NEW YORK _ Johnny Boychuk's short-handed slapper 4:24 into the third period snapped a tie game and sent the Islanders on to a 3-2 win over the Coyotes at Barclays Center on Friday night.
Already down to five defensemen after Ryan Pulock, himself a replacement for the injured Nick Leddy, left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury, the Isles' defense stepped forward, Boychuk in particular.
His full-ice rush in the first period resulted in Ryan Strome's rebound goal to briefly give the Islanders a 2-0 lead and Boychuk uncorked a one-timer off Brock Nelson's faceoff win that eluded Arizona goaltender Louis Domingue for the eventual winner in the third.
Fellow defenseman Dennis Seidenberg opened the scoring in the first with his first as an Islander off of Casey Cizikas' feed.
Strome's goal, coming in his first NHL game against younger brother Dylan, extended the lead but the Coyotes tied it with two goals in 13 seconds later in the first.
Jaroslav Halak made 23 saves as the Isles moved to 2-3-0 on the season.
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