Isles at Sens in Ottawa]
There was only 1:22 left of the first and the Sens got a 1 - 0 lead. It’s as if nothing has changed. Condra with his first goal of the season from a bad pass by Andrew MacDonald, but Condra ended up having to leave the game in the first with a muscle injury.
And with 19.6 second left in the first, Zibanejab shot a rocket that Nabokov thought he has but it bounced off his glove and into the net behind him.
Really, What year is this? How often have we watched this happen? A strong period by the Islanders with some good chances and then the clock ticks down to the final minute and they start making glaring errors. I can’t even imagine what coach Capuano was saying after the first.
Somewhere in the first period, Matt Donovan ended up with a busted lip and stitches.
Casey Cizikas spent some time with Peter Ruttgaizer. He asked him what they need to do to get something by Lehner. “I think we just have to do a better job of getting in front of his eyes. He’s a big goalie, we have to make it difficult for him. We have to keep it simple and keep working hard.… Casey seems to be able to shoot the puck as well from his belly as he can from being on his skates. He did it twice on the same shift.
A frustrated John Tavares took a hooking penalty and the Isles were on the penalty kill. The post was Nabokov’s friend or it would have been 3 - 0. The escaped the power play and within a few seconds, a penalty was called on the Sens for delay of game for a puck over the glass. Good or bad call, the Islanders really needed a goal to get them back in the game.
But with all the fancy moves by Tavares and Vanek, it was Clutterbuck with the best opportunity to score.
As the penalty expired, Hamonic came off the bench and the isles turned the puck over. MacDonald played speed bump in order to keep the game from getting away from them.
With the shots at 28 - 11 in favor of the Islanders, it’s obvious that Sens goalie Lehner was having one hell of a night.
With 10:53 left of the second the Islanders FINALLY scored one as Vanek made a no look pass behind him that John Tavares picked up directly in front of the net. A goal for JT and Vanek’s first point as an Islander.
Luck finally found the Isles as 28 seconds later Matt Martin banked a Carkner shot off Lehner and into the net it went. There is nothing better than a Matt Martin goal smile.
Bobby Ryan picked up a loose puck from the left side of the net and just shoveled it in behind Nabokov after he made one save and left the puck loose while he stood straight up. It was Bobby Ryan’s seventh goal of the year and another bad goal on Nabby.
For a second time, Lehner had to make a tough save on a Clutterbuck shot. If he could just lift the puck a little… just kidding.
A Senator’s goal was under review in Toronto, but the reviews they played on television seemed to be inconclusive, yet the war room upheld the on-ice goal call. No matter how many times they replayed it, it still didn’t seem to be clear cut. The goal was ultimately credited to MacArthur with a Bobby Ryan assist.
With 3:06 left of the second period, Clutterbuck took a stick to the head but the refs called the high stick along with embellishment or ‘unsportsmanlike conduct’, on Clutterbuck. Cal went to the room and Matt Martin took his place in the box.
With the teams skating four on four, Bouchard, Donovan and Okposo managed to get another one behind Lehner. Guess the busted lip wasn’t affecting Donovan’s play.
The Senators were assessed another penalty as Cowan was awarded with a holding penalty giving the Isles a two man advantage which was split up between the final seconds of the second period and the first 57 seconds of the third period.
A huge failure by the Islanders as they manage ONE shot on net during their five-on-three opportunity. For the first time ever, even Butch Goring said if you don’t score on the five-on-three, you lose the hockey game.
Nabokov did return for the third period and made an early glove save on Turris just to prove he still had his confidence.
The Islanders manage to tie the game at four with Frans Nielsen taking a cross ice pass from Hickey. It is his eighth goal of the season and the Isles were all even with their 46th shot on net. Bouchard was given the other assist.
The Isles 50th shot was a beauty by Bouchard straight down the center, but Lehner made the stop. It’s been years since the Isles have been able to put that many shots on net. It will be years before they do it again.
Matt Donovan, skating backwards, laid down in front of Nabokov to deliver a poke check. I wonder if Nabokov said “thank you.… Donovan has been a pain in Bobby Ryan’s butt. Kid is trying to make a name for himself.
With one minute left I started to worry about the Sens getting that 5th goal, and boy did they try. The clock wound down and the teams each ended with a point as they headed to overtime.
Thomas Vanek had a chance to play hero as he skated from his own blue line all the way down the ice, but Lehner made the stop. The game went to a shoot-out where Frans Nielsen won it for the Isles as Bobby Ryan couldn’t get the puck past Nabby in order to keep the shoot out going.
Isles win and take a late flight home to Long Island where they will get ready to face the Boston Bruins.