Yes! Islanders

Meat Loaf was dead wrong when he said “Two out of Three Ain’t Bad.”

After the final period of last night’s game, I was so sick to my stomach that a piece of Meat Loaf, even the ridiculously scrumptious end piece could not bring me any satisfaction.

However, through the first two periods of last night’s game, I was thrilled. After writing that this team was the worst Islanders team in over seven season’s yesterday and adding tat they alone could decide their destiny, it felt great to see them progressively finish their checks, win a fight and put some pucks in the net.

During those first two periods, even the powerplay was working. Frans Nielsen was looking like a bona fide NHL center and newbie Mitch Fritz did more than hold is own with tough guy Georges Laraque. It was like watching the Isles on an episode of the “Twighlight Zone.” At one point, I thought I was going to go blind because it seemed too good to be true. All season, the Islanders were looking for a few lucky bounces to get their confidence going. Jon Sim’s goal seemed like the tide turner. For a second, I thought these guys were gellin’ like Magellan.

Then, in an even more bizarre turn of events, they forgot to skate, protect the front of the net and fight in the corners, giving up four goals in one of the ugliest performances I’ve seen in years by any team wearing orange and blue.

That includes the Mets as well.

Just for the record, I’d like to say that goaltending is not the issue in this game. If anything, Yann Danis kept this team in the game with several solid saves in the first and second periods. In the third however, the defense was consistently on their heels. They weren’t attacking anymore and when a team as talented as the Canadiens smells blood, they go for the knockout punch.

Just watching the highlight reel on Yahoo Sports of last night’s game proves this. Look where all of Montreal’s goals were scored. With traffic in front of the net and plenty of bodies looking for second chances. Why was the crease cleared? Well, without Radek Martinek, Brendan Witt and Freddy Meyer, we know why the crease wasn’t cleared. At this point, it’s obvious this team has even more problems than are on the surface.

In the end, watching last night’s game was like watching a horror movie, with the Islanders playing the role of the surprisingly strong sexy female and the Canadiens playing the accomplished killer. It was fun to see her hold her own with someone that much stronger for a while, but you knew that at one point, when Mike Myers, Freddy Krueger or whoever else tickles your fancy, had their opportunity, it was the end of the road.