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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) -- Now that they're finally going home, the
Los Angeles Kings have good things to talk about.
|  | | Islanders defenseman Kevin Haller, left, trips up Kings right wing Ziggy Palffy. |
Steve Reinprecht and Bob Corkum scored second-period goals as
the Kings finished a stretch of nine road games out of 10 with a
4-1 victory over the New York Islanders on Sunday.
The win, coupled with a 2-1 victory Saturday over New Jersey,
completed a weekend sweep in the New York metropolitan area.
"I think what we've seen the last two games is us coming
together as a team," said goalie Jamie Storr, who played well in
stopping 30 shots after making 33 saves against New Jersey.
The Kings went 1-2-1 on a trip before returning home to beat
Anaheim. Back on the road, Los Angeles lost at Phoenix and
expansion Columbus before winning the final three games.
"We were working as hard in the other games," Storr said.
"But it wasn't until this weekend that we really put it all
together."
New York missed a chance to tie the Devils atop the Atlantic
Division and remained two points behind.
"I think we were the better team," Islanders forward Mariusz
Czerkawski said. "We had more chances, more quality chances, we
just didn't score."
The Islanders, who had a six-game unbeaten streak snapped with
an overtime loss Friday at Tampa Bay, failed to earn a standings
point for the first time in seven games (5-1-0-1).
Mathieu Schneider scored a power-play goal in the first period
and Rob Blake added three assists for Los Angeles, which plays its
next six at home. The Kings had lost five straight at the Nassau
Coliseum, last winning on Oct. 27, 1992.
"The Islanders are up 1-0 in their own building and we get an
opportunity and get a quick goal, it's big," Blake said.
Luc Robitaille scored his seventh goal with 1:52 remaining, into
an empty net, to make it 4-1.
Reinprecht took a pass from Robitaille to the left of Islanders
goalie Wade Flaherty and put a backhander past him just 30 seconds
into the second for a 2-1 Kings advantage.
The Islanders had a chance to tie when Corkum and Jere Karalahti
were whistled for minor penalties 1:15 apart, but New York could
not manage a shot during the 45-second two-man advantage and had only
three shots at Storr during the total power-play.
Corkum made it 3-1 at 11:06 of the second on a disputed goal.
With a penalty on Los Angeles upcoming, defenseman Garry Galley
touched the loose puck with his glove, which should have stopped
play. No whistle was blown and after Flaherty was bumped into --
another bone of contention -- the puck went in the net.
New York almost drew within a goal at the end of the second when
on a delayed-penalty call Jesse Belanger put a shot past Storr.
But the whistle blew just before to negate it. The Islanders were
0-for-6 on the power play.
"I think we got a little bit frustrated after two periods,"
Islanders coach Butch Goring said. "We had a chance to get back
into the game with that goal, but it didn't count."
Oleg Kvasha gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead at 9:03 of the first
when a falling Mark Parrish made a backhand pass across the crease
to set him up. Kvasha lifted the puck over Storr, who was sprawled
out on his stomach.
Schneider tied it 1:51 later when his blast from the left point,
during a delayed penalty, was tipped twice on its way in.
Game notes
Ziggy Palffy, who had 168 goals and 163 assists in 331
games with the Islanders, was greeted with a scoreboard message
early in the first period that read "Thanks Ziggy." Palffy, who
assisted on Schneider's goal, played his first game at Nassau
Coliseum since being dealt to the Kings, along with Bryan
Smolinski, on June 20, 1999. ... Smolinski and Islanders G John
Vanbiesbrouck were scratched. Smolinski returned to Los Angeles
after his wife, Julie, gave birth to their first child on Saturday.
Vanbiesbrouck is awaiting the birth of his fourth child. ... Rick
DiPietro, the first goalie chosen with the top pick in the NHL
entry draft, was recalled from Chicago of the IHL to serve as
Flaherty's backup.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Los Angeles Clubhouse
NY Islanders Clubhouse
RECAPS
Los Angeles 4
NY Islanders 1
Tampa Bay 5
Washington 2
Edmonton 4
Columbus 2
Toronto 7
Boston 1
Minnesota 3
Calgary 2
Chicago 4
Anaheim 2
San Jose 2
Vancouver 2
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Bob Cokum scores on a disputed goal.
avi: 1480 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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