Islanders Suffer Crushing loss to Capitals

Capitals celelbrate their game-tying goal (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

          The Islanders suffered a crushing 3-2 defeat to Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals, Tuesday night in Washington. 
          The Islanders carried a 2-0 lead deep into the game.  But a desperate Capitals team was able to score two goals in the final 3:30 before winning it in overtime.
          The Islanders seemed to have luck on their side early in the game.  The Capitals outplayed them in every aspect of the game in the first period, outshooting the Isles 13-3.  However, Evgeni Nabokov was able to stop all thirteen Capital shots.  Josh Bailey was able to capitalize on one of the Isles' shots, netting a backhander by Caps goalie, Michal Neuvirth.  It was Bailey's seventh goal of the year.  
          In the second period the Islanders were able to right the ship, and played a much better road period.  They outshot the Caps 12-7 but none of those got by either net minder.  
         The third started out great for the Islanders.  Coming off a better second period the Isles continued their solid play in the third.  And just over two minutes into the frame the Isles were able to extend their lead.  Matt Moulson was able to tip a Steve Staios shot past Neuvirth to make it 2-0 Isles.  It was Moulson's team leading twenty-seventh goal. 
         The game clock was at 3:30 and the Islanders had a comfortable lead and seemed to be ready to skate out of Washington with two points in hand.  However, the Capitals had other plans.  
          With 3:29 left in the third Troy Brouwer tipped one by Nabokov's left pad and cut the lead to 2-1.  Then with just twenty-six seconds left in the game the Isles confidence was crushed.  With their goalie pulled, the Capitals were able to tie the game when Brouwer scored his second, tipping one by Nabokov yet again.  The goals were Brouwer's sixteenth and seventeenth.  That sent this contest into overtime.
          With the Islanders having one point secured they did not want to lose this crucial second point in a contest they thought they had locked up.  But just 1:35 into the overtime period, Alex Ovechkin snapped a shot by Nabokov and sent the Islanders to their locker room dumbfounded.  It was Ovechkin's twenty-sixth of the year.
          The Islanders did get one point, however, and now sit eight points behind the Capitals, the very team they just lost to.  They now have 19 games left and need to turn it up to another gear, and get as many points as they can.  
          The Islanders continue their four game road trip, when they travel to Philadelphia for a matchup against the Flyers, Thursday night.  Puck drop is scheduled for 7 PM  
                

Islanders Overwhelmed in Ottawa

Ottawa celebrates after one of their five goals (Photo by Andre Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images)

          The Islanders lost ground in the playoff race, after a crushing 5-2 loss in Ottawa, Sunday night.  
          The Islanders now have a record of 26-28-8 with sixty points.  That's eight points behind the eighth place Winnipeg Jets.
          The Islanders got off to a fast start in this one, scoring just forty-nine seconds into the game.  John Tavares and P.A. Parenteau had a two on one and Tavares was able to fire a wrist shot through the pads of Ottawa goalie, Robin Lehner.  It was Tavares' twenty-fifth goal of the season.  
          The second period saw Ottawa come out looking like a completely different team than in the first.  They controlled much of the play and kept the Islanders in their own zone for most of the period.  The Islanders downfall came when they took two penalties, just five minutes apart from each other.  Ottawa was able to capitalize on both of the opportunities the Isles gave them.  
          David Ullstrom would take a high sticking penalty at the 10:42 mark.  On the ensuing power play Milan Michalek was able to bury a backhander five hole on Evgeni Nabokov, for his twenty-eighth on the year.  Just four minutes and twenty-two seconds later PA Parenteau would take a tripping penalty.  Jason Spezza would capitalize on the power play, blasting a slap shot over the left shoulder of Nabokov, to make it 2-1.  It was Spezza's twenty-eighth as well.  
          The third was much of the same for the Islanders.  Ottawa seemed to have a step on them everywhere on the ice.  And it showed when at the 5:13 mark of the frame, Mike Mottau threw a blind pass to Frans Nielsen, which was taken by Ottawa's Chris Neil.  Neil would leave it behind for teammate Jim O'Brien who wristed a shot over the glove of Nabokov to make it 3-1.  The Islanders would regain a little confidence when at the 9:04 mark PA Parenteau was able to get one by the pads of Lehner to bring the Islanders back to within a goal.  The hope was short lived, because just four minutes later Neil was able to tip one out of mid-air by Nabokov, increasing Ottawa's lead once again.  Ottawa would ice the game when with just two minutes left Kyle Turris would hit the empty net and give Ottawa the 5-2 victory.
          This was the first of a four game road trip for the Isles.  The next stop on their trip is a visit to the Capital, for a contest against Washington.  Puck drop is 7PM.         

