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Uniondale, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - John Tavares notched a power-play goal with 24 seconds remaining in overtime as the New York Islanders stayed hot thanks to a 3-2 decision over Washington at Nassau Coliseum. Anders Lee and Travis Hamonic supplied additional offense, with Ryan Strome adding two assists for the Islanders, who have taken five in a row and nine of their last 10 to challenge Pittsburgh for the Metropolitan Division lead. Jaroslav Halak came up with 25 saves for the win. Alex Ovechkin picked up both scores for the Capitals, who can avenge the loss in the latter portion of this home-and-home series on Friday. Braden Holtby played well in defeat, making 32 stops. Caps forward Nicklas Backstrom was sent off for holding the stick with 2:22 to play in the extra session. As time wound down in the advantage, Strome circled on the left wing from the goal line back into the circle and dished across to the New York captain. Tavares waited until a Capitals defender slid, then moved towards the hashmarks before scoring on a forehander. Lee opened the scoring with 5:11 elapsed, then Ovechkins trademark slapper evened the score on a power play at 13:46. New York went ahead 2-1 on a Hamonic wrister with 2:22 left before intermission. Another power-play marker from Ovechkin knotted the game with 1:13 to play in the middle frame. Halak, who was untested in overtime, made eight saves in a scoreless third period. Holtby, on the other hand, was peppered with 12 shots in the games final 24-plus minutes and stopped all but the final puck. Game Notes This was the first meeting between the clubs after Washington won three of the four matchups a season ago ... The Islanders posted their first home win against the Capitals since March 9, 2013 ... Ovechkin participated in his 700th NHL game ... Backstrom assisted on both Washington markers ... The Capitals have lost four of their last six outings. 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Nerf ball tricks shots are just the tip of the iceberg for a group that has performed in zero gravity, faced pro-skateboarder Rob Dyrdek and an assembled team on the MTV series "Fantasy Factory", and even hit a basketball trick shot from a passing blimp.UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- One day after Kyle Okposo was left off the U.S. Olympic team, the New York Islanders forward added another clip to his highlight reel. Okposo scored 58 seconds into overtime to lift the Islanders to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night after they blew a two-goal lead to the Stanley Cup champions. Barring injuries to others, Okposo will likely be home during the Sochi Olympics. Yet he didnt hang his head after being passed over. "Youre giving me chills right now," Okposo said during an on-ice interview as the Nassau Coliseum crowd chanted "U-S-A! U-S-A!" "Sometimes you get tough bounces in life," Okposo added. "You dont always achieve your goals. Tonight I thought I left everything out there." Casey Cizikas scored in his 100th NHL game, and Thomas Vanek added a goal for the Islanders. Defenceman Andrew MacDonald had two assists, and Evgeni Nabokov made 37 saves. Okposo ended it with his 16th goal. "He was probably a little disappointed," Islanders coach Jack Capuano said of the Olympic snub. "He is just excited that we won the game." The Islanders have won three straight, building off a pair of comeback road victories against Minnesota and Boston -- Chicagos opponent in last years Cup finals. "Right now, were competing and were winning some battles we werent winning earlier this season," Capuano said. "With Boston and Chicago, you can see the skill level. We had to be on our toes, we had to be sharp, we had to execute." Brent Seabrook scored in the second period, and Ben Smith early in the third scored to help the Blackhawks rally for a standings point. Patrick Kane was held without a point for the second consecutive game after recording at least one in a career-best 14 straight. Crawford returned from a 10-game injury absence and improved as the game went on, shining after his club got even. He finished with 31 saves and was superb in the third. "The energy was definitely there. I was seeing the puck pretty well," Crawford said. "There were maybe some rebounds I gave up that usually I take care of but I felt pretty good." The Islanders have a four-game winning streak on the road, but havent had recent success at home. Since their last regulation win at Nassau Coliseum on Nov. 12 against Nashville, the Islanders are just 2-5-4 there. "I definitely hope something is brewing," Nabokov said. "We have to stick with the moment and our game plan. The defence did a great job clearing rebounds. That was the key. "We have put three together," Nabokov said. "t;Now we have to for the fourth one.dddddddddddd" Chicago is 8-1-3 in its last 12 games. "They attacked," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "They have some quickness and speed and they make plays. It was nice to get it to overtime, but it didnt last very long." Several inches of snow piled up in the parking lot and on cars during the game. The Islanders offered all ticket-holders, whether they came to the game or not, the opportunity to exchange tickets for any weekday home game this season. Also, hot dogs and sodas were discounted to $2. Though the crowd thinned after the second period, many seats were filled despite the ominous forecast that called for upward of 10 inches of snow by Friday. Many of the 13,618 in attendance were decked out in Blackhawks red, but when cheers of "Lets Go Hawks!" went up, they were met with boos and counter calls of "Lets Go Islanders!" Smiths tying goal 1:50 into the third elicited a loud celebratory cheer that wasnt answered by home team supporters. After a turnover in the Islanders end, Patrick Sharp brought the puck from behind the net and tried to jam it in. A scramble in the crease ensued, and Smith poked in his fifth of the season. Cizikas made a quick impact in the first period when he knocked the puck free from Blackhawks forward Bryan Bickell and then beat Bickell to the loose puck at the Chicago blue line. Cizikas corralled the puck, skated in alone on Crawford and scored his fifth of the season with 4:36 left in the period after shifting from backhand to forehand. Outside of that, the Blackhawks had the better of the play in the opening frame, holding a 12-5 edge in shots. The Islanders doubled their lead 8:09 into the second when Vanek netted his 14th goal with a backhander in front off a rebound of MacDonalds shot. New York took the first penalty of the game when Matt Carkner was sent off for tripping with 2:34 remaining in the second, and Chicagos potent power play took advantage. Kris Versteeg sent a crisp, cross-zone pass to the left circle to Seabrook, who ripped a one-timer as he crouched to a knee past Nabokov for his fifth of the season with 1:24 left in the period. Sharp took the Blackhawks first penalty, cross-checking with 24.5 seconds to go in the second. The Islanders started the third with 1:36 left on the advantage but couldnt convert. NOTES: The Blackhawks entered with the NHLs third-best power play and the top road unit. New York has the worst penalty-killing unit at home. ... Chicago D Michael Kostka played his sixth game. Fellow defenceman Sheldon Brookbank and Michal Rozsival were out. ' ' '