Islanders can't win in front of a sellout

The Islanders had their first sellout of the season Saturday night, 16,250. That was largely thanks to more than a thousand traveling Capitals fans who could be found around the Coliseum in their red shirts.

But while the Capitals fans accommodated the Islanders' bottom line by buying tickets, the Caps themselves were not such accommodating visitors.

The Islanders ran out to a two-goal lead and the Capitals appeared to be headed for their second beating in back-to-back nights.

But after an embarrassing shutout loss at home against the Rangers on Friday, the Capitals seized momentum in the second period and rattled off three unanswered goals in the final two periods to come away with a 3-2 victory.

"I think we let off the gas a little bit," said Travis Hamonic, who scored the Islanders' second goal. "Whenever you go against a team like that, they're going to bring the offense."

The Capitals tied the score early in the third period. Brooks Laich, who scored the Capitals' first goal at 9:44 of the second, slithered a pass through the crease to find Mike Knuble in front for a goal at 2:24. Alexander Semin then stickhandled his way to the high slot and ripped a shot that gave the Capitals a 3-2 lead at 5:41.

"You give them a little bit of life and they run away with it," said Islanders goaltender Al Montoya, who made 19 saves.

It was a far cry from the first period.

Held without a shot until 11:51 into play, the Capitals fell behind 1-0 on Kyle Okposo's wrister from the slot at 13:48.

The goal - his third of the season - came during a brief span in which the Islanders had only four defensemen at their disposal.

Already depleted with injuries to veteran Radek Martinek and Milan Jurcina, the Islanders saw Bruno Gervais go down, then Hamonic. Both were pegged with shots; Gervais took one to the face while sitting on the bench and Hamonic was nailed with a deflection to the hip.

Both returned later in the period, which was a relief, given the team's recent losses. The Islanders played most of Tuesday night's game against Toronto with five defensemen and half of the third period with only four.

Hamonic appeared just fine 33 seconds into the second period, giving the Islanders a 2-0 lead with his knuckler from the blue line.

But once the Capitals got on the board, momentum distinctly shifted in their favor.

"They had a little more in the tank than they showed in the first," Montoya said. "They took some momentum after that first goal - which I would like to have back - and it's a tough outcome for the group. I think we deserved to win."

Like their fans, the Capitals have found a second home at the Coliseum recently. The victory was their sixth straight on the Islanders' ice.

Said Islanders coach Jack Capuano, "Some of their skill took over at the end."