Isles Short Against Pens

Your surging New York Islanders will face the Pittsburgh Penguins before a national audience on NBC tonight.  The Islanders are 12-5-2 in the past 19 games and 7 wins in past 9, going 9-2-0 on road. They've won 6 games since Dec. 29 in which they trailed by 2+ goals.   Per Sportsnet Ticker, "Tavares, Vanek & Okposo have combined for 43 points in January. That is the most by any three teammates in that time."  The underlying story has to be the  Dan Bysma and Kyle Okposo Team USA saga, but the Isles will just want to start strong and push a good Penguins team as far to the edge that they can make them go.

 

Forwards:  Vanek-Tavares-Okposo; Regin-Nielsen-Bailey; Grabner-Nelson-Clutterbuck; Martin-Cizikas-McDonald.

D-Pairings:  Strait-MacDonald; de Haan-Donovan; Hickey-Martinek.

Kevin Poulin is in net tonight with Anders Nilsson backing up.

The Islanders came out fast and hard behind goals from Michael Grabner (Hickey) and Brock Nelson (Grabner) for a 2-0 lead in just under 9:00 played.  Pittsburgh continues to pressure the Isles in their own zone and score two goals of their own in the next two minutes go tie the game at 2-2 by the 11:30 mark of the first.  MacDonald and Poulin are exploited on the second Pittsburgh goal by Crosby.  They need to play better.  Per Arthur Staple, "de Haan gets clipped in face by Neal, but he's called for interference on Malkin. Pens PP at 12:32."  Sometimes, I am amazed at how officials can make the calls they do.  The Islanders are playing hard again after the Pittsburgh comeback, but Pittsburgh scores again at the start of the second for a 3-2 Penguin lead.  Casey Cizikas took a shot of his leg and limped off the ice, only to return the next shift.  Matt Martin has a terrible hooking call made against him and the Penguins score on the PP, 4-2 Pens late in the second. 

Early in the third, Josh Bailey scores his first goal in 38 games to pull the Isles within one, 4-3 Pens.  A few minutes later, Pittsburgh gets too much space from de Haan and Donovan in the Isles zone, score to make it 5-3 Penguins.  Isles continue to work and Kyle Okposo jams in a loose puck that gets waived off and reviewed in Toronto. For once, a review in the Isles favor, 5-4 Pens.  Isles go to the PP, then a 5 on 3 for :50 seconds after what should of been a penalty shot for JT, Capuano calls a time out.  Isles are denied in 5 on 3 and then the remaining PP.  Huge save against Nielsen by Zakoff in the 5 on 3 for Pittsburgh.  Isles wasted a huge opportunity with under 5:00 left.  Isles pull Poulin (23 for 28 with an .821Sv%) in final minute and get some good pressure at Pittsburgh net, but Zatkoff is equal to the task.  ENG for Pens, 6-4 the final.  Isles led 34-29 in shots, but went 0/3 on the PP.  Per Arthur Staple, "Isles have led by 2 or more goals in a game 14 times (out of 53) this season. 6-4-4 in those games. Yuck.  Isles have trailed by 2 or more goals in a game 27 times this season (out of 53). 9-18-0 in those games, 7-4-0 in last 11."

 

 

The Islanders score 4 goals, but still lose the game.  They played well, but were guilty of breakdowns, suspect defense and surrendered a couple of weak goals.  The skill of the Penguins were definitely a factor, but the Isles made a few too many mistakes.  The Vanek-Tavares-Okposo line were kept in check for the most part, and it showed.  But the Isles went down kicking and screaming and still came close to tying the game with the things they did wrong.  Missing Travis Hamonic & Lubo Visnovsky against a team like this is a tough sell, but they were close.  They have been very good lately and look to be better for the remaining regular season games and push into the playoffs. 

 

The Isles can refocus for St. Louis on Saturday and pick up right where they left off.

 

 

Isles Notes:


Reminder:   I will be away for the weekend and hopefully recap Saturday's 1pm tilt against the Blues sometime before Monday's game vs Boston @ 7pm.

 

Per Arthur Staple, Thomas Vanek tells me he'll understand if Isles trade him. He would even consider signing here after that.  

Per @IslesBlog, "Reported that Lubo is looking like he's 10-14 days away from a possible return, while Hamonic is still up in the air."

Per @StephenCLorenzo, "Isles Lubo on concussion: "Nothing got better and I thought my career was over or something. Right now i feel like a hockey player.  Visnovsky said after a month he was frustrated and "pissed off" after trying everything to get better."

Per Robert Brodsky, "Sources said the New York Islanders engaged in discussions about breaking their lease a year early but the deal never materialized.  End the speculation: New York Islanders won't leave a year early for Brooklyn; my exclusive story via @Newsday.

 

NHL REVEALED - Episode1