Just getting settled in here at the Blog Box!
Your scratches for the Islanders – Witt, Bailey and Park
No word on Park’s replacement yet. Ok, Park is now on the ice – error perhaps?
Live Tracker
First Period
About to drop the puck here in the first period, Hilbert, Thompson and Sim with Campoli and Hillen as your starters.
7:10pm Nice pressure here down low, tipped puck in front and sound positionally.
7:11pm Hunter put it in front, nobody home.
7:12pm Carolina tried a move from behind the net, sort of a broken back door.
7:13pm And a bad neutral zone turn over gives the Hurricanes an early 1-0 lead.
7:15pm Canes come back with double the pressure and may have gotten another goal, under review
7:16pm NO GOAL
7:18pm Gervais with a one-touch pass to Comrie, brings it in and got a nice shot – Ward made the stop
7:23pm DP with a glove save through traffic – Freddy Meyer felt he should start the UFC a few hours early and took down his man in front. And Carolina just made it 2-0
7:25pm Islanders power play
7:27pm Nothing going – Isles are now 0/1 on the man advantage
7:32pm DP decides to cover the puck, and he hears the “cheers” or is it jeers? for making a “save”
7:36pm Thompson with a shot, got deflected over the net.
7:37pm Islanders power play
7:39pm Just missed a wide open net – I am talking WIDE OPEN
7:41pm Final Minute
What a period, but just not for the Islanders. Lot’s of ineptitude and bad, bad positioning allows Carolina to walk into their room after one period with a two goal lead. DiPietro needs to stop trying to handle the puck all alone – he put it right up the middle and onto the oppositions stick for the first goal of the game. They also need to be smarter about their shot selections – too many are coming from the outside or bad angles. They need to battle and get bodies in front for screens and deflections. The power play also needs to start generating chances, as they are not going to get many even strength the way they are playing. Hopefully they can pull it together and come out strong for the start of the second period.
This team needs help, and help from someone not currently in the organization.
Second Period
The boys in blue have come out onto the ice, hopefully recharged and ready to score – at least a goal in this second period.
This just in, DiPietro sitting on the bench – MacDonald is your second period goaltender……
8:05pm Meyer scoresssss! Assist goes to Hilbert – 2-1
8:08pm Thompson and Gleason goe at it – not much of a fight though, about even. Blog Box opinion gives it to Gleason by decision.
8:10pm Nice passing and a great shot but Ward with a glove save.
8:13pm Good pressure down low, a series of passes and shots – two of which Isles sticks tipped
8:15pm MacDonald now has 50% of the saves DiPietro made in the first
8:17pm Bad giveaway leads to a 3rd Canes goal 3-1 Carolina
8:22pm Islanders power play
8:25pm A pile in front and the Isles come out on top – with another power play
8:28pm As Ken from Okposo Net – A for effort on this power play – best one of the night pressure wise
8:31pm Guerin just got held up, ANOTHER Islanders power play. I can feel a goal coming, lots of momentum in the Islanders favor
8:33pm Spoke too soon, Guerin was just called for roughing
And that’s the period.
Better effort, although Meyer coughed up the puck which lead to Staal scoring a seemingly effortless goal. The power play looked great late in the period, generating shots and keeping pressure on Carolina down low. They just couldn’t get one past Ward.
If anything, they need to keep up the intensity and then kill the minute plus of the Carolina power play. Should prove to be an “interesting” third period – will we see Sim or Thompson come out with fists flying?
Third Period
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And here they come – let’s hope we can cut this lead back to within a goal early in the period!
8:52pm MacDonald with a nice blocker save – Penalty is over
8:55pm Tambellini was clotheslined Isles go back on the power play
8:58pm Islanders penalty, Streit for high sticking
9:01pm Bergy short handed goal! 3-2 What a nice play and pass from Meyer
9:02pm Even up, great kill! Another great play almost tied it
9:03pm And Carolina comes back and gets their 4th
9:04pm Comrie taken down south of the Canes goal line – Islanders power play. Fans chanting in section 329 due to a fan fight
9:08pm Weight just leveled Sutter – hes down, and all hell just broke loose.
9:14pm Roughing on Canes, Weight is on the ice – should be interesting.
9:15pm Power play goal Streit!!! 4-3 Carolina
9:19pm Next shot ties the Islanders home record of 54, Islanders will be down a man here – Bergenheim for high sticking
9:22pm Shots on goal at home record, just tied by Weight
9:26pm Record broken, current total 57
9:29pm 1:01 remaining, Islanders at the blue line – Carolina takes a time out
9:31pm .07 Seconds and we have a penalty shot to tie the game!
9:32pm Weight is the shooter
9:33pm Ward stops – the Islanders 60th shot on goal
Game over, final 4-3
Lots of excitement, would have been AWESOME had Weight scored – but what can you do. Heading downstairs, got to run.
