NEW YORK -- Unlike the New York Islanders, the Columbus Blue Jackets didn't need a win on Saturday to improve their chances of making the playoffs. But a win like the one the Blue Jackets enjoyed Saturday might improve their odds of making the first deep postseason run in franchise history.

Cam Atkinson scored 1:19 into overtime and the Blue Jackets at least temporarily moved into a tie for first place atop the Metropolitan Division -- and the Eastern Conference and Presidents Trophy races -- by edging the Islanders, 3-2, at Barclays Center.

It was the third straight win for the Blue Jackets (46-18-6), who climbed past the idle Pittsburgh Penguins and into a tie with the Metro- and NHL-leading Washington Capitals. The Capitals play the Tampa Bay Lightning later Saturday.

"It was a huge win," said Blue Jackets right winger Josh Anderson, who scored in the second period. "We needed the points. We knew that (the Islanders) needed the points too. If we want to catch Washington, we've got to start winning key games like this."

Playoff-type games such as Saturday's are also a good primer for the playoffs as the Blue Jackets prepare to enter the postseason as a legitimate Stanley Cup contender for the first time. Columbus made the playoffs just twice in its first 15 seasons and was eliminated in the first round both times.

"Close game," Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella said. "It's good we go through that."

The Islanders, who moved into a temporary tie with the Toronto Maple Leafs for the final Eastern Conference wild card by earning a point, exhibited a playoff-caliber intensity during a third period in which they produced nine shots -- four fewer than they had in the first two periods combined -- and tied the game on John Tavares' goal at the 8:48 mark.

"I want to play like we did in the third," interim Islanders head coach Doug Weight said.

The break between the third period and overtime served to refresh the Blue Jackets, who dominated the brief extra session.

"You could see (the Islanders) obviously gaining momentum, the crowd was obviously buzzing as well (and) Tavares with the huge goal," Atkinson said. "Those are times where you kind of have to weather the storm a little bit and for the most art I thought we did. (The Islanders are) a good team so they're going to get momentum swings. We stuck with it and found a way to get two huge points."

The Blue Jackets got a shot on the first shift of overtime before Islanders rookie center Josh Ho-Sang lost the puck while trying to make a pass as he was engulfed by Atkinson and Brandon Dubinsky near the Columbus blue line.

Dubinsky ended up with the puck and had what appeared to be a point-blank shot to the left of Islanders goalie Thomas Greiss, but he waited and eventually circled around the net before passing to Atkinson, who buried the shot from just in front of the crease.

The famously hot-tempered Tortorella laughed as he recalled watching the game-winning goal develop.

"You should have heard me when he was stick-handling behind the net," Tortorella said. "It was one of those 'What the -- great play!'

"That's why they play and we coach. We don't see the things they see and you've got to be really careful in quick judgments. I had a pretty quick judgment going on there and it ends up in the back of the net."

Oliver Bjorkstrand scored in the second period while goalie Joonas Korpisalo made 20 saves for the Blue Jackets.

Travis Hamonic scored in the first period and Greiss made 35 saves for the Islanders, who headed home to wait and see if they'd end up gaining or losing ground in the wild-card race with the Maple Leafs, who visit the Chicago Blackhawks later Saturday, and Lightning, who are one point behind Toronto and New York.

"Wake up and you get a point and we're still going to be right there by the time the sun comes up tomorrow," Weight said.

NOTES: The Islanders scratched D Johnny Boychuk (lower body) and LW Shane Prince (leg) as well as RW Stephen Gionta, D Thomas Hickey and C Alan Quine. Boychuk has missed eight straight games while Prince has been out for the last six games. ... Islanders C Casey Cizikas was activated off injured reserve Friday and played Saturday for the first time since sustaining a broken hand on Feb. 21. ... The Blue Jackets scratched D Ryan Murphy (broken hand) as well as LW Lauri Korpikoski, D Markus Nutivaara and C Lukas Sedlak. Murphy is expected to miss the rest of the regular season after undergoing surgery on Monday. ... Each of Blue Jackets G Joonas Korpisalo's last four starts have come during a back-to-back set. Usual starting G Sergei Bobrovsky probably will start on Sunday against the New Jersey Devils.