Islanders website: Has the recap of Tuesday's 3-0 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. Ted Nolan talks about the club's character and how they have to buckle down and find a way. Rick DiPietro talked about how the players have to put in the work and notes several clubs have injuries. Ted Nolan took responsibility for Miroslav Satan playing hurt for a while now.
NYI Fan Central Comments:
What can I write folks? The scoring graphic going into the game speaks for itself as to all the players not producing. The Isles did skate and try tonight, the talent to get into the high quality area's for shots simply is not there nor is the finishing ability. Makes for some very ugly hockey.
Comeau came out in front at the beginning of the second for a good chance, Satan had his chance where he got hurt but mostly a lot of low percentage shots from where the opposition wants you to shoot from and when Hilbert got his chance in a prime spot Giguere made the save. Anaheim clogged up the neutral zone and the Islanders only drew one early power play while the Islanders took several poor penalties in the offensive zone. Vasicek's call for the five on three was marginal.
You don't want Bergeron's shot or Berard on your defense welcome to Aaron Johnson and Bruno Gervais on your only power play, pick your posion?
Islanders are good at taking penalties and Anaheim did all they could in the first period to go offside's and looked as poor as their record recently. Hilbert forced them offside's on a few big plays. Billy Jaffe made the correct point the Isles should key on Neidermayer because Schneider did not look right with his hand injury.
Finally Scott Niedermayer's shot through a screen gave Anaheim their goal off Bill Guerin's second marginal penalty. Comrie had an offensive zone penalty, Comeau took a retaliation penalty. Anaheim is not very good nor did they have to play very well to wear down the Islanders.
Anaheim should have had a 2-0 lead going into the third but DiPietro made a fantastic save and kept his team in it for two periods. Still it did not give the Isles any energy to force the puck deep and work Anaheim's defense. Finally DiPietro gave up the Marchant's backhand goal to make it 2-0 which was not a great goal. Meyer-Sutton-Comeau lost a forward on the third goal.
Anaheim if anyone watched close in the third completely took the wall from Rick DiPietro as he tried to move the puck to where his outlets helped the Ducks keep the puck and apply pressure.
Game over. Shutout 3-0 by a team that lost six in a row and did not score more than one goal in any of those games.
I think the young players did as well as they could in these circumstances outide of Nielsen struggling on faceoffs. Tambellini just looks like with Guerin and Vasicek and it's too bad Bergenheim found himself as a partial fourth line right wing because he needs to play his natural position.
The players paid to score simply are not giving this team any chance at all and I do think they are trying, it just does not seem to be good enough.
Another week of this and it's fair to say it's almost over. This club shows no sign of being able to come out of it and produce enough to get them some wins. There are losing streaks where you score and cannot win, this is where a weakness that has been there all season seems to be insurmontable.
I don't think where they play makes any difference for those who think getting out on the road will help.