ISLANDERS 4 ATLANTA 1
NYI come out of the break with impressive victory
9:30 pm: The Islanders’ 50th game and 16th win featured one of their best team performances of the season. Kevin Poulin continued to show he is a Grade A prospect, making 25 saves in a 4-1 win.
Travis Hamonic was credited with his first goal, tying the game in the second period after a Freddy Meyer goal for the Thrashers. Kyle Okposo (three points) scored his first goal of the season to take the lead, and his second for an insurance goal off a gorgeous feed from Michael Grabner on a 2-on-1. John Tavares had two assists. Okposo put six shots on goal, Matt Moulson a team-high seven.
The Islanders out-shot Atlanta, 32-26. The home team may have been lousy in the final 40 minutes, but give the visitors credit for pushing the play. The Islanders are 6-4 in their last ten on the road.
For any victories the rest of the season, this is one of the ways you’d like to draw them up. Very little to nitpick. Perhaps Josh Bailey, Frans Nielsen, Blake Comeau, Rob Schremp get on the board Wednesday in Pittsburgh. As for tonight, excellent work all around.
61 Responses to ISLANDERS 4 ATLANTA 1
NYI come out of the break with impressive victory
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Dave says:
would love to bottle this effort every night and see how many wins it produces.
gotta think poulin has next year’s #1 written all over him if his play continues, too.
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Meaningless Hockey says:
I agree-not much to knit-pick, except a few guys were invisible, that can’t afford to be if we want to contend night in and night out. Bailey, Comeau, Schremp(kind of sick of his play anyways)
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mbk says:
great game – hopefully they can build on it. Great to see Okposo finally have a game that looked like he is back and Hamonic finally bagged one – great job.
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Islanders Hopeful says:
I think Comeau’s time here is done. Time to move on. Schremp you keep him as long as the NHL has the Shoot out.
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IsleFan73 says:
Great game. Not a big Snow fan, but Grabner pick-up starting to look really good.
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jaygee-calgaryislesfan says:
IMO the best all-around game of the year. Got down a goal early but slowed it down and came through with a sound game. Great to see Kyle put up some Pts to get his confidence and game back after the being off the ice for so long. I especially like the way Grabner and KO played together. Thumbs Up!!!!
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TimQ says:
Nice win. Grabner’s speed and confidence together with Okposo’s grit makes for a nice combo. I wonder what it would look like with JT in between them?
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talk about role reversal. it was great to see for once the isles play like a real nhl team and the opposition play like a ahl team. now lets see how they play against pitt. with the news that buffalo will be sold and the devils looking for a buyer, why cant wang put the isles up for sale as well. with young talent and a owner who would spend just a little, this team could be very good in the very near future. if the isles could get a new arena in queens, i believe the isles would go from worst to first regarding players who would want to play for the team. in addition, the team would increase in value by a very wide margin.
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cdu says:
Grabner is really starting to impress me. What a pass to Okposo in the 3rd.
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Staten Islander says:
Not that I particularly care, but the last time they were in Atlanta, Howie wanted to know how long it was till spring training.
I was prepared for this to be a stinker tonight, but was pleasantly surprised. Poulin was GREAT again tonight.
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Tom D. says:
Good win tonight. Lets see if Capuano can keep the guys playing consistently well the rest of the way.
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joe in alberta says:
comeau is here to stay
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cgs878 says:
KO gets a pair. Hamonic scores one for Atlanta and one for the Islanders. Nice win over a boring opponent. Lots of guys were nearly invisible in this one, but the Islanders got it done in regulation. On to Pittsburgh! No Crosby, no Malkin… sounds good to me.
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Jim Clark says: The Mighty Okposo tallies twice as the Islanders win. Captain Jack Capuano goes with Poutine coming off the break instead of the Face Of The Franchise. The crowds at Atlanta for midweek games look every bit as impressive as Islanders.
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Poulin a prospect? looks like a first string NHL goaltender to me. What else does he need to do?
With Grabner and Ok emerging, we seem to have 2 solid lines rolling right now.
Bailey, Shremp and Comeau, I hope you guys are still renting your housing!! -
joe says:
Great effort but whenever the isles play well and deserve some praise the NHL network just more or less bashed Atlanta for the loss. Josh needs to crash the net! Congrats to Hamonic for his first NHL goal!
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Islebethere4u says:
Good team effort tonight. no passengers for a change Slow start but nice 2nd and 3rd periods. My top three were: Okposo..2 goals and an assist, Hamonic…1st NHL goal, and Poulin.. stood tall in the second ( should have had a goalie interfernce call but this is the Isles. What else is new). Honorable mentions JT, MM, AMc, great pass by Grabner, and good overall game. MG seems to get better and better.
