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The Skinny: Rangers 5, Isles 2

"The Skinny" By Eric Hornick Game 68 Rangers 5, Isles 2 Johnny Brodzinski broke a 2-2 tie with 4:59 left in the middle period and ...

Sunday, March 05, 2017

The Skinny: Calgary 5, Isles 2

"The Skinny"

 By Eric Hornick
 
Game 64
Calgary 5, Isles 2
The Flames scored 4 goals in a 4:40 span of the first period to break open a scoreless tie and defeated the Isles 5-2 before a crowd of 18,741 at Scotiabank Saddledome.
 
It was the first time since April 8, 2010 in Pittsburgh that the Isles had allowed four goals in an opening period.
 
John Tavares scored his 24th goal for the Isles. Tavares has recorded at least 24 goals in each of his first 8 NHL seasons; Alex Ovechkin is the only other player in the NHL to score 24 goals in the last eight seasons.
 
Despite the loss, the Isles remain in the second wild card spot, one point ahead of Toronto.

The Scoring:
1ST PERIOD
14:56    Calgary Michael Frolik (14) ASST: Dougie Hamilton (30), Mikael Backlund (27)     0-1
16:28    Calgary T.J. Brodie (6) ASST: Alex Chiasson (8), Matt Stajan (15)           0-2
17:10    Calgary Micheal Ferland (13) ASST: Sean Monahan (22) 0-3
19:36    Calgary Sean Monahan (21) ASST: Johnny Gaudreau (31), Dougie Hamilton (31) 0-4
 
2ND PERIOD
08:30    New York John Tavares (24) ASST: Josh Bailey (33), Scott Mayfield (4)  1-4
 
3RD PERIOD
06:58    Calgary Kris Versteeg (12) ASST: Sam Bennett (11), Matt Bartkowski (1) 1-5
11:32    New York Jason Chimera (16) ASST: Nick Leddy (25), Shane Prince (12)            2-5

The Skinny:
The Isles are 13-6-3 (.659) under Interim Coach Doug Weight …Since opening the season 6-10-4, Isles are 24-13-7 in their last 44 games…The Isles are 4-2-1 in the last seven… The Flames have won seven straight and are 8-0-1 in their last 9; they have allowed 2 goals or fewer in six straight games…Matt Bartkowski recorded his first point as a Flame… Jason Chimera extended his point streak to three games with a late goal...The Flames are 26-0-1 when leading after 2 periods…Brian Elliott improves to 10-1-1 in the last 12…John Tavares is 7-6-13 in 10 career games vs. Calgary.
 
Special Company
John Tavares is only the third player in Islander history to record 24 goals in eight seasons:
 
1   Bryan Trottier           12 (including the first 11)
2   Mike Bossy              10 (all 10)
3   John Tavares          8 (first 8)
4   Clark Gillies             7 (first 5)
     Brent Sutter             7
 
Moving On Up
Josh Bailey recorded his 295th point, tying Mariusz Czerkawski for 20th place on the all-time Isles list.  Bailey played in his 621st Isles game, one behind Stefan Persson and two behind Billy Harris; when he passes Harris (as early as Saturday), he will move into 10th place among skaters on the Isles' games played list
 
Still Tied with the GM
Thomas Greiss has 44 wins as an Islander, tying Garth Snow for 12th place on the all-time Islander list.  Greiss is only the 3rd Islander goalie in the Post-Cup era to record consecutive seasons with at least 21 wins (DiPietro: 2003-04, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 and Hrudey 1986-87 and 1987-88). 

Playoff Chase:

 
Metropolitan
GP
PTS
1.   Washington
64
95
 
2.   Columbus
64
88
 
3.   Pittsburgh
64
88
 
 
 
 
Atlantic
GP
PTS
 
 
1.      MontrĂ©al
66
82
 
 
2.      Ottawa
63
76
 
 
3.      Boston
65
74
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wild Card
GP
PTS
 
 
1.      NY Rangers
65
84
 
 
2.      ISLANDERS
64
71
 
 
3.      Toronto
64
70
 
 
4.      Florida
64
69
 
 
5.      Philadelphia
64
68
 
 
6.      Tampa Bay
64
68
 
 
7.      Buffalo
66
66
 

The Isles Magic Number to clinch a playoff berth is 36 (over Toronto).
 
Monday's games:
Rangers @ Tampa Bay 7:30
Dallas @ Washington 7:30
Boston @ Ottawa 7:30
 
The Isles magic number will not change on Monday.
 
