This afternoon, your New York Islanders host
game 3 of their round 1 series against the Washington Capitals. It will mark the final playoff opener for the
the Islanders at Fort Neverlose and is sure to be a raucous atmosphere right up
until game time. On the NVMC, NBC host,
Doc Emrick said, "I'm going to get
to see two good teams in a place where it's nuts." Capitals sniper Alex Ovechkin did his part
when he said fans on the Island can’t match those in Maryland, “I don't think
it's going to be as loud as Verizon. But we'll see.” The home fans should prove him wrong. They had even started a movement on social
media to wear their home blue jerseys in a “color the coliseum blue” day.
The Islanders had a “spirited”
practice yesterday and should come out with an improved effort at home today. John Tavares will need to be a bigger presence
if the Isles expect to raise their game to where it needs to be. Tyler Kennedy is in for Michael Grabner. There is no timetable for the return of Isles
D, Travis Hamonic. Brayden Holtby is
expected to be in net for Washington today after missing game 2 due to an
illness.
Kulemin-Tavares-Strome, Bailey-Nielsen-Okposo, Lee-Nelson-Kennedy, Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck.
Leddy-Boychuk, Strait-de
Haan, Hickey-Visnovsky.
Jaroslav Halak is in net
with Michal Neuvirth on the bench.
In the first period, the
Islanders open with a great series of hitting and stick work in the Washington
zone. A physical message has been sent back to the Caps early by the entire
Isles team, especially a shoulder check by Kyle Okposo on Fehr. It was beast-like
and sent Fehr to the locker room. Strong
start for Okposo. Glencross suckered
into a penalty by Cal Clutterbuck, Isles generate some good pressure on the PP,
but can’t convert. Frans Nielsen is on
his game today and has done a good job starting the rush on several chances. With less than 5 minutes played so far, the
Isles are outshooting Washington 10-0, Holtby has been good. De Haan goes off for tripping on Glencross, but
the Isles kill off the penalty. The kill
included a bad change by New York that lead to a Caps 3 on 1. Johanssen helped to the locker room for Washington. The fourth line has been a force for the
Islanders through the first by playing the body and creating havoc for the
Capitals. John Tavares slices in and
puts a puck between Holtby’s pads that just goes off the far post and going
back the other way, Wilson rings his shot off the post. Halak makes a glove save in the closing
seconds and comes up slowly and awkwardly from a split as he skates off the
ice. Shots were 16-5 New York in the
period.
Jaro Halak looks fine and
returns to the Islanders net. Johanssen
is back for the Capitals, Fehr is not to start the 2nd. Tyler Kennedy is called for hooking on
Niskanen who held his stick under his arm, Isles kill off another one. Orpik called for interference on Kennedy,
Isles can’t get any good looks on the PP, generate only one shot. Another physical period for both teams. Visnovsky goes down hard after a hit from
Brouwer. The hit looked clean, but there
was a little bit of head contact there on the play. Visnovsky sent to the locker room by Trainer for
observation and returns to the bench a short time later. Halak with a big shoulder save on Backstrom
to keep the game scoreless. Visnovsky
takes a big shot from the top of the circle and Kyle Okposo (Kulemin &
Leddy) redirects it past Holtby for a 1-0 Islanders lead. Brouwer off for Tripping on Martin, Isles can’t
score on the man advantage. “Can you
hear us,” chants rain down to Ovechkin from the Coliseum crowd. Strait goes off for high-sticking with less
than 2 minutes remaining, Isles on the PK.
Huge desperation play by Johnny Boychuk to clear the puck in the final
seconds of the period. Shots were 17-8
Islanders in the 2nd and are 33-13 after two.
Staple points out that
the Isles have lost last four home playoff OT games. Last win: April 24, 1993,
Game 4 vs. the Caps. @rayferrarotsn at 5:40 of 2nd OT. John Tavares (Kulemin & Leddy) doesn’t care
about stats because he scores the overtime winner just 15 seconds into the
extra session with his first goal of the playoffs. New York takes an important 2-1 series lead.
It was another response game
by the home team is the series. This
time, it was the Islanders who answered a spirited comeback by the opposition
with a huge game 3 win of their own at Fort Neverlose.
From the start of the game, New York came out hitting, checking and applying
pressure in the offensive zone. The 4th
line took center stage generating several sparks, Johnny Boychuk was all over
Alex Ovechkin & Nick Leddy was everywhere.
Kyle Okposo came out and did everything he was capable of doing,
including scoring the first goal of the game as well as being physical and
dynamic in transitional play throughout.
Lubo Visnovsky, Nikolay Kulemin and Frans Nielsen played well by doing a
lot of little things in the spirited win.
Jaro Halak was a cornerstone in the effort today.
He didn’t face a lot of shots until the third period, but he did stop
several good chances early that could have changed the pace of the game and
altered the direction it may have taken.
John Tavares had been quiet in the playoffs thus far and came up huge
when his team needed him the most by scoring the O.T. winner 15 seconds in (an Isles team playoff record). This win was a huge gut check for the entire
team. John Tavares, Kyle Okposo &
Lubo Visnovsky were named the 3 stars of the game. To everyone who was at the game, you guys were amazing and showed a national audience how awesome Isles fans are in supporting our team.
Grail Knight of game 3
goes to Johnny Boychuk who had a huge game on defense for the Islanders. He was draped over Ovechkin the entire game
and never stopped playing hard. Per Mike
Kelly, “Islanders, especially Boychuck, did a great job of neutralizing
Ovechkin. Ovie had 14 shot attempts, 3 hit the net, none went in.” I wonder what Ovechkin thinks of how loud the
Coli can get now?
Capuano, “You are going
to have adversity. It’s how you deal with it that defines the result.”
Game 4, Tuesday.
Isles Notes:
Happy Birthday to @NYIslanders
superfan @MichaelAlexy!
The state Department of Labor has notified
more than 40 full-time and 2,500 part-time employees of Nassau Coliseum that
they will be laid off this summer per Newsday.
Post Game Isles Locker room:
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