After a dormant offense for the last three games, the New York Islanders lit the lamp often Thursday night, proving to themselves that they have that ability.

The New York Islanders entered Thursday night's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning with just three goals over their last three games.

Albeit against a backup netminder in Brian Elliott and a banged-up Lightning team on the second of a back-to-back, the Islanders scored six even-strength goals in their 6-1 win.

"I think it just proves to ourselves that we can do it," Islanders forward Bo Horvat said postgame. "Previous games, we were getting our chances. They just weren't going in, and they had to go in at the right times, and tonight was one of those times. 

"Hopefully, those keep going in these last three games."

Horvat did score a goal and notched an assist, the second time he's done so in an Islanders sweater. 

The now 28-year-old earned the primary assist on Simon Holmstrom's 5-1 goal on a beauty of a backhand pass before he was the beneficiary of a strong feed from Noah Dobson for the Islanders' final goal of the night.

While that was Horvat's first goal on a goaltender in regulation in 16 games, he was happier with the assist.

"Definitely the feed," Horvat said. "You've been making those passes, and they've been going through. They're suddenly going in, and you see Simon bury that one, and to finish that one off definitely felt good."

He did speak on his goal, which as one can imagine, also felt good.

"It's just a little bit of weight off your shoulders. You're always thinking about it, and you want to contribute offensively to the team and get on the scoresheet as much as you want to win your face-offs, right?" Horvat said. "So I mean, obviously, it was nice to get those, but again, like I said earlier, it's just...it's good to see a great team effort.

"Everybody played unbelievable tonight."

The Islanders also got a goal from Brock Nelson, who snapped a five-game goal drought. His top-shelf one-timer from the slot came off a nifty feed by Samuel Bolduc.

Kyle Palmieri scored too, and Pierre Engvall recorded an assist as that line was rather dangerous yet again. 

As for what's working for that threesome: "I mean, we're just trying to play fast and support one another," Nelson said. "I think we've had a few good looks and games with tight support in the offensive zone, creating turnovers quick, and then Pierre using the speed, Palmieri kind of protect the pucks and create some chances. So a good mix right now and just trying to keep that momentum."

What led to the Islanders' success early in the season was their offensive output from the backend, which was top in the league for a bit.

The Islanders shutdown defense pairing potted two goals, as Adam Pelech's wrist shot through a screen got the Islanders on the board, while Ryan Pulock's slot snipe pushed the Islanders' lead to 4-1. 

Pulock also earned the secondary assist on Palmieiri's tally. 

"It was a good shot to get through a lot of traffic," Zach Parise said on Pelech's goal. "I don't think Elliott saw it. So that's something that the last couple games we talked a bit about, is trying to get a little more traffic when our defenseman have the puck, and that was a good example of it," 

Pelech gave credit to the forwards.

"I think our forwards did a great job of getting the puck back in their end and sending it up to us and letting us deliver the puck to the net," Pelech said. "They were there screening, banging it home, so I think it all starts with the forwards in the offensive zone."

With Bolduc and Dobson also earning points, it was a five-point effort from the backend. 

The Islanders are a team whose strongest offensive asset is their ability to forecheck. And when the Islanders can get to their forecheck early, as they did on Thursday night, they can hang with any team in the league.

"I thought right from the drop of the first puck our guys were on pucks," Lambert said. 

"We played aggressive. We took away time and space. And we did a really good job tonight."

Winning was positive, but the fact that the likes of Horvat and Nelson, and even Holmstrom, scored in the victory, all snapping some degree of slumps, was just as critical. 

"You need your best players to be your best players at the end of the day," Horvat said.

If the Islanders, who came out with more energy than we have seen in quite some for this group, can mimic Thursday's performance going forward, these final three games should go their way. 

The New York Islanders welcome the Philadelphia Flyers to town Saturday night.