SENATORS 3, ISLANDERS 2 (OT)

For the second straight game, regulation time was not enough to decide a winner but :32 into overtime, it was Mike Fisher, snapping a shot past Islanders’ starting goalie, Martin Biron to give the Ottawa Senators a 3-2 victory.  By the halfway mark of the second period, the Islanders found themselves trailing 2-0 but Kyle Okposo began the comeback with his first goal of the season, which was followed by Matt Moulson first in the third period to tie the score after 60 minutes.  Moulson finished the game with two points (1 goal and 1 assist) for the Islanders.  

Martin Biron, starting in his first game in an Islanders’ jersey, kept the Senators off the board three minutes in, stopping Jason Spezza on a breakaway from the blue-line.  Spezza, feeling pressure from Freddy Meyer behind him, shielded the puck and tried to pull the puck to his backhand.  Biron read the play poked checked the puck off Spezza stick, keeping the Ottawa winger from his first goal of the season.  

Ottawa would eventually open the scoring 7:25 into the opening frame on Peter Regin’s second goal of the season.  The play started at the right point on a shot from Matt Carkner that was blocked in the high slot.  Ottawa forward Chris Neil picked up the loose puck and sent it to Regin at the back-door for the tap in, giving the Senators a 1-0 lead.  

Carkner would double the Senators lead on the first NHL goal of his career.  The 6’4, 231 pound defenseman jumped into the play and tried to send a centering pass from below the goal-line.  The feed bounced off traffic in front of Biron and through the Islander net-minder to give Ottawa the 2-0 lead.  Jonathan Cheechoo and Alexandre Picard had the assists on the goal coming at 13:12 of the middle frame.  

Kyle Okposo would cut the Senators lead in half with 2:04 remaining in the second period on an incredible individual effort.  The Islander winger picked up the puck in the left circle and came in alone on Ottawa defenseman, Anton Volchenkov.  He leaned in as if to take a snap shot but then pulled the puck around Volchenkov who was in position to block the initial shot.  Okposo cut across the crease and was unsuccessful on his first jam attempt but as he was falling, stuffed the rebound through Pascal Leclaire to make the score 2-1 entering the third period.  Matt Moulson had the lone assist on Okposo’s first goal of the season.  

In the third, the Islanders would tie the score at 2-2 on Matt Moulson’s first goal as an Islander, while on the power-play.  Doug Weight crept down the left wing boards from the point looking for a pass to either Okposo in the high slot, Tavares at the back door or Moulson in the slot.  As he reached the corner, Weight snuck a feed through to Moulson in front where he one-timed a shot through Leclaire to tie the score at 5:29 of the third period.  John Tavares had the second assist on the game-tying tally.  

Fisher would score the game-winner 32 seconds into the overtime period, his first of the season.  Alfredsson and Volchenkov had the assists on Fisher’s game-winner.  

Biron finished the game with 25 saves on 28 shots while Leclaire earned the victory turning aside 23 of the 25 shots he faced.  The Islanders were 1-for-4 on the power-play and 2-for-2 on the penalty-kill.  With the overtime loss, the Islanders still earn a point leaving them with a 0-0-2 record.  

The Islanders will travel to Boston tonight in preparation for their game on Saturday against the Bruins at the TD Banknorth Garden.  Face-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.  Monday, the Islanders will host the Los Angeles Kings for the one and only time the two clubs will battle at the Nassau Coliseum this season.  The game is a matinee contest with the puck set to drop at 2 p.m.  For tickets or information on how to reserve seats to any upcoming Islander games, contact the team’s front office at (516) 501-6700 or e-mail customerservice@newyorkislanders.com.  

3 Stars

1. Mike Fisher – Scores the game-winner in overtime
2. Matt Moulson – Records a point on both Islander regulation goals (1 goal & 1 assist)
3. Matt Carkner – Scores his first NHL goal and was a force on defense
Honorable Mention: Chris Neil – Impressive setting up the game’s first goal and creating havoc around Biron

Shark Bites:  After a summer of turmoil surrounding the Senators and Dany Heatley, Ottawa made the move on September 12 to move the disgruntled winger to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Jonathan Cheechoo and Milan Michalek.  Coming into tonight’s game neither has a point in either of the two Senator contests this season.  Over in California, Heatley has flourished in the black and teal, while skating alongside Joe Thornton, scoring a goal and four assists in only three games.  

Friendly Faces:  As the Islanders entered the arena for the morning skate, two familiar faces greeted the team.  Former defenseman Chris Campoli and new Ottawa Strength and Conditioning Coach, Chris Schwarz were there to welcome their old friends.  Campoli exchanged some jokes with assistant equipment manager Richard Krouse, better known as “Shakey,” and Schwarz spoke with the Islanders’ new Conditioning Coach, Jesse Demers on how his adjustment had been since coming to Long Island from the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.  

Change of Luck:  Newly acquired Islander forward Rob Schremp is looking to start fresh with the Islanders after struggling within the Edmonton Oilers organization the past three seasons.  Schremp was acquired off waivers on September 29 as the Oilers tried to assign him to their AHL affiliate, the Springfield Falcons.  Tonight was Schremp’s debut in an Islander jersey and chose to wear what he hopes is a lucky 13.  

LINEUPS

Islanders

Forwards
26 Matt Moulson – 91 John Tavares – 21 Kyle Okposo
13 Rob Schremp – 12 Josh Bailey – 7 Trent Hunter
20 Sean Bergenheim – 93 Doug Weight – 16 Jon Sim
28 Tim Jackman – 10 Richard Park – 57 Blake Comeau

Defensemen
2 Mark Streit – 24 Radek Martinek
44 Freddy Meyer – 25 Andy Sutton
32 Brendan Witt – 8 Bruno Gervais

Goalies
43 Martin Biron
30 Dwayne Roloson

Senators

Forwards
9 Milan Michalek – 19 Jason Spezza – 11 Daniel Alfredsson
71 Nick Foligno – 27 Alex Kovalev – 12 Mike Fisher
41 Jonathan Cheechoo – 43 Peter Regin – 25 Chris Neil
10 Shean Donovan – 22 Chris Kelly – 73 Jarkko Ruutu

Defensemen
24 Anton Volchenkov – 4 Chris Phillips
45 Alexandre Picard – 65 Erik Karlsson
14 Chris Campoli – 39 Matt Carkner

Goalies
33 Pascal Leclaire
30 Brian Elliott