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The Morning After Update 7:14 am

October 27, 2011, 11:20 AM ET [ Comments]
Dee Karl
New York Islanders Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
7:14 am: Well, happy Friday HBers. So how you feeling? If you check out Twitter it seems that everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, is talking about the Islanders surprising move last night.

If they were looking for additional publicity for Saturday's game -- they got it.

Even Mike Woods of Fox Five News wore an isles jersey this morning when the were all donning costumes on the morning news. grrreeeaaatttt......

But what of Nabokov? Some fans are complaining that he pulled himself out of the game with a "soft injury." Will we really know the extent of it? Sure we will.

If all of a sudden later today Nabby ends up on the IR -- you'll know. He complained of "soreness." I live with "soreness" every day. It comes with advanced age and bad shoes. But, hey... What do I know about being a goalie.

In some ways, I feel for Ricky. No matter what he does, he ends up being the subject of controversy. This time, he didn't even try.

10:42 pm: What was that??? Okay, the Isles played well. They did. And they actually were controlling the game for the first two periods, and then the wheels fell off the bus again.

The Pens almost started the scoring but it was waived off early in the first, much to the fans annoyance. Frans Nielsen gave the Islanders life by getting them on the scoresheet first at the end of the 1st. A lead -- The Islanders had a lead in Pittsburgh.

Matt Martin scored his first goal of the season and only his sixth of his career at 45 seconds into the third period. The lead was doubled. Was this the day the Isles would win in Pittsburgh?

Hardly. Chris Kunitz made sure the Islanders didn't maintain the momentum they created and scored only 44 seconds after Martin. The Penguins smelled blood. Less than three minutes later, the Pens tied the score on a James Neal goal and the game had a decidedly different feel about it.

The Isles -- or should I say Nabokov -- managed to hold on to gain a point and even held out all the way through overtime. And then -- a surprise.

With a little chit chat at the bench Evgeni was talking to Rick. I wish I could read lips. And then the unthinkable happened.

Nakokov left the ice and RDP skated towards the crease. Rick was taking the shoot out cold. He hardly had time to stretch before facing the first shooter.

Check this video out about the reason behind the move by Capuano. But also notice that he didn't look at the camera and Nabokov's body language.



Isles lose in the shoot-out but stun the hockey world.

10 am: The second in the home&home series with the Penguins brings the Isles to Pittsburgh. Confirmed the Isles will face "you can't get passed me" Fleury.

Art Staple has just announced that Jack Capuano has chosen Nabokov for the net and Milan Jurcina will make his season debut. Guess who is scratched? Come on... guess....

Mike Mottau.

According to the Isles Twitter account, Jack Capuano said "Mike (mottau) has played extremely well for us. As have all our D. We want to get Jurcina back into the line-up."

Rick DiPietro will serve as back-up toinght giving big Al the night off. Okay then. Look for the same forward lines as Tuesday. Hopefully they will have a better out-come and more shots from anyone NOT on the first line!

Art Staple did a wonderful job in today's Newsday on a two page article (okay a page of it is photo) on John Tavares. Catch his live chat today at 1 pm on the Newsday main site. You should not have to have a subscription for the sports items. Or so I've been told.
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