New York Islanders Hand the Canucks Their Ninth

The New York Islanders are alive and well. At least when it comes to playing against the worst team in the league.

Monday night was the night the monkeys left the backs of New York Islanders forwards Jason Chimera, Nikolai Kulemin, and Andrew Ladd.

All three were without a goal going into Monday night’s game against the Vancouver Canucks, all three would leave the game with a goal to their name. And feeling a whole heck of a lot lighter.

It was a game the Isles had to win. The metaphorical sharks have been circling around this franchise for some time. If they couldn’t do the business against a team that has lost eight in a row heads would probably roll.

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Bye-Bye Monkeys

Can we just say it again? Andrew Ladd, Jason Chimera and Nikolai Kulemin all got a goal tonight. The only players on the active roster without a goal finally got their dues.

For some, like Ladd, it took a bit longer. On his 27th shot on net finally got one. It by no means justifies his $5.5 million yearly price tag over the next seven years. But it’s a “win”.

Going into tonight’s game the Islanders needed a win. Both an actual win and a moral victory. Something to hang their hats on as a positive. Tonight they got both.

Along with Ladd and Chimera’s first goal, the Isles can leave for their Florida road trip with their heads held high.

Work Still to Be Done

At least until they remember that their still just above the bottom of the Metropolitan Divison. Tonight’s game wasn’t all positive. Sure they won. But they beat a team that was projected to be terrible and is living up to expectations.

The Islanders continued to prove their ineptitude on the power play. Going 0 for 2 on the man advantage. Meaning the Isles are now at 11.4% on the season. Which ranks them 24th in the league.

The same goes for the penalty kill. One of the Islanders strengths last season is now a weakness. Along with the power play, it too is ranked 24th in the league. It’s not all rainbows and lollipops. Just kinda.

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Now its on to Florida, where, hopefully, the Islanders can continue this little trend of the offense scoring the bulk of the goals and maybe grab four from a possible four points from the sunshine state.