Tom Kuhnhackl's first career NHL two-goal game didn't feature conventional tallies, one coming while he was on his back and the other going in off his skate as he lurched forward.
But points in the standings are more important than style points and the Islanders snapped a three-game losing streak with a 5-2 win over the Canucks on Tuesday night at Barclays Center to open a three-game homestand.
Jordan Eberle added a goal and an assist, Brock Nelson and Mathew Barzal had two assists and Thomas Greiss made 22 saves for the Islanders (9-6-2), who played one forward short in the third period after left wing Andrew Ladd appeared to injure his right leg in a collision with defenseman Erik Gudbranson late in the second period.
Jacob Markstrom stopped 29 shots for the Canucks (10-8-2), now 1-2-2 on a six-game road trip.
Kuhnhackl, the ex-Penguin signed to a one-year, $700,000 deal who had a two-goal game for Bridgeport (AHL) this season and who was playing in his 175th NHL game, made it 4-2 at 3:26 of the third period as Eberle's feed from the right corner wound up going in off his skate. The goal was allowed after being reviewed for a kicking motion.
The Islanders went 1-for-5 on the power play, snapping an 0-for-16 skid as Cal Clutterbuck made it 5-2 at 17:06 of the third period.
Coach Barry Trotz mixed up his two power-play units, moving Barzal from the left half-wall to the right side on a unit with defenseman Johnny Boychuk, Nelson, Ladd _ making his man advantage debut this season _ and Clutterbuck. Defenseman Ryan Pulock was placed on the other unit along with defenseman Nick Leddy, captain Anders Lee, Eberle and Josh Bailey.
"It just got a little stagnant as a group," Lee said.
Kuhnhackl nearly completed the hat trick on the Islanders' third power play as he took Ladd's spot.
The Canucks were coming off Monday night's 2-1 loss to the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
The Canucks pressured the Islanders from the opening faceoff and took a 1-0 lead at 2:48 of the first period as Brendan Leipsic worked his way free to the left post and converted the feed through the crease.
But the Islanders responded quickly.
Kuhnhackl, as he was tripped and was falling low in the left circle, hooked a backhander that beat Markstrom to the short side to tie the game at 1 at 5:11 as the goalie didn't protect the post. Barzal then notched his 100th career point in his 101st NHL game as he set up Bailey for a 2-1 lead 45 seconds later.
Eberle, at the crease, made it 3-1 at 14:50 of the first period as Nelson got behind the Canucks' defense and picked up his 200th career assist.
But the Islanders were called for too many men on the ice at 1:13 of the second period on an innocuous line change and Jake Virtanen's power-play goal at 2:51 off a rebound in the slot brought the Canucks within 3-2.
