Controversial call costs Islanders in shootout loss to Blues

Diposkan oleh silent aja 6:05 AM Post a Comment

The Islanders felt they were robbed by the NHL's Situation Room, which overturned Thomas Vanek's apparent game-winner with 1:15 left in overtime on Saturday.

Of course, the Isles had a hand in the theft of an extra point by the visiting Blues, who pulled even with 26.7 seconds left in regulation, then took a 4-3 decision in a shootout.

'I think it's a terrible call,' said Vanek, who appeared to end things on an Islanders power play when the puck went in off his skate. After a review, however, the league officials in Toronto saw a 'distinct kicking motion' and overruled the call on the ice.

'I don't know if it's who we are,' Vanek continued. 'If that's Pittsburgh or a top team, that's maybe a goal. It's just a terrible call. We all know what a kicking motion is.'

Vanek opened the scoring just 4:01 into the first period as the Islanders took a 2-0 lead for the third time in their last five games, with Kyle Okposo stuffing in a shot at 15:49 for the two-goal lead.

But also for the third time in five games, the Islanders gave that 2-0 lead away. Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice, the first with 2:43 left in the opening period and then again just 1:17 into the second, and the Islanders were even.

They responded well, and quickly, with Matt Martin finishing off a pretty passing play between linemates Casey Cizikas and Colin McDonald, restoring the Isles lead at 3:58 of the second.

The third period was breath-holding time for the Islanders against a big, aggressive Blues team. Kevin Poulin dove to make a miraculous stop with his stick on Alex Steen inside of 10 minutes to go, and then T.J. Oshie rang a shot off both posts with just under four minutes left.

'They hemmed us in at times, but I thought we defended well and Poulie made some big saves,' Jack Capuano said. 'Even on the tying goal, I thought we were where we needed to be.'

Martin blocked Alex Pietrangelo's shot but the puck caromed right to Oshie, who snaked a wrist shot through a crowd for the tie. It was the fourth game-tying goal the Islanders have allowed this season in the final minute of regulation and they've only won one of those four.

They thought they had a second win after going to the power play with 2:16 to go in OT. Vanek tipped John Tavares' shot and Jaroslav Halak made the save; the rebound came back out, off Vanek's skate with Steen close behind him and went under Halak's pad.

After a celebration and the review, the Islanders didn't get much going and Kevin Shattenkirk decided the shootout.

'To me, the referees made the right call on the ice,' Capuano said. 'That's all I'll say about that.'

'It's a tough one to take,' Tavares said, 'but it shouldn't have gotten to that point in the first place. We had the lead with 30 seconds left. It's a 60-minute game, and (not finishing) has come back to bite us when we haven't played right to the end.'

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