December 30, 2010, Pittsburgh Penguins-New York Islanders game story for the New York Daily News.
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Sidney Crosby scoreless as Islanders beat Pittsburgh Penguins, on cusp of NHL Winter Classic, 2-1
BY Denis Gorman
SPECIAL TO THE NEWS
Originally Published:Wednesday, December 29th 2010, 10:26 PM
Updated: Thursday, December 30th 2010, 12:26 AM
While the NHL is cranking up its hype machine for Penguins-Capitals outdoors on New Year's Day, the Islanders decided to stage their own stunning version of the Winter Classic Wednesday night at the Coliseum.
The Islanders stopped Sidney Crosby's 25-game point streak en route to beating the Penguins, 2-1, in a shootout, a day after dealing their No. 1 defenseman, James Wisniewski, to Montreal for two draft picks.
Crosby had had at least a point in every game since Nov. 3 at Dallas. The run, in which Crosby had 26 goals and 24 assists, was the longest in the NHL since Quebec's Mats Sundin had a 30-game streak during the 1992-93 season.
Crosby also had scored a goal in five consecutive games before being shut down by the Islanders, the team he has victimized the most with 62 points in 33 games.
Rick DiPietro made 37 saves through overtime and also denied Crosby again in the shootout with a pad save in his first start after missing five games with swelling in his surgically repaired left knee.
"That wasn't me. It was a complete team effort," DiPietro said. "The defensive corps played with a lot of focus and a lot of heart. When we're playing smart in our defensive zone, we're a good hockey team."
Said Crosby: "It would've been nice to keep things going, but it was one of those games."
The upset over the NHL's top team can help the Isles forget about their 7-2 loss to the Rangers Monday at the Garden.
"We didn't watch any video from that game. We put it behind us," .Islanders coach Jack Capuano said. "We wanted to move forward and see what kind of character that we have."
Capuano liked what he saw, specifically the play of Josh Bailey and the defense.
Rob Schremp, Frans Nielsen and P.A. Parenteau scored for the Islanders in the shootout, while DiPietro stopped Crosby and finally Mark Letestu to seal the Islanders' fifth win in seven games.
"We talk about belief in one another and that's the most important thing," Capuano said. "They're a good bunch of guys; high-character kids, got some good veteran leadership on our team and they're starting to believe in one and other and working hard."
Capuano's testimony was personalized by Bailey, who was the best player on the ice by a wide margin last night. He scored the game's opening goal 34 seconds into the second period. Bailey outmuscled Zbynek Michalek in the corner, which led to a Travis Hamonic shot. Marc-Andre Fleury (25 saves) could not control the rebound and Bailey outraced Paul Martin to the puck and one-timed it into the cage.
"It's part of playing the game. I've been trying to go to the net and create some chances," Bailey said. "Going to the net has done wonders for me."
- With The AP
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hockey/2010/12/29/2010-12-29_sidney_crosby_scoreless_as_islanders_beat_pittsburgh_penguins_on_cusp_of_nhl_win.html
posted by Denis P. Gorman at 9:03 AM
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