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Line Dance: Capuano Shakes it Up 3-1 Isles Final

December 29, 2011, 6:44 PM ET [ Comments]
Dee Karl
New York Islanders Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Isles worked hard on their new lines and were rewarded with the two points.

It's about time.

Tonight's blog will run down the time line with newest items at the bottom of the page. I like to shake things up too occassionally.
It's the Holiday season, I'm on the couch and the Isles are on the ice.

Matt Martin has been moved up to the third line and Kyle Okposo has been moved to the first. Let's get the party started here.

Tonight is the return of Blake Comeau who said he is dealing with a lot of emotions coming back to the Coliseum. Things have worked out well for him in Calgary, so that's good. Some times players need a change of scenery. As he said, it's a humbling experience to be put on waivers. Sometimes, that's what you need to get your head on straight.

While injuries happen to every team, the Islanders are already at 161 man games lost so far this season. I still believe they need an exorcism in that building.

Capuano's penchant of pulling his goalie for the extra attacker has earned him a new stat:
Empty Netters: The Islanders have allowed an empty-net goal in three straight games and have allowed a league-leading 10 empty netters this season


Since the Islanders are 9-3-3 when scoring first and 2-14-2 when allowing the game's first goal, let's hope they score first tonight quickly and see where that leads.

Yep, I thought that was Tim Jackman on the line-up sheet. Okay, that scares me a little since it's only Matt Martin out there with any grit for the Isles. Dear Tim: Please don't hurt Matty. Thanks.

And there's the first goal of the game before the first five minute mark and now we know how this game may go. The puck goes off Andy MacDonald's skate and behind Nabokov.

That was Tim Jackman's first goal in 60 games and it was a gift.

Comeau was flattened by Matt Moulson? Um, since when does Moulson throw the body around? But we'll take it.

The Isles are lacking in the shots on goal department even though it's early in the game and turnovers and giveaways may kill this team.

As I used to say when I was sitting in section 211, "hey boys! Pass it to the guys in the blue shirts!! The blue shirts!!"

With Sarich in the box for tripping Josh Bailey, the Isles managed only two shots on net during the power play.

Two of the best chances of the night on both sides of the ice ad the shots on goal are finally a little more even at 6 to 7.

Capuano does not look happy. Can we blame him?

Matt Moulson is on the bottom of a pile as he went to help Kyle Okposo who was taken into the boards by Stempniak. There are gloves everywhere on the ice. Five bucks says it will be an Islander who is thrown out of the game as third man in. Because they're the Islanders.

The conversations are taking quite a while, 5 on 4 right now and only Matt Moulson is in the box. What did I tell you? This is crap.

END OF 1ST PERIOD: Isles managed 9 shots on goal of the ones that were not blocked (or shot into legs). They laid 9 hits to the Flames 7 and won 14 face offs to Calgary's 7. The Isles will be on the PK for a minute and change as the 2nd period begins.... and it's all the ref's fault.

2ND PERIOD: Scott Allen's Penalty Kill kept Calgary from jumping ahead with a second goal. Nino Niederreiter had an excellent change and Kipursoff had to make an excellent save. And then something strange happened.

Andy MacDonald stood on the ice tapping his stick begging for John Tavares to pass him the puck which he shot straight at the Flames net and it went in the back of the net. Yeah! 1-1. Assists by Parenteau and Tavares. (The NHL stats guys changed the assists THREE times!)

Another telling stat is the Isles have ten give aways. Isn't that ten too many?

While Evgeni Nabokov is making some excellent saves during the second period, Kevin Schultz pointed out on Twitter that with that Isles goal, Andy MacDonald now has more goals than Blake Comeau. ahem... yet MSG has a Comeau love fest during the pre-game and after the first period.

John Tavares worked exceptionally hard in the second. Kipursof managed to save every attempt he had. I hope JT gets rewarded this game for his work.

Josh Bailey was trying to play smart waiting for Grabner to be in line for a pass when Flames player Smith fell awkwardly on his own and had to be helped off the ice. The Isles were outshooting the Flames by the end of the second so finally the veteran goalie was working. The Isles threw 14 shots at him during the second. Maybe he's getting tired for the third.

End of 2nd: Scott Allen said "Bottom line is, we've got to shoot the puck." He said too often they look for the fancy pass and highlight reel goal and that's just not going to happen. He's right. But he is happy with "the process" as they have been getting more shots towards Kipper.

3RD PERIOD: While it didn't get through Kipursof, Matt Martin made an excellent play showing he has skill.

And just as I asked the hockey gods, John Tavares is rewarded for his work with a goal at 3:20 of the third. It was a beautiful display of stick work.

Okay, how many of you gasped watching the 2 on 1 develop? MacDonald made a blind pass behind the net and it went straight up the ice. AAAGGGHHHHH... Luckily, they didn't capitalize on the chance.

Brent Suter has a rather animated conversation with the refs which I don't really understand since the Flames ended up on the power after a call on Grabner. He wanted a two man advantage. Tough. go back to the first period.

The Isles have at least two short handed trys during the power play.

With 3:51 left of the third, I'm holding my breath. They are so close to grabing two points and yet, nothing is a given.

John Tavares has two excellent attempts and then I was sure that Nielsen and Parenteau would have scored. As Butch mentioned, had it not been for Kipursof, this game would be 4 or 5 - 1 Isles.

With less than two to go, now it's time to see if Suter pulls his goalie -- he does and while Tavares had a chance for an empty netter, he was kept away from it. This time it was Brian Rolston who scores the empty net goal and thus a few of the recent trends have been broken.

The Isles did not score first and yet the won. They usually give UP empty net goals and tonight they scored one. Bonus is right.

Kyle Okposo is just exhuberant as they line up to congratulate their goalie.

Three stars of the game, Andrew MacDonald, Nabokov and John Tavares with a huge smile and no desire to talk to Peter R. from MSG. JT left the ice and headed into the tunnel. Yep, he had the last laugh.
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