Jets 5, Islanders 4 (OT)
WINNIPEG -- The Winnipeg Jets extended their winning streak to three games with a 5-4 overtime victory over the New York Islanders at the MTS Centre on Sunday night.
Evander Kane scored the winner 1:59 into overtime to give the Jets a comeback victory. Kane buried a rebound off an Olli Jokinen shot for Jokinen's first point as a Jet.
Jets goaltender Al Montoya, making his first start as a Jet since leaving the Islanders via free agency in the summer, made 21 saves as Winnipeg ran its record to 3-1-1. New York fell to 2-2-1.
In addition to Montoya's debut, it was a night of other firsts for the Jets as Alexei Ponikarovsky, Bryan Little, and Alexander Burmistrov each tallied their first goals of the season. Burmistrov's tally evened the game with 5:56 remaining in the third, while Ponikarovsky's first-period tap-in was his first point in Jet colors since leaving the Eastern Conference champion New Jersey Devils as a free agent.
Burmistrov's game-knotter came 65 seconds after a Dustin Byfuglien shot from the point, his third score in as many home games for Winnipeg, got past Nabokov with Islander David Ullstrom in the box.
New York took an early lead as forward Ullstrom stripped Jet defenseman Tobias Enstrom of a puck and ripped a wrist shot past Montoya 2:34 into the contest.
With the Islanders trailing 2-1, John Tavares converted another early-period goal, snapping a shot past Montoya on a breakaway 22 seconds into the third. Tavares then assisted on a Matt Moulson tip-in and Mark Streit slapper to put the Islanders up 4-2 at the 9:53 mark of the third.
Islander goalie Evgeni Nabokov made 30 saves in the loss. Nabokov's season record fell to 2-1-1.
NOTES: Jets starting goaltender Al Montoya, playing his first game since leaving the Islanders through free agency in the off-season, was 18-16-10 in two seasons on Long Island. ... The Islanders won both games at MTS Centre and three of four matchups against the Jets overall in 2011-12, including one overtime win. ... With a 4-2 victory over Pittsburgh on Friday night, the Jets' first home win of the season has come at the Penguins' expense in both seasons since the team moved from Atlanta. Winnipeg picked up its first home win, and its first triumph since the relocation, beating Pittsburgh 2-1 on Oct. 17, 2011. ... The game ended a two-game home stand for Winnipeg, who will play the Montreal Canadiens, Florida Panthers, and Tampa Bay Lightning on its upcoming three-game road trip. ... The game marked the middle of a five-game road trip for the Islanders, who started off with a 7-4 win over Toronto on Thursday and a 4-2 loss to Boston on Friday. They'll wrap the trip with games at Pittsburgh and New Jersey.
