Hockey Round-Up: Arnott Deal Off - Devils and Islanders Both Lose In Canada

 

 

Metropolitan Area Hockey Report: Sunday Night Pucks

 

1) - DEVILS............3-0-1   7 pts.

2) - ISLANDERS.....2-2-1   5 pts.

3) - RANGERS........2-3-0   4 pts.

 

NEW YORK RANGERS - Jason Arnott Fails Physical - Deal For Free Agent Center Is Off.


Thirty-eight year old free agent centerman Jason Arnott did not pass his physical.  He will not be joining the Rangers.  Several team doctors saw him on Saturday.  But an espnNY report states the team hasn't disclosed why Arnott did not pass.  Regardless, for the Rangers it's now back to the 'ol drawing board.


As they still need to acquire reinforcements for their back forward lines, on Thursday the Rangers completed a deal with the Penguins sending Chad Kolarik to Pittsburgh in exchange for twenty-five year old winger, Benn Ferriero.  Kolarik was the Whale's leading scorer this season, while Ferriero is labeled as a strong two way player.  He immediately saw ice time as Chris Kreider spent last Thursday's game in Coach Tortorella's doghouse.  But he also did not play Saturday against the Leafs.  It turns out he is day-to-day with a bone chip in his ankle.  Kreider is also speculated to be headed back to the AHL Connecticut Whale.


The Rangers get to enjoy a rare few days off until they host the Flyers on Tuesday, and the Penguins on Thursday.



NEW JERSEY DEVILS - Lose To Habs In Overtime.  Patrick Elias Scores Point #900 Of His Devils Career.


Up in the Great White North, the New Jersey Devils overcame a 2-0 deficit, and a 3-1 deficit to tie the Montreal Canadiens, and send their game into overtime.  The Devils got a second period goal from Patrick Elias to make it a 2-1 game.  Two minutes into the third period, former Rangers, Brando Prust put Montreal 3-1 again.  David Clarkson then scored his third goal of the season on a power play.  And Dainius Zubrus tied the game 3-3 with seven minutes left in regulation time.  Four minutes into the extra session, Andy Greene got whistled for holding.  Twenty one seconds later, career long Canadien Andrei Markov scored the game winner for Montreal.  In four games played, that was the Devils first loss, overtime or otherwise.


* Patrick Elias' second period goal was the 363rd score of his Devils career.  His third period assist of Clarkson's goal was the 536th assist of his career.  He then assisted again on Dainius Zubrus' goal.    His three point evening gives him 900 points for his Devils career.  All three are Devils records.

* corrected 1am Monday morning - failed to realize Elias had second assist.



NEW YORK ISLANDERS - Brooklyn's Foster Team Starts Season With Five Points In First Five Games.


After two more seasons playing in Uniondale, Long Island, the Islanders Hockey Club will relocate to Brooklyn for the 2015-2016 regular season, and call it home for at least the following twenty-five years thereafter.  That's how long the lease to play in Barclays Center extends.  If the Islanders moving to another city represented the worst case scenario, then I guess a move to Brooklyn was a best case scenario for their fans.  After a very long and drawn out negotiation process trying to secure a deal with Nassau County on a new arena, and a No-Vote by the local residents who's taxes would have been affected by such a deal, and in addition to losing millions of his own dollars in the process, give Charles Wang all due credit for keeping the team in the area and still well within reach of its core fan base.


Sunday evening, the Islanders visited the Great White North as well.  The Isles were trailing the Jets 2-1 after two periods in Winnipeg.  It was the Islanders who jumped out to a 1-0 lead on David Ullstrom's 2nd goal of the season.  But midway through the period, Winnipeg tied it.  In the second period, the Jets went ahead.  Just 0:22 into the third period, John Tavares scored his first goal of the season, tying the game at two all.  Then at 5:09, Matt Moulson (3) deflected a John Tavares shot which fooled Winnipeg's Al Montoya to give the Isles a 3-2 lead.  At the midway point of the third, Mark Streit scored on a power play to make it 4-2 Islanders.


Three third period goals by the Islanders however, went for not.  At 12:59, Winnieg scored on a power play, after David Ullstrom got whistled for hooking.  Then just one minute and five seconds later, Winnipeg put another puck passed Isles goalie, Evgeni Nabokov, to tie the game at four goals apiece.  And so, like the Devils/Canadiens game, this contest went into overtime.


When Keith Aucoin misfired and turned the puck over in the offensive zone, Winnipeg's Olli Jokinen rushed up the left side and ripped a shot on goal at Nabokov.  At 1:59 of the extra session, the rebound went to Evander Kane who then scored the game winner.


Like the Devils, the Islanders also lose in overtime up in the Great White North.




Mike.BTB