Ding, Dong, the Wicked Witch is deaaaaaaaaad!

No - this is not an attempt to show my feminine side with that Wizard of Oz quote, but I could not come up with any better this early morning.

Well - it did’nt start out that way, as Ricky let in two early goals, and I know that all Islanders fans were hanging on ledges, screaming at the top of the lungs, “WHY ME????!!!”

However, the team settled down, and started to play the Ted Nolan way.   They maximized chances, and play smart puck possession hockey.  Randy Robitaille has emerged from the depths of his scoring drought, and tipped in a nice shot, to get his first in his second stint as an Islander.

Then came the third.  And did the boys come out flying!

As Howie and Billy were talking about the fact that Boston is having quite the difficult time in the third stanza, the Isles rush in on the Boston net, and Trent Hunter picked a nice rebound and lifted it over Bruin goalie Hannu Toivonen, to deadlock the game at 2.  For the rest of the period, it looked like Bobby and Cindy Brady, trying to break the new world teeter-totter record. After a Bruin goal by Zdeno Chara made it 3-2, the Isles answered back on the power play.  Yes, I said it, POWER PLAY!  It is about time that the PP clicked, and in this case, they have changed some of the presentation, allowing the D to pinch a little.  In this case, Tom Poti came in, and with a Chara-like reach, was able to push the puck into the cage off a rebound, to tie the game at 3.

A few minutes later, Paul Mara skated around Sean Hill, like he was standing helplessly still, and got the puck through the short side of DiPietro, to give the B’s back their one goal cushion.  Things began to look like the syndrome was sticking its ugly head out again.

But like one of those arcade games that you have to whack the animal with a big rubber mallet, the Isles came back once again.  On the power play once again, Viktor Kozlov shot the puck into the zone to the right of Toivonen.  Alexei Yashin, pointless in his last 7, released the puck back to Kozlov, who weaved around and got a shot under the arm of the goalie, tying the game at 4 with 99 seconds remaining in the game.

For those stat hounds, according to Elias, this is the first time since 1981 that the Isles got three game tying goals in the third period of a game.  Instead of Hunter, Poti and Kozlov, it was Tonelli, Bourne and Gillies.

During the OT, Boston outshut us 10-1.  In the big instance, Glen Murray had a wide opening, in front an empty net.  All he had to do, was push the puck into that gaping hole.  However, a voice in the TD Bank North, Fleet, Fred’s Bank Garden was heard, saying the following:

NO SOUP FOR YOU!!!!!

Ricky got his stick like a barrier and stopped the slowly moving puck from crossing the line.  That will be a shot that Murray will remember for a long time to come.

Then came the shootout.  After Miro Satan scored in the first round, it went deadlocked in round 3, when Marc Savard lifted a shot over Ricky to even it at one.  When Brad Boyes was denied by the leg pad, Jason Blake took his chance.  He skated right to the Cape, and came back to deke Toivonen and lift it over him, to end the suffering, as well as end the curse.  Also - this was one of the first games in a long time, that the team that did NOT score the first goal won the game.

Now - with a two game streak, and only three points away from the dreaded Rangers, the Isles now have a quick two game home stand again Jersey (again) and Tampa Bay, before a Pennsylvania trip closes the schedule and then the All Star Break happens.

All this game could be, is a confidence booster.  And for the fans, relief.  Wow! 

Usually, we dont talk about the competition, but in this case, I must.  I want to give a round of applause for Bruins rookie Phil Kessel.  The 19 year old was diagnosed with testicular cancer a month ago, and to the delight of everyone, he is back on the ice.  You may not want to see other team succeed, but as a human, you don’t want to see something happen like cancer on a player; especially one as young as Phil.  He seems like a very strong young man both physically and mentally, which is a great testament to his parents, and to those who taught him the game, as well as life.  I hope that you gain even more strength from this Phil, and wish you nothing but good heath and happiness (except when you play us…).

And with a ‘blown call’ causing the Rangers to suffer a tough comeback loss, my Friday is going to be a real happy one.  It seems that the team that ALWAYS gets the edge on referee calls in the minds of fans throughout the NHL got one back to them. Awwww, I am SOOOOO SORRY!!!!!

Does anyone know if Tom Renney threw chairs…? What a week, he is having!

Bring on the Devils.. Another Metro Mug match, and the need for another two points.

Have a great day everyone!