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JT91 says:
Rick DiPietro who? Never seen a goalie go from future to past as fast as this guy! Sorry CB, Poulin Wall is no prospect! Kid is an NHL’er!
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dg putney says:
whew
we are not the worst team in the league any more -
Bob E says:
i forgot how dominate okposo can be. Im sorry guys but i do believe with Okposo and streit we could have been 6,7,8 spot playoff team.
Love that Nielsen, Grabner and KO line.great effort tonight. Poulin is a stud
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onesinceforty says:
How can you say KP is a legit NHL goalie after considering these stats? He obviously has alot more work to do.
Ricky D 20 20 1175 3.42 7 9 4 1 607 67 .890
Poulin 8 6 431 2.37 3 2 1 0 238 17 .929
Lawson 6 4 215 4.19 0 3 1 0 141 15 .894
When I heard he was starting tonight, I just knew it was going to be a win. Do you think the team feels this same confidence during his starts? Don’t they always say championships are built with goaltending and defense? Perhaps this part at least is breaking the right way. It is shameful if the best player does not play the majority of the games. You have to earn it and KP has with performances like this one against the Thrashers.
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I thought Wishart was called up? Just play him, you have Gervais and Reese playing over him for Gods sake! Until we see what he’s got, there is nothing we as fans can do but to bash Snow for the Rollie trade.
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Eric says:
First off Comeau is not going anywhere atleast I hope not. Hes a good player. A bit streaky, but still a young, solid 3rd liner with speed, decent size, and a good shot. Still ganna be 50 point player. Remember he was scratched some nights last year…this is his first/2nd full nhl season. He’s about to turn 25. As for Poulin, I do think he is going to be a good number one goalie for the islanders, but right now he scares me. You can tell he is still very raw at the age of 20 and finds himself out of position and he also seems to stay on the ice a long time. I wish we had Nabakov so we did not have to rely on this kid this early. He can be really good in 3-4 years so lets not break him now like we did with Bailey. I will not say this was the Islandes best game because Atlanta flat out stunk after the 1st period. I thought they played just as hard and well last week when they lost 1-0 in pittsburgh but played a better team and Fleury was solid.
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Brother Rat says:
Alriiiiiight! KO’s back with a multigoal game! Couldn’t be happier to see KP rockin’ between the pipes and the kids playing well and scoring against a team’s # 1 goalie.
I did miss the game–what’s with the 2 penalties? Was it slow? We won–I can’t complain–but was it just a clean game, or did Atlanta just roll over?
For those keeping score, KP’s about as old as DP was when he was thrown in as a rookie with the crappy 2000-2001 team…and KP’s stats are much, much higher. Better record, GAA, Save %. Great to see!
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25yearfan says:
Does pointing out that there’s no such word as “knit-pick” count as nitpicking?
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admin says:
LOL. Fixed…CB
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Oncesince1940 says:
Atlanta announced 11,200 in attendance … I thought that was the lower bowl open seats.
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The Pork Chop Express says:
Very nice win!! Grabner and KO work well together. Both have speed so they can keep up with each other. It would be interesting to see if JT can keep up with them. I really think the for the rest of the year keep JT,MM and PA together. I would move Bailey between MG and KO. I am happy they moved Bailey back to center. Now lets see what he can do. Comeau is a solid 3rd liner so he shouldnt go anywhere. I am surprised that they didnt play Wishart. Didn’t Cap say we dont bring up guys to sit on the bench?? Lets see what happens tomorrow.
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LIT says:
Play of the game was the amazing save poulin made on Kane when the score was 1-0.. Nice effort..
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Islesfan39 says:
Poulin is still a prospect. He played good tonight but dont forget the 3 post. I just dont wanna rush him but he has looked really good. The future is bright him playing 60 games and dp playing 42 around that amount will be a great tandom in the future. Just dont get carried away yet enjoy the W tonight and lets get ready for the pens. Go Isles
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Islebethere says:
What the he’ll are u talking about when u say rush poulin? This kid gives us the best chance to win. Keep everyone who deserves to be here, PERIOD!! Tired of losing. Good win tonight! Let’s keep it up!
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The kid is 20 years old you dont wanna make the same mistake as rick dipietro. Thats what i mean as in rushing him. If hes gonna play then he deserves to stay. If hes gonna be on the bench where he shouldnt be but may be with dp playing then he should go down. He is 20 and you need to remember that.
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jerry g says:
Stick with Comeau. He has lots of skill.
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Bob says:
Great team effort and win. What’s with all the Comeau bashing? He’s was a second round pick, (not a first rounder like Bailey, JT, KO, Grabner, Nino etc), he doesn’t make much money, and he is still putting up decent numbers. A first line forward? No. But a second tier guy with size and skill who is a bit streaky (but then again, what Islander isn’t) and still young can definitely help this team. Think Trent Hunter, not Kyle Okposo, and then Comeau seems to fit in nicely.
