Sunday, February 15, 2015

Weekend Lookback: Columbus


The Islanders welcomed the injury plagued Columbus Blue Jackets to the NVMC last night and they came out like the team we have been accustomed to watching in the first half of the opening period building a 2-0 lead.  Unfortunately, they got sloppy and gave up that lead as the CBJ tied the game before the first intermission.  What would happen in the later stages of the contest?  Read on.
 
 
Forwards:  Lee-Tavares-Bailey, Grabovski-Nielsen-Strome, Kulemin-Nelson-Clutterbuck, Martin-Cizikas-McDonald.
 
Defensive Pairings:  Leddy-Boychuk, Strait-Hamonic, Hickey-Visnovsky.
 
Jaroslav Halak is in net with Chad Johnson backing up.
 
 
The first period saw a dominant start by the Islanders.  The first line dictated play with Josh Bailey (Tavares & Lee) finding the net twice in the first eight minutes.  That 2-0 lead would hold until the Islanders changed their style of play, something that has been an alarming tendency for a team that has been so good, most of the time.  Columbus would tie the score (Dubinsky & Atkinson) before the second intermission, despite being outshot 16-1 to start the period, that finished with a 17-11 Islanders advantage in shots.  Strome & the Blue Jackets’ Foligno would trade goals for their respective teams in the second to head to the third tied at 3-3.  Columbus was playing a much better game and fought back physically to erase two NY leads.  Their rookie goaltender, Forsberg had a rough start, but improved as well and was keeping them on pace in the game.
 
 
The third was another statement period by the Islanders as Frans Nielsen (Hickey & Grabovski) put them ahead for the night with what would be the start of another dominating period of play.  The Isles moved the puck well and played hard throughout, behind the example of their captain.  John Tavares (Lee & Strait) - (Bailey & Lee) would score twice to give the Isles the 6-3 win.  Jaro Halak was huge in the third, repelling all 19 Columbus shots for his 31st win of the season.  He was 34 of 37 with a .914Sv%.  The Isles ended up outshooting Columbus 46-37 in the game.  They struggled again, going 0/4 on the PP.  They were improved on the PK with a 4/4 effort on the night.
 
 
John Tavares lead by example again and finished the night with 2 & 2 for 4 pts, Anders Lee had another impressive game with 4 points and Josh Bailey was very good, scoring 2 goals and adding an assist.  Anders Lee is 1st among rookies (5th in the NHL) in GWG with 6, 3rd in rookie goals with 18 and 7th in rookie points with 27.  It was Lee’s first multi-assist game of his career.  More juicy stats:  Isles top line w 11 points (most by trio since 2007) -- 19 over NHL -.500 for 1st time since 1983-84; 37 W in 1st 56 for 1st x since 81-82, per Eric Hornick.  I don’t think Lee is going or moving anywhere on this team anytime soon.
 
 
John Tavares, Josh Bailey & Frans Nielsen were the three stars of the game.  Tavares & Lee were named the first & second stars of the night as designated by the NHL.
 
 
The Isles were able to comeback three times and overcome their mistakes yet again to get the victory.  This win was the Isles 4th in a row and puts them at 37-18-1 with 75 pts in 56 games played, good enough for 1st, with a 3 pt lead in the metro and 1 pt out of first (Montreal) in the eastern conference. 
 
 
 
 
 
Isles Notes:
 
 
 
Matt Carkner has been removed from the team's IR list and placed on waivers.  He will most likely go unclaimed, report to the BST & get into game shape, adding to the Isles emergency depth.
 
 
Calvin de Haan was scratched again last night along with Matt Donovan.  Not a move I understand.
 
 
Per Arthur Staple, “Isles have had 3 three-game losing streaks this season. Next five games after each streak: 5-0-0, 4-1-0, 4-1-0.”
 
 
“2009 Draft may turn out to be Isles signature year: Tavares (1st overall), de Haan (12th), Cizikas (92) and Lee (152) all playing key roles.”
 
 
Per The Score, “Islanders, Leddy discussing long-term contract extension.”
 
 

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