Niemi, Huet both struggle as Hawks return
UNIONDALE, N.Y. - Think Stan Bowman is on the phone now?
On the night before the trade deadline and with the Blackhawks general manager already on the prowl for help in goal, Antti Niemi and Cristobal Huet didn't do themselves any favors Tuesday in a 5-3 loss to the Islanders at Nassau Coliseum.
Niemi started his fifth straight game but was pulled 2:52 into the second period after allowing 3 goals on 12 shots as the Islanders erased a 2-1 deficit by scoring 25 seconds apart.
Huet came on in relief, playing for the first time since Feb. 5, and couldn't keep it close.
He surrendered a terribly soft goal by Richard Park over his glove from the far right circle at 7:06 to make it 4-2, then let Blake Comeau beat him high again with 17.3 seconds left in the second period.
Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said he pulled Niemi to try to change the game's momentum but agreed the work of his goalies wasn't anything special.
"Today was just OK," Quenneville said. "They haven't played in awhile, and whether you're not challenging as much or things, we know it can be better.
"That territory is a little challenging than other areas as far as scrutiny and evaluation, so we'll just move on and be better across the board."
Comeau had a hat trick for the Islanders, who ended the Hawks' winning streak at four.
The Hawks had a solid first period, outshooting the Islanders 22-9 and taking a 2-1 lead on goals by Brian Campbell and Patrick Kane.
But the Islanders got 4 goals in the second period.
"Our second periods have been a little concerning recently," Quenneville said.
"We've just got to play better with the puck," defenseman Duncan Keith said. "I thought we just stopped skating and moving and doing the things that make us a good team.
"I felt we were playing the way we can play (early) and we took it to them and had good energy."
It wasn't a great night for several of the returning Olympians either.
Keith was minus-3, Brent Seabrook minus-2 with a turnover that led directly to a goal, and Jonathan Toews was minus-1 and mostly a nonfactor.
Kane was minus-1 but with a goal and 2 assists, while Marian Hossa had 8 shots on goal, though he failed to capitalize on several good scoring chances.
"I don't know if we got too comfortable and thought it would be an easy game against these guys," Kane said.
Nobody was blaming Niemi for the loss.
"He's been so good for us all year and won us games," Seabrook said. "Sometimes we've got to win him games."
"It's not his fault at all," Kane said. "Two of the goals were rockets, top shelf, and the other one was screened. Niemi has been great for us, so you can't really fault him. It was not our best performance."
Islanders goalie Dwayne Roloson made 41 saves in the victory. Roloson is one of the goalies rumored to be on the Hawks' radar, along with Florida's Tomas Vokoun.
Blackhawks game dayEdmonton Oilers at the United Center, 7:30 p.m.TV: Comcast SportsNetRadio: WGN 720-AMWhat to watch: The trade deadline preceeds the game by a few hours, which means both teams could look different. The rebuilding Oilers have been trying to move a handful of players. The Hawks have won their last two games at the UC, both in a shootout.Season series: Hawks lead 3-0.Next: Vancouver Canucks at the United Center, 7:30 p.m. Sunday.False20001513The Islanders celebrate a goal by Richard Park as Blackhawks goalie Cristobal Huet looks on in the second period. Huet replaced Antti Niemi, who gave up 3 goals, early in the second period.Associated PressFalse <p class="factboxheadblack">Tim Sassone's game tracker</p><p class="News">Islanders 5, Blackhawks 3</p><p class="News"><b>Three stars</b></p><p class="News">1. Blake Comeau, Islanders: Supplied most of the Isles' offense with a hat trick.</p><p class="News">2. Dwayne Roloson, Islanders: Made 41 saves in goal.</p><p class="News">3. Patrick Kane, Hawks: A goal and 2 assists for the U.S. silver medalist.</p><p class="News"><b>Whoa, Canada</b></p><p class="News">Hawks Canadian Olympians Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Jonathan Toews were a combined minus-6.</p><p class="News"><b>By the numbers</b></p><p class="News">The Hawks had 44 shots on goal and 21 other shots blocked by the Islanders, including 7 by defenseman Andrew MacDonald.</p><div class="infoBox"><h1>More Coverage</h1><div class="infoBoxContent"><div class="infoArea"><h2>Stories</h2><ul class="links"><li><a href="/story/?id=363175">With trade deadline looming, Hawks make one deal<span class="date"> [3/2/10]</span></a></li></ul></div></div></div>