But Biron did not log his second shutout of the season. That ensured a loss thanks to another anemic offensive display in support of Biron as the Flyers defeated the Islanders for a 13th straight time, posting a 2-1 win Sunday evening at Nassau Coliseum.

Biron lost his sixth straight start. The Islanders have scored just seven total goals in that stretch, prompting winger Trent Hunter to say it’s up to the club to boost Biron’s spirits.

“Marty has been playing great for us and we haven’t given him the support needed and hung him out to dry a few times,” Hunter said. “We have to go to bat for everyone on this team and we need to be better for him.”

Flyers goalie Michael Leighton made 28 saves as the Islanders mustered just seven shots in the final period despite two power play chances. The Isles are just 1 for 33 on the power play in the last eight games after going scoreless on three chances with the extra man.

Briere opened the scoring just 1:51 into the game. Carter rushed into the Islanders zone and avoided defenseman Andy Sutton’s open-ice check attempt. As Sutton over-committed, Carter passed it to Briere, who beat Biron high on the glove-side from the low right circle for his 13th goal.

Jon Sim took advantage of a puck bouncing off Chris Pronger to net his fourth goal. Sim collected the puck after it skipped past Pronger and raced in alone before beating Leighton glove-side for his first goal in six games 3:35 into the second period.

Scott Hartnell, who picked up both assists, facilitated the game-winner by feeding Carter on a 2-on-1 rush with 3:07 remaining in the second. Carter waited for Biron to slide over before nestling the shot under the crossbar for his 14^th goal and third in the past six games.

“I think we came out a little bit flat, but we were able to get things going a little bit,” Hunter said. “They’re a team that capitalizes on mistakes.”

Former Islanders winger Arron Asham was whistled for rouging, setting up a power play midway through the third. The Islanders came close to getting the equalizer when Fran Nielsen’s deflected shot in the slot hit off Leighton and bounced harmlessly away.

Philadelphia has won the first three games of a six-game road trip while the Islanders modest two-game winning streak was snapped one night after an emotional 3-2 overtime victory over the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

“We had some chances,” Biron said. “A couple of them just missed the net on deflections and screens. It was almost there to take it to overtime.”

John Tavares had a second straight quiet game. The Islanders leading scorer and first overall draft pick failed to register a single shot on goal in 16:43, going minus-1.

The 19-year-old center was on the ice in the final minute when the Islanders struggled to move the puck out of its own zone and didn’t pull Biron for an extra attacker until there was 13 seconds left.

Wins over Toronto and the Rangers gave the Islanders four points out of six to cap a span of three games in five days. The Islanders are off Monday before hosting the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night.

Islanders vs. Flyers New York Sportsday Wrap Dec. 28, 2009

Dwayne Roloson didn’t let the symbolism become foreshadowing. The netminder stopped 14 shots in the final period while Trent Hunter and John Tavares scored just 1:30 apart in the second period to lead the Islanders to a 3-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday evening.

Roloson blocked out the electrical malfunction behind him and a slew of quality Toronto scoring chances with the clock ticking down. That included a pad save on Lee Stempniak’s close-range shot from the slot late in the final stanza as the Islanders ended a four-game homestand 1-3.

Tavares broke a six-game goal-less streak with his tally just 90 seconds after Hunter opened the scoring on a wrist shot. Tavares, the NHL’s leading rookie scorer, notched his 16th goal to move past Matt Moulson for the team lead.

“It’s great for his confidence,” said Roloson, who finished with 26 saves. “He works hard day-in and day-out. He’s only going to get better. For him to get an important goal, it’s great.”

Tavares’ netted one of his easiest NHL goals, slamming home a shot from the slot into an empty net after Toronto goalie Jonas Gustavvson moved over to stop Blake Comeau’s rush. Comeau also was awarded a goal when he was taken down with an empty Maple Leafs net at 19:25 for the clinching goal.

The 19-year-old center was drafted first overall due to his prolific scoring ability as an amateur. Though six games hardly qualifies as a prolonged slump, Tavares said he is just trying to become a consistent player at the highest level after scoring 215 goals in just 247 games in the junior-level OHL.

“You don’t go through it as much in juniors,” Tavares said. “You play so much, you just need to move on and get ready for the next game.

“Tonight I tried to focus on keeping my feet moving and just having lots of intensity and hopefully it creates opportunity. I thought it was a better effort, not just for myself, but for everyone else.”

