A day game and those dreaded black third jerseys didn't bode well for the Isles, but something happened to tilt the statistics. A well rested Isles team, packed with young hopefuls, managed to blank a road weary Columbus team looking to stay in the playoff race.

The third jerseys, making their final appearance on the ice and hitting the 50% off clearance rack at the team store, didn't deter the Isles yesterday afternoon. With playoff hopes of their own put aside, it's all about learning, proving and playing spoiler. The Isles did that with a flourish.

It wasn't a high scoring game, it didn't have to be. Two goals on Bobrovsky was all it took.
Cal Clutterbuck earned his tenth goal of the season as he skated out of the box for roughing midway through the first period. That is going to be the new strategy. Take a penalty, just as it expires and the player is about to be sprung, get the play close to the box so he can take off like a rocket towards the net. It works. Frans Nielsen earned his 28th assist and Johan Sundstrom has his first entry on the NHL stat sheets.

In the closing seconds of period two, Travis Hamonic finally scored. Yes folks, after Butch Goring had mentioned Hamonic's goal drought only a few days ago, the seas parted for him and he found the back of Bobrovsky's net. It is his second goal in 58 games. To be fair, he only had 2 goals in the 2011-12 season too. Travis isn't a goal scorer, he has other talents.

Speaking of 'talent'; How 'bout that Nabokov? He must have been reading the press last week. All those reports saying he was old, and finished and just not very good must have stuck in his head.

The 38-year-old made 41 saves and was the first star of the game. Expect to see him in an Isles sweater next season as well along with another 38-year-old veteran, Eric Boulton. Boulton seemed to have signed a one-year extension with the Isles during the game. Or at least that's how it seemed as the press release came out during the game.

Mike Halmo still making a case for himself in the NHl ended up with a 10-minute misconduct for dropping ex-NYI Blake Comeau at 7:06 of the third. I like it. He's a keeper.

Let see if the Isles can spoil another teams plans as they head into their final games of the season. Watch and learn youngsters. Watch and Learn.

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