Weekend Lookback: Rangers

Your New York Islanders met the Rangers again at MSG on Friday night after dropping a close game at Yankee Stadium.  It was another chance to claw their way back into the playoff race and settle the score against the Rangers.  But much like Wednesday night, The Isles would not be able to put together a consistent effort or win the battles they needed to win to overcome the play of their rival. 

The Islanders came out in their home blues at MSG so the Rangers could sport their white stadium series uniforms.  After falling behind 1-0 in the first, Kyle Oposo (de Haan & Bailey) would help the Isles even things up in the second, 1-1.  Despite a better effort in the second period, the Islanders seemed to once again on their heels and incapable of getting a good bounce.  Credit to the Rangers and Lundqvist for playing an aggressive check and not yielding anything substantial.  In the third period, the Rangers scored 3 unanswered goals for a 4-1 final, to hand the Isles another loss and secure their season series advantage.  Despite 39 shots on goal, the slumping Isles offense were unable to score, including an 0 for 3 mark on the PP.  The Rangers went on to block another 18 attempts on net by the Isles.

Evgeni Nabokov was pretty good for the Isles in goal going 33 for 36 and a .917Sv%, but got little help on the teams defensive scheme.  The Islanders were 3 for 3 on the PK.  Matt Donovan had a very strong game as did the red hot Kyle Okposo.  The Isles still look like a different team over their last four games and are starting to replicate some disturbing habits and patterns.  Time is running out on the season and the time for room to fight back is fleeting.  Per islanders.nhl.com, “We just looked like we ran out of gas,” Islanders captain John Tavares said. “We just didn’t seem to have that extra gear when we needed it.”

 

Management, Coaching and the players need to stress accountability as the team struggles to discover why they have fallen away from doing what is necessary to win.  Accountability should be something that is expected to the man and if they want to finally shut down the haters, they need to get things going and stop trying to find spots of praise in a failing effort and win some games again.

“You can’t fault the guys because we worked hard,” head coach Jack Capuano said. “Obviously there are a few details here and there, but the work ethic for the most part was there. We have to find a way to get results. That’s the most important thing.”

 

 

 

The Isles travel to meet the Capitals on Tuesday, 2/4 @ 7:30, before coming back home to face the Flames on Thursday, 2/6 and finally, the Avalanche on Saturday, 2/8 @ 7:00pm prior to the two week Olympic break.

 

 

 

 

Isles Notes:

 

 

Per Brian Compton, "Isles have fewest home wins in NHL (8). They went 23-14-4 at Coliseum when Tavares was a rookie in 2009-10."