Islanders' Maxim Tsyplakov: Scores in Thursday's win

Tsyplakov scored a goal on two shots, added three hits and went plus-2 in Thursday's 5-4 win over the Blackhawks.

Tsyplakov has scored three times and added an assist over six games in December. He stretched the Islanders' lead to 5-1 in the third period, but it proved to be a vital insurance goal, as the Blackhawks' late push made it the game-winner. This was his first game-winning goal in the NHL, and he now has six goals, 17 points, 46 shots on net, 84 hits, 20 PIM and a plus-9 rating through 31 outings. Tsyplakov isn't tearing it up on offense, but he's been steady and could push for a 50-point campaign.