Roloson makes 58 saves as Isles win in overtime
Photo credit: AP | Toronto Maple Leafs forward Phil Kessel, left, tries for a wraparound past New York Islanders goalie Dwayne Roloson, right, during the second period. (Nov. 23, 2009)
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Nov. 23: Islanders 4, Maple Leafs 3 (OT)
TORONTO - In a game touted as 19-year-old rookie John Tavares' homecoming, 40-year-old goaltender Dwayne Roloson stole the show with a virtually bulletproof performance.
Roloson made 58 saves in the Islanders' 4-3 overtime win over the Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre last night, setting a franchise record for saves in a regular-season game.
Roloson single-handedly kept his team in the game despite three unanswered goals by the Maple Leafs that erased a 3-0 Islanders lead. The Islanders were outshot 61-21, which gave Roloson almost no room for error.
After Roloson did the heavy lifting, Josh Bailey scored with 42.2 seconds to play in overtime for his third goal in three games.
"Roloson won the game for us tonight," Bailey said. "Giving up that many shots is unacceptable, but thankfully, he hung in there for us and we got the win."
Tavares, of Oakville, Ontario, has not registered a point in the past three games, but a win was good enough to make his return to Toronto memorable.
"You've got to thank Roloson for a game like that," Tavares said. "Sometimes you don't win them pretty, you win them ugly, but this was a big win for us.''
Roloson was the irrefutable star of the first period, making 20 saves in perhaps his finest 20 minutes this season. His performance frustrated three Leafs power plays and foreshadowed the rest of his remarkable night.
"Outstanding," coach Scott Gordon said. "It was huge to have our goaltender steal that one for us."
In the second period, the Islanders rewarded his stinginess with three quick goals and some breathing room.
Mark Streit sprung Jeff Tambellini with a lead pass for a breakaway goal against Leafs goalie Vesa Toskala, giving the Islanders a 1-0 lead at 11:04.
The Islanders soon gouged two quick goals out of Toronto to give Roloson some well-deserved relief. The first came on Matt Moulson's tip-in at 12:23, and Sean Bergenheim's short-handed wrister at 14:17 prompted the home crowd to boo the Leafs.
The mood changed quickly, however, as the Leafs scored three straight to force OT.
Phil Kessel buried a perfect pass down low from Matt Stajan at 15:32. With 1:50 left in the second period, Jonas Gustavsson relieved Toskala in net.
The Leafs scored twice to tie it in the third. Wayne Primeau camped out in front of the net, spun off Brendan Witt and backhanded one past Roloson at 2:10 to pull Toronto within a goal. The Leafs tied it on their 48th shot, with Niklas Hagman making it 3-3 at 9:18.
But Bailey's sixth goal, 4:17 into overtime, gave Roloson a hard-earned seventh win of the season.
"Whether I face one shot or 100," Roloson said, "I just try to give our team the chance to win."
