An afternoon game in December when there is a Giants football game on is not the best use of scheduling, but here we are anyway.
Yes, the attendance police will use this one as fodder for relocation once again I am sure. Especially with @BrooksieNYP and his call for the NHL to force Charles Wang to sell the team.
Down at Doolan's this blogger finally got to meet a superstar in the Islanders blogosphere, SB Nation's, Mr. LighthouseHockey himself, Dominic. Also there were Islesblogger.com Mike, IslesOfficial Doug, (& his Dad) and @Dani3boyz,
The puck drops and I hardly notice. Brad Kurtzburg from Inside Hockey.com and I chat while play is under way. We missed only two Islander shots on goal.
With Giroux in the box, the Isles fail to get a shot on goal during the power play, let alone a goal.
With 25 seconds left of the Power Play, Blake Comeau takes a tripping penalty leaving the team short handed for 1:35. To make matters worse, Matt Marin loses his stick.
At even strength Jeff Carter gets a lucky break as the puck banks off Roloson's bent knee and behind him into the net.
It looks like the refs like "hooking" as the call dujour and Jack Hillen headed to the box. By the time he got out, the Flyers didn't score again and had added only a handful of shots on goal for a total of 8 while the Islanders with only 1:12 left of the first have only three. But then again, it's hard to put shots on net when you're short handed.
Once again, Dwayne Roloson has been the star of the first period along with a lucky break here and there when pucks hit the post.
During the first intermission, the Mascots have an intense game of musical chairs. Just like their team, who seems to be even worse (currently) than the Isles, the Devils mascot was the first one tossed out of the game. Bounced in the first round... Who'da thought? It came down to a battle between Sparky and Storm. Two guesses, Sparky won. But it is his birthday. (Today is also Johnny Rzeznik's 45th birthday
Second period begins much the way the first ended: Slow. Rob Schremp took a high sticking penalty and the Islanders actually had a short handed chance when Eaton took the puck all the way to Bobrovsky's crease. It almost went in. Almost. As Brad told me, Mark Eaton doesn't have a point yet this season and he has played in every game.
Another good chance came when Frans Nielsen stole the puck and skated it towards the Flyers net and shot and another miss. But hey, they at least look like they have a little more pep in the second.
Okay, let's look for a Good News Dept.: Both Kyle Okposo and Milan Jurcina skated today. Could Kyle's return be a Christmas gift to the fans? Please Santa? Please!
Roli takes offense when he is smacked in the mask by a stick while he was down in the crease making a save. Don't get the old man angry.
With Matt Carle in the box, the Islanders go back on the power play. By this time, they should start declining them. The Flyers take another penalty and are down two men for about ten seconds as Nodl went to the box. The Flyers have blocked everything the Islanders have been able to get off their sticks.
With less than a minute remaining on the Isles power play, the Flyers have a short handed chance that went off Roli's post. Lucky again. With the power plays over, the Isles added eight shots on Bobrovsky during their power plays that brings them to 0 for 35. If you can't score when you are on the advantage, something is very wrong.
Role reversal: Travis Hamonic with a shot from the blue line and Rob Schremp with a hit in the corner.
Third period and the Isles have 21 SOG to the FLyers 17, but the Flyers are still up by 1 in this less than exciting game. It hurts me to no end to hear some that are paid to be here complain about having to be here. They are best to remember that there are plenty who would take their place for far less. But back to the ice.
If something would just happen on the ice. And there's the goal horn as PA Parenteau takes a pass from Schremp and deposits it in the back of Bobrovsky's net. That is the Isles first goal in 111.02 minutes and it has tied the game.
Thank you PA.
Within a few seconds after Laviolette called a time out, Frans Nielsen scored his first goal since October 30th as he skated up the right boards and shot it past the Flyers goalie who had no idea it went behind him. With his first point of the year, Mark Eaton is finally on the score sheet with an assist.
I panicked when Matt Moulson was sent to the box. I knew it couldn't be good. Roloson killed off almost the entire penalty when with only six seconds left, Nodl tied it at two. Travis Hamonic couldn't handle clearing a rebound on Roli's doorstep and that was all it took to end the Islanders' lead.
Zenon Konopka drawss a penalty on Ville Leino for tripping and the Islanders go on the power play for their last chance to tie the game and get a point. Hamonic gets a shot on goal that is turned aside. Every time the Islanders try to skate the puck in, the Flyers manage to clear it. Penalty ends, teams at full strengh and 1:57 remain in a game that will see the Flyers leave the Coliseum with two points and a lot of kids whose only joy today was seeing a gaggle of furry, big headed mascots.
The Isles play again on Thursday in Boston. This leaves them another long layover between games. Jack has to come up with something to fire this team up. And it better be quick.
At 5:44 left of the third, mighty-mite Danny Briere give the Flyers their lead as he got by both Hillen and Nielsen and lifted one over Roli and skated away gloating. Jack Capuano looks frustrated behind the bench.
Hamonic and A-Mac tried to create a spark by going after Hartnell against the boards behind Roli's net. Not much time left to get a fire going with that little spark.
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