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Andre says:
Is it me or should there be major concerns about Bailey? I just don’t see any compete level in this guy. I know he is 21 years old and the Islanders made a huge mistake in his development, but he just continues to be invisible. He seems to be playing like he wants out. The Islanders need to get him straightened out. Otherwise great game by the Islanders although Atlanta decided not to show up for the last 40 minutes. Great to have Kyle back, and Grabner continues to shine. Poulin is showing why he will be the franchise goalie in a couple of years.
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John89 says:
Roloson shut out the Flyers tonight.
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Strummmer's Army says:
Happy for Roloson and his success in Tampa but this is a lesson to all of us on how bad the Isles defense really is. Snow has relied on his goalies to make his defense look respectable for years (so he could go the cheap route). Tampa has some exceptional talent up front but outside of Hedman I’m lost at who is a top tier d-man on their team? Just a group of respectable guys and look what Roloson can do behind them. It is amazing how much better you play when Geravis, Reese, and Martinek are not playing in front of you.
Really happy to see Okposo rolling and the rest. Wise to put Bailey back at center. If Capuno learned from last week when Pit wanted to play a nasty game Gillies will skate tomorrow night. No one will miss Schremp.
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2Bit says:
Go Oakie & Grabs! Great game by these guys. Lock them up! Grabner really needs to be a part of this teams future just as much as Okposo does. It’s sad this season is another wash, but as long as we can continue to put together games like this I’m hopeful for next season. As long as Grabs is back! Also, should be nice to add Nino & de Hann into the mix.
As for Roli tonight in Tampa … SOOOO Happy for the guy! Couldn’t happen to a better person. What a class act. I truly hope to watch him hoist the cup this year.
Go HOCKEY!
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Darren says:
Good effort. I really like what I see from Grabner and very nice to see Okposo getting up to speed.
It is easy and I have done it to beat on this team, but there is much to be excited about, much of which is the patience. There are no shortcuts and as these kids develop and the team improves FAs will want to play with Tavares, Okposo. Moulson and others. -
brian says:
I have no doubt that the Isles will be competitive the second half in these no pressure games. The season ended with that 20 game losing streak. he rest of the season was pretty much meaningless from that point on. Atlanta, a young team, competing for a playoff spot has pressure on them. And it showed last night, they were gripping their sticks way to hard. The Isles on the other hand can just have fun, no pressure, the season’s over. Its a whole different mindset. And for that reason, I can’t take anything the Isles do seriously. Means nothing.
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Billy the Kid says:
Whoever said they wanted to see Bailey between MG and KO makes a good point.
With two speedy, skilled wingers Bailey’s job becomes easier as the set up guy, which is his forte.
Even better, Nielsen can play checking center with Comeau on LW and Hunter on RW, all 3 good defensively and with some speed from BC and Frans, with some scoring also. I would make for a better balanced top 9. -
landry fields says:
Good point Billy the Kid and Bailey would have no choice but to keep up with MG and KO and I think with his playmaking abilities he would make that line a tough assignment for any D pairing. Plus you know KO won’t put up with anything less than a 110% effort from his linemates every night. Baileys cloak of invisability would have to be lifted.
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BIGSAVE77 says:
Great suggestion boys about Bailey playing between Grabs and Okposo we need to put him with some talent and see if he strives. Love the way Poulin is playing and we really need to extend Grabner like yesterday.
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Isle be a Fan says:
Poulin in no Prospect! He’s a Keeper
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RD says:
KO shaking off the rust! Loving the Okposo-Nielsen-Grabner line. We now have 2 pretty solid young lines. Hamonic is our future Shea Weber. Poulin is our goalie of the future and the future is closer than you think. Even with DiPietro’s 11 years remaining. How many of those 11 years can we honestly say he is going to play and play effectively?
These kids are a treat to watch, even when they lose. They never quit and they play hard.
Now, if Bailey and Comeau can get their line going. I think Nino is the guy they are missing. Next year, Id like to see them play together.
Lets beat the freaking Pens for a change!
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Anthony says:
I know goalie development is crucial, but there are exceptions. I recall Patrick Roy winning a cup at what, 20 yrs old around? Then a guy named Broduer winning a cup in his 2nd yr, and getting to the eastern finals in his rookie yr at age of 21. Poulin could be a rare find, look at his stats and save pct%. he has started his isles career better than 2 #1 pick goalies the isles have had in DP and LUONGO. They were both getting ROCKED at Poulin’s age and the circumstances were the same, last place team.
