Leipsic atones for costly penalty, scores in OT as Canucks top Isles

Brendan Leipsic scored two goals, including the overtime winner, and added an assist as the Vancouver Canucks came back to beat the New York Islanders 4-3 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver on Monday night.

Leipsic gave the host Canucks the win 2:47 into overtime as he stole the puck from the Isles' Anthony Beauvillier in the New York zone and went around goaltender Jaroslav Halak, who inexplicably came way out of his net and left it open for an easy goal. With the tally, Leipsic made up for taking a penalty with just over a minute left in the third period and enabling the Islanders to force overtime.

The three-point night was the first in Leipsic's National Hockey League career. He now has two goals and three assists in only three games since joining Vancouver in a trade from Vegas at last week's deadline. He has matched the two goals he produced in 44 games with Vegas.

The Islanders led 1-0 after the first period and 2-0 early in the second, but the Canucks rallied to create a 2-2 tie late in the middle frame and then took the lead in the third.

Darren Archibald, on a penalty shot, and Jake Virtanen also scored for the Canucks.

"To win in overtime is pretty nice because, the last couple games, we've lost in overtime," Virtanen, who also had an assist, told Sportsnet postgame.

John Tavares scored a goal and added an assist for the Islanders while Josh Bailey and Jordan Eberle also tallied. Rookie Matthew Barzal, a native of the Vancouver suburb of Coquitlam, British Columbia, produced two assists while playing before numerous family members, friends and former coaches and teammates.

Vancouver goaltender Jacob Markstrom stopped 31 of 34 shots for the win, while Halak blocked 19 of 23 as the Isles missed a chance to move closer to a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

After Archibald scored on his penalty shot at 15:59 of the second period, Virtanen gave the Canucks a 3-2 lead by converting a pass from Leipsec on a 2-on-1. But Leipsic hurt his team by slashing Eberle and drawing a penalty with 1:59 left in the third period.

After Halak was pulled for an extra attacker, Eberle forged a 3-3 tie as he put in a Tavares rebound with 1:04 left in the final frame.

The Canucks suffered a potentially major blow in the closing seconds of regulation time as star rookie Brock Boeser was hurt in a collision near the benches.

--Field Level Media