John Tavares gets a goal, stays upbeat

The goals eventually will come. That's what John Tavares kept telling himself.

The Islanders center admitted he'd been putting pressure on himself to return to his goal-scoring ways. Well, he finally broke through Friday night.

With the Islanders trailing 4-2 in the third period, Tavares put in a rebound to pull his team within a goal of the Maple Leafs, who wound up with a 5-3 win.

"It's what I do best and it's what I'm most known for," Tavares said before the game. He is the team's points leader but had only two goals in the previous 21 games.

Coach Jack Capuano said he wasn't worried about Tavares' lack of scoring, given the 21-year-old's knack for creativity.

"The chances are there. But for whatever reason, he's not finding the back of the net," Capuano said. "But he went through this stretch a little bit earlier in the season and then it started to come."

Perhaps Friday night will set the stage for more goal-scoring by Tavares. Even if he isn't getting the puck in the net, he won't be deterred from trying to find it.

SEE PHOTOSLong Island in the pros: NHL edition

"I'm going to try to make the right play," he said. "So whether that's me shooting or passing it up to whether it's Matt or P.A. [Parenteau] or anyone else, that's the play I'm going to try to make."

Martin injured, returnsWith 8:44 remaining in the second period, Islanders left wing Matt Martin skated off the ice with assistance from Matt Moulson.

Martin crumpled in the Maple Leafs' zone after plowing Toronto defenseman Keith Aulie into the wall. Martin, who entered the game with a league-leading 138 hits, returned in the third period.