More Goals + Hard Play= Just What We Needed... Right?

Islanders 3 : Thrashers 4 (SO)

Picture the scene Wednesday night at my house in Brooklyn. I'm freshly showered and frantic, with an Isles game to watch, an article for my journalism class due the next day, and a strained knee from I have no idea what... so in-between typing, swearing, quoting, swearing some more, and trying to keep up with the score via my favorite message board (*grin*)... I realize the game has gone to OT, with Trent Hunter's late PP tally in the third. My article done, I am now limping as fast as I can go from my living room to my bedroom to turn on the TV and watch, and limping back to find that my trusty old computer has faithfully frozen up on me. By the time that problem is resolved, I limp back to see the shootout... and Ilya Kovulchuk's (predictable) game-winner.

Hey, at least we got the point.

But is that enough anymore?

By some standards, the Isles may have been lucky to rebound from a 3-1 deficit (built upon TWO shorthanded goals by the Thrashers) and come back to even earn a point. But after a stronger game (albeit STILL plagued by soft passing and low-percentage plays), the Isles (13-11-2) should be able to hold leads when scoring in the first. They are overall 7-3-1 now when scoring first, so it should be a snap for them to hold the lead they made for themselves off of slowly-sparking center Mike Comrie's ninth of the season. But errors on the PP made it all too easy for Atlanta to tie and then take the lead.

Ted Nolan did make some line changes in this one, again, going back to the lineups he had at the beginning of the season- with Ruslan Fedotenko, Comrie and Bill Guerin back together as the FA line, and Bergenheim back on the fourth line. The Comrie line seemed to click well (Comrie has two points in as many games- hey, it's better than none) and Hunter as well as Sillinger scored much-needed goals, especially from them. However, defensive strategy was erratic in some places (although Chris Campoli was good both offensively and defensively) and Rick DiPietro let in a rare soft goal by Marian Hossa, which happens every so often, of course. Plus, although nine of nine penalties were killed by the ever-consistent PK, it is so important to stay disciplined, so that fewer chances are given by Atlanta's Kovulchuk-Hossa tandem to score.

Next game, at Florida and a Panthers team that has had some blowout wins against the Isles- but this should be a win; of course, providing that the Isles play another good road game like they did Wednesday, minus the giveaways and penalties. Defense as usual should come first with these guys, but what's also important is what was done last game- getting to the net, creating traffic, and playing a good offensive game as well.