WASHINGTON -- Center Brock Nelson, right winger Ryan Strome and left winger Josh Bailey all scored their first career playoff goals and goaltender Jaroslav Halak stopped 24 of 25 shots to lead the New York Islanders to a series-opening 4-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night.

Nelson completed his night by slam dunking an empty-netter with 1:19 to play for his second of the game.

The Islanders are looking for their first playoff series victory since 1993 and started this one in convincing fashion, outshooting the Capitals 27-25 and controlling the play for long stretches.

Winger Marcus Johansson scored the lone goal for the Capitals, who, like the Islanders, are returning to the playoffs after a one-year absence.

The Islanders' speed was evident throughout the game and their precise passing did not allow the NHL's biggest team to get its forechecking game on track.

The Islanders held left winger Alex Ovechkin and the NHL's top-ranked power play off the scoreboard, thwarting a pair of Capitals man advantages.

Game 2 of the series will take place on Friday night at the Verizon Center in Washington.

The Islanders didn't take long to take the first lead of the series, converting a Capitals neutral zone turnover into Nelson's first playoff goal 6:06 into the game. Johansson turned the puck over when a pass from right winger Troy Brouwer went off his skate and caromed to Islanders defenseman Johnny Boychuk. Boychuk quickly sent the puck up to left winger Josh Bailey, who fed Nelson in full stride. Nelson whipped a snap shot that beat Washington goaltender Braden Holtby past his catching glove on the Isles' third shot.

The Capitals responded in the closing minute of the opening period when left winger Brooks Laich stripped Halak of the puck behind the net and fed Johansson, whose wrister beat Halak past his blocker with 56 seconds remaining.

The Islanders outshot the Capitals 11-7 in the opening period and took control in the second period on goals by Strome and Bailey. Strome, playing in his first career playoff game, gave the Islanders a 2-1 lead 3:50 into the period when Islanders captain John Tavares beat Capitals rookie Michael Latta on an offensive zone faceoff. Strome's quick release beat Holtby through a screen.

The Islanders made it 3-1 midway through the second period when Bailey jammed his own rebound off Holtby, off the post and over the goal line. Right winger Kyle Okposo fed Bailey with a nice pass through the crease to pick up the assist.

NOTES: The Islanders were without D Travis Hamonic (undisclosed injury), who led all New York defensemen with 213 hits during the regular season. He was replaced on the second pairing by D Calvin de Haan, who made his playoff debut. ... The Capitals were without RW Tom Wilson, who was struck in the back of the head by a slap shot from Detroit Red Wings D Danny DeKeyser on April 5. Veteran LW Jason Chimera took Wilson's place on Washington's fourth line. ... C Evgeny Kuznetsov and C Michael Latta made their playoff debuts for the Capitals, while RW Anders Lee, C Brock Nelson, RW Ryan Strome and de Haan played their first playoff games for the Islanders. ... Game 2 of the series will take place Friday night in Washington, with the series shifting to Uniondale, N.Y. for games 3 and 4 on Sunday and Tuesday.