Once again, checking in live from Section 201 at the Coliseum from the Blog Box!
Can the Islanders make it three wins against their cross town rivals – The New York Rangers? Let’s hope so!
Coming off a great road win last night, the Islanders come back home looking to extend their lead over the Rangers in the standings. Especially since the rest of the Atlantic Division is as bunched up as it is. If they can manage to muster the same effort as they showed last night at the Garden, they should do just fine – providing we have more scoring. I don’t expect the Rangers to just roll over tonight, especially since Tortorella scratched two veteran players today after their lackluster effort last night.
More after the puck drop!
First Period
7:08pm Islanders lose the opening draw (surprise) and they are off. Rangers deep in the Isles zone.
7:09pm Jon Sim takes up his position, his “office” if you will in front of Lundqvist, I expect him to be there all night again.
7:10pm After some great pressure in the Rangers zone, the Islanders draw a penalty – Staal for a high stick. POWER PLAY!
7:13pm Islanders generated almost 10 shots on that failed power play, but they just about scored on one of them.
7:14pm Andy Sutton just LEVELED Gaborik at the Isles blue line
7:15pm Another power play coming up, recent call up Sanguinetti for a hold
7:16pm Islanders forced to take a penalty after a bad turnover – Tavares for a high stick. He tried as hard as he could to breakup the breakaway and his stick rode up Callahan’s
7:21pm Even up, Park with a great defensive play during the waning seconds of the Rangers power play
7:25pm Islanders take the puck to King Henry, they play the whistle and a scrum ensues. The man in the middle…. John Tavares – whom had to escape a headlock to get away.
7:28pm Rangers going back on the power play, Streit gets the gate for holding.
7:29pm Broken play, Rangers second (resitered) shot on goal and the puck sneaks past Roloson and the Rangers go ahead 1-0
7:31pm Islanders were just given a gift wrapped power play – Rangers bench minor WAYYYYYY too many men.
7:35pm Islanders are now 0/3 on the power play, inexcusable for the amount of shots generated
7:38pm Rangers now own a 2 goal lead on 4 shots – quite frankly this game should be the other way around.
7:40pm Islanders have taken yet another penalty, Sutton two for tripping.
7:40pm Final minute of the first
Well, for the first half of the period it appeared the Islanders were doing all the things they managed to do last night – save for two goals that got through Roloson. The penalties that have been called so far, you cannot really call undisciplined, they are penalties that seem to happen when a team is trying too hard. It’s been rather even too, each team being awarded three power plays. With a shot differential as large as what we have here tonight, the score should not be 2-0 in favor of the opposition. The game is not out of hand just yet, but if they do not do anything to step the tide or turn things around, it’s good night Gracie.
Which Islanders team will come out for the second period? We shall soon see.
Second Period
Only one period in the books and there are some serious fan fights already….
7:59pm Rangers control the second period opening draw, much like the first.
8:00pm 27 seconds into the period and the Rangers own a 3-0 lead (power play goal) on 5 shots. Five.
8:03pm After some nice work along the wall, Shremp was pulled down and the Islanders find themselves on their fourth power play.
8:04pm I hope I am not alone in saying – enough of the odd man rushes on the man advantage, for your opposition!
8:06pm Even up, Hillen rang one off the post in the last few seconds of the power play. Some good shots but Lundqvist is strong tonight.
8:08pm Roloson just saved by his iron – Christensen rang one off the post as well.
8:09pm Islanders finally leave the neutral zone with speed after a great transition and are whistled off sides. May have also been called for a bench minor on the play….
8:11pm Rangers are going on their fourth power play, they are 2/3 tonight – so obviously this bench minor is one that Scott Gordon would like to have back.
8:12pm Oh no he did not, Nate Thompson chases down a lose puck that Lundqvist came out to play – and tripped over – Thompson missed a wide open net. WIDE OPEN
8:13pm Rangers just took a penalty, 18 seconds remain on the Islanders penalty – four on four then a power play for the Isles
8:15pm Islanders on the board after a blast from the point by MacDonald! Still four on four – Assists go to Streit and Neilsen
8:18pm Islanders are now 0/4 on the power play
8:28pm Game has slowed down here late in the second, lot’s of stops and starts.
8:29pm Coincidental penalties called on Staal and Comeau each for slashing – four on four for two minutes. The last Islanders goal came on four on four.
8:31pm Moulson just missed on a nice backhand move, he shoveled it over the crossbar though.
8:34pm Even up. Shremp sets Hunter up with a beautiful pass – he needs to fire that off the pass and not stop it though.
8:35pm Final minute of the second, Islanders fire a shot off a rush and Lundqvist makes a rare glove save
Well that period wasn’t MUCH better, but the Islanders need to continue to make the Rangers take penalties because they cannot seem to generate pressure five on five. Their lone goal has come off of a four on four, with plenty of their other pressure coming with a man advantage.
Goaltending is the key to this game, and the third period – test Lundvist and test him often.
Third Period
8:54pm In each period tonight, the Rangers have controlled the opening draw.
8:57pm Ouch, delay of game penalty on Meyer – Rangers back on the power play
8:59pm Odd man rush for the Islanders shorthanded, Penalties given to Witt, Neilsen, Comeau, Del Zotto and Roszival all for roughing. Somehow the Rangers wind up with a two man advantage, while they were already on the power play. Horrible calls, horrrrrible.
9:03pm And like that, the Rangers take a 4-1 lead and remain on the power play.
9:05pm Even strength, the Rangers are now 3/6 on the power play tonight.
9:07pm Rangers now own a 5-1 lead after a nice power move to the front of the net by Anisimov
9:11pm Islanders power play, not that they will score – Lisin in the box four minutes for high sticking
9:19pm Even strength goal too little too late, but Franz Neilsen gets on the board, assisted by Sutton and Comeau
9:26pm Josh Bailey chased down a lose puck and almost earned a breakaway, save for the little over skating the puck bit. Final minute of the third.
That’s all she wrote Rangers 5 – Islanders 2
Live Tracker
Bookmark/Search this post with:
