John Tavares: "We can’t sit on just making the playoffs, because
it will be over before we know it.”
Making the post season needs to be seen as the first step, nothing more.
Making the post season needs to be seen as the first step, nothing more.
Tonight, your 8th place New York Islanders face
the struggling Buffalo Sabers. Jeff
Capellini points out the Isles can finish
7th with win tonight, NYR loss vs. Devils Saturday, play Montreal, which ekes
out Boston for Northeast. Or lose and
face Pittsburgh from 8th spot. I think
the Isles would take Pittsburgh over Boston in a best of 7 series if they had
the choice. Someone call Garth to sign
Ray Ferraro and David Volek. Seriously,
the Isles need to explode into this game a ride some momentum into their first
round match up. #beLIeve #STRONGisland
Forwards:
Moulson-Tavares-Boyes,
Bailey-Nielsen-Okposo, Grabner-Aucoin-McDonald, Boulton-Cizikas-Martin.
Defensive
Pairings: Streit-Strait,
Hamonic-MacDonald, Hickey-Carkner.
Evgeni Nabokov is in
net with Kevin Poulin backing up.
In the first period, the Isles seem out of sync
again on Defense. Buffalo has little
trouble transitioning into Isles zone and Nabokov has been forced to be the
answer for the Isles. They seem to be
content in lowering their level of play.
Isles to the PP. Their 7th
ranked PP vs. Buffalo's 26th ranked PK.
Matt Moulson fans on an open net after nice pass from Boyes. PP time expires. Isles are slow, soft and lacking physicality yet again. Seem to be fanning on clears and D zone passes. Reason for concern
evident in the first. All Nabokov in
that period. Buffalo has a 10-9 shots
advantage in the first.
At the start of the second, an Isles turnover by
Okposo in the Isles zone results in a 1-0 Sabers lead. Seconds later, Strait goes off for a delay
of game, Buffalo PP. Islanders continue
to look lost. Officials miss Ennis
splitting open Hickeys chin with a high stick. Hickey has become a necessary
element of the Isles defense. The team
is better with him out there. Isles on brief 4 on 3, then 5 on 3 for :54. The 26th ranked PK won that special teams
battle. Isles offense looks out of
sorts. 3rd and 4th lines unable to
generate punch thus far. I am not sure
what is wrong with the Isles team we have watched over the last month. Carkner and Scott throw down by the
benches. Grabner with a nice breakaway
at the end of period but comes up short.
Isles show some inspiration to end the period. Isles out shoot Sabers 9-5 in the period and 18-15 after two.
In the third period, Evgeni Nabokov makes a huge
save against Vanek off a 1 on 1 breakaway.
Isles keep stretching to try an open up their attack, but give-aways to
Buffalo are allowing shots against.
Keith Aucoin (Andrew MacDonald) jumps on a rare mistake by Ryan Miller
and ties the game at 1-1. Aucoin is
another great story of the 2013 Islanders.
The third period expires with the score still tied at 1-1. Isles out shoot Buffalo 7-6 in the period
and 25-21 after 3. The Isles get an
important point in the standings and will play for another one. O.T. is coming for the 3rd time in the last
4 games.
In Overtime, Isles will get a 4-3 PP chance at
3:35 of O.T. thanks to Aucoin's hustle.
Isles use their time out. Isles
get some pressure on Buffalo and move puck well, but fail to score again with
the 4 on 3 man advantage, despite dominating the period. Time in O.T. period expires with Isles 5-1
in shots. Isles 31-22 for the
game. Shoot out is next.
Shootout.
Buffalo scores.
Frans Nielsen is stopped.
Buffalo is stopped.
Brad Boyes is stopped.
Buffalo is stopped.
John Tavares is stopped.
Buffalo wins 2-1.
Isles move up to sixth spot, at least for the
moment with the Rangers and Ottawa idle tonight.
Recap:
The Isles spent too much time in their own zone
due to sloppy play and an inability to apply a forecheck or hit
consistently. Their offense was missing
as was their team spirit that enabled them to storm into the playoffs. You can not be denied from entering the
offensive zone and cycling the puck, nor can you have you efficient PP stifled
by one of the worst PK units in the league this season by a non playoff
team. Evgeni Nabokov kept the Isles in
the game, 21 saves and a .955Sv%.
Without him, they may have been out of it or far behind early. Obviously,
its not over yet, but the Isles have a lot to be concerned about. Listless and
numb effort wont get it done. Bad precedent into playoffs. They were better in O.T. tonight, but were
again bested in their usual position of strength - the shootout.
I know match-ups, stats and semantics are
secondary to playing your game and competing against any opponent, regardless
of their pedigree. The Isles took a big
step in making the playoffs, but more than just this writer wants to see them
make the most of their chance. I'm not
saying they will win the cup, but if you lose, go down swinging and
clawing. Let your opponent know they
survived you and that you made them work hard to beat you. These are the NHL playoffs. Long time fans know how feared the Isles
were "in the day." New fans
deserve some of the same. Its time for
these Isles to carve out their own story and force the hockey world to take
notice. Respect is earned, not
given.
I hope these last two loses were not what we can
expect to see our team bring into battle, because the fans deserve the same
effort from the team on the ice that they give supporting them. I still think the plan should come together,
because the team I saw go 11-1-3 were consistent, well disciplined and
methodical in their attack.
They never
quit and found a way to win. Bring that
spirit back.
@tristateco said it well: Great
regular season and amazing final push. So proud of our boys! Come what
may...PLAYOFFS!!!!!! #Isles #whynotus #wegotplayoffs #beLIeve
Isles Notes:
Retweet #Isles fans! @NYIslanders playoff song here!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhKNuoaGHO0 … … … … … … #beLIeve #STRONGisland @FFDP
Retweet #Isles fans! @NYIslanders playoff song here!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhKNuoaGHO0 … … … … … … #beLIeve #STRONGisland @FFDP
PerNHLhistorygirl,
"On this date in 2000, Charles Wang and Sanjay Kumar purchased the
Isles."
"On this date
in 1975, Isles came back from a three games to none deficit to defeat the Pens
4-3 in the second round of the playoffs."
"Don't focus on
the entire game. Just win this battle. Then the next one, and the next
one." - Isles coach Al Arbour
Per Corey Graham,
"The Oil Kings announce that Griffin Reinhart will miss a possible 6 weeks
after undergoing surgery on his foot."
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