Tuesday's games:
Isles @ Edmonton 9:00
Rangers @ Florida 7:30
Philadelphia @ Buffalo 7:30
New Jersey @ Columbus 7:00
Detroit @ Toronto 7:30
Montreal @ Vancouver 10:00
 
Wednesday's games:
Pittsburgh @ Winnipeg 8pm
Ottawa @ Dallas 8pm
Detroit @ Boston 8pm
 
Thursday's games:
Isles @ Vancouver 10pm
Rangers @ Carolina 7pm
Philadelphia @ Toronto 7:30
Minnesota @ Tampa Bay 7:30
Montreal @ Calgary 9pm
Washington @San Jose 10:30
 
Friday's games:
Minnesota @ Florida 7:30
Buffalo @ Columbus 7:00
Pittsburgh @ Edmonton 9:00
 
Last 33
The Isles are now 19-9-5 in their last 33 games (since December 20th vs. Boston).  In those games, the PP is 17-96 (17.7%) and the penalty kill is 13-76 (82.9%).   
 
#1 is #1 (aka The Greiss is Right)
Thomas Greiss has started 24 of the last 29 games (13-8-4 with three shutouts) and 27 of the last 34 games (15-8-4 with three shutouts).

Weight Lifted
Isles leading scorers since Doug Weight became the Isles' interim coach:
 
 
Games
Goals
Assists
Points
+/-
1
John Tavares
22
8
14
22
+5
2
Anders Lee
21
8
9
17
+2
3
Josh Bailey
22
6
10
16
+7
4
Ryan Strome
22
6
8
14
+1
5
Nick Leddy
22
3
11
14
+3
6
Brock Nelson
22
5
7
12
-2
7
Andrew Ladd
19
9
2
11
-3
8
Jason Chimera
22
8
3
11
+4
 
Half-Way Home
The Isles are two-thirds through their franchise-record nine consecutive road games. The Isles are 3-2-1 in this stretch, despite being outscored 18-14 (and 1-0 in the shootout):
 
·        2/21 at Red Wings (Won 3-1)
·        2/23 at Canadiens (Won 3-0)
·        2/25 at Blue Jackets (Lost 0-7)
·        3/2 at Stars (Won 5-4)
·        3/3 at Blackhawks (Lost 1-2 SO)
·        3/5 at Flames (Lost 2-5)
·        3/7 at Oilers
·        3/9 at Canucks
·        3/11 at Blues
 
When this stretch ends, the Isles will have 15 games left, including seven at home.

Home is Where the Heart Is
The Isles have earned points in their last 11 home games (9-0-2).  It's their longest point streak at home in the post-Cup era.  The last time the Isles had a longer streak was in 1982; the Isles ended the 1981-82 season with a 23-game unbeaten streak (21-0-2).  That streak began on January 2, 1982 and was extended to 30 games over two seasons (28-0-2).
 
The last time that the Isles had a point streak of at least ten home games in a single season was in 1989-90, when they also earned points in ten straight games (12/16/1989 – 1/28/1990). 
 
Longest Point Streaks in Post -Cup Era
11 – CURRENT (9-0-2)
10 -  12/16/89-01/28/90 (9-0-1)
10 – 3/24/13-10/17/13 (7-0-3 – Multi-season Streak)
 
The Shots
Isles       8-10-17=35
Calgary 21-9-7=37

The Isles are 15-7-5 when they outshoot their opponents and 3-2-0 when the shots are even but are 12-15-5 when they are outshot.
 
Home and Road
The Islanders are 30-23-11 overall; 20-8-6 at home and 10-15-5 on the road. 
Calgary is 36-26-4 overall; 18-14-0 at home and 18-12-4 on the road.  
 
By Division & Conference
The Isles are 9-8-4 in Division games and 21-15-7 in games versus other divisions (9-9-3 vs. Atlantic, 6-2-2 vs. Central and 6-4-2 vs. Pacific).   The Isles are 18-17-7 against the East and 12-6-4 against the West.
 
In the Nets
Thomas Greiss made 17 saves before being replaced after 20 minutes; he is 21-13-4 on the season and 2-3-0 in his career against Calgary.  JF Berube made 15 saves in relief.
Brian Elliott made 33 saves to improve to 18-13-3 on the season and 5-1-4 in his career against the Isles.
 
Power Plays
The Isles went 0-3 on the power play, while Calgary was 0-2.
The Isles are 13-6-6 when they score at least one power play goal and 17-17-5 when they do not.  The Isles are 12-11-5 when they allow at least one power play goal and 18-12-6 when they do not.    
 
Three is a Magic Number
The Isles are 29-5-3 when they score at least three goals (including shootout winners) and are 1-18-8 when they do not. 
 
