New York at Rangers 7pm Msg+

New York Islander Fan Central | 2/18/2009 02:00:00 PM |
Updated Player Pos Injury Expected Return
02/15/09 Paul Mara D Shoulder Out indefinitely

NYI Fan Central Comments:
The final home away from home game at Nassau Coliseum west this season.

The Islanders have a shootout win to build off, the Rangers have their strategy to play the low-scoring defensive system or the trap which their fans in the media will never write. Obviously Tom Renney is under some pressure but his club is eight games over five hundred (via shootout) and in a playoff spot with a five point cushion over the team in ninth while this is the latest exhibition game for Islanders.

Needless to write the Islanders could win or lose 10-0 and in the end it will not be memorable in terms of the final season standings.

Scott Gordon's team plays it's fourth straight against the Atlantic.

The Islanders come in scoring more goals per game even with the huge disparity between teams for man game lost to injury which tells the Ranger story best. They also actually have to play a third game in four days but this is not back to back for them.

Islander veteran line is not giving them much these days, Guerin had his spin-around goal but four in almost thirty games. Who knows where Sim plays day by day and Comrie has not been as involved as he was earlier. Ranger top players are not consistent scorers with Drury on a team not currently built to his best abilities.

Lundqvist is either giving up his four goals on twenty shots or giving his team a chance, his play has been spotty for a few months but that's his trend every year.

Home ice as usual has not been kind in this series with the pressure from the visiting fans seemingly putting the home team off their game. Last time in Islanders did not play well at Msg but still led into the third period and kind of gave it back themselves in a 5-4 loss.

If Scott Gordon is coaching by feel as he says my bet is he plays MacDonald who started the two Msg games and starts Danis against Carolina on Thursday.

Updated-Danis apparently starts.


What goalie is going to give up the big early goal, in most Islander and Ranger games falling behind is very tough to overcome.

Overall, it's just another game for the Islanders in a season that will be a losing one regardless. No one win changes anything but we'll hope for some good signs against another very fragile team at this time.

And the beat goes on tomorrow with another important game for the playoff race tomorrow against Carolina.

Just not the Islanders playoff race.



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