How Matt Martin literally saved the day for the Islanders

Islanders coach Barry Trotz declined to say in his pregame comments Saturday which of his two goaltenders would be starting a few hours later against the Avalanche. It was Robin Lehner, with Thomas Greiss backing up.

But as it turned out, the biggest save in the Islanders’ 4-3 overtime victory was made by fourth-line left wing Matt Martin.

“The turning point was the save that Marty made,” Trotz said.

With the Islanders trailing 2-1 6:30 into the third period, Lehner left his net to try to retrieve a puck near the left faceoff circle. He tried to direct the puck into the boards but it was stolen by Mikko Rantanen, who fed Gabriel Landeskog, who then found Nathan MacKinnon alone in the left circle with the net wide open. But then, Martin dove in front of MacKinnon to block the shot, and less than two minutes later, the Islanders tied the game on a goal by Josh Bailey.

Trotz defended his goalie’s decision to go out and try to play the puck.

“He was trying to make the right play,” Trotz said. “We were getting beat to that puck. He had to come out. It was a good decision. Not every play is going to be executed correctly. “The reason it didn’t end up in the back of our net is because of urgency. It doesn’t happen if Marty takes his time coming back. He was coming back hard because he knew something bad might happen if we didn’t make a play, and that’s effort.”

With the Islanders playing another afternoon game Sunday (3 p.m. vs. Minnesota at Barclays Center), Jordan Eberle said he enjoys these matinee engagements.

“I’m used to them. We play quite a few so you have to be ready,” said Eberle, who had a goal and an assist against the Avalanche on Saturday. “I love them. You get up, you eat breakfast, you go play hockey and you don’t have to think about it.”

More than 300 fans dressed in striped shirts filled two sections of seats on a self-proclaimed Referee Appreciation Day organized on Facebook. They chanted “R-E-F-S, refs, refs, refs” and, “Let’s go Refs” and reacted to routine offsides calls as if they were goals.

The Islanders had not trailed after a first or second period since Jan. 8, but did so at both intermissions Saturday.

Tom Kuhnhackl played for the first time since Jan. 3, filling in for Cal Clutterbuck on the fourth line and drew praise from Trotz: “He was really good coming back. He was diligent on the puck, diligent in the battle and detailed.”