Oct 3, 2009 10:28 pm US/Eastern
Rookie Tavares Shines In Debut, But Isles Lose
Islanders' Top Pick Nets Goal, Assist In First Game, But Gets Overshadowed By Crosby As Penguins Win In Shootout
UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) ―
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The Islanders ended weeks of speculation by selecting OHL legend John Tavares with the first pick in the 2009 NHL Draft on June 26, 2009 in Montreal.
Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images
Sid the Kid took the storybook ending away from prized rookie John Tavares and the New York Islanders.
Sidney Crosby, who scored a goal in the first period, netted the deciding tally in the shootout and gave the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins a 4-3 victory on Saturday night.
Tavares got nearly everything he hoped for in his NHL debut, scoring a go-ahead goal and adding an assist.
He went second for New York in the shootout, but fired wide. Jeff Tambellini rang a shot off the post on the Islanders' first attempt before Penguins defenseman Kris Letang beat Dawyne Roloson in the tiebreaker.
Roloson, in his Islanders debut, looked sharp in making 39 traditional saves. Marc-Andre Fleury was just as good in stopping 25 shots.
Just 17 seconds after defenseman Mark Eaton lifted Pittsburgh into a 2-2 tie 7:19 into the third period, Trent Hunter restored New York's lead with a one-timed shot from the right circle.
Roloson was in line for the win in the third period but Ruslan Fedotenko -- shaken up earlier on a hard hit from New York's Brendan Witt -- banked a shot off the skate of Islanders defenseman Bruno Gervais with 3:49 left in regulation to make it 3-3.
Tavares, the top pick in this year's draft, helped set up Mark Streit's tying goal in the first period and then scored to give the Islanders a 2-1 lead.
When he backhanded a loose puck past Fleury during a power play at 7:09, Tavares went down to a knee and pumped his fist as his equally excited teammates raced over to celebrate with him. Hunter retrieved the puck for the 19-year-old new face of the franchise.
Crosby, who like Tavares and Fleury was an overall No. 1 pick in the NHL draft, scored his second goal of the season just 8:50 in on a breakaway.
Crosby also scored Friday night in the Penguins' season-opening 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers after the championship banner was raised to the rafters at Mellon Arena.
The sold-out Nassau Coliseum crowd was looking for something to cheer about after team owner Charles Wang said before the game that he is now open to all options for the club because the Town of Hempstead has not yet approved the Lighthouse Project.
The major developmental deal that has been in the works for nearly a decade would include a new, refurbished arena to replace antiquated Nassau Coliseum. Wang set a deadline for Saturday to receive a yes or no answer from the Town of Hempstead. One never came, and now the possibility exists that the Islanders could be sold or relocated or both.
Tavares' arrival and his quick two-point night have already provided hope that the Islanders might be able to turn things around after posting the NHL's worst record last season (26-47-9).
Crosby staked the Penguins to a 1-0 lead, taking a long banked pass off the boards in front of the penalty box and racing into the New York zone. Crosby made a sharp cut to the center of the ice, darting in front of chasing defenseman Witt, and sliding a shot past Roloson.
Tavares earned the secondary assist on Streit's goal during a 5-on-3 advantage that was set up by a pass from Kyle Okposo. New York received a double power play after Witt laid out Fedotenko with a jarring shoulder-to-shoulder hit at the blue line. Jay McKee received an instigator penalty for jumping in to fight Witt, and defending scoring champion Evgeni Malkin was whistled for interference at the same time.
Tavares nearly added a second goal in the middle period when he came in on a breakaway, but Fleury deftly deflected the drive away with his glove.
NOTES: Tavares had no goals and three assists in four preseason games. ... Penguins coach Dan Bylsma made his NHL head coaching debut at Nassau Coliseum on Feb. 16, one day after replacing the fired Michel Therrien. This was Pittsburgh's first visit to Long Island since then. ... Former Islanders captain Bill Guerin, now with the Penguins, was welcomed back and congratulated for the Penguins' Cup title. Guerin was dealt to Pittsburgh by New York at last season's trade deadline.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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