10/22/2011 Islanders Game Review

Islanders 2011-2012 Game 6 @ Panthers Review:

LOSS: Isles 2-4 Panthers

Record: 3-3-0

Summary:

Back to .500 on the season, and in a very disturbing way. The Panthers announced a major trade almost immediately prior to the game, and the team was in a very vulnerable state. The Islanders were able to come out right off the bat and put a puck in the net with a PP goal just a minute into the game. The Islanders had set themselves up well, the Panthers were already distracted and possibly demoralized by the surprising trade announced just a short time before and were already down on the scoreboard early in the game. Had the Islanders continued to press and play a good hockey game, I believe the Panthers would have been put down easily by the Islanders, but instead they stopped working hard. All period long they played the same style that hurt them in the season opener and in their game against the Lightning on Thursday. In the first period, the Islanders had a lot of trouble generating any offense and their breakouts where nonexistent. The Panthers kept the puck in the Islanders defensive zone for most of the period and after peppering Nabokov with shots, they were able to get one in late in the first. The shot totals really tell you a lot about that period, and for that matter, the game. In the first period the Islanders were outshot 14 to 5, and aside from the third period the Islanders didn't get much to the net (10 shots through two periods). The 2nd period was similar to the first, but slightly better from an Islanders perspective, but by far the third period was the best played for the Isles. Ironically, that was the only period they did not score a goal, and ultimately lost as the Panthers put up two unanswered goals. As he has been almost every game this season, John Tavares was great. He had one goal and one assist for two points and he played good all-around game despite his line-mates' poor efforts. Mark Streit, like Tavares, has been great all year and tonight was no exception. Now its great that guys like Streit and Tavares are playing good every night, but it doesn't mean much when they are the only ones producing. The secondary scoring for the Islanders has been nonexistent to say the least. Aside from Streit, there has not been much offense coming from the back-end either. Last season, the Islanders were terrific offensively, but struggled with keeping the puck out of their own net. This season however it has changed dramatically at least thus far. Aside from the first line, there has been little to no production, but the goaltenders have done a good job and had they had the production from last year with this goaltending we'd be winning a lot more games.

Three Positive Players Of The Game:

1- John Tavares- 

I don't have to explain anymore. Every game he has the same spot, and every game he continues to carry this team (unfortunately he can't do it alone).

2- Mark Streit- 

Looked great offensively, and was brilliant on the Power Play. He was average in his own end (sometimes even below average as his minus-3 would attest to), but what really stood out to me was his play with the puck.

3- Kyle Okposo- 

People have been giving Kyle a lot of garbage lately, and in some cases it was well deserved, but in this game I felt as though he really elevated his game. He was working hard along the boards and won a few puck battles. He created some nice offensive plays, but unfortunately none of them materialized into anything of substance. It was still a positive game for Kyle.

Three Negative Players Of The Game:

1- Blake Comeau- 

Ok this is your first game back from being a healthy scratch in two important games, and you play like that? Not the kind of effort you would hope to see from Comeau. He turned the puck over quite a few times and was being lazy on his hits.

2- Michael Grabner- 

WAY too many turnovers in this game, in particular on the 5 on 3 in the 3rd period, he coughed the puck up at least four times. His play has not been at the same level it was at last season, and I am really hoping we see the old Grabner back soon.

3- Trevor Gillies- 

He is a waste of a roster spot against a team like Florida, I don't get why we dress him over a guy like Haley. Haley can play the game and fight and Gillies can clearly only fight. So far this season he has zero fights, so in my eyes he has had zero games that he's been effective.