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Islanders brush aside Leafs

Jan 8, 2014 - 3:06 AM Toronto, ON (SportsNetwork.com) - Frans Nielsen, Calvin de Haan and Cal Clutterbuck registered third-period scores as the New York Islanders downed Toronto, 5-3, at Air Canada Centre.

John Tavares continued his hot streak with three assists, with Kyle Okposo and Michael Grabner adding tallies for the Islanders, who have won five of their last six and showed no signs of slowing down after a 7-3 home win against Dallas on Monday.

Kevin Poulin stopped 23 shots to collect his third straight win.

Tyler Bozak, Mason Raymond and Joffrey Lupul scored for the Maple Leafs, losers of two straight at home after winning three in a row.

Jonathan Bernier allowed four goals on 24 shots in defeat.

Nielsen put New York back on top with a tip of Thomas Vanek's power-play blast at 3:41 of the third, then a de Haan blast from beyond the blue line changed direction off a Leafs defenders' stick and through Bernier's pads to make it 4-2 just after the six-minute mark.

The Leafs cut their deficit to one with 3:05 remaining when Lupul deflected a Nazem Kadri shot from between the circles, but all that happened with Bernier on the bench for an extra skater was Clutterbuck's empty-net score inside the final 10 seconds.

Just after the five-minute mark of the first, the Leafs netted the game's first goal as Paul Ranger's offering from the left-wing boards was deflected in by Bozak.

Okposo fired past Bernier thanks to a Tavares dish, and the Isles evened the score 43.5 seconds before the first intermission.

Grabner gave the visitors a 2-1 lead on a wraparound at 3:06 of the second, but Raymond slid a puck under Poulin from the right post on a power play at 8:25.

Game Notes

Poulin has won four of his last five appearances (4-1-0) since Dec. 10 ... Tavares upped his totals to 16 points in his last seven games, while Vanek extended his point streak to 10 games ... Anders Nilsson was recalled from Bridgeport of the AHL on Monday by New York after starter Evgeni Nabokov was placed on injured reserve.