In last night contest, the Isles scratched and clawed to out duel another team trying to carve out an identity for them selves in the NHL landscape. Jets goaltender, Ondrej Pavelec was solid again with 31 saves, but the Islanders managed to forge scoring chance after scoring chance until they (Parenteau and Grabner) were able to score. Al Montoya was good again, but the Jets were equally resilient and tied the game at 2-2. PA Parenteau and Frans Nielsen scored for the Isles in the shoot out solidifying the win after the Jets couldn’t score against Evgeni Nabokov.
After my last article (http://knightofcups-bondi.blogspot.com/2011/12/impact-of-concussions-on-nhl.html) on concussions, I had no idea that the Islanders would find themselves in the middle on such a situation, so quickly. My point was that NHL players will need to respect and understand what the result of what a violent and selfish hit on a vulnerable player could mean to that player. I understand the need to score goals and that hockey is a very physical competitive sport. What I don’t understand is how you can do what was done to Al Montoya last night. Would it have happened with Trevor Gillies in the line up?
To quote Dyan LeBourdais of Islanders.nhl.com, “Nabokov entered the game with 1:20 left in the second period for his first game action since Nov. 17. Al Montoya was run over by Evander Kane, who made no effort to avoid contact with the Isles netminder after taking a hit from Milan Jurcina. Kane took a two-minute minor penalty for goaltender interference, while Montoya left the game after making saves on 17-of-19 shots.”
I am disgusted with the play of Kane and of how rather than pulling up and bump the net off its moorings or try and veer wide away from the goaltender after his scoring angle was cut off so close to the net, he chose to continue his path and in my biased opinion, leave his feet and bowl over a fellow player in a vulnerable position.
Al Montoya is out indefinitely with a concussion.
What will the league do about the hit?
Isles Notes:
Travis Hamonic had a great game in front of his hometown crowd in Winnipeg.
Eric Hornick is reporting that the Islanders’ accomplished back-2-back shoot-out wins for 1st time since 2006 thanks to Frans Nielsen.
Islanders report that David Ullstrom is out indefinitely with a concussion. (and Montoya)
Brian Compton is reporting that Brian Rolston has been placed on IR due to concussion and that Michael Haley and Anders Nilsson have been called up from Bridgeport on emergency loan.
Fake Henrik Zetterberg,
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