Okposo Scores Twice, Isles Beat Thrashers

As if this weren't already obvious, the Islanders really missed Kyle Okposo while he was out recovering from shoulder surgery. On Tuesday night, we got to see Okposo at his best.

Okposo scored two goals and added an assist as the Isles beat the Atlanta Thrashers 4-1. Clearly, he was the best forward on the ice for the team.

We got to see a little of everything from Okposo, proving in just his sixth game back that he appears to have worked out many of the kinks in his game. The all-star break probably helped him out too, but he drove to the net all night and was rewarded for his work.

Michael Grabner had a strong game upon his return from winning the distinction of the fastest skater during the skills competition at all-star weekend. We saw him use those wheels at times, but no one was able to hit him with a home run pass that we have been used to seeing at least once a game. I did see a player with an active stick though, stealing pucks on a few occasions to bring the play back the other way. This is very important, and worth noting when you think of the player we originally thought we were getting and seeing where he is now.

P.A. Parenteau continues to surprise me as he looks to have done a complete 180 from what we saw early on in the season. In an ideal situation he isn't on the first line, but you can't argue with something that has been working for the better part of a month. Earlier this season, Parenteau doesn't score the goal he did because he probably doesn't move his feet that much. Earlier this season, Parenteau stops at the boards there and either coughs the puck up or tries to put it around the boards. Tonight he closed in, made some quick moves and elevated a sneaky shot between the legs of Brent Sopel and to the right of Ondrej Pavelec. The elevating of the shot, by the way, is another thing that doesn't happen a couple of months ago.

The only thing that stood between Kevin Poulin and his first NHL shut out was a freak goal scored by Freddy Meyer from behind the net. Meyer kicked the puck back towards the front of the net where it deflected off Travis Hamonic's stick before hitting Poulin's pads and going in the net.

Speaking of Hamonic, he had a rough game defensively. There was certainly some rust from the five day break coming into play, but in all honesty defensively he has looked shaky of late. It's something he'll continue to work on, but if someone like Meyer is going to beat you to lose pucks for fluke goals, then you have to learn better to use that size to your advantage. Hamonic did score a goal though, his first in the NHL. Congrats to him on that.

An interesting note for this one was that Rob Schremp played 4th line wing. If you recall the last post I wrote in this space before going on a slight hiatus, I spoke about who Jack Capuano was referring to when he mentioned "selfish" players after the effort last Wednesday against Carolina. My one guess was Schremp, and those who listened to or watched our show this past Sunday generally agreed.

By demoting Schremp, Capuano all but proved who he thinks one of the key culprits are. He only got 12:45 of ice time tonight. He will be a player to keep your eyes on as the Isles head to Pittsburgh Wednesday night. We'll see if he remains in.

-CH

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