Video Review: Sabres @ Islanders 2/4/12

Goal 1 – Frans Nielsen from Michael Grabner (Islanders 1 – 0)

Lack of communication, or the wrong communication caused this goal.  As Weber comes back and retrieves the puck, you can see him look at Sekera before he goes behind the net.  Mr. Fancy Pants Weber decides to bank it back to Sekera.  Here’s where the communication comes in, either Sekera needs to let Weber know not to drop it to him or Weber needs to realize that it would be a bonehead play to leave it behind the net.  Grabner makes them both look stupid and hugs the boards stealing the puck in the process.  He casually passes it out to Nielsen without a Sabre in sight and Nielsen beats Miller.

Goal 2 – Nathan Gerbe from Drew Stafford (Tied 1-1)

Yippee!  We aren’t the only ones making bad plays tonight!  Frans Nielsen gives us back, what he taketh away – a goal.  Weber must’ve rubbed off on Nielsen, or Nielsen is Gragnani in disguise.  Nielsen does his best “no look” pass to his team mate (Travis Hamonic), who looks dog tired heading to the bench.  Hamonic sees the puck come right in front of him, and has a “oh @#!$” moment.  He seems to avoided disaster as he clears the puck over the blue line.  I now invite you to watch Nielsen’s figure skating along the blue line.  A cut here, a cut there, la ti da.  While Nielsen is doing his pirouette on the blue line, Mark Eaton forces Drew Stafford to pass.  Why not, right?  He’s got Nielsen and Hamonic with him.  What he doesn’t realize  is that Nielsen is doing his best Nancy Kerrigan and not really covering anyone.  Nielsen should’ve realized Eaton was pressuring Stafford and immediately went to Gerbe.  Who scores the goal off of Montoya’s shoulder.  Luck be a Gerbe tonight?

Goal 3 – Josh Bailey from Frans Nielsen (Islanders 2-1)

More mis-communication.  I bet Myers had a window seat coming in to New York.  He’s directing traffic for the back checkers on who to cover.  He points at Hamonic first and then Bailey with his stick.  Ennis needs to cover Bailey after his short pass to Nielsen.  Pominville helps Ehrhoff with Nielsen trying to block the pass back to Bailey.  That doesn’t work and Bailey is open because Ennis is watching everything unfold, not doing much of anything.  Myers takes a look to his left and still see’s Hamonic over there.  Myers is okay defensively,  provided Ennis covers Bailey. Miller makes the first save, the rebound goes back to Bailey and he puts it away.  It would’ve been nice if Myers realized that Hamonic bailed on the rush and helped out with Bailey.  Wishful thinking.

Goal 4 – Frans Nielsen from Kyle Okposo and Mark Streit (Islanders 3-1)

I laughed at first.  Watch Regehr slew foot Moulson in front of the net, then Leino pins him for the 3 count.  I bet no one caught that one.  Pominville moves towards the half wall expecting Roy to push it back up. Streit makes Roy look like a fool behind the net and takes it away from him.    Leino gets caught up in Regehr’s slew foot and is late coming over the cover the trailing player, Frans Nielsen.  Leino can’t reach Nielsen and Nielsen puts it by Miller.  The silly part is that Okposo was going to the net and didn’t mean to pass it to Nielsen.  Miller poke checks the puck away right to Nielsen.

Goal 5 – Derek Roy from Ville Leino and Jason Pominville (Islanders 3-2)

There seems to be a common theme with these goals.  Nielsen is out there for every one of them.  Ehrhoff makes the play here, going hard to the net.  He makes Nielsen follow him deep into the zone.  Eaton points to Pominville to let Grabner cover him.  Which he doesn’t.  Leino makes the pass to Roy, Roy shoots and it gets by Montoya.  If Montoya saves it, Pominville is wide open for a rebound.  Neilsen is caught in the high slot most likely screening Montoya.

Goal 6 – Paul Gaustad from Tyler Myers and Brad Boyes (Tied 3-3)

Not a bad camera angle, but I’d rather take a look at the overhead.  I’m pretty sure Boyes is offside.  Thankfully, no one catches it because the linesman just dropped the puck for the face off.  Tavares pushes the puck back and Boyes is already in the zone ready to receive it.  However, the other linesman seems to have either missed it or I’m just wrong.  Boyes loses it and the puck conveniently goes to Myers who is already in the zone to keep the puck in.  He fakes the shot and catches everyone off guard to make the pass to Gaustad who is streaking down the middle.  Tavares is late covering Gaustad from the face off  and Gaustad takes a nice shot over Montoya’s right shoulder.  Excellent play by Myers faking the shot and opening up the middle.