No one can blame this one on Marty Biron. You can blame the Islanders ineffective power play, their dismall penalty kill and a face-off percentage that has been in a steady decline. Biron had some very good saves and gave the Isles a fighting chance they did nothing with.

Blame it on bad luck and a really good goalie in the opposition's net. Come up with any excuse you want, or listen to Bill Jaffe find all the bright spots of the game, but when all is said and done, it's another dissapointment.

The Isles put 40 shots on Halak. They had another 24 blocked. They're shooting. But according to the 15-year-old screaming at me on the couch, many of them were "wimpy." The man of the house was also screaming "Get Up! Get Up!!" every few minutes. I began to yearn for the quiet composure of the press box. I forgot what it was like to watch a game with my family.

The difference is now, every loss I watch with them -- they yell at me like I can do something about it. I can't do anything about the penalty kill that has fizzled. I also can't make the excellent opportunties the Isles had actually get passed Halak. If I had the magic power to do so -- Moulson would have had 25 goals by now. Three times he couldn't believe he didn't score.

Richard Park's short handed attempt, usually his signature move, failed as well. Bailey took four shots on net and one to the mouth. Not sure if he lost a tooth as well. He was spitting out something.

Okposo had 22 shifts and only 2 shots on net. He was also responsible for quite of few of those "GET UP!" calls I heard from the couch. Someone find that snake that bit Kyle and make a pair of boots out of him because I think it slithered over to Moulson's stall and took a little nip at him as well.

On defense, Jack Hillen had a total of seven shots on net and two penalties. I can't fault him. Witt had very few shifts and no penalties. (Bonus!) Sutton eluded a fight with Laraque.

Robbie Schremp was a man on a mission as well as a victim. He had four shots on net, four blocked and seven face off wins. However, he was almost decapitated by a high stick and all three officials never saw a thing. It was one of the worst missed calls I've ever seen. While it looked like his ears may have been ringing on the bench, he came back his next shift.

Nate Thompson was slow to get off the ice again after blocking a shot. He too came back to finish the game. Streit took a tumble through an open bench door, but didn't miss a shift. Not too sure his back didn't get the worst of that.

Did I mention John Tavares? No. I didn't.

The team will have a snow day off tomorrow as many teams scramble to get where they need to be. The Lightning are being re-routed on their way for Monday's game and somehow, those 22 buses have to find their way back over the border dashing through the snow and singing all the way.

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