Tavares lifts Islanders past Canes in shootout

Rookie John Tavares helps Islanders to first win of season, 4-3 in shootout over Hurricanes

(AP)  UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) - John Tavares scored in the shootout to give the New York Islanders their first victory of the season, 4-3 over the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday night.

Jeff Tambellini and Frans Nielsen also scored in the shootout to help the Islanders (1-3-3) avoid their worst start in franchise history. Andy Sutton, Tim Jackman and Matt Moulson scored in regulation for New York.

Matt Cullen scored in the second period and Erik Staal and Jussi Jokinen had goals in the third to tie the score and help the Hurricanes pick up a point for the first time in the last four games. Jokinen had Carolina's lone score in the shootout.

Ryan Whitney, playing in his 1,000th career game, had an assist on Staal's score. The Hurricanes (2-4-2) dropped to 0-3-1 on the road and 0-2-2 in their last four overall.

The Hurricanes held a 38-29 advantage on shots, including a 30-15 edge after the opening period.

Staal and Jokinen helped Carolina erase a two-goal deficit in a 1:04 stretch of the third period to complete a late comeback, scoring back-to-back in tying the score with 4:57 remaining.

Staal completed a give-and-go with Whitney before blasting a right-circle slap shot that made it 3-2. Just more than a minute later, Jokinen's right-post tip-in tied it.

Sutton had his first multipoint game in almost 11 months, adding an assist in helping New York carry a two-goal lead into the third period.

Jackman and Sutton scored less than a minute apart in the second to complement Moulson's team-leading fifth goal. The trio combined to provide the Islanders with a two-goal lead despite Carolina holding a 17-7 shot advantage in the second period.

The Islanders' offense entered with just two first-period goals this season. But Moulson helped New York gain a lead 8:11 into the game, scoring a goal for the fourth consecutive game.

Carolina, which entered with the league's second-worst power-play unit, capitalized on a fortuitous bounce 5:34 into the second to tie it at 1. Cullen's centering pass from the right post caromed off defenseman Jack Hillen's leg and past goalie Dwayne Roloson, marking just the Hurricanes' fifth power-play goal in 38 chances.

New York responded by scoring twice in a 49-second span. Jackman broke the tie when he swept a backhand shot that hit off Carolina defender Niclas Wallin and past a prone Ward at 10:32.

As Jackman's goal was being announced to the crowd, Sutton ignited another loud roar when he redirected Hillen's pass into the left side of the net for his second goal of the year.

The Islanders received a scare when Andrew Alberts knocked Tavares to the ice with 12:38 remaining. The 19-year-old, selected No. 1 pick in this year's draft, stayed on the ice momentarily after taking the hit following a shot attempt.

Tavares returned to the bench after a visit from the team trainer and took his regular shifts. Alberts was booed every subsequent time he touched the puck.