Bruins roar by Islanders

Bruins celebrate one of their six goals (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

          The Islanders three game winning streak, and hopes for the playoffs, were broken after a 6-3 loss to the Boston Bruins.
          The Islanders were keeping up with the powerful Bruins through the first two periods.  However, the third period saw the offense explode for the Bruins and stall for the Isles.
          The first period stayed scoreless until the last two minutes.  The Bruins broke through first, at the 18:11 mark, when center David Krejci scored the first of his two goals.  Krejci took a pass from his linemate, left winger Milan Lucic, and blasted a one-timer over the pads of Isles goaltender, Al Montoya, to make it 1-0.  The Isles would strike back under a minute later, at the 18:40 mark, when right winger Kyle Okposo fired a wrist shot over the glove of the Bruins goaltender, Marty Turco, to tie the game.   The goal was Okposo's twenty-first of the year.  Okposo has been on a tear recently as this was his sixth goal in the last five games. 
          The second period would be much of the same, with the Bruins taking the lead and the Isles fighting back.  It started at the 4:58 mark, when center Chris Kelly fired a wrist shot over the glove of Montoya to give the Bruins the 2-1 lead.  The goal was Kelly's twentieth of the year.  About ten minutes later, at the 14:26 mark, the Isles would claw their way back.  Center John Tavares would place a beautiful cross ice pass on the stick of right winger, P.A. Parenteau, who would easily tap the puck into the empty net left by Turco.      
          With the game tied to start the third, once again, the Bruins would fire the opening salvo.  At the 3:13 mark, left winger Brad Marchand would dance his way through the Islander defense, then bury a wrist shot under the pads of Montoya to give the Bruins their third one-goal lead.  The goal was Marchand's twenty-seventh of the year.  About seven minutes later, at the 10:37 mark, center Tyler Seguin would bury his own wrist shot, from the left wing boards, by Montoya to give the Bruins the 4-2 lead.  The goal was Seguin's twenty-seventh of the year.  The Islanders would inch closer about four minutes later, at the 14:53 mark.  Left winger Matt Moulson would pass one in front of the net to Parenteau, who would bury his second goal under the glove of Turco.  The goals were Parenteau's seventeenth and eighteenth of the season.  After that the Bruins would run away with the game in the final five minutes.  Starting at the 16:19 mark of the period, when center Patrice Bergeron would gather up a rebound left by Montoya and bury into the empty net.  The goal was Bergeron's twenty-first of the year.  Just twenty-four seconds later, at the 16:43 mark, Lucic and Krejci would hook up again, as Krejci would nab his second goal of the game, taking a Lucic pass and burying it by Montoya to make it 6-3.  The goals were Krejci's twenty-second and twenty-third. 
          With the loss the Islanders have been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.  
          They will look to finish the season strong as they next take on the Ottawa Senators on Sunday, puck drop is 3 PM. 

Islanders Finally Beat Toronto

Islanders celebrate goal in Toronto (Photo by Graig Abel/NHLI via Getty Images)

          After losing their previous three contests against the Maple Leafs, the Islanders finally broke through and got a commanding 5-2 victory in Toronto.
          With the win the Isles moved out of last place in the conference, and nine points behind the eighth place Washington Capitals.  
          From the start it was clear the Islanders were playing with a sense of urgency.  They were out-skating, out-hitting, and out-shooting the Leafs.  By the end of the game, the Islanders had out-shot the Leafs, 34-14.  It was a season low for shots given up by the Isles.
          Even though the Islanders played like the better team, the Leafs struck first, at the 10:24 mark of the frame.  Taking advantage of the only time the Isles defense broke down, the Leafs took an early 1-0 lead.  Right winger Phil Kessel took a pass from center Tyler Bozak, and was left all alone.  He buried a wrist shot past the sprawling Islander goalie, Evgeni Nabokov, for his thirty-sixth of the season.  The Islanders would answer back just five minutes later, at the 15:34 mark of the frame.  Centers Josh Bailey and John Tavares skated on a two on one and worked it to perfection.  Tavares would skate with the puck into the Leafs zone, and made a beautiful cross ice pass to Bailey, who put the puck past the Toronto goalie, James Reimer.  The goal was Bailey's eleventh of the year.  
          Toronto would take their second lead of the game at the 4:12 mark of the second period.  Center Matthew Lombardi would take the puck from behind the net, come out to the front and slid a backhander under the pads of Nabokov.  The goal was Lombardi's eighth of the year.  The Islanders would answer back later in the frame, at the 13:08 mark.  The line of left winger David Ullstrom, center Casey Cizikas, and right winger Michael Grabner, worked hard and got rewarded with a goal.  Cizikas would poke the puck away from a Toronto player, which would land on Grabner's stick, who would slide a backhander cross ice to Ullstrom who would tap the puck past Reimer.  The goal was Ullstrom's third of the year. 
          The Islanders would run away with the game late in the third.  It started at the 13:56 mark, when left winger Matt Moulson would get a rebound and bury it by Reimer, to make it 3-2 Isles.  Under two minutes later, right winger PA Parenteau would take advantage of a breakaway he skated on, by sliding one by the right pad of Reimer, to make it 4-2.  The goal was Parenteau's sixteenth of the year.  The Isles would seal it with an empty net goal by Moulson at the 18:25 mark.  The goals were Moulson's thirty-first and thirty-second.  He now sits ahead of Tavares for the team lead in goals.  
          The Isles will play their third game of a five-game road trip, when they visit Tampa, to play the Lightning.  Puck drop is 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.            

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.