Ankündigungen » maintained his enthusiasm throughout the game.Curtis

NEW YORK, N.Y. - After missing the playoffs seven times in nine seasons, the New York Islanders might finally be finding out what its like to be on the right side of the breaks.Just past the midpoint in this surprising season, the Islanders have landed atop the Eastern Conference — ahead of Pittsburgh, Montreal and Detroit. In front of Tampa Bay and the rival New York Rangers.It was only fitting that the Islanders reached the summit with a thorough 3-0 victory over the Rangers on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden — arguably the biggest stage in the NHL and certainly the largest in New York.We havent accomplished a whole lot yet, captain John Tavares said. We expect to win against everyone we play against.I think anytime you beat the Rangers as an Islander, its a lot of fun.This was already setting up as a special year for the Islanders, who will be leaving Long Island and the Nassau Coliseum once the season is over and relocating to Brooklyn. Success on the ice has planted the seeds that perhaps nostalgia wont be the only reason why this season is remembered and celebrated.They won the Stanley Cup four times back in the 1980s. The Islanders know another championship would provide the perfect farewell to the Nassau Coliseum — the only home they have ever known.Our goal is always to win the Stanley Cup, Tavares said.The defending Eastern Conference champion Rangers were feted upon their return home from a three-game California sweep. Welcoming the Islanders only raised the hype, and the bright lights and attention didnt rattle them.The Islanders took the play to the Rangers, overwhelmed them in the second period, and finished the shutout in the third after driving goalie Henrik Lundqvist to the bench.It was a four-point game because they are catching up to us, said Jaroslav Halak, who stopped 27 shots and earned his fourth shutout. The guys did a great job. Playing in Madison Square Garden isnt easy, but we played our game.The Islanders (29-13-1) opened a seven-point lead over the Rangers, the fourth place team in the Metropolitan Division. The Islanders lead Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh by one point for the overall lead in the East.We havent wanted to get too high on our highs or too low on our lows, defenceman Travis Hamonic said. Weve done a good job this year rebounding from losses.Not only are they playing at the top of their game, having won three straight and five times during a seven-game road trip that ended Tuesday, the Islanders are getting good bounces.With the game scoreless in the first period, the Rangers struck the goal post three times within seconds — first with a drive by All-Star Rick Nash and another by Derick Brassard that hit the right post before sailing across the crease and hitting the left one.Luck was on my side, Halak said. It could have been a different game if they got the first one.Not only didnt they get the first one, they didnt get any past the goalie who is in his first season with the Islanders. It marked only the second time this season the Rangers were shut out, and it was the first time the Islanders did it at the Garden since Billy Smith posted another 3-0 win on Dec. 17, 1975.They had some chances, Tavares said. We were playing on the road against a pretty good team. We did a pretty good job getting pucks to the net.They did that 32 times in two periods against Lundqvist, scoring all three goals against him in the second. Lundqvist watched the third from the bench as Cam Talbot took over and stopped all 12 shots he faced.Rangers coach Alain Vigneault made the switch to try to change things for his team. Instead, the Islanders stuck to their game and finished off the big win.Theyre a tough team to play against. They play the right way, Nash said. They lock you in your own zone and they kind of drain all the momentum from your game.With 29 wins and 43 games under their belts, it is less surprising anytime the Islanders come out on top — regardless of the opponent. The schedule doesnt get any easier. When the Islanders return home Friday, the high-powered Pittsburgh Penguins will be there waiting.The Islanders are five wins shy of last seasons total with 39 games left.You go back to training camp and go over the things that are confidentially held in that room and what we wanted to accomplish, coach Jack Capuano said. Its about the character and comfort the guys have in one another, and up until this point how we have performed.We have a lot of hockey left. Ernie Stautner Jersey . