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Josh Bailey scored with 43 seconds remaining in overtime as the New York Islanders resisted a spirited Toronto Maple Leafs fightback to claim a 4-3 road victory.

With the contest heading towards a shootout, Bailey (pictured) blasted a close range shot past Jonas Gustavsson to end a seven game road trip on a winning note and condemn the Leafs to their sixth loss in seven games.

The Leafs had fought back from 3-0 down to force the game into overtime but Islanders goaltender Dwayne Roloson proved the difference with a spectacular display of netminding against a 61 shot barrage.

"Roloson was unbelievable, he was lucky at times but what can you say, he was great," said Toronto coach Ron Wilson. "You can't fault the effort of the players.

"Unless we rolled over and died I thought we had a chance.

"This is what stealing a game is from a goaltender's point of view."

The Islanders broke open the game midway through the second period with three goals in just over three minutes from Jeff Tambellini, Matt Moulson and Sean Bergenheim.

Philke Kessel dragged one back late in the second period for Toronto before third period goals from Wayne Primeau and Niklas Hagman forced the game into overtime, though the rally was not enough for the Leafs who remain bottom of the NHL standings.

The spotlight was expected to fall on the Islanders' John Tavares, a Toronto local who was the number one overall pick in the 2009 draft and making his first visit to the Air Canada Centre.

But it was a quiet homecoming for Tavares, who leads the rookie scoring race with nine goals and 19 points but managed just one shot on net as Roloson stole the show.

"Hats off to Rollie, he stood on his head," said Tavares, who had close to 100 family and friends among the capacity crowd. "He was just great.

"Actually I didn't feel too nervous as I thought I would be but I just wanted to play well. It's exciting playing here in the city I grew up in.

"We didn't play our prettiest game but it's a great way to end it (road trip)."

All the night's NHL results - home team in CAPS:

NASHVILLE 3 Detroit 1

NY Islanders 4 TORONTO 3 (OT)

NY RANGERS 7 Columbus 4

OTTAWA 4 Washington 3 (OT)

Pittsburgh 3 FLORIDA 2 (OT)

Boston 4 ST. LOUIS 2

DALLAS 2 Carolina 0

COLORADO 5 Philadelphia 4

EDMONTON 4 Phoenix 0

ANAHEIM 3 Calgary 2 (SO)

Reuters