UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) -- For a change, the New York Islanders held

on to a third-period lead at home.

Chris Campoli's goal in the final period helped the Islanders

hold off the Colorado Avalanche 5-4 Saturday night.

The Islanders, who also got goals from Jeffrey Hamilton, Arron

Asham, Miroslav Satan and Mark Parrish, matched a season-high for

offensive output at home. New York also scored five in wins against

the New York Rangers and Boston. Rick DiPietro stopped 31 shots for

his 12th victory.

"It was a good win for us," Campoli said. "We needed a win

like this, and it's something to build off of. We're right behind

Toronto, and we play them Monday night, so this is a good way to

head up there."

Colorado, which lost its third straight, got two goals from

Marek Svatos, and one each from John-Michael Liles and Alex

Tanguay. David Aebischer started and allowed all five goals on 19

shots. He was pulled in the third period for Peter Budaj, who made

six saves.

In just his second NHL game, Hamilton gave the Islanders a 1-0

lead just 2:24 in. He took a sharp angle shot from the left side

that somehow worked its way past Aebischer.

"I've waited for this for six years," Hamilton said. "I was

nervous before the game, but once I was out for my first shift, I

felt fine. I felt even better with the goal. Good things sometimes

happen when you throw the puck at the net."

Asham increased the lead to 2-0 at 11:56. His second rebound

attempt off Alexei Yashin's shot found the open right side.

"I liked our first period," Islanders coach Steve Stirling

said. "We were skating all period, and we had plenty of chances.

With a little luck, it could have been 3-0 or 4-0."

Conversely, the Avalanche weren't happy with the first 20

minutes.

"We didn't come to work in the first period," defenseman Rob

Blake said. "We started playing better in the second period, but

the problem was we gave them all their goals."

Team captain Joe Sakic agreed.

"We started off OK, but when we gave up that first goal, we had

problems the rest of the period," he said.

In the second period, Satan ripped a 30-foot slap shot from the

left side past Aebischer at 4:19 for his team-leading 15th goal and

a 3-0 New York lead.

Liles got the Avalanche on the board at 6:16 with a power-play

goal, but Parrish answered 39 seconds later to make it 4-1.

Svatos scored his team-leading 16th goal on a power play at

12:26. He chipped the puck over DiPietro, who came about 20 feet

out of the net to attempt a poke check but missed.

Campoli scored at 4:29 of the final period when his wrist shot

from the right dot hit Aebischer's stick and went in.

"Marty (Radek Martinek) threw it to me down in the lane,"

Campoli said. "I moved into the circle, and saw one of their

defenseman move out on me. I just tried to put a wrist shot through

his legs. I think I caught Aebischer off guard a bit. I don't think

he saw the puck until it was on top of him, because of the

screen."

Aebischer was then replaced by Budaj.

Colorado made it close on goals by Tanguay at 12:55 and Svatos

at 17:17, but couldn't get even, despite having a power play that

lasted for the final 1:19 of the game.Game notes
Hamilton, Rob Collins and Jeremy Colliton were all recalled

by the Islanders from Bridgeport of the AHL due to several injuries

to forwards. Jason Blake, who sustained a concussion Tuesday,

expects to miss one more game before returning Wednesday at home

against New Jersey. Collins' made his NHL debut, Hamilton played in

his second game, and Colliton appeared in his third. ... Sakic had

a 10-game point streak snapped.