Special teams the difference in Isles' win over Devs

It was a simple formula for Scott Gordon's club Saturday against their old Patrick nemesis. Special teams were the difference in a well earned 4-2 home victory over the Devils off the Meadowbrook. 


Second period power play goals a minute apart from Jon Sim and Mark Streit along with a momentum turning Sean Bergenheim shorthanded goal midway through the third was enough for the Islanders to snap a four-game winless streak. They victimized former teammate Yann Danis, who made a rare start for Martin Brodeur, who Jacques Lemaire rested in New Jersey's third game in four days. 

“We wanted to get lots of shots and traffic in front of him,” Streit indicated. “He probably didn’t have a lot of confidence tonight. We wanted to take advantage of that. Marty is a huge goalie, a very good goalie. He plays the puck unbelievable. It’s a big difference if he is in net.”

A solid strategy but early on, it was the resurgent Devils who entered off back-to-back home wins over the Rangers and Pens, that carried the play. For a third consecutive game, the guys from Newark struck first when a seeing eye Mike Mottau shot snuck past Dwayne Roloson at 2:52. Rod Pelley and Dean McAmmond netted assists. 

New Jersey continued to carry play, outshooting the Isles 7-1 over the first 13 minutes. When Roloson, who'd never beaten the Devils before- made a routine stop, the restless Long Islanders gave him the business. However, the 40 year-old veteran who's provided solid goaltending for the club bounced back, finishing with  a game high 38 saves including 20 of 21 in a hectic third to finally earn a 'W' versus the Devs. 

With about five minutes left in the first, the hosts finally got untracked- bunching most of their 11 shots on Danis, who finally succumbed to the pressure when Freddy Meyer banged home a Tim Jackman rebound to knot it with 2:37 remaining. Josh Bailey picked up a secondary helper. Meyer's third really gave his team a lift. They continued to dictate, using an effective forecheck that led to two more goals in a second that saw them outshoot the Devs 10-7. First, Sim struck off the rush when he took a Richard Park pass and wristed one through traffic past Danis. After an unnecessary Ilya Kovalchuk slash, Streit made him pay when his left point shot off a faceoff win caromed off Mottau's skate and in. Frans Nielsen got the lone helper. 

Just like that, the Devils trailed by two. David Clarkson tried to provide a spark with a very active shift that featured a big hit. But the lull that started late in the first proved costly. 

"None," a frustrated Patrik Elias said of what went wrong. “We were ready to play. We played fine the first 15 or 17 minutes. Then we just had a couple of bad shifts in a row.”

They showed at least for the third, peppering Roloson with 21 shots but only solved him once thanks to Kovalchuk's fifth in red and black. The electrifying Russian took full advantage of a poor Isles' line change when he took a Dean McAmmond backhand saucer pass and blasted a one-timer from the right circle far side on Rollie, cutting the deficit to 3-2 with still 18:19 to play. The Islanders certainly gave them a great opportunity to turn it around, handing Lemaire's club a two-man advantage for nearly a minute. But the Devs' power play continued to be a sore spot. 

"We’ve got to work on it. Definitely,” Lemaire assessed. “We have to be better.”

Roloson also made some strong stops from in tight, including a pair on Elias. Eventually, another Devil PP proved pivotal but for the wrong reason. With Lemaire opting to go with five forwards down a goal, he got burned literally when Blake Comeau forced McAmmond into a turnover and then blew by Kovalchuk, creating a two-on-one which resulted in Bergenheim's shorty. On the play, his initial shot was stopped by Danis but the rebound popped out going off Bergy's stick and in before the moorings came off. That was the crusher.

“They are in the middle of the playoff race. They’re up there and they want to finish first,” Streit added. “It’s a big win for us.”

One which prevented the Devils from moving back into a first place tie with the Pens, who visit Tampa Bay later today. The two clubs meet one final time at The Rock Wednesday. The Devs' next face Boston tomorrow before getting the chance to sweep the season series against Sid The Kid and Geno.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Dean McAmmond, NJD (2 assists, +1 in 13:58)
2nd Star-Sean Bergenheim, NYI (2nd SHG of season-7th career, +2 in 18:15)
1st Star-Dwayne Roloson, NYI (38 saves incl.20/21 in 3rd for 1st career win vs Devils)


Weight Done For Season: Islander captain Doug Weight's season is done. The crafty 39 year-old American playmaking pivot opted for season-ending left shoulder surgery for a torn labrum/rotator cuff which certainly slowed him down. In 36 games this season, he had a goal and 16 assists.

"It's not the type of hockey I wanted to play," the prideful first-year captain said. "I couldn't finish a check, I couldn't take a check, I couldn't handle the puck, I couldn't shoot the puck with velocity I was used to. I was spending 80 per cent of my shift positioning myself so I didn't blow my shoulder out."

