Last game of the road trip find the Islanders in the desert to face the Coyotes who have a few more wins than the Isles. 43 points to 34.
Phoenix Captain Shane Doan has gone six games without eaning a point, matching his longest drought of the season. Basically that means he'll score tonight against the Isles. Count on it.
I'm just a little surprised that Anders Nilsson isn't in net tonight and that Nabokov is playing again. Nilsson is a good goaltender and almost half Nabby's age. Okay, that's not exactly true, but I thought for sure he'd see some action.
Jay Pandolfo has been activated off IR but I don't think he's been put on a plane to Arizona. Of course, I could be be wrong. Art Staple will be on the MSG Plus pregame show to tell us all about it.
*And while I was writing this, Staple wrote this!
Jay Pandolfo returns after missing 17 games with a broken foot, stepping in for Marty Reasoner, who is sidelined for at least a month with a broken hand. Pandolfo will center Nino Niederreiter and Tim Wallace.
So --
The New York Islanders announced today that defenseman Anton Klementyev has been suspended for failure to report for his ECHL assignment to the Idaho Steelheads. Klementyev began the 2011-12 season with the Islanders American Hockey League affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
Klementyev played one career NHL game with the Islanders during the 2009-10 season on Saturday, Mar. 27, 2010 against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
In 20 games with the Sound Tigers this season, Klementyev had an assist and eight penalty minutes. The Togliatti, Russia native has played the past three seasons with the Sound Tigers, totaling 13 points (3 goals and 10 assists) in 99 career games in the American Hockey League.
Now, while this isn't really news, it's more like hockey gossip, what intrigued me is -- The Islanders don't HAVE an ECHL affiliation. So they must have had to pull some strings to get this "assisgnment" with the Steelheads. Klementyev must be in his OWN PRIVATE IDAHO hiding out.
Hoping for two points and no injuries.
End of 1st, tied 1-1. Just as I expected Shane Doan ended his scoring drought -- on the first shot of the game. Thanks.
Matt Martin had two breakaways. I thought that was Grabner's job. And Frans Nielsen tied it at one on a power play goal.
Slow start according to PA Parenteau, but a better 15 minutes. Isn't that what we hear all the time? The "we have to play a full sixty minutes" stuff? Well, they already are down some. Hopefully they can play a full 55.
There are plenty of Isles fans in Phoenix tonight, which is nice to see. Hopefully they won't be as disappointed as those Isles fans that attended the Ducks game.
Second period started much the way the first did with a Shane Doan goal. Boy is he happy tonight. Almost two minutes later, Taylor Pyatt gives the Coyotes their third goal of the night and just like that, the Isles are down by two.
I can only assume this team is headed for a few shake-ups. Or should I say, I HOPE this team is headed for a few shake-ups?
Final: Shane Doan with a hat trick and bad line changes and loss of one-on-one battles put the Isles behind the 8-ball again.
This team is beyond inconsistent. There really isn't anything to say.
New York Islanders Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»