Islanders squeak by Rangers in shootout

NEW YORK - Jeff Tambellini scored in the sixth round in the shootout, and the New York Islanders overcame another short-handed goal to beat the New York Rangers 4-3 on Tuesday night.

Wade Dubielewicz, subbing for the second straight game for Rick DiPietro, made 27 saves through overtime and then turned aside five shooters in the tiebreaker. DiPietro was away from the team following the death of his grandmother, and is expected to return to practice Wednesday.

Dubielewicz built off his shootout win at New Jersey on the final day of last season that clinched a playoff spot for the Islanders when DiPietro was injured.

Rangers forward Nigel Dawes and Islanders captain Bill Guerin were the only others to score in the shootout.

Blake Comeau, Sean Bergenheim, and Trent Hunter had goals in regulation for the Islanders, who shook off Ryan Callahan's short-handed goal in the third period and won for the second time in six games (2-4).

One game after the Islanders had a season-high 53 shots in a 1-0 home loss to Florida with Dubielewicz in net, they posted their fewest — 18 against Henrik Lundqvist.

Dawes and Chris Drury had the other goals for the Rangers, 7-0-3 in their last 10.

Callahan got the Rangers even at 3 when he streaked into the Islanders zone and smacked a rebound of Scott Gomez's shot past Dubielewicz 5:47 into the third period. It was the NHL-worst 14th short-handed goal scored against the Islanders this season and third in six games.

After firing 53 shots at Florida goalie Craig Anderson in a 1-0 home loss Sunday, the Islanders scored three goals in a five-shot spurt and led 3-2 through 40 minutes despite putting only 13 pucks on net.