NEW YORK _ The Islanders ultimately did everything they wanted to on Thursday night.
They played aggressive, they skated well and won a good share of their one-on-one battles. They played a second straight defensively sound game that limited rebound opportunities. And they got another brilliant effort from goalie Thomas Greiss. It was a playoff-level performance.
The problem for most of the game for the Islanders was Carey Price was in the Canadiens' net.
So, what could have been a one-sided game turned into a crucial 2-1 nail-biter of a win in front of 13,274 at NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum as the Islanders concluded a stretch of eight of nine at home with a 4-4-0 record.
Mathew Barzal, showing patience leading a two-on-one rush, fed captain Anders Lee off the left post for the winner at 17:03 of the third period.
It allowed the Islanders (41-22-7) to keep pace in the Metropolitan Division, remaining two points back as the first-place Capitals won, 5-2, at Philadelphia. It also allowed them to stay two points ahead of the third-place Penguins, who won at Buffalo.
And it backed up another strong game from Greiss (33 saves), who started his fourth straight game.
Price made 36 saves for the Canadiens (37-26-7). The Islanders play at Montreal next Thursday.
The Islanders were coming off Monday night's 2-0 win over the visiting Blue Jackets, their strongest performance since an emotional 6-1 win over the Maple Leafs in John Tavares' return on Feb. 28. The Canadiens presented a second straight chance for the Islanders to get some separation from a team battling for an Eastern Conference playoff spot.
But, to Islanders coach Barry Trotz, it shouldn't matter who the Islanders are lining up against.
"At this time of the year, you want to raise your level not based on opponent," Trotz said. "You want to raise your level for yourself. You want to raise your battle level and the trick is raising your battle level from now until the end of the year. If you do that, you're ready for the playoffs. I think good teams are really consistent right down to the end."
Early second-period pressure led to Adam Pelech beating Price from the slot at 1:20 for his fifth goal, giving Islanders defensemen four goals out the previous five scored by the team. But Price kept the Islanders from building that lead, stopping Lee from close range on the power play at 8:30 as well as Valtteri Filppula's try near the net at 8:42.
In between, Canadiens defenseman Shea Weber helped out his goalie by getting his leg in front of Josh Bailey's shot with Price out of position.
Canadiens defenseman Jordie Benn tied the score at 1 at 18:10 of the second with a slap shot from the left point that went in through traffic after Paul Byron retrieved the rebound of Benn's initial shot.
Only Price and his ability to limit rebounds prevented the Islanders from getting off to a quick start as they constantly pressured in the first period and were constantly rebuffed by the future Hall of Fame netminder.
Price, who moved past Hall of Famer Jacques Plante to set the Canadiens' franchise record with his 315th victory in Tuesday night's 3-1 win over the visiting Red Wings, made 15 first-period saves. That included two particularly strong stops on Lee, the first on his backhand at the crease at 6:06 and then on a one-timer from the slot at 14:14.
