NEW YORK — Brock Nelson scored his second goal of the game at 4:16 of overtime, lifting the New York Islanders to a 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night to extend their point streak to a franchise-record 16 games.
Nelson, who also scored the overtime winner at Pittsburgh two nights earlier, got a pass from Mathew Barzal on the left side on a rush, cut across the front of a goal to avoid a defender and draw goalie Matt Murray out of position, and then backhanded it into the right side for his eighth.
Anthony Beauvillier had a goal and an assist and Barzal had two assists to help the Islanders improve to 15-0-1 during their streak while winning their fifth straight since an overtime loss to the Penguins here on Nov. 7. New York had earned points in 15 straight games three times previously, the last during a 15-game win streak in the 1981-82 season.
Thomas Greiss stopped 23 shots for his eighth straight win — all coming during the Islanders’ streak — and ninth of the season.
Evgeni Malkin had a goal and an assist, and Brian Rust and Patric Hornqvist also scored for the Penguins. Murray finished with 20 saves.
Nelson, playing in his 500th game, gave the Islanders a 3-2 lead with 4:52 left in the third, scoring off a faceoff just 4 seconds after Pittsburgh’s Sam Lafferty was sent off for tripping Beauvillier. Nelson now has four goals and five assists during a five-game point streak.
Hornqvist tied it with 30 seconds remaining in regulation.
Allan Kreda, The Associated Press