The Islanders scored more than two goals for the first time in nine games.
Lo and behold, it led to a win, 4-3 in overtime over the Maple Leafs on Saturday night at UBS Arena.
Matthew Schaefer, with his second goal of the game, scored the winner at 4:11 of overtime.
David Rittich, making his seventh straight start, stopped 19 shots.
Auston Matthews scored twice for the Maple Leafs, moving past Mats Sundin to set a new franchise record with 421 goals. Joseph Woll made 21 saves.
Schaefer skated around defenseman Morgan Rielly and finished at the crease to tie it at 2-2 at 11:10 of the third period but Nicholas Robertson, finding open space in the low slot with defenseman Cole McWard slow to cover after getting caught behind the Islanders’ crease, regained a 3-2 lead for the Maple Leafs 62 seconds later.
But Emil Heineman, open in the right circle, tied it at again at 3-3 at 17:15.
Matthews tied Sundin’s record by skating past turned-around defenseman Scott Mayfield to the crease at 9:30 of the second period to tie it at 1-1. His one-timer from the right circle after defenseman Ryan Pulock turned the puck over made it 2-1 at 17:19 of the second period.
Defenseman Adam Pelech, with a shot from the left point through Jonathan Drouin’s screen, opened the scoring at 1:10 of the second period. Drouin and Simon Holmstrom started the game skating with Cal Ritchie but coach Patrick Roy flip-flopped his middle-six centers to start the middle period, putting Jean-Gabriel Pageau with those two while Ritchie skated with Max Tsyplakov and Max Shabanov as the two Russians were linemates for the first time.
Notes & quotes: McWard, 24, was recalled from AHL Bridgeport for his Islanders’ debut paired with fellow right-hander Mayfield, who moved to his off-side . . . Goalie Ilya Sorokin (lower body) was activated off injured reserve and backed up Rittich. Sorokin is expected to start on Tuesday against the visiting Devils . . . Bo Horvat (lower body), injured on Thursday, skated on his own . . . Defenseman Adam Boqvist and forward Anthony Duclair were the healthy scratches.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
