Isles top Red Wings in Presidents Day matinee

By @StefanKubus –

Fueled by a three-goal second period, the New York Islanders topped the Red Wings in a Presidents Day matinee at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, a 4-1 final. Brock Nelson, Josh Bailey, Ryan Strome and former Red Wings defenseman Marek Zidlicky each lit the lamp for New York, while Thomas Greiss stopped 31 of 32 shots in the win. Pavel Datsyuk scored his sixth in the last five games for Detroit, while Jimmy Howard allowed four goals on 29 shots in the loss.

A controversial goal from Nelson opened the scoring at 8:24 of the middle frame, as he batted a puck out of mid-air right on goal to Howard. Howard made the stop, but Nelson easily picked up his own rebound, banked it off Howard and in from just beyond the goal line.

NHL Rule 80.1 – High-sticking the Puck – states, “When a puck has been contacted by a high stick, the play shall be permitted to continue, provided that: (i) the puck has been batted to an opponent (when a player bats the puck to an opponent, the Referee shall give the “washout” signal immediately. Otherwise, he will stop the play.)”

The rule is too vague to say whether the opposing team needs possession of the puck or not, but in any event, the goal was reviewed in Toronto and it was determined the puck was not hit with a high-stick initially.

Bailey and Zidlicky went on to add goals to give the Islanders a commanding 3-0 advantage heading into the final period.

Datsyuk responded for Detroit, potting his sixth in the last five games at the side of the goal by jamming home a rebound off a Gustav Nyquist shot from the high slot. That pulled the Wings to within two with just over half of the third period to play.

But Strome gave New York a three-goal lead once again less than three minutes later, burying a wrister in the slot after receiving a gorgeous behind-the-back pass from Isles captain John Tavares.

Strome’s seventh of the season sealed the victory for the Islanders, a 4-1 final.