ISLANDERS 4, BRUINS 1

The story continues for Islander forward Matt Moulson as he scored twice tonight against the Boston Bruins, including the eventual game-winner, to give the Islanders a 4-1 victory.  John Tavares and Trent Hunter each had a goal in the game for the Islanders.  Dwayne Roloson came up with two big saves, one on Zdeno Chara in the first period and the other on Mark Recchi in the second to earn his sixth win of the season for the Islanders.  The two points give the Islanders 23 this season and improves their record to 8-6-7, placing them in a tie with the New York Rangers for fifth place in the Eastern Conference. 

Moulson opened the scoring for the Islanders six minutes into the first period with his ninth goal of the season.  Jack Hillen led a rush up ice and was able to beat a defenseman and wound up behind the Boston net.  Before he was taken out of the play, Hillen fed a pass to the front of the net where Moulson was there to one-time the puck through the legs of Rask for the 1-0 Islander lead.  Richard Park also had an assist on Moulson team leading ninth tally of the season. 

Islanders’ starting goalie Dwayne Roloson had held the Bruins off the scoreboard through the first 35 minutes of play with several spectacular saves.  Boston however would eventually solve Roloson and break his shutout bid at the 14:56 mark of the middle frame when Daniel Paille jammed home a shot off of his own rebound.  David Krejci drove the net from the left circle and slid a pass to Paille at the back-post.  Roloson made a sprawling left pad save on Paille’s initial shot but the rebound popped right back to the Boston winger, who slid the puck into the net tying the score at 1-1 on his second goal of the season. 

With about a minute remaining in the middle frame, Moulson would tally his second of the contest off a great feed from Richard Park.  Bruins’ starting goalie Tuukka Rask tried to rim the puck around the boards but Park was positioned at the right half-wall to intercept.  Without looking, Park whipped a feed to the slot where Moulson redirected the puck past Rask to regain the Islanders one-goal lead at 2-1. 

The Islanders would increase their lead within the first two minutes of the third period on Tavares’ ninth goal of the season.  Park crept in along the left win boards and sent a pass to Tavares, positioned at the bottom of the right circle.  With Moulson once again driving the net, Tavares attempted to hit him in stride with a pass for an easy tap-in goal.  Instead, Tavares’ feed went off a Boston defenseman and past Rask for the 3-1 Islander lead. 

Trent Hunter sealed the Islander victory with 48 seconds remaining in the contest with his fourth goal of the season, an empty net marker.  Frans Nielsen has the lone assist on the clinching goal, sealing the Islander victory at 4-1. 

Roloson earned the win, his sixth of the season making 28 saves on 29 shots.  Rask suffered the loss as the Islanders beat him on 17 of 20 shots he faced.  The Islanders were 0-for-5 on the power-play but 4-for-4 on the penalty-kill. 

Up next for the Islanders is the mid-western leg of this seven-game trip they’re on.  Friday night, they will be in Minnesota for an 8 p.m. face-off against the Wild.  The following night the Islanders will travel to St. Louis to take on the Blues for another 8 p.m. start.  Next Monday, the Islanders will complete their seven-game trip against the Toronto Maple Leafs.  Face-off is set for 7 p.m.  For tickets or information on any Islander home games, contact the team’s front office at (516) 501-6700 or e-mail customerservice@newyorkislanders.com. 

3 Stars

1. Matt Moulson – Records his team leading ninth and tenth goals of the season
2. Richard Park – Assists on three of the Islanders’ four goals
3. David Krejci – One assist for the Bruins
Honorable Mention: Dwayne Roloson – Several big saves in the first and second periods to earn his sixth win of the season

YOUNG MacDonald FROM the Farm:  Andrew MacDonald was recalled from loan by the Islanders this morning and joined the team at their morning skate.  Last season he wore number 43 in his NHL debut but since the Islanders’ acquisition of Martin Biron over the summer, MacDonald surrendered the number and is now wearing 47.  In 19 games with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers this season, MacDonald has one goal and six assists for seven points.  His lone tally came on Opening Night when he scored the overtime game-winner.  He also leads the team in +/- with a +3 rating. 

On the Shelf:  As much as injuries have been a struggle for the Islanders with Radek Martinek, Doug Weight and Rick DiPietro sidelined this season, the Bruins have been hit hard as well.  Milan Lucic and Marc Savard have been out for several weeks with injuries.  Lucic, has been out since October 16 with a broken finger and Savard is on the long-term injured reserve list with a broken foot. 

Go to the Net:  Everyone says it, but Matt Moulson showed every youth hockey player the only way to score goals consistently, GO TO THE NET.  Moulson’s first two goals tonight were from the top of the crease.  His first, he jammed a pass through Rask and the second, he was driving to the net and tipped a crisp Richard Park centering attempt past the blocker of Rask.  With what was originally credited his hat-trick goal, Moulson was right in front on the Islanders’ third goal of the game that the officials would eventually credit to Tavares.

Lineups

ISLANDERS

Forwards
26 Matt Moulson – 91 John Tavares – 10 Richard Park
20 Sean Bergenheim – 51 Frans Nielsen – 21 Kyle Okposo
16 Jon Sim – 12 Josh Bailey – 7 Trent Hunter
28 Tim Jackman – 11 Nate Thompson – 57 Blake Comeau

Defensemen
2 Mark Streit – 8 Bruno Gervais
25 Andy Sutton – 38 Jack Hillen
47 Andrew MacDonald – 44 Freddy Meyer

Goalies
30 Dwayne Roloson (starter)
43 Martin Biron

BRUINS

Forwards
16 Marco Sturm – 37 Patrice Bergeron – 28 Mark Recchi
26 Blake Wheeler – 46 David Krejci – 73 Michael Ryder
22 Shawn Thornton – 27 Steve Begin – 61 Byron Bitz
20 Daniel Paille – 60 Vladimir Sobotka – 63 Brad Marchand

Defensemen
33 Zdeno Chara – 53 Derek Morris
48 Matt Hunwick – 6 Dennis Wideman
21 Andrew Ference – 45 Mark Stuart

Goalies
40 Tuukka Rask (starter)
30 Tim Thomas