Tavares, Isles come up empty again, drop sixth straight

TAMPA, Fla. - All John Tavares had to do was glance across the ice to the other No. 91 to see what one more year of experience can yield.

Steven Stamkos, the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2008, finished with two goals and an assist as the Lightning beat the Islanders, 5-2, last night and handed them their sixth straight loss. Tampa Bay scored the final three goals of the game.

The Islanders, who are 0-4 on this road trip, have dropped seven of their last eight. And unlike their six-game winless streak to begin the season, the Islanders haven't even earned a point in their latest skid.

"We've got to push it during these games before the break," defenseman Andy Sutton said. "We've got to amass some points, because we've got some ground to make up."

It hasn't been easy for Tavares, either. The rookie, who was held without a goal for the ninth straight game, has six points (two goals, four assists) in his last 25 games.

Before the game, Stamkos spoke about his fellow No. 1 pick. "I know John and I'm sure he's putting a lot of pressure on himself,'' he said, "but you've got to just stay positive."

Stamkos struggled during the first half of his rookie season before scoring 23 goals. In his sophomore year, he leads the league in power-play points (27) and goals (13).

"He's just got to take a deep breath and keep in mind that he's playing in the NHL at 19 years old," said Stamkos, whose two goals gave him 31 for the season. "The reality is, most people that age are still playing in university or the minors, while he is playing with the best in the world."

Tavares' difficulties serve as a microcosm of the Islanders' recent scoring struggles. They have not scored more than twice since Jan. 19. "We've got to score some goals, plain and simple," Kyle Okposo said. "They're not going in right now and that's what happens sometimes during a drought.''

Despite superior five-on-five play and a wealth of opportunities, the Isles simply could not find the back of the net. "We worked hard, had a lot of good chances, but we just couldn't put them in," Tavares said.

Nothing was more indicative of that than the second period, when their aggressive forechecking allowed them three line changes and seven uncontested shots in Tampa Bay's zone. "It has snowballed. We've lost six games," coach Scott Gordon said. "Very rarely do you have your whole team go cold, and that's where we're at right now."

The Islanders are 0-for-14 on the power play in the last four games. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay scored on its first power play of the game, on Stamkos' one-timer from the left circle at 14:15 of the first period. The Islanders tied it on Matt Moulson's 21st goal of the season at 15:26, a shot deflected in off Lightning defenseman Andrej Meszaros' skate.

The teams traded quick strikes again in the second period. The Islanders' Jon Sim buried Doug Weight's feed from behind the goal line that deflected off Antero Niittymaki's stick at 9:12, and 25 seconds later, Martin St. Louis sneaked in a short-side goal in the narrowest of crevices provided by Dwayne Roloson.

Vinny Lecavalier delivered the go-ahead goal on an odd-man rush at 10:13 to give Tampa Bay a 3-2 lead.

Stamkos' blistering slap shot produced a 4-2 lead at 11:49 in the third. Alex Tanguay added an empty-netter with 37.3 seconds left.