One Goal Games
The Isles are 9-8-11 in games decided by a single goal including 5-8-0 in regulation. They are 3-7 in games decided in overtime and are 1-4 in shootouts.  The Isles are 4-1 in games in which an empty-net goal turns a 1 goal game into a 2-goal game (including one game that they allowed a goal after scoring an empty-netter).
 
First Goal
The Isles are 20-6-7 when they score first and are 10-17-4 when they allow the opening goal.
 
Back-to-Backs
The Isles are 5-6-1 on the front-end of back-to-backs and 4-3-5 on the back-end. 
The Isles will play 16 sets of back-to-backs this season. The next back-to-back set is a home-and-home series with Carolina on March 13th in Brooklyn and March 14th in Raleigh.
 
Tired vs. Rested
·        The Isles are 3-1-3 when both teams played the night before.
·        The Isles are 5-3-2 when they are rested and their opponents are not.
·        The Isles are 1-2-2 when their opponents are rested and the Isles are not.
·        The Isles are 21-17-4 when both teams are rested.
 
Ice-time Leaders
Isles: Nick Leddy (22:50); Calgary: TJ Brodie (22:12)
 
Isles record by ice-time leaders: Travis Hamonic (5-0-0), Nick Leddy (13-17-8), John Tavares (2-1-0), Johnny Boychuk (7-4-1), Dennis Seidenberg (1-1-1), Calvin de Haan (1-0-1), Tied (1-0-0).
 
John Tavares led the Isles forwards with 21:22 of ice-time. Isles record by Forward ice-time leaders: John Tavares (23-15-9), Josh Bailey (4-5-2), Casey Cizikas (1-0-0), Cal Clutterbuck (0-1-0), Brock Nelson (1-2-0), Shane Prince (1-0-0).
 
Face-offs
Isles 23, Calgary 37 (38%). 
 
John Tavares won 11 of 22 but his teammates won only 12 of 38; Sam Bennett won 10 of 14 for Calgary.
 
Face-offs by period: 1st period- 9/20; 2nd period 6/14; 3rd period 8/26
 
Face-offs by strength: Even strength: 19/53; Power play 2/5; Penalty kill 2/2.
 
Hit Count
Isles 11, Calgary 5.  Anders Lee led the Isles with three hits; Mikael Backlund had two for Calgary.
 
Fights
There were no fights.  Season total – 11: (Hamonic 3, Mayfield 2, Strome 2, Boychuk 1, Chimera 1, deHaan 1, Hickey 1).
 
Blocked Shots
The Isles were credited with 16 blocked shots; Dennis Seidenberg led the Isles with four blocks.
 
For the Corsi Crowd
All situations: Isles 64, Calgary 64 (including 34-14 in Calgary's favor in the first period.
5-on-5 Isles 50, Calgary 57
 
5-on-5 leaders:
Isles: Ryan Strome +10; Ryan Strome 73%
Calgary: Dougie Hamilton +12
 
Ironmen
Jason Chimera – 170 (including 106 for the Capitals); Josh Bailey 131, Brock Nelson 78, Calvin deHaan 67, John Tavares 64
 
Scratches
Stephen Gionta, Adam Pelech, Johnny Boychuk (injured), Alan Quine (injured)
 
Injured Reserve: Casey Cizikas
Total games lost: 129
 
All-time Islander Leader Boards:
 
Games Played (skaters)
1.      Bryan Trottier 1123 *** 2. Denis Potvin 1060 *** 3. Bob Nystrom 900
….
10. Billy Harris 623 *** 11. Stefan Persson 622 *** 12. Josh Bailey 621
15 Garry Howatt 596 *** 16. John Tonelli 594 *** 17. John Tavares 574
 
Goals
1.      Mike Bossy 573 *** 2. Bryan Trottier 500 *** 3. Denis Potvin 310
7. Bob Bourne 238 *** 8. Bob Nystrom 235 **** 9. John Tavares 231
25. Ray Ferraro 116 *** 26. Ed Westfall, Benoit Hogue and Josh Bailey 105
 
Assists
1.      Bryan Trottier 853 *** 2. Denis Potvin 742 *** 3. Mike Bossy 553
8. Stefan Persson 317 *** 9. Bob Bourne 304 *** 10. John Tavares 294
16. Frans Nielson and Kyle Okposo 230 *** 18. Pierre Turgeon 193 *** 19. Josh Bailey 190
 
Points
1.      Bryan Trottier 1353 *** 2. Mike Bossy 1126 *** 3. Denis Potvin 1052
6. Pat LaFontaine 566 *** 7. John Tonelli 544 *** 8. Bob Bourne 542 *** 9.  John Tavares 525
19. Ziggy Palffy 331 *** 20. Mariusz Czerkawski and Josh Bailey 295
 
