Rangers 4 Isles 2 - Post Game Extravaganza

Posted 8:47 AM ET | Comments 0

POST-GAME

There were two mindsets in the locker room. One was the Isles were victimized by bad breaks and bounces. it was a close game until near the end. This is true, but good teams make their own luck or overcome.

Isles coach Scott Gordon and team captain Bill Guerin had another take: Isles lost when people broke from the system, out of position and taking penalties.

Both opinions are valid. Isles kept it close, but it was the Rangers always leading the onslaught. Isles had some chances and good offense generation. But, the "finish" still needs lots of work. I was wondering on the way home what someone like Miroslav Satan (4 goals and 2 assists in 9 games for Pens) or even Josef Vasicek (playing in Russia with 5 goals and 6 assists in 20 games) would do in Gordon's system.

Hey, it's worth a wonder. After all, Mike Comrie (2 goals and 2 assists in 8 gameS) isn't exactly lighting the world on fire this season.

Kudos to Richard Park and Kyle Okposo, they clicked on their line, leading to a 2 assist +2 game for Park and finally a goal for the Big O.

The Big O has been really learning on the fly. I do not believe, as I said at the start of this season, that Kyle will even sniff a Calder. With no real AHL base, he lacks that development. BUT you can see him developing on the NHL ice and in Gordon's system.

Brent Skinner in his NHL debut logged 6:45 minutes. Of that 9 seconds was PP, and 11 seconds shorthanded. Talk about a quick taste.

Chris Campoli is back to top minute-eater with 27:22. Streit was right behind with 26:58 and a goal. Gervais was 3rd with 20:51.

Okposo was all over and led with 7.shots. Meanwhile 0oug Weight is like an Ironman. He logged 19:57, once again leading the forwards in icetime and has an assist. Sean Bergenheim and Guerin led in penalty time with 6 each. Bergie seems to be the odd man out time and time again for positioning issues and discipline on the ice. He led in giveaways with 3. He's got the spunk, but does he have the head on his shoulders to play systematic hockey?

Interesting Stats:

Short-Handed Faceoffs - the Isles were only 33% successful making the NYR PP 67% put the Isles continually on their heels. Isles need better faceoffs when on the PK.

Also, Trent Hunter led with 7 hits as Mark Streit had 6.

Mark Streit, best dman on the Isles and a great free agent pickup by Garth Snow. You know you have the right guy when Ranger fans are lamenting on the live chat. Montreal's PP has noticeably dipped since losing Streit.

EXTRA #1

Those wondering about how <b>Wade Dubielewicz</b> is doing in the KHL, he has 8 wins and 5 losses with a .887 SAVE PCT overseas.

Ruslan Fedotenko on the Pens? 9 games with only 1 goal.

Major Minor League

Justin DiBenedetto, the Isles 6th round pick, is tearing up the OHL with a whopping 26 pts in 10 games. He has 11 goals, 13 assists and a +6.

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