Islanders win Battle of New York

Islanders celebrate after 1st period goal (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

          In front of a sellout crowd, the New York Islanders picked up two big points with a shootout win over the New York Rangers 4-3.
          It was the fifth meeting between the big city rivals.  Previously, the Rangers had the Isles' number, winning three of the first four meetings.  
          Evgeni Nabokov returned between the pipes for the Isles, after missing the last three games because of the flu.  He faced off against the Rangers backup net minder Marty Biron.  
          It was also the NHL debut for call up Casey Cizikas.  He admitted being nervous coming into the game, but proved to be a very solid player.  He crashed the boards well, and his teammates were impressed with how strong he was with the puck.  Cizikas finished with 11:33 of ice time two hits and a blocked shot.
          The game lived up to the hype, as it was a very physical battle from the opening faceoff.
          The Islanders would get the upper hand quickly though.  Just 6:07 into the game Matt Moulson took a beautiful pass from behind the net by John Tavares, and buried it behind Biron.  It was Moulson's twenty sixth of the season.  The Islanders would add another one two minutes and thirty-five seconds later when P.A. Parenteau blasted a slap shot over the right shoulder of Biron to make it 2-0 Isles.  The Rangers would answer back at the 12:47 mark when, on the power play, Marc Staal snuck one by the blocker of Nabokov to make it 2-1.
          The second period would see the Islanders increase their lead yet again when at the 8:11 mark Parenteau would get his second goal sneaking a backhander five-hole on Biron.  Parenteau now has fourteen goals on the season.  The Rangers would answer just three minutes and thirty-eight seconds later when Marion Gaborik found himself on a breakaway and buried a backhander past Nabokov, for his twenty-eighth goal of the campaign.  With just 3:20 left in regulation the Rangers caught a huge break as a Derek Stepan shot was stopped by Nabokov, but then went in off of Islander defenseman Travis Hamonic.  That tied the game at three and sent it into overtime.
          The overtime period saw no scoring so the game went into a shootout.  
          Rangers head coach John Tortorella sent out Gaborik, Ryan Callahan, and Brad Richards against Nabokov.  Islander head coach Jack Capuano countered with Frans Nielsen, Tavares and Parenteau against Biron.
          Nielsen and Gaborik would each score and make it 1-1 after the first round.  Tavares was next and clanked one off the left post giving the Rangers the advantage.  Nabokov would ease the Islanders minds when he poke checked the puck away from Callahan's stick and kept it tied going into the third round.  Parenteau tried to give the Isles the upper hand but could not get one by Biron's glove.  With the game on the line Nabokov came up huge when he stopped Richards, who put on a bevy of moves but couldn't bury his backhand.  In sudden death Capuano called on Moulson, the teams leading goal scorer.  Moulson made Capuano look good as he buried his wrist shot past the stick side of Biron.  Needing to make a save to win it Nabokov faced John Mitchell.  Mitchell tried to go five-hole but Nabokov closed his legs in time and the Islanders got the win, and more importantly the extra point.  
          The Islanders now sit six points out of the playoffs with twenty-one games left to play.  They next take a trip to Ottawa for a battle against the Senators, Sunday night.  Puck drop is scheduled for 5 PM.            

Casey Cizikas Recalled; Travis Hamonic Removed from IR

#11 Casey Cizikas will try to add spark to the Islanders offense (Photo: Brian A. Pounds / Connecticut Post) 

           To try and spark a struggling offense, the New York Islanders have recalled center Casey Cizikas, from the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.  They are also receiving help on their blue line with the return of defenseman Travis Hamonic from the injured reserved list.  
          To make room for Cizikas and Hamonic, the Isles sent goalie Kevin Poulin and defenseman Aaron Ness back to Bridgeport on loan. 
          The Isles have sputtered out of the gate their last 2 games, scoring only 1 goal in 6 periods of play.  In an effort to spark the club, GM Garth Snow has decided to call up Cizikas who was leading Bridgeport in scoring.  In 51 games this season, Cizikas has 44 points (15 goals, 29 assists).  
          Cizikas has been on a tear since the new year posting an incredible 24 points (9 G, 15 A), leading Bridgeport to a 16-1-0-1 record since January 1st.  Because of his efforts, he represented his squad at the AHL All-Star Classic.  He was also named the Reebok/AHL player of the month for January.  He will now look to spark a struggling Islanders offense.  



