The Islanders pre-game ceremony for Bill Guerin and Doug Weight was the only thing worth celebrating for the Isles Saturday. (Brian Bohl/NYSD)
UNIONDALE, NY-The Islanders went back to its roots with its third jerseys, tailoring uniforms that are similar to the ones the franchise sported in the 1970s. It was fitting the Isles wore those uniforms last night, since the effort in a 3-1 loss to the Devils would be a performance worthy of the club’s 1972-73 expansion team.
New Jersey scored in nearly all ways possible. Zach Parise scored on the power play, David Clarkson found the twine at even strength and Travis Zajac provided a short-handed marker as the Isles remained winless in 2009, falling to 0-7 in January.
“Too many turnovers and too many odd-man advantages,” said Trent Hunter, who had five of the Islanders 33 total shots. “With a team like that, they can just sit back and wait for that stuff. They have a lot of skilled players to capitalize on that.”
As small consolation, the Isles won’t finish with the same 30 points as it did during the first year. But at 12-29-4 and an NHL-worst 28 points though 45 games, the Islanders can threaten the 2000-01 team, which finished with 52 points. That total is currently the second-lowest in team history for a full season, which looks to be in jeopardy considering goaltender Rick DiPietro and Joey MacDonald are out of the lineup and the offense has failed to score more than two goals the past five games.
The Devils are similar to the Islanders only in that both clubs lost its franchise goalie to an injury. Unlike the Isles, who are down to former third-stringer Yann Danis in net, Scott Clemmensen has his unit in contention for the Atlantic Division crown. Clemmensen did his best Martin Brodeur impersonation in front of a sold-out crowd, stopping 32 of 33 shots as the Isles dropped to 1-10-2 in the division.
“We didn’t play for two periods, and that pretty much says it all,” coach Scott Gordon said. “Not many teams can afford to play like we did for two periods like we did. We’re in that category.”
Danis started the season at AHL Bridgeport and was expected to be on the bench backing up newly signed Wade Dubielewicz. The Columbus Blue Jackets claimed Dubielewicz off waivers after the Islanders morning skate, forcing general manager to call up Peter Mannino from the Sound Tigers.
Danis played well for a third straight game, making 33 saves. The 27-year-old is still looking for his first NHL win since he was a Montreal Canadian in the the 2005-06 season, dropping to 0-5 in the current campaign. Blake Comeau ensured the Isles were not shut-out for the fifth time, lifting a rebound attempt past a diving Clemmensen for his fourth goal 10:35 into the third.
“We have to keep getting pucks on net,” Comeau said. “We have to get more traffic; those second and third opportunities. There were a few rebounds tonight we could have pounced on.
“We have to play with speed. We need our defense to join the rush. The forwards have to do a better job of getting pucks on the net and we have to go through the neutral zone with a lot more speed.”
The Devils came out strong and forced Danis into a costly giveaway. Parise knocked the puck loose from Danis when the netminder skated behind the net, knocking it loose to Zajac in the slot, who sent it home into the open net for a shorthanded tally 6:06 into the contest.
“I went out to get the puck, but it was spinning and I couldn’t stop it,” Danis said. “I just ran out of time to make a play.”
Danis atoned for that mistake by preventing Zajac’s second shorthanded goal just 2:10 later, snaring the centerman’s shot with his glove to stymie a breakaway and keep the deficit at 1-0.
The reprieve could not generate a comeback attempt. Nate Thompson was called for boarding 12 seconds into the second and Zajac capitalized, setting a screen in front of Danis. Patrik Elias’s shot attempt deflected off Zajac and into Danis pad. The rebound slid right on Parise’ stick blade, allowing him to slam in the second chance for a power play goal.
Almost four minutes later, Clarkson’s bench-side shot skipped past Danis, opening a 3-0 edge before the game’s midway point.
Notes: Brendan Witt was only feet away from Clarkson when he was hit in the face by a blue line slap shot. Witt skated off the ice on his own power 3:45 into the final period and returned minutes later… Radek Martinek, who missed 14 games with an upper-body injury, picked up his first point of the season, assisting on Comeau’s goal. Clemmensen stopped Martinek’s hard shot from the right side before Comeau converted on the rebound chance.
The Islanders honored Bill Guerin with a framed jersey that had his name and the number 400 on it to commemorate his 400th career goal. He accomplished the milestone as part of a two-goal game against Toronto Dec. 26. Dough Weight was also honored in similar fashion, getting a special shirt with No. 1,000 across the back for picking up 1,000 career points January 2 in Phoenix.
