Bailey hurt in Isles' OT victory

TORONTO - First the good news for the Islanders.

Dwayne Roloson delivered another superb performance at the Air Canada Centre and Ontario native John Tavares scored at 3:26 of overtime last night to lift the Islanders to a 2-1 win over the Maple Leafs.

But the win may have come at a price.

In the latest of the Islanders' mind-boggling injury woes, Josh Bailey, who is tied for the team lead with six points, (three goals, three assists) hurt his hip flexor in the second period and did not return.

After the game, coach Scott Gordon was optimistic that Bailey won't be out for long.

"Not too bad,'' Gordon said when asked to assess the severity of Bailey's injury. "He played a little after it happened - it happened during the second shift of the second period - and at that point, he wasn't moving like he should've been.''

Nevertheless, the Islanders were able to pick up the victory. Matt Moulson opened the scoring with his third goal at 2:17.

Toronto tied it on Phil Kessel's power-play goal at 17:55 of the third period.

With the Islanders on a power play in overtime, Tavares scored the game-winner on a one-timer that beat Jean-Sebastien Giguere. Roloson finished with 29 saves for the Islanders.

With two professional seasons under his belt and an extra 12 pounds added to his frame from an intensive offseason training regimen, Bailey seemed poised for a breakout year.

The Bowmanville, Ontario, native (about 30 friends and family members were in attendance) earned the team's makeshift MVP trophy hard hat after scoring a goal and picking up an assist in Saturday's 5-2 win over the Avalanche.

"I just want to establish myself,'' Bailey said after Saturday's win at Nassau Coliseum. "The first couple of years I didn't do that. I had a better year last year, but you want to establish yourself as the player you're going to be for the rest of your career and I want to do that."

The Islanders are hopeful that Bailey will still have that chance.

The Islanders have had a rash of injuries starting in training camp. Mark Streit, Kyle Okposo, Rob Schremp and Tavares have all missed time.

Tavares missed only three games with a mild concussion suffered in the season opener, but the other absences will be far more lengthy.

Streit, who was hurt in an intrasquad scrimmage during the preseason, was given a six-month recovery timetable for a torn labrum, torn rotator cuff and dislocated left shoulder. Okposo has a torn labrum in his right shoulder (also suffered during a preseason intrasquad scrimmage) and is expected to be out at least until December.

Schremp, who suffered back spasms and a lower back strain more than two weeks ago, has yet to resume skating.

Given the holes they've already had to fill, the Islanders will keep their fingers crossed Bailey's injury won't require him to miss significant time.

"We've been battling through it the first month-and-a-half here, going through injuries right through our lineup, but we've had guys step up,'' Tavares said. "That's what we've got to do. For sure we'll miss a guy like him if he misses some games.''

Notes & quotes: Trent Hunter, who took a shot of his foot in Friday's 3-2 OT loss to Pittsburgh, did not make the trip. The Islanders have not released an update or timetable for Hunter . . . Goaltender Nathan Lawson cleared waivers but still awaits an assignment . . . Rick DiPietro will wear pink pads in support of October's Hockey Fights Cancer month.