Islanders hold — and extend — a third-period lead as Kyle Palmieri scores twice in win over Blues

Patrick Roy wants his Islanders to be “homers” and take advantage of a lengthy stretch of games at UBS Arena.

He also wants them to preserve third-period leads, and they were able to do both in a 3-1 win over the Blues on Saturday night . Kyle Palmieri clinched it with an empty-netter with 35.5 seconds remaining.

Brock Nelson moved into the Islanders’ record book with three points, including a goal after a child with cancer asked MSG Networks’ Shannon Hogan to ask Nelson to score one for him on Hockey Fights Cancer Night. Nelson is now tied with John Tonelli for ninth on the team's all-time points list with 544.   Ilya Sorokin made 24 saves for his 100th career victory.

The Islanders (8-8-5), who won for the fifth time in regulation, completed a 1-2-2 road trip with a brutal 2-1 loss in Detroit on Thursday night, giving up both goals in the final 4:46 to blow their third, third-period lead in a row.

Saturday marked the start of a three-game homestand and a stretch of eight of 11 at UBS Arena.

The Islanders thought they had taken a 3-1 lead at 11:33 of the third period after defenseman Noah Dobson connected from the right circle. But Blues coach Drew Bannister successfully challenged that Palmieri, on top of Jordan Binnington, had interfered with the goalie.

Binnington finished with 28 saves for the Blues (9-12-1).

A major factor in the Islanders being unable to hold third-period leads has been their inability to extend one-goal leads.

But Nelson finally provided a big second goal for the Islanders as his power-play one-timer at the crease off Max Tsyplakov’s patient feed from behind the net made it 2-0 at 15:55 of the second period.

Nelson also set up the Islanders’ first goal as Palmieri, who earlier in the first period missed a look at an open net from the left circle, made it 1-0 at 18:51 with a rising wrist shot from the slot.

Still, it took the Blues just 45 seconds in the third period to halve the Islanders’ lead as rookie defenseman Isaiah George was called for cross checking Robert Thomas 10 seconds earlier. Pavel Buchnevich found Jake Neighbours open at the post for an easy power-play score.

Notes & quotes: Sorokin’s start snapped a string of five straight games in which Roy alternated Semyon Varlamov with Sorokin…Defenseman Grant Hutton and Hudson Fasching remained the healthy scratches…Former Islanders defenseman Nick Leddy remained out of the Blues’ lineup with a lower-body injury. He has not played since Oct. 15.

By Andrew Gross

andrew.gross@newsday.comAGrossNewsday

Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.