I didn't watch the game as intently as I would have had I been in the arena. I didn't even watch it as intently as I would have if I was in front of my big screen on my comfy couch. No, I watched it with one eye on the TV and one hand wrapped around a birthday glass filled with Meritage.

It was birthday celebration part duex with my friends. The lively conversation was broken up by the occassional screaming at the TV and goal celebrations. We missed the Caps first goal that started the game at only eight seconds in scored by Semin. I was deflated but hopeful.

Mighty Matt Moulson then tallied his eighth of the season at 1:02 of the first and started a little flurry of excitement for the Islanders fans in the room. (That was actually ALL of us.) I wonder if that was a gift to his new fiance. Nah... Just what Matt does best -- find the net.

By 6:54 of the first, the Isles were at 3 - 1 and Jose was chased from the net replaced by the surprise of last year's playoffs, Varlamov. The Capitals not only came back, they scored a goahead goal at late in the second period. Varlamov faced 27 shots, but with seconds left in the third, he let in the game tying goal by freshly recovered Trent Hunter.

As Steven Hindle said in his recap, the Islanders can't be taken lightly. Even without Kyle Okposo and Captain Doug Weight, when the Islanders play their game, they make their opponent work. They may not be the most skilled team in the league, but as Barry Melrose likes to say "Sometimes, WILL beats SKILL." Had Varlomov been fooled by any of the eleven shooters other than Tambellini in the shootout, it may have been the Islanders with the extra point.

How many of us actually thought that Gordon would make good on his promise to put Brendan Witt in the shootout? I know I did. Dwayne Roloson hadn't impressed me in shootouts before, but he's growing on me.

Blake Comeau will be the next flu victim and I can guarantee there will be more. Sadly it seems that Kyle Okposo was out and about a lot of places on Monday before he fell ill. This is why it is so important that public figures, such as hockey players, are vacinated against this particular virus. If they are in contact with anyone who has a compromised immune system, the consequences could be deadly.

Right now, I'm worried about my friend, the PR Director who has himself been battling an upper respiratory infection for a week. Not good.... Not good at all.

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