#3 Travis Hamonic has been out since February 4th (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)


          The Islanders will also get one of their top young defenseman, Travis Hamonic, back on their blue line.  Hamonic has been out since February 4th, after getting hit in the face with a shot by Buffalo defenseman, Christian Ehrhoff, that left him bloodied and bruised.  The shot broke his nose, which Hamonic got surgery on, along with multiple stitches.  In 51 games with the Isles, Hamonic has 1 goal and 11 assists.  Those are not sexy numbers but with Hamonic his strength is his defense.  He blocks a lot of shots and gets a lot of hits.  The Islanders are looking for more physical play and Hamonic can help them there.  
          The Islanders are getting this help at a crucial time as they look to make a playoff push.  They currently sit 8 points behind the 8th place Florida Panthers as they go into their next game.  They next play their hometown rival Rangers tonight at 7.        
          

Islanders and the Barclay's Center a Good Fit?



Animation of the new Barclays Center (Photo from newyorkislandersadrift.blogspot.com)

       With the new state of the art Barclays Center going up in Brooklyn, for the Brooklyn Nets, Islander fans can only wonder if it will be their team's new home of the future as well.
          With the lease on the Nassau Coliseum running out in 2015, Islanders owner Charles Wang has been hard at work finding his franchise a new home.  The most desired plan for Wang was to transform the Coliseum and the area around it into a modern suburban area, called "The Lighthouse Project".  However Nassau County residents vetoed the plan on August 1st, 2011.  
          So with the project hitting a dead end Islander fans are beginning to wonder what will happen to their beloved team.  There have been multiple reports surfacing about what might happen most recently the report about the franchise moving to Kansas City.
          But now with the Barclays Center going up, Newsday writer Neil Best, came out with an article about the Islanders possibly moving into the arena along with the Nets.  I have to say I agree with Best.  I'd rather my favorite team move 10 miles away than 1,000 plus miles. 
          However there are some obstacles that are seen with this idea.  One of the problems is that the arena could only accommodate 14,500 fans for hockey games.  Yes the attendance has been down on the Island, but lets be realistic it will improve.  With an up and coming young team the Islanders may soon become relevant again and I don't know if 14,500 seats is enough. 
          The Islanders are already scheduled to play a preseason game against the New jersey Devils on October 2nd, 2012.  It will be the first sporting event in the new arena, so it will give a good sense of how it could work for a hockey franchise. 
         When it comes down to it the Islanders obviously have a back up plan with the Barclays Center.  However it has been stated multiple times by ownership that the main focus is finding a way to stay on Long Island.  Now we get the chance to sit back and watch how it all unfolds.  For mine and every Islander fan's sake, lets hope a new and improved Coliseum can be built. 
         

Islanders make Nabokov an offer

It's looking more likely Nabokov will remain in this #20 jersey (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

          With the NHL trade deadline fast approaching, Islanders GM Garth Snow is letting it be known that he has no intentions on trading his number one goaltender, Evgeni Nabokov.  Snow has reportedly made an offer to Nabokov to keep him in the orange and blue.  
          Though many teams have shown interest in the veteran goaltender, it appears as if the Isles want to keep their net-minder on Long Island.  And the feeling seems mutual, as Nabokov has reportedly said he is happy with the team and its future.
          The Islanders' offer to Nabokov has options, as they offered him both a 1 year and 2 year deal.  The decision is said to be happening soon.  The hope around the organization is that he will extend his contract 2 years.    
          It's no surprise that the Islanders made this decision as Nabokov is one of the top goaltenders in the league.  In 29 starts he is 14-14, and has 2 shutouts.  The record doesn't give him justice, as in some of those wins the Islanders offense struggled big time.  He currently ranks 9th in the league with a 2.24 goals against average.  He also is 8th in the league with a .925 save percentage.  
          Another key factor for Snow has got to be the opportunity that rookie Kevin Poulin will have learning under one of the best goalies in the NHL.  Poulin has shown flashes of brilliance, but with Nabokov's guidance he will be able to harness his abilities and perform better on a game to game basis.  
          Nabokov has quickly become a fan favorite on the Island and many fans should be happy with this decision by Snow.  All that needs to happen now is for Nabokov to commit to this young up and coming team and resign.  But that, I believe, will come in time. 