Islanders coach Scott Gordon said he’s been impressed with Tavares’ maturation as he leads the club with 28 points.

“When you make that jump for junior or college to the pros, you feel it’s going to continue and when you have those dry spells, it’s probably harder on guys like him,” Gordon said. “He needs to learn to relax a little. Every players has their stretches where they’re not going to get points. The only thing you can control is your effort.”

The Islanders snapped a four-game losing streak at Nassau Coliseum and moved one-point ahead of the Maple Leafs in the Eastern Conference standings.

Tavares ended his streak while former first-round draft pick Kyle Okposo continue to be mired in a scoring funk. Okposo’s goal-draught reached 18 games. The winger’s last goal came Nov. 14 against Florida.

Gordon said his team looked better as it enters a two-day Christmas break with momentum. The team’s next game is Saturday against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. The Isles currently occupy the 12th spot and sit just four points behind the Blueshirts for the eighth and final play position.

“The two points are always going to be important,” Gordon said. “Realistically we have to aim for that eighth spot and there are a lot of teams bunched in that area.”

Gordon said the power play looked sharper even though it officially finished 0 for 4. Hunter’s goal came three seconds after a Maple Leafs penalty expired and Toronto was whistled for a penalty with just 23 seconds remaining. The Islanders are 1 for 27 on the power play in its last six games.

John Tavares’ NHL debut went better than the two perennial All-Stars he opposed last night. The first overall draft pick fired a sweeping backhand shot in the second period for his first goal after adding a first-period assist, picking up a multi-point game in his debut.

But Crosby scored Pittsburgh’s first goal and the game-winner, combining with Kris Letang for Pittsburgh’s two shootout goals in a 4-3 win. Trent Hunter and Mark Streit added goals for the Islanders, allowing the club to salvage a point in the season opener.

“I think I felt better out there than I did all preseason,” said Tavares, who had his parents and sister in the stands. “All the fans were into it. The pace was high and it was exciting.”

Trent Hunter broke a 2-all deadlock with his snap-shot goal below the circles 7:36 into the final period. Former Islanders’ forward Ruslan Fedotenko prevented his ex-teammates from celebrating in front of a sold-out crowd, sending a wrist shot into the open net with 3:49 remaining in regulation.

Letang and Crosby scored on Pittsburgh’s first two shootout attempts to earn the full two points. Though the shootout scores do not count towards individual goal totals, Tavares missed the chance to find the net again when his attempt sailed high. Crosby then beat new Islanders goalie Dwayne Roloson to send the Penguins off the ice with a win for a second straight night.

Yet the Islanders story centered on Tavares, who sent most of the 16,234-strong Nassau Coliseum throngs into a frenzy with his second-period goal that beat Marc-Andre Fleury and prompted a group hug from teammates Trent Hunter, Kyle Okposo and Matt Moulson. It took only 27:09 into his first game for the 19-year-old Tavares to post his first career milestone.

“It’s just a lot of excitement,” Tavares said. “All the hard work and everything [I’ve] strived for since I was three years old. It was such a good feeling and it was an important goal at the time.”

Tavares jumped near the glass before his teammates enthusiastically embraced him near the Islanders bench. Moulson didn’t get an assist but Tavares said his fellow Ontario native’s presence made the goal extra sweet.

“We grew up training together for a few years and it was special for him to start the game on my line and help me score my goal,” Tavares said.

Tavares logged two shots in 22:05, including 5:02 of power play time. Gordon said Tavares is maturing in his own zone instead of focusing solely on scoring.

“I think John has been attentive in the defensive zone,” Gordon said. “In training camp and tonight, he’s been committed to the d-side of it. Right from the get-go, we want him to be not just a great offensive player, but to be a great two-way player.”

Roloson allowed an early goal to Crosby before two Pittsburgh third-period goals forced overtime.  The Penguins raised a banner in its home opener the previous day in a win against the Rangers yet still mustered 42 shots playing back-to-back days. Roloson stopped 39, including four overtime saves in prompt a shootout .

Roloson, a former first-string goalie for Edmonton, capitalized on his first chance to be a starter in place of the injured Rick DiPietro. One-time Flyers starting goalie Martin Biron will also look to earn a bulk of minutes as the Isles try to shoot up the Eastern Conference standings.

