PITTSBURGH, May 9 (UPI) -- Tomas Vokoun made 31 saves in his first playoff appearance in six years Thursday, carrying Pittsburgh to a 4-0 victory over the New York Islanders.
The Penguins benefited from a goaltending change to take a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference quarterfinal series. Pittsburgh, No. 1 seed in the East, will try to advance to the semifinals on Saturday when the Islanders host Game 6.
Marc-Andre Fleury had struggled in goal for the Penguins after blanking New York in the series opener. The Islanders produced 14 goals in the next three games, leading the Penguins to bring Vokoun off the bench.
Vokoun had appeared in two previous playoff series and lost both of them while with Nashville. He was obtained by the Penguins prior to the current season and he owned a 3-0 record against the Islanders during this year's regular campaign.
This was Vokoun's second playoff shutout, having recorded one with the Predators in 2004.
Tyler Kennedy, Douglas Murray and Sidney Crosby all scored in the second period during a span of 6:35 and Kris Letang added a third-period goal.
The game ended with a melee that resulted in game misconduct penalties being assessed to Murray and Craig Adams from the Penguins along with New York's Keith Aucoin.
Evgeni Nabokov gave up the four Pittsburgh goals on 27 shots before being replaced by Kevin Poulin in the third period.
