Islanders 5, Maple Leafs 3: John Tavares scored twice and added an assist as visiting New York rallied from an early deficit to defeat Toronto.

Brad Boyes had a goal and two assists, Matt Moulson added one of each and Frans Nielsen capped the scoring for the Islanders, who began their regular season-ending five-game road trip. Evgeni Nabokov turned aside 18 shots as New York remained one point behind Ottawa for sixth place in the Eastern Conference.

Joffrey Lupul, captain Dion Phaneuf and fellow defenseman Cody Franson tallied while Phil Kessel notched three assists for the fifth-place Maple Leafs, who have dropped two straight contests while on the cusp of clinching their first playoff berth since 2004. James Reimer stopped 33 shots in his first regulation loss in six starts.

Tavares, who is third in the league with 26 goals, gave New York a 3-2 lead late in the first period after electing to shoot while on a 2-on-1 rush with Boyes. Tavares added to the advantage with 5:20 remaining in the second with a wrist shot from the slot after a feed from Boyes.

Lupul opened the scoring 5:05 into the contest and Franson doubled the advantage for Toronto on a power play 96 seconds later, but the Islanders scored three consecutive goals to close the first period, a session in which they outshot the Maple Leafs 19-5. Toronto has been outshot in each of its last nine games.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Tavares, who is from nearby Mississauga, Ontario, has 16 points in 15 games against Toronto. ... There were two fights soon after Franson’s goal in the first period. Toronto LW Frazer McLaren battled New York D Matt Carkner at 7:44 and Maple Leafs RW Colton Orr dropped the gloves with Islanders LW Eric Boulton four seconds later. ... New York improved to 7-0-2 in April and 13-5-2 on the road.