“It’s a process and we have to believe we were as low as we could possibly get last year and now we have to start building positively in the standings,” Gordon said. “I think tonight was a good start.”

Coming off a last-place finish, the Islanders failed to have a single 20-goal scorer for the first time in franchise history. The offense returned to Long Island at least for a night as Tavares’ goal broke a 1-all tie.

The 6-0, 190-pound left-handed shot caused the crowd to pulsate again when he raced in for a breakaway chance just more than two minutes later. Fleury extended his glove to acrobatically knock down Tavares’ breakaway chance midway through the second as Tavares went for his first NHL multi-goal game.

The Islanders were the second-worst scoring team last season yet Tavares said the talent level could improve those scoring chances.

“We’re looking to surprise a lot of people in the future and this year as well,” Tavares said. “Building this nucleus with a lot of veterans we have, I think it’s going to be great this year and down the road.”

Coach Scott Gordon paired Tavares with fellow former first-round pick Kyle Okposo and Matt Moulson. Okposo, the Islanders leading scorer from last season, will be looking to form an offensive duo akin to the Pens’ Crosby-Malkin tandem that combined for 216 points last season.

“I don’t think you can compare yourself to anybody,” Okposo said about the parallels to Pittsburgh. “We’d love to do what they did and start from a young core and win a Stanley Cup somebody  but we’re looking to improve and get better this season.”

Crosby, the 2004 first-overall pick who led the Penguins to a title last season, showed Islanders’ fans what a highly touted player can do for a moribund franchise. At 22, Crosby is barely old enough to drink but already won a championship ring, a scoring title and an MVP trophy.

The NHL’s 2007 scoring leader scored his second goal in as many games, racing in all alone on Roloson before burying a shot as Pittsburgh surged to a 1-0 lead  8:50 into the game.

But Okposo and Tavares worked towards the Isles’ first goal, each earning the assist 12:40 into the contest when Mark Streit blasted a hard top-of-the-right circle shot for the power play goal. Tavares was credited with the secondary assist and Okposo the first; marking what Islanders fans hope is a harbinger of future success.

“I try not to look too far ahead but we have a good group of guys here,” Okposo said. “We were moving the puck pretty well out there.

“Maybe down the road it can lead to something special. Hopefully this year it does, too.”

Notes: Okposo served as the on-ice captain with Doug Weight out of the lineup…Malkin added one assist, two shots and was a plus-2 in 23:12…Fleury finished with 25 saves.

Jimmy Bubnick – RW – (6-2/194)
CS: # 55NA —– THN: # 68 —– McK: # 85
ISS: # 86 (Not Available) —– RLR: # 51 (Michael Ryder or Trent Hunter)
ISS: “Bubnick has great offensive vision and natural scoring ability. His skating ability is not pretty, but he does get to where he needs to be. His big question is his grit and willingness to pay the price at times. Did battle the inconsistency bug. With adding a physical dimension, he will create more room and put up better numbers.
McK: “Bubnick was one of the most highly-touted prospects coming out of bantam after playing on a line with Brayden Schenn and carter Ashton. His time in Kamloops has been frustrating due to very inconsistent play. He has a goal scorer’s instincts and will attack the net with his stick ready for a pass.
RLR: “Has the body and strength to be effective physically down low, but changed to a more finesse style this season. Has a very quick release and accurate touch. Needs to put together the finesse skills from this season with the grinding style from last season.
2008/2009 – Kamloops (WHL) – 72-25-32-57-41

Anton Burdasov– RW – (6-3/202)
CS: # 20E —– THN: # 56 —– McK: # 118
ISS: # 48 (Erik Cole) —– RLR: # 70 (Ryan Malone)
ISS: “Good hands and vision with the puck. Powerful and quick skater. Burdasov is very strong on [the] puck and once he gets his feet moving he scares opposing defenders with his great blend of speed and intensity with the puck. The biggest knock on Burdasov is that he follows the team, if the team is playing bad, so does Burdasov and if the team is playing well so is Burdasov.
McK: No scouting report available.
RLR: “Bit of an enigma with all the physical tools to become a good one, but we expected more. Big winger has great size and is a smooth skater with fine physical tools. Good puck skills and controls the puck well down low with long reach. Shows fine touch around net, where he can bury his chances. Initiates contact, finishes checks, and competes for loose pucks along the boards. However, he’s inconsistent and effort level can be spotty.
2008/2009 – Traktor Chelyabinsk 2 (Russia) – Statistics not available.

