[HelloHockeyFans]

HAVE WE LOST FAITH YET?


Deron Quint of the Boston Bruins runs into Islander forward
Jaroslav Bednar behind the Boston net.

BOSTON - After a spirited first period the Islanders disappeared for the remainder of the game eventually bowing to the Bruins by a 4-2 score.

And so it begins.

The end that is. Or does it?

The Islanders -- a team that should not have trouble finding motivation given their position -- looked incredibly disinterested Thursday evening after the opening 20 minutes where they outshot the Bruins by a 13-8 margin.

Unable to beat Olaf Kolzig though, the Isles sat back for the remainder of the game, firing only a total of 10 shots in the final two frames, surrendering four goals against in the process en route to a 4-2 loss -- their second straight in as many nights -- to the playoff bound Bruins.

After being very average the night before, Tomas Vokoun bounced back Thursday and despite allowing four goals against, turned aside 33 shots as his defencemen once again failed to play their positions.

Offensively, the Islanders coach let it ride double shifting all of David Vyborny, Mark Parrish, Paul Kariya and Marek Svatos, but saw no results besides Parrish's goal in the third period.

The end is near folks, and although they aren't mathematically eliminated yet, and despite the Montreal Canadiens also losing Thursday night, the effort shown by the Islanders in Boston leads one to believe the desire is just not there.

10 games left in the season where they'll have to win at least two more games than the Carolina Hurricanes, who also have 10 games remaining.

Should be quite the finish folks. That's if the Islanders decide to come and play the next time around.