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.