10:48 pm: Nabokov explains the win to the media and what they need to do going forward. Like... BE CONSISTENT!
9:16 pm: The Caps end up short handed again with an unsportsmanlike penalty on Carlson with only a little more than 2 minutes left. The Isles sixth power play of the night is frustrated the Caps fans who are seen on camera leaving the arena.
Nino is being given some power play time for a change along with the fourth line. But nothing is getting through.
Parenteau is back out on the ice with the last half minute of the game running down. But no Hat Trick for PA tonight.
But Nabby gets his first shut out as a NY Islander and the Isles have their first shut out of the season. Tell me again this team was all Boudreau's fault. The Caps managed only 17 shots on goal. This is how the Isles are supposed to play.
9:06 pm: Ovechkin shoved AMac down at the 12:05 mark and the Isles go on their fifth power play of the night.
Moulson makes a beautiful pass setting up PA Parenteau for his second goal of the game. I leave that all for Matt Moulson being able to read the free ice perfectly to pass to PA right though the crease. Just beautiful.
9:03 pm: The Caps are starting to get a little frustrated and buzzing around Nabokov's net. Nino Niederreiter had a great chance to put another one on the board as he skated the puck up alone but couldn't get a good stick on it before his shot was interferred with. i guess that counted as a shot on goal, but it didn't count as a goal. boo hiss.
BTW, everyone is having a great time at Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza at the Well Done PUck Viewing party in Carle Place. I should have gone, but I was needed at home.
8:52 pm: A power play with a penalty on Halpern for holding John Tavares doesn't garner another goal, as a matter of fact the Isles had a hard time keeping the puck in the Caps end.
8:30 pm: Kyle Okposo takes an ill-timed penalty with only 17 seconds left of the second, called for tripping. That was after a brutal hit on Mark Streit. Matt Martin added to his hit totals by laying a hit against the boards as a gift to Streit.
The Caps seem a little surprised that they are still down by 2 after two. So look for them to come out of the locker room with a fresh sheet of ice with intent to draw blood. And they will.
PA said they were doing well on their forecheck and doing the right things. They have to do the same things for the third.
Isn't this a simple game? Really?
8:23 pm: Welll, well. Guess having the Dad's on the trip helps a little as the Isles are up 2 - 0 in the second. Of course JT scored the first goal, but then PA Parenteau added to his stats tonight as well. Good going.
Keeping the Caps off the score board is not easy and it probably won't happen, especially if Nabokov continues to leave his net and fail to clear.
Dylan Reese said they have to "...stick to their plan of winning the teritorial battles. Play strong and be confident and not give them too much time to use their talent." Good advice.
The Isles are outshoot the Caps 18 - 10 with the second period almost ending.
11:23 am: Nabokov in net (no surprise) Dylan Reese in for Steve Staois.
I stayed away from the computer last night. I was that disappointed in the outcome of that game against Nashville.
While I agree with Jack Capuano, they played hard for forty minutes, I'd like to know what they were doing for the first twenty. Also there seems to be a disconnect between what Capuano thought was the problem and what PA Parenteau thought.
I was SO disgusted yesterday afternoon that I packed up and didn't even go down to the locker room. What for? How many times can they answer the SAME questions? And even though expert reporter Mark Herrmann from Newsday was given the assignment yesterday and I would have LOVED to see him handle the room, I didn't go. Nope.
Sitting in my car I listened to Chris King's post game show on WRHU. There I heard post game comments from PA Parenteau who said they did come out "flat" and unprepared to play and it was hard to catch up against such a "structured" team.
Capuano's post game comments said the team was not "flat" but that turnovers and other mistakes cost them the first three goals. However, he too called the Preds a defensively "structured" team.
Well, here's a thought -- prepare for it and if "structure" wins hockey games, how about trying it?
Kevin Poulin said that the week off had something to do with his first five minutes. He wasn't 'comfortable'. He said that nervously knowing that by saying that, it questions Capuano's decision to sit the man for so long after calling him up.
Remarkably, right after those comments hit the web, the Isles announced that Poulin was being returned to Bridgeport. When I texted back asking if Montoya was being activated, I heard crickets. Art Staple said that Montoya is being activacted, but I have seen nothing official.
As Butch Goring said on NHL Home Ice on XMSirus radio yesterday, the Isles are running out of time -- or may have already. Every point matters and as I said two weeks ago, playoffs are no longer in the picture. Maybe they can play spoiler instead.
That brings the question of Evgeni Nabokov who has played very well. Does Garth trade him to a playoff contender for something he can use next season or let him play out the year which will end for the Isles the first week of April? Big question.
The Isles don't have time to dwell on the loss the way I have. They're already in Washington waiting to take on the Capitals. Damn sure that Nabokov will be in net but not sure if Montoya will be on the bench or if they will make a surprise move and call up someone else to back him up.
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