An independent blog on the New York Islanders, the NHL and AHL by a guy from New York.

Monday, March 17, 2014

Weekend Lookback: San Jose & Buffalo, Pelech Signs


Your New York Islanders were back at the NVMC on Friday to open a four game home stand against the 3rd place San Jose Sharks.  San Jose jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period, but would trade goals in the second period.  Anders Lee (Nielsen & Okposo) and Brock Nelson (Donovan & Bailey) would put the Isles on the board, but behind the Sharks by a 4-2 margin.  Frans Nielsen (Okposo & Lee) would score the lone goal in the third period, but it wouldn't be enough for the win as the Isles fell to San Jose by a 4-3 score.  Isles held the edge in shots, 38-26 and the PK was a perfect 1/1.  Evgeni Nabokov wasn't enough to defeat his former team, going 19 of 23 with a .846Sv%.
 
 
 

On Saturday, the Islanders faced the Buffalo Sabers.  Both the Sabers and Isles have had setbacks this season and would certainly be ready to play hard for a win, but it would be the home team Islanders who would bring the most to the ice.  Behind a fast paced and physical game, the Isles Frans Nielsen (Lee & Okposo) and Kyle Okposo's PPG (Nelson & Visnovsky) would open the scoring for a 2-0 lead in the first period.  Buffalo would score a PPG early in the third to cut the Isles lead, but the Isles outplayed their opponents with a beautiful writer from Ryan Strome (Martin & Visnovsky) and another ENG from Cal Clutterbuck (Visnovsky & Hickey) to seal the deal in the closing seconds.  The Islanders out shot the Sabers 38 to 34 in the game and went 1/3 on the PP and allowed only one goal in 6 PK attempts for Buffalo.  Anders Nilsson played a solid game going 33 for 24 with a .971Sv%.  Nilsson, who was the game's 3rd star behind Okposo & Nielsen, was good when he had to be and looks to be gaining confidence with each start.  Buffalo fell in its fifth straight game.
 



I realize that Not having JT sucks, but I love watching Strome, Nelson, Lee, Sundstrom, Halmo, Donovan, de Haan & Nilsson get time with the big club.  While much can be said about Snow, his drafting has turned out well for the Islanders organization.  With time, these players are showing just how good they are and how deep the Islanders can become.  Per Rob Joyce, Casey Cizikas tells me he's been impressed by Johan Sundstrom's first 2 games. "He's not afraid to try and make plays."  Per Eric Hornick, "Anders Lee was held without a goal (vs. Buffalo) but improves to 4-4-8 in his last six games; he has recorded at least one point in 8 of 11 career games."
 

This off season, Snow MUST do better in the free agent market or trade market to give the Islanders a fair shot and maintaining a real compeditive line up.  I still contend it is the coaching that is the teams biggest obstacle to maintain consistency in a tough division, especially at home.  Daniel Friedman points out, " Isles have at least 4 points in last 5 games (Bailey, Lee, Nelson, Nielsen, Okposo, Visnovsky). Lee and Nielsen have 6, Okposo has 8."  Right now, the Islanders are enjoying offensive productivity from a better balance of players, both young and veteran alike.  The lack of playoff pressure is allowing both player groups to bond with each other and that may come in to play next season more than you might expect.
 
 
 


All fans have a right to be fed up with several things about this team and some expressed it by staging a protest at the game, while others were less vocal, but no less disappointed about how the last few seasons have turned out.  But in the end, all of us cheered on our team in a winning effort.

 

 

 

Isles Notes:


Kyle Okposo is now 4th in the NHL for scoring.  Okposo led all players with seven points last week (1-6-7), including three consecutive multi-point performances.  He has been named the NHL's second star of the week.


3/15 Per NYI, "Adam Pelech has agreed to terms on a three-year entry-level contract."

Per Arthur Staple, Pelech was the Isles 3rd-round pick in 2012. 9-45-54 in 59 games for Erie of OHL, third among OHL D-men.
 

3/13 Per Arthur Staple, "Isles recall Johan Sundstrom from BPT."


"Sundstrom will start on RW with Halmo and Cizikas. Capuano says Czuczman will play 'very soon."
 
 

Per Matt Saidman, "Strome on Czuczman, who trains with Strome, JT etc, in the offseason: "Solid guy, lots of poise, hard worker, the skill set's there."


John Tavares and the Islanders rally to support a bullied fan in Winnipeg.  


Lokomotiv eliminated the 2-time defending KHL champions Dynamo in 7 games for the Gagarin Cup.  Former Islander, David Ullstrom is a member of the Lokomotiv team that was forced to rebuild itself after the tragic plane crash back in 2011.  

 

Sound Tigers Notes:


3/17 Per the BST, Riley Wetmore and Adam Brace recalled, Alan Quine and Joey Diamond reassigned to Stockton. 
 

3/15 The BST have released forward Justin Mercier from his PTO.  
 

3/14 The BST have signed defenseman Guy Leboeuf to an ATO.  


3/12 Per Mihael Fornabaio, "Bridgeport has traded D Dallas Jackson to Springfield for former Quinnipiac F Jeremy Langlois."

 

NHL Notes:


Per Hockey Rumors & Trades, "GM's have been told that the salary cap will be between $69M - $71M next season."


On 3/13, Per Mike Heika, "Rich Peverley has been released from hospital. He will wear a monitoring vest at home."
 
 

Hockey Notes:


Per USA Hockey, "Final:  USA wins back-to-back Paralympic sled hockey gold medals, defeats Russia 1-0."  

 

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