Alex Chiasson – RW – (6-4/187)
CS: # 34NA —– THN: # 76 —– McK: 47
ISS: # 85 (Not Available) —– RLR: # 67 (Jochen Hecht)
ISS: “Chiasson has all of the tools to become a productive prototypical power forward. He will accumulate points through hard work, crashing the net and paying the price. A very good skater for his size who can finish with flash or grit.
McK: Chiasson embodies all the attributes of a prototypical power forward. A feared checker with strength to run through his opposition, Chiasson often took the frustration of a losing season out on opposing defencemen. He uses his speed on the forecheck and is becoming a nightmare for defencemen as he finishes his checks with considerable force. Chiasson is committed to Boston University [and has] the most upside of any USHL prospect forward in the 2009 Draft.”
RLR: “Huge winger with fine offensive tools. Still shows some inconsistency in his game, but has improved in a lot of departments since his prep season last year. “Has good knack around the net and will outmuscle defenders for space around the crease. Good puckhandler with exceptionally long reach – uses his body to shield the puck. Not the quickest skater in terms of lateral movement and change of direction, but effort and straight line power are there.
2008/2009 Des Moines (USHL) – 56-17-33-50-101

Jerry D’Amigo – RW – (5-11/196)
CS: # 67NA —– THN: # Not Rated in Top 100 —– McK: # 84
ISS: # 40 (T.J. Oshie) —– RLR: # 36 (Alex Burrows)
ISS: “he has great speed and great offensive anticipation and wins most races for pucks. With his scoring touch, he will be a top-two-line player with his skill. His outstanding play in the International scene coupled with the fact he kept elevating his game throughout the year has secured his ranking here at ISS. He makes good smart, quick plays, takes contact well and drives the net without hesitation. Has great leadership traits that should translate very well at the next level.
McK: “A multi-purpose forward that can do many things well. He enjoys playing in traffic and can make uncanny plays with limited space. He is the type of player who will make his living in the dirty area [and] plays a similar game to Ryan Smyth.
RLR: “Lacks top end speed, but shows good burst in short areas. Works very intelligently down low on the PP where he stations himself beside the net and makes some power moves out front showing strength and balance. Not a pure finisher, but he generates offense with effort and desire.”
2008/2009 – USA U-18 (NTDP) – 44-19-24-43-53. Will play at RPI next season.

Kenny Ryan – RW – (6-0/204)
CS: # 56NA —– THN: # 66 —– McK: 29
ISS: # 59 (Brooks Laich) —– RLR: # 47 (Andrew Ladd)
ISS: “Honest two-way player who is not going to hurt you when he is on the ice. An agile two-way skater, Ryan is another U.S. forward who must keeps his feet moving all the time. Plays [to] his size and physical style very well. Ryan is a very good skater with good anticipation to break to open ice. He plays very hard and intense and makes good decisions with the puck. Has verballed to Boston College.
McK: “Ryan may not be the flashiest player but is a gifted natural goal scorer with a sniper’s instinct. His skating is average but complemented well by his non-stop motor. Ryan will need to add strength to be more effective physically but it’s already encouraging how much he engages in traffic.
RLR: “Strong on the puck and tough to separate from it. Has a hard, heavy shot but must work on getting it on net more consistently. Likes to initiate contact and will lay on the body. Average hockey sense, gets by on his natural tools rather than taking a cerebral approach. Does have the tools to be a top power winger, but only flashes them occasionally.
2008/2009 – USA U-18 (NTDP) – 53-21-20-41-44

While the first round selection was a difficult one, the second round selection is an empty net goal. Alex Chiasson has the tools to be a second round steal – much like Brandon Dubinsky was. Ranking the rest of the potential second round picks is not as easy.

Jimmy Bubnick and Anton Burdasov represent high-risk/high-reward players. Normally I don’t mind taking that type of player in the second round, but this time I would suggest going with the safer picks.

My alternate second round choices, in order, are: Jerry D’Amigo, Kenny Ryan, Burdasov, and Bubnick.

But for one afternoon at least, the core of the Isles youth movement was able to  combine effort and skill to outwork a veteran team. Sean Bergenheim’s empty-net goal with .7 seconds left gave him his first career hat trick and 13 different Islanders logged at least one point in a 7-3 win over New Jersey.

