Toronto Maple Leafs winger Michael Grabner, an ex-Islander, haunted his old team as he made it 2-0 with his fifth goal of the season and 100th of his NHL career.Andy Marlin
Tyler Bozak and Michael Grabner scored 1:40 apart in the second period to lead the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 3-1 victory over the New York Islanders on Sunday night.
After going 1-7-2 in October, the Leafs are 12-7-5 in November and December. Toronto has recorded at least one point in seven of its last eight games (5-1-2). Overall, the Leafs are 13-14-7.
Jonathan Bernier stopped 25 of 26 shots while James van Riemsdyk added an empty net goal.
Thomas Greiss made 35 saves for New York, which has lost four of five. The Islanders fell to 19-12-5.
Nikolay Kulemin scored New York's goal, his third of the season and first since Oct. 20, against Columbus.
Following a scoreless first period, Bozak scored 1:33 into the second period, his ninth of the season. The sequence began with Greiss stopping a shot from the slot by Roman Polak but the goaltender could not control the rebound, and was alone in the right circle.
It didn't take long for Toronto to build upon its lead.
Grabner, an ex-Islander, haunted his old team as he made it 2-0 with his fifth of the season and the 100th of his NHL career by poking a rebound of a shot by Morgan Reilly into the net at 3:13.
Toronto acquired Grabner from New York during training camp. The Islanders received prospects Taylor Beck, Matt Finn, Christopher Gibson, Tom Nilsson and Carter Verhaeghe in the trade.
Kulemin's goal 12:30 into the third period made it 2-1. But that's as close as the Islanders would get. Van Riemsdyk's empty-netter came with 45.3 seconds left.
New York killed both of Toronto's power plays. The Islanders entered the game having killed 29 straight power plays, and 33 of the last 34 man advantages against them.
Toronto dressed three former Islanders, Brad Boyes, Grabner and P.A. Parenteau. .The Leafs scratched Garret Sparks and Frank Corrado.
The announced attendance was 15,795, the third home sellout for the Islanders at Barclays Center.