Top Shelf – Islanders Daily 12/26/13

Dec 23, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; New York Islanders goalie

(20) receives congratulations from teammates after the game against the Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena. New York won 3-0. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Islanders sent their fans into the Christmas break Monday night with a solid 3-0 road win over the Detroit Red Wings, which is a true statement but also a bit of a misnomer. Yes, it still counted as two points in the standings, but the Isles didn’t exactly beat the 1997-98 Wings in Detroit.

The Red Wings have been decimated by injuries this season, which led them to start what equated to an AHL lineup against the Islanders. Among those who didn’t play in Monday night’s game were Johan Franzen, Darren Helm, Jimmy Howard, Jakub Kindl and Stephen Weiss.

Jonathan Ericsson left the game in the second period with an upper body injury and was later taken to the hospital, proving again how injury-riddled—or snake bit—this season’s edition of the Red Wings is.

For the Islanders, however, heading into the holiday break with a shutout victory was the best possible result for a team playing far below its talent level and struggling to remain consistent.

At least the Isles were able to spend a few days with family and friends and enjoy the Christmas hiatus, much as we at EOI hoped our readers did.

-Mike (@MichaelWillhoft)

In Case You Missed It

The Value Of Evgeni Nabokov (The Hockey Writers)

New York Islanders Christmas Wish List: Looking Ahead (Lighthouse Hockey)

Canada Names 2014 World Junior Roster (Toronto Sun)

PHT’s Top 13 Of ’13: Pens Go Cold In Eastern Conference Final (Pro Hockey Talk)

NHL Power Rankings: Red Wings, Maple Leafs Not So Classic (NY Times)

Last Night In The NHL

There were no games played last night in the NHL because Christmas and because duh.

Across The Sound

The Bridgeport Sound Tigers (12-14-1-3, 28 pts) currently occupy 12th place in the AHL’s Eastern Conference, but have a chance to further distance themselves from the bottom-dwelling Hartford Wolfpack tonight; the two teams play in Bridgeport at 7:00 p.m. as part of today’s eight-game AHL slate.

As always, thanks for reading us at EyesOnIsles. Keep it right here for all of your NHL coverage and up-to-the-minute Islanders news. Be sure to check the menu bar at the top of the page for ways to connect with the EyesOnIsles staff; we’re always happy to talk hockey.