"It seems like I've been here before / It seems like I've been here before..."
>>Everything's Gone Green, New Order
So four full days between games was not the answer. After almost a week in Florida, the Islanders opened with a very alarming first period but responded well in the second -- getting the first 11 shots and taking a 2-1 lead -- to force a Lightning timeout. Then a hard but bad-angle Martin St. Louis shot beat Dwayne Roloson to tie it, and shortly afterward a shocking two-on-oh gave the Lightning the lead.
After that, the Islanders reeled. They pinched randomly and carelessly, as if they had one minute instead of 20-plus to get a tying goal. This looks like a fragile, gassed team. Or: A team on a six-game losing streak, that just went 0-4 on the road. It seems I will be paying more attention to Tyler Seguin, Cam Fowler or that hot young "WE NEED TO DRAFT THIS KID NOW!!!1" of the Polynesian League.
Game Sum. | Event Sum. | Corsi | Recaps: nhl.com | Isles
Ah well. This team provided some fun times this year -- certainly more than last. I'm grateful for those. But Garth Snow's deadline decisions are quickly becoming easier, from both a hockey ops, PR and rebuild standpoint.
Ministry of Ironic Juxtaposition: Topic du jour Jeff Tambellini received under 10 minutes of ice time, about two less than Jon Sim (11:46). Sim scored the (momentary) go-ahead goal in typical Sim style, six feet from the goal, while Tambellini drew one of two first-period Islanders powerplays by pressuring Victor Hedman.
Ministry of Ironic Juxtaposition, II: Dustin Kohn received a little more ice time (12:19) and also received a dubious penalty for hitting -- get this -- Steve Downie, the king of careless hits. It was ruled interference, and naturally Downie was offended someone would hit him in a way that might cause bodily harm.
Game Video
- I have no goats for this game: Everyone looked unremarkable. Except Mark Streit, who made multiple outstanding defensive plays to cover up for teammates who had wandered off the ranch. He looks like he's in Olympic form.
- Matt Moulson's first-period goal was a lucky bounce, but it was karmic return from the hockey gods for the Lightning scoring on Kohn's shady penalty. Not lucky, and in fact quite good: Steven Stamkos. Wow.
- For what it's worth, the Corsi figures flattered Rob Schremp, Matt Moulson, Bruno Gervais and Kohn, but I suspect all positive figures were due to the excellent shifts the Islanders put together for the first half of the second.
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Nate Thompson's line against his former mates: minus-1, 14:14 TOI (4:22 on PK), 3 shots, 3 hits, 1 giveaway, 5-4 on faceoffs. So, a Nate Thompson game.
Meanwhile, Columbus won last night under their new coach. Here are your revised overall standings:
I do declare, it feels like I've been here before.