9:22 pm: If for nothing else, the two goals has brought life back into this building and back into Nabokov who has made two or three excellent saves since.

With 1:43 left of the third, the nabby to the bench watch may start. But I wouldn't with this team, they're too good, but he does at 1:22 left, puck goes off the side of the net, Streit to Reese to 91 behind the net and Matt and PA fighting at the boards for the puck, they lose it to #27 and Stretit has to recover it and bring it back into the Flyers zone.

24 seconds left and John tavares is still on the ice. Puck is iced with .1 second remaining.

Isles loose but at least had life in the last five.

9:14 pm: OMG!!! And it's Michael Grabner who breaks the 249 minute shut out streak of Illya Bryzgalov. Certainly the game is gone, but to have Grabner be the one to end the streak is good for his confidence.

And as I was writing that, a Miracle happened. John Tavares knocked in the puck from the left side of the paint and beat Bryz again for his 31st goal, with Mark Streit assisting.

Five minutes left and it's now a game.

Where were these guys the last two periods?

The Ice Girls hit the ice to clean up but THAT will kill the Isles momentum and give Bryz a chance to catch his breath. Bad timing.

8:59 pm: The blade of MacDonald's stick clips referee #15 right in the mouth and he goes down in a heap. The stoppage in play dos nothing to disolve the momentum. There isn't any.

Matt Martin is the only Islander out there trying to play with a little heart. He has a few choice words for Andres (the giant) Lilja and then knocks down Voracek.

Brad Kurtzberg from InsideHockey.com said this team needs six more Matt Martins. They wouldn't score much, but they'd be fun to watch.

8:26 pm: The Isles get a second power play as #8 is called for mugging Kyle Okposo. Okay, they called it holding, not mugging. The Isles are already 0 for 1 on the PP and this one isn't doing anything for them either. As a matter of fact, there have been two breakaways on it for the flyers. Wait, whose power play is this? and the crowd begins to boo as the clock runs down. With 11 seconds still on the penalty clock, the Flyers net is knocked off and Josh Bailey takes the facoff.

Puck management, puck possession; all these things and more are what the Islanders have not been able to figure out.

8:08 pm: Third period starts and three minutes later the two #17s drop the gloves. Martin and Simmonds go at it and Simmonds laughs in the box.

By 7:02 of the second period, Scott Hartnell scored his 33rd goal of the season to put the Flyers up 3 - 0 over the Isles.

It seems every pass, no matter who makes it, ends up on a Flyer stick.

Dear Jack: This is a no win situation. I would have gone with Al.

Speaking of No Win situations, like how the Rangers put Biron in net for the Penguins game and Sidney's return. Another No-Win situation.

7:40 pm: Absolutely awesome shift by the first line. But no goal to show for it.

7:32 pm: Blah, blah, blah, blah. Jagr to Giroux to the net. Stunned.

7:22 pm: What the hell was that???? We are in the days of flukey goals at the coliseum. Rinaldo was looking to pass the puck from the left wall, but instead banked it right into Nabby's net. The Isles have 8 shots to the Flyers 4, but the Flyers have the luck and Bryz.

Mark Eaton has at least two of those shots on net for the Isles and John Tavares took about the longest shift of his career.



11:15 am: The NY Islanders face the Philly Flyers for the last time this season tonight. It's a New Moon, not a full moon, so I'm not going to guarantee the outcome.

But before all that starts, there will be an exchanging of vows at the blue line. To have your wedding officiated on ice should be every hockey fan's dream. For this couple, facing challenges, it is. You can read all about it here http://islanders.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=622380 on the Isles main site.

Capuano says Nabokov gets the start and Montoya continues to collect dust. In a change of pace, both Reasoner and Staois will be the scratches tonight. Kyle Okposo will be on the JT Moulson line and Parenteau returning to the ice will be with Nielsen and Grabner. Nino will be on the third line with Bailey and Ullstrom and Cizikas will be with martin and Pandolfo.

I will be at the bar before the game. Come join me.

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