Isles Rise From The Grave

[angryjay93]

details to come.

[smozoma]

Daaaaaaaaammmmnnn...

what a series

don't suppose you guys recorded games through the p2p kaillera?

I like how the number of shots per game tended to decrease, as though you guys were getting more and more tired

[angryjay93]

Game 1: Both teams touched onto Nassau Veterans Colosseum ice looking to set an early and definitive tone in the series and the Rangers struck first just 35 seconds into the game on a Alex Mogilny goal after tearing apart the Isles defense. Later in the period the Isles struck for 2 goals off of Tomas Sandstroms stick just 23 seconds apart to give th Isles their first lead at 2-1. But after the 2nd goal Mogilny took the puck off the face off, sliced through the Isles defense again and annihilated Mike Richter with a nifty deke to tie the score at 2-2 at the end of 1.

The Rangers took over in the 2nd period and dominated it completely by getting a goal from each of their forwards, Mogilny, Geoff Courtnall and Bob Errey giving the Blue Shirts a convincing 5-2 lead into the final frame.

In the 3rd the Isles never threatened the lead as the Rangers traded goals with Isles to take a 7-4 game 1 victory in convincing fashion by taking 21 shots and causing all sorts of havoc in the Isles zone as Mogilny had a field day with 4 goals and 2 assists.

Game 2: The Isles looked to take a split back to the Garden, and made good on that early on in the game as Robatille opened up the scoring early in the 1st of a Les Dale Hawerchuk assist. The 1st period ended up being a high scoring affair as both teams took 3 goals into the dressing room.

The 2nd period was again the Rangers period as they came out fast and hard and just caused more and more havoc for the Isles blueline and the Rangers cashed in on several opportunities with incredible efficiency. The Rangers scored 3 straight in the period before the Isles could answer with one of their own, the Rangers answered back before Bruce Driver pulled the Isles back within two at 6-4 to start the 3rd.

In the 3rd the Rangers defense played immaculate defense as they close off passing and shooting lanes and were equally adept at taking the puck off Islanders sicks time and time again. The Rangers were really flexing their muscle in every part of the game and took a convincing 9-6 win and 2-0 series lead back to the Garden. Mogilny had another big game with 5 goals and 2 assists while Courtnall was equally as dangerous with a pair of goals and 4 assists.

Game 3: The Islanders in desperate need of a win to stay in the series started good with a Tomas Sandstrom goal just 45 seconds in to grab an early 1-0 lead, but then the world came crashing down for the Isles. A pair of Bob Errey goals sandwhiched a double natural hat trick for Alexander Mogilny, the Rangers continued to punish the Isles blue line and take advantage of Bruce Driver and his weak defensive play on the left side time and time again with masterful play making and finishing skills. At 4-1 Angry Jay had seen enough of Driver's ineffectiveness and brought in the much maligned Cam Russell to patrol the blue line and he didnt fair any better as the Rangers continued to light the lamp at an appalling rate.

The Rangers looked amazing in a 10-4 route as they took advantage of every mistake made by the Isles and forced the Isles into numerous plays that created more chances for the Rangers. Mogilny potted 8 goals in all and Fredrik Olausson had 5 assists while Courtnall chipped in with 4 of his own.

Game 4: Rangers fan packed the Garden to the brim, each of them with a broom in hand as the underdog Rangers looked to pulverize the Isles one more time and sweep them out of the playoffs. The Isles had other ideas and decided to bring their shovels as they now had to dig themself out of the grave they had dug and laid into. Mogilny ravaged the Isles defence once again as neither Nik Lidstrom or Russell could slow him down as he deked around Richter once again to start the scoring and put the Isles in a bigger hole. but Sandstrom came to play in this game as he answered with a natural hat trick that spanned over two periods to give the Isles a 3-1 lead about midway through the 2nd.

Mogilny answered with another gem of a goal to cut the lead in half, Sandstrom answered right back though but Mogilny wasnt done as he potted home 2 more and tied the game until Robatille slipped one by goaltender Jon Casey to make it a 5-4 lead for the Isles, their first lead of the series this late in the game. Sandstrom slammed home a one timer 90 seconds into the final frame and gave the Isles a two goal lead, but Mogilny answered the bell once again with another goal to send the Ranger fans into a frenzy. A minute later Sandstrom slammed home another big one timer with 85 seconds left to make the game 7-5 and give Sandstrom his 6th goal of the game. Steve Smith made things interesting by scoring with 25 seconds left, but the Isles just held on and the fans were sent home with their brooms in hand as the Isles had finally taken a game away from the Rangers even though they were still running around in their own zone.

Game 5: The Isles carrying momentum over from a game 4 victory startred out fast as they pressed the Rangers in their own zone for the majority of the period and were rewarded with 2 early goals, but Bob Errey managed to sneak away from the Isles defense and score a nice goal to get the Rangers on the board by the end of the period. Robatille answered though with just 7 seconds left on a slam dunk deke to give the Isles a 3-1 lead and more momentum.