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Greg says:
Very Low hitting game and low penalty game for someone who asked before. Not division rivals and after the 1st, Atlanta lost their edge and drive, especially when the second one in. Call it frustration for hitting 4 posts at that point. Poulin played well, made some terrific saves, definitely raw, but learning. I do not know how it would be better in the AHL, only that he would have more time to react. We shall see what happens with our goalies. If the games are not blow outs, DP status is unknown, and we have no one else, what can you do? Way to go KO, couple of points, first two lines were rolling and owning. Amazing to watch the difference in the 1st line and 2nd line on how they play with each other. JT, MM, and PT almost rock the Defense to sleep and than strike with good wall work, passing, stick handling and foot work. KO, FN, MG are speedy and you see it in the zone battling in the boards and coming out with speed. Good to see two solid lines. I would like other like to see JB between the two, whats to lose but building the confidence of the kid and making some plays. FN was always classified as 3rd line center. Its not like JB is making pudding with BC and Jeremy Colitin. I would have liked to see Matt Martin on that line instead of Colitin.
Favorite Goal was KO and MG breaking out. MG throws on the Jets with the puck, fast, and then KO catches up for the perfect pass, Boom. Atlanta Commentators were pretty good to, praising the isles for working hard, praising poulin and the remaining D core even though they are missing 4 key players. Agreed with the isles on the Nabakov fiasco as well.
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isles72 says:
nice win , good to see the boys buldge the twine 4 times as theres nothing that raises a players confidence more than scoring.
hopefully macdonald stays healthy otherwerwise we’re in big trouble back there.
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Brian G says:
Poulin is the man. Him and DP will be the Goalies next year. Gotta love that Roloson trade, does Snow ever make a good trade, he couldn’t at least get a late draft pick thrown in….he is a joke of a GM….it seems like Wang told him to dump salary and he did it right away without thinking, b/c all he is…is a Yes man.
My main question is, How will this team be at the Cap Floor next Year?? how will Snow maneuver that…
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dynasty23x4 says:
so who ends the season with more pts, KO or JB
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Lance79 says:
Great games from Okposo, Poulin and a great shot by PA in the second. PA seems to be a much different player from where he was in October.
FWIW, Michael Grabner has more goals this season than anyone on his former team in Sunrise, FL. I’m not a huge fan of Snow but that was far and away a great pickup.
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Mars Bonfire says:
I am not getting too excited about KP . Reminds me too much of DP
He allows the goals from behind the net off the D skate etc. He is also letting goals with 15 seconds left in the period 4 seconds left int the game and of course the 2 quick goals to put the other team back in the game.
I will get excited if they can go into Philly and have a repeat performance -
Here we go again. We play crap hockey first half of the season and are out of any contention by November.
Then we are gonna go play hard and finsih season strong (in 28th place), and this will allow management to sit on their hands and do nothing in the offseason.
Management will say look how good we ended, the kids are growing, getting better, plus we had big key injuries.(they will not make any key moves). You know this is what will go on folks. -
RA says:
Great game – Grabner, Hamonic and Poulin continue to impress!
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Cold Spring Harbor says:
18 points behind, playoff tickets go on sale Thursday! Nice effort except from Butch.
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Hock says:
Good night for Okposo, Poulin, Hamonic, Grabner, Tavares, Moulsen, PA, etc.. After a rough first, they got their legs and adjusted well. However, the Thrashers did look a bit flat at times. It is sometimes hard to tell if we are actually playing good or it’s the other team’s poor play that MAKES us look good!!! Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves.
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Y2G says:
PAP is really starting to find it. I hope they re-sign him, shouldn’t be more than 1.5 mill/yr price tag. The lines are finally taking shape but I think it may be a good idea to deal Schremp at deadline. Comeau should stick around b/c if Nino and others are up next yr Blake would be a great forth-liner/PK
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starz31 says:
Team looked great tonight. Still hoping we can play good hockey, have our young players develop and still finish in last place. Sorry, but the only way this team takes the next step is with elite talent. And the only way we get elite talent is at the top of the draft. Would love to have 2 #1′s playing for us.
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David G says:
A couple of posts ago ther was this depressed post that said that “the bar had to be raised at NYI” now we’re suddenly world-beaters. How things change…Good victory though. As throughout the season, some players continue to impress like Poulin, Hamonic, AMac, Grabner and JT. Nielsen solid as usual and KO seems to get his thing going. I for one actually thought Bailey looked much more involved in this game. Playing center will do him fine and he will eventually produce.
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PotvinRocks says:
Nice to see Okposo finish the oppertunities that he was given. He has had some scoring chances but has seemed to be a little snake bitten. I’d love to see him get on a roll and hopefully put up 15 goals. That would make him a 30 goal scorer, if he had a full season.
It was a great effort by the whole team, except maybe the 4th line. They got pinned a couple of times in the own end and couldn’t get it out. Poulin bailed them out. Again he proved that Poulin can and will be our #1 goalie in the future.
hooorayyyy KO