Tonight, your New
York Islanders will play their final home game of the 13-14 season tonight when
they face the Ottawa Senators. The Sens
need help to remain alive in playoff contention, but will want a win here tonight
to help their cause. The Isles are
3-0-1 in their last 4 games at the NVMC and will look to win one last game in
front of their home crowd before ending the season on the road. Brett Gallant (1 goal & 245 pims w BST)
will wear No. 59 tonight in his NHL debut.
Forwards: Lee-Nielsen-Bailey;
Persson-Nelson-Clutterbuck; Martin-Strome-McDonald; Halmo-Cizikas-Gallant.
D-Pairings: Czuczman-Hamonic; Hickey-Carkner;
Donovan-Mayfield.
Anders Nilsson is in
net with Evgni Nabokov on the bench.
Grabner & de Haan
are still day-to-day with Okposo, Tavares, Visnovsky & Strait are all out
tonight.
The first period is a
little slow and methodical for both teams, with isles leading in shots 6-2 with
12:00 remaining. Gallant and Kassian
drop gloves before puck is dropped on faceoff, officals are not amused and
linesmen break it up before any punches are thrown with unsportsmanlike
minors. They meet up right out of the
box as the penalty expires, Gallant drops Kassian with his first punch. Kassian heads to the locker room to et checked out. Nilsson with a great 2 on 1 sprawling toe
save from the PK. Anders Nilsson looks
poised here tonight with several nice saves in the game thus far. Clutterbuck leaves bench & goes angrily
to the locker room. Anders Lee taking
some punishment from Anderson's stick behind the play. Islanders are bringing some good pressure,
especially on the PP, but Anderson has been sharp. Ryan Strome just keeps getting better with each game. No score after 1 period. Isles are 1 for 1 on the PK and lead in
shots 17-9, but go 0 for 2 on PP.
Anders Nilsson
continues to play a solid game for the Isles to start the second period. Per the NYI, Cal Clutterbuck will not return
to tonight's game (upper body). Isles
keeping up the pressure. Have to hope they break through, otherwise it will be
a slow confidence builder for Sens & an eventual loss. Spezza scores to give Sens a 1-0 lead at the
12:45 mark. Isles still getting there
chances and dictating play, but Anderson is equal to the task. Isles out shoot Sens 15-10 in the period and
32-19 after 2 periods.
Frans Nielsen back hand ties the score at 1-1
just :21 seconds into the third period (Czuczman & Bailey).
Matt Martin is having a good game tonight, playing with a chip as we are
accustomed to seeing him. Nielsen's
career year continues with his 25th goal of the season. Nilsson with a huge glove save off another
breakaway in the middle of the period. This save along with
the first period toe save have been some of the season's best. Casey Cizikas making noise with some
shorthanded pressure in the Ottawa zone.
Spezza puts one behind Nilsson as he gets bumped by Michalek to give the
Sens a 2-1 lead at the 12:45 mark. That's
one Nilsson would want back. A bad
defensive give away leads to Hemsky breaking in alone and by Nilsson, 3-1
Ottawa. Nilsson comes off the post too
early there. More lack of discipline
when it matters most by the Isles with a too many men penalty with under 4:00
remaining. Cizikas coming close with a
short handed break away, Anderson makes the saves. Isles call a time out. Empty
net for the Isles, Sens score ENG with 11.2 seconds remaining. Time expires and the Islanders lose to Ottawa
4-1, despite out shooting them 44-31 in the game. Isles PP went 0 for 3 and PK was 4 for 5. Sens were eliminated from playoff contention
with a CBJ win tonight.
Hopefully Cal Clutterbuck's injury isn't too
serious.
Props to Gallant, Lee, Strome, Martin & Cizikas
were good tonight. Credit Czurchman for improving and Mayfield for another good effort. Anders Nilsson (28-31
with a .903Sv%) was good through two, but came apart with the rest of his team in
the third period. Like in many games this
season, the Isles lacked the discipline to stay the course and sort of self
destructed, despite dominating the game early.
Coaching remains an issue for me as well as the need for better
starting goaltending and a veteran D-man. Isles
finish season going a dismal 13 of 41 in wins at home this season (8 in regulation). There are 3 games remaining on the season to
take a few more notes on the performances of all the players, including the
promising crop of rookies who have played well this season. There is also time to think about a lot of things.
Isles Notes:
The Islanders finish the season on the road at
Montreal on Thursday, 4/10 @ 7:30pm, New Jersey on Friday, 4/11 @ 7:30pm, and Buffalo
on Sunday, 4/13 @ 5pm.
The NYI name John
Tavares the Islander of the Year.
Per Islander Mania, In 1998 - Ziggy Palffy scores his 40th and 41st goals to
become only the 4th player in Isles history to score 40+ in 3 straight seasons.
Hockey Notes:
Per Bob McKenzie, NHL Central Scouting Bureau released its final rankings
for 2014 draft today. Have a look at them here.
No comments:
Post a Comment