Considering how crowded the concourse was tonight, the seats are just a little light. Good LOUD crowd. And Rick has already stopped a Sidney Crosby chance at close range.
I am not sure why Capuano put Jack Hillen and Bruno Gervais together. To me that looks like a guaranteed Penguins goal.
Heard here in the press box "I think I'll just start calling turnovers 'Hillens.' Even though I like him." I totally understand.
The first fight of the night came at 9:07 as Adams and Zenon Konopka push Fluery and his net out of the way after Adams tied up Zenon by putting his stick between his legs. They both got five for fighting but I don't understand why there was no tripping call. Anyone?
Josh Bailey has displayed some nice moves as has PA Parenteau, but none of these moves have been able to garner them the first goal.
The shots, however, are even at 8 with 3:38 left of the first. Kunitz goes to the box for crosschecking and PA goes for roughing. Rick takes a shot from Letang and gives him no rebound.
What looked like a Sidney Crosby goal was actually Sid shooting the puck over the crossbar in a straight line.
So with the score even at zero, they head to the locker room. Believe it or not, in the first twenty minutes the Islanders have been able to keep Sidney Crosby to one shot on goal and one blocked shot. Not bad considering.
So, on the concourse I found two new items. I had to giggle.
19:26 of the second and Josh Bailey puts the Islanders on the scoreboard with his sixth of the season and does a little Rob Schremp move to celebrate. Shots are now even at 12, just like Josh. Travis Hamonic gets an assist.
While the Islanders got away with a few tripping penalties, Pascal Dupuis is called for high sticking at 3:12. Can the Islanders power play unit find a way to get around the Penguins PK? Nope. Islanders could do nothing with their power play, but the shots on goal are still pretty even at 16 - 15 Pens.
Matt Moulson ALMOST had a goal. I say ALMOST because he managed to get one passed Fluery about a half second after the whistle had blown. Not a good night for MighyMattMoulson!
Chris Letang got hit in the backside with the puck and it looked like it stung. There was a scuffle at the side of the net as Jon Sim and Brooks Orpik exchanged a few words and pushing. Both get two for roughing.
Nice to hear the crowd roar with appreciation for Rick Dipietro.
Michael Grabner took an excellent pass from Jack Hillen (Yes, Hillen)and had a close range change that everyone moaned over when it didn't go in.
Matt Martin skates in to make a hit on Talbot and ends up hitting the ice himself and grimacing as he tries to get up. He gets two minutes for boarding and while other Pens joined in, the penalty on Martin was the only one called.
Hamonic makes some excellent clears during the PK and the power play for the Penguins ends with hardly any shots registering, if any.
AS the penalty expired and Matt Martin was out of the box and Chris Conner ties the game at 1 with 3 minutes left of the 2nd. Rick lays face down on the ice in his crease for a few moments. He really wanted that one back.
Shots on goal are now 17 to 21 in favor of the Penguins
Rick looked very solid in the second period, but the Islanders have not been able to get any shots off past the Penguins defense. They must feel energized by tying up the score.
They go to the locker room all even again.
The Islanders get two power play opportunities early in the third period. And Jack hillen actually managed to take down Sidney Crosby behind the net. Not only am I amazed he did it. I'm amazed there was no call on it.
With 23 seconds left of the power play the noice meter was evoked for the 14,345 patrons. Power play ends and the Islanders don't get a shot on goal.
Rick DiPietro almost gave the game away by skating out of the net to try to make a clear that doesn't happen and luckily the puck squeaked passed the net. Rick gave a look up to the heavens to thank them for that. Had that resulted in a Penguins goal, he could have gotten an assist on the play.
Rick makes three great saves on a loose puck in his crease but Hillen gloves the puck and the Pens are awarded a penalty shot for Letang. OMG! The Crowd cheers DiPietro on while we wait. And Rick makes the stop and the crowd is literally on it's feet. He gets a tap on the pad by Jurcina.
(and I put away my camera cord)
The pressure is on Rick, but he is holding up. If the defense can hold on, this may be good.
Rick pushes Kunitz around in his crease and a scuffle breaks out. Nielsen is called for something. Probably for jumping Crosby. Kunitz goes to the box as well for roughing.
Konopka ends the game pushing Sidney around and the two have words. Konopka gets a game misconduct, of course. Keeping up his PIMs stat. But the Islanders have broken Sidney's point streak in regulation.
Shoot out!
Rick gives up a rebound that almost results in a goal, but is swept away before it can hit the net. Josh Bailey skates the puck toward Fluery and another Islander shot is registered on the Pens. SOG now 23 - 29 still in favor of the Penguins, but with only 6:09 left, I never would have thought the Islanders would have held up this good.
Fleury basically robs Jurcina grabbing a puck out of the air and holding on.
With one minute left of the third Matt Moulson parked himself in front of Fleury's net. But for all his effor he couldn't get it in the net. A little heart attack city at the 35 second mark as the Pens rush back towards Rick. The defense does an excellent job keeping the puck away from Rick and the game went to overtime.
Did anyone see the Islanders taking a point away from the Penguins? Seriously, raise your hand if you did.
A-Mac's stick broke in half and Michael Grabner handed his over to MacDonald. It was a tense few seconds before MacDonald was able to skate it up ice with @Grabs40's stick and pass it to Josh Bailey. Beautiful play, but no goal.
Rick made yet again a dangerous clearing attempt as the puck was almost batted out of the air in his zone. The cheers and the tensions were running high until the whistle blew at 1:14 left of overtime for a too many men on the ice call. Josh sits in the box and Pittsburgh takes a time out. Scotty Allen is behind the bench calling the penalty kill to the players on the ice. He is very animated.
But can they hold off the penguins for 1:14 and get this to a shoot out?
They certainly did. Rob Schremp, Frans Nielsen and PA Parenteau all scored for the Islanders while Letang and Malkin (who "made me look stupid." Rick said) scored for the Pens.
The two points were huge, the points against this team were even bigger. There was great respect in the room for the Penguins. This was just one game. One that showed what the Islanders can do when they work at it.
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