Late Heroes
The Isles have scored three times in the final two minutes of regulation to either tie or win a game:
·        11/25 – SJ Sharks -- Nick Leddy (19:02); tied game, but Isles lost in regulation
·        11/30 – Pit Penguins – Anders Lee (19:33); Game Winning goal
·        2/6 – Tor Maple Leafs – Andrew Ladd (18:31); Isles won in overtime
 
Fit to Be Tied
The Isles have allowed the final goal of regulation in 11 of their 15 games that have gone to overtime this season, including three in the final minute:
 
·        10/16 – Ana Ducks – Ryan Getzlaf (19:00); Isles won in OT
·        11/3 – Phi Flyers – Jakob Voracek (19:02/PP); Flyers won in SO
·        11/12 – Fla Panthers – Jonathan Marchessault (19:46); Panthers won in OT
 
Late Losses
The Isles have been tied in the third period in 12 of their 23 regulation losses (and 23 of their 34 overall losses) but have allowed the lead goal in the final 3 minutes of regulation seven times (including one game they rallied to win):
 
·        10/18 – SJ Sharks - Joe Pavelski (17:49)
·        10/26 – Mtl Canadiens - Shea Weber (17:03)
·        10/27 – Pit Penguins - Sidney Crosby (17:35)
·        11/23 – LA Kings – Dwight King (17:07)
·        11/25 – SJ Sharks – Patrick Marleau (19:37)
·        2/3 – Det Red Wings – Danny DeKeyser (19:32)
·        2/6 – Tor Maple Leafs – Michael Nylander (17:59) (Isles won game in OT)

Better at Night
The Isles are 1-3-0 in day games (0-0-0 at home and 1-3-0 on the road) this season with two games to play:
 
·        11/25 - at SJ Sharks (lost 2-3)
·        1/16 – at Boston (won 4-0)
·        2/11 – at Ottawa (lost 0-3)
·        3/5 -  at Calgary (lost 2-5)
·        3/18 – vs Columbus
·        4/2 – at Buffalo
 
The Isles finished last season 3-4-2 in day games (3-1-1 at home and 0-3-1 on the road).
 
Season Series Stats
The teams split the season series one game to one (Calgary earned three points to the Isles' two).
 
The loss breaks a 5-game win streak against the Flames (5-1-0); Calgary is now 1-0-2 in the last three against the Isles.
 
On The Farm
The Sound Tigers had a disappointing weekend, falling 4-3 in overtime in Rochester on Saturday and dropping a 2-1 decision in Utica on Sunday.  Bridgeport is 35-19-2-1 on the season (and 17-4-1-0 in their last 22). Bridgeport is in 4th place in their division, even though they hold the 8th best record in the AHL.
 
On Saturday, Bridgeport was outshot 44-16 before falling in overtime.  Ryan Pulock and Tanner Fritz each had a pair of assists; Jaroslav Halak had 40 saves.  On Sunday, Pulock had the only goal and Halak made 26 saves in defeat.
 
Bracken Kearns leads Bridgeport in goals (19) and points (19-22-41). Rookie Devon Toews leads the team in assists with 28.   Ryan Pulock leads the defense with 12 goals (12-19-31 in only 36 games) while Jaroslav Halak leads the team in wins (14-3-3).
 
Bridgeport returns home to face Providence on Tuesday before returning to Utica to face the Comets on Friday.

Up Next
TUESDAY, MARCH 7th – ISLANDERS AT EDMONTON– 9:00PM
[MSG+2 (Isles Game Night begins at 8:30), WNYM 970AM, 88.7 WRHU-FM, 103.9 WRCN]
 
Game seven of this 9-game road trip will be on Tuesday in Edmonton.  It will be the Isles' first visit to Rogers Place in Edmonton.
The Isles have not won in their last six games (0-5-1) in Edmonton, dating back to a 5-2 win at the then-named Skyreach Centre on March 13, 2003.  Garth Snow was in the nets for the Islanders.
This has been a home-team series for a long time; the home team is 12-0-2 in the 14 games since that 2003 Isles win.
Edmonton rallied from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits to defeat the Isles in a shootout at Barclays Center back on November 5th, ending a 9-game Isles win streak vs. the Oilers on home-ice.

Eric Hornick has been the statistician on Islander home game telecasts since January 21, 1982. Information contained in "The Skinny" has been gathered from various sources.  Follow Eric @ehornick on Twitter & on his blog http://www.nyiskinny.com./


 
Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home telecasts since January 21, 1982. Visit my blog: NYISkinny.com and follow me on Twitter @ehornick

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