9:48 pm: Evgeni Nabokov was asked what has changed in the team and his answer was "I think we've found a way to be patient. And that's the most important thing."
It certainly has paid off.
9:26 pm: Okay, how loud did you scream when the clock wound down and the Isles won? I think they could have heard me at least two towns over.
9:15 pm: Josh Bailey came within inches of a hat trick. And I screamed.
9:10 pm: There have been no whistles when there should be. Streit is whacked in the face, Nielsen is boarded. No calls.
9:02 pm: Casey Cizikas is robbed by Rask. Without him in net, this would be a 4-1 Isles game at least.
8:24 pm: Josh Bailey is the luckiest man in TD Center tonight. A shot towards the net hits Rask and just trickles between his legs and over the line. It's a goal. Two for Bailey and one for the Bruins.
The Bruins are getting a little angry now so it's going to get even more chippy than it has been.
8:17 pm: I'd like a replay please!!! Rask makes an amazing save on Moulson keeping the game tied at one. Half way through the second period and the Isles have had some great chances. And I'm having hot flashes worrying about this game!
8:05 pm: Tyler Seguin gets the Bruins on the board as his shot in close range of Nabby grazes off his shoulder, up and behind him into the net.
A power play goal for the Bruins as they tie it up.
McDonald bounces a puck off Tuuka's mask, but he's okay.
8:03 pm: Brad Boyes a victim of the NHL's worst penalty -- delay of game. Nabokov is the Isles best PK guy on the ice.
Keep it up Nabby!
8:00 pm: It should have been 2 -0 Isles but somehow Rask made a few saves with Okposo and Bailey in his face.
The Isles are giving the Bruins fits in the first two minutes of play in the second period.
7:41 pm: With 20 seconds left of the first period, Josh Bailey finds the cross bar and it banks off and into the net to give the Isles a one goal lead. Bruins outshooting the Islanders but as Butch keeps saying, the Isles keep talking and keeping their heads in the game.
7:37 pm: A lucky break for the Isles as Travis Hamonic makes his way back to the bench and takes a shift. Nabokov looks to the refs for an explanation as to a non interferrence call.
He should know by now, he's not going to get any.
7:28 pm: Travis Hamonic did a demonstration of how a leg is NOT supposed to bend. It folded in half under him as he fell awkwardly. This. is not good.
Isles on power play but without Hammer, this is a big hole to fill.
7:24 pm: Nabokov coming up big for the Isles!
7:09 pm: And here we go...
Nielsen with a great drive under five minutes in.
10:55 am: With both teams at the TD for the morning skate, Bruins Coach Julien met with the media. Art Staple of Newsday has tweeted out quoting him as saying "They're seeing some hope here, and rightfully so."
Ya think?
The Bruins Twitter feed has:
NHLBruins
Coach said with the back-to-back and travel from NJ, "mental game will be just as important" for the B's against the Islanders tonight...^CS
Also from Twitter: Julien tells media that "you'll probably see Adam McQuaid in lineup tonight."
7:27 am: The mood in the room was far different from that of most Islander wins on Tuesday. There was no horseplay, no raucas laughter and no silliness. That's not to say they weren't a smiling, happy bunch. But it was very different. Dare I even say -- more mature.
Matt Moulson held court for reporters for almost a full ten minutes. Once one set of reporters had gathered enough quotes, a new set sauntered up to him, microphones in hand. I stood to his left with mine for almost five.
It was good to see Matt smiling again, now that he has found the back of the net again, but you could tell there was a difference.
When Jack Capuano says 'they're buying into the system,' he means it. Now maybe he made a deal with them like 'I'll lose 50 lbs, you start winning games.' Or maybe he even made a deal with the Devil, but this team has finally started to put it all together.
However this happened, if Jack Capuano gets the NY Islanders into the playoffs, he will go down in Islander history and maybe even talked poetically about the way some still talke about the last coach who managed the feat.
Moulson said the know how important each game is but that he doesn't do anything different to prepare. They just come to work and make every shift count. Is it confidence? Perhaps, but they want to do this for themselves and each other. They want to take it as far as they can.
While the Flyers were one hell of a test of their resolve, the Bruins tonight are perhaps even more important. A team that has handed them their butts the last two meetings this season. (Okay, not as bad as the Flyers did, but still.)
While the Bruins may be tired from playing the Devils last night, they won't be easy. Unless of course they look at the Islanders and think points to the Isles won't make a difference to their standing and they chose to rest some of their players. They have already lost Brad Marchand to an elbow to the head last night and Bergeron has already missed four games with a concussion.
As amazing as Jagr is, I did notice him last night, with his white beard stubble, breathing a little heavier than usual. He's an amazing specimen of athletics, but he's still human and he has been shut down by the Islanders before. They need to do it again.
Nabokov needs to be sharp as a tack tonight and implore exray vision to see through screens. Who would have thought a few years ago when he didn't want to leave California for a personal plane ride with Charles Wang that the reluctant goalie would turn into this fan favorite and winner? Um, that would have been Garth.
I'm starting to wonder if he isn't the best bargain shopper ever.
New York Islanders Blogger • 
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