Islanders outlast Flyers, 1-0, in shootout

UNIONDALE, N.Y. - These aren't the usual New York Islanders, the team the Flyers have used as a proverbial punching bag in recent seasons.

These Islanders are fast, young, and skilled, and they are trying to erase some bad memories in their final season at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

So far, so good.

The Islanders won for the ninth time in 10 games on Monday, beating the visiting Flyers, 1-0, in the dreaded shootout. Frans Nielsen and John Tavares scored in the shootout; Scott Laughton and Claude Giroux did not.

The Islanders are 5-0 in shootouts, while the Flyers are 0-3 - and an NHL-worst 27-54 since they started.

The Flyers wasted a spectacular performance by Steve Mason, who made 46 saves, the second-highest total in his career.

"He stood on his head and stole us a point," said Flyers defenseman Andrew MacDonald, playing in Long Island for the first time since he was traded from the Islanders late last season. "They're a team that throws pucks on net and creates a lot of chaos. They're relentless on the forecheck and do a great job of jumping on rebounds and loose pucks. I don't think we matched their intensity all night."

Coach Craig Berube agreed.

"I'm disappointed we didn't play better," he said. "We don't have enough guys that compete hard enough, that show enough urgency throughout the game."

New York dominated regulation and overtime, outshooting the Flyers, 46-21, including 16-4 in the third period.

"In this league, if you're not competitive and you don't want to get in there and play, you're going to be on the outside all night," Berube said.

The Flyers are 33-4-4 against the Isles since 2006-07.

Mason kept the Flyers in the game with several outstanding saves. None was better than his glove save on Kyle Okposo's eighth shot of the night, a blast from the right circle with 1 minute, 40 seconds left in regulation.

With the game scoreless, defenseman Braydon Coburn made a diving poke check to ruin a two-on-one Islanders rush with 13:51 remaining.

The Islanders had a territorial advantage for most of the 65 minutes, but the game was scoreless only because Mason was razor sharp.

"It's frustrating, but at the same time . . . it has to be frustrating for the players when you don't perform well and you let in crap goals" in other games," said Mason, who was credited with his 24th career shutout. "It's just frustrating, not being able to get the extra point.

Saying he liked the way it went in the previous game - a 4-2 win over Columbus - Berube again used seven defensemen and just 11 forwards.

After the game, he said the seven-defenseman format wasn't why the Flyers were dominated.

With the Flyers trailing, 1-0, in the shootout, Giroux appeared to have Jaroslav Halak beaten with a gorgeous move, but at the last instant the goalie put out his arm and stopped the puck before it crossed the goal line.

It was typical of the frustration that has surrounded the Flyers in shootouts.

Michael Raffl, who has missed the last eight games with a foot injury, will skate with the team during Tuesday's practice in Detroit, said GM Ron Hextall, who said there was an outside chance that the left winger can play this weekend. . . . The Islanders were without ill defensemen Thomas Hickey and Calvin de Haan.