The former Rangers' 1990 second round pick has had a superb 18-year career playing for half a dozen teams (NYR, Edm, Stl, Car, Ana, NYI). Among the highlights have been representing Team USA at the Olympics along with helping the Hurricanes win a Stanley Cup in 2005-06 after being acquired from the Blues. Last season, he went over 1,000 career points. In 1,220 career games, Weight's amassed 276 goals and 748 assists for a respectable 1,024. If it's the end, he certainly doesn't sound like it.

"I'm going to approach it with the aspirations of still playing hockey," he added. "I've still got the fire in my stomach when I hit the ice. My legs still feel strong, I feel strong on the puck. The rest will be written in the summer. I'll approach it to come back with 100 per cent aggression.

"I'm going to attack this like I'm 25 and have to get ready for camp. But if Thursday was my last game, I have no regrets."

The Buck Stops Here

After tonight, I've had enough. A classic rivalry it wasn't, lacking in intensity on the ice from our flat team and in the stands where I didn't see one fight or heated debate between Ranger and Islander fans. Perhaps that's cause anyone wearing our jersey held their head in shame. I can honestly say this is one of the worst games I've ever attended and am embarrassed to root for this team.

There's zero pride. With only one shot in the first 17 minutes, the players showed that they don't care. To think I actually went in more optimistic than my brother, who didn't have any juice for it which isn't like him. He's usually more enthusiastic. The feeling at least for me was that off the last two games, the Rangers would actually come out and play well against their most bitter rival. Instead, it was not hockey. Oh. One team competed, forechecking with vigor and attacking at will against our putrid D, which looked like they'd never played organized hockey. Or as much as I have. They were dreadful.

Once another garbage player (Jon Sim) banked one in off Henrik Lundqvist, who obviously wasn't paying attention, it didn't take long for fans to turn on the club. The first "Fire Sather" chants of the season came from our Section 411, gaining steam as this debacle went on. Sadly, the Berkeley Carroll girls varsity blowout win we scored in Park Slope had more energy. And it wasn't exactly a barn burner.

The most interesting aspect of going wasn't what was happening on the ice but rather a lengthy chat with an anonymous Garden employee, who's been there 19 years. They talked about how disgusted they were with how the World's Most Shameless arena is run, going into how Dolan destroyed the place and the three franchises. Yes. That includes the Liberty too. According to what they described, it used to be that every MSG employee was happy and getting paid handsomely. But the way its run these days has taken a toll. That's what happens when it goes corporate. I got a little taste of some of the stench between periods, where a scummy loser disagreed that the game was over. They probably couldn't name one player on the roster.
Also worth noting is how they went out of their way to trash Bettman for ruining the game. And like yours truly, they concurred that the lockout, which others blindly praise solely for the cap was a hoax because it just fattened owners' pockets while real fans are routinely shafted these days. It didn't take long for the convo to reach the whole renovation, which will once again phase out diehards. Right now, it's nearly 40 bucks to sit in nosebleeds for a sad sack team that has quit on the coach, who's out to lunch. How else do you explain Huggy Bear seeing second line duty down a goal? Wow.

I hate to say it. But when Dolan's dream is completed, the Garden will become one of the lamest places because they want losers there who couldn't tell the difference between a puck and a basketball. That's who it's geared towards. The suits and leggy Ford Models who get the royal treatment. At least Melissa Joan Hart was sitting downstairs. Sabrina Teenage Witch will always be one of our faves. Still looks great for being a Mom. I might have been the only one to cheer but hey, I have good taste.

By the 11 minute mark of period three, I'd had enough. I kept hoping for a whistle so I could just get up and leave because it was that bad. Full marks to the Isles, who played the way one expected. Like they wanted to get their second win in the last six to move two points up on our sinking ship. At 1-zip, I knew they weren't winning. The players couldn't test Dwayne Roloson at all, turning the Islander D into the Devils. Every Islander hustled, sacrificing to block shots and make it tough on our guys. By the time I got to the car, it was 2-1 with Blake Comeau supposedly victimizing Lundqvist before Enver Lisin actually did something, snapping the shutout. It didn't matter. This team is every bad adjective I can think of. Some which I can't post in this space. It's not worth it anyway.

As I left the building, I decided I don't want to go anymore. If we can sell my seat for next week's Islander game after Christmas and so forth, great. I'll go if I really have to. Let's put it this way. This Ranger team doesn't deserve any support. If we can make money back on this despicable product, no prob. I can catch the games on the tube with usual rose colored Red, White and Blue coming out of the brainwashed announcers. That's what you're dealing with. Bottom line. If my tix sell, I won't be at another hockey game the rest of the season. My stance is simple. Until there are serious changes, I won't voluntarily go. Am considering supporting the alma mater St. John's who takes on Hofstra in an all city ECAC showdown this weekend. Haven't seen the Johnnies in ages. And they're off to a nice start. Granted. Not against stellar comp but still encouraged.

I've seen plenty of hockey games anyway. Tonight wasn't one. The buck stops here!

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Blake Comeau, NYI (GWG-2nd goal of season, 3 SOG, +1 in 13:19)
2nd Star-Jon Sim, NYI (goal, 5 SOG, +1 in 11:20)
1st Star-Dwayne Roloson, NYI (25 saves)