Well well well the upsets continue last Friday in our 3rd week of our playoff round robin.  The early game between the winless Islanders and Bruins was a critical one for both squads.  Both teams score in the opening frame.  Islanders jump out to a 3-1 lead in the first 4 minutes of the 2nd and looked to be back on track.  Bruins make it 3-2 at 10:23 and then score 2 goals in 42 seconds midway through the 2nd to take a 4-3 lead to close out the 2nd frame.  Islander players just squeezing their sticks a bit too hard in the 3rd and Gord Ide playing a key role in keeping the Islanders from tieing up the match.  A late Bruin goal made this a 5-3 Bruin victory and the Islanders open the playoffs 0 and 2 vs the 2 lowest seeded teams.  What is happening in Brooklyn????  Islanders go 0-5 on the PP and Bruins went 0-1.  Bruins get goals from Chalovich, Fletcher (Mr. April), rookie Marshall, Cosentino with the game winner and Jeffery Kostick.  Islanders get 2 goals from Barkin (3 point night for the man, impressive) and a single from Tygesen.  Islanders honor #23 Jeffery Barkin as their Player of the Game and Bruins give it to Gord Ide with a monster 3rd period.  Newest Islander Paul Barbosa was seen talking to Bruin management after the game to see if there is any deal to take him back as he regrets his comments a few weeks ago post his trade.  A few Islanders only had the following to say to the media after this loss, “at least the beer is cold”.

The late game may be a preview of our Gold medal game and it sure felt like that right from the puck drop as the Oilers faced off against the Flyers.  Flyers score the lone goal in the opening period.  Action was hot and heavy at both ends of the rink and much the same in the 2nd frame as the Flyers score the lone goal of the period for a 2-0 lead after 2.  The 3rd period was crazy as the Oilers pressed but could not solve McCallum.  Oilers made it a 2-1 game at the 10 minute mark and continued to press.  A couple of late Oiler penalties was what the Flyers needed to lighten the pressure in their end and an empty netter finished this one with the Flyers on top 3-1.  Oilers went 0-1 on the PP and Flyers were 1-3.  Oilers lone goal by Robbie Nelson and Flyers got goals from Manning, Carlisle with the game winner and Diluzio at the end of the game.  Players of the Game went to Flyers Gord Manning and Oilers Frank Rispoli.  Excellent hockey game and maybe another one in the horizon.

So with the Flyer victory they now lock down a spot in the Gold medal game regardless of what happens in the next 2 weeks.  Their opponent can be any of the remaining teams, even the Islanders who are at 0-2.  And all 4 other teams can finish out of Championship Night.  Reminder of our playoff tie breaking rules.  If only 2 teams are tied in points it goes to their head to head result.  If more than 2 teams are tied then it goes to the +/- % and if still tied team with the least penalty minutes.  With the Oilers, Habs and Bruins all tied with 2 points and Islanders with 0 I think we may end up using the tie breaker this season.  Pretty exciting.

So no games this Friday, April 8 as the figure skaters have their year end gala event at the arena.  Next games go Sunday, April 10 at Port Credit arena.  8:15 pm puck drop will feature the winless Islanders vs the 1-1 Oilers.  At 9:30 pm the 1-1 Canadians will meet the 1-2 Bruins.  The 3 and 0 Flyers get the week off and will be scouting both games Sunday night as they officially prepare to win a Gold medal this season.

See you all on the ice!