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Good Morning, Islanders Country.
If you slept in, this is how you probably felt after checking the score.
This is the reaction of a head coach that saw the entire game swing on a costly, ill-time, and uncharacteristic penalty from one of his veteran leaders.
The game was tied at 1-1 in the second period when following a scrum by the Isles net, Matt Martin tossed a Kings helmet toward the penalty box and was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Things got worse when Zach Parise was whistled for a kneeing penalty. The Kings would score early into their two-man advantage and then score again at 5-on-4 to take control of the game.
“I saw him direct his helmet toward the penalty box,” coach Lane Lambert said. “The referees saw it one way, and that’s the way it went. I don’t think you can throw somebody’s helmet.”
“I was just throwing [the helmet] to the penalty box because I knew people would be going there, and he would be one of them, Matt Martin said after the game. “But I didn’t really think anything of it. It wasn’t a show-boaty thing. I didn’t slam it or anything. I never got the explanation, so I don’t know what the call is.”
Regardless of the intent, throwing the opposing team’s helmet is going to get called every single time, and Martin, playing in his 753rd Isles game, knows it.
That stretch of the second period cost the Isles a chance to gain points, albeit against a very strong Kings team that’s hitting its stride right now. The Penguins, Capitals, and Senators all fell in regulation last night, so no ground was lost, but an opportunity was, making it that much more important that they net four points in their next two games against the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks.
Coming up, JG Pageau scores in his return to the lineup but says he needs to be better. Plus, Cal Clutterbuck resumes DJ duties, Ryan Callahan has a change of heart, Billy Smith throws down with Lanny McDonald, and an ‘animated’ NHL game like you’ve never seen before.
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