9:30 pm: Yep. I was right now wasn't I?
9:16 pm: Clarkson makes it 5 - 1 and Nabokov shakes his head. Thinking Nilsson is in net on Saturday.
9:12 pm: A brain fart causes a too many men penalty on the Isles and Jack Capuano is beside himself. Frans Nielsen shakes his head. The game is beyond out of reach.
9 pm: First it was Patrick "Watch me pull a goal out of my butt" Elias and then just a few seconds later it was a hat trick for Kovalchuk.
Don't say I didn't tell you so. But I told you so.
8:23 pm: Amac. Nice. goal. Thank you.
8:20 pm: "Nothing wrong with those groins." Butch Goring as Marty Broduer makes saves like a 25 year old. Also, @Nightfly told me that it's more the Devils are changing to put the Kovy line out when the Isles 4th is out. I told him to tell Art. :o)
8:11 pm: Sooo... What's Jack trying to do? Lose?
Arthur Staple@StapeNewsdayReply
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#Isles put 4th line against Kovalchuk line twice. Result: 2 Devils power plays.
8:03: The Islanders go on the power play after PA Parenteau is taken down at the blue line.
8:01 pm: Steve Staois complains about the penalty call on him for tripping, but after looking at it at all angles, shut up Steve. You deserved it. In just a few seconds, Kovalchuk scored the Devils second goal of the game. The Newark crowd is chanting "Kovy."
7:41 pm: Illya Kovalchuk (as I suspected) has added to his goal stat by giving the Devils an early lead in this game.
The Islanders are responding well and though didn't score on a power play, managed to do a good job of "puck possession" as Jack Capuano requested. They kept the Devils from making the clears and P.A. Parenteau got of a good shot on Brodeaur The Power play boys were exhausted after staying on the ice for the full two minutes, but they had nothing to show for it.
The Isles will start the second period down a man with Marty Reasoner still in the box on a penalty for taking down Parise late in the first. Personally, I think that was a bs call. it goes along with the lack of call for slamming Mark Eaton into the boards. Yep... Officiating.
1:46 pm: Jack says the most important thing for the Islanders tonight is "puck management, especially in the nuetral zone" and "getting traffic in front of Brodeur."
Ya think?
11:37 am: Nabokov it is along with the same line-up as Sunday's game, meaning that Michael Grabner sits this one out.
7 am: Three days off between games is just too much for me when there are only 16 games left in the regular season. And for the Islanders that means there is most likely -- ONLY 16 games left.
Game two of the three game series against the NJ Devils will be played in Newark. The Islanders took no chances (as the NHL demands) and bussed it to Jersey last night and stayed over in a hotel watching movies and resting.
In typical style, Jack Capuano has called for an “optional” skate this morning at 11:30. You would think after three days without actual game action it wouldn’t be “optional.” But that’s Jack’s style: laid back. Hey they’re only in 13th place, why bother, right?
Ilya Kovalchuk (and his huge salary) finally ended his scoring drought of nine games with a goal against the NY Rangers. He’ll be looking to build on that tonight against the Isles in front of the home crowd.
Zach Parise who tried to glove a Milan Jurcina shot told reporters his hand is just fine. Sure it is. (We love you Zach. We’d love to see you in Islander Orange & Blue as well when you’re done with the Devils. Thank you.)
The Devils players were very kind to the Islanders and the way they played on Sunday against them. There is indeed a mutual respect between these teams. But respected or not, one of them is earning two points and the other isn’t. The Isles have won two of the last three meetings.
As the other games have been won by a single goal, perhaps tonight will be different. Maybe there will be a whopping THREE or FOUR goals scored between the clubs. Or maybe it will all boil down to a 0 - 0 shoot out between Marty Brodeur and Evgeni Nabokov.
Maybe Matt Martin will throw ten hits tonight and Mark Eaton will block 5 shots himself and still stand. Maybe Matt Moulson will get a hat trick as revenge for the ten stitches under his chin. Maybe.
It will all be clear by 10 pm tonight. Until then -- work.
New York Islanders Blogger • 
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