It’s Deja Vu All Over Again, Isles Outlast Leafs
February 22nd, 2007 by Tom
The Islanders outlasted the Maple Leafs in another tremendous battle between the two clubs. Randy Robitaille scored the only goal of the shootout and Trent Hunter scored twice during regulation, including the tying goal on the power play in the third period, to key the Isles comeback victory.
Toronto controlled the first half of the game, building a 2-0 lead. Hunter got the OrangeAndBlue on the board with one minute to go in the second period and then tallied again in the third minutes after a Toronto goal was called off because a player was in the crease.
The OT was wide open. Mats Sundin was pretty awesome, throwing his weight around and getting great scoring chances. Blake was his usual manic self, flying all over the ice during the OT and ripping a potential game-winner off the crossbar.
Satan and Kozlov were both stoned in their shootout attempts before Robitaille beat Raycroft with a forehand, sending the crowd into a frenzy. DP erased any chance of continuing drama by pokechecking the puck off the stick of Alexei Ponikarovsky on Toronto’s final attempt.
It was the second time in a week the Isles bested Toronto in a shootout. The victory puts the Coliseum Heroes one point ahead of the Leafs with 68.
“This team continues to impress I think even themselves. It seems the Islanders are finding a way to have somebody step up to the plate and hit the ball out of the park,” Jean Potvin said during the postgame show.
