Final Score: NY Islanders 6, Carolina 3

Raleigh, NC (Sports Network) - Mike Sillinger scored two short-handed goals, as the New York Islanders split a home-and-home set against the Carolina Hurricanes with a 6-3 victory at the RBC Center.

On Monday, the teams squared off in a Martin Luther King Day matinee at Nassau Coliseum, where Carolina overcame a two-goal third period deficit to post a dramatic 3-2 overtime victory.

The Islanders tied a franchise record with three short-handed goals in the game, marking the third time the feat has been accomplished. On the other end, Carolina yielded three short-handed goals for the first time since April 4, 1995 in a 6-3 loss at Buffalo.

Blake Comeau had a goal and an assist for the Islanders, who snapped a two- game losing streak. Richard Park, Sean Bergenheim and Brendan Witt also scored, while Trent Hunter and Radek Martinek each collected two assists. Wade Dubielewicz, making his first start since a 4-1 win over these same Hurricanes on December 31, finished with 44 saves.

"We got some breaks, the pucks bounced off the glass pretty well and the short-handed goals," said Islanders coach Ted Nolan. "Sometimes you have to be lucky and tonight we got some lucky breaks."

Eric Staal, Mike Commodore and Matt Cullen had the goals for the Hurricanes, who had a two-game winning streak broken. Cam Ward stopped 25-of-30 shots for Carolina, which heads into the All-Star break with a 24-24-4 record. The Hurricanes don't play again until January 29th, when the Rangers come to Raleigh.

"Our second periods have been terrible," said Carolina coach Peter Laviolette. "On the road and here, especially here, we've given up too much to start. This one was no different."

The Islanders erupted for three goals in a 2:59 span during the middle frame, including a pair of short-handed markers, to snap a 1-1 tie.

While on the power play, Erik Cole carried the puck into the offensive zone, but was stick checked by Martinek, who backhanded the puck off the glass. Park hustled to the loose disc, broke away from Frantisek Kaberle and beat Ward on the glove side at 4:53.

Forty-five seconds later, Sillinger netted his second short-handed goal when he swooped in from the right circle and deposited his own rebound in the back of the net.

Bergenheim capped the scoring barrage at 7:52, giving the Islanders a 4-1 lead. Miroslav Satan threaded a perfect long, lead pass from his own blue line to Bergenheim, who got pulled down by Kaberle but still managed to shovel the puck past Ward.

With 4:33 remaining, Commodore narrowed the deficit to two with a long range shot from the right point that deflected off the right skate of Witt and the knob of Dubielewicz's stick.

The Hurricanes made it a 4-3 game at 6:20 of the third when Cullen's shot from the bottom of the left circle beat Dubielewicz on the short side.

On a 3-on-1 rush, Comeau dropped the puck back to Witt, whose blast from the top of left circle glanced off the glove of Ward with 2:35 left, restoring a two-goal lead. Comeau added an empty-net goal with 1:15 to play.

Sillinger put the Islanders on top 1-0 at 8:11 of the first with the team's fifth short-handed goal of the season. Hunter got the puck in deep and four Hurricanes players converged behind the net, leaving Sillinger all alone in the slot. Hunter slipped the puck to Sillinger, who wasted little time burying the puck behind Ward.

With the Hurricanes still enjoying the power play, Staal tied the game 1:21 later when he redirected Cory Stillman's shot from the top of the left circle.

Game Notes

New York wrapped up the season series against the Hurricanes with a 2-1-1 record...The Islanders are currently riding a season-high four-game road winning streak...Staal has points in each of his last five games (four goals, three assists)...Carolina has allowed 10 short-handed goals this season...The Islanders announced Tuesday that defenseman Chris Campoli will undergo season- ending shoulder surgery on Thursday. The team also signed defenseman Freddy Meyer to a two-year contract extension through 2009-2010 on Tuesday...New York visits Boston on Thursday...The 47 shots on goal for Carolina was a season-high and also marked the most allowed for the Isles this season.