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Snap Shots: Islanders @ Maple Leafs — 11/19/13

By Rich Dias-Rodrigues |

Nov 19, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Islanders forward

Kyle Okposo

(21) shoots the puck as Toronto Maple Leafs forward

Trevor Smith

(23) defends during the first period at the Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Welcome to Snap Shots, our condensed post-game recap of the New York Islanders latest NHL matchup

New York Islanders @ Toronto Maple Leafs

Air Canada Centre

7:05pm EST     

Starting Lineup

29 Nelson – 91 Tavares – 21 Okposo
13 McDonald – 51 Nielsen – 12 Bailey
96 Bouchard – 16 Regin – 15 Clutterbuck
17 Martin – 53 Cizikas – 36 Boulton

47 MacDonald – 3 Hamonic
14 Hickey – 46 Donovan
55 Ness – 7 Carkner

60 Poulin
45 Nilsson

*Notable healthy scratch: Michael Grabner

Game Summary

  • :22 mark of the opening period–first rush of the game–saw Toronto’s (and former New York Islander) Trevor Smith give his team the early lead, and the Leafs would keep New York hemmed in their own one for the better half of the first. The Isles would, however, pick up their skating and passing through the neutral zone, affording themselves some decent scoring chances. But it’s the hitting that defined most of the action from both teams in the first 20, as Toronto’s early momentum plateaus, giving away to an Islander team increasing their passing productivity and hitting propensity. SOG 11-8 Isles
  • John Tavares took a strong check along the Toronto bench by Nikolai Kulemin midway through the second, giving Isles fans everywhere pause, and the game an extra chippiness that is all too familiar when these two teams meet. Eric Boulton led a 2-on-1 with Casey Cizikas, feedingthe young centerman who clanks one off the crossbar, one of the best playmaking situations by Boulton this season. Moreover, the Isles would hold the Leafs to only 1 SOG through the first 10:00 of the period, as the physicality is turned up moreso as the minutes wind down. Then a PPG by Phil Kessel, and the loss of neutral zone presence put the Isles behind a pair of notches. But with seconds left on the clock, Casey Cizikas streams down the ice on a breakaway and scores his third goal in as many games. SOG 8-6 Isles
  • Defensive collapse, due to a poor Islander line change early in the third, give the Leafs the 2-goal lead again, and Mason Raymond his 8th of the season–a 3-on-3 turned into a 2-0, as Butch deftly put it. The Isles forecheck dies out and sloppy play remerges, and the slot areas inside the Leaf zone were all clogged up. David Clarkson, with help from his team’s fierce forecheck, walks into the slot and buries a wrist shot past Kevin Poulin‘s glove. The Islander momentum disappeared after the Raymond goal. The one silver lining is the ever-stalwart Frans Nielsen, who scored his 10th goal of the season–with help from Josh Bailey–now leading the team in scoring.  But Kessel’s second goal of the game a few minutes after seal the Isles fate for the evening. SOG 15-9 Isles 

Statistics

Goals

Period 1

Period 2

  • Phil Kessel (11) PPG. Assists: Joffrey Lupul, Dion Phaneuf 0-2
  • Casey Cizikas (3). Unassisted 1-2

Period 3

  • Mason Raymond (8). Assist: Jay McClement. 1-3
  • David Clarkson (1).  Assist: Trevor Smith. 1-4
  • Frans Nielsen (10). Assist: Josh Bailey. 2-4
  • Phil Kessel (12). Assists: James van Riemsdyk, Trevor Smith 2-5

Penalties

SOG

  • 35-23 Islanders

Turning Point

The Mason Raymond goal early in the third reestablished Toronto’s 2-goal lead, and with their physical presence and persistent forechecking, took the Islanders right out of the game.

What’s Ahead

The 8-11-3 Islanders head to Pennsylvania to face a back-to-back against the Penguins and Flyers. The Isles hope to repeat their success against Sidney Crosby and his crew, while seeking out some vengeance against the Flyers for their home loss a few weeks ago.

Note: the Isles are handed their 7th regulation road loss of the year.

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