It's Witt's Turn For a Two-Goal Second As Isles Win Fourth Straight

Tonight in the Islanders 3-1 win, Tavares opened up the scoring in the first period for the Islanders and Brendan Witt took his two-goal second period turn.  The Islanders dominated Edmonton in shots, 37 to 23, cranking up the domination and holding Edmonton to only six shots in the third period.  Rolonson held Edmonton (now 7-7-1) to only one goal midway in the first as the Islanders (5-4-5) won their fourth straight.

Gordon rewarded Witt’s efforts in the third with one last opportunity for him to follow Tambellini’s hat trick with his own WittTrick as he fired an empty-net shot with about a minute left in the game.   This was another exciting effort for the Islanders and their fourth straight win, tying them with the Flyers for playoff contention early into this 2009-2010 season.

No one in the league is taking the Islanders lightly anymore, including themselves.  Gordon’s seriousness and work ethic is finally paying off.  He’s keeping at it consistently like Al Arbour, but with his own methodology.  All players are beginning to score, including those that no one recently expected to score.  The goaltenders are keeping the Islanders in the game. The defense is establishing toughness, enough to disrupt and make opponents alter their offensive play.  Offense has emerged just enough to win for Long Island.

The teams exciting play this season is making me feel bad that I moved from Long Island to Kansas City this year and without MSG in my cable package my wife won’t let me shell out the dough for NHL Center Ice.  Perhaps I’ll have to stop by the crumbling Coliseum for a game during my visit back to Long Island in December.  While I would like to see NHL hockey in Kansas City, more than just an exhibition game, I don’t want it to be the rebuilding and strengthening New York Islanders, who perhaps are back on the road to - greatness?  Or maybe just the playoffs and a few more spirited fans in the seats for now.