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Kyle Okposo's KO Ignites The Isles

May 4, 2013, 8:00 AM ET [111 Comments]
Dee Karl
New York Islanders Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
It wasn’t the way they wanted game two to start. Not after game one. But the puck dropped and only 43 seconds later, it was behind Nabokov in his net. Malkin had scored the first goal with an Iginla assist. Less than three minutes later, Sidney Crosby, making his triumphant return to the Pittsburgh ice scored a power play goal while Andy MacDonald watched from the box.

It was devastating. It looked bad. As Stan Fischler said in the post game, they must have asked themselves if they even belonged skating against these guys. “They have some pretty elite players.” Jack Capuano said with a grin. But then at the 7:04 mark of the first, something happened. The Islanders broke through and they would not be shut out this night. Matt Moulson scored a power play goal. They were on the board.

Only 18 seconds later, Sidney Crosby wanted the Islanders to remember who they were playing. He scored again on Nabokov. It was as if the puck just followed him around.

With less than a minute left in the first, and the Isles trailing, Travis Hamonic’s frustration began to show. He got into a tiff with Matt Cooke. Penguin fans roared as Matt Cooke’s penalty hit the board. Had Travis gotten away with one? No. Each was given two minutes to cool off and the teams skated four on four.

Matt Moulson spoke with Peter Ruttgaizer during the first period intermission. While the Isles had put 21 shots on net during the first period, they were only 5 for 21 on the face-off, Matt seemed more reserved than usual. As if he really didn’t want to be out there talking with a microphone in his face while his team was preparing themselves for the second period.

The puck dropped and the second period began. The Pens tried to dictate play and Matt Moulson was knocked to the ice with a clean, but hard hit. Kyle Okposo didn’t like it. He had had enough. Since Moulson had been moved off JT’s line, he had been getting knocked around by the Pens. He grabbed a hold of Matt Niskanen, threw off his gloves and ripped off his helmet. He was determined to send a message.

The first one he sent was under Niskanen’s eye, and while both men were laying blows on each other, it was Niskanen’s blood that was running. Kyle went to the box, the other went to the dressing room.

Butch Goring said Okposo had been looking to get physical. This was the first fighting major of his career. It made a difference. From then on out, the Islanders played their game. They still had to put up with the Pens giving them fits, but they played well.

At 5:12 Colin McDonald scored on Fluery off an Aucoin dump in. But then Visnovsky was called for boarding and it looked like that feel good feeling was going to be gone.

Brian Strait had his eye on Sidney Crosby all night. Star or no star, face shield or not, Strait lined him up and hit him. The crowd voiced their displeasure. So did Jerome Iginla who ended up taking a penalty for boarding after hitting Strait in the numbers along the boards. Strait’s job was done.

But than at 10:37 of the second, something truly unexpected happened. Once again, Matt Martin was in the right spot on the left side of the goal crease and chipped the puck over Fluery’s shoulder as Josh Bailey was in close on his right.

Matt Martin tied the game -- against the Penguins -- With Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in the line-up. His first playoff goal. That must have been his reward for taking Wednesday’s loss so deeply to heart.

John Tavares also took game one to heart. After having zero shots on net on Wednesday, after the second period he already had ten shots and was winning the majority of his face-offs. But an errant stick up high on Brenden Morrow earned him a double minor.

If it was possible, the Pens played even harder in the third period, but Nabokov had found his game and made some dramatic saves. I’m sure he had taken Wednesday to heart as well as the first 20 minutes of the game. He was better than that. He knew it. It was time for him to show it.

At 12:23 of the third period, the Hockey Gods looked down on the Isles and smiled. Kyle Okposo shot the puck towards the back boards behind Fluery. It took a strange bounce and shot right back to the side of the net. In Fluery’s effort to cover the puck, he inadvertently let it slip over the blue line.

The Isles now had a one goal lead on a bit of luck. Fluery was furious at himself. He skated out of his crease trying to regain his composure while the Isles celebrated on the ice.

It was game on now -- for real. There was 7:37 left to play and the isles had the ability to take a game in Pittsburgh if they could just hold on against one of the most formidable teams in the league. It was a stressful 7:37 in my living room. I can’t even imagine how it felt on the ice.

Bylsma pulled Fluery for the extra attacker and every failed clear by the Isles made my heart skip a beat. “Just don’t let them tie it up! Please!”

And again, the Hockey Gods smiled down on the Isles and the buzzer sounded without the Pens being able to light the lamp for the tying goal.

The Isles had done what some said was impossible. They beat the Pens on their ice on an emotionally charged night in front of a packed house of Pittsburgh faithful.


How did they do it? With the “Ability to play their game.” Jack told the reporters in the post game sitting with that beautiful Stanley Cup backdrop behind him. “They have some elite players, but our game plan was to defend like we did the last month or so. I think you saw a little different team than you saw in game one.”

All those things that Jack talks about every night: work ethic, and battle level, were there. That is how the Isles need to play. They did.

When Jack was asked whether Kyle Okposo’s first fighting major was the turning point of the game, Jack tried to down play it a little. “Kyle stuck up for one of his team mates and sparked us a little bit. That’s what leaders do for your hockey club. It’s good to see it.”

When Okposo was asked in the locker room why he picked that time for his first fighting major, he answered Stan Fishcler by saying “I was just sticking up for Moulie. He caught him with a little bit of an elbow.” Okay so that was the reason. Did he feel it gave the team a spark? “I think a fight can do that at times.”

At the beginning of the game, Jack was being criticized by some for moving his lines around. “We didn’t’ have much success the way our first two lines were going.“ So he ‘tweaked them, just a bit. “Everyone contributed tonight. Minutes were distributed pretty good for our club tonight .”

He said he needed all 20 guys going. That’s what he got.

When Kyle was asked about his game winning goal, he immediately attributed it to a “heck of a play by Moulson.” He forgot to mention the lucky bounce, but he did say “It was much more to the game plan than it was to game one.”

Brian Strait seemed to draw attention from the Pens every time he stepped on the ice. It was his reward for spending so much time on the injured list.

John Tavares knows while it was a good win, it‘s just the beginning. “We got back to the way we know we have to play and we have to build on that.” On the Okposo fight, John told reporters. “ He’s a big strong guy and a heck of a leader in our locker room. He just stepped up at a good time. It goes a long way . He’s been working hard all year long.”

So, with a better start on Sunday, the sky’s the limit.







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