Sid should send 91 a “Been there. Sucks to be the obvious best player on your emerging playoff team” fruit basket. And some ice packs.
There was so much that went right last night for the Penguins that this post could focus on just about anything, but it feels good to be on the giving end of a seek-and-destroy strategy. The Pens registered 36 hits. I lost track of how many of those were on John Tavares, but it was enough to be a constant physical presence that prevented him from even getting a shot on goal last night. As Tavares’ success goes, so goes the success of the Islanders. There is the fact that Fleury played very well last night, but the vast majority of the Islanders’ 25 shots on goal weren’t exactly quality chances coming from the disheveled Islanders offense. His rebound control continues to impress me, but I digress…
The “make a dent” part of the Pens’ strategy forces the Islanders to shift their focus from scoring to protecting. Protecting often means retaliating. Retaliating often means power plays. Power plays often mean Penguin goals – 2/4 last night. So this leaves the Islanders in a tough position: Continue to protect and retaliate or leave their golden goose to fend for himself against Brenden Morrow, (eventually?) Brooks Orpik, and a guy nicknamed Crankshaft.
Let’s open this up to the IslesTalk.com team. You’re the experts on the Islanders. What resources do the Islanders have to take care of this issue, because I don’t see the Pens letting up on Tavares any time soon.
15. Let’s Go Pens!
Hold onto the seat rails, it is going to be a great series. We are not going to be a pushover.
See ya at the old barn on Hempstead Turnpike!
Gary Harding
islestalk.com
This is more of the kind of series I was expecting/worrying about! Game four is always a pivotal game, but this one is huge. If the momentum swings us back to Pittsburgh with a 3-1 lead, I don’t think we’ll have to return to your barn.
No Sherl… We moped a little, and moved on. You will see a MUCH DIFFERENT Islander team. That is a PROMISE!
Good luck tomorrow!
Buahahahaha
Is he crying??? Bahhhhhhhh
Nah, that pic is from a game in which the Isles were getting smacked around by a lesser team. The ‘Canes I think. Tavares is more or less hitting a low point in the season, and we’re lucky enough it was caught on film.
Greetings from Long Island, or “Bowing head Central…” Hopefully it was a case of first game jitters and move on.
As far as options, the reason for the success at the end was when Tavares’ line was not scoring, the second and third line stood up. They were almost invisible for the first 20 games of the season.
One thing that the Isles have done well is not ‘stew’ about things. The watched tape, learned, and came out differently.
With this team it sometimes takes a circuitous bounce, or something silly, that awakens the spirit. God knows that we need more than that, against the Pens.
I am wishing that a much better team comes out to the Consol tomorrow night. Good luck guys!
Gary Harding
http://www.islestalk.com
Thanks for the input, Gary. I have no doubt that the Islanders will look at the tape and come up with a plan to take back some momentum. But I hope, as your fellow writer suggested in one of the lastest posts on your site, they then burn it because they need to forget and move on.
Luckily, you say that’s one of their strengths. I’m confident Nabby can bounce back, but I think the rest of the team is a bit of question mark in that department this time of year.
We will find out tomorrow!
Unfortunately if Sid plays he’ll be their target but we have the guys to take care of that!
That’s true, but the Islanders aren’t really built to play that game well. Plus Sid has seen it all before at the playoff level. I’m not too concerned about it, because aiming for Sid would be yet another distraction for an already shaky team.
I expect the boys to come back with Vengence tomorrow night…they WONT take the injuries they are causing our team-mates NOR their ”’Cheap Shots”” the REFS are letting them get away with, PENS REVENGE ON ITS WAY…CRANKSHAFTED, POSSE WHIPPED, EVIL MAD TERROR….I DONT CARE, THEY WANT TO PLAY DIRTY, LET THE GAMES BEGIN & JUST GIT ER DONE PENS…BTW, Can ya give Tavares a good ole Sneaky kick in the ass or punch him ”HARD” in the nose for me…Ahahaha !!! 😉
Oh Donna Smith, They’ll get CRANKSHAFTED on the ice ! And ‘POSSE’ whipped from Section 110!! GO PENS!
Tavares needs to be CRANKSHAFT Big TIME….D Was Awesome last night and how about Fleury with those freaking awesome saves and the Shut Out..WOW…So PROUD of my PENS and yes, PLEASE keep going the way you boys are (without injuries that is) now TIME to kick some Islanders A** tomorrow night !! LETS GO PENS !!
He didn’t even get a shot on goal! Great D last night Pens. Keep it goin!
Go PENS BABY!!!