NEWARK, N.J., April 1 (UPI) -- Frans Nielsen set up a pair of first-period goals Monday and the New York Islanders stayed in the playoff hunt with a 3-1 win over slumping New Jersey.
Nielsen assisted on Josh Bailey's tally 52 seconds into the game and on a Travis Hamonic marker less than 7 minutes later, and the Islanders were never headed after that.
John Tavares added his 22nd of the season for New York, which remained knotted with the crosstown rival New York Rangers for the eighth and final playoff seed in the Eastern Conference.
Evgeni Nabokov earned the victory with 24 saves as the Isles notched their fourth win five games.
Alexei Ponikarovsky scored and Martin Brodeur turned aside 18 shots for the Devils, who dropped a fourth straight but still hold the seventh seed in the East.
