Sabres Run Isles Through

Your New York Islanders face the Buffalo Sabres at the mostly snow bound NVMC tonight.  Visnovsky will make his Isles debut and Bailey will be back in the line up.  Will the Islanders play with an edge tonight and score some PP goals?

 

Forwards: Moulson-Tavares-Boyes, Grabner-Nielsen-Okposo, Ullstrom-Aucoin-McDonald, Bailey-Cizikas-Martin.

Defensive Pairings:  MacDonald-Hamonic, Strait-Visnovsky, Hickey-Streit.

Evgeni Nabokov in goal with Rick DiPietro backing up.

In the first period, the Islanders had some jump in their game.  Thomas Hickey started the game looking very good.  Several players played well and the team did a good job with the fore check.  A few good scoring chances for the Isles, until Buffalo made it 1-0 off a scrum in front of Nabokov.  The Isles need to move bodies out from their net and help their goaltender out.  They are not playing physical enough.  John Tavares scored for New York, evening the score at 1-1 before time expired.  Isles outshot Sabres 15-4 and kept majority of play in Buffalo's zone.  Isles 0-1 on PP.

The second period started with a power play that generated shots, but failed to score.  Looked pretty good with Lubo.  Isles with more pressure and putting shots on net.  Good efforts by Bailey and Cizikas.  Evgeni Nabokov showed composure when called upon early.  Buffalo generates a single rush and scored to make it 2-1 despite Isles puck possession.  Ryan Miller has been strong.  Isles buzzing, Cizikas to McDonald for a nice goal, 2-2.  Isles keep up the pressure and focus with a 29-11 shot avantage and tied game going into 3rd period.

Islanders took over where they left off in the 1st period.  Relentless offensive effort.  Again, credit Ryan Miller and credit Buffalo defenders for deflecting and blocking shots.  Also, the Islanders need to stop puttung shots directly into Miller's chest.  When you dominate a team but cant score, it keeps them in the game and usually goes bad for you.  This held true in the 3rd period as Buffalo scored to take a 3-2 lead.  Nabokov should have stopped that one.  Tavares gets pulled down from behind on a rush and was awarded a penalty shot.  J.T. hits the post.  Isnt that just a microcosom of this game.  Isles have fanned on shots and lost the puck all game long.  Time expires with the Isles on a PK.

 

12, 608 fans came out after the blizzard to support the Islanders.  The team looked better and they outshot Buffalo 43-15, but lost by the score of 3-2.  The Sabres blocked 23 shots in the game.  The Isles Defense looked OK, but needed to be better on giveaways.  Evgeni Nabokov needs a rest after tonight, he didnt look sharp at 12 for 15 with an .800 Sv%.  Josh Bailey looked pretty good and Lubo Visnovsky looked good, and fairly comfortable in the Isles system.  D, Brian Strait continues to play well defensively and contribute offensively.  The PP was 0-3 tonight, now 0-22 on the 4 game losing streak putting in last place in the Atlantic Division.

 

Tonights game was a good effort.  The Isles pressured offensively and held Buffalo to 15 shots.  They failed to capitalize on breakaways and a penalty shot while Buffalo did damage with limited opportunities and off Isles mistakes.  Kyle Okposo continues to struggle and miss out on offensive chances.  Nabokov looked shakey, probably made more evident by the strong play in the Sabers end by Ryan Miller.  Miller repelled the Isles push by making big saves throughout the game. 

 

The Islanders were frustrated and fell short, despite working hard.  Doing all the right things and taking steps forward will only get you so far.  This sort of thing gets to you as an athlete and can only be solved by success.  John Tavares continues to inspire and the team fights hard through it all.

 

When will it all come together?

 

Photo Credit:  Islanders Fans in Brooklyn

The Islanders face the Carolina Hurricanes, away at New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils on Monday, Thursday and Saturday, all 7 p.m. starts.

Isles Notes:

Per Arthur Staple, Nabokov makes 7th straight start in goal. Visnovsky and Bailey in, Cizikas back in. Boulton, Reasoner, Finley out for Isles.

 

Forgot to mention from Capuano earlier: Visnovsky-Strait and Streit-Hickey on D. Capuano said Streit has been playing too many mins 5 on 5.

Isles Injury Update: Matt Carkner has been placed on IR with a groin injury. Retroactive February 6.

 

Per Kevin Gibson, NYI 5-1-1 past 7 at home vs BUF prior to tonight.

 

Ryan Strome scored his 100th of his OHL career with the Niagra Ice Dogs.