Sabres Out Duel Islanders

#12 Josh Bailey helps Kevin Poulin stop a shot from #37 Matt Ellis (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images)

          The New York Islanders' late 3rd period rally fell short as they lost a close game to the Buffalo Sabres 2-1, Tuesday night in Buffalo.
          Coming off a very disappointing home loss to Ottawa, the Islanders played a much better overall game, but it ended with the same result.  With goaltender Evgeni Nabokov still battling the flu, Rookie Kevin Poulin got his second straight start.  He played much better than his last go around, where he got pulled just 85 seconds into the game, but still ended up with his 4th loss on the year.  Another Islander dealing with the flu was head coach Jack Capuano.  Doug Weight took over as the interim coach for this game. 
          For the second straight game the Islanders gave up a goal in the first 2 minutes and couldn't overcome it.  The goal came at the 1:21 mark of the frame when Tyler Myers jumped up on the play and banged home a rebound Poulin left after a Derek Roy shot.  The goal was Myers' 6th of the season.
          The second period saw much of the same as Buffalo scored the lone goal.  It came at the 3:41 mark of the frame when Derek Roy took the puck behind Poulin's net and then made a beautiful pass to teammate, Thomas Vanek, who buried it past Poulin.  It was Vanek's 22nd of the year.
          The Islanders came out with a vengeance in the 3rd period, but could only get one by Buffalo goalie, Ryan Miller.  The Islanders lone goal came at the 14:52 mark of the 3rd, when Frans Nielsen took a P.A. Parenteau pass and fired a slap shot by Miller's right pad.  The goal was Nielsen's 13th of the year, and his 4th goal in his last 6 games.  Parenteau also set a new career high with 54 points (12 goals, 42 assists).  
          With the Toronto Maple Leafs losing in overtime the Islanders now sit 7 points out of a playoff spot, with a game in hand on Toronto.  
          The Islanders next take the ice on Friday night.  It's the battle for New York as the Isles and the first place Rangers will face off at the Coliseum.  Puck drop is scheduled for 7 PM.        

With the Presidents in Town, Islanders House falls to Senators

Senators celebrate after 6-0 win over Isles (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

          With the presidents in town for Presidents Day, the Islanders played a lackluster game in a 6-0 loss to the Ottawa Senators, Monday afternoon at the Coliseum. 
          Defenseman Erik Karlsson had 4 points and goaltender Craig Anderson stopped all 28 pucks thrown his way for his 27th win, and his 2nd shutout.
          Rookie goalie Kevin Poulin had a rough day giving up 2 goals on 5 shots and got yanked just 85 seconds into the game.  Al Montoya didn't fair much better giving up 4 goals on 27 shots.  

Presidents, Teddy Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson. George Washington and Abe Lincoln race (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

          The Senators scored early and often, on way to their rout of the Islanders.  The scoring started early in the first, at 1:08 of the 1st, with Karlsson shooting a very deep angle shot that hit Poulin's stick and deflected by him to make it 1-0.  Just 28 seconds later Jason Spezza scored his 26th of the season, firing a wrist shot past Poulin.  The goal would be Poulin's demise as he was yanked in favor of Montoya.  Karlsson would connect on a slap shot, his second goal of the game, at the 14:03 mark, for his 12th, to make it 3-0.

          The second period would see more of the same, with the Senators outplaying the Isles, but they were only able to get one shot by Montoya.  It came off the stick of Chris Phillips at the 9:37 mark of the frame, for his 3rd of the year.

          Ottawa would all but seal it at the 9:49 mark with Brian Lee  blasting a slap shot past Montoya, for his 1st of the campaign.  With the game already in hand, Jason Spezza would add insult to injury, by firing a slapper by Montoya for his 27th.

          The Isles still have a game on Toronto and still sit 6 points from a playoff spot.  They next play on the road in Buffalo, for a tilt against the Sabres on Tuesday.  Puck drop 7:00 PM.

