clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Preseason: New Jersey Devils 2*, New York Islanders 1 (*SO), goalies, Strome sharp

No one saw it. No really, hardly anyone was there.

Back in my day, we didn't have TV. Nor yellow boards. And WE LIKED IT.
Back in my day, we didn't have TV. Nor yellow boards. And WE LIKED IT.
Bruce Bennett

The New York Islanders handed the New Jersey Devils a gift: the Newark team's first shootout win in over a year. That was the most notable takeaway from a game that few saw.

As this game wasn't televised anywhere, here is a sampling of eyes on the game, including Newsday reporter Arthur Staple's Twitter feed @StapeNewsday and the Post's Brett Cyrgalis @BrettCyrgalis, as well as a few other notes:

Boxscore | Game Sum | Event Sum

Slow Start, But Halak Sharp

Jaroslav Halak didn't get much work in the first two periods, but he reportedly stood on his head to kill off a penalty to finish the first. We will take the words of the few witnesses at face value.

Dan Savarino of the award-winning WRHU provideth a clip, however:

A4090df8d5ad87c84c522f2d95dc1900_medium

The Islanders would swing the shot pendulum back the other way for the rest of the game (regulation shots finished 20-20).

Hello, Corey Schneider: It took the Devils 17 minutes to get a shot in the second period, yet the score remained just 1-0.

No Luck for Strome, But Effort Noticed

On the radio, Ryan Strome was the subject of raised tones for near-misses, but it just wasn't to be.

By most accounts, Strome had a very active game. But no one really knows how much these games will affect the final roster decisions, just as no one has the "fly-on-the-wall" angle inside the Islanders' brain trust's head. Decisions, injuries, and old habits loom large.

Frans Nielsen also hit metal, but he has a job locked up so no one is looking at his preseason points totals.

UPDATE: Jack Capuano on Strome after the game:

I thought he was strong, his last two games were strong. I mentioned before the game I wanted to see him between Grabovski and Kulemin at center, and he did well there. Couple of breakout games for him.

Here is more from Capuano, mostly on Strome, in answers that came after the quotes referenced above:


Meanwhile, this from Staple:

A theoretical competitor to Strome (if Strome is a wing candidate), Cory Conacher was stopped on a breakaway in overtime.

Tootoo Fall

Schadenfreude.

Mallrat on the Board

Kael Mouillierat tied the game early in the third period after deflecting in a shot by Scott Mayfield.

It was apparently a fortunate bounce -- so said the witnesses -- but I'm sure Mouillierat, who has never played a regular season NHL game, will take it.

Only a Third-Rate Organization Something-Something-Something...

When the Islanders do this it will be all Wang or Brooklyn's fault:

Speaking of which, not only was this game not televised -- it was also hardly seen:

What about the Lines?

Sounds like Jack Capuano had a look at different combos throughout the night, which is what NHL teams often do, but which Twitter has told me is a disastrous thing that will cause the Islanders to start the season off horribly because everything is wrong, always wrong. Sports fans are the best.

Shootout

The Islanders started the shootout with Colin McDonald to allow him to prove he could shoot high and wide on a breakaway.  Frans Nielsen went with an against-type deke to the left side, preserving his real magic for when it matters. Mikhail Grabovski also shot wide in round 5, as no Islander could beat Schneider in the OT breakaway drill.

The Devils won it in that round, with Travis Zajac being the culprit and only conversion.

The Islanders are back at it tomorrow against the Bruins in Bridgeport, where the game at the Islanders' AHL affiliate is already sold out. So: Slightly larger crowd than tonight's affair.

Edit: I had the score in the headline wrong originally. BAD JOB. Preseason form.