"Despite his comments after Monday's 2-1 win over the Wild, Islanders coach Jack Capuano is doing everything he can not to ladle pressure on the already-burdened shoulders of his 21-year-old center, John Tavares.

"When goal scorers aren't scoring, I try to stay away from them," Capuano said yesterday in reference to Tavares' zero points and minus-2 rating through the season's first two games.

"The last thing I want to do is make guys grab their sticks and play tighter," Capuano said. "I want them to play loose and relaxed. When they do that, and they don't worry about it and don't think about it, then good things will happen.""