was stopped in a crowd in front of the net and Tavares' rebound attempt was kicked aside by Reimer, but he then collected the puck behind the net and tipped a pass to Moulson in front, where he stuffed a shot between the goaltender's legs with 6:04 left in the game.

Parenteau gave the Islanders a two-goal cushion less than two minutes later when he broke down the ice on a breakaway after a Kessel offensive zone turnover and slipped a wrister through the pads of Reimer.

Moulson's empty-net goal sealed the outcome for the Islanders.

"Our game plan was to come out and work," said Moulson after the game. "We knew they had been traveling a lot lately and obviously played last night. We wanted to take advantage of that because we had a couple of days off and were fresh."

The Maple Leafs struck first at the 10:24 mark of the opening period when Tyler Bozak sent a pass from the top of the right circle to Kessel at the left of the net and he quickly fired it home.

But the Islanders tied the game with 4:26 left in the first when a Toronto turnover in the neutral zone led to a short 2-on-1 break by New York. Tavares skated down the right side of the ice before feeding a pass from the right circle to a streaking Bailey in the slot and he tipped it in.

Toronto regained its lead 4:12 into the second period. After Jake Gardiner's shot from the left point went wide of the net, Lombardi grabbed the puck behind the cage and skated out to the left before backhanding a shot through the legs of Nabokov.

However, New York answered again at the 13:08 mark of the second on Ullstrom's redirection in the slot of Michael Grabner's backhanded centering pass from the left circle.

Game Notes

Toronto remains eight points behind Washington for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference...The Maple Leafs fell to 16-14-6 at home this season, while the Islanders improved to 15-16-5 on the road...Toronto went 0-for-1 on the power play...New York converted on 1-of-4 power plays.