Moulson goals, Montoya shutout lift Isles

Holiday get-togethers and summer barbecues got a lot more pleasant for Matt Moulson last night.

Moulson scored twice against Kings goaltender and brother-in-law Jonathan Quick, and pickup goaltender Al Montoya pitched a 35-save shutout to give the Islanders a 3-0 win over the Kings at Nassau Coliseum.

Entering the game with a 4-0-0 career record against the Islanders, Quick had the long-running edge against his friend and former Kings teammate Moulson. But it was Moulson who won this edition of Family Feud to give the Islanders their fifth win in six games.

"I think I was a lot more nervous than usual going into the game," said Moulson, whose wife Alicia is the sister of Quick's wife Jaclyn. "I don't want to get chirped by all of our family members, so it was a little motivation I guess."

With the Islanders up 1-0 on Frans Nielsen's shorthanded goal in the first period, Moulson used Rob Scuderi as a screen and lasered a wrist shot from the right circle to beat Quick and give the Islanders a 2-0 lead at 6:54 of the second.

Moulson's second goal - a spin-and-shoot from the slot at 13:40 of the third - gave him his 23rd of the season. He is now tied with John Tavares for second on the team behind Michael Grabner.

"It's the pride of the summer and bragging rights," Moulson said of his head-to-head showdown with Quick.

Before Moulson's pair of goals, the Islanders' penalty kill gave Quick plenty of work thanks to two players in particular.

Grabner and Nielsen combined for one shorthanded breakaway after another and Nielsen scored on the first of several high-quality chances against Quick.

With Kyle Okposo in the box for hooking, Grabner picked off a pass at the blue line intended for Kings defenseman Drew Doughty. Grabner found Nielsen, who scored his league-leading fifth shorthanded goal of the season to give the Islanders a 1-0 lead at 5:01 of the first.

"We just try to be aggressive," Nielsen said of their penalty-killing effort. "When there are bouncing pucks, we try to jump on their [defensemen]."

Grabner's assist on the play only furthered his case for consideration as the NHL's Rookie of the Year. The 23-year-old speedster now has 24 points (16 goals, 8 assists) in his last 18 games and 25 goals overall.

In his first start since being traded to the Islanders Feb. 9, Al Montoya made 35 stops. His best was a snow-angel save on Justin Williams at the end of the second period.

"I fell on my back and just said, 'Hallelujah'," Montoya joked. "Yeah, I remember that one."

The 26-year-old, who was acquired from Phoenix for a 6th-round pick, made two relief appearances for the Islanders in the past week. His last shutout was April 9, 2009 while playing for Phoenix.

"I left it all on the ice," Montoya said. "That was my mindset going into the game."

Notes & quotes: Fourth-line forward Matt Martin served the last game of his four-game suspension, assessed for his ambush of Penguins forward Max Talbot last Friday. Martin is eligible to return tomorrow against the Panthers. Bruno Gervais was scratched.