New York 5, St Louis 2 |
New York Islander Fan Central | 10/12/2008 05:15:00 AM |
Bill Guerin
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Joey MacDonald
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Scott Gordon
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St Louis Blues
Islanders website: Tom Liodice from the Islanders blog box writes the recap of Saturday's 5-2 win against the St Louis Blues.
Associated Press: Canadian Press : Also has
recaps of Saturday's 5-2 Islander win against the St Louis Blues.
NYI Fan Central Comments:
You want the good news or the bad news first?
Good news? You got it.
First few minutes Blues looked very big, very fast and confident off it's opening night win, Andy McDonald was generating some very good chances and looked a lot more like the player he was in Los Angeles.
Islanders from there just hit the switch and started outworking the Blues, crashing the net, working the corners and getting to high quality areas in the middle of the ice. Mason gave up a few softies but Hunter went to the middle of the ice, Bergenheim went to the middle of the ice and Comrie's goal came from the middle of the ice.
That's how you score, get to high-quality areas.
New York had a MacDonald of their own, who frankly robbed the Blues of a few which was the difference that set the tone for the game. One amazing second period save by MacDonald led to a second period breakaway where Guerin found Sim all alone that would have brought the building down if he finished.
Four goal first period? This team had eleven first period goals in mid-December a year ago, they had four in the first period last night.
Mason made up for his first period with some excellent saves in the last two, Islanders could have had seven or eight.
Islanders looked good beyond the goals they scored and I wanted to see if their game was technically better with this system, jury is still out but some good things.
I was more impressed with Bergenheim's play late in the third to create a quality chance than his goal. Sim was creating quality chances from everywhere. Okposo created some solid chances, Hunter made a few nice moves to get into position. I did not like seeing Tambellini go to the outside for soft shots when others were looking for the middle.
Mark Streit made that shorthanded goal with his vision to feed Hilbert who made a very nice play to finish, that's a skill that cannot be taught and a quick glimpse of what Streit brings. Comrie was getting his shots back at center.
On defense they bent a little and a few of those saves MacDonald should not have been called on to make. Meyer was on the wrong end of a few plays but stepped up and did a solid job. Gervais was outstanding, for the most part a steady team effort but MacDonald was the difference.
This was a game the Islander goaltending outplayed the Blues goaltending early but you credit the Isles for getting to quality areas. Powerplay could have been a little better.
Very happy for Doug Weight who I bet wanted to prove something here to the Blues along with former Blue, Bill Guerin who capped the scoring.
You would never know the Blues finished behind the Islanders the last few years with all this blanket praise for John Davidson vs Garth Snow.
Now the bad news of the night.
Before this game I wondered what could be the next worst thing that could happen to this team that they simply cannot afford, within the hour it happened.
I do not think they can replace what Martinek gives this team and this is a devastating hit to this defense if he is out for any length of time. He has to be there and at his best for this to have any chance to work in the long-run. Martinek's
shut down defense with his speed and skills key the entire group.
No one in this organization can replace his ability to skate the puck out of the front of the net. After DiPietro long-term this is something I cannot see them overcoming even if DiPietro returns.
Islanders team defense got through last night in the third with a Blues team that seem resigned to it's fate, they scored the 4-2 goal and had a few good scrambles in front of MacDonald but they were giving up chances to get them.
Good win and a nice job by the Islanders getting the place filled with it's media doing all they can to keep people away.
For a player who was in such distress DiPietro had a big smile all night and was last off the ice at the end of the game.
Congratulations to Scott Gordon on his first NHL win.
Did you expect anything but a disgrace from Msg regarding it's coverage? No press conference from Scott Gordon or the players but they have Valiquette on television within minutes?