Clutterbuck scores SO winner, Islanders top Blue Jackets 3-2
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - The New York Islanders put a bad first period behind them and were able to break through against rookie goalie Joonas Korpisalo.
Cal Clutterbuck scored the winning goal in the shootout, lifting New York to a 3-2 comeback victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night.
"I didn't have any voice left after the first period," Islanders coach Jack Capuano said. "It was embarrassing the way that we played. Our compete level was non-existent and I told them. It was unacceptable. I think the second and third period, we responded, we played good."
Frans Nielsen also scored in the shootout and Jaroslav Halak stopped three of four attempts by Columbus. Alexander Wennerg had the Blue Jackets' lone shootout goal.
Clutterbuck roofed a shot to end it.
"The shootout is such a hit-or-miss thing," he said. "It's basically about who's got more patience and who freezes who quicker. It's just one of those things. You try to make a good move and if the puck goes in, it goes in."
After Korpisalo stopped 17 shots in a scoreless second period, the Islanders finally broke through when Anders Lee tied it early in the third period. Kyle Okposo sent the puck down low and Lee worked a nice forehand-to-backhand move before sliding the puck between Korpisalo's legs.
Ryan Strome also had a goal in regulation for the Islanders, who earned their second win in a row and avoided their first three-game road losing streak in two seasons. New York completed a four-game season series sweep of the Blue Jackets.
Cam Atkinson and Brandon Dubinsky each had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets in regulation. Korpisalo finished with a career-high 44 saves in his eighth straight start filling in for injured Sergei Bobrovksy (groin) and Curtis McElhinney (ankle).
The high shot count didn't bother Korpisalo one bit.
"You are warm all the time," the 21-year-old netminder said. "You get shot, shots, shots. It's pretty fun to play those games."
The Islanders outshot the Blue Jackets 15-5 in the third period.
"The last 10 games or so, we've really been focusing on the getting pucks to the net and outworking their penalty kill," Lee said.
Korpisalo had to make the tougher saves toward the end of regulation. He stuck out his skate on Mikhail Grabovski's backhander with 5 minutes left and stopped Strome from the slot with a minute to go. The teams traded chances in an exciting overtime.
"The best part of the game, I think for both coaches, was the overtime," Columbus coach John Tortorella said. "There were a number of chances by both teams."
Strome opened the scoring just 56 seconds into the first period. John Tavares won a left-circle faceoff to Strome, who scored on the second shot of the game.
The Dubinsky-Atkinson combination pushed Columbus ahead with goals four minutes apart later in the period.
Atkinson pounded home a rebound off a shot by Dubinsky for his 18th at 7:45. Dubinsky then made it 2-1, netting a one-timer past Halak - who finished with 29 saves - after Atkinson won a puck battle creating an odd-man break that Dubinsky finished with his 12th.
"It looked like we kind of ran out of gas," Tortorella said. "I'm not sure if the trip hurt us. I'm always concerned about that, coming off that West Coast trip. I don't want to make excuses. Judging from the first period, I thought we were there."
NOTES: Columbus opened a five-game homestand and plays 15 of its next 20 at home. The Blue Jackets came in with 22 points at home, the second-fewest in the league. ... Halak is 6-0-2 in his last eight outings against Columbus. ... Korpisalo is 6-1-3 in his last 10 starts. ... The Islanders have gone nine consecutive games without a regulation defeat against the Blue Jackets.