Experience: Isles vs. Pens, Game 1

Eastern Quarter Finals, Game 1 - Islanders vs. Pittsburgh

 

 

It has been pointed out that Marc-Andre Fleury was pulled in his last 2 home starts against the Islanders and Fleury gave up 30 goals against the Flyers in the first round last year.

Dan Bylsma had this to say about your New York Islanders, "They're a team that was overlooked by a lot of people coming into the season, a team that's grown up together."

Early reports say Crosby, Orpik and Kennedy will be out for the Pens tonight.

Despite these things, the Isles will have to outwork a depleted Pittsburgh team in their own building, endure their onslught and outlast them until they can put points on the board themselves.  Truthfully, it feels like the Penguins are ripe for an upset, and who better to give them one that the upstart Isles with which, they have so much history with.

 

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

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

Evgeni Nabokov is in net with Kevin Poulin behind the bench.

 

In the first period, the Isles and Pens joust back and forth with some physical play.  Evgeni Nabokov takes an Igilna shot off the face mask and seems rattled, but remains on ice after trainer leaves.  Clearing attempt hits an Official and the Isles give up a PP goal just 16:00 mark, 1-0 Penguins.  Casey Cizikas is everywhere in the offensive zone with a good shot on net in close.  Isles look pretty composed, considering the bad bounce and early lead by Pittsburgh.  Isles with a good chippy game so far in the period.  Penguins make it 2-0 with 6 minutes remaining in the first.  Isles need to be better on the rebounds, dont let the need to lay the hit make the defense vulnerable.  Matt Moulson draws a penalty on Cooke, Isles get a PP, move the puck well, only one shot on net but fail to score.  Islanders defense really slow to clear out rebounds, making Nabokov work too hard.  Streit not responding well to Pens speed.  Isles take a nother bad penlty late and give Pens a PP to end the first.  1:17 of PP time will roll over into the second period.  Pittsburgh outshooting Isles 13-8 in the period. 

 

The Isles Defense needs to tighten up, keep playing physical and keep moving the puck and make Pittsburgh earn this.  Fleury really hasn't been tested yet.  He looks a little shakey.  Isles need to put some shots on net in the second.

 

The Pens enter the second period with remaing PP time.  Reasoner gives the Pens a 5 on 3.  Pittsburgh scores just over a minute in, 3-0 Pens.  Seconds later, 4-0 Pittsburgh.  Evgeni Nabokov is relieved by Kevin Poulin.  Nabokov finishes 11 of 15 with a .733 Sv%.  The shot he took off his mask may have rattled him, or it could be the weak defensive help he had gotten.  I'm back on coach Capuano, where is the game plan?  Where is the leadership?  The Isles need to support Poulin and knuckle down and make it one shift at a time and claw back into the game.  Pittsburgh continues to dictate play and make it 5-0 Pittsburgh.  Terrible goal allowed by Poulin and Isles defense as soft as they were in the final 3 games of the season.  Isles getting manhandled and having the play dicataed to them by Pittsburgh.  Is there no direction for the Isles bench?  This does not look like the team that went 11-2-4 in their last 17 games.  Despite being outplayed, Islanders played better later in that period.  They led in shots 10-8 in the period with Pittsburgh 21-18 in the game so far.

 

The third period starts with some pressure by the Islanders, but Pittsburgh still controls most of the play.  The physical tone of the game continued throughout the period until Marty Reasoner was accessed a 5 minute major and a game misconduct from an "apparent" knee on knee hit with Jokinen.  More like a trip.  Terrible call.  Kevin Poulin finished the game going 10 for 11 and a .909Sv%.  Isles outshot the Pens 8-5 in the third.  Shots were even at 26-26 by the end of play.

 

 

Penguins win Game 1 of the Eastern Quarter Finals by the score of 5-0.  Its a hard piece of humble pie to swallow for the Isles and their fans.  Call it a part of history and look for the Isles to get angry about it and show up on Friday for a different kind of game. 

 

 

#beLIeve  #STRONGisland

 

 

Recap:

The islanders failed to do anything that wins them games.  They were outplayed, out hustled, out worked, dominated in their own zone and kept to the outside when they tried to set up offensively in Pittsburgh's zone.  They didn't pressure Fleury for most of the game and when they did, it wasn't a sustained attack like both Nabokov and Poulin had to face.  I hope Nabokov is ok and wasn't really rattled from the puck to mask early in the game.  Something seemed to change after that event for the Isles.  The top line was invisible tonight.  Hickey, Visnovsky and the team defense was awful tonight.  Most of the team played poorly.  Marty Reasoner and his veteran experience watched the first goal go in, was in the penalty box for goals 3 & 4 and was escorted off the ice, late in the third period for a 5 minute major and a game misconduct.  At least Poulin got some experience in a playoff game, facing a top ranked opponent.

The coaching was non existent throughout the game in my opinion.  Even mixing up the lines late in the game is a weak message to send so late in the game.  I had been trying to give coach Capuano the benefit of the doubt after the late season surge, but the team played poorly for the final three games with no adjustments.  I really think this team does what it does with the assistant coaches and on ice talent, but when it comes to a solid game plan, they succeed in spite of their head coach.  Almost as if he himself is a passenger.  Then, head coach Capuano comes out and bashes their work ethic in the game in yet another post game interview.  Perhaps tonight's game was a wake up call of sorts.  Perhaps this was another level the team needed to experience.

 

Tavares when asked if he is worried about the Isles playoff experience tonight.  "We get experience right at the first drop of the puck..."  Right.

 

Fridays game must see the Isles send a message, or it will be a very short series.  Tavares: "We're going to need to (forget it quickly). These series are long, but they can be real quick too." 

 

 

John Tavares had no shots on goal tonight.

 
 

Grail Knight of the game is a new category for KoC that awards a player for his standout performance that kept his team in the game, helped them win or just never surrendered.

Grail Knight for Game 1:  Tie for Game 1.

Matt Martin and Casey Cizikas contributed to the Isles physical game and did their best to move the puck and apply pressure on net.

 

Isles Notes:

 

Retweet#Islesfans! @NYIslanders playoff song here!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhKNuoaGHO0 … … … … … … #beLIeve#STRONGisland@FFDP

 

Coach Capuano announces that Anders Nilsson will travel with the team to Pittsburgh just in case Nabokov wants a practice day off, they can have 2 Gs. All other callups staying in New York.

 

Per Neil Best, "Islanders games averaged 0.49% of area homes on MSG Plus, up 133% from last season and best ever for Isles in MSG records dating to 1991-92."

 

There is more rumors of the the Barclay's/ Nets Marketing Group planning possible uniform changes for the Isles in Brooklyn.  I am not buying a wholesale change.  Possibly an alternate jersey.

 

 

 

 

Oh, and do the Isles miss Trevor Gillies?

 

KoC Notes:

May 2013 marks my second year anniversary writing KoC.  See my 1st year recap here.