Refuse. Resist. Win.

The Toronto Maple Leafs could clinch with a win vs your New York Islanders tonight. But the Isles have a little incentive as well.  #wewantplayoffs.

Good thing Casey Cizikas (arm) & Josh Bailey will play tonight after apparent injuries suffered in the game vs Florida.

 

Forward Lines:  Moulson-Tavares-Boyes, Bailey-Nielsen-Okposo, Grabner-Aucoin-McDonald, Boulton-Cizikas-Martin.

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

Evgeni Nabokov gets the start with Kevin Poulin backing up.

In the first period, Reimer comes up big for the Leafs, even on an early 5-3 chance for the Isles.  Leafs move ahead, 1-0 after 5 minutes of play.  Leafs get a PP goal on Carkners penalty, 2-0 Toronto.  Isles behind the play.  Carkner (who manned up for his earlier mistakes) and Boulton answer Toronto's attempts at intimidation, try and energize the Isles with their fists and it may have worked.  Brad Boyes (Tavares & Visnovsky) puts the Isles on the board, 2-1 Leafs.  Isles out shooting Leafs 11-2 at this point.  Yes, I said 11-2.  Islanders keep swinging and sticking to their game, and tie the score with just under 5:00 remaining.  John Tavares (Visnovsky & Boyes) gets a tip in on the PP, 2-2.  Tavares scores again just a couple of minutes later with a wrist shot behind Reimer.  3-2 Islanders.  New York gets 3 unanswered goals after falling behind 2-0.   Isles out shooting Leafs  19-5.

 

The second period played out with the Islanders forging ahead and playing their game.  Reimer is keeping the Leafs in this game. John Tavares (Boyes & Streit) scores with 5 minutes remaining to push the Isles lead to 4-2.  JT has 8 goals in 15 career games against the Leafs.  Shots are Isles, 15-5 for period and 34-10 in the game after 2.  The Isles are 15-2-1 when leading after 2 periods.

 

In the third period, the Leafs have found some ice and had a couple of dangerous chances on Nabokov, who hasn't been playing his best game, but has held true.  Kyle Okposo with some moves and dishes to Frans Nielsen for the 5th Islander goal, 5-2 Isles.  Nabokov gets called for a delay of game and the Maple Leafs score a late 6-3 PP goal with :26 seconds remaining.  5-3 Islanders.    They continue to scramble to try and force something in the final seconds.  Isles win with a 5-3 final.  They get out shot 9-4 in the period, but out shoot the Leafs 38-19 in the game.  Evgeni Nabokov goes 18 for 21 with an .857Sv%.

 

The Isles improve to 13-5-2 on the road and reach the 51 point mark in 6th place, just two behind the Leafs who sit in 5th position.

 

Keys to the game:  Andrew MacDonald has elevated his play in a big way and has played a lot of quality minutes for the Isles blue line.  Dare I say, he has overshadowed a strong player in Travis Hamonic this season.  Eric Boulton had a really solid game and showed he was more of a well rounded hockey player than I had ever given him credit for.  His positioning was good, he played physical and got a couple of good shots on net. I think he has improved with his time on the Island.  His fight with Orr while the Isles are down 2-0,  was the turning point in the game tonight for New York.  The top line has caught fire and has scored some big goals tonight while the offense throughout the forward lines and on defense has contributed greatly to the teams overall success.  John Tavares (2 and 1 for 3 pts.) has evolved into an elite player in the NHL and has really solidified the Isles as a team with his infectous work ethic.

 

Per Eric Hornick, "The Isles are 8 gms over .500 on road for 1st time since finishing 1981-82 w 21-13-6 road record."

 

What makes this Isles team "the real deal?"

They never quit and continue to fight back from adversity.  Tonight's game was a great example.  The Isles went down 2-0, them scored 3 unanswered goals in the first period on the road.

It shows their maturity and how they have grown towards the consistency we need them to have. These are good signs and I am on record for saying that I will retract my criticism of Capuano if he indeed righted the ship. I would love to be proven wrong with Isles wins.  Their checking game and mental focus is rarely out manuvered by opponents anymore. 

In this writers' opinion, they are ready for the next few steps after turning the corner.

 

Isles Notes:

Prior to tonight, the Isles are 12-5-2 (.684) on the road, on pace for the best mark in franchise history.

Per James Mirtle, "Nabokov has faced the Leafs fewer than any other NHL team in his career. He's 5-2-2 against them in nine games."

Boyes(1g/2a), Moulson(2g), Grabner(2g), Tavares(2a) & Nielsen(2a) tallied a multi-pt game in #Isles 7-4 win v. TOR on 1/24.

The Isles have recalled David Ullstrom from Bridgeport.

 

Sound Tigers Notes:

 

Per BST on 4/17, Matt Donovan scored his 25th career goal as a Sound Tiger last night, passing Bruno Gervais for the most career goals by a Sound Tigers defenseman.