Bruins Maul Isles In Final Pre Season Loss

Islanders vs. Bruins:

 

 

Your New York Islanders are hosting the Boston Bruins at the sold out Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, home of the affiliate Sound Tigers.  Tonight's line up will consist of mostly younger players and prospects that will be on the Tigers roster this season save for JT's 1st line.  Johnson is scheduled to play the full 60 minutes and the coaching staff will cut down to one group of 26-27 players tomorrow per Capuano.  Look for Dal Colle, Strome & Ho Sang to make some noise and be sure to watch Pedan & Mayfield on defense.  Donovan & Czuczman need to impress Isles management tonight to make an impression, or be sent to Bridgeport.  I wish them well.

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Forwards:  Nelson-Tavares-Okposo, Dal Colle-Strome-Ho-Sang, Persson-Sundstrom-Collberg, Johnston-Mouillierat-Gallant.

Defense:  Pedan-Mayfield, Ness-Donovan, Czuczman-Brennan.

Johnson is in net with Kevin Poulin backing up.

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Ryan Spooner gives Bruins a 1-0 lead with 5:38 in the first period.

The Bruins are dominating time of possession in the Isles zone.  Isles can create any pressure back the other way.

Carl Soderberg's shot goes off Donovan's skate and in for a 2-0 Boston lead.

Seth Griffith makes it 3-0 in the second period.

Turnovers are killing the Isles.

Isles are turning up the heat and creating some pressure against Boston.

Nelson takes a suspendable cheap shot from Boston's Miller, 5 minute major & a game misconduct. 

Kyle Okposo makes the PP count for the Isles with a curl and drag, puts it behind Subban, 3-1 Bruins with PP time remaining.

Per Arthur Staple, "Five stitches for Nelson, Isles say he'll be back out for 3rd period. Deep, cleansing breaths, everyone."  Whew.

Isles Mouillierat runs into Subban and gets called for a penalty, but Subban's right shoulder is actually outside the left post when he got hit. Where was Mouillierat supposed to go?

Ryan Spooner gives Boston a 4-1 lead early in the 3rd.  Isles guilty of helping Boston with PP's and turnovers all game long.

Strome skates with Tavares & Okposo in the third.  Nelson center line with Mouillierat & Collberg.

Daniel Paille gives Boston a 5-1 lead late in the 3rd.

Reilly Smith takes advantage of a turnover by Strome to make it a 6-1 Boston with under 2:00 remaining.

Islanders lose by a 6-1 score against the Bruins.  The Isles finish pre season with a 4-2-1 record and really have a lot of work to do to button up some of these shortcomings. 

The Isles, mostly Sound Tigers filled line up were just out gunned and got a good lesson in what it takes to play in the NHL.  That being said, there were some bright spots on the night.  Ryan Strome & Brock Nelson had strong efforts for the Isles.  Ho Sang worked hard as well and I thought, outplayed Dal Colle.  Brennan has elevated his game on the Isles blue line.

 

The Islanders were out played for much of the game by the Bruins.  Subban was very good and the Islanders just never found a way to consistently attack the Boston zone.  Johnson played well despite the final score and was victimized by his former team due to the Islanders sloppy play.  The negative aspects of the Islanders effort were special teams and neutral zone turnovers.  They were a primary reasons for the loss tonight.  The Isles defensive game crumpled under the more experienced Bruins assault.  Donovan and Czuczman had a tough game as well.  There is plenty of opportunity for anyone who doesn't make the team to work hard in Bridgeport and wait for the next opportunity to show what they can do.

The plan for Capuano must be to improve their special teams, team defense and settle on a line up.  The question marks for who will be in on the top three lines and in what configuration must be sorted out.  Who will be the bottom 2-3 defensemen for the Isles to start the season and who will be sent down, waived or possibly traded.  Injuries will surely play a role to about who will start the season for New York.

As a team, I am not too worried about the Islanders this season from a player perspective.  Different components have showed us there is a reason to be optimistic, but what the coaching staff decides will be the final product is an unknown at this time.  Keep the faith.

Like Arthur Staple said, more cuts are probably coming tomorrow.  Stay tuned.

Isles Notes:

Sebastian Collberg and Brett Gallant have been recalled from @TheSoundTigers.

Per Arthur Staple, "Injury updates:  Pulock (lower body), Cizikas (back) both skated with groups today, de Haan (upper body) skated on his own.  Visnovsky (back), Grabner (upper body), Carkner (upper body) did not skate."


Per Arron Ward, Expect announcement soon that New York Islanders and Josh Ho Sang have come to terms on an ELC.

Per Jim Bambach, "Andrew Barroway drops lawsuit against Islanders owner Charles Wang."

 

 

Stockton Thunder Notes:

The Thunder have added to the training camp roster by inviting six players to attend camp on try-out agreements.

 

NHL Notes:

Per Andy Strickland, "Rosters must be set by Tuesday at 5:00."

Check out http://www.nhlfreeagents.com/#!waivers/cqiq  for a list of players placed on waivers so far. #NHL #NHLwaivers.