Another close battle

There's something about the Senators that makes me nervous. Ever since I was younger and the Islanders went years it seems without beating the boys from the North, I've had a sour taste in my mouth. So much that losing to them now is just a numbing experience. I'm indifferent about playing them today.

Last night, however, things changed. Down 2-0 and looking like the Islanders of old in the second period, Kyle Okposo, the young and brazen leader of this team, scored his first goal of the season. Matt Moulson tied the game at 2 in the third period and the Isles escaped regulation with a tie for the second time this year.

Ottawa's Mike Fisher scored just 32 seconds into overtime to leave the game with a 3-2 outcome.

It shows that the Islanders are willing to battle and stretch the ice, to protect with a deficit and be conservative with a tie. If they are playing this poised at such a callow point in the season, then in time good things will come.

Notes:

-Doug Weight made his season debut

-Martin Biron started in net for the first time this year

-Rookie John Tavares had an assist on the game-tying goal (1g, 2a for the year)

Okposo hurt in pre-season

Flames defenseman Dion Phaneuf knocked Kyle Okposo out of a pre-season game with a vicious hit the other night. Phaneuf left his feet at the Credit Union Centre to land the hit.

Okposo doesn't even remember the incident and was rolled off the ice on a stretcher.

"I don't want to get into whether it was dirty or not," Okposo told Newsday. "It's part of the game and it's an unfortunate situation. Obviously, it's frustrating. You want to play--I'm a competitive guy and I want to be on the ice--but in this circumstance that can't happen."

There is no room for hits like that in the pre-season and the league should review film from that game.

(Photo courtesy NYI)