Congratulations to Islanders captain Bill Guerin on his 400th NHL goal.
Sports Network & CBC.com & Associated Press: Recaps New York's 4-1 win against Toronto on Friday.
NYI Fan Central Comments:
For one night lets just enjoy the positives, anyone who watched knows the Leafs played like dead team skating (they flew here Friday) most of the night and Toskala handed Okposo a brutal goal, the Toronto defense looked like the keystone cops on Guerin's 400th and they did not have a lot of jump beyond the powerplay.
Having written that Islanders did some very good things in this game starting with keeping the pressure off DiPietro without a lot of second chances or close in that allowed him to play a very compact game. Witt on one knee broke up a three on one in the first, he made another play in the third that looked the same clearing the crease but for the most part they let DiPietro see the puck and make his saves.
Overall defense was solid enough, did not like Campoli losing his man on the goal but Gervais jumped into plays and Toronto did not get a lot of odd-man rushes. The pk overall did some scrambling but kept their composure and made plays with Park passing back to a defender for a third period clear and some good positioning by Bergenheim on one with no stick. Jackman got a well deserved cheer for keeping the Leafs pinned on one of their powerplays.
Comeau-Comrie-Okposo like last game created some very good chances, it will go for Comrie soon, his career trends tell us that much. Bailey made the play for Guerin's first goal on the tip, Tambellini got in traffic and was working also.
Comeau moved the puck very well to Meyer for his goal.
Sillinger was badly needed on faceoffs and looked better as the game wore on. Not sure what Scott Gordon was doing with Okposo on the point for the powerplay, he did not look very comfortable until he moved into the corner.
Not seeing Bergenheim on a fourth line, he moved around a lot tonight. Damn shame what happened to Hilbert who made a great play to block that shot, fracture means Sim or someone else moves back in the lineup and the Islanders lose a player who does a lot of things to keep this club in games.
I don't think I have ever seen a goaltender called for delay of game like that where someone was skating in on him and he held the puck. Sure felt like that was payback for DiPietro getting on the official when he was run into during the second or something was up, very strange to see a call there.
It's been a long-time, a lot of good things happened tonight for the Islanders.
DiPietro's first win since the Atlanta game last season.
Cannot remember if this team cruised to any win this season, will see if the Islanders can carry this into Buffalo.
For tonight, everyone enjoy.
