3:38 pm: Nate Thompson takes a holding penality with 2:18 left of the third. It looks like it should have been a penalty shot for Frans, but they didn't awared him one. The Isles need one more goal to make sure this is in the bag.
They just may get it as Tampa takes a hooking penalty on Matt Moulson. Now the Isles have a 5 on 3 advantage and need, need to get another goal.
Somehow they let Ryan Malone carry the puck all the way down the ice and circle around Nabokov a few times before finally getting it away from him and back towards Lindback.
There are only 25.2 seconds left and the Isles have a 39 second power play left. But the Bolts will not go quietly. Their net is empty and they manage to scoop it away twice before the final horn and a 4 - 3 Isles win.
THANK THE HOCKEY GODS!
3:20 pm: Well, well. Seems like old times. The Isles take a time out after Stamkos gets a goal with Matt Moulson still in Nabby's crease.
A very luke warm "let's go Islanders" chant rises up from the crowd. The Isles are outshooting the Bolts 28 - 19, but it seems the Lightning decided to wake up and the Isles became a little too 'cute.'
Hamonic is a little sore after blocking a shot -- that I didn't see since I was writing.
3:16 pm: Nabokov didn't get his glove over the puck quite fast enough and Benoit Pouliot skates in and bans it behind a sprawled goalie . I said a three goal lead is a dangerous one to keep. Especially for the Islanders.
3:13 pm: Both Grabner and Okposo have good chances on Lindback but hold up just long enough for him to get set and stone them. Back at the other end of the ice, Carnker thinks it's a good idea to lay down in front of Nabokov to block shots -- from three inches away. Stamkos not happy about that and it takes a long time for a whistle.
3:08 pm: David Ullstrom nets the fourth Isles goal but at 2:2 of the third period, Marty St. Louis gets one for the Bolts. You knew you weren't going to keep him off the scoresheet in this building.
2:59 pm: and NYCB is now sponsoring the tee shirt toss. That's my bank. I still won't get a tee shirt and neither will my daughter sitting in section 210. LOL
Did I mention it's Doug Weight's birthday? Let's get him a win for his birthday.
While it may be 3-0, remember that's the toughest lead to keep.
2:43 pm: With less than a minute to go in the second period, Keith Aulie does some pushing and shoving with Colin McDonald while play continues. The refs break it up but as soon as the whistle blows, Aulie is back at him. That earns him a seat in the box and the Isles will have a small power play with a fress sheet of ice to begin the third.
2:38 pm: Matt Martin had a set in the box while his PK worked hard. The second he was sprung, he skated out grabbed the puck and took off towards Lindback and scored. His first goal of the season on a pass from John Tavares. It is a beautiful thing. Moulson is back on the bench and back on the ic as Kyle Okposo also scores for the Isles making it 3 - 0.
Islanders have thrown 23 shots towards Lindback while the Bolts have only shown Nabokov 11.
2:27 pm: Matt Moulson is helped off the ice after being piled on at the right side of Lindback's net. He was shaking his glove off and there is no blood on the ice, I'm hoping he is okay, but he was doubled over in pain.
2: 22 pm: Commissioner Bettman is here today with the other 15,321 fans. Almost a sell-out!
2:17 pm: Michael Grabner gets the puck in the net for the first time this season and the crowd goes wild. Matt Moulson had an a great chance on the power play, but it was Grabs that got the biscuit in the basket a few seconds later.
Lindback is getting a good workout here and the crowd is certainly getting their monies worth.
Eric Brew puts the Isles right back on the power play while we are all still celebrating grabs goal.
2:10 pm: Brian Lee takes a cross checking peanlty on Keith Aucoin and the Islanders power play gets another shot - and it still needs work. Even John Tavaras is sliding all over the place and missing passes.
A second Islander power play at the 5:14 mark of the second as Coy Conacher takes down Reasoner with a tripping penalty.
1:41 pm: Second Tampa power play and Marty is back on the dot. Lots of shot blocking and getting in the Bolts way makes their power play score less. Nice. The PK is clicking nicely. Nabokov is looking very sharp.
1:29 pm: Marty St. Louis parked himself in the left circle for almost the entire power play while David Ullstrom sat in the box. The crowd called for Defense and they got it.
No score and good chances on both ends of the ice.
1:14 pm: Crowded penalty box at the 1st second of the game as one fight breaks out between Finley and Labrie and then Martin and Crombeen. McDonald & Malone each get 2 minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct and the game attempts to start.
So much for a matinee game for the kids.
BTW, it's packed. P-A-C-K-E-D. My daughter and her friend are waiting with 1,000 other people on the will-call line out in the cold. Tell me again how the Islanders don't have any fans. Just try.
11: 04 am: Jack Capuano will be behind the bench and Nabokov in goal. Some defense pairings to be determined after warmups.
7 am: Another Martin Luther King Day kids even for the New York Islanders. This one stocked with Marvel Super Heroes. But the one who has been deadly for the Islanders for years has always been Marty St. Louis.
The two teams has split the last four games they have played against each other but that's ancient history. Today is what counts.
The Bolts did a number on the Caps scoring six goals, three of which came on the power play. St. Louis scored two of those goals and earned an assist on someone elses. And don't think Vinny Lecavalier is toast either. He scored a goal and an assist as well.
This team is dangerous. Very, very dangerous and the Isles do not play well in the afternoon. The key to the game may be to not take any penalties because even if the Isles PK has been doing well, they may not be able to stop the Bolts who also have someone named Stamkos on the team.
Yeah. The isles may NEED Captain America or the Hulk today.
I expect Jack Capuano to be back behind the bench and maybe even Thomas Hickey will make his Isles debut today.
Sideboards: Interesting that 48% of those who took the new player poll were mostly interested in seeing what Brad Boyes could do.
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