Good evening folks!
Just setting up here in the Blog Box located at the top of Section 201 at Nassau Coliseum where the Islanders are set to take on the Edmonton Oilers. The Islanders are looking for their fourth consecutive win, which would extend their current season point scoring streak to six games. A personal achievement for myself and Islesblogger.com, this post marks number 500 after the last two and half years of blogging!
Your goaltender tonight is Dwayne Roloson whom, like his counterpart Martin Biron this past Saturday night against Buffalo, will face his former club. Rolie the goalie has been playing great as of late, hopefully his teammates in front of him allow him to see everything as he has been allowed to do for the last several games.
Another story tonight, Jeff Tambellini has been absolutely white hot scoring 5 goals in three games. During that span Tambellini has had two multi-goal games, one being his first two goal game and in the 5-0 shutout win over Buffalo Saturday, Tambellini netted his first career hat trick. Tambellini is now tied with Matt Moulson for the team high in goals scored at six.
Edmonton is coming off a 2-0 shutout loss in Boston this past Saturday night, so look for them to come out with a bit of intensity and fire. The Islanders need to stick to what has made them successful the last few games in order to weather the storm. Between their strong forecheck and strong play in front of the net, coupled with solid goaltending and defensive play – the Islanders should do just fine.
Live blog is upcoming, be sure to check back throughout the game. A bit of news in that department, I am testing a new feature that will allow live blogs to refresh automatically in the post window – which is pretty neat. You may have seen some accidental tweets today of that….all I have left to do is spruce up the code to make it look seamless with the site. I will let you all know when that is up and running!
First Period
GAME TIME!
Decent sized crowd for a Monday game when there is a deciding World Series game on TV (so wish I could watch right now while im here – LETS GO YANKEES!)
7:07pm Islanders lose the opening draw, Oilers come into the zone and take a heavy shot that misses high up to the glass.
7:09pm Oilers have iced the puck
7:10pm Islanders have now iced the puck themselves
7:15pm Oh jeez, Roloson got his first experience with the Coliseum carram right there – puck hit the corner boards and shot back at the net and Roloson went around the net….it hit the post on the empty side of the net. Roloson did his best to stay with it and had a look of disgust/surprise as he waved his arms trying to stay balanced.
7:18pm Islanders with an extremely aggressive and effective forecheck here generating chances.
7:19pm Brendan Witt and Zack Stortini face to face setting up a dance for later on?
7:22pm Gagne loose around the net is never a good thing, Roloson was forced to make a sprawling save. Isles need to limit those chances.
7:22pm Oilers Patrick O’Sullivan with a nifty move to get go the front of the net, the Islanders defense forced him wide and gave him NOTHING.
7:28pm Oilers are on the board first, a bank shot off of Roloson from behind the net by Ethan Moreau
7:30pm Alex Hemsky just dipsy-doodles through the crease and gets Rolson moving, but he somehow managed to get a leg on it. It was close to being 2-0 there. Islanders need to buckle down and play their game.
7:33pm Tavares is found with room in front, game is tied! Assisted by Moulson and Weight
7:37pm Jon Sim pretty much got deposited over the boards in front of the Oilers bench.
7:40pm Andy Sutton just LEVELED Tom Gilbert and Jean-Francois Jacques came flying in to seek revenge. Sutton leveled him too and they proceeded to throw haymakers. Sutton gets the win of that fight, in a HUGE way. Atta boy Sutts!
Jacques got 2 minutes for instigating, 5 for fighting and a 10 minute misconduct. Islanders power play got them through the rest of the period, but the couldn’t maintain the Oilers zone. They will have an abbreviated penalty when the teams return for the second period.
The Islanders started off a bit slow, allowed too many chances but they managed to pull through and buckle down (as I suggested they SHOULD!). With the scored tied, it’s basically a brand new game. The game is still up for grabs momentum wise, so let’s hope that big Andy Sutton’s handy work at the end of the period will give the Islananders the lift they need.
Second Period
8:01pm Islanders win the opening draw to start the second and force Edmonton offsides.
8:03pm Martinek rushes the puck and Bergenheim gets the puck and made a strong move to the front but was stopped.
8:03pm I think Witt just scored…
8:05pm Witt with his annual goal, his first of the season assisted by Nielsen 2-1 Islanders
8:09pm Witt is a textbook case of “Just throw it at the net and just find out what happens”.
Sim just goaded Smid to drop his gloves – he did and Sim just skated away leaving Smid no chance to collect his equipment or get into the play. Hysterical, never have seen that ever.
8:13pm Islanders just had some nice pressure deep in the Oilers zone – smart passing from Weight and Nielsen lead to shots from Tambellini and Streit.
8:16pm More awesome pressure by the Islanders, Okposo, Tavares and Moulson are really making things happen out there tonight. The Islanders collectively hemmed the Oilers in their zone for almost two full shifts.
8:20pm This cannot be right, Brendan Witt just scored again? 3-1 Islanders From Tambellini and Weight
Final minute of the Second Period
Islanders will finish the period on a power play and will have 1:43 of power play to start the third period.
Who would have known coming into tonight’s game that Brendan Witt would have the first multi-goal game of his career and shed away two more points in his plus/minus column? If players like Tambellini and Jackman are secondary scoring, what exactly is Brendan Witt? Whatever the case or shall I say cause, the Islanders are firing on all of their cylinders once again tonight. They have the Oilers running around scared, confused and flat out panicking. It’s good to see teams fear the New York Islanders, let’s hope they can keep the pressure up going into the third period!
Third Period
8:51pm Islanders win the opening draw, trying to get something going on their powerplay.
8:55pm Witt is out and down low, he can smell and taste his third – likely the last time he will ever get this close….no offense Witter.
8:58pm Dustin Penner just got called for Goaltender interference, he slammed Roloson’s head into the ice as he fell on top of him too. Islanders powerplay.
9:03pm Sutton just plastered Horcoff into the glass near the Blog Box, he is on point with his timing tonight!
9:04pm Oilers will be a man down here, Taylor Chorney two minutes for hooking
9:08pm Oilers fan in a Dustin Penner jersey was standing up, I told him to sit down – he did surprisingly. Then I told him Ken Dick of Okposo Net said it….
9:11pm Witt just got leveled, got up and got the puck…made a play. He is a warrior.
9:19pm Islanders wearing out the rest of the period here by playing grinder hockey – loving it.
9:24pm Witt missed the open net by two feet for his hat trick
9:26pm Okposo and Ganger off for roughing – 4 aside for the rest of the third
