Final: 5 - 2 Isles. Wow. Even though it didn't matter, the Isles played as if it certainly did. The held the Leafs to 14 shots on goal through 60 minutes of play.

A good game plan and they just stuck with it. More character, more will and a desire to win.

Jack: "The work ethic was good tonight. We didn't give up many scoring chances against a team that has good speed and skill. I thought both (Leafs) goals came from a lack of communication. Other than that, I thought we got in blocking lanes and guys did some good things. I think they worked hard and all four lines contributed tonight."

When it came to his thoughts on David Ullstrom who scored his third NHL goale, "In the new NHL you ahve to be able to skate, he's got good vision, speed and skill. He plays on both sides of the puck and he plays a 200 foot game." You can't ask more than that.

The Isles have won in Montreal and Toronto. According to Jack "They are tough places to play when you make this swing but I liked our game." And the wins give him a little breathing room.

But why aren't they communicating on the ice when the season is down to so few games. Jiggs said you can see it in practice "if you're not talking in practice, then you're not talking." Communication on the ice is key. Butchie added the advice of needing to "Keep your head on a siwvel. That's the hardest thing to do is look away from the puck." They are starting to do a better job, too bad it's so late in the season.

They took the game away from the Leafs and their fans who booed them as they left the ACC.

Not bad. Someone call Larry Brooks.


9:25 pm: Matt Moulson seals the deal as the Leafs pull their goalie with two minutes to go in the third. Matt gets his second goal of the game and 32nd of the season as the puck floats into the Leafs empty net.

9:16 pm: At 13:56 of the third period, Matt Moulson scored his 31st goal of the season on a power play opportunity. But if that wasn't enough only a few ticks of the clock, at 15:43 of the 3rd, PA Parenteau came streaking down the left side of the ice and "carried the mail" as Jiggs called it giving the Isles a 4 - 2 lead.

8:56 pm: During the second intermission, Pat Flately described how the Leaf's Rosehill was yapping on the bench to Mark Streit actually threatening him, trying to make him play a little more tentative. It didn't work. But it also goes to show how we are missing a more physical presence than just Matt Martin.

Grabovski takes a high sticking penalty on Frans Nielsen, but the Isles cannot convert on that power play either.

8:28 pm: Another Isles power play as Grabovski is called for tripping, butt Okposo was called for interference and nobody gets anytning done.

The teams head to the rooms even up at two. The Isles have kept the Leafs to a total of ten shots within the first two periods.

8:22 pm: David Ullstrom just tips the puck in past Reimer on a beautiful behind-the-back feed from Michael Grabner to even up the score at 2.

John Tavares gives us a scare by skating to the net fast and furious and getting knocked over and crashing skates first into the boards.

8:10 pm: Luke Scheen in the box for roughing up Michael Grabner. Cizikas was ready to defend him, but it wasn't necessary. The Isles go on the power play, but half way through it, you would have thought it was the Leafs with the extra man advantage.

Too many turnovers for the Isles, not enough control.

Sloppy for sure with no shots on net during the two minutes. Not a good job dougie.

8:06 pm: Okay, that was a great shift by Bailey, Nielsen and Okposo with some excellent passing and a nice shot just slightly wide. Can you do that gain please?

8:04 pm: The Leafs manage to get another one by Nabby at 4:12 of the 2nd. Lombardi scored as Martin and Reese watched in Evgeni's crease. Ooopppsss.


7:33 pm: surprise surprise: Josh Bailey in the middle of a change for the Isles, from a JT pass puts the Isles on the board.

7:27 pm: And, that didn't take long. Milan Jurcina is the Dman scratch and Staios was cleared to play.

However, Kessel was left all alone -- and scored a little after the ten minute mark of the first.

11:27 am: confirmed, Nabokov in net. (Oh what a surprise.)

7 am: After an 8-0 loss, the Toronto Maple Leafs will not be looking to lose in their own building. So, tonight, the team that a veteran NY area beat writer calls “irrelevant” will take on the Hockey world’s most important team. Funny thing is there is only three points that separate them in the standings, neither one will make the playoffs and the Leafs too haven’t seen playoff action since 2004.

The paragraph below from new head coach Randy Carlyle appeared in both the NHL.com post game report of the Leafs game as well as today’s preview:

"We can't really point to any one thing right now that we did well. As a coaching staff we have to take responsibility because we didn't prepare the hockey club properly to go out and compete," said Carlyle. "That's the reality of the situation. When you start right from
the first puck drop and turned it over on the very first shift ... just led to one mistake after another. It seemed like we were playing in our boots and they were playing in their skates."


Wait, I thought it was all Ron Wilson’s fault. Right?

The Leafs have beat the Islanders their last two meetings. Tonight should not be a three-peat. The Leafs are tired and a little down-trodden right now. The Islanders need to take advantage of that. Mike Komisarek is a little banged up after fighting Boston’s Lucic, but I don’t see this as getting to be a really physical game. It just needs to be an Isles win.

Isles will have an optional skate at 11:30 am in TO. I’m guessing it’s Nabokov’s net tonight with no real surprises in line-up.

In the Funny Papers: Newsday had an article about Nabokov missing the playoffs and feeling pretty bad about it, but not bad enough to say he’s not looking to sign with the Islanders for another go-around for a year or two.

I hope you read Dominik’s piece on SBNation from Lighthouse Hockey yesterday. It’s amazing how many points Dom found that he could dispute in that Daily News* (Ooopppss Brooksie writes for the Post. Another paper I don't read) rant piece. Let’s just say that I’m pretty sure that piece of dreck garnered the Daily News more web hits than they’ve had in a long time.

When you piss off Islander fans, you hear it. Over and over and over again.