Toronto 5, New York 4 Shootout

New York Islander Fan Central | 2/26/2009 10:03:00 PM |























NHL.com: Recaps New York's 5-4 loss to Toronto on Thursday.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
That was one of the more entertaining game of the season for this team and a fun three hours.

Some positives but some negatives that go beyond losing the skills competition for the extra point.

Very positive how the Isles kept pressure on for a good part of this game and just drove the net and attacked. Toskala had to be very good to hold the Islanders to only three goals before he did revert to his reputation on Sim's goal.

Hilbert worked all night, was all over the ref for the delay of game and got it.

Mark Streit just looks like a world-class defender well beyond his scoring in every area, his play to open up Toskala for the 3-4 goal was just amazing. Hillen another very strong game on offense.

Tambellini dropped Luke Schenn with a clean shoulder and it drew a penalty when the Leafs responded. That's how you change a game with a hit.

Only wish he could bring his shootout skills to five on five play.

Bergenheim ever starts producing at even strength they have themselves a player, he was dominating shorthanded.

Blame Toskala/whatever for the 4-4 goal but three goals in four games by Jon Sim is helping the team. McAmmond was robbed in the first before he got his first as an Islander in the second on a good play.

The downside of this game was again not a big impact from Bailey, Okposo, Comeau or Nielsen with powerplay time or even at five on five. This team got most of it's scoring on the powerplay earlier this season, not it's almost reversed.

Seems like Okposo favors going to left side of the ice to make his offensive plays (he is on the left point during powerplays) and Comeau compensates by drifting to the right wing, they still get their chances but their chemistry as a line seems off with Bailey just not getting himself enough into the mix between them.

Nielsen has been off a little bit on his line too, especially with all the powerplay time he is getting on right wing when Okposo comes in off left point. Hunter needs to have more of an offensive impact.

MacDonald again was spotty, he will make a great save and then lets in a softie which led at least two of Toronto's goals and a terrible goal on Moore. Leafs ran MacDonald a lot in this game too driving the net.

Kubina's shot for the 3-2 goal can throw anyone off from there, he was great or you wondered how shots got past him.

Martinek did not cover the lane on the 4-2 goal from an angle he needed to have his stick in position, either a rut in the ice or he hit his jaw on the dasher.

Colin Campbell must be licking his chops with his crack committee after a Brendan Witt five minute elbow after he got into it with him a few years ago. No clue what/if a suspension will be given because there is no consistency in the decision making process.

Give the Leafs some credit tonight, they were the better team at the start and getting games to overtime is what they have done well. Tim Stapleton looked very good
and Jason Blake, many of their big forwards skated hard for Ron Wilson.

They are out of contention but are getting games to overtime, that's the survival skills our team needs to learn again.

This is out how the Islanders kept making the playoffs.

Too bad they did not get two points but liked some of what I saw here.





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