With a series of stops providing easy breakaways, Oregon's bright black-and-yellow uniforms blurred all over the court.
"If he had a few breakaways, he might have a few more goals, " Islanders star center John Tavares said.
But because they exist does not necessarily mean that breakaways will succeed.
Mr Saakashvili is realistic about the two breakaways, saying merely that he hopes to lure them back by creating a prosperous Georgia.
The Finn twice denied Michael Grabner on breakaways and made a nifty block on Frans Nielsen while the Bruins were short-handed in the first period.
"We're not the first team Lundqvist has done this to, " said Devils coach Peter DeBoer, who watched his team squander five power plays and two breakaways.
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Nabokov was sharp for the Islanders in the first period, stopping three point-blank shots in the first six minutes and two breakaways by Kevin Porter later in the period.
While Wales' two 22-year-old breakaways, Dan Lydiate and Sam Warburton, could not quite match the All Blacks pair's support and ball-carrying, they did put in hugely impressive shifts at the breakdown.
There are 68 other breakaways waiting in the wings.
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As a younger player, Nielsen often watched highlights of NHL games on television and saw veteran forward Alex Kovalev use a similar technique on breakaways, and he's happy to confess to plagiarizing Kovalev.
Nolan had noticed that Nielsen had scored on several breakaways during the team's pre-game skate, and a victory over the Maple Leafs would help the Islanders stay in the thick of a close playoff race.
Whether it's on power plays or breakaways, from his knees or during shootouts, Vanek has scored in nearly every situation this season playing on a line rounded out by Jason Pominville and center Cody Hodgson.
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