DALLAS, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- Alexei Yashin scored two power-play goals and Chris Osgood made 17 saves as the New York Islanders salvaged the finale of their five-game road trip with a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars Monday night
The Islanders were the NHL's biggest surprise in the first month, but recently had been playing like the team that finished last in the league last season.
New York was winless in its previous four games (0-3-1), but Yashin and Osgood made plays that were typical of the Islanders' fast start.
Yashin scored his 11th goal just 4:46 into the contest. After Osgood made a spectacular glove save on Pat Verbeek, Roman Hamrlik picked up the rebound and raced up the left side. He faked a shot and made a cross-ice pass to Yashin, who put a slap shot through the pads of Ed Belfour.
Nearly three minutes later, Brad Isbister made it 2-0. After a scramble in the neutral zone, Isbister raced up ice and threw a backhander that deflected off Dallas defenseman Derian Hatcher's stick.
Within a 71-second span, Donald Audette and Jere Lehtinen took slashing penalties that gave the Islanders a two-man advantage for the second time in the period.
The undisciplined penalties cost the Stars as Yashin struck again on a slap shot that seemingly put the game out of reach.
Joe Nieuwendyk and Richard Matvichuk scored power-play goals for Dallas, which had a season-high three-game unbeaten streak (2
1) snapped.
