Wild 1: Islanders 2
Well, at least we survived.
That's what the Islanders are no doubt saying in the locker room right now as they come away with a win against the Wild, 2-1- and if they aren't, I am. What started out as a fast-paced, lively game turned into a quest to avoid giving away a point, but thanks to some sharp defense and the quickness of Al Montoya, they ultimately triumphed.
First blood was drawn on the PP by Andrew MacDonald, who threw a sweet wrist shot that banked off the post and hit the twine. Then a bit later, Frans Nielsen got a pass from Mark Streit and redirected it past Nicklas Backstrom for the 2-0 lead (after getting the puck out with some gorgeous work along the boards- at least, it was either him or John Tavares before a line change, I couldn't tell because I was too mesmerized). The defense held Minnesota to just TWO shots on goal for that period, and the two shots they did have were saved well by Al Montoya. The defense was blocking everything that came their way. All was going well.
And then the Wild got going.
I'll be honest- Minnesota dominated the Isles through nearly two full periods afterward. They were quick, smart and aggressive, everything the Islanders should have been for a full sixty minutes- and while the Isles managed to make some good plays and hold off the Wild's comeback, they owe a huge part of their success today to Al Montoya, who carried his stellar play from Saturday night over to this afternoon. He made 20 saves to seal the deal for New York, and was especially impressive on the PK, which had a full plate today thanks to a combination of whistle-happy refs and their own rambunctiousness. Even the away commentators were giving him props, which definitely made me proud. Save for one small hiccup that led to a goal, he was perfect.
As it was, though, the Wild didn't score until 1:13 of the third period, on a shot by Matt Cullen, who now has two goals in two games. From that point on, the Isles went into survival mode, as the Wild offense was buzzing and aggressive as hell. In one shift, John Tavares got bowled over twice, by two different Wild players, and that should not happen. JT, I know you're a smaller guy, but at some point you have to stand up and take matters into your own hands, or you're just going to keep getting smacked. The Isles are not a team that is prone to dirty plays, no matter what some other team's fans tell you; however, they can get aggressive if need be, and that needs to be true in Johnny's case.
Another player I wondered about was Michael Grabner, who's been floating around a bit and had a couple of chances in this game, but didn't do a lot. It's only two games in, I know, but for the Isles to establish themselves, every facet of their team has to contribute early. We're not an incredibly well-known offensive juggernaut, but Grabs is one of five 20-plus goalscorers (he had the highest goal tally at 34) and he, JT, Matt Moulson, and others have to step up now and contribute more to the scoring. We saw flashes of what the Tavares line is capable of, and clearly we saw much of Grabner's speed, early on; now that has to be sustained. You can't show up for one period and score twice and think that that's enough. It has to be consistent, and it wasn't today.
So, the Isles don't play again until Thursday (Tampa Bay), and I'll likely be subjected to another away telecast (thanks, Buffalo market). I did enjoy FS- North (I think it was them anyway) more than I did the Florida broadcast- the guys were a bit chattier, a little more informed and a lot less dramatic than the fools from Saturday. Still, I miss Howie Rose and Butch Goring. (I miss Billy Jaffe even more, but let's not talk about that.) I'll probably update with some posts on hockey in general during the week, so stay tuned if you'd like to know my rambling opinions. xP
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