A nine-round shootout is won by a Noah Dobson goal.

The New York Islanders returned home Saturday to UBS Arena looking to improve on a 1-1-2, .500 record in front of their home fans. 

The Isles lost a 2-0 lead and then a 3-2 edge late. Then the game went to overtime and a shootout before the Islanders' Noah Dobson finally fired home the winning goal in the ninth round of the shootout.

In the first, an early breakaway from Joel Armia tested Semyon Varlamov, who had to be sharp amidst a torrid pace. During an extended shift, Varlamov stoned Juraj Slafkovsky off a cross-ice feed from rookie Lane Hutson.

Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock put on a vintage clinic for a 2-on-2 rush, with Pelech closing the distance and Pulock intercepting the pass.

Julien Gauthier, who played his first game of the season after being slotted in for Oliver Wahlstrom, provided speed and checking as advertised.

The Islanders went over seven minutes without a shot before Dobson broke the dry spell at 9:55.

After Mat Barzal provided a zone entry, Anthony Duclair deked around Hutson and forced a tripping penalty out of the young defenseman. Though the Islanders struggled on much of the ensuing power play, Bo Horvat found an opening from the bumper and broke the ice with 5:28 remaining, giving the Islanders a 1-0 lead.

Just over 2 minutes later, an excellent stretch pass from Dobson gave Kyle Palmieri room from inside the circle. Palmieri made no mistake, sniping above Cayden Primeau’s blocker to extend the Isles lead to 2-0.

With 8.8 seconds remaining, Maxim Tsyplakov caught Oliver Kapanen with a careless high stick, and Cole Caufield quickly converted, picking the top corner off his own rebound to cut the lead to 2-1.

New York was outshot 10-7 by Montreal in the first period.

Unfortunately, the momentum didn’t return the Islanders way after intermission. A neutral zone turnover from Palmieri allowed the Canadiens to establish pressure, and rookie Logan Mailloux scored his first career goal to knot the game at 2-2. This was the Canadiens’ second goal within 1:03 of game time wiping away the Islanders’ lead.

In the period, the Islanders’ first line managed to trap the Canadiens in their zone for over three minutes. New York however failed to capitalize on the Canadiens’ exhaustion.

Varlamov’s quick reflexes preserved the tie after Alex Newhook and Kirby Dach combined for two shots off the rush.

Not long after, Dach tripped Palmieri for an offensive zone penalty with 1:48 left in the middle frame. Despite some tips and close calls, the Islanders could not find the go-ahead goal.

The Islanders played an overall better period, outshooting the Canadiens 12-7, but left with nothing to show for it.

In the opening minute of the third period, Barzal drew a tripping penalty from Mailloux. Following a disjointed stretch with the man advantage, Duclair went down with what appeared to be a lower-body injury. 

Duclair did not return to the game.

The Islanders received some fortune after Joel Armia was caught for tripping on Palmieri.

With the man advantage, Varlamov was forced to make a blocker save on Dach, who was sprung for a shorthanded 2-on-1. The Islanders failed to convert on the power play.

With 7:37 left, Horvat was robbed by a sprawling Primeau from the bottom of the right circle.

Justin Barron was called for high-sticking J.G, Pageau 12:47 into the third, giving the Islanders a great opportunity to seize the game. However the home team failed to take the lead, and the power play expired.

With 4:36 remaining, Pageau, streaking down the left side, fired a puck on net, and a streaking Andres Lee filled the lane wonderfully and put home the go-ahead goal, giving the Islanders the late lead. 

It was the captain's second goal of the season, but the Islanders had more work to do to earn two points.

And with 2:10 remaining Caufield fired a screened wrister past both Adam Pelech and Varlamov to tie the game at there apiece.

No winner could be determined and regulation, and for the second straight game, the Islanders played an extra session.

In overtime, both teams had chances on either end of the ice. Then Palmieri found his way to the net and Kirby Dach high sticked No. 21, sending the Isles to an OT 4-on-3 power play.

With the extra man, the Islanders fired away furiously, but couldn't light the lamp. And with :39 seconds left in the power play and 2:11 in overtime, the Canadians took their time out -- then killed the rest of the penalty. 

Neither team could score in the extra session and they went to a shoot out.

In the shootout, both teams remained without a goal until Palmieri scored, after deliberately slowing up in front of the net. But Oliver Kapanen scored for Montreal -- so they kept shooting. 

Islanders Simon Holmstrom shot next and scored, but Emil Heineman scored for Montreal as well, to send the shootout on. 

In the ninth round, Dobson scored his first shootout goal, providing the Islanders the lead and eventual win after Mailloux failed to score on his attempt, giving the Islanders a 4-3 shootout win.

The Islanders will host the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday at UBS Arena.