Devils Dominate Isles, 3-0

by: Brian Bohl | Senior Writer - NY Sports Day | Friday, October 3, 2008



UNIONDALE, NY — First-year coach Scott Gordon inherited an Islanders team that ranked last in the 30-team NHL in goals (189) and goals per game average (2.30).

Despite a fresh face on the bench at Nassau Coliseum last night, the same offensive problems were on full display in a 3-0 preseason loss to the Devils. First line forwards Bill Guerin and Doug Weight did not dress while goalie Rick DiPietro also sat out.

Devils coach Brent Sutter played almost all of his top players. Martin Brodeur played all 60 minutes, logging 17 saves to post the shutout. The Islanders struggles to pressure the future Hall-of-Fame netminder. The top line consisted of Frans Nielsen, Jeff Tambellini and Trent Hunter couldn’t sustain rushed while prized rookie Kyle Okposo registered just two shots in 23:07 of ice time.

“I need to shoot more,” Okposo said. “That’s the bottom line. I made some poor decisions with the puck. I was in the slot several times where I didn’t shoot. I just have to get that cemented into my brain that I need to shoot that puck.”

Opening Day is one week from Friday when the Islanders travel to the Prudential Center to face the Devils. But the exhibition preview didn’t go well for Gordon’s Coliseum debut. Zach Parise took advantage of backup goalie Joey MacDonald’s mistake, skating around defenseman Jack Hillen before banking home his first goal of the preseason 14:24 into the first period.

MacDonald mishandled the puck on the side of the net, chipping it into the slot where Parise took the puck away from Hillen before backhanding a shot past the out-of-position goalie. Gordon said miscommunication between the rookies Hillen and MacDonald led to the scoring opportunity.

“I think Jack might have told Joey to play it, but in saying that, it was probably Jack’s puck all the way,” Gordon said. “But it was one of those things where he was trying to hit it with his backhand instead of his forehand.”

Patrick Elias added some breathing room 5:21 into the second period, ripping a slap shot from the left circle that beat MacDonald stick side. Elias also set up the final insurance marker, finding defenseman Anssi Salela with a cross-ice pass before the blue liner ripped a slapper from the high slot for a 3-0 edge 14:03 into the third.

Mike Comrie nearly put the Islanders on the scoreboard four minutes into the second, sending his backhand attempt just wide of the goal line with a shot that beat DiPietro but flew just wide. That futility was indicative of the team’s struggles, especially on the power play. In eight minutes with the man advantage, the Isles went 0-4 with just three shots.

“It’s tough because you want to get the ball rolling,” Comrie said. “We’re trying to do our best to learn the system. At the same time, we have to let our creativity and hockey sense take over in the offensive zone.”

Gordon took over for Ted Nolan over the summer, inheriting a team that did not claim one 30-goal scorer last season. Miroslav Satan and Ruslan Fedotenko both signed with Pittsburgh as free agents while the Islanders signed Weight and defenseman Mark Streit to bolster the offense and the lineup. Weight will wait to make his home debut Oct. 11 against St. Louis and Streit, who is being counted on to quarterback the power play, was minus-2 and took two minor penalties against the Devils.

To help maximize talent, Gordon is trying to install a system similar to the one he used to earn AHL Coach of the Year honors with the Providence Bruins. The 45-year-old said the problems can be identified using film work and the three remaining preseason games.

“Our transition from defense to offense was too deliberate at times,” Gordon said. “We have forwards who are waiting for the puck and we’re holding on to the puck. We have defensemen going back to the puck and our forwards not going back to help them. You just show them the video and usually a picture paints a thousand words.”