Miracles do happen. The evidence was in today's game as the New York Islanders visited the Detroit Red Wings in a matinee at the Joe Louis Arena. Chad Johnson got the start for only the second time in the last fifteen games. Jack Capuano has had a hard time finding the right spot to play him until now. The team has said all the right things, but it is obvious that they have lost confidence in him. Maybe playing him against Detroit would make sense.
The Islanders had not lost in Detroit since the 2002-2003 season. That is an unbelievable statistic being that the Islanders have had some pretty bad teams over that stretch. You have to expect that at some point that trend will change course and perhaps that day was today. So by playing Johnson the Islanders were able to get him some ice time and if the team lost then so be it. However, if they caught lightning in a bottle maybe it would work out. It probably was the right move. The side benefit was Halak would get some rest until next Tuesday. It is a win-win situation even if it ended up in a loss. Petr Mrazek was in the nets for the Red Wings who was playing for the injured Jimmy Howard.
Yesterday the Islanders called up Colin MacDonald on an emergency basis. Casey Czikas was hit on the leg in the game against the Bruins and was barely able to get off the ice. He was a game time decision but was able to go. During the game it was announced that MacDonald was sent back to Bridgeport. I sure hope Colin took advantage of the opportunity to at least order a nice meal from room service. Also, Lubomir Visnovsky was activated off of injured reserve and he saw his first action in weeks. That meant that Brian Strait had to back to the press box as a healthy scratch after playing well the past couple of games.
In the first period, the Islanders had the better chances early, but special teams would be the difference. Mikhail Grabovski had a mini break but could not hold up in time and was called for goalie interference. It only took the Red Wings 12 seconds to convert the power play as Tomas Tartar roofed one over Johnson's left shoulder for a 1-0 lead. Johnson was not floundering on the play, it was simply that Tartar had some sauce on his shot that gave them their goal.
The Islanders penalty kill is close to the worst in the league and it showed. Not much action throughout the period until about two minutes left when the Islanders got their own man advantage when the Red Wings took their own goalie interference penalty. The Islanders though never had a sniff at the net and the period ended with the Red Wings in the lead. There were only 13 shots in the period and the Islanders had 5 of them.
The Red Wings came out flying in the second period. Chad Johnson actually came to play for a few minutes and kept the Islanders in the game for the most part. After surviving the onslaught, Michael Grabner broke up a play just outside the Islanders zone and appeared to have breakaway, but Mrazek came far out of the net to clear the puck before Grabner could get to it. Brock Nelson then had a golden opportunity at the side of the net as a Johnny Boychuk shot skipped over his stick with what looked to be a sure goal. Later in the period the Islanders had back to back power plays that resulted in a couple of chances but again resulted in no goals.
Then with less than a minute to go in the period, the Red Wings worked it around the back of the Islanders net where it made it onto the stick of Brendan Smith who took a blistering slap shot that went over the same left shoulder on Johnson to make it 2-0. That made it two goals Johnson should have stopped. Unfortunately, that was the second game in a row where the Islanders gave up a last minute goal at the end of the second period. Those type of goals are usually backbreakers for teams, especially on the road. The second period also saw only 13 shots with the Islanders getting 9 of them.
In the third the Islanders were able to cut the lead in half just five minutes in on a power play goal by Lubomir Visnovsky. Nielsen and Nelson got the puck to Lubo in the slot and instead of passing to an open John Tavares he patiently waited for an opening and motored one pass Mrazek. However, that is where the comeback ended. The Islanders had five straight power plays so it was only a matter of time before the Red Wings got another opportunity.
Calvin deHaan took a holding penalty and the Islanders actually did a good job killing it off. Just as the penalty expired Jonathan Ericsson made it 3-1 when his shot bounced off of Thomas Hickey's skate and went off the post and into the net. Really could not fault Johnson on that one, but when things are not going your way the puck always seems to take a bad bounce and into the net. The Red Wings would add an insurance goal a few minutes later by Gustav Nyquist. The game was over.
Hate to say it but this was the second game in a row that the Islanders deserved to lose. They were not able to match Detroit's effort all afternoon. There were many players in this game that,as Capuano would say, “were just passengers.” Brock Nelson has disappeared for quite awhile, Neilsen has not done much lately, and others like Grabner have been inconsistent. Johnson did not play terrible, but he did have two shots that went right over his shoulder and he did give up four goals, which unfortunately is about his average. To be honest, good goaltenders figure out a way to stop the puck. Johnson did it last year for Boston, but is not doing it this year for the Islanders. It may be time to look for another back-up goaltender or give Poulin another chance. The Islanders need to do something.
The Islanders fell to 32-16-1 and still have 65 points which leads the Metropolitan Division over the Pittsburgh Penguins. However, the Washington Capitals are charging and only four points behind. No time to panic. The Islanders can get back on track with Halak in net on Tuesday against the Florida Panthers.
I half expected the Islanders to lose simply because the winning streak in Detroit had to end sooner rather than later. However, they did not play well at all. Why did the Islanders lose? Well in my best Church Lady voice, “Well, isn't that not special. How con-veen-ient. Could it be because of…the Red Wings?” No Church Lady, it was just the Islanders and their pitiful penalty kill and average power play.
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