Park scores 2, Islanders beat Lightning 5-4 behind Biron

Park’s 2 goals lift Isles over Lightning

UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Richard Park scored twice, including the winning goal with 2:22 left, and the New York Islanders outlasted the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-4 on Saturday.

Park, who gave New York a 4-3 lead with 2:48 remaining in the second period, put a rebound of his wraparound attempt just inside the crossbar and right post. The goal was confirmed by a video review and gave third-string goalie Martin Biron (4-11-2) consecutive wins for the first time this season.

Blake Comeau, Doug Weight, and Kyle Okposo also scored for the Islanders, who won their second straight at home. Biron stopped 38 shots.

The Lightning, whose four-game winning streak was snapped in a 5-4 loss to Boston on Thursday, had goals from Steven Stamkos, defenseman Mike Lundin, Nate Thompson, and Steve Downie. Tampa Bay is 7-3-1 in its last 11. Antero Niittymaki made 28 saves.

Thompson was in line to be the top star when he scored against his former team at 12:27 of the second, pushing the Lightning in front 3-2. In his first game on Long Island since Tampa Bay claimed him off waivers on Jan. 21, Thompson netted his second goal.

After rookie John Tavares turned over the puck in the New York zone, the Lightning worked it around to Alex Tanguay in the left circle. Tanguay did a spin move and found Thompson in front for the redirection that made it 3-2. Thompson’s other goal this season was scored on Dec. 21 for the Islanders against the Lightning.

The Islanders responded with the tying and go-ahead goals a minute apart.

Okposo made it 3-3 when he took a feed from Tavares in traffic by the left post and pushed the puck past Niittymaki at 16:12. Park then converted a rebound in the slot off a shot Comeau, crashing the net for his first goal in 11 games.

The biggest slump was broken earlier in the second when Weight, the Islanders’ 39-year-old captain, forged a 2-2 tie at 4:26 to end a season-long drought. Limited to 30 games by illness and injury, Weight scored for the first time since April 12.

Stamkos was the more impressive No. 91 on this day, outshining Tavares as he continues his strong sophomore season. Drafted No. 1 in 2008, Stamkos had a goal and assist to stretch his career-best point streak to 12 games. He has 34 goals and 34 assists this season.

Tavares, chosen No. 1 last year, had one assist but his goal-less streak was extended to 13 games.

Tavares lost a faceoff to Stamkos that set up Tampa Bay’s go-ahead goal in the first period. Stamkos cleanly won the draw in the right circle back to the point to Lundin, whose long shot got through bodies to make it 2-1 with 5:31 left.

Stamkos had tied it 1-1 just 3:15 earlier when Martin St. Louis fed him with a perfect pass in front.

The Islanders killed off a two-man power play that lasted 1:19 in the opening minutes and withstood a breakaway chance by Steve Downie at 2:33, before grabbing the lead on Comeau’s goal at 7:31.

NOTES: St. Louis had one goal and seven assists against the Islanders this season. Stamkos posted four goals and three assists in the four-game series, won 3-1 by the Lightning. … Biron earned the start and Dwayne Roloson served as the backup. Rick DiPietro was sidelined by the flu.