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Isles 4- Avs 3: It Means Everything |
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I will try to be brief, although brief for me will probably be 900 words.
If you saw the game, you know how this feels. If you didn’t, you missed out on seeing a team battle back and watching John Tavares show off why he was selected by Garth Snow.
It was a night to remember for many of this young and struggling team. Some trying to prove themselves at the NHL level. And prove themselves they did.
Kevin Poulin is everything I had heard whispered about him: Confident and poised and all of 20-years-old. Tonight, in front of his Dad, Mom and Step Mother, he won his first NHL game facing 37 shots, 20 more than the game he took over for Lawson. It wasn’t the easiest win of this young goalie’s career, but it was a win none-the-less.
Two quick goals off five shots in the first few minutes didn’t rattle his confidence or Jack Capuano’s. Rather than pulling him, he kept him in net. And for all but four seconds, Poulin didn’t give up another goal to the Colorado Avalanche or Matt Duchene.
The win to him, “Winning in the NHL, it means everything. That’s why I play hockey.” It means so much that Matt Moulson stopped celebrating with John Tavares after he scored the game winner in overtime to go retrieve the GW puck from the net for the kid.
According to Butch Goring, there should be no doubt that Poulin gets the start tomorrow in Detroit. According to Jack, they will discuss it on the plane. This was supposed to be Lawson’s chance to show what he can do. He still may be able to.
Jeremy Colliton didn’t get a hat trick, but what he did get is a second look from the organization. Colliton, called up from Bridgeport to replace Frans Nielsen, scored two power play goals with impressive style. But when Rob Carlin of MSG asked Jack Capuano about him, Jack played cool. “He’s pretty much the same player as before. A guy that will go to the paint and gritty areas. He was rewarded tonight.” Not the glowing review I would have hoped for.
When Colliton was asked about his own performance and how Jack used him, he told the cameras “He knows my strengths and what I can and can’t do.” What he did tonight was give the Islanders the jump they needed.
Speaking of jump -- Michael Grabner must eat jet fuel for breakfast. He’s as fast as any player I have seen. His problem seems to be finishing. That will take work and time, but it should come. According to my Twitter friend @B6BB7 Grabner has “great foot speed.. To bad his hands are like feet.” Come on! You gotta laugh at that!
*Oh, and to prove my point about the altitude, Grabner tweeted out after the game “Big win...anyone have a oxygen tent? Damn it's tough to catch your breath here. let’s bring this show to chi-town.” So I AM right about the altitude!
When the Islanders were trailing, I had to listen to the big angry man I live with bitch and moan. He dozed off when Blake Comeau tied it up at two. He woke up when they were up by a goal. But the thing is, as he tells me ALL the time, GOOD teams find a way to win no matter what. The Islanders are finding ways to win even when they really have no business doing it. But according to Jack they battled and didn’t quit. They knew the Avs would come out hard, and they did. The Isles just didn’t give up.
Game winner, John Tavares was humble as usual in his post game interview with Rob Carlin. “We’ll take it.” he told him about the two points. And not to get ahead of himself, he said “It’s been a great road trip so far and we’ve got another one tomorrow.”
He appreciated his “fluky” game winner and was upset he missed the open net which would have put it away in regulation for Poulin. John isn’t flashy. He isn’t outspoken. He gets picked on by his team mates, but he quietly does all the things that make a great, character hockey player.
Tonight they board a plane for the last game of this road trip. They’ve got a lot to think about and a lot to celebrate. But they won’t. They know the job isn’t quite done yet. There’s another 60 minutes of hockey to play before coming home!
(Ha!! 758 words! I was brief~! Let’s Go JETS!)
New York Islanders Blogger • 
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