Holmstrom scores go-ahead goal in Isles' win over Penguins. Sorokin stops Crosby's late penalty shot

NEW YORK (AP) — Simon Holmstrom scored the go-ahead goal in the third period, Ilya Sorokin stopped Sidney Crosby on a late penalty shot and the playoff-bound New York Islanders edged the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-4 on Wednesday night.

Samuel Bolduc and Brock Nelson each had a goal and an assist, and Casey Cizikas and Kyle Palmieri also scored for the Islanders, who ended the regular season having won eight of their last nine (8-0-1). Ruslan Iskhakov had his first NHL assist in his debut.

Sorokin finished with 39 saves, including one on Crosby in the final minute when the Penguins were awarded a penalty shot.

The Islanders, who finished third in the Metropolitan Division, open the playoffs Saturday at Carolina.

Pittsburgh's Jeff Carter had a goal in what was likely his final game in the NHL. Rickard Rakell, Evgeni Malkin and Valtteri Puustinen also scored for the Penguins. Crosby had two assists and ended the season with 94 points — 42 goals and 52 assists.

Alex Nedeljkovic made 27 saves, but the Penguins failed to reach the postseason for the second straight season.

With the game tied at 4, Holmstrom wired a wrist shot from the faceoff circle past the blocker of Nedeljkovic and the Islanders regained a one-goal lead at 14:27 of the third period.

The goal came after the 39-year-old Carter finished a feed from Crosby to tie it at 4 at 10:56 of the third.

Nelson finished a pretty feed from Holmstrom to open the scoring at 4:56 of the first period.

Rakell evened it at 1 when he beat Sorokin with a soft wrister near the blue line late in the first.

Penguins took their first lead of the game when Crosby found Malkin near the far post as Pittsburgh capitalized on the power play. The goal was reviewed for a kicking motion, but was ruled a good goal per the officials.

Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov craftily kept the puck in the offensive zone and fired a shot that Cizikas redirected past Nedeljkovic to tie it at 2 at 13:19 of the second.

Puustinen gave Pittsburgh a short-lived one-goal advantage when he stole the puck from New York defenseman Adam Pelech and rifled a shot past Sorokin at 14:37.

Palmieri reached the 30-goal milestone for the second time in his NHL career, tying it at 3 in the final minute of the second.

Bolduc’s shot inadvertently deflected off Penguins defenseman Ryan Shea and past Nedeljkovic to give the Islanders a 4-3 lead 1:36 into the third. Ryan Pulock and Iskhakov assisted on the go-ahead power-play goal.

NOTES: New York's Jean-Gabriel Pageau left midway through the first and did not return. ... Oliver Wahlstrom and Samuel Bolduc also returned to the Islanders' lineup. Mathew Barzal, Pierre Engvall, Hudson Fasching and Anders Lee did not dress.

UP NEXT

Penguins: Head into the offseason.

Islanders: Visit Carolina on Saturday to begin their first-round playoff series.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

New York Islanders' Samuel Bolduc, right, celebrates his goal with Casey Cizikas, center, during the third period of the team's NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New York Islanders' Simon Holmstrom, left, and Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby scuffle for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Pittsburgh Penguins' Rickard Rakell, left, celebrates his goal against the New York Islanders with Michael Bunting during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New York Islanders' Ruslan Iskhakov, left, talks with Sebastian Aho during a break during the first period of the team's NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New York Islanders' Casey Cizikas (53) celebrates his goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins with Bo Horvat (14) and Alexander Romanov during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby (87) lays a hit on New York Islanders' Sebastian Aho during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New York Islanders' Ruslan Iskhakov slips as he reaches for the puck during the second period of the team's NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Pittsburgh Penguins' Evgeni Malkin (71) celebrates his goal against the New York Islanders with teammates, including Sidney Crosby, third from right, during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin makes a save against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the third period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New York Islanders' Kyle Palmieri, right, celebrates his goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins with Samuel Bolduc during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Point guard Chelsea Gray signed a contract extension through 2025 to remain with the two-time WNBA defending champion Las Vegas Aces, the club announced Tuesday.

“I love this franchise, this team and the city of Vegas,” Gray said in a statement. “It’s become my home. It’s my family’s home. I’m about championships and chasing history. We’re so close and we’ve created a trust, a bond, and want the best for each other all the time. I get to play alongside some future hall of famers that love winning as much as I do. We’re chasing a legacy here in Vegas.”

Gray has won three championships: the past two years with the Aces and in 2016 with the Los Angeles Sparks. She was MVP of the 2022 WNBA Finals and has been first- or second-team all-league three times, including last season when Gray averaged 15.3 points, 7.3 assists and 4.0 rebounds.

She injured her left foot during the WNBA Finals last season, and has been sidelined in training camp.

“We'll be reevaluating her daily, but also probably in a couple of weeks,” coach Becky Hammon said. “She's a little dinged up right now, so we'll take that one step at a time.”

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

FILE -Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray (12) plays against the New York Liberty during Game 1 of a WNBA basketball final playoff series Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023, in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Aces signed three-time WNBA Champion Chelsea Gray to a contract extension, Tuesday, April 30, 2024. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)