Snap Shots: Red Wings @ Islanders — BLACK FRIDAY SMACKDOWN EDITION–11/29/13

Nov 29, 2013; Uniondale, NY, USA; New York Islanders center

(16) and Detroit Red Wings left wing

(21) go for the puck during the second period of a game at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

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

New York Islanders (8-15-3, 19pts) @ Detroit Red Wings 13-7-7, 33ts)

Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum

4:00pm EST     

Red Wings (5) – Islanders (0)

Starting Lineup

26 Vanek – 91 Tavares – 21 Okposo
96 Bouchard – 51 Nielsen – 29 Nelson
40 Grabner – 16 Regin – 15 Clutterbuck
17 Martin – 53 Cizikas – 13 McDonald

47 MacDonald – 3 Hamonic
14 Hickey – 4 Martinek
55 Ness –  7 Carkner

60 Poulin
45 Nilsson

*Noticeable healthy scratch: Josh Bailey

Game Summary

• Period one: The vast majority of momentum belonged to the Red Wings, even if the SOG favored the Islanders. New York was hemmed for the majority of the 20:00, with absolutely no response to the Wings’ forecheck pressure, and creative to create clean neutral zone transitions. Moreover, the Isles had difficulty avoiding turnover in and immediate out of their own zone, not to mention having no presence on their own blue line. Darren Helm beat out a slow and confused Radek Martinek, then polished off Kevin Poulin by holding onto the puck for a second longer than anticipated for the first notch this evening. Islander passing was lacking precision and intelligence, and most of their shooting was from the perimeter. SOG 12-9 Islanders
• Period two:  What started as a possible momentum shift for the Isles, turned into a debacle, when the Isles were scored upon short-handed off an atrocious miscue by Kevin Poulin, whose decision to come out to cut off the breakaway handcuffed Andrew MacDonald. Overall, this team looks as bad as it has ever been. The PK unit is 2-2 for the eveing through two, and that’s about all the silver lining of which to speak.  SOG 9-8 Red Wings
  
• Period three: The Islanders have officially fallen apart and their season hangs in the balance with each and every shift. The Isles would give up an early goal on yet another defensive flub, giving the Wings their 3rd notch of the evening, and Alfredsson his 5th of the season all within seconds of the period’s commencement. And 6:00 later, Gustave Nyquist along with Johan Franzen make mince meat of the Isles defense for Detroit’s 4th of the night. To say that the New York Islanders are suffering and doing so in epic form is both an insult to the spirit of understatements all over the world, not to mention a just tribute to hyperbole. And to ice the mile-high cake of dreck that is this squad, the Wings and Alfredsson (his second) would add a 5th goal to the contest with 3:47 remaining. SOG 12-10 Red Wings

Statistics

Goals

Period 1

• Darren Helm (6). (7:09) Assists: Daniel Alfredsson, Brendan Smith. 1-0

Period 2

• Darren Helm (7) SHG. (16:49). Assists: Daniel Cleary, Jonathan Ericsson. 2-0

Period 3

• Daniel Alfredsson (5). (0:12). Assist: Brendan Smith. 3-0
• Gustav Nyquist (4). (6:12). Assist: Johan Franzen, Niklas Kronwall. 4-0
• Daniel Alfredsson (6). (16:13). Assists: Niklas Kronwall, Darren Helm. 5-0
  

Penalties

• Period 1: None
• Period 2: Radek Martinek. Cross-Checking. (2:57); Casey Cizikas. Interference. (14:06); Justin Abdelkader. Interference. (16:03)
  
• Period 3: None
  

SOG

• 30-29 Detroit

Turning Point

The Darren Helm SHG late in the second period, for after that the Isles just completely fell apart, and may very well have signed Jack Capuano‘s pink slip.

Presser Points

• Captain John Tavares: glad there’s a game to play tomorrow.

• Jack Capuano Presser: Yes, he heard the chants. His response” “Hey I’m 47 years old. I’ve been in this business a long time. What are you going to do?”

What’s Ahead

The New York Islanders face the Washington Capitals tomorrow night, and expect Anders Nilsson to make his first NHL start this season between the pipes.