“I don’t know what I’m doing differently right now. I just play,” said Bergenheim, who added goals 12, 13 and 14 of the season.

Despite shooting at an empty net, the former first-round pick still produced a highlight-reel play when he shrugged off fierce pressure from Brendan Shanahan and fired a far-angle shot near the goal line along the bench-side boards. Bergenheim’s near 90-degree shot found the twine, prompting some fans to pelt the ice with hats as the Finnish forward became the first Islander to score a hat trick since Bill Guerin in October 2007.

“I kind of made it a little bit tight there, but I’m happy it was one second before and not one second late,” Bergenheim said. “The [chip-in] went pretty far, and I couldn’t backhand it or anything. I needed to pull it to get a better angle and there wasn’t much time, so I knew I had to shoot it.

“Sometimes when you do something on the ice, you’re in the zone. You don’t think too much. You just do it. I didn’t have time to think.”

Coach Scott Gordon saw his club score seven goals for the first time since a 2006 victory over the Rangers. Kyle Okposo, Jeff Tambellini, Josh Bailey, Blake Comeau and Frans Nielsen-fellow members of the under-25 club- all contributed to goals in front of a crowd of 15,524 at Nassau Coliseum.

Yet before they could even celebrate, team officials announced Trent Hunter suffered a season-ending ankle injury trying to check Bobby Holik in the first period.

Hunter played 4:46 in the first period before fracturing his left ankle. It was another blow to the Islanders depth considering the team already is without injured veterans Mike Sillinger, Doug Weight, Richard Park, Andy Sutton and Brendan Witt is still serving his five-game suspension.

“I went to hit Holik and kind of got twisted up,” Hunter said. “I was just coming off a bruise on it. There was some swelling in there, but it’s a different injury. There’s not much you can do.”

Joey MacDonald outdid his counterpart, making 35 saves as the Isles won for the third time in four games. Future Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur struggled, allowing three first-period goals and six goals on 20 shots in 40 minutes.

“Our guys came out and set the tone of the game,” Gordon said.

Brian Gionta scored 23 seconds into the second period to make it 3-1 and add some intrigue. Bergenheim responded 61 seconds later, adding his first goal to re-establish the three-goal edge.

“The effort that’s being put out by our team is something that’s been a constant for us [lately] and we’re getting some wins because of it,” Okposo said. “Everybody who’s come up has really fit in nicely.”

The Islanders employed a roster featuring eight players who have spent time in AHL Bridgeport. The mini Sound Tigers jumped on the Atlantic Division-leading Devils. Bergenheim scored twice, Tambellini assisted on Radek Martinek’s opening goal just 1:42 into the contest and Bailey added two assists. Minor league call-up Mike Iggulden also added two assists in his Isles debut.

“That was something pretty special,” Iggulden said. “I didn’t expect anything. I just wanted to work as hard as I could. To get a couple of assists was something really special for me.”

It was hard to discern which team was playing for the top playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and which is in contention for the No. 1 overall draft pick. The Isles surged to a 3-0 lead just 14:05 into the contest, punctuated by Jeff Tambellini’s breakaway goal.

Tambellini, who entered Monday’s game with just six points in 44 games, tallied his second multi-point game in the past three contests.

He started the season the NHL roster before being demoted to Bridgeport in order to find his game after the winger tallied two assists in his first 23 games. After picking up a goal and an assist in a win over Colorado Monday, Tambellini was credited as the second assist.

He also allowed the home team to enter the first intermission up three when he subtly skated behind defensemen Paul White and Bryce Salvador at the blue line. Mark Streit then lifted a perfect outlet pass from inside the Islanders defense zone that went right to Tambellini’s stick, initiating the breakaway. Tambellini finished the one-on-one by sliding a backhand under Brodeur’s pads as the crowd erupted for his fourth goal of the season.

“If anybody expects me to come out and every game and shut down everybody; thanks for the confidence but it’s not something that’s going to happen,” Brodeur said. “I felt pretty good; I felt I was where I needed to be. The puck didn’t hit me. You have to give them credit. They got pucks on net and shots really close and made some good plays.”

Iggulden, who appeared in one NHL game as a San Jose Shark against the Islanders last season, made a big contribution in 12:37 of ice time. He assisted on two of Bergenheim’s goals, including an even strength tally that made it 6-2 with 2:40 left in the second. That goal effectively chased Brodeur when Kevin Weekes came out to start the third period.

