4:09 pm: The controversy regarding Andy Macdonald’s assist point on the third goal continued after the game. If Macdonald touched it, it was icing and the play should have been dead. If he didn’t touch it, how did he get an assist.

Here’s the explanation. The refs make mistakes every game and something really needs to be done about it.

Jack in his post game with Peter said “I thought our guys battled tonight; we defended well. We overall defended real well tonight. We won some wall battles and that was key for us.” He was much happier today than the last game as he was talking a mile-a-minute.
Special teams was a huge factor, they got the one and our

Nabby made a huge save. Your best pk guy is your goaltender.

As game went one they competed hard and started doing some little things. When you come in this building and play a team like the bruins and win it’s a total team effort. Whoever is in there has to do the job you have to win your shift mentality and win your battles. Whoever is in there tomorrow has to do the same. It was touched and went around the wall there, when you get pucks to the net good things happen I don’t think we did enough of that at the beginning of the game.

Who will be in goal tomorrow afternoon? Give it to Nabokov or Nilsson? How’s Monty? Pretty sure if you ask Nabokov he’ll say “me!”

Nabby made 32 saves on 34 shots and the Isles were out shot by the Bruins 25 to 34. They did out hit them
22 - 19 and blocked more shots at 13 to 5. Matt Martin had a whopping eight of those hits and Travis Hamonic and Marc Eaton each blocked three of those shots. Mind you mostly with their feet, which hurt -- a lot.

“You get a win and you wonder if there’s enough time with 17 games to go. It’s hard to give up when you come here and beat the Bruins.” So sayeth Howie Rose who still may be penning his Mets schedule.

While Nabby was drying off his hair, the microphones were thrust in his face. “That’s the way we expect them to play. They throw a good game at us. Working screens a lot, they played very physical game, but we stuck with the plan and we won.”

When asked how he felt about beating the Stanley Cup champions, he answered the same way he answered when asked how it felt to beat the Rangers. “Any two points for us right now is important and this is no different and next game is important and so is the one after that.” And the one after that and all of them are against the NJ Devils. Talk about being bored.

Obviously Jacks’ disappointment in the battle level during Thursday’s game was addressed and Nabby saw the effort too. “I thought we were battling. They were pretty physical; Lucic was all over the place and we responded well, handled him well. We scored the timely goals it was a good win.”

Boston is roughly only three hours away, but the team has no time to sit around enjoying their win. They have to be right back out tomorrow to face the Devils who are 9th in the league with 77 points. I’m guessing familiarity will breed contempt.

Damn… I should have saved that for a headline!

3:40 pm: After a broken stick by Chara, it was dog pile on Evgeni in his crease. But the Isles managed to hold off the Stanly Cup champions 3 - 2.

Now, the good thing about me saying that I expected a loss is that first off they get the two points and I don't look like a pom pom girl. The second thing is -- THEY GOT THE TWO POINTS!!! For that, I have no problem being wrong.

I'd like to say I don't think they'll win tomorrow either, and please, please - Prove me wrong!!

3:36 pm: Tim Thomas heads to the bench with 1:20 left of the third leaving a yawning net at the end of the ice. PA Parenteau would have had an empty netter, but the puck was on it's side and clanked off the post before being swept out of the paint.

Bruins take their time out and Jack watches. Once the Bruins line is on the ice, Jack calls his time out so he can set up his play.

3:31 pm: As if by wizardy, I called for a John Tavares goal on Twitter and I got one. Matt Moulson fires a shot from the right of Thomas and JT tips it past him giving the Isles a 3 - 2 lead with a little more than 4 minutes left of the third.

3:12 pm: Tyler Seguin was no match for Andy MacDonald and scored the tying goal at 7:29 of the third and my daughter did a happy dance in the den. I'm telling you -- parts. I"m selling her off for parts.

But in all honesty I knew the Bruins would ty it up.

Staios takes a penalty for tripping Paille and once again the Bruins are on the power play. The whistle is blown and there is a long delay in starting the game as they change the game clock for some reason. It's only a second that they're trying to figure out as the players waited on the ice.

3:08 pm: Nielsen back out on the ice for a regular shift and gets knocked around a little but doesn't leave. Good sign.

3:01 pm: Start of third and it looks like Frans Nielsen is a little uncomfortable on the bench. His shoulder isn't right.

Pouiliot had a great chance on Nabokov but was hooked by Jurcina who helped Nabby out, but gave them a power play opportunity. Make that a slashing penalty.

Lucic and MacDonald exchange shoves in front of the net. No call for the face wash. No power play goal for the Bruins either.


