The Islanders left Ottawa with another 2 point to bring them to 49 so far for the season. While it further proof this young team is willing to work hard for each other in order to find a way to win, we can’t lose sight of the fact that the Ottawa Senators are team that is struggling even more than the one from Uniondale. All wasn’t lost for the Sens though, they did manage to add one point to their standing, but lost another D man when Chris Campoli could not finish the game and left after playing only 3:50.
The Islanders had a scare on defense themselves when Andy MacDonald collided with center Chris Kelly face first and Kelly’s helmet inflicted some bloody damage to A-Mac’s nose. On all fours, the trainers ran out with towels to cover his face and lead him to the trainer’s room. But a sigh of release came over me when A-Mac returned to the bench, a little less handsome with presumably a busted nose wearing Bruno Gervais’ full shield. Gervais was the healthy scratch for the Islanders so it was available.
Perhaps Karma, perhaps not, but Chris Kelly’s trade to Boston was reported immediately after the game concluded. (You break Andy’s nose, you pack your stuff and go. I don’t know I thought that was funny.)
Michael Grabner is hot; Volcano hot. He added to his scoring streak at 2:48 of the third with a short handed, unassisted goal which tied the score at two. Jiggs McDonald, filling in for Howie Rose, seemed to will Josh Bailey to score his first goal in 22 games at 6:39 of the third. It put the Isles ahead 3-2 and threw the monkey off his back. It also gave Michael Grabner another assist point. (As Matt Moulson said on Twitter, @Grabs40 is a freak of nature.)
Michael Haley, still in the Islanders line-up while Martin and Gillies serve their suspensions had a quiet night. He played 7:59 minutes on 13 shifts, had zero shots on goals, but did have three hits.
Michael Grabner was robbed of the OT winner by Elliot and so was John Tavares. John looked up to the rafters wondering how Elliot had made such an amazing save. They added two seconds to the clock making it 1:30, but it wasn’t enough for either team to find the back of a net. Elliot wasn’t the only one to make a great save as Lawson robbed Peter Regin at the other side of the ice.
Nate Lawson returned to the net after his brief stay on the IR. Personally, I was nervous for him, but Lawson stood tall even though there were two goals he would have liked to get back. He faced 31 shots and gave up three goals in 65 minutes of hockey. Nate, who was visibly frustrated at his performance the last time he was in net for an Islanders shoot-out final, gave up only one shoot-out goal to Alex Kovalev but stopped both Jason Spezza and Bobby Butler, who had started the scoring late in the first. Classic Jiggs McDonald, “The Butler didn’t do it!” But Rob Schremp and the shoot-out goal machine named Frans Nielsen did it for the Islanders.
It was a come-from-behind win for the Isles and Nate Lawson’s 1st NHL victory. During the celebratory scrum, some of the boys turned their buckets backwards -- like high school kids. Seriously, you can’t help but love this group.
A smiling Lawson with Rob Carlson said the win “Feels awesome. I’m just happy we can keep this thing rolling.” Nate thought it was their third consecutive win. It was their fourth.
He told Rob he really wasn‘t nervous after being on the IR for a while. “I felt pretty good to start. There was minor technical thing I kept making in the game that cost me a few goals.” He mentioned rebound control.
“I couldn’t really see the first shot with the d men. I should clear those first shots.”
But make no mistake, Nate Lawson has the full support of that bench. “I could hear the boys rooting for me on the bench. “ (Rob interjected he could hear cheering from the locker room for Nate.)
“We always believed in each other and it’s starting to show on the score board.”
Considering the beating the Islanders have taken in the press for the last few days, the wins are especially sweet.
“There’s something fun going on.” said Jack Capuano of the win.
“Credit to Ottawa. They’re coming off that western swing, they played extremely hard and were well prepared.” The Islanders didn’t seem as well prepared in the first -- again. “We did regroup.”
Yes they did. And a few kind words for the Islanders sixth goaltender of the season. “Nate kept us in the game.”
How about another compliment Jack? “Our defense was outstanding tonight.”
Yes, A-Mac will like to hear that while he nurses that broken nose. “ When you work hard good things happen.”
And that is the minor fact that so many seem to have missed these past few days. This is a young team that is working hard. Some days they are rewarded for that hard work, some days it’s just adding to the learning experience. Either way, they’re on the right track.
New York Islanders Blogger • 
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