Islanders 3 - 4 Lightning
Final
  for this game

Wallace lifts Bolts past Isles

Mar 25, 2012 - 4:10 AM Tampa, FL (Sports Network) - Tim Wallace scored the winner with under eight minutes to play as the Tampa Bay Lightning took a 4-3 win over the New York Islanders.

Steven Stamkos posted two goals and an assist for the Lightning, who have won two straight to keep their fledgling playoff hopes alive as the team sits nine points out of the final spot with eight games to play. Dwayne Roloson stopped 34-of-37 shots.

"We've always battled back as a team all year," said Roloson. "Sometimes it's too big of a hole for us to rally from or we fall just short, but tonight we worked hard and got the win."

Matt Moulson and Frans Nielsen each had a goal and an assist for the Islanders, who had won two straight coming

While not officially eliminated, New York's postseason hopes received a mortal blow as it is 13 points back with eight games to play. Al Montoya gave up four goals on 26 shots in the loss.

"The team played well and we did what we had to do to win, but I just didn't feel comfortable back there tonight," said Montoya. "When the team needed me to make a save I didn't make it and that's not what I want to do."

The Islanders took a 3-2 lead 43 seconds into the third when Moulson scored off a wraparound attempt from Mark Streit, but the Lightning scored the next two.

Tom Pyatt made it a 3-3 game at the 9:08 mark of the third as Ryan Malone centered the puck with Pyatt redirecting it in for his 11th of the season.

Wallace scored three minutes later when Stamkos left him a drop pass and he wristed the puck home from the slot and the Lightning held off the Islanders from there.

Stamkos scored the only goal of the first period when he snuck the puck in low during a jam in front with 4:11 left in the frame.

Just 1:46 into the second, Stamkos scored his league-leading 52nd of the year on a one-timer in the slot off a feed from martin St. Louis.

The Islanders made it a one-goal game 8:15 into the second on the power play when Nielsen snuck the puck in from down low during a scrum in front and Kyle Okposo tied the contest with 36 seconds left as he backhanded a shot home from down low after the Islanders put in hard work in the Tampa end.

Game Notes

The Islanders play in Florida on Sunday...Tampa plays in Philly on Monday...Each team won twice in the season series with the home team winning each game.






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