GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NHL: MONTREAL (11-9) at NY ISLANDERS (11-6)

NHL: MONTREAL (11-9) at NY ISLANDERS (11-6)

<h3>Vasicek, Islanders go for third straight win</h3>

<div class="pre">Montreal (11-6-3) at NY Islanders (11-6-0) 7:00 pm EST</div>

UNIONDALE, New York (Ticker) -- Josef Vasicek will hope to lead the New York Islanders to their third consecutive victory when they host the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night.

Vasicek provided the majority of the offense for the Islanders as they picked up back-to-back wins over two of their biggest rivals. Vasicek notched the lone goal in the Islanders' 1-0 triumph over the New Jersey Devils and then tallied again in their 2-1 victory over the New York Rangers on Monday.

The 27-year-old Vasicek leads the club with eight goals this season. The six-year Czech has 35 career tallies to just 14 assists.

While Vasicek has been a force on the offensive end, Rick DiPietro has done the rest in the crease. The Islanders netminder picked up his 100th career win Monday night and has posted a 2.35 goals-against average this season.

On the other end of the rink, the Canadiens may have a goaltending controversy brewing. Even though Cristobal Huet has been solid in net this season, rookie Carey Price is off to a great start.

Huet has lost his last two starts after blanking the Buffalo Sabres on November 5, but is still 6-4-2 with a 2.23 GAA and .925 save percentage.

Price, on the other hand, has won his previous three games and has not lost in regulation in his last five contests. A first round pick (fifth overall) in the 2005 NHL Draft, the 20-year-old Price is 5-1-1 with a 2.66 GAA.

 

NHL: MONTREAL (11-9) at NY ISLANDERS (11-6)

<h3>Vasicek, Islanders go for third straight win</h3>

<div class="pre">Montreal (11-6-3) at NY Islanders (11-6-0) 7:00 pm EST</div>

UNIONDALE, New York (Ticker) - Josef Vasicek will hope to leadthe New York Islanders to their third consecutive victory whenthey host the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night.

Vasicek provided the majority of the offense for the Islandersas they picked up back-to-back wins over two of their biggestrivals. Vasicek notched the lone goal in the Islanders' 1-0triumph over the New Jersey Devils and then tallied again intheir 2-1 victory over the New York Rangers on Monday.

The 27-year-old Vasicek leads the club with eight goals thisseason. The six-year Czech has 35 career tallies to just 14assists.


While Vasicek has been a force on the offensive end, RickDiPietro has done the rest in the crease. The Islandersnetminder picked up his 100th career win Monday night and hasposted a 2.35 goals-against average this season.


On the other end of the rink, the Canadiens may have agoaltending controversy brewing. Even though Cristobal Huet hasbeen solid in net this season, rookie Carey Price is off to agreat start.


Huet has lost his last two starts after blanking the BuffaloSabres on November 5, but is still 6-4-2 with a 2.23 GAA and.925 save percentage.


Price, on the other hand, has won his previous three games andhas not lost in regulation in his last five contests. A firstround pick (fifth overall) in the 2005 NHL Draft, the20-year-old Price is 5-1-1 with a 2.66 GAA.

 

NHL: MONTREAL at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL AT NY ISLANDERS
STARTING GOALIES: MON - CRISTOBAL HUET
NYI - RICK DIPIETRO

OFFICIALS: REF - KERRY FRASER, TOM KOWAL
LIN - JEAN MORIN, STEVE BARTON</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">MONTREAL VS NY ISLANDERS - SCRATCHES

MONTREAL NY ISLANDERS

J GORGES HEALTHY M BERGERON HEALTHY
M GRABOVSKI HEALTHY F MEYER IV HEALTHY</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 0
NY ISLANDERS 0 19:55 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 1
NY ISLANDERS 0
1ST PRD: MON - STEVE BEGIN 2 (BRYAN SMOLINSKI, MATHIEU DANDENAULT)
0:56</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 1
NY ISLANDERS 0 17:38 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 1
NY ISLANDERS 0 13:32 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 1
NY ISLANDERS 0 8:24 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 1
NY ISLANDERS 0 4:14 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL END OF THE 1ST 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
MONTREAL 1 1
NY ISLANDERS 0 0 END OF THE 1ST

GOAL SCORING:

1ST PRD: MON - STEVE BEGIN 2 (BRYAN SMOLINSKI, MATHIEU DANDENAULT)
0:56

SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
MON 13 13
NYI 12 12

GOALIES: MON - CRISTOBAL HUET
NYI - RICK DIPIETRO</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">------------------------
Montreal 1 --1
Ny Islanders 0 --0
------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Montreal, Steve Begin 2 (Bryan Smolinski,
Mathieu Dandenault), 0:56. Penalties: B Witt, Nyi (hooking), 5:28; G
Latendresse, Mon (holding stick), 11:36; M Comrie, Nyi (tripping),
13:15; A Kovalev, Mon (hooking), 17:39.

Shots on goal:
-----------------------------
Montreal 13 --13
Ny Islanders 12 --12
-----------------------------

Goalies : Montreal, Cristobal Huet (12 shots, 12 saves). Ny Islanders,
Rick DiPietro (13 shots, 12 saves). Referees: Kerry Fraser, Tom
Kowal. Linesmen: Jean Morin, Steve Barton.</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 1
NY ISLANDERS 0 19:55 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 1
NY ISLANDERS 0 14:12 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 2
NY ISLANDERS 0
2ND PRD: MON - CHRIS HIGGINS 8 (ROMAN HAMRLIK) 6:14</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 3
NY ISLANDERS 0
2ND PRD: MON - STEVE BEGIN 3 (FRANCIS BOUILLON, MATHIEU DANDENAULT)
7:18</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 3
NY ISLANDERS 0 10:32 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 3
NY ISLANDERS 0 6:43 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 4
NY ISLANDERS 0
2ND PRD: MON - (PP) TOMAS PLEKANEC 6 (ALEXEI KOVALEV, PATRICE
BRISEBOIS) 13:22</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 4
NY ISLANDERS 0 1:38 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>