It's a New Year at the Barn 6 -5 SO Win

Isles vs. Thrashers and the Captain back on home turf. What a wonderful first period for the NY Islanders as Scott Gordon decided to mix up his lines a little with Tim Jackman out of the line-up and Jeff Tambellini back in.

Matt Moulson was the first to score on the Thrashers, but he didn't relive his last hat trick game against the Thrashers. But he was parked in the crease, where he normally would find the puck and the back of the net.

Jon Sim, who is adept at drawing penalties as well as taking them found the back of the net from his knee with a beautiful play less than three minutes after Moulson's opener off a spin pass from Josh Bailey.

Richard Park was credited with a goal, but in all actuality, it bounced off a Thrasher defenseman in Hedberg's crease. So sorry. But Richard Park, who seriously needed the kickstart, will take it.

The Isles left the ice up by three goals. But as we all know too well, especially in Islanders country, no lead is safe.

Only fifty seconds into the second, Dwayne Roloson let up his first goal of the game to Maxim Afinogenov. Trent Hunter, trying to keep the momentum from swinging in the other direction, scored the Isles fourth goal before they even had the time to announce the Thrasher's goal.

At 10:02 of the second, another fluky goal for the Isles as Josh Bailey took a pass off Nielsen and it started bouncing off everything in sight, like a pin ball. Josh almost hit it in with a high stick, which would have been a problem, but he didn't even touch it. It hit the post then bounced off Hedberg and he ended up kicking it into his own net. Oh... Bad luck!

That was at 10:02 of the second. At 10:12 of the second, Antropov scored for the Thrashers and it was 5 - 3 Isles. I began to panic and get angry. How many three goal leads does this team give up? It got worse when Peverley made it 5 - 4 Isles at 12:58 of the second.

Now I was threatening. All I could think of was them letting the Thrashers tie the game. So many games the Islanders haven't even been able to score two goals. They had five in the first two periods. It was obvious they became complacent. You would think by now they should realize they don't have that luxury. The minute this team relaxes just a little, they find themselves coming up short.

Bill Jaffe announced that Scott Gordon is the longest tenured coach in the Atlantic division now. Um, does that make coaching the most volatile career choice in sports? hmmmm...

I almost had to put on my shoes and jump in my car and fly down to the coliseum welding a wooden spoon as the score was almost tied at five. But the goal was waived off and called for goalie interference. I think had they not, Dwayne Roloson would have taken a whack at someone with his goalie stick.

Josh Bailey took an untimely penalty for holding and the Thrashers went on a Power Play. I can't even imagine what Gordon would have done if Atlanta tied it up with Bailey in the box.

With 9:02 remaining, the refs decided that Jeff Tambellini interfered on Peverley when all he really did was put his shoulder into him to knock him off the puck. No one liked the call. Within seconds, Kovalchuk tied it up at five. I started throwing apple chips at the TV. That's also the time I started to wish they would have Scott Gordon mic'ed up.

If not for the game call of Jiggs MacDonald, I would have probably turned off the sound. I turned over laundry just to get away from the game for a moment.

It was still 5 - 5 at 4:24 left of the third when I returned. Hunter missed a beautiful opportunity on Hedberg's doorstep and the Thrashers iced the puck but no ground was gained. The puck bounced off John Tavares and he looked around checking to see where it was.

Richard Park rushed in over the blue line all alone but Hainsey kept him from getting a shot off.

Two minutes left and the Isles seemed as if they were spending far too much time in their own zone. One minute left and Kyle Okposo chased the puck behind the Thrashers net a few times but with 26.2 seconds left, it was deemed that Trent Hunter iced the puck and the face off came out to Rolie's right. Nielsen won the face off but with very few seconds left, it was obvious this game was going to overtime.

So from a three goal lead in the first, the Isles not only let the Thrashers back into the game, but they ran up the score to five a piece. It was maddening. Nielsen took the draw as overtime began and was pushed around a little.

Comeau came down the left wing and John Tavares managed a shot off on net for one of the first I've heard for the evening. Score sheet says he had three.

Steit's head-on shot was sucked up by Hedberg along with all the other shots the Islanders could muster, but Schubert took a penalty for getting his stick in Blake Comeau's face well after play had stopped. No blood. I'm sure Comeau was checking a few times for it.

With a little over two minutes left in OT, John Tavares won the face off, but the puck couldn't stay in the Thrasher's zone. They cleared, and cleared and cleared until Kyle Okposo kept it in their zone all alone taking abuse at the boards. The Isles were out hustled and garnered only three shots on goal in the overtime period.

With the shoot out on New Year's Eve being a goal fest on Roloson, my daughter had a few choice things to say about Dwayne's chances in net. I didn't respond to her as I waited with everyone else for Scott Gordon to make his choice. Would it be Jiffy Jeff? Robbie, Robbie? Frans?

Kovalchuk, the man of the hour for the Thrashers, twirled his stick waiting to hear.

The Isles did go with Tamby, Nielsen and Schremp.

Jeff picked his corner before skating in and banking the puck inside the right corner of the net. He makes it look so easy.

Kovalchuk skated in toward Roloson and just missed the net blocker side. Woo hoo!

Nielsen always looks nervous, he skated out slowly as Hedberg came way out to meet him. Frans lifted the puck over his pads and in.

Kozlov didn't even break a sweat as he beat Roloson easily.

Schremp's winning streak was broken as Hedberg just out waited him, but Dwayne Roloson slid to his right and Peverely missed his chance. The Islanders won in the shoot-out but give up a point they should have kept.

There is no reason the Islanders should keep giving up three goal leads. They have a hard enough time getting them. They should be able to keep them.

UUUUUUGGGHHHH.. Frustrating when it should have been a joyous win. But that's Islanders hockey for you.

Oh, wait. What was the word a prominent blogger Tweeted? Right. Freakshow.