Islanders Weather the Storm, Defeat Hurricanes

Islanders celebrate after #21 Kyle Okposo's goal (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

          John Tavares seems to like playing the Carolina Hurricanes.  In the three previous games against them, Tavares has tallied 9 points (4 goals, 5 assists).  He added three more points, with 2 goals and an assist, in the Islanders 4-3 win Saturday night at the Coliseum.
          The Islanders now have a record of 25-25-8 and have 58 points.  They currently sit 6 points behind the 8th place Toronto Maple Leafs.  
          Recent call up Kevin Poulin started in net for the Islanders, while Evgeni Nabokov recovers from the flu.  He finished with 33 saves on 36 shots for his 2nd win in 4 starts.  
          The Islanders got off to a quick start when just 2:07 into the game Kyle Okposo took a Michael Grabner pass and buried a wrist shot over the glove of Carolina goalie, Cam Ward.  It was Okposo's 13th of the season.  The lead would last until 13:47 of the period, when Brandon Sutter took advantage of a mini breakaway to bury a backhand past Poulin for his 13th of the year.
          Carolina didn't waste much time in the second period to take their first lead.  Just 15 seconds into the frame James Tlusty took a Jerome Samson pass and buried the puck in the empty net for his 14th goal.  The Islanders would bounce back when at 4:10 of the frame John Tavares skated right by the Carolina defensemen and drove straight to the net and got one by Ward, his 23rd goal.  The Islanders would take their second lead of the game on the power play, at the 8:01 mark, when Frans Nielsen and Tavares played catch with the puck until Nielsen buried a one timer for his 12th of the campaign.  The lead didn't last long when just 2:57 after the Nielsen goal, Jaroslav Spacek took a shot right off the faceoff that surprised Poulin and tied the game, Spacek's 3rd goal.
          With the game going back and forth the third was set to be all but explosive.  How it ended up was with only one goal being scored; by the Islanders.  Just 38 seconds into the frame Matt Moulson took a hard slap-shot that squeaked through the pads of Ward just enough for Tavares to bang it in and give the Islanders the win, his 24th goal.  Kevin Poulin was a rock in net when the Islanders needed him to be stopping all 12 shots his way in the third.  Including a miraculous last second blocker save on a Jussi Jokinen wrist shot.    
          Tavares now has 58 points, which is an average of a point per game.  He currently sits in 10th place among the top point getters, 13 points behind leader Evgeni Malkin.  
          The Islanders continue their quest for the 8th seed against the Ottawa Senators on Presidents Day.  Puck drop is at 1:00 pm.      
            

Islanders Left Singing the Blues in St. Louis

Blues players Jason Arnott and Patrik Berglund look to score a goal (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

          The New York Islanders took a step back in the playoff race as they were defeated by the Blues 5-1 in St. Louis.  It was only the 3rd time in the last 10 games the Isles failed to record a point.

          Al Montoya got the start in net after Evgeni Nabokov was a last second scratch because he came down with flu like symptoms.  Defenseman Steve Staios came down with the same bug which gave youngster Ty Wishart a chance on the big club.

          The Islanders got off to a quick start and looked to be ready to play against a tough club.  Just 59 seconds into the game Frans Nielsen was able to lift a wrist shot over the right shoulder of Blues goaltender Brian Elliot, for his 11th of the season.  

          That would be the only celebrating the Islanders would do all game as it was all Blues from that point on.  It started at 14:40 of the first when Jason Arnott, in his first game back from injury, scored on his own rebound for his 13th of the season.  2 minutes later at 17:12 Kevin Shattenkirk scored on the power play, launching a wicked slap shot past Montoya to give the Blues the 2-1 lead after the first. 

          The second period saw St. Louis score their last three goals and all but seal the victory.  Andy McDonald, coming off a concussion that forced him to miss the last 51 games, scored his 1st of the season at 2:53 of the frame, banging in a Jamie Langenbrunner rebound.  David Perron would follow suit scoring at 8:52 of the period, connecting on the power play with a slap shot  for his 11th of the campaign.  T.J. Oshie would score the last Blues goal at 14:53 of the period tipping in an Alex Pietrangelo shot for his 15th goal.  

          The Islanders still sit 8 points out of a playoff spot, but now have only 1 game in hand on the 8th place Toronto Maple Leafs.  

          The Isles next come home to play at the Coliseum against the Carolina Hurricanes.  The puck drop is at 7 pm.  

Islanders Fly by Jets

Islanders celebrate after #26 Matt Moulson scores their first goal  (Photo by Travis Golby/NHLI via Getty Images)

          The New York Islanders now sit 6 points out of a playoff spot, as they defeated the Winnipeg Jets 3-1 last night in Winnipeg.  It was their 4th consecutive road win, the first time they've had such a streak since January 2008.  

