Fri 12:20 pm: Andy MacDonald will guest on NHLLive at around 12:45 this afternoon and Michale Grabner will be answering questions at 1 pm live "On The Spot" on the Isles website.
You Can’t Win ‘Em All
And the Islanders will be ready to play on Saturday, and hopefully better in their own zone, especially in the first period. “We thought we were ready to play and were excited to get back out there and know what we had going. So, I’m sure all of us will be working hard tomorrow to get ready for Saturday.” John Tavares, who scored two of the three Islander goals, told the reporters.
Since you can‘t win them all, Stan Fischler asked JT if this was just the “inevitable clunker“ that followed the four game winning streak. “No we come ready to play. The start kinda hurt us.”
It certainly did. Two very quick, somewhat lucky, goals off Nate Lawson gave the Bruins momentum that kept them in the Islanders zone for almost the entire first period. The Islanders managed only two shots on goal in the first. When they came out for the second, whatever happened in the locker room, which no one would say what it was, made them regroup. “We realized we had to be better.” \
Jack Capuano’s explanation for the loss was simple “They didn’t come out focused.” Like everyone else in the post game, no one would blame Nate for the loss or giving up the first four goals. Whether that is realistic or not, that shows none of these guys are going to throw the other under a bus. So Jack’s explanation for the loss was “We had to play within the team concept. We were doing nothing that we normally do. And when we do it our way we had 21 shots.”
While Michael Grabner’s hot streak took a day off (just as I said it would), John Tavares continues to put points on the board. When asked about his goals, the guy who cares more about his team than himself said “It’s important if it’s a win. At the end of the day that’s what matters most.”
Zenon Konopka tried to stir his team up by getting into an early altercation, but in doing so received a little extra box time. When he asked what the extra penalty was for, he was told because the fight was premeditated.
“My job is to play as hard as I can every night.” Like everyone else, Z gave credit to the Bruins for being the dominant team they are. “It’s a learning curve. You play against a real good team and you can’t get behind. You can’t take shifts off-- and we did. We really need to learn off this that we have to play for 60 minutes.”
Konopka is realistic, “We ‘re not going to go undefeated for the last 25 games.” But like John Tavares, he too feels losing is not something they can just accept. They don’t want to go back to the mentality they had when they were in that pathetic losing streak that ended their playoff hopes before the presents were under the tree. “We put ourselves in this hole and we have to dig ourselves out.”
A sullen Josh Bailey entered the room and hardly made eye contact with anyone.” Our whole team defense was off tonight. That first period killed us.” Now, could that be because Andy MacDonald, having to play with a full shield and being uncomfortable, was not playing with Travis Hamonic? Or were the Bruins just that much bigger and stronger. Either way, “You can’t accept losing. It’s a recipe for disaster. We’ve definitely gotten away from that.”
“When we play the way we’re supposed to, we’re a pretty good team.” Yes Jack. The Islanders are a pretty good team. And like Zenon said, they’re still learning.
Sideboards: Congrats to PA Parenteau who remains an Islander for next season -- just like he wanted to.
Al Montoya, who finished out the game last night, faced the press as an Islander from head to toe. He gave MSG’s Stan Fischer a huge smile as the two have a history from when Montoya was a Ranger. But here he stood in an Isles cap and those awesome custom Islanders sneakers that the rest of the team has. Just another NHLer happy to be here. Happy for the opportunity to show what he can do.
Yep. The New York Islanders: Land of Opportunity. Make a note of that come trade deadline day NHLers. This is a GREAT place to play.
New York Islanders Blogger • 
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