As I was home tonight, snowed in as so many others, this is the running game notes I logged from the couch.
Post Game with Scott Gordon:
The post game recap with Howie & Billy was all about the lack of "finish." I didn't take out my recorder, so I just tried to type what he was saying. Scott decided to answer Rob Carlin in lighting speed tonight. So much so that Rob actually got to ask several questions instead of his usual three.
His first centered around the amount of talent the Penguins have. Obviously, the Islanders don't have the talent like Crosby & Malkin. "The perfect example is the back door opportunities and posts we hit. They don't go in for us. The guys are trying hard, but they (The Pens) are a pretty good hockey team. We hit the posts and Fluery made some pretty good saves. I thought the first period was our best period, but they're a team that's pretty hard to slow down."
Rob asked about Frans Nielsen and Freddy Meyer. "Frans Nielsen has been playing well for us and always making contributions."
"With Freddy, given his size, it's important that he plays well. He puts himself in better position and doesn't get caught outside."
Rob asked about Bruno Gervais, who had another assist on the night. "He is playing more aggressively. The one thing that's changed is he's simplified. He's not putting himself in positions where he has to defend." (Yes, he said this.)
Gordon basically skirted the three goalie question saying they are all quality goalies, and they are. But so often riding the hot hand seems to be what everyone wants to do in this league. We don't have that luxury... yet.
9:27 pm Third Period:
The Islanders do not have a very good record when trailing heading into the third.
Doug Weight takes a stick to the face at 18:30 and there is no call on the play. So Weight sits on the bench and bleeds and the play continues. (He later didn't turn his face towards the camera as the swelling was considerable -- considerably ugly.)
Roloson makes a sliding save on a Gonchar shot from a Crosby pass. He seems pleased with himself. But the Isles are still down by 2.
In all seriousness, does it matter if they are down by two or down by twenty? The lack of points is still the same. Granted, the Penguins have 72 points to the Islanders 56. That's a big spread which means that with as much "parity" as there is in the league, some teams are just built to win. As in the Capitals have 88.
Matt Martin has so far had 12 shifts and a little over 9 minutes of ice time.
Roloson had to locate the puck in his equipment as play stopped for a a few seconds.
Nielsen wins a face off, Bruno gets the puck and finds Nielsen unencumbered in front of the net. Nielsen scores cutting the deficit in half. Okay, with about ten minutes left, maybe this game isn't completely out of reach.
5:12 remaining, Kunitz gets his second goal of the evening as he skates in all alone on Dwayne Roloson as if it was a shoot out making it 3 - 1 Pens. NOW I can say this game is done.
With two minutes to go, I began to nod off. Don't know why, I've wasted this entire day. I couldn't have been less productive if I had done nothing but sleep.
The buzzer wakes me as the Penguins get their eighth straight win at home and another win against the Islanders.
Second Period:
8:33 pm, second starts and I just received notification that our schools will be closed tomorrow. I'm not telling my daughter yet. Let her wait.
Games against the Pens are always interesting because it's a game of name the ex-Islander.
Nielsen had a great chance, but his shot was high over Fluery's shoulder and try as they may to bat it down low enough to bang it in without it being a high stick, they couldn't.
I heard another post. Yes, let's make the nets bigger for the Islanders. Thank you.
While I was trying to find popcorn in my pantry, the Isles went on a two man advantage, but couldn't finish. As soon as it was over, Kunitz made it 1 - 0 Pittsburgh on a rush by Malkin up ice towards Roloson. Billy Jaffe made it sound as if the goal was because it tipped off Mark Streit and changed direction. I say because it got by Roloson.
Roloson without a stick becomes vulnerable, but luckily, play heads toward Fluery just long enough for him to skate into the corner to retrieve it.
Meyer gets mugged by Malkin and both end up in the box. Don't ask me how, but an extra penalty was levied on Meyer so Matt Moulson ended up in the box to keep him company.
Andy Sutton had a great chance, but seemed to fan on the puck which ended up being a turn over leading to a Crosby break-away. Those are never good words. But Crosby passed it to Guerin and Roloson made the save to the right of the net.
Rupp takes a poke at a covered puck on Dwayne Roloson and he doesn't like it. A little pushing and shoving starts and soon turns into a whistle blowing melee.
With coincidental penalties, it takes about four seconds for Malkin to score on Roloson. Who is the back up tonight? Put him in.
John Tavares had to do everything he could to not let his frustration get the best of him as he didn't get everything on a shot that was only feet from Fluery. He held his stick as if to beat it on the ice, then sat on the bench beating his helmet with it.
The end of two, the Isles head to the room down by two and with two players clearly rattled.
First Period:
This is the first time in years my office was actually closed. I was home all day and still didn't get 1/3 of what I wanted to do done.
Now here it is, after 7:30 pm and I'm still on the couch not accomplishing much other than watching the Islander game on Channel 414 which is like watching it with Pink Eye. Thanks Cablevision.
So with the fist period underway the first things that stand out are that Dwayne Roloson is in net instead of Rick DiPietro, who seemed to be the favorite starter most of the day. Second surprise is that Jon Sim gets to sit while Doug Weight and his bad shoulder are playing.
Matt Martin is again in the line up and here is his first fight at 7:54 PM as he fights with Tyler Kennedy. He's bigger than Kennedy and is getting the better of him. His first fight in the NHL. Yesterday he scored his first assist points and first PIMs. Tonight his first fight. Welcome to the NHL kid. Have a seat in the box. Here's some ice for your hands.
Game gets chippy as Letang pushes John Tavares around a little behind the net and it's JT that gets the penalty.
They're talking about Kyle Okposo seeming winded, hopefully he is okay.
Too many giveaways by the Isles. This doesn't bode well for leaving Pittsburgh with two points.
With 5:37 left of the first, the Penguins luckily go offsides and the whistle sounds sending the game into the TV time out. According to Rob Carlin, the Islanders will be staying in Pittsburgh for the night as most of the flights have been cancelled due to the weather. Good idea to stay put, but I'm not quite sure that will put a damper on Rob Schremp's appearance at the team store or Doug Weight's appearance at the Booster Club which are both scheduled for tomorrow.
Isles Power Play fails to capitalize on Orpik's penalty. What a surprise. However, the CrossBar seems to be a magnet for John Tavares' shots. You hear 'em knocking, but they don't go in!
Former Islander Bill Guerin will be 40 in November. He's still a valued asset on the Pens team. He has flourished there. Good for him.
8:14 pm. The period ends all tied up at zippo. Which is obviously better than going to the locker room down by 3.
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