Buffalo 2, New York 1

New York Islander Fan Central | 12/20/2007 04:35:00 AM | |
Islanders website: Has the recap of Wednesday's 2-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres with comments from Brendan Witt and Ted Nolan.

"The one thing you're looking for is effort," said head coach Ted Nolan. "Tonight we certainly had the effort. We wanted to have an honest effort, play hard and get some shots to the net. We did that tonight. Miller made some great saves and once in a while a goalie has to steal a game. Tonight, Miller stole the game."

"We're at .500 now, so we have to try and get these last two games before the break," said Witt. "We have to stick with our plan and not get frustrated. We'll get some bounces and the flood gates should open. All we can do is keep shooting the puck."


NYI Fan Central Comments:
What can I write?

In the context of one game the Islanders worked very hard but the other goaltender played well. This was not like the game against Montreal where they threw forty five harmless shots at the opposing goaltender, they worked and skated but like all season this team simply cannot make the kind of play where the goalie has no chance or have the kind of talent that can create skilled goals when they need one.

It's not easy to win games with less than two goals most games in this league, something's going to happened and on this night Freddy Meyer took a penalty that seemed a marginal call, Brendan Witt's stick broke which allowed the Afinogenov to set up the kind of goal the Islanders do not seem capable of setting up which is one where a shooter has an open net and some time. First Buffalo goal the rebound went right to their forward off Meyer or DiPietro.

In the overall picture losing the point was a disaster for a club struggling so muchy overall it's hard to see things getting better unless they can bring this effort every game and find something that works in terms of finishing.

The Islanders skated well, if they can bring this effort to their next game we'll see what happens. They just do not have the offensive talent to create skilled goals and would have been shutout if Miller was not screened on Witt's shot.