9:36 pm: Gerardi gets the puck over Nabokov's shoulder and the Rangers win.
Hard fought game to the very end.
Each team with a point and the standings ust get even tighter.
9:32 pm: The penalty to Okposo is killed off and it seems the Rangers game plan is -- Get the puck to Nash.
9:26 pm: With only one minute left the refs attempt to give the Rangers the game as they call Kyle Okposo for slashing. He broke his opponents stick, but as Butchie said it shouldn't have been called.
The first minute of the penalty is killed off, and each team gets a point. With Kyle in the box, the overtime period will begin.
9:16 pm: A terrible power play by the Isles.
9:12 pm: A delayed penalty call took Nabokov out of his net for the extra attacker. I think it was the first time I've seen that move last for an elongated amount of time. But the Rangers finally touched the puck and the whistle was blown and the Iles will head to the power play.
9 pm: How many posts will be hit tonight?
Carkner called for holding and has some choice words for the refs. Isles back on the PK.
8:40 pm: I'm guessing that John Tavares annoyed the refs who now seem to be calling nothing. Sticks to the face, cross checks, etc are all going with no whistle.
So how about this for an idea... CALL THE GAME THE WAY IT SHOULD BE!
According to Matt Martin, it's going to be interesting to see who comes out on top. Yes. it will be.
8:28 pm: Isles on the power play after a Ranger interference call, but it looks like they are trying to make the perfect pass and spend a lot of time passing the puck.
No score after the power play ends.
8:21 pm: No call for holding the stick of John Tavares leaves him angry as hell, so he punched the Ranger in the head. Oh, that got a call. JT in the box for two minutes. Pissed as hell.
Rangers power play is killed off and JT is sprung from the box and Carkner is having a very good game and I think Jiggs is going to have heart failure. The game is moving so fast I can't even believe he's keeping up.
Players are falling all over each other out of control. Yet... still 0 - 0.
8:13 pm: Mark Streit in the box for tripping and the post saved the Isles butts. Clang off the post and Bossy kept saying, "No goal." But they did review it. Stepan does not get the goal.
The Rangers are outplaying the Isles in the second period, and there's still another minute 20 to the power play. How many times can Nabby keep them in this game?
Micahel Grabner had at least three shots that were blocked or saved by Lundqvist. Huge scramble at the net.
8:02 pm: What history is on the TV right now with Butch, Jiggs and Bossy.
A Ranger turnover gets Boyes into the Rangers zone, with a good chance, but D is doing the job.
7:50 pm: First period in the books with no score, but the Isles have ten shots on goal and are annoying the Rangers. This is going to get ugly for sure.
7:38 pm: Aucoin with another great chance, shot wide. But on TV it looked so close I jumped up.
Turnover Tavares.
Guys.... No turnovers. Gotta clear the zone.!
7:36 pm: Lundqvist makes a decent save on Moulson, although as my husband was screaming "Had Matty put anything on that, he had him dead to rights."7:28 pm: Anyone else freaking?
Nice job by Travis Hamonic to annoy Rick Nash. I thought he'd be bigger than that.
Nabokov with a nice save with 8:30 left in the firt with no score.
And another great save 30 seconds later.
Love hearing Jiggs on the TV.
First altercation of the night with McDonald and Joensuu after Eminger was drilled by McDonald. He and Asham sit in the box for two minutes. Enjoy your Birthday Asham. Have fun in the box.
7 am: The game against the Bruins was big, yes, even bigger than big. But the game against the Rangers is the BIGGEST. Maybe just as much so for those in the stands as those on the ice.
The Coliseum will be rockin' tonight as the fans go back and forth with their chants depending on how things are going. They will look to either spur on their team or disturb the other. No doubt the sound level will be deafening and Howie and Butch will have a hard time talking over them.
The Islanders had a day off yesterday so there are no quotes from Jack and company about how big this game is or what it means to them to play in a rivalry game such as this one where it's more than just a four point game.
The Rangers did have a practice yesterday as they played on Wednesday. ESPN's Katie Strang, ex-Newsday beat writer, tried to incite the fan base by tweeting out
#NYR Tortorella, asked about Isles: "I haven't paid too much attention to 'em."
She followed it up with the balance of his quote:
#NYR Tortorella: "Just going to worry about the New York Rangers and play our game."
Capuano will always speak well of his opponents, which ever team they are. He's smart. He knows where the Islanders were in the food chain and he's not going to run off at the mouth like some coaches we know. Although you'd think with all the weight he's lost he'd be starving and angry. (I would be.)
But that quote didn't bother me, but the one from ex-NYI Aaron Asham did. The preview on NHL.com has a quote from him stating:
"Their young stars are starting to bloom and play important minutes for them ... and they're getting good goaltending. They've got a decent lineup. We can't go in there thinking it's the Islanders of the past. It's a good hockey club."
"Islanders of the past"? Um, like when YOU were on the team there Ash? Yeah. Also I can't imagine him saying 'bloom,' can you?
I have no idea what the Isles will do for a morning skate as their is some Union charity hocey game this morning at like noon at the barn. There may not be any media access until that coveted 5 pm mark tonight.* I take that back. They will have a morning skate at 10:30 am today. I just found the text in my phone and it was lost in the shuffle. Sadly, I don't think I can get there by then. So, I'll have to rely on the great work of Newsday's Art Staple who has become quite prolific in his coverage.
But by then I will be on my couch biting my nails -- again.
The keys to this game will be turnovers. As Jack always says, Hockey is a game of mistakes. You just have to hope they make more than you do. The Isles have to look for opportunities to strip the puck and head up ice. (Hear that Grabner? And keep your head up again and you'll score.)
I really enjoyed what Nabokovo said about the team learning to be patient. That is a sign of maturity which is what the Islanders seem to be showing. Even from the likes of Thomas Hickey.
Patience, and good puck decisions. Win the battles and keep them to the outside. Invoke the dreaded nuetral zone trap if you have to; it works. Keep the puck away from Rick Nash and just like with Marty Broduer, score early on Lundqvist.
Matt Martin was photographed with a sign that said "Thank You Fans <3" for their continued support. This is how they can pay them back: Beat The Rangers on home ice.
And don't get hurt doing it.
New York Islanders Blogger • 
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