Recap: Tavares, Greiss lead Isles past Canadiens 5-4 in OT

Thomas Greiss needed a night like Monday.
The Islanders goalie hadn't won a game in nearly a month and even with a career-high 52 saves, almost didn't get a positive result.
John Tavares' second goal of the evening ensured Greiss' career-night wouldn't go to waste, netting the overtime winner as the Islanders beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-4 at Bell Centre.

"As far as tonight goes, it was a great effort from him," Head Coach Doug Weight said of Greiss. "Those are the types of games and wins that can build his confidence."

Greiss picked up his first win since Dec. 16 and was by far the busier of the two netminders on Monday. The Canadiens outshot the Islanders 56-24, including a 41-13 advantage in the second and third periods.
Greiss' biggest stops of the night came early in OT, denying a Max Pacioretty wrist shot from the slot and a Jeff Petry follow-up on the rebound. That set the stage for Tavares' winner, at 1:51 of the extra frame as the captain swept his own rebound past Carey Price after a Thomas Hickey setup.
"He was a rock tonight, he was our backbone," said Mathew Barzal, who had three points (1G, 2A) in the win. "He made some huge saves especially that one in overtime to keep us alive. He played great and was our first star tonight."

With the win, Greiss improved to 6-0-1 in his career when making 40+ saves and recorded his first 50-save performance and also extended the Islanders winning streak to three games.
"It's huge," Greiss said. "A big win and a big two points for the guys."
While the Canadiens laid a siege at times, the Islanders did a lot with a little shots wise, beating Carey Price four times on their first 10 shots.
Barzal played a key role in three of the Isles first four goals and helped get them out to a 2-0 lead early in the first. The rookie set up Quebec native Anthony Beauvillier for a goal in his hometown at 1:24 of the first period and cleanly roofed a shot past Price at 6:29 to put the Islanders ahead 2-0. The goal was Beauvillier's fourth in the past three games.

The Canadiens got the early two goals back, tying the score before the end of the period. Nicolas Deslauriers was all alone in front and chipped his sixth past Thomas Greiss at 8:01, while Paul Byron cashed in a rebound off the end boards at 12:10.
But Barzal's third point of the night helped the Islanders restore their lead, as his pass attempt to Beauvillier caromed to Adam Pelech, who stepped into a slapper in the slot for his first goal of the season at 2:37 of the second period.
Montreal controlled the next stretch, but the Islanders capitalized on a Canadiens gaffe to take a 4-2 lead. Tavares scooped up a missed pass from Alex Galchenyuk to Jeff Petry and beat Price on a shorthanded breakaway for his first of the night at 5:36.

But the Canadiens kept coming. Jonathan Drouin made it 4-3 with 44 seconds to play in the second period, chipping a Jakub Jerabek rebound past Greiss. Pacioretty deflected a Petry shot in to tie the score 4-4 on a third period power play, setting up the sudden death session.
"We knew after two periods we had to be better," Tavares said. "We dug our heels in and stayed with it right to the end and found a way to get it done."

MAYFIELD LEAVES GAME:

The Islanders defenseman took a Jonathan Drouin shot to the face at the end of the second period and did not return for the final frame. Weight said it was more precautionary and said he'll have a further update on Tuesday.

NEXT GAME:

The Islanders return home to finish a back-to-back set when they take on the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night. Puck drop is at 7 p.m.