Ready for another live blog? I know I am on this eve of Christmas Eve!
Brrrrrrr it’s chilly out there, should make for some great hockey tonight between these rival clubs!
Islanders wearing their away white jerseys tonight, as the Leafs are wearing their third jersey tonight!
First Period
7:08pm Islanders actually WIN an opening faceoff and get out of the zone to get down low.
7:10pm A rare good defensive play, albeit a mistake by Bruno to break up a scoring chance in front of Roloson
7:11pm Jack Hillen was just victimized by a hold in the defensive zone, first Islanders power play of the game.
7:13pm Clearly the Islanders have worked on their power play, they had two good chances thus far and a post hit by an Okposo backhand through traffic. They look pretty good.
7:17pm Islanders did not convert on the man advantage – 0/1 so far tonight on the power play.
7:23pm Hillen the recipient of a fortuitous bounce and got a good shot off.
7:26pm Jon Sim is all over the offensive zone tonight, as Doug of Isles Officials Outlook points out “That black hole of offense!”
7:30pm Josh Bailey irked at a non-call to his face, slams the bench door when he got through in frustration.
7:32pm Tavares misses on a two-on-one and Kessel gets held on a breakaway the opposite way. Islanders will be down a man, Jon Sim for holding.
7:38pm Islanders kill the penalty, Sim exits the box to find himself on a breakaway and…….
he shot it into the goalie.
End of the first period.
Well, they didn’t play bad, but they didn’t play great either. Not much going, seemed like a really fast period without many stoppages. If they can generate the same and/or more pressure in then second they should be alright tonight. Penalty kill was good, let’s hope they have stemmed that tide, for the sake of the sanity of all the fans.
Second Period
Yea, I met a friend for beers that turned into a whole period of drinking…..my bad. Two goals, PP by hunter and Tavares netted one for the first time in 5 games two minutes later.
Third Period
8:50pm As I am posting my explanation of where I have been for a period, Hagman breaks Roloson’s shutout bid. Islanders 2, Toronto 1
8:56pm Okposo narrowly missed a breakaway opportunity, it was broken up – obviously, but as Ken Dick of Okposo.net explains “There was Okie’s goal”.
9:00pm Witt is off for a cross check, stupid stupid penalty. Islanders shorthanded
9:02pm Islanders with three short handed chances thanks to Okposo
9:05pm Great kill by the Isles, however they have two consecutive icings.
9:08pm Islanders power play, I can hear Dee Karl yell at him from here – Jason Blake gets two for interference.
9:13pm End of the power play, some good chances but they seemed to resort to moving the puck around a bit too much as they had been on previous unsuccessful power play chances.
9:19pm Roloson comes up HUGE on two saves here late in the third, Islanders take their timeout to settle the team down. Great call by Scott Gordon.
9:21pm One minute left, Empty net Toronto
9:22pm Empty netter, Blake Comeau with a breakaway and he was hauled down. Ruling is a goal, Islanders lead 3-1
9:24pm Toronto delay of game penalty – 12 seconds remain.
Islanders win 3-1 big, HUGE win for the Islanders tonight.
