Islanders website: Has the recap of tonight's 3-2 overtime win against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
"The guys dug down and stuck to it tonight," said head coach Ted Nolan. "People have been questioning us, but we have faith in our group. It was good to see Billy Guerin and Andy Hilbert score and get a power play goal. And what can you say about Ricky, he was sensational. The way we played was a testament to the team and the leadership we have."
"It felt great getting that goal," said Guerin. "Every goal is a good goal even if it goes over five guys and lands in. Comrie made a nice play on the faceoff."
"I told Campy we have to control the puck," said Sillinger, regarding his conversation with Campoli before the goal was scored. "I told him we need to create a 2-on-1 and that last time we took a shot too soon. It feels good that we won. If we can win in Buffalo, we can make it a real successful road trip."
NYI Fan Central Comments:
I'll take the two points. Islanders needed them desperately any way they could get them and they found a way to score another three goals. It was far from pretty and as hard as they worked the problems with this offense and power play are downright scary. It could have been a far different result with the chances the Islanders gave Tampa Bay if DiPietro was not outstanding.
For most of regulation and overtime it seemed like only a matter of what before Tampa scored a shorthanded goal with the mistakes the power play made. Berard's behind the back pass was something Richards saw coming a mile away.
Sutton and the team defense did a very good job blocking shots, his huge hit drew a powerplay. Hunter created a goal for Hilbert, Guerin finally got something to feel good about and he got a few other chances. Sillinger had Holmqvist leaning the other way a bit on the game winner with the look that he was going to pass.
Overall for a team playing it's fifth game in seven days the hung in well they had some jump. Park had his breakaway, Sillinger had his breakaway until he was stripped of the puck. Hunter had an open net wrap-around at hit the post, Guerin hit a post.
Some of those go in it could have been an easy night for the Islanders.
Three out of six possible points, it could have been far worse. This seemed like a game that Tampa was going to find a way not to win as much as it seemed like a game the Islanders were going to find a way to win.
I looked long and hard at the overtime tape leading up to Sillinger and Campoli having their discussion, only thing I could see was Campoli letting up at the blueline on a play where Sillinger carried the puck into the zone which was not offsides. On the game winning goal no one screened Holmqvist on the Islanders, he used the Tampa defender.
Hardly a classic, but Islanders needed this win desperately.