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Darcy Kuemper, Minnesota (5): He was calm, poised, and looked comfortable all game. Custom Pittsburgh Steelers Jerseys . The Rangers announced after Thursdays 4-2 loss to the New York Yankees that they would purchase Williams contract from Triple-A Round Rock. The 32-year-old Williams was released by Houston earlier this month after going 1-4 with a 6. http://www.authenticsteelerspro.com/Donnie-shell-steelers-jersey/ . Kyle Shanahan was hired as offensive co-ordinator Monday after spending the previous four years in the same role with the Washington Redskins. Antonio Brown Jersey .A. remained bitter for Henrik Lundqvist and the Rangers on the long flight back home to New York. Lynn Swann Jersey . Ramon, 30, played in a career-high 97 games with the Goldeyes in 2013. He also matched a career-high eight home runs and posted 52 RBI.OTTAWA - The Ottawa Senators didnt like the way they started things Thursday night, but they were more than happy with how they ended.The Senators scored four unanswered goals to defeat the Colorado Avalanche 5-3 in Ottawas home opener.We were frustrated after the first, theres no question, said Clarke MacArthur, who scored the winner. We slowed things down a little bit in the second and started to make the easy plays and we got a little momentum that way and started getting pucks to the net so that was good.Bobby Ryan, Zack Smith and David Legwand also scored for the Senators (3-1-0) as Craig Anderson faced 31 shots. Chris Neil added some insurance with an empty-net goal.Alex Tanguay, John Mitchell and Gabriel Landeskog scored for the Avalanche (1-3-1). Calvin Pickard faced 28 shots in his NHL debut.Pickard was called up earlier in the day from the American Hockey Leagues Lake Erie Monsters after the Avalanche placed Semyon Varlamov on injured reserve. Pickard wasnt expected to see any action, but Colorado lost backup Reto Berra before the game was three minutes old. Berra was knocked over by Ottawas Kyle Turris, who was pushed by Mitchell.It was probably a good time for a debut because you didnt have to think about it, you got right into it, said Pickard. It was a fun atmosphere, good Canadian building and it was a good experience, but I would have liked to get the win for sure.Avalanche coach Patrick Roy couldnt fault Pickards play, but he wasnt overly impressed with some of his players.We cant be happy about our game overall, said Roy. With the lead we had 13 turnovers. If we do turnovers when were up by one goal eventually the pucks going to end up in the net. We have to be better with the lead; we have to be a lot smarter than that.I didnt think we managed our game very well.Overall, Pickard was solid for the Avalanche, but the Senators scored two quick goals in the third to take control of the game and bring the 19,913 on hand at the Canadian Tire Centre to their feet.After being robbed by Pickard in the second, Ryan made the most of a second opportunity and beat the 22-year-old through the legs to tie the game. Just over three minutes later MacArthur scored to give the Senators a 4-3 lead, their first of the game.To be honest thats kind of what we expect them to do, said Senators coach Paul MacLean. As the leadership group of the team and the skill level of the team, that when the game is on the line and they have it on their stick the expectation is that theyre going to make plays to give us a chance to win the game and they certainly stepped up and did that.dddddddddddd.Trailing 3-1, Ottawa made it a one-goal game early in the second as Legwand scored a power-play goal, his first as a Senator.Anderson and Pickard were the difference for their respective teams the rest of the way in the second.Anderson made four consecutive saves late in the period, while Pickards best came at the 17-minute mark as he slid across and robbed Ryan.Ottawa struggled in the first and the Avalanche took advantage to take a 3-1 lead.I dont know if we were nervous in the first or what we were doing, but we didnt play hard enough and we didnt win the one-on-one battles, said Senators captain Erik Karlsson. We came in (after the first period) and no one was happy with how we played and we just kind of had it out and had some words and took a deep breath after and (MacLean) came in calm and gave us directions of what to do in the second and we just came out and executed.Colorado jumped out to an early 1-0 lead as Tanguay grabbed a loose puck and beat Anderson high. Colorado made it 2-0 at the halfway mark as Mitchell scored shorthanded after beating Karlsson in a foot race.Ottawa cut the lead in half as Smith tapped in Curtis Lazars shot, but after going 0 for 13 on the power play this season the Avalanche finally managed to score with the man advantage as Landeskog scored from in close.Lazar had been anxiously waiting for this night and he maintained his enthusiasm throughout the game.Curtis certainly had an impact on the game and showed great enthusiasm to be playing here in Ottawa in front of the fans, said MacLean. He really was a force for our team and a big reason why we won was the play of his line with Zack Smith and Milan Michalek, which I thought was probably the most consistent line that we had from start to finish.Colorado will look to end this four-game road trip on a high as they head to Montreal to take on the Canadiens Saturday night, while the Senators will host Columbus.Notes: The Senators will be without D Marc Methot (back, indefinite). D Jared Cowen, LW Mike Hoffman and LW Colin Greening were a healthy scratch for Ottawa. The Avalanche placed G Semyon Varlamov on injured reserve prior to the start of the game. Colorado was also without LW Patrick Bordeleau (back). Golfers Brad Fritsch and Brooke and Brittany Henderson were on hand for the game. ' ' '