Sandstrom scored just 34 seconds in, but Mogilny once again showed his dominance in this series by scoring 2 quick goals on beautiful individual efforts to bring the Rangers within 1 and send some doubt in the Islanders minds. Robatille scored on his own individual performance shortly after, but once again Mogilny made the Isles look like a joke with two more quick goals before the end of the period to tie it up at 5-5.

Early in the 3rd, Mogilny struck for the 5th time on a breakaway created by a long bomb pass by backup goalie ken Wregget who relieved Casey after the fast Isles start. And at this point, thinks were starting to look gloomy for the Isles as Mogilny seemed unstoppable and had give the Rangers the lead in the 3rd period. But just 24 seconds later Luc Robatille scored a huge goal to tie the game and Sandstrom followed suit off a nice set up from Russell and it gave the Isles back the lead at 6-5 just a minute after the Rangers took it. The Rangers turned up the intensity and continued to pressure the Isles defense again and again with their sheer speed on the forecheck, but Russell and Lidstrom finally stepped up and played big on defense as the last few seconds ticked off giving the Isles another win and some hope as they went back to the Garden for game 6.

Game 6: Ken Wregget was given the nod once again in net in the Garden as the Rangers looked for something to stop the momentum the Isles had gained after two one goal victories. The change didnt help much though. On an Islander powerplay early in the game, Richter looked for robatille on the wing, but instead found reserve forward Paul Ranheim who flipped it into the open Isle net for an easy 1-0 lead. Robatille replied though off the face off with a powerplay goal just 10 seconds later to tie the game back up. The Isles proceeded to score 4 straight goals after the Robatille tally and run Wregget out of the game early in the 2nd period as the Isles looked poised to take game 6 leading by a score of 5-1.

As soon as Casey came in, the Rangers tightened the clamps on defense and started their comeback Mogilny scored twice in the 2nd period to draw the Rangers within 2 to start the 3rd. The 3rd period was marked by tight desperate defensively play by the Isles as they were doing everything they could to cut down Ranger forwards before they could attack the Isles net. The strategy worked until Mogilny got loose with just 54 seconds left in the game and deked the entire Islander team out of their minds to bring the Rangers within 1. the Isles won the face off though and carried the play for the last 54 seconds as Luc Robatille was brought down on a breakaway with 20 seconds left and the Isles kept control until there was only 1 second left, Robatille scored a meaning less penalty shot to give the Isles a 6-4 win and send the series back to the Island. The Rangers world had been turned upside down despite continuing their fast relentless play and causing the Islanders problems all over the ice. Game 6 also marked the first time the Islanders outshot the Rangers in a game.

Game 7: Game 7 was full of drama, technical difficulties marred the first start and the Rangers were awarded a goal on the restart Geoff Courtnall potted home the tally 11 seconds in to give the Rangers their 1-0 lead. Only 23 seconds later, Hawerchuk stormed down the middle of the ice which took the Rangers defense by suprise and Chuk procceeded to deke Casey out of the net and he slammed home an easy goal to tie the game at 1-1, even terms just 34 seconds in. The rest of the period just contained hard hitting defensive action all over the place as Smith crushed Lidstrom in one sequence sending him off for the period, but all the ensuing powerplays resulted in no goals for the Isles as the score remained at 1-1 after 1.

The Rangers finally laid some rubber on the net after being held shotless by the Isles defence for over 7 minutes, the Isles defence frustrated Ranger attacks every time they were created, but the Rangers answered with equally adept defense. 3 minutes into the second though Errey was sent to the box on a tripping call and Robatille made the rangers pay by scoring a goal off assists from Hawerchuk and Russell. Thus giving the Isles a 2-1 lead. Before the end of the period Courtnall took his turn in sending Lidstrom off the ice for the period and it sent the Rangers into the 3rd period down a goal and a man.

The Rangers managed to kill the penalty and just moments later Sandstrom was called for tripping and it sent the Isles on the kill, Robatille was subbed in at center to help kill the biggest penalty so far in the series. Mogilny had his glorious chance as he took a big slapper from the slot only to be stymied by a Richter leg pad. The Isles continued to just find ways to cut down Ranger forwrads time and time again but they ended up taking another penalty deep in the zone with 16 seconds left. The Rangers pulled Casey and the Isles kept Robatille at center. Robatille won the draw and just lofted the puck out of the zone and into the yawning Ranger net with only 8 seconds remaining, thus capping a massive comeback for the Isles and an utter collapse for the Rangers who dominated the play in the first 6 games. Despite keeping Sandstrom off the board completely in the game, the Isles still found a way to win.

Im still in awe that i somehow pulled this off, I was utterly dominated in all 3 zones for 6 games, he made my defense look stupid at times and just destroyed Mike Ricther nearly sending him into early retirement. Vocals skill with Mogilny and the rest of his players was top notch, the guy earned every one of his wins and is a hell of a player. My hat goes off to him and the way he played, he deserved a much better fate than the one that was given to him.

Here i come Habs I'm on a free roll, its not the Buffalo Bonanza you expected last season, but these Islanders are dangerous and have nothing to lose.