Game Notes:

Strome and Leddy put the Isles up 1-0 at the 17:16 mark of the first period as Leddy shot right through the legs of Bernier. Casey Cizikas seems to have intrigued Phaneuf he tried to get goad Zeeker into a fight and he just stood and smiled while the refs pulled him off.

Colin McDonald limped off the ice in pain after taking a puck or a stick off the back of his leg. Now that wouldn’t have been that important except that it impressed me how Boychuk went to him on the bench
11:16 JVR takes advantage of a lucky bounce in the Zamboni corner that twirled like a top in front of Kessel who passed it to JVR who beat Halak on the blocker side (right).

High hit with no penalty on Conacher whose face met the glass with a loud thump causing a cut lip and repair on the bench.

I’m glad I copied the names of the officials tonight, because they are constantly in the way tonight.

Phaneuf then goes after clutter buck jabbing away at him as the officials tried to pull them apart. Clutterbuck tried to draw the penalty by taking it. Leafs got the extra two minutes as they sat in the box.

Isles power play still had difficulty keeping the puck in the Leafs zone, even with ex-Leaf Kulemin on the power play, the Leafs kept getting sticks in the way of passes and over the line it would go. Penalty over. Was there even a shot on net during the power play? Doubt it.

Lupul to the box with 5:03 left of the first for a slashing penalty on Cizikas and five seconds after the clock restarted from the T Time out, JT scored the isles second goal. The sparse crowd cheered loud enough for all cameras to hear.

Travis Hamonic showing he’s okay, range a puck off the cross bar and as soon as Lupul left the box, he hooked down Johnny Boychuk to go right back to the box. Three minutes left to play in the first with a one goal lead.

Boychuk missed the net with a loud thud. Some nice passing work with a few tries by Strome, but they all missed the net.

Calvin deHaan was called for interference with only :47.4 seconds left of the period leaving the Leafs with a clean sheet of ice and a power play to start the second.

After a heartfelt interview with Ray Ferraro during the intermission, the Isles killed off the deHaan penalty . Thomas Hickey is the next Islander to get hit with a puck to knock him down to the ice. No worse for the wear, play resumes.

Clutterbuck escaped a tripping penalty on Lupul but Polak wasn’t happy about the hit and came and tried to give him what for. For that, he got two and the Isles got a power play. Although you really wouldn’t know it.

A two on one for the Isles with Strome and the puck went behind the Leaf’s net. Missed opportunity.

John Tavares got a shot on net but the Leafs bring the puck up ice quickly and in a blink, Phil Kessel ties the game at two. Half way through the second period, they were all even once again. The Isles were Out shooting the Leafs, but the only ones that matter are the ones in the net.

So Boychuk loses his stick as he is run over, and you can hear it hit the ice. He continues to try to defend without a stick in the Isles zone. Strome gives him his stick and now Strome is trying to block without a stick. Roman Polak puts the Leafs up 3 - 2 for his first goal as a Leaf. They should have tried to get a whistle.
Boychuk is called for holding on Kessel and the Isles a down a man and a goal. With almost seven minutes to go in the second. A successful kill even with a stick-less Hamonic, then Boychuk’s stick breaks against the boards, then Clarkson scores. Halak probably didn’t even see it coming. Hamonic in front of the net. Just sayin’.

Phil Kessel scored his second of the game with 2:07 remaining. Again, it as on Halak’s stick side. 5-2 Leafs and a goalie change becomes the topic of conversation.

steve simmons ‏@simmonssteve 9m9 minutes ago Neither the Leafs nor Islanders have any clue what to do when they don't have the puck

The crowd that embraced them so warmly turns on them as the “boos” rain down on the home team as they head to the dressing room. Time for Jack to talk to them again?

Chad Johnson took the net for the third period and Kulemin was moved to the top line replacing Conacher. Nelson with Clutterbuck.. Capuano playing line-combo Yahtzee.

Bernier making saves that look so easy. Is he good, or they’re just not quality.

Thomas Hickey leaves the game with a serious cut and Capuano was down a defenseman.

Cizikas almost got one in the net at close range. He couldn’t’ believe he didn’t’ get it and Boychuk broke another stick. Leddy ended up with a penalty for holding. And…. Then deHaan is sent to the box. The Isles couldn’t catch a break. They may have been able to start shooting, but they ran out of time and luck.

With :43.6 seconds left of the third a loose puck slide under Johnson. Goal was under review as it could have been kicked in. Goal waived off, but the W still went to the Leafs with a 5-2 win for them.

Leafs were better, Bernier was much better than Halak.

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