Josh Bailey scored the game-winning goal in his 1,000th NHL game when the New York Islanders defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 6-2 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina on Friday.
Bailey gave the Islanders a 3-2 lead at 16:26 of the third period when he caught a pass from Mathieu Barzaldrew Frederic Andersen out of position and scored on the backhand.
“‘Barzy’, when he gets the puck, you’re just trying to find the ice,” Bailey said. “He curled up and the timing worked well. I was able to get him a good move and put him in the back of the net.”
Video: NYI@CAR: Bailey scores tiebreaker in Game 1,000
Selected in the first round (9th overall) of the 2008 NHL Draft, Bailey is the third to play 1,000 games for New York, joining Hall of Famers Denis Potvin (1,060) and Bryan Trottier (1,123) .
“There were countless texts from friends and ex-teammates, family and everyone,” the 33-year-old striker said. “Just overwhelming with the support and all the kind words.”
Bailey, who had 557 points (178 points, 379 assists) in his NHL career, scored his 23rd career game-winning goal.
“For Josh, it’s fun to see that,” said the New York striker Brock Nelson said. “You couldn’t write it better, getting him the game-winner. A huge part of the franchise and this team, so well deserved.”
Video: NYI@CAR: Beauvillier and Nelson team up for goal again
Nelson scored two goals, Anthony Beauviller and Barzal each had two assists, and Ilya Sorokin made 33 saves for the Islanders (4-4-0), who won two in a row after a three-game losing streak.
Brent burns and Martin Necas scored and Andersen made 26 saves for the Hurricanes (4-2-1).
“Their goaltender played very well, I give him a lot of credit,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “But their team play, I think they played their best game of the [five] years that I have been [coaching] against them. By far the best game they’ve played.”
Olivier Wahlstrom gave New York a 1-0 lead at 16:29 of the first period on a 2-on-1 with Barzal, but Necas tied it 1-1 at 8:57 of the second period on a back-and-forth with Brady Skjei when he redirected the return pass backdoor.
Matt Martin gave the Islanders a 2-1 lead at 14:29 after the Hurricanes defender Jalen Chatfield returned the puck in front of the net and Casey Cizikas swept the puck to Martin for the goal.
“We got a little sloppy with the puck a few times,” Carolina captain said Jordan Staal said. “A few mistakes, and they made us pay.”
Video: NYI@CAR: Barzal and Wahlstrom connect to open the scoring
Burns scored his first goal with the Hurricanes on a one-timer from inside the blue line that deflected off the Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield tie 2-2 at 3:35 p.m. The defenseman, who also had four assists this season, was acquired from the San Jose Sharks on July 13.
After Bailey made it 3-2, Nelson scored twice. He extended the lead to 4-2 at 3:59 of the third period on a cross pass from Beauvillier and made it 5-2 at 11:06 after a point-to-point pass from Beauvillier.
“He goes down with an open shot and he freezes the keeper for me, which is huge,” Nelson said. “Great plays from him, and good to be at the end.”
Zach Parise scored a shorthanded empty-net goal with 1:54 to go for the 6-2 final.
REMARKS: Barzal has had nine assists in eight games, including five in the last three. … The Islanders were 3-on-3 shorthanded, including 5-on-3 for 1:23 late in the second period. New York didn’t allow a power-play goal in each of its eight games (28 of 28) to start the season, setting a new NHL record. …Carolina Forwards Sebastien Aho and Teuvo Teravainen were each minus-3. … Burns scored his 228th NHL goal, passing Steve Duchesne and Kevin Hatcher for 12th all-time among defensemen.
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