Islanders Can't Be Bullied In Philly

After the last loss to the Florida Panthers, Anders Lee spoke plainly about what is ailing the Isles.  “We just have to stop the bleeding and find those pressure points — we know where they are. Our special teams..."  Tonight, your New York Islanders get the chance to stop the bleeding against the Philadelphia Flyers.  After the Isles 7-4 win on January 19^th, Flyers Ray Giroux was quoted as saying that the he didn’t believe the Islanders were as good as their record.  Their special teams and team defense will need to be that good in order to get the win against a hungry Flyers team who have been red hot (4^th in the NHL & 2^nd on home ice) with the man advantage.  After a few losing streaks this season, the Isles have responded well.  They went 13-2 after their last 3 game skid and will be looking to start the turnaround tonight after falling to 5^th in the eastern conference due to schedule inactivity and as well as watching the New York Rangers pull within a point of their 2^nd place spot in the metro division.  The only change to the lineup is that Brian Strait will be in for Lubomir Visnovsky on defense to try and improve their PK according to Coach Capuano.

 

Forwards:  Bailey-Tavares-Lee, Grabovski-Nielsen-Strome, Grabner-Nelson-Kulemin, Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck.

Defensive Pairings:  de Haan-Hamonic, Leddy-Boychuk, Hickey-Strait.

Jaroslav Halak is in net with Chad Johnson on the bench.

In the first period, the Islanders come out with some jump and immediately test Mason in the Philadelphia net.  Looking as if they intend to make a statement tonight.  Matt Martin tangles with White and both players head to locker room for repairs.  The game has definitely gotten nasty, very quickly.  A broken play ensues in the Isles zone from Bailey turn over, Schultz gives the Flyers a 1-0 lead.  Isles back to having play dictated to them midway through the period.  Halak quietly doing a good job keeping the Isles in the game with increased Flyers pressure.  Lines of Lee, Nielsen, Kulemin & Bailey, Tavares, Strome see time together to try and change up momentum in the game. Islanders doing a good job of generating pressure, but can’t find the back of the net.  The period ends with an 11-6 edge in shots for New York and a 1-0 lead for Philadelphia.   Mason was strong in net for the Flyers.  Isles were 0 for 1 on the PP.

Matt Martin will return to the Isles bench with a full shield due to a broken nose for the second period.  Islanders starting to move the puck, but fail to generate much.  Streit covers the puck in the Flyers defensive zone and the Isles will go to the PP.  Isles look lost and disorganized on the man advantage and get only 2 shots on net.  Flyers call at time out at 9:06 for the period.  Velde makes it 2-0 on only 7 Flyers shots in the game.  Brian Strait was a pylon on that play and Thomas Hickey watched it happen.    Johnny Boychuk hit on the knee blocking a shot and struggles to get off the ice and back to the room.  Things are getting worse in a hurry.  Mikhail Grabovski converts the turnover into an Isles goal, 2-1.  Halak gets stung with a high shot and falls to the ice.  Trainer oks him to stay in the game.  Anders Lee pokes at Mason on the cover and bad blood is back.  Cal Clutterbuck (Nelson & Hickey) scores to make it 2-2.  Halak with a couple of huge in the final seconds keeps the game at 2-2.  Isles lead on shots 11-4 in the period and 22-10 after two.

 

Johnny Boychuk is back on the Isles bench to start the third period.  John Tavares breaks the stick of Simmonds with a slash.  The Isles are tested on the PK and escape unscathed.  Johnny Boychuk shot is blocked, Anders Lee tries for the wrap around but loses the handle.  Mason comes up big on a blast by Cal Clutterbuck from the slot.  Isles with a 4 on 2 chance, but Mason stops Hamonic.  The urgency is evident for both teams in the final minutes.  de Haan blocks a dangerous pass deep in the Isles zone as time expires.  New York gets a critical point and will try for another in the extra session.  Isles with a 7-5 shots edge in the period and 29-16 for the game.

In the O.T. period, Thomas Hickey and the Isles do a good job in their own end.  John Tavares turns the puck over but Jaro Halak makes a big breakaway save on Couturier.  The game will head to the shootout.  Shots finish at 30-18.

 

Frans Nielsen converts on the Isles opening attempt.

Voracek is denied by Halak!

Josh Bailey is stopped by Mason.

Halak poke checks Girioux!

John Tavares shoots it wide.

Simmonds scores.

Ryan Strome is stopped by Mason.

Schenn goes wide.

Brock Nelson flubs on the shot.

Lacavalier is stopped by Halak!

Mikhail Grabovski misses.

Read is denied by Halak!

Cal Clutterbuck scores!

Couturier denied by Halak!  Isles win 3-2 in the shootout and gain 2 huge points.

 

The Isles endured a strange game where they outshot their opponent, but somehow needed to fight hard to get back into the game after erasing a 2-0 lead by the end of the second period.  Anders Lee, Mikhail Grabovski, Michael Grabner, Johnny Boychuk, Calvin de Haan & Cal Clutterbuck stood out to me for the Islanders.  The team’s defensive effort was better tonight as well as their efforts to stay out of the box as they have struggled with the PK (1/1 tonight).  Jaroslav Halak (15 of 17 with an .882Sv%) didn’t face many shots, but certainly made some big saves when it mattered, especially in the 7^th round of the shootout.  Isles are back to 1st place in the Metro passing over the Penguins with the win tonight. They are now 33-17-1 with 67 pts.  Their 33 wins in 51 GP equal a franchise record set in the 78-79 season.
 

Seeing them rally behind Boychuk’s apparent injury is indicative to their talent and grit.  Watching Johnny Boychuk come back after taking a shot straight off his knee and have a huge impact on the rest of the game is a testament to the kind of player he is for this team.  With Matt Martins broken nose, Jaro Halak’s stinger scare and Boychuk’s knee shot, the Islanders better get ready to test their depth in epic ways moving forward.  Garth Snow has built a solid core, added pieces and strengthened their minor league system to be able to meet such challenges.  More to come.

 

 

The Islanders are in Boston on Saturday to face the Bruins (7PM) and Buffalo on Sunday to face the Sabres (5PM).

 

 

Sound Tigers Notes:

Colin McDonald has once again been returned to @TheSoundTigers and emergency conditions have been terminated.

 

The #BST have signed Jack MacLellan to a PTO.

 

NHL Notes:

 

Per Rick Westhead, “Breaking - TSN has learned ESPN has won the U.S. broadcast rights for the World Cup of Hockey, beating out NBC and Fox.”