Islander

Bruins – Isles 3/6/10

What a beatuiful afternoon.. Snow is melting – crocuses should be blooming soon. Spring is coming.

But it is a hockey game in Uniondale today, and I am here in the Blog Box (FOR A CHANGE), to cover the game.

Warmups notes

No sign of Tambellini… Are you surprised? Not me; and I was always one to defend him, but his play, in a word, STUNK! He needs to make a decision as to what direction he wants his career to go. Rob Schremp did, but Tamby has not done that. Hence, a return to the press box.

Rollie shouold be in net – as he came out first. I believe that Tim Thomas is between the pipes for the B’s. Thomas’ stock has declined more than AIG since the Winter Classic. Boston has struggled mightily, and the play of Thomas has not helped their cause at all.

LOTS of Black and Gold in the stands today. Should be interesting to see how loud it will be if the Blues get one in the net.

Player to watch today: Jack Hillen – I just get more and more impresed with his play with every game. He just brings out a quiet sense of confidence that helps out the rest of the team. It is great to see how he came back so early from that horrific jaw injury thanks to Alex Ovechkin. But Hillen is team player, and is not only back, but playing a pivotal part of the Islander D and getting major minutes a game. Look to see what he does.

1ST PERIOD

0:00 – Isles starting lineup – Roloson, Streit, Gervais, Okposo, Bailey, Nielsen – Boston – Thomas, Wideman, Stuart, Recchi, Bergeron, Krejci

GAME TIME!

0:30 – you can see that the strength factor on Bailey has increased greatly in the past year.

1″00 - the Let’s Go Bruins – and the subsequent BOSTON SUCKS chant behins. How long until we hear the Let’s Go Yankees chant. Oh – we did.

1:27 – Penalty on the Isles – Sim for tripping – or just being a pain the arse?

2:30 – the PP for Boston is mightyaggressive, but the OK has stood up to them – even with broken sticks. Postionally well – as Billy Jaffe would say. Good kill boys!

3:45 – Streit got away from the defenders, and got a great shot off – just past the glove of Thomas, but just wide of th post.

4:45 – Jackman trying to get under Charas skin. Tune in later to see if it worked. Savard – doing a nice toe drag to get his shot off, and was deflected ove the glass.

5:40 – first real opportunity for Isles offensively – scrum in front of Thomas- one shot, but relief came for Boston.

6:50 – Boston sucks chant comes back with a vengence. If I have to hear about Red Sox Nation again….

8:40 – meyer streaking down the right wing – got a shot off – good stop by Thomas

9″00 – not a great deal of chemistry with the lines or the basic game process at this point. A lot bustle, but not the most amout of hustle.

10:30 – is it just me – ir is it the defensive guys that are providing the most spark on this team today.

11:20 – Dylan Reese just looks about a half step behind. Hillen, MacDonald and Kohn have been able to fill the level up quite nicely. Not that he can not do it – I just think he is a little more raw than the other guys.

12:15 – Tavare misses a golden opportunity. He has to STICK those. Keep charging and keep trying John.

13:10 – Isles outshot right now 12-3. Got to make more opportunities on net. Got to come out of the neutral zone with some confidence.

14:40 - Freddy IV great garbage clearance in front ot the Isles net – saving a goal.

15:00 – Isles are just getting beaten so much in the puck battles, and the decision making, after the debacle on Thursday – you would think that the team would respond better.

16:00 – Bergie got off a beauty – just wide

18:25 – I am just talking to m conterpart saying that we had 22 shots in the 1st period on Thursday, and gave up 4. Wewere looking this sloppy, and there was no score…. Oh well – a shot from between the circles by Lucic gives the road eam the 1-0 lead on their 15th shot of th period (as opposed to New York’s 4).

1st period conclusion – this team needs a shot of adrenaline – or maybe a taser or two.

2nd period

2:18 – ISLES tie it up on the power play- a lot of pressure in front of Thomas – with Bailey jamming it home on just their 8th shot of the contest. Streit and Okposo got the helpers on Bailey’s 14th of the season.

3:10 – I think that the wake up call came through – Bergenheim got through about 4 Boston players and got a shot through with Schremp providing support as well.

