NEW YORK (AP) - The New York Islanders are pushing their way up from the basement under their new interim coach.
For the Columbus Blue Jackets, it might be best to avoid the boss for a bit.
Nikolay Kulemin scored a goal and helped create another, and the Islanders chased All-Star goalie Sergei Bobrovsky in a 4-2 win over the Blue Jackets on Tuesday night.
The Islanders are 3-0-1 under interim coach Doug Weight a week after Jack Capuano was fired, ending his 6 1/2-season tenure.
“From top to bottom, one of our best efforts of the year,” Weight said. “Every line was a spark plug. A great game for us.”
The Islanders are still talking about making the postseason as the All-Star break approaches, even as they try to climb out of the cellar. New York entered tied for last in the Eastern Conference, but it’s also now just four points behind Toronto for the final wild-card spot and has games in hand on nearly the entire conference.
The Blue Jackets, meanwhile, failed to respond after coach John Tortorella questioned his club’s recent effort earlier in the day. Columbus entered two points behind Washington for first place in the rugged Metropolitan Division but is just 5-6-0 since a 16-game winning streak.
Tortorella said he was “disappointed” during a 50-second media session after the game.
“Not dissecting it tonight, boys,” Tortorella said. “Not tonight. I guess the players talked to you. Go with their information.”
Lukas Sedlak said Columbus hasn’t given a 60-minute effort in the last month. Nick Foligno questioned why Columbus isn’t “getting that fight back that we need to have.” Brandon Dubinsky wondered if the Blue Jackets were “fat and happy.”
“We have to realize that the conference is tight,” Dubinsky added. “And these teams that we’re playing, every team is pushing for a playoff spot.”
Even the Islanders.
Thomas Greiss made 21 saves and improved to 10-3-3 over his past 16 starts. New York also got goals from Josh Bailey, Brock Nelson and Jason Chimera. John Tavares had two assists.
Columbus dominated possession early but had only three shots on goal in the first 8 1/2 minutes before Foligno’s score. The Blue Jackets’ captain was posted in front of Greiss when Ryan Murray shot from the point. The attempt was redirected by Alexander Wennberg, then bounced off Greiss and Foligno before trickling over the goal line.
New York threatened during a power play late in the period but was otherwise muffled during a sleepy first. The Islanders had just two shots on goal in the first 12 minutes.
Bailey pulled New York even 2:21 into the second with his 100th NHL goal. With Kulemin battling All-Star defenseman Seth Jones atop the crease, Bailey smacked the puck toward net from beneath the right faceoff dot. The puck banked off Jones’ skate - though Kulemin’s stick was right there, too - and slid past Bobrovsky.
Kulemin then found the rebound of Calvin de Haan’s point shot and backhanded it past a screened Bobrovsky for a 2-1 lead late in the second.
Kulemin has three goals and two assists over his past five games.
“He’s a strong guy,” Tavares said. “Always moving his feet. Makes things happen. When he uses his size, it’s great to see.”
Nelson added to the lead 35 seconds into the third, snapping a shot from atop the right circle that beat Bobrovsky’s glove to the top right corner. Chimera scored from almost the same spot five minutes later, ending Bobrovsky’s night.
Bobrovsky stopped 20 of 24 shots before being lifted for Joonas Korpisalo.
Cam Atkinson got his 24th goal for Columbus on a snap shot with 5:21 remaining.
NOTES: Chimera has five goals in seven games. … Wennberg’s assist on Foligno’s goal was his 100th NHL point. … Islanders F Anders Lee was a late scratch because of an illness. … Islanders F Andrew Ladd returned after missing four games with an upper-body injury. … New York F Anthony Beauvillier sat out after getting injured blocking a shot Sunday. … Columbus Ds Markus Nutivaara and David Savard were scratched and both were day to day with undisclosed injuries.
UP NEXT
Blue Jackets: Head south to face Nashville on Thursday night before returning to New York after the All-Star break to play the Rangers next Tuesday night.
Islanders: Close out January against the Eastern Conference division leaders, hosting Montreal on Thursday night and then Washington next Tuesday night.
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