Rangers 2, New York 1

New York Islander Fan Central | 1/14/2009 01:32:00 AM |
AP: Recaps the Rangers 2-1 win against the Islanders Tuesday night.


NYI Fan Central Comments:

AP notes the Islanders are 1-9-2 against the Rangers which is a mistake with the spin depending on where you set a starting point at worst can now be only 1-6-2.

Regarding the game for the 2008-09 New York Islanders it just goes from bad to worse in the injury department. The fun now really begins if Joey MacDonald is out for any length of time with a groin injury.

Yann Danis gave them a excellent game coming in cold and had no chance on the second goal. The Islanders for their part did a good job but you cannot give up those kinds of goals to a team that is not much better at finishing than the Islanders. How many times does Tom Renney do his Ted Nolan imitation and tell everyone we cannot beat teams playing for high scoring games, it's all about defense.

I would like to see this game a year from now with another season under these kids belts and with a few veterans who can finish. I think the Islander prospects would have broken through the Ranger trap and scored a few goals and forced the Rangers to change their strategy. Bailey was great on the faceoffs, the Islanders worked hard to generate chances but like many games against the Ranger trap they cannot break through with that big chance.

Scrambles, angle shots, too many missed shots but not enough bounces on this day for another goal were the difference. Refs let both teams play and the Islanders for a team with few bangers got in their hits. Jackman did has part well, so did Hunter.

Campoli gives with his goal and gives right back with his play up the wall for the tying goal against. Credit the Ranger for picking a high attempt off the wall but it was obvious he read what Campoli was going to do. Witt for his part tried to play a little offense at times tonight but his spacing on the 2-1 goal considering the distance between players and the angle was not good. It's been that kind of season for Witt.

Considering how many shorthanded goals the Rangers allow the Islanders went for it, Gervais was the defender caught but there was a lot of time for the Islanders to make a play for another goal.

After the first few minutes the Islanders settled in and not only carried play but dominated. The Rangers are simply not that good a team themselves these days and unless they are playing defense like this they will struggle. Too bad the Islanders did not force a mistake from their defense or take a high shot on Lundqvist who is prone to soft goals at times and was sloppy in this one with his rebounds.

I would like to see what this effort does to the scoreboard a year from now as more of these kids find the confidence to finish. I think if the man-games lost to injury were even we absolutely would have seen a different result here.

Given all that's working against this team, they gave all they had tonight. Now they have to do it every game which was saw signs of on the road trip against at times.

Unless they carry it into the Boston game on Thursday it means nothing.










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