Justin Williams made a storybook return to the lineup by scoring in the eighth round of the shootout to give the Carolina Hurricanes a 2-1 victory against the visiting New York Islanders on Sunday.
Williams, the former team captain, was making his season debut.
Andrei Svechnikov and Teuvo Teravainen also produced in the shootout for the Hurricanes, while New York's Mathew Barzal and Anthony Beauvillier were good for the Islanders.
Svechnikov had Carolina's goal in regulation.
Anders Lee scored in regulation for New York. Lee was denied by Hurricanes goalie James Reimer to end the shootout.
The 38-year-old Williams, a right winger, signed 11 days earlier as a free agent, ending an abbreviated retirement that began last summer after he helped the Hurricanes reach the Eastern Conference finals. He practiced with the team for a week-plus before hitting the ice Sunday.
Islanders goalie Thomas Greiss made 31 saves.
Reimer stopped 26 shots as the Hurricanes snapped a three-game losing streak.
The Hurricanes have gone five consecutive games without scoring more than two goals.
In overtime, the Hurricanes had three of the five shots on goal.
The Islanders arrived after failing to protect a three-goal third-period lead a day earlier in a home loss to the Washington Capitals.
Svechnikov opened the scoring with a first-period goal, with the puck deflecting off the stick of a New York defender and past Greiss.
Lee's 15th goal of the season came with 56 seconds remaining in the second period. The tally came off a rebound, with Reimer out of the crease trying to bat the puck away before Lee could reach it.
The Hurricanes were in their second full game since losing All-Star defenseman Dougie Hamilton to a broken leg Thursday night at Columbus.
Carolina defeated the Islanders at home in October in the only previous meeting this season. The Hurricanes swept New York in last spring's Eastern Conference semifinals.
--Field Level Media
