Dubie Once Again Steps Up With Confidence

Isles 4 : Rangers 3 (SO)

Have you seen this goalie?

He was last seen tonight stopping 27 out of 30 shots on goal, stopping 5 out of 6 shots in a SO, and earning his 6th win of the season. If you happen to see this goalie standing in front of a hockey net please call 555-1212 and warn the opponent.

Dubie Dubie do and did.

At first my Isles mate Mark and I thought we were nuts for the bucks we spent on tickets to the game - turns out it was worth every penny. Not only did we have great seats, but we also got to watch Butch ‘fly suit and tie’ Goring pass by during the intermissions. Add to that Isles fans in the seats to the right, left and in front of us. I don't think I've ever high 5'd so many fellow fans at an away game. All the Isles fans at the game were awesome tonight, loud and proud. What more could we ask for?

A WIN!!

YAHOOOO!

At the start of the game the Rangers looked like they were outpacing the Isles, who seemed a bit choppy. Shortly into the 1st period, Brandon Dubinsky provided a close call when his shot banked off the crossbar behind Dubie. Close but not close enough for a goal. Phew! As the period progressed, the Isles appeared to be trying to gain their composure against a team that was doing their best to out run them – and for a while there, it seemed like the Rangers were succeeding - it wasn’t until 13:21 that the Isles posted their first shot on goal. Eventually the Ranger’s start up energy leveled out. Blake Comeau turned the energy tide with a wrist shot goal (18:43) (and yes we’ll take the ‘lucky’ bounces) that led to the 1st period ending with the Isles in the lead 1-0. Considering the ebb and flow of the 1st period, I figured either the Rangers would come out fighting to steal the lead or the Isles would come out fighting to maintain the lead and whoever fought the hardest would win the game.

The 2nd period was first marked by Radek Martinek serving 2 minutes for tripping (1:47) and wouldn’t you know it…Nigel Dawes tying the game 1-1 with a wrist shot goal on the power play (2:29). Unnecessary Isle’s penalties could not happen in any way, shape or form. The Isles would already be too busy trying to defend and offensively overcome the Ranger’s chaotic playing style to then have to do so short handed. Not to worry though because 41 seconds after Dawes’s goal, Sean Bergenheim fired a wrist shot past Henrik Lindqvist (3:10) and the Isles took the lead again 2-1. But wait…there’s more! Exactly two minutes after Bergenheim’s goal, Trent Hunter brought the Isles to a 2 goal lead with a goal (5:10) that was originally credited to Ruslan Fedotenko. Adding more drama to the drama, Chris Drury whizzed a slap shot past Dubie (7:14) bringing the score to 3-2. Ping pong hockey at its finest. What happened for the rest of the 2nd period was a barely successful attempt by the Rangers to take their greatest defensive threat (besides Dubie), Brendan Witt, off his game. Jaromir Jagr was called for tripping (12:36) followed by Sean Avery getting too close for comfort with Witt who rightfully so, responded in kind. Both Avery and Witt served 2 minutes for roughing (12:36) which still left the Isles on the power play, but nothing came of it for the Isles.

The 3rd period was just as much of a nail biting experience as the first two periods. This now was mainly a psychological game of cat and mouse hockey – the hunter and the hunted. The Isles appeared to figure out how to play at an even pace with the Rangers, who overall seemed to be playing like the expression ‘throw stuff against the wall and see if anything sticks’, without giving up their own game. Shortly into the period Jeremy Colliton served 2 minutes for holding (3:08). Soon after Jaromir Jagr served 2 minutes for holding (5:31) which could have provided the Isles with a chance to secure another two goal lead but to the shock of hopeful Isles fans it went the opposite way, with Ryan Callahan’s backhanded SHG on the rebound (5:47). The game ended 3-3, OT came and went scoreless, and a standing-room-only shootout began.

Ya gotta love Bill Geurin. The only way to describe how he looked as he approached his shot during the 2nd SO round was ‘dudes I’ve got this one’. His on ice demeanor at times continues to crack me up (in a good way). Nigel Dawes also scored in the 2nd round. And so we pressed onward in our cheering for Dubie and for one Islander after another. Little did we know Jeff Tambellini had some of his destiny to fulfill in the 6th round - a high wrist shot past Lundqvist that sent Isles fans into a blissful tizzy and sent Rangers fans home with a loss.
Buh-bye.

and now say hello to a fellow Isles fan who sat next to me at the game…

Frank grew up and still lives in Massapequa. He started going to Isle’s games with his dad, as season ticket holders in 1981. Frank now holds season tickets of his own, “section 323, row B, dead center”. Frank loves sports and loves the Isles. His all time favorite Islander is Mike Bossy who he described as a “scoring machine”. Frank has passed his love of the Isles down to his kids who are Isles fans too. Nothin’ like being home in 15 minutes after an Isle’s game eh Frank? Convenience is a luxury that those of us in NYC do not get to enjoy but the Isles are always worth the hellish ride on the LIE!

The countdown to an Isle’s win on Thursday night begins…

LET’S GO ISLANDERS!!