Biggest crowd of season watches Islanders defeat Pittsburgh, 3-1
A throng of 15,625 fans filled the Nassau Coliseum.
UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) -- The stars shone brightly for the New York Islanders in front of their biggest crowd this season.
Miroslav Satan had a goal and assist, and Rick DiPietro stopped 35 shots in the New York Islanders' 3-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday before 15,625 at Nassau Coliseum.
"It helps to have a full house," DiPietro said. "It's a big time of year for us, and you have to put forth a full effort in front of a full house."
Alexei Yashin and Sean Hill also scored goals for New York, 5-1-1 in its last seven games.
Malkin spoils shutout
Evgeni Malkin spoiled DiPietro's shutout bid in the third period with his 11th goal for the Penguins, and Jocelyn Thibault turned aside 26 shots. Pittsburgh, which lost for the second time in seven contests (4-2-1), was without second-year star Sidney Crosby for the second straight game.
The 19-year-old center took part in the pregame warmup, but was forced out of the lineup by a sore groin.
DiPietro kept the Penguins off the board until late and was helped when the Islanders killed a 51-second, two-man disadvantage halfway through the opening period. Shortly after a faceoff, Richard Park -- the only forward on the ice for New York -- broke his stick. Park then blocked two shots while the Islanders were short-handed.
"I just happened to be in the right place at the right time," Park said. "We work on positioning in practice, and you just try to get in the shooting lanes and minimize their angles."
Islanders coach Ted Nolan said it was one of the biggest keys of the game.
"That's a momentum builder," Nolan said.
Parked by post
Yashin opened the scoring at 2:12 of the second period. Thibault tried to clear the puck behind the net, but it hit Miroslav Satan. Satan found Yashin, parked by the left post, and the Islanders captain put the puck in the open left side.
The goal extended Yashin's point streak to four games (3-3-6). He has 15 points in 12 games (7 goals, 8 assists), and leads the team with 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists).
Satan earned his 300th NHL assist on the play and is one goal away from reaching 300.
While trailing 1-0, Pittsburgh had the potential tying goal disallowed at 6:57 of the second period when it was ruled that Malkin, at the bottom of a pileup in front of the Islanders net, threw the puck past DiPietro.
Colby Armstrong was denied a goal by DiPietro's best save of the period. DiPietro snared a rising 30-foot slap shot from the top of the right circle with his glove at 14:22.
Lucky deflection
Satan made it 2-0 with his fifth goal at 5:24 of the third. As the teams skated 4-on-4, Satan tipped Brendan Witt's right point shot past Thibault.
"I'll call it a lucky deflection," Satan said.
Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.