Tavares carries Isles to win over Carolina

Typically, John Tavares first cited the chances he missed: There was a flub at the side of the Hurricanes' net after Matt Moulson hit the post early on, and Tavares himself hit the post on one of the three two-on-one breaks he had.

But after a frustrating, goalless eight-game stretch -- following a two-goal, four-point night in Raleigh to close an award-winning January -- Tavares produced when it counted Saturday night, and the Islanders hopped on No. 91's back again for a 4-3 win over Carolina at the Coliseum.

Tavares pounced on a loose puck in the crease and swept it past Hurricanes goaltender Justin Peters 38 seconds into the third period, his second goal of the game and 24th of the season, to snap a 3-3 tie. The Islanders had some hairy moments in the final period, but rookie goaltender Kevin Poulin held firm and the Islanders came away with a win that snapped them back into the thick of the playoff chase.

"We're still in this thing," said Tavares, who also set up Frans Nielsen's second-period power-play goal to give him 12 points in four games against the Hurricanes this season. "This is our season right here."

And the Islanders, quite clearly, need their star. Jack Capuano shifted P.A. Parenteau back to Tavares' right and Kyle Okposo back to the wing with Nielsen and Michael Grabner. Okposo opened the scoring with a wired wrist shot past Carolina starter Cam Ward (who left after two periods with a groin injury) just 2:07 in, and Moulson hit the post just a couple minutes later.

"Personally, I could have had three or four tonight," Moulson said. He and Tavares, his longtime linemate, have been getting chances in the last eight games, but not as many and not as golden. They didn't cave, though, even as the team scored only 14 goals in that eight-game span.

"Once you start getting negative, it's a downward spiral," Moulson said. "You stay positive, you hold each other accountable for the way you play and you try and help the team win."

Also, sometimes, you give the puck to Tavares and get out of his way.

With the Isles trailing 2-1 in the second, Andrew MacDonald delivered a cross-ice pass to Tavares, who zoomed up the right wing, around Jaroslav Spacek and around Ward and jammed in the puck at 4:10, a power move few could pull off.

That goal energized the Islanders, who were wondering if yet another early goal would go to waste, as it did against the Panthers a week ago and the Blues on Thursday.

Tavares set up Nielsen with a threaded pass intended for Moulson on the power play to make it 3-2 Isles at 8:01 of the second, but Spacek tied it with a screened shot at 10:58.

Tavares didn't let the tie linger into the third, against a cold goaltender off a scramble.

"You see it with the top players in the league -- sometime in the game, they're going to make a great play to score or a great pass to set someone up. Johnny did both tonight," said Mark Streit, who had two assists, as did Parenteau. "He's so driven, he wants to be great every night. It's such an asset to have."

And one who must produce for the Islanders to keep their fleeting playoff hopes alive. Tavares did that Saturday night, and the Isles are very much alive.