NHL

Late goal leads skidding Islanders over Capitals, 5-3

UNIONDALE, N.Y. — P.A. Parenteau’s goal with 1:46 remaining broke a tie and led the New York Islanders to a 5-3 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday night.

After the Islanders (4-5-2) scored only 18 goals in their first 10 games this season, they busted out against Washington. Frans Nielsen, Brian Rolston, Matt Martin and John Tavares also scored for New York, which snapped a six-game losing streak (0-4-2). Tavares made it 5-3 with an empty-net goal

Rick DiPietro made 24 saves for his first win of the season.

Joel Ward, Alex Ovechkin and Brooks Laich had goals for the Capitals, who got 30 saves from Tomas Vokoun.

Ward’s rebound goal 5:24 in gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead. Ward corralled a loose puck in the slot before whipping a shot over DiPietro’s stick.

Ovechkin fired a slap shot, with the teams skating 4-on-4, to make it 2-0 with 1:19 left in the first. Ovechkin wheeled inside the blue line and hammered an off-the-boards pass from Nicklas Backstrom over DiPietro.

That prompted many frustrated fans in the crowd of 14,812 to chant for Islanders backup goalie Al Montoya.

New York entered with the fewest goals scored in the NHL. Following Thursday’s 3-0 home loss to Winnipeg, Islanders coach Jack Capuano announced he would make line changes to his team that hadn’t scored since 11:28 of the second period last Saturday against San Jose.

The Islanders benefited from the changes and outshot Washington 35-28. The best of New York’s lines was the grouping of Rolston, Nielsen and Parenteau — which produced three goals and nine shots.

Nielsen’s soft backhander past Vokoun at 1:41 into the second ended the Islanders’ drought. Rolston tied it 2-2 with 3:05 left in the period with his first goal with the Islanders and No. 336 of his NHL career.

New York took a 3-2 lead 6:28 into the third when Martin backhanded a rebound under Vokoun. The goal was Martin’s second of the season and seventh in 84 career NHL games.

That advantage lasted only 2:44 because Laich tied it with a power-play goal off a wrist shot from the left circle. That set the stage for Parenteau’s game-winner and Tavares’ empty-netter 44 seconds later.

NOTES: On Military Appreciation Night at the Nassau Coliseum, the Islanders wore camouflage warmup sweaters. Several hundred fans had to relocate from sections 305 and 306 before the start of the second period due to a leaky roof. Washington dropped to 9-3 this season.

Islanders' Brian Rolston (11) celebrates his goal with teammate Frans Nielsen (51) as the Isles clipped the Capitals, 5-3, in Uniondale.

Islanders’ Brian Rolston (11) celebrates his goal with teammate Frans Nielsen (51) as the Isles clipped the Capitals, 5-3, in Uniondale. (AP)