Magic Number Is 0! Isles Are In The PLAYOFFS!

Your New York Islanders have yet to beat the Carolina Hurricanes this season, the only opponent that can make this claim.  With only 3 games remaining, 1 or 2 points tonight and a Jets loss would clinch a playoff birth for Long Island.  Then again, if the Isles just keep winning, who cares about what anyone else does.  #beLIeve  #STRONGisland

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

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

Evgeni Nabokov gets the start, Kevin Poulin on the bench.  (Poulin has not played since 4/2.)

In the first period, the Isles getting good pressure early on.  Momentum changes and Semin beats Nabokov on a weak five hole shot.  1-0 Canes.  Soon after, Colin McDonald rips it off the goalpost.  The Islanders pushing back hard in the offensive zone, Brad Boyes deflects a Mark Streit shot.  Goal stands.  Game tied at 1-1.  Its good to have Brian Strait back in the game.  He's got skills and a bit of snarl.  Isles need to tighten up their game.  They are getting a little loose, unorganized on defense.  Canes jump out again and get another weak goal off a deflection in front of Isles crease, 2-1 Carolina.  The Isles need to get physical and move some bodies.  This needs to happen soon.  New York is out shooting Carolina 11-10.

The second period starts with some good puck movement and cycling by the Isles.  Jesse Joensuu continues to play well, and an all around asset.  Carolina keeps beating the Isles to the punch here.  They need some energy.  Frans Nielsen wins the face off, Okposo carries it in and Josh Bailey evens it at 2-2.  Isles goal!  Skinner almost skates away with Strait's stick, no call.  Isles lose the puck behind their net and after some blown coverage, its another lead for Carolina, 3-2 Canes.  Grabner breaks out and puts a dribbler through Ellis' legs, but he covers.  Shots were even at 10-10, Isles with a 21-20 edge after 2 periods.  Carolina outplaying New York who despite a sloppy game, continues to fight on.  Physicality isn't dialed in.  Isles need to be better.

The Isles get a PP to start the third, but struggle to even gain possession of the puck.  Big opportunity wasted early in the period.  The Joensuu-Cizikas-Martin has been stirring things up and slowly energizing Isles play.  Ruutu rings it off a post off a wide open net from a bad turnover by Nabokov.  Isles look flat.  Nabokov with a few big saves, Dan Ellis making several amazing saves.  Isles push into Carolina zone, John Tavares dishes over to Kyle Okposo for an Islanders goal!  (EDIT:  Game tieing goal has been credited to John Tavares) 3-3 with less than a minute to go until the final playoff point with a Washington win vs. the Jets.  At the end of regulation, the Isles out shot the Jets 11-7 in the period and 36-27 for the game.

In Overtime, both goaltenders make some big saves.  The Isles break into the Carolina zone a few times and apply some good pressure and putting pucks on net.  Dan Ellis with a huge save on John Tavres off a turnover with under a minute remaining.  Time expires with the score tied at 3-3.  Isles get a valuable point in the playoff race.  They out shoot Hurricanes 7-1 in O.T. for a final advantage of 39-32 in the game.  Evgeni Nabokov finshes O.T. with a .906Sv%.

Shootout.

Frans Nielsen misses.

Carolina scores.

Brad Boyes misses.

Carolina scores and wins the game 4-3 in the shootout.

Keys to the game:  Tonight, the Isles were outplayed and lost the physical challanges to Carolina.  They lost the races to the puck, were weak on the check.  They seemed lost.  Despite these factors, this team continues to compete until they find the elements of their game that allow them to remain in the fight.  Evgeni Nabokov hasnt looked like himself in the past 3 games, but has still helped the Islanders win.  He has a strong level on concentration and responds with focus after a surrendered goal.  He will most likely get a break for Thursdays game vs. the Flyers.  The Bailey-Nielsen-Okposo line continues to make an impact and enable a legitimate scoring threat in the Isles line up.  Joensuu play gets better with every game and his line with Cizikas & Martin is always dangerous. 

The Isles fought to gain a valuable point and although it took a uncharacteristic shoot out loss to beat them, they still fought until the end.  For the first time in six years, they will have an opportunity to compete for the Stanley Cup.  Be realistic though.  The Islanders have a lot to prove, and haven't won anything yet.  But they have the chance to take the next step as an organization.  This team was forged in the trenches, lost together and now, they believe in each other. And it shows.  Don't discount how dangerous this team will be to play.  They know how to win. 

Enjoy this fans.  You have earned it.

Big Picture:  Your New York Islanders have made the NHL playoffs!!

Credit:  All Things Islanders

Isles Notes:

@NYIslanders  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhKNuoaGHO0 … #beLIeve #STRONGisland  #FFDP

Erick Hornick points out what this Isles team has done in the way that only he can do it.  #IslesLegend   http://www.nyiskinny.com/2013/04/the-skinny-on-road-warriors.html

The Isles have earned 30 of a possible 42 road pts, allowed 28 or fewer shots in 15 of last 17 games & more.

@MattBarnaby3636  "With the Isles and Leafs making the playoffs I have started my full diet of EATING CROW. Need to slim down anyways..."

My Isles season preview for this year.  How'd I do?

Thanks to Mr. Wang and Mr. Snow for the possibility of Brooklyn and a core team to beLIeve in.

Sound Tigers Notes:

Per Brian Compton, "First pro season for former 1st-round pick Brock Nelson: 66 games, 25 goals, 27 assists.  Nino Niederreiter finishes with 28 goals and 22 assists in 74 games."

4/21  Sound Tigers WIN! @SquatchDonovan w/ 2 assists tying Schultz in AHL d-men scoring, Wetmore's first pro goal, BST close out season w/ 4-1 W!  Nilsson 20 saves.  @Bnelson29 beats Rawlings for is 25th of the year, setting the single-season record for goals by a rookie!

4/20  MacKinnon adds an empty-netter in the final moments, Bruins defeat the Sound Tigers 3-0. BST outshoots Providence 36-30.

@Reiter35  "Just wanted to say thank you to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and their fans for a great rookie season. Much appreciated #BST #GoSoundTigers"

@scottmayfield2  "Great time in Bridgeport but excited to get back to Denver tomorrow... Except for that class thing I have to do"