          Evgeni Nabokov made 37 saves in the win and upped his record to 14-14-0.  Nabokov has now won 8 out of his last 11 games.  

          The first period was evenly played with both teams exchanging chances, but both Nabokov and Winnipeg goalie Ondrej Pavelec, stopped every one of them.  It was not until 17:50 of the first period that the Jets broke through and scored.  Jim Slater took a wicked slap shot that Nabokov was able to stop with his right pad, but it left a big rebound that Chris Thorburn picked up and buried a backhand into the empty net, for his 3rd goal of the season.

          The Islanders bounced back at 3:55 of the second period, when on the power play Winnipeg defenseman Ron Hainsey attempted a hard clear that Matt Moulson knocked out of mid air and then passed it down low to John Tavares who gave it right back for a one-timer shot by Moulson that got by Pavelec's blocker.  It was Moulson's 25th goal of the season, which makes him the first Islander since fan favorite Ziggy Palffy to have 3 straight 25 goal seasons.  It was also Taveres' team leading 55th point of the season.

          The Islanders would quickly grab the lead in the 3rd period when just 1:36 into the frame PA Parenteau took a Milan Jurcina slap shot-pass and tipped it in past Pavelec.  It was Parenteau's 12th goal of the season.  The Islanders would seal it late in the game at 19:07 of the period, as with the goalie pulled Parenteau made a nice play to hold onto the puck behind the net and then make a beautiful pass for Matt Martin to bury a snap shot and make it 3-1.  It was Martin's 7th goal of the season and Parenteau's 39th assist of the season, which gives him 51 points, 4 behind the team leader Taveres.

          The Islanders are now 24-24-8 and have 56 points which is 6 points behind 8th place Toronto's 62.  

          Their next contest is Thursday with a road game in St. Louis to take on the team in 4th place in the Western Conference, the Blues.  Another extremely tough game as the Blues don't lose many games at home as they are 24-3-4 at the Scottrade Center.  The Islanders will look to extend their road win streak and inch closer to that coveted 8th place spot.  The puck drops at 8:00 pm.  

Islanders recall Ty Wishart

#6 Defenseman Ty Wishart  (Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images)

          The New York Islanders have recalled defenseman Ty Wishart to the big club.  The Isles also returned winger Rhett Rakhshani to Bridgeport on loan.
          With the injury bug hitting the Islanders blue line hard, Wishart has to step in and fill the void.  With injuries to Travis Hamonic (nose), Dylan Reese (knee), and Calvin De Hann (shoulder), Wishart will join youngster Aaron Ness on the Islanders back end.  
          Wishart has 4 goals and 11 assists in 48 games this season for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.  He's got good size and weight at 6'4 218 pounds.
          It has not been announced how the defensive pairings will shape up for the game tonight at the Winnipeg Jets.  But if I was coach my pairings would be;  Mark Streit with Andrew MacDonald, Mark Eaton with Milan Jurcina, Aaron Ness with Ty Wishart and the healthy scratch would be, Steve Staios
          It will be interesting to see who head coach, Jack Capuano, will pair Wishart with and who he will use as his healthy scratch.
          The Islanders play a road game tonight, where they are .500 with an 11-11-3 record, against the Winnipeg Jets, who are hard to beat at home with a 16-8-2 record.  The puck drops at 8:30.    
             

My advice to Garth Snow: Don't Trade Nabokov!

Evgeni Nabokov manning the net (Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images)

          With the trade deadline exactly two weeks away, there have been many rumors surfacing about the future of goaltender, Evgeni Nabokov.  My advice to the Islanders; keep him.
         Nabokov has won 7 of his last 10 outings, some of them on his own.  In 6 of those wins he has been one of the three stars of the game.  In 3 of those contests he was the first overall star.
          Islanders fans also won't soon forget a certain game in Philadelphia against the Flyers.  If not for Nabokov the Islanders might not of had any type of shot in the game.  But as it was, Nabokov turned away all 45 shots he faced in the regulation and overtime periods.  He then proceeded to stop 2 additional shots in the shootout, while the Islanders scored twice, which gave them the unlikely win.  

Nabokov is on his own island when it comes to trade talks (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

          Which brings me back to my 3 reasons why the Islanders should not trade away their starting goaltender:  

          1) In the top ten in Goals Against Average.  He comes into the next game with a 2.29 GAA, which is tied with Calgary Flames goalie Mikka Kiprusoff for 10th in the league.  