2:35 pm: Josh Bailey draws a penalty and Matt Moulson and his line manage to capitalize on it with a beautiful set up and a goal by Moulson. It's his 28th this season with under 4 minutes to go in the second.

2:25 pm: Kyle Okposo is called for holding and he does not agree with the call at all. He gets caught on camera mouthing off. Bruins power play. How many shots can Mark Eaton block and still play this game?

CLANK! The puck goes behind the net and Nabby was sprawled in the paint. No goal.

Teams back at full strength with 7:17 left of the second and all tied up at one.

2:21 pm: Ouch. On a Matt Martin shot that deflects up on Rask, he extends his left leg and something goes horribly wrong. Rask shakes off his blocker and writhes in pain. The trainer helps Rask off the ice and Tim Thomas gets his mask and heads into the game. Cold.

1:46 pm: Josh Bailey once again gives the Isles their first goal of the game. Proving he really does work well on the Nielsen line. Good for you Josh.

Also, Brian Rolston earned an assist point on the Lucic goal. sometihng I'm not sure he did on the Isles.

1:36 pm: Oh For Pete's SAKE! WHAT THE HECK!!! Once again the refs have decided to even out the penalties with 44 seconds remaining on Thornton's penalty for roughing up Travis Hamonic in front of the bench. Bailey gets a slashing penalty. Great.

Hamonic blocked a shot off his right foot and left for the locker room, Eaton blocks a shot and rolls around in pain but stays on the ice. Lucic scores and it's 1 - 0 Bruins.

Daughter quick to say Rolston was on the ice during that power play. I may have to sell her off for parts.

1:19 pm: And the bad calls begin. First a call against Caron for slashing and a few seconds later a call against Parenteau for slashing.

Then Bailey thrown out of the face-off circle. Okay then. 4 on 4 hockey give them a lot of open ice.

1:12 pm: So Jurcina plays and Reese sits while Mottau is scratched for the Bruins and Rolston gets to play against his old team. My Bruins fan daughter says he plays better on the Bruins because they communicate better. A fellow hockey Tweep said Rolston's hearing aid must work better up North. I laughed.

However, the daughter may be right. The D has a problem communicating as indcated by two Isles colliding into each other on the boards a game or two ago.

12:01 pm: Nabokov will be in net once again, which is not a surprise. Nino Niederreiter will be back in the line up, but it will be Michael Grabner who will not play due to "illness." Milan Jurcina may also not be in the line-up this afternoon. Well, this may be an interesting game after all.

7 am: Good Morning.

Although if you are like me and watching the news since yesterday afternoon, you can say "what's good about it?" The amount of devastation and tragedy in the Midwest is just mind boggling. Stories of loss and survival clench the heart and sting the mind.

But there's a hockey game on today and I'll turn my attention to that. Although, it's shaping up to be just as depressing as the news with a little less damage.

The Islanders have lost their last two outings against the Bruins in dramatic fashion with the Bruins scoring six goals in each game. The Bruins haven't been playing up to their Stanley Cup champion ways recently so the Isles are sure to give them a run for their money this afternoon. Even though the Isles have played well, they have still only earned a single point during this road trip. Personally, I do not see them earning two in Boston today.

Josh Bailey has been playing with a renewed passion of late. It's about time. Perhaps that will infect others who have fallen into a deep slump (Michael Grabner!) The Islanders cannot be carried on the back of John Tavares or hoping for Evgeni Nabokov to steal a game for them. They must produce. If they don't perhaps their fate will be similiar to that of the Leafs.

I have called the Leafs the "Islanders North" for more than a decade. Look now and see how similiar they are. Could Jack Capuano be the next head coach to go? Isn't his record quite similiar to Ron Wilson's? Yes. However the differences could be stacked up includinga the facts that Ron has been an NHL head coach for years, he is close friends wth Brian Burke and has coached for USA Hockey in International competition and he gets a suit allowance in his Leafs contract. A big one. (That tidbit I got from Scott Gordon who also knows what it's like to get the ax.)

However, Garth Snow doesn't have the same pressure as Brian Burke does when it comes to his decisions. There is no one chanting "Fire Jack" in the stands at the games. Well, there could be, but it hasn't turned into a universal drone like the "Mike Must Go" chant of years gone by.

Nor is Garth pummelled daily by the media in two languages. Although Katie Strang of ESPN did write a gently pointed piece on Nino's development. (E Tu, Katie?) However, I can't imagine that Mr. Snow is any more pleased with this season's outcome than the fanbase is. The difference is -- he gets to call the shots. We get to debate what they should be.

And debate we will.

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