Top-line forwards Dany Heatley and Daniel Alfredsson scored for Ottawa, 2-1-2 in its last five games. Alex Auld turned aside 21 shots.
Heatley put the Senators ahead 7:32 in on Ottawa's second. He took the puck, moved across the slot, and beat MacDonald with a wrist shot.
The Islanders tied it on a delayed penalty call when Hilbert tipped Meyer's left point shot past Auld at 12:41. The play went to a video review but it was determined that Hilbert's stick wasn't above the crossbar when he deflected the shot.
The second period was scoreless until the last minute, when the Islanders took a 2-1 lead with 34.5 seconds left.
Jon Sim skated down right wing on a rush and threw a centering pass down low. The puck crossed over to Meyer, who was streaking in, and he tipped it past Auld as he fell down.
The Islanders went up 3-1 at 1:57 of the third period. Just after a power play ended, Meyer found a tight hole with a left point slap shot.
Alfredsson narrowed the Senators' gap to 3-2 when he finished a give-and-go with Heatley at 8:04. It was Alfredsson's sixth of the season.
Ottawa pressed to tie it, but New York sealed the win when Hunter backhanded his 10th goal into an empty net with 61 seconds left.