          2) In an absolute zone right now.  In his last 10 games Nabokov has won 7 of them.  He's faced 301 shots and has only given up 16 goals, that's a 1.79 GAA.  He's also added 2 shutouts.

          3) The Isles are still 100% in the race for the 8th seed. The Islanders currently sit in the number 13 spot, but are only 8 points out of a playoff spot.  The one thing a team needs in a playoff race and especially the playoffs, if they make it, is a solid number 1 goaltender.  With 27 games to go the Islanders certainly have a good shot to grab that 8th seed and make a run at the playoffs.

          Now I'm not Garth Snow nor Charles Wang.  All I can say is that if I was, I would not even be fielding any phone calls inquiring about Nabokov.       

Islanders Host a MARVELous Superhero Day

The Marvel Superheros (Image by Newyorkislanders.com)

          Before the Islanders took on the Florida Panthers, children at the Nassau Coliseum took part in the "Super Hero Celebration Day".  

           Children and their parents waited in lines before the game to have the opportunity to meet and take pictures with a few of the famous Marvel Superheros.  Captain America, The Incredible Hulk, Ironman, Spiderman, and Thor were the superheros who were in attendance for the game.

Spiderman posing with young Islanders fan (Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images)

          The event bought in more than 14,000 fans into the coliseum to watch their beloved Islanders and meet some of their favorite heroes. 

          Throughout the game the heroes walked around the arena taking more photos while also handing out some prizes.  Spiderman even took part in the nightly T-shirt launch while riding on one of the zambonis during both intermissions.

          Unfortunately the Islanders weren't able to defeat the Panthers for the crowd, however the superheros were there to save the day once again and help keep the smiles on every one's faces.      

Panthers Slay Islanders

The Panthers celebrate their first of 4 goals (Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images)

          Evgeni Nabokov proved to be human as he lost 4-1 to the Florida Panthers today at the Nassau Coliseum. It was Nabokov's third loss in his last 10 starts.

          Nabokov came into the game sporting a 1.32 goals against average in his last nine contest, but seemed to have trouble getting comfortable in this one. 

          The Islanders got off to a quick start in this one as they scored on the first recorded shot of the game by either team at the 3:35 mark.  P.A. Parenteau lead Frans Nielsen straight through the defense into a mini breakaway, on which Nielsen completed by lifting a wrist shot over the glove of goaltender, Jose Theodore, for his 10th goal of the season.

          That would prove to be the only thing the Coliseum crowd would cheer about as it was all Panthers the rest of the game. 

          The Islanders  held the lead for about 11 minutes until the Panthers struck for their first goal, as Tyson Strachon shot seemed to deflect off an Islander hand and hit the back of the net, Strachon's first of the season.

          The second period saw the Panthers score there remaining 3 goals as Thomas Fleischmann (18), Kris Versteeg (22), and Jack Skille (3) would all find a way past Nabokov.  Fleischmann's goal came at the 4:17 mark as he tipped in a beautiful cross ice feed from his linemate Versteeg.  Versteeg's goal came on the power play at 11:41 mark as he took a Fleischmann pass and wristed it over the glove hand of Nabokov.  Skille's goal came at the 18:33 mark as he took a quick wrist shot off the faceoff which seemed to surprise Nabokov as he wasn't set and let in a goal he would probably like back. 

          The Islanders came out in the third with a different sense of urgency and started to pepper Theodore with shots.  They out shot the Panthers in the period 11-4 but could not find the back of the net with any of those.  

          The Islanders record dropped to 23-24-8 as the Panthers record was raised to 27-17-11.  Next up for the Isles is a mini 2 game road trip starting in Winnipeg as they face the Jets on Tuesday, puck drop is at 8:30.  

Islanders Dethrone Kings

Islanders celebrate after Streit's overtime winner (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

          On a day where former defenseman, Kenny Jonsson was inducted into the Islanders hall of fame is was a current defenseman, Mark Striet, whose goal in overtime lifted the Islanders to a 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings, at the Nassau Coliseum, Saturday afternoon.
          From the start the game was a very physical one.  The teams combined for a total of 89 hits with the Islanders finishing with a season high 48 while the Kings finished with 41.

          The first period saw a lot of the play happening in the Islanders zone, where the Kings were able to keep with their forecheck and get pucks toward Nabokov, who stopped all 12 he saw that first frame.  However is was the Islanders who left with the 1-0 lead, as Michael Grabner was able to get one by the Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick, after the puck ping-ponged through traffic, for his 15th of season. 

