Islanders beat Lightning in overtime to extend winning streak to seven games

TAMPA, Fla. — The Islanders keep winning games and losing key players, this time defenseman Scott Mayfield and top-liner Mathew Barzal.

“I’ve never been part of a team that has had so many injuries, and not just minor ones,” coach Patrick Roy said. “But the group is resilient.”

The Islanders extended their winning streak to a season-high seven games, but Saturday night’s 3-2 overtime victory over the Lightning at Amalie Arena marked the third time in six games that a defenseman could not finish the game.

Mayfield exited at 15:29 of the second period after being checked by Luke Glendening and sliding hard into the end wall. Barzal needed support to slowly limp to the dressing room at 18:40 of the third period after blocking defenseman Darren Raddysh’s blast.

Adam Boqvist scored in his Islanders debut and fellow blue-line newcomer Tony DeAngelo netted the winner 33 seconds into the extra period after receiving a stretch pass from Bo Horvat behind his own goal.

“It’s unfortunate,” said Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who acknowledged a great sense of relief after seeing DeAngelo’s winner. The Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov had tied it at 2 with 45.3 seconds left in regulation. With Tampa Bay skating six-on-five, a shot from the right circle deflected in off Kucherov’s ankle.

“Guys are sacrificing their bodies to win those games,’’ Pageau said. “It’s hard to win games and we’re playing hard right now.”

The Islanders (24-20-7), who got 28 saves from Ilya Sorokin, moved within three points of the Lightning (27-20-4) for the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot. They will conclude this three-game road trip against the defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers on Sunday night.

“You don’t want to see anybody injured no matter what it does for you or anybody else,” said DeAngelo, playing his fourth game for the Islanders after signing as a free agent out of the KHL. “Guys have got to come in and step up, and we’ve had multiple guys come and step up on both sides of the puck. It’s been really good. It’s got great vibes going right now.”

The Islanders already were without defensemen Noah Dobson (lower body, long-term injured reserve) and Ryan Pulock (upper body, injured reserve), and rookie Isaiah George had been sent to AHL Bridgeport.

Defenseman Scott Perunovich was acquired from the Blues and Boqvist, 24, was claimed off waivers from the Panthers on Friday, dressing for the first time since Jan. 6. He logged 10:39 of ice time and knocked in the rebound of Barzal’s initial shot to tie it at 1 at 18:16 of the second period.

“It was a good moment,” said Boqvist, who had two goals and four assists in 18 games with Florida after signing as a free agent. “It’s always nice to score. Seven in a row now. We’re just going to keep that going for [Sunday].”

Boqvist, taken eighth overall by Chicago in 2018, is playing for his fourth organization.

Kyle Palmieri, celebrating his 34th birthday, beat Andrei Vasilevskiy (33 saves) with a one-timer from the right circle to give the Islanders a 2-1 lead at 6:41 of the third period. Jake Guentzel’s tip of defenseman Erik Cernak’s blue-line shot opened the scoring at 5:39 of the second period.

Notes & quotes: Roy said goalie Jakub Skarek, 25, will make his NHL debut on Sunday . . . Left wing Anthony Duclair (illness) was unavailable, so Pierre Engvall logged a team-low 6:52 as he drew back into the lineup after two games as a healthy scratch . . . Barzal notched his 328th career assist, tying him with Pat Flatley for eighth in team history . . . Perunovich skated in his 100th NHL game . . . Marc Gatcomb had his first NHL fight as Cam Atkinson confronted him at 14:17 of the third period after the rookie fourth-liner boarded Guentzel.

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.