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.        

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.