UNIONDALE - The Islanders dominated for stretches of tonight's game, but never seemed to really assert themselves until late in the second. They seemed to more out-last the Colorado Avalanche than simply beat them, as both teams were in a different city the night before. In a game like this, you expect an unlikely hero, and that means Milan Jurcina getting two goals and the Islanders winning their second straight at home, beating the Avs' 5-2 at the Coliseum.
John Tavares scored an empty net goal for his first of the year after coming back from a concussion, and Michael Grabner tallied for the Isles in the third, while TJ Galiardi beat Dwayne Roloson for the Avs' only tally of the period. The Avs' out-shot the Isles 30-25. Roloson looked solid, coming in after Rick DiPietro played last night. He told me it didn't make much difference playing the second game in two after the rest of his team played last night, saying "Our guys are in good enough shape to be used to it and be ready for it." Roloson made 28 saves.
The Islanders were 1-for-7 on the power play, while the Avalanche were 0-for-4. Cody McLeod and Kyle Quincey both took four minutes in penalties each. Zenon Konopka and Chris Stewart dropped the gloves to an even, all-out brawl at only five seconds in.