NEW YORK -- At 29 years old, the "Sid the Kid" moniker might not fit Sidney Crosby anymore. But Crosby proved yet again Friday night he's still got the skills of his youth.

A highlight-reel worthy fake by Crosby set up Kris Letang's game-winning goal 1:24 into overtime as the Pittsburgh Penguins edged the New York Islanders, 3-2, at Barclays Center.

"When he's got time and space he's going to hurt you," Letang said.

Especially when he's got a fresh set of legs against a tired team. Crosby bolted off the bench during a shift change and fired a puck towards the net. Letang corralled the rebound and passed to Crosby, who was stationed at the right faceoff circle.

As Letang skated around the net, Crosby wound up as if he was going to fire a shot. Islanders center Brock Nelson fell for the fake and lunged past Crosby, who skated a few feet forward, passed a shot under the stick of Shane Prince and to Letang. who was to the left of the net.

"I was waiting for Phil (Kessel) to change and kind of drag a guy on the end," Letang said. "I knew Sid would step in and have some speed. So I tried to set up Sid there. Came back to me. I think we got them a little bit tired, they were standing still."

Islanders goalie Jaroslav Halak, who had also bit on Crosby's fakes, was leaning to his right and had no chance to stop the puck as Letang fired it into the open net.

"It's an elite play by an elite player," Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan said. "He has great vision. It was a terrific move. He made the 1-on-1 move to open up that ice to find Tanger."

Sullivan paused as a small smile crept to his face.

"Obviously, it's an elite play," Sullivan said.

It was also one in which Crosby realized he had no room for error.

"That's a little risky, too," Crosby said. "I'm the last guy back. Tanger's behind the net and Geno (Evgeni Malkin) is in front of the net. So if it gets poked off my stick, I'm probably not in a great position.

"I felt confident just because they were pretty tired and I thought I could take a chance."

The successful gamble ended a taut game that featured an intensity not often seen in late November. The Penguins (11-4-2) suffered their worst loss in almost six years in their previous game Wednesday night, when they were routed 7-1 by the Washington Capitals.

The Islanders (5-8-4), meanwhile, were in desperate need of a win but instead lost for the fourth straight time (0-2-2) and seventh time in eight games (1-3-4).

"You knew that both teams were going to be hungry," Crosby said. "Both kind of a similar situation -- you expect that type of intensity, and that's exactly what it was."

The Islanders, who are tied for the fewest points in the Eastern Conference with the Buffalo Sabres, begin a three-game west coast road trip on Tuesday.

"At some point here, we have to continue to do what we're doing and get a 'W' just to give them the confidence," Islanders head coach Jack Capuano said.

Crosby opened the scoring with 4:41 left in the first for the Penguins before Nelson and Anthony Beauvillier scored for the Islanders in a 43-second span during the first three minutes of the second period.

The goal by Nelson snapped the Islanders' scoreless drought at 116 minutes and 31 seconds while Beauvillier's tally provided New York its first lead since last Saturday against the Florida Panthers.

Trevor Daley scored with 6:05 left in the second. The Penguins outshot the Islanders 14-5 in the third but Halak (32 saves) made a series of impressive stops to force overtime.

"It's a good hockey game, the scoreboard dictated that," Capuano said. "Eventually, in overtime, we left a guy open on the back door."

Matt Murray recorded 20 saves for the Penguins.

NOTES: Islanders general manager Garth Snow spoke for 10 minutes at morning skate and said that while he is always looking for ways to improve the team, he has faith that New York's coaching staff and players can turn the season around. ... The Islanders scratched G Jean-Francois Berube, D Scott Mayfield and C Alan Quine. ... The Penguins scratched RW Patric Hornqvist (concussion), who was injured against the Washington Capitals on Wednesday, as well as D Steve Oleksy and LW Tom Sestito. ... Penguins LW Chris Kunitz, who suffered a lower body injury Wednesday, was active Friday and played 15:32.