RALEIGH, N.C. -- Interim coach Doug Weight of the New York Islanders made it clear that how the team responded from a lopsided loss would be critical to the rest of the season.

He must have liked the way it turned out Tuesday night.

John Tavares scored 34 seconds into overtime and the Islanders produced a solid bounce-back result by defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 at PNC Arena.

"Coming off last night, you know you have to go on the road, it could have been a killer," said Weight, who was a player on Carolina's 2006 Stanley Cup champion team. "Just a real good effort, we definitely got better as the game went on."

Joshua Ho-Sang and Jason Chimera scored in a brief span of the second period for the Islanders, who lost to the same opponent by an 8-4 score a night earlier in New York.

It was the team-leading 26th goal for Tavares.

Ho-Sang, a rookie who has played eight career games, has picked up six points in the last five games. He assisted on the game-winning goal.

He left the puck for Tavares, who was coming toward the slot and delivered on the only shot for either team during the extra session.

Falling behind 2-0 was about the last thing the Islanders needed after the previous game, so the response was extra important.

"It's one of those things where it gets in your head when they score a goal," Weight said.

The Islanders, who have hovered around the Eastern Conference's playoff cut line, also avoided their first three-game losing streak since mid-December by improving their overtime record to 6-11 this season.

Joakim Nordstrom and Elias Lindholm scored for the Hurricanes, who have points in four consecutive games although they dropped to 6-12 in overtime results.

"I didn't think it was going to be 8-4 or 12 goals combined," Hurricanes coach Bill Peters said of the rematch. "Tonight was a little more (controlled). There were some breakdowns both ways and the goaltenders built."

Islanders goalie Tommy Greiss, who was used in relief in Monday night's loss, made 30 saves. He stopped a breakaway chance from Carolina's Jeff Skinner in the third period.

Cam Ward stopped 31 shots for Carolina.

The Islanders killed off a pair of Carolina power plays in the second period, keeping their deficit at two goals until they converted at the other end.

"We got some big kills in the second and some saves from Tommy," Weight said. "We came back and tied the game by the end of the period after two saves."

The Hurricanes figured they should have had a larger lead.

"After that game last night, they were probably coming out pretty fired up," Carolina defenseman Jaccob Slavin said. "I think we controlled play for the first two periods other than those last two shifts there."

The Islanders scored twice in the final 25 seconds of the second period to pull even at 2-2.

Ho-Sang notched a goal and Chimera followed by producing his 17th of the season.

Carolina's power play appeared to click at times, but there was nothing to show for it.

"I thought our power play was good even though we didn't get one," Peters said. "We had a couple of good looks early."

Carolina scored twice on its first 10 shots.

Nordstrom's first-period tally gave him goals in consecutive games for the first time this season. A strong forecheck led to the opportunity.

Lindholm scored 40 seconds into the second period on a breakaway.

Ho-Sang was denied by Ward on a first-period breakaway.

NOTES: The Hurricanes have outscored the Islanders 22-15 in four meetings this season, but this was the first time New York won. The teams meet again in Raleigh on April 6. ... Islanders LW Andrew Ladd, a former first-round draft pick of the Hurricanes, had a four-game points streak snapped. ... C Lucas Wallmark, who made his NHL debut Monday night, played in his first home game for the Hurricanes on Tuesday, when he notched his first point with a first-period assist. ... The Islanders begin a two-game homestand Thursday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets. ... The Hurricanes have two more home games this week, with Thursday night's visit from the Minnesota Wild marking the return of ex-Carolina captain Eric Staal.