Capitals edge Islanders in Roloson's season debut
Nicklas Backstrom #19 of the Washington Capitals celebrtaes the third period game winning goal by Alex Ovechkin #8 against the New York Islanders. (Oct. 13, 2010) Credit: Getty Images
WASHINGTON - Last night it was the Islanders' turn to watch a team come back on them as the Capitals earned a 2-1 victory at the Verizon Center.
Alex Ovechkin tied it with a goal late in the second period, and his drive from the point on the power play deflected in off the skate of Nicklas Backstrom with 3:39 remaining in the third, spoiling Islanders goaltender Dwayne Roloson's season debut.
With the score tied at 1, Blake Comeau took a roughing penalty to put the Islanders down a man with 4:05 to play. Ovechkin's one-timer was redirected by Backstrom 26 seconds later to hand the Islanders their first regulation loss of the season.
That fluky goal and what they considered a questionable penalty left the Islanders reeling. "I didn't agree with it,'' Comeau said. "I thought I missed the guy completely.''
Said coach Scott Gordon: "Watching a replay, it wasn't a roughing or whatever they called. The guy he went to hit actually pushed his arms up to Blake.''
Roloson was sharp, making 24 saves. But the Islanders couldn't bail out his strong effort or build on their first-period lead.
"Roli was great,'' Gordon said. "He had a solid game for us, especially in the second period, and he gave us a chance to stay in the game.''
Rookie Nino Niederreiter went five-hole on goalie Michal Neuvirth for his first NHL goal at 3:14 in the first period. Captain Doug Weight picked up his third assist in three games.
"It was a great feeling,'' Niederreiter said, "but the end result wasn't.''
Roloson made a tremendous stop on winger Jason Chimera to rob him of a point-blank opportunity midway through the second. But despite strong goaltending and two successful penalty kills, the Islanders surrendered the tying goal late in the second.
Scoring his fourth goal of the season, Ovechkin beat Roloson from the left circle at 18:19.
Outshot 15-6 in the second period, the Islanders couldn't generate enough in their offensive zone to match the Caps' pressure. "The second period got away from us,'' Gordon said. "We spent too much time in our own zone.''
The Islanders' success on the power play in their first two games did not carry over. The Islanders entered second in the league with a 5-for-13 record, but they looked disorganized with the man-advantage last night.
The Islanders were unable to cash in on three power-play opportunities, extending the Capitals' perfect penalty-killing record. They have killed off 15 penalties this season.
"Anytime you play the Capitals, it's a big test," Gordon said before the game. "They're a dynamic offensive team, they've stepped it up with their penalty kill to keep pucks out of their net, and the task certainly isn't any easier [this year]."
Notes & quotes: James Wisniewski served the first of a two-game suspension handed down after the defenseman made an obscene gesture toward Sean Avery in the Islanders' 6-4 win over the Rangers Monday at Nassau Coliseum. D Jack Hillen, who was scratched the first two games, replaced Wisniewski in the lineup . . . John Tavares, who suffered a mild concussion on opening night against Dallas on Saturday, skated for the second day in a row and reportedly was symptom-free.
