Islanders Come Back to Beat Kings 3-2 in Overtime ELMONT, NY -- The New York Islanders [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/game-day/islanders-morning-after-dethroning-the-kings-at-ubs] avoided being on the wrong end of history Saturday night. The team defeated the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 in overtime following a third-period comeback, snapping their 11-game winning streak on the road to begin the season. Islanders’ captain Anders Lee [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/stefen-rosner/new-york-islanders-captain-anders-lee-named-finalist-for-king-clancy-memorial-trophy] scored twice, setting the stage for Jean-Gabriel Pageau [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/features/jean-gabriel-pageau-new-york-islanders-milestone-watch-2023-24] to finish the game 13 seconds into the extra session. After a strong read by Simon Holmstrom [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/players/simon-holmstrom-new-york-islanders-jean-gabriel-pageau-mathew-barzal-lane-lambert] to bank the puck off the end boards, Pageau scooped up the loose puck before pulling a "Casey Cizikas" backhand five-hole move on Kings netminder Cam Talbot for the overtime winner: Pageau put himself in the record books as his overtime tally at 4:47 of overtime was the second-fastest goal to start an overtime period in franchise history behind Pat LaFontaine's 10-second dagger on Nov. 5, 1988, against the Washington Capitals. For Pageau, this season has been an offensive struggle. The Islanders’ third-line center started the year on a 20-game goalless drought, snapped against the New Jersey Devils on Nov. 28. However, for him, the focus is on doing what he can to help the team win. “Sometimes, it's not about the goals, the assists, or anything,” Pageau said after the game. “It's definitely good for your confidence after I missed probably eight or 10 breakaways that I’ve had this year, so it's good for my confidence, but at the point where I am in my career, I want to win, and I want to get in the playoffs.” Pageau had to quickly decide what to do with a King on his tail and changed his initial plan. “To be honest, I was thinking of shooting like I did all year, and it hasn't been working. So I said, I'll try something else,” Pageau said of the game-winner, giving credit to fellow center Casey Cizikas for the move he made. Not only was Pageau’s goal his first overtime winner as an Islander, but second against the Kings in his career. His first came back on Nov. 7, 2019, as a member of the Ottawa Senators. After a failed clearance by the Kings’ defense, Pageau had a path to goaltender Jack Campbell. He was denied the first time, but the rebound proved successful, finishing a 3-2 Ottawa win: [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLnoV-s9dMM[/embed] That run of form has continued since joining the Islanders that season. Although he went scoreless in his first Islanders matchup with Los Angeles on Jan. 27, 2022, he’s potted goals in three straight games since. All told, Pageau has seven goals in 15 career meetings against Los Angeles, which is a tie for most goals against a Western Conference opponent in his career. He has seven goals lifetime against the St. Louis Blues, but only one assist to his four against the Kings. Regardless of his standing on the scoresheet, Pageau will enjoy the moment and how his team stepped up to a tall task. “We try to just focus on what we had to do," Pageau said. "We knew it was a big challenge, but at the same time, I thought we took it as a great opportunity, and we did the best of it.” You can watch Rosner talk Islanders hockey on Hockey Night in New York [https://www.youtube.com/@hockeynightny] with co-host Sean Cuthbert [https://twitter.com/seanyhockey] live Sunday nights at 8 PM ET during the season at twitch.tv/hockeynightny [https://www.twitch.tv/hockeynightny].