5:04 – Bruins take the lead back as Krejci got his second of the game on an empty net as Roloson went to the left corner to block the side.

6:15 – again – Reese looks a little intimidated… Chara just rent off the ice, but I believe it is for equipment reasons.

7:40 – found out that our old friend Miro Satan got the assist on the second goal.

8:00 – Isles get a little flourish going, with Schremp getting a nice pass off to Reese who nraly got it glove side.

8:26 – Penalty to the Islanders – Reese for Interference. Chara returns to the bench.

9:20 – Roloson commits probably the most major faux paus of the year, he slid back as the puck went over the net, and then slid right in front of the crease to a very fortunate Savard who tamely slid the puck into another open net. 3-1 Boston. So much for the momentum swing. Hey Mark – make sure that you buy the Isles some alcohol…

9:50 – Thornton takes down Roloson and no call. Interesting….

10:40 – once again – sloppy decisions, and basically – the inability to bring the puck out of their defensive zone – is making life a little difficult.

12:00 – Thomas makes a great stop on Comeau, and 5 seconds late – Boston hits the post.

13:15 – Milan Lucic sets up for his bog slap shot – and Richard Park comes in and steals it before the blade can touch the puck. It is so cartoon like.. Then Blake Wheeler, skates by the puck as he is ready to get a cross ice pass. It is so keystone cops.

14:25 – Jackman and Chara going at it again…..

14:25 -Hillen just about a little anonymous tonight. Done some good work with his puck movement, but looks a little tentative in only his 3rd game back from injury. Not making thisa negative, but a work in progress.

15:10 – Bergie had a chance for a breakaway, but 1/2 twist of a puck made it look lie a missed opportunity.

16:06 – Michael Ryder slams Blake Comeau to the boards, landing face first to the ice. After a few minutes – he is on his knees, and is getting on his skats and leaving the ice. Ryder gets a five minute major for checking from behind and a game misconduct. If there ever was a time to change the momentum of a game – this is IT!

17:30 – 1 minute into it – and they seem to be looking for the highlight net. Need to crash the net and make chances. Schremp, Tavares and Moulson were going that – getting a couple of shots on net.

18:45 -what this PP does NOT do is keep the feet moving.

19:30 – Bailey misses a wide open net, which gives the crowd a warm fuzzy feeling.

2nd period conclusion – A little better – but this team needs to take advantage of the last 66 seconds of the power play and get the score closer.

3rd PERIOD

At least he is ok.

Notes – Streit leading all D with 17:35 of ice time. Kohn the lowest on the D with just over 8 minutes. On the forwards, Okposo is just under 13 minutes, and Bailey is the only other forward with over 12 minutes. Schremp and Tacares are the shot leaders at 4.

1:30 – PP ended a little flat – Isles have a little hill to climb here – and can not make any mistakes.

At one point late in the first period- the Bruins had a 15-4 shot advantage. With 16:55 left in the 3rd, it is now 28-28.

3:37 – Congrats to Mark Streit on getting his 200th NHL point with the assist on the Bailey goal.

5:47 – Moulson – left alone in the slot, gets it by Thomas – it is now a one goal deficit. Team leading 23rd goal of the season. Not bad for an AHL’er with nowhere to go…

7:00 – one more to a CHILI goal – on

8:30 – Boston is now playing a rope-a-dope style, trying to hold on. This is not the team that was at the top of the East last season.

9:40 – Gervais just clanked, and the Isles seem to turn the tide around.

12:20 – Sim gets clipped in the face – and of course – no official saw it.

14:40 – Boston getting a few chances on Rollie, and he stands up to the pressure. Big stat that I saw on the scoreboard. 70-30% face off wins for the Bruins. You should NOT be losing that many draws at HOME guys!

15:10 – time for the Isles to take some more chances – and get more aggressive in the O zone.

16:30 – shift with Okie and Moulson performed good got some action on the net. Have to keep that pressure going.

17:00 – ok boys – time to get desperate.

18:45 – Rollie leaves the net. However, get the puck into the O Zone.

19:10 – Okposo get raped, but no call.

Game over.. Nice try guys.