“This year, the first half of the season, it was tough because I didn’t play close to the level where I knew could play,” Bergenheim said. “By saying that, I have to keep on playing this way and keep getting better.”

But one day after shipping Bill Guerin to Pittsburgh at the trade deadline, the Isles played through the leadership void, putting forth a spirited effort before falling short in a 4-2 loss to the Blueshirts in front of a sell-out crowd.

Coach Scott Gordon did not name the 12th captain in team history following Guerin’s departure to the playoff-contending Penguins. Instead, Richard Park, Brendan Witt and Trent Hunter were also designated as assistant captains, though Park spent Thursday night watching from the Nassau Coliseum press box as he recovers from broken ribs and Witt continues to serve his five-game NHL suspension for elbowing Toronto forward Niklas Hagman in the head.

Injuries and the trades that shipped out Guerin and Mike Comrie forced the roster’s young players to take increased roles. Blake Comeau relished the opportunity, logging his second two-point game of the season with a goal and an assist. The 23-year-old now has three points in the past two games, giving Islanders fan at least something to cheer about as the Isles fell to 20-37-7 and claim a NHL-low 47 points.

“It’s an opportunity for the young guys to step up and prove that they can play here,” Comeau said. “It’s not the easiest thing to get opportunity in this league but when you do, you want to be ready and you want to make the most of it.”

Comeau scored his fourth goal of the season, driving to the net and sending the puck underneath goalie Henrik Lundqvist’s pads 5:37 into the second period, answering Nikolai Zherdev’s game-opening tally to knot the score at 1. Chris Drury put the Rangers ahead again almost three minutes later, deflecting new acquisition Nik Antropov’s pass past goalie Yann Danis to put the Blueshirts ahead 2-1.

Then the Rangers registered the put-away goal that served as a microcosm of the Isles play: tireless and hard working but not enough to finish strong. Dean McAmmond raced into the Rangers zone before colliding with a teammate near the blue line. The aggressive mistake facilitated a two-on-chance the other way, culminating in Zherdev’s one-time pass to Scott Gomez’s stick blade. Gomez easily pushed the shot past a sprawling Danis for a 3-1 edge.

Gordon said he was pleased with the effort of a team that could easily be mistaken for AHL Bridgeport. Call-ups like Jesse Joensuu, Andre MacDonald, Joe Callahan and Joel Rechlicz have turned the Islanders dressing room into a Sound Tiger reunion because of injuries and front office transactions.

“The guys played with tremendous energy and all the guys that came up from Bridgeport played well,” Gordon said. It was a great environment to be a part of.

“There wasn’t anybody who had an off-night tonight. From top to bottom, we were pretty solid. They [the Rangers] had some bounces but in saying that, I think we gave ourselves a pretty good chance to come back in the game but it wasn’t meant to be tonight.”

At 35, Dean McAmmond joins the injured Doug Weight as the Islanders elder statesmen. Acquired in last month’s trade with Ottawa, McAmmond said he empathizes with the call-ups trying to prove themselves, relating their experiences to his situation as 19-year-old with the Oilers in the 1993-94 season.

“When I was a young guy in Edmonton starting out, I thought I was a pretty good player and was looking to prove myself,” McAmmond said. “It’s a great opportunity for these [young] guys to come in, work hard and play against a team like that. This is an important game for then. They came out hard and I think we adjusted pretty good. A couple of breaks and it could have been different.”

Jack Hillen, another Isles’ youth movement member, made things interesting by scoring his first NHL goal at an opportune time. The 23-year-old blue liner brought the Isles within a goal of tying it with a hard shot that skipped past Lundqvist 3:44 into the final period. The Rangers added a power play goal with 6:36 remaining, securing the win to end the Isles modest two-game winning streak and three-game point streak.

“Dean made a great pass to me off the wall and I went wide and waited for some support,” Hillen said about his goal. “When the opportunity presents itself, I’m definitely going to try and jump up in the play because that’s a part of my game and that’s part of what [Gordon] wants me to do.”

