Park's second goal gives Islanders 5-4 win over Lightning

Ten minutes before yesterday's game, the Islanders' Richard Park pulled Doug Weight aside and said he felt the results the team had been searching for soon would come to fruition.

Then Park and Weight totaled three goals and an assist to lead the Islanders to their second win in three games, a 5-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning at Nassau Coliseum. Park scored twice for his first multigoal game since Jan. 2, 2009. Weight scored his first goal of the season and had an assist.

"It was kind of ironic," Weight said of their pregame chat. "But it was good to see results from a guy like [Park], who does so much for the club, and also for both of us to contribute."

In a game in which the Islanders led 1-0 and 4-3 and the Lightning led 2-1 and 3-2, Park broke the contest's fourth tie with 2:22 left in the third period.

Park followed up on his wraparound attempt that was denied and picked the top right corner. After several minutes of review, the goal was awarded to the Islanders and the fans erupted. Said Park, "I thought it was in, but you just never know."

As for his own two points, Weight said he feels as if a weight has been lifted. "I want to contribute and count as much as I can," he said. "Obviously, that was a monkey off my back. Now I feel about 5 to 10 pounds lighter."

Coach Scott Gordon said, "It's good to see them contribute because [Park] has had a couple goals taken away from him and [Weight] has had some chances he hasn't been able to bury."

Kyle Okposo and Blake Comeau each finished with a goal and an assist. Goaltender Martin Biron won consecutive starts for the first time since April 3 and 7, 2009.

In a penalty-riddled game, the Islanders were forced to kill off 1:18 of five-on-three time to begin the first period. The momentum gained from that successful kill carried over into the offensive zone as Comeau gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead with his delayed backhander at 7:31.

The Lightning answered with a pair of goals later in the period: sophomore sensation Steven Stamkos' redirect at 11:14 and defenseman Mike Lundin's wrist shot through traffic at 14:29.

Weight began the Islanders' three-goal second period with his tying strike from the slot at 4:26. After former Islander Nate Thompson scored his first goal as a Bolt for a 3-2 lead at 12:27, the Islanders went ahead. Okposo squeaked one in short-side against Lightning goaltender Antero Niittymaki at 16:12 and Park jammed Comeau's rebound home exactly one minute later.

Steve Downie netted the equalizer with a slick tip-in at 2:57 of the third period before Park won it.

"We know at the end it'll be there if we really concentrate on what gives us the best chance to win a hockey game," Park said. "As good as we were on that streak, you kind of forget about it when you go the other way. We're just trying to find that happy medium and see where the day takes us."