TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- The Steve Ludzik era in Tampa Bay began with a win.

Fredrik Modin scored the eventual game-winner with 2:01 remaining as the Lightning won in Ludzik's NHL coaching debut Saturday night, 4-2 over the New York Islanders.

"We're building something here," Ludzik said. "We're taking small steps and learning how to win together."

Modin, acquired from Toronto on Friday, scored from the left circle after Steve Guolla won a faceoff.

"Steve told me to bring this back for us," said Modin, who played just 13 shifts after arriving in Tampa late Friday night. "I was just trying to get the shot on net."

"It was a flukey goal," Islanders coach Butch Goring said. "He just flicked it at the net. He couldn't have hit a better spot, obviously, the top left-hand corner. It's unfortunate it happens to be a game-winner with a couple minutes left in the game."

Mike Sillinger added an empty net goal with 10 seconds left.

New York's Jorgen Jonsson scored his first NHL goal with just under six minutes left to tie it 2-2.

"We didn't win," Jonsson said. "We played a good game, tried hard, had good chances, but didn't score. That's the punishment."

The loss ruined the Islanders coaching debut of Goring, a former standout with the team.

"Other than the result, I was pretty pleased with our team's performance," Goring said. "We had numerous scoring opportunities and overall thought we played a pretty good game."

Tampa Bay goalie Daren Puppa, who played just 45 games the past three seasons because of various injuries, made 32 saves.

"It's just one game," Puppa said. "We're just getting under way. It's always great to open the season with a win."

Felix Potvin, the subject of trade speculation, kept New York close early by stopping nine shots in the game's opening nine minutes and finished with 25 saves.

Michael Nylander and Guolla put Tampa Bay up 2-1 after scoring 54 seconds apart midway through the second period.

Mariusz Czerkawski gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead late in the first period.

The season opener, the first game since the Lightning were purchased by a group led by Detroit Pistons owner Bill Davidson, drew a sellout crowd of 19,758. Tampa Bay, with the NHL's worst record the past two years, averaged just 11,500 last season.

"I think the fans got their money's worth," Ludzik said.

Before the game, Tampa Bay activated forward Andreas Johansson (rotator cuff tendinitis) from the injured reserved list and loaned forward Robert Petrovicky to Grand Rapids of the International Hockey League.