          The second period saw much of the same with the Kings out shooting the Isles 12-4.  However this period saw Andrei Loktionov score as he deflected a Dustin Brown shot past Nabokov to even the score 1-1.

          When the Islanders came out in the third they played a much more physical game.  They also blocked a lot of shots, making Nabokov's job a little easier.  The Isles finished with 22 blocked shots in the contest.  The period ended with the Islanders out shooting the Kings 12-11, however none of those 23 shots went in.   

          With both teams now securing a point they played a crucial overtime for a pivotal extra point.  The Isles are trying to stay within firing range for that 8th and final playoff spot, while the Kings are right above that playoff dividing line just 4 points ahead of both the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche.  

          The overtime didn't last all that long as just 1:36 into the frame the Isles set up a beautiful goal by Mark Streit, his 5th of the season.  Andrew MacDonald threw a pass from his own zone up to Matt Moulson at center ice, who tapped one to Streit who cut through 3 Kings defenders and shot one 5-hole on Quick to end the contest.

          The win ups the Islanders record to 23-23-8, while the Kings drop to 26-19-11.  Next up for the Islanders is yet another matinee game against the Florida Panthers tomorrow afternoon, puck drop at 3:00

Islanders enshrine yet another icon: Kenny Jonsson

Kenny Jonnson revealing his plaque in the Islanders hall of fame (Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images)

          On Saturday, February 11th the New York Islanders organization enshrined yet another icon into their hall of fame, defenseman Kenny Jonsson.  Jonsson was drafted with the 12th overall selection by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1st round of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft. After playing with the Leafs during the 1994–95 lockout shortened season, he was traded mid season in 1995–96 to the New York Islanders in a trade which brought back the popular former captain Wendel Clark to Toronto.  Jonsson spent most of his NHL career with the Islanders from 1995-2004, before heading back overseas to Sweden.  During the 1999-2000 season, Jonsson was named the teams captain before stepping down the next season for Michael Peca to take over.  That same season Jonsson was elected to his first and only all star game.
          In 597 career games with the Islanders Jonsson had 57 goals, 175 assists, totaling 232 points. In his 9 seasons with the team, Jonsson and the Islanders made 3 playoff appearances, none of which resulted in a Stanley Cup.     
          As Adrian Aucoin, former teammate and defensive partner of Jonsson, says, "Kenny was probably one of the best rounded players I ever played with.  He literally never made mistakes."  (See the interview here http://islanders.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=616258)  
          Jonsson is the 4th former Islander to be inducted into the Islanders hall of fame this year.  He joins players, Ed Westfall, Kenny Morrow, and Patrick Flatley as one of the Islanders' "Decades players".  Jonsson is the final player to be enshrined by the organization this year.  

Canadiens skate to victory over Islanders

Canadiens celebrate after scoring a goal to make it 2-0 (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

          The Montreal Canadiens skated into the Nassau Coliseum and left with a 4-2 victory over the New York Islanders, on Thursday night.  
          Max Pacioretty scored his first career hat trick and Scott Gomez scored his first goal in over a calendar year to lead the Canadiens.  
          After Evgeni Nabakov won the game for the Islanders in Philadelphia, making 45 saves, he was not able to stop all of the 31 shots the Canadiens threw at him.  Nabakov finished the game making 28 of 31 saves.  
          The Canadiens got off to a quick start, with Pacioretty scoring his first goal just 1:23 into the game.  There was no goal scored for the rest of the first period.  Montreal  scored again in the second period with Pacioretty connecting on a slap shot 9:30 into the frame.  The Islanders would fall behind by yet another goal when for the first time in over a year Scott Gomez got one by Nabokov at the 10:10 mark in the 3rd period, to give the Canadiens a 3-0 lead.  
          The Islanders would show some fight in the final 5 minutes of the game.  They began to get their cycle going in the offensive zone and scored two quick goals against Carey Price.  The first goal was scored by Matt Moulson on the power play, with the second one coming from Mark Streit with 1:53 left in the contest.  The Islanders kept pushing for that game tying goal but would lose steam when Pacioretty hit the back of the empty net at the other end of the ice, completing his hat trick, giving the Canadiens the 4-2 win.  
          Next up the Islanders play a matinee home game against the Los Angeles Kings with the puck drop at 1:00