Getting Called Up...For My Birthday

There were 5 players that arrived on emergency call-up last night from Bridgeport. For a depleted Islanders squad in the last throes of a season that is finally coming to an end, these young men were a shot in the arm. Mitch Fritz, Joel Rechlicz, Mike Iggulden, Jesse Joensuu and Jamie Fraser all made their mark on the big club last night. Especially Joensuu, who notched 2 assists in a spirited effort. However, they were not the only ones called up to the parent club.

With Tiger Track Tom in Washington DC for family matters, I was asked to fill in for him to do the Game Recap for Islanders.NHL.com. This was my first byline on any major publication or website and I can't thank the Islanders organization enough for placing their trust in me. However, my truest and sincerest thanks go out to my fellow Blog Boxers because without them advocating for me, I wouldn't have even been in the building.

You guys are the best. Thank you for everything.

I urge my readers to check out the Blog Box websites for recaps of their own on last night's game: 7th Woman, IslesBlogger, Islanders Outsider, View from Section 317, Okposo Net and FSC Faceoff. Don't forget to visit the rest at NYI Blog Box here.

Here's my Game Recap that was posted last night:

Isles Defeat Lightning, 3-1

Apr 4, 2009, 7:00 PM ET

Bailey, Martinek, Park score for Islanders in victory

By Doug Davidson

The Islanders scored before many people were in their seats, and went on to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning, 3-1, Saturday night at Nassau Coliseum.

The Islanders jumped out to an early lead when Richard Park scored just 23 seconds into the game. After some aggressive forechecking by Jesse Joensuu, he fed the puck down low and Park managed to wrap it around the net and slide one past McKenna.

It was Park's 14th goal of the season.

With the Isles up 1-0, at 4:55 gone in the first, David Koci and Mitch Fritz exchanged punches, with Fritz getting the better of his opponent. Koci received an extra 10 minute misconduct.

In the second period, with Paul Szczechura in the box for high sticking, Radek Martinek received a pass from Bruno Gervais along the blueline and rifled a slap shot high on the blocker side that beat McKenna at 14:52. The goal was Martinek's fifth goal on the season. Jesse Joensuu received a secondary assist on the goal.

The Lightning cut the deficit in half with a power-play goal with 3:22 remaining in the second period off of a broken play. Matt Pettinger found the puck on his tape in the slot and backhanded a shot past Danis to make the score 2-1.

Josh Bailey extended the Islanders' lead on the power play, after taking a pass from Blake Comeau. The goal was Bailey's seventh on the season and came at 10:46 of the third period.

"With Josh, the offense for him is going to build as he gets stronger," Islanders Head Coach Scott Gordon said. "The biggest takeaway for me this year is the skating part of it. The fact that he's moving his feet, he's getting more opportunities because of it, he's around the puck more often and as a result he gets that goal because he was in good stride when he received it(the pass from Blake Comeau)."

Danis made 29 saves for his 10th win of the season. The victory came two night's after Danis lost to Montreal, 5-1.

"Obviously, when things are not going well you want every game to give yourself a chance to bounce back." Danis said. "To get the back-to-back games, it helps to get into some sort of a rhythm."

Modells Amateur Hockey Award Winner Mike Lang

Slapshots: The Lightning outshot the Islanders, 30-21....Richard Park tied his career high of 14 goals with tonight's first marker...Jamie Fraser is the 21st Bridgeport Sound Tiger to suit up for the Islanders this season and is making his NHL debut...Mike Lang was Saturday night's Modell's Amateur Hockey Award winner.


Stars of the Game
1. Bruno Gervais, 2 assists, +1
2. Radek Martinek, goal
3 Josh Bailey, goal


ISLANDERS
Goaltenders
34 Yann Danis
35 Joey MacDonald

Defensemen
32 Brendan Witt - 24 Radek Martinek
8 Bruno Gervais - 38 Jack Hillen
17 Thomas Pock - 62 Jamie Fraser

Forwards
28 Tim Jackman - 93 Doug Weight - 36 Mike Iggulden
57 Blake Comeau - 12 Josh Bailey - 15 Jeff Tambellini
10 Richard Park - 51 Frans Nielsen - 58 Jesse Joensuu
49 Mitch Fritz - 45 Nate Thompson - 40 Joel Rechlicz

Tampa Bay
Goaltenders
30 Mike McKenna
31 Karri Ramo

Defensemen
2 Lukas Krajicek - 7 Noah Welch
32 Matt Smaby - 21 Cory Murphy
55 Matt Lashoff - 56 Vladimir Mihalik

Forwards
20 Vaclav Prospal - 91 Steven Stamkos - 26 Martin St. Louis
12 Ryan Malone - 11 Jeff Halpern - 76 Evgeny Artyukhin
34 Ryan Craig- 38 Paul Szczechura- 44 Martins Karsums
24 Matt Pettinger - 28 Zenon Konopka - 18 Adam Hall


New York Islanders

Thanks again to everyone for all their support.

(Photos courtesy of Islanders.NHL.com)

For Questions, Comments or Bonehead Calls to the Press Box e-mail me at DougD84@optonline.net or Leave a Comment.