Crosby’s shootout goals net Pens 4-3 win over Isles

UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) — Sid the Kid took the storybook ending away from prized rookie John Tavares and the New York Islanders.

Sidney Crosby, who scored a goal in the first period, netted the deciding tally in the shootout and gave the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins a 4-3 victory on Saturday night.

Tavares got nearly everything he hoped for in his NHL debut, scoring a go-ahead goal and adding an assist.

He went second for New York in the shootout, but fired wide. Jeff Tambellini rang a shot off the post on the Islanders’ first attempt before Penguins defenseman Kris Letang beat Dawyne Roloson in the tiebreaker.

Roloson, in his Islanders debut, looked sharp in making 39 traditional saves. Marc-Andre Fleury was just as good in stopping 25 shots.

Just 17 seconds after defenseman Mark Eaton lifted Pittsburgh into a 2-2 tie 7:19 into the third period, Trent Hunter restored New York’s lead with a one-timed shot from the right circle.

Roloson was in line for the win in the third period but Ruslan Fedotenko — shaken up earlier on a hard hit from New York’s Brendan Witt — banked a shot off the skate of Islanders defenseman Bruno Gervais with 3:49 left in regulation to make it 3-3.

Tavares, the top pick in this year’s draft, helped set up Mark Streit’s tying goal in the first period and then scored to give the Islanders a 2-1 lead.

When he backhanded a loose puck past Fleury during a power play at 7:09, Tavares went down to a knee and pumped his fist as his equally excited teammates raced over to celebrate with him. Hunter retrieved the puck for the 19-year-old new face of the franchise.

Crosby, who like Tavares and Fleury was an overall No. 1 pick in the NHL draft, scored his second goal of the season just 8:50 in on a breakaway. Crosby also scored Friday night in the Penguins’ season-opening 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers after the championship banner was raised to the rafters at Mellon Arena.

The sold-out Nassau Coliseum crowd was looking for something to cheer about after team owner Charles Wang said before the game that he is now open to all options for the club because the Town of Hempstead has not yet approved the Lighthouse Project.

The major developmental deal that has been in the works for nearly a decade would include a new, refurbished arena to replace antiquated Nassau Coliseum. Wang set a deadline for Saturday to receive a yes or no answer from the Town of Hempstead. One never came, and now the possibility exists that the Islanders could be sold or relocated or both.

Tavares’ arrival and his quick two-point night have already provided hope that the Islanders might be able to turn things around after posting the NHL’s worst record last season (26-47-9).

Crosby staked the Penguins to a 1-0 lead, taking a long banked pass off the boards in front of the penalty box and racing into the New York zone. Crosby made a sharp cut to the center of the ice, darting in front of chasing defenseman Witt, and sliding a shot past Roloson.