Penguins and Islanders behave this time

Associated Press

UNIONDALE, N.Y.

The Pittsburgh Penguins got their revenge on the New York Islanders in a shootout instead of a knockout.

In the highly anticipated rematch of their brawl-filled previous meeting, the Penguins got the only goal in the tiebreaker from Chris Kunitz and held off the Islanders 4-3 on Friday night.

The Penguins seemed to have things well in hand until Travis Hamonic got the Islanders even at 3 with just 35 seconds left in regulation with a shot from the left point that got past goalie Marc-Andre Fleury after New York pulled Al Montoya for an extra skater.

But Kunitz salvaged the win with his third-round goal to assure the Penguins of home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs and move them into a first-place tie with Philadelphia in the Atlantic Division with one game left.

“I like home ice in the playoffs,” understated Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said. “There are things about the game I didn’t like, but our team found a way to win. It’s a big win.”

The Islanders had nearly tied it with 1:38 left, before Hamonic scored, but Matt Moulson’s goal was disallowed because John Tavares was in the crease.

Mark Letestu had snapped a 2-2 tie with 7:39 left, and Mike Rupp added a goal and assist for the Penguins. Fleury turned aside all three Islanders shooters in the shootout.

Pittsburgh went 4-1-1 against the Islanders, who were long eliminated from the playoff race.

“They play us hard,” Bylsma said. “They’ve been able to do some things against us and we’ve had to fight tooth and nail to get every point we got from them.”

Letestu took a backhanded pass in front from Rupp and scored past Montoya a little over four minutes after Blake Comeau got the Islanders even at 2 with his second goal of the night.

The Penguins are in a good position heading into the playoffs despite being without Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin for large parts of the season. Pittsburgh also lost forward James Neal on Friday, and Bylsma called him day to day.

Zbynek Michalek also scored, and Fleury played well.