The Islanders pre-game ceremony for Bill Guerin and Doug Weight was the only thing worth celebrating for the Isles Saturday. (Brian Bohl/NYSD)

UNIONDALE, NY-The Islanders went back to its roots with its third jerseys, tailoring uniforms that are similar to the ones the franchise sported in the 1970s.  It was fitting the Isles wore those uniforms last night, since the effort in a 3-1 loss  to the Devils would be a performance worthy of the club’s 1972-73 expansion team.

New Jersey scored in nearly all ways possible. Zach Parise scored on the power play, David Clarkson found the twine at even strength and Travis Zajac provided a short-handed marker as the Isles remained winless in 2009, falling to 0-7 in January.

“Too many turnovers and too many odd-man advantages,” said Trent Hunter, who had five of the Islanders 33 total shots. “With a team like that, they can just sit back and wait for that stuff. They have a lot of skilled players to capitalize on that.”

As small consolation, the Isles won’t finish with the same 30 points as it did during the first year. But at 12-29-4 and an NHL-worst 28 points though 45 games, the Islanders can threaten the 2000-01 team, which finished with 52 points. That total is currently the second-lowest in team history for a full season, which looks to be in jeopardy considering goaltender Rick DiPietro and Joey MacDonald are out of the lineup and the offense has failed to score more than two goals the past five games.

The Devils are similar to the Islanders only in that both clubs lost its franchise goalie to an injury. Unlike the Isles, who are down to former third-stringer Yann Danis in net, Scott Clemmensen has his unit in contention for the Atlantic Division crown. Clemmensen did his best Martin Brodeur impersonation in front of a sold-out crowd, stopping 32 of 33 shots as the Isles dropped to 1-10-2 in the division.

“We didn’t play for two periods, and that pretty much says it all,” coach Scott Gordon said. “Not many teams can afford to play like we did for two periods like we did. We’re in that category.”

Danis started the season at AHL Bridgeport and was expected to be on the bench backing up newly signed Wade Dubielewicz. The Columbus Blue Jackets claimed Dubielewicz off waivers after the Islanders morning skate, forcing general manager to call up Peter Mannino from the Sound Tigers.

Danis played well for a third straight game, making 33 saves. The 27-year-old is still looking for his first NHL win since he was a Montreal Canadian in the the 2005-06 season, dropping to 0-5 in the current campaign. Blake Comeau ensured the Isles were not shut-out for the fifth time, lifting a rebound attempt past a diving Clemmensen for his fourth goal 10:35 into the third.

“We have to keep getting pucks on net,” Comeau said. “We have to get more traffic; those second and third opportunities. There were a few rebounds tonight we could have pounced on.

“We have to play with speed. We need our defense to join the rush. The forwards have to do a better job of getting pucks on the net and we have to go through the neutral zone with a lot more speed.”

The Devils came out strong and forced Danis into a costly giveaway. Parise knocked the puck loose from Danis when the netminder skated behind the net, knocking it loose to Zajac in the slot, who sent it home into the open net for a shorthanded tally 6:06 into the contest.

“I went out to get the puck, but it was spinning and I couldn’t stop it,” Danis said. “I just ran out of time to make a play.”

Danis atoned for that mistake by preventing Zajac’s second shorthanded goal just 2:10 later, snaring the centerman’s shot with his glove to stymie a breakaway and keep the deficit at 1-0.

The reprieve could not generate a comeback attempt. Nate Thompson was called for boarding 12 seconds into the second and Zajac capitalized, setting a screen in front of Danis. Patrik Elias’s shot attempt deflected off Zajac and into Danis pad. The rebound slid right on Parise’ stick blade, allowing him to slam in the second chance for a power play goal.

Almost four minutes later, Clarkson’s bench-side shot skipped past Danis, opening a 3-0 edge before the game’s midway point.

Notes: Brendan Witt was only feet away from Clarkson when he was hit in the face by a blue line slap shot. Witt skated off the ice on his own power 3:45 into the final period and returned minutes later… Radek Martinek, who missed 14 games with an upper-body injury, picked up his first point of the season, assisting on Comeau’s goal. Clemmensen stopped Martinek’s hard shot from the right side before Comeau converted on the rebound chance.

The Islanders honored Bill Guerin with a framed jersey that had his name and the number 400 on it to commemorate his 400th career goal. He accomplished the milestone as part of a two-goal game against Toronto Dec. 26. Dough Weight was also honored in similar fashion, getting a special shirt with No. 1,000 across the back for picking up 1,000 career points January 2 in Phoenix.