On a night when the Islanders honored Eddie Westfall, the first captain in team history, they played like they were waiting around for him to step out onto the ice.
Of course, Westfall also scored the first goal in team history. The Islanders couldn't even score a goal in this game.
The Bruins, who Westfall spent his first 11 seasons with, did a good job of clogging up the areas of the ice where the Islanders like to go. Due to this, the Islanders never felt the need to try and adjust. Instead they kept falling into the same bad habits that have plagued them all season long.
Rick DiPietro started and did not last past the first period. The Bruins second goal, scored by Nathan Horton, came off of a failed pass by DiPietro. Anders Nilsson, who was called up from Bridgeport earlier in the day replaced DiPietro for the start of the second. Nilsson looked OK in his NHL debut, making some decent saves but giving up three goals. Unfortunately, he was left out to dry by his defensemen on a couple of the goals he gave up.
The Islanders best forward was Jay Pandolfo, and he's been that the last two games. That's not a good thing.
The Bruins were given every opportunity they wanted tonight on a silver platter by an Islanders team that quite frankly looked disinterested, disoriented and over-matched in every area of the game. The loose puck battles they were winning on Thursday night were missing. The much bigger Bruins team was able to walk into the offensive zone any time they wanted, uncontested.
In sports, this would often be one of those games where you would say "burn the tapes." However, it shouldn't be. Jack Capuano made it sound like that too in the post game. He spoke about his team not trying hard enough to win, and not willing to take the bumps, bruises and cuts necessary to win hockey games. I think at this point you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who thinks otherwise.
There isn't much else you can say about this game that hasn't been said before. It was an embarrassing effort on what was supposed to be a special night for Westfall. The ceremony before the game was the only thing that went right, which is just a sin.
New NYI FYI Sunday: Sean has returned from his trip, and we'll be back on the air live at 11 AM on our uStream account. As always, you'll be able to catch the podcast shortly after the conclusion of the live show.
You're all encouraged to submit your thoughts and questions via the chat room through uStream or by sending us your thoughts on Twitter.
Enjoy it everyone!
-Chris
nyifyi@gmail.com
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IS THERE any hope? Initially, we lost tough games where it could be justified that a bounce, a check, a big stop, a break and we could have had a winning record. Effort was there although weaknesses were exposed. Now, the snowball effect has taken effect. Team looks overmatched for periods of time. Effort started becoming questionable, totally became non existent. Goaltending, even on the rediculous carousel was good(just not good enough). Now looks awfully bad. And for all the capuano defending I've encountered, his latest press conference has completely indicated his lack of answers for this year. He said I don't know? Quote.......... ,
While the obvious change.needed won't happen, this team is talented enough to at least be a 500 team. Instead they have quit. A coach change.is almost inevitable at this point. Would take a miraculous 3/4 game win streak. But seriously does that seem remotely possible.
And last gripe, hows that 3 goalie rotation looking now, nabby on it, montoya hurt for not playing in 3 weeks.
Ugghhh
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