Okposo (Bailey, Campoli).
That stat line says it all. It's why we're watching. In a season where the playoff expectations are as low as Bush's approval rating, seeing how the Islanders' young players develop is what it is all about.
So to see Kyle Okposo score a goal with assists from rookie Josh Bailey and Chris Campoli -- three players who could be the core of this team for the next decade -- was for me the high point of the Islanders' 3-1 victory at Ottawa Thursday night.
Bailey may only be up for a nine-game tryout, but there are indications, particularly with Mike Comrie hurting and being otherwise unproductive, that the Isles may let Bailey stick with the big club for the duration of the season, the way so many other NHL teams are allowing their rookies to shine.
At minimum, it gives fans another reason to buy a ticket. At best, Bailey could pay immediate dividends on the ice as well.
Bailey was praised for his poise by coach Scott Gordon and the fact that Okposo's goal came on the power play is another good sign. The Isles scored two man-up goals in the game, the other by Trent Hunter.
Bill Guerin's goal early in the third upped the lead to two goals. It's a good thing the Isles didn't score again, because we know what happens with three-goal leads around here. There was no collapse this time, though, and Joey MacDonald had a solid game in net with 29 saves.
Thomas Pock may miss Saturday's rematch at the Coliseum after getting a game miscounduct for elbowing Ryan Shannon. A multi-game suspension is a possibility.
Showing posts with label campoli. Show all posts
Showing posts with label campoli. Show all posts
Friday, November 14, 2008
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
LIVEBLOG: Canadiens 3, Islanders 1
Finally, another liveblog from the Coliseum as the Isles take on the Canadiens, fresh off a successful road trip and a big win over the Senators.
It's pregame and you know what that means... SHOUT OUTS! A big howdy to my friends and Squids softball teammates Tom and Marty Stock in Section 218 (Mike Downey couldn't make it - home sick; get well, buddy). We Squids didn't have a great season but we had a hell of a lot of fun. Now THAT would have been an interesting blog.
I'd like to tell you more about the matchup but frankly, I'm freezing. Hands are like ice. And I'm the only one in the blog box right now, and it feels a little weird.
First of five games in 8 days for the Isles, all against contending teams. So it's an important stretch as the team heads into the All-Star break.
Is it too much to ask to respect the nationals anthems while they are being sung and refrain from being loud an obnoxious? I didn't even post during the anthems. Just putting it out there.
Dee Karl is here - it's just the two of us, so far.
Brendan Witt still out with the ankle injury, still listed as day-to-day. We'll miss the 14 blocked shots he usually racks up. Freddy Meyer's been playing well, though, and on cue, a nice steal at the Isles blue line. Then Satan with a chance blockered by Huet.
Campoli whistled for a questionable foul at the 12:45 mark. Tripping? Welcome to the NHL. Montreal with a shot in close - wide left, then Park carries in on a shorthanded break, fires wide. Good penalty kill.
1-0 Montreal. Tomas Plekanec with a blistering shot from the top of the circle, just under the crossbar, pouncing on the loose puck for the unassisted tally. Good chance converted by the Canadiens, who are in fifth place in the East entering tonight's game.
Witt, by the way, sixth in the NHL in blocked shots with 109, 18th with 103 hits. Thank you, Islanders media guide!
Nice play by DiPietro keeping his pads at the post as Koivu tries to stuff it short side. Another good opportunity for Montreal, which has had the advantage thus far. Another chance by Higgins turned aside by DP.
A bad play by the Isles - miscommunication allows Michael Ryder to grab the puck behind the net and set up a shot from the slot. Meanwhile, the Isles have ONE SHOT ON GOAL with a minute left in the first. Yikes. Montreal outshoots them 9-1, up 1-0 after one.
Feels like a hangover after the impressive road trip. We'll see if Ted wakes the team up in the dressing room. The crowd could use a wake-up call, too.
Just walked the entire concourse looking for the nacho stand - nada. Also no sushi bar if that's how you roll. THAT'S what we're missing - nachos and sushi and the Isles would be winning this game.
Also saw a few Canadiens fans wearing their Montreal sweaters - but almost none of them had a number on them. C'mon, people, you're Canadiens fans - plenty of history - can SOMEONE rock a NILAN 30 or a ROBINSON 19 or a DRYDEN 29? Finally, I saw a girl with a LAFLEUR 10. You come to cheer on your team in someone else's house, you gotta represent.
Meanwhile, Isles on the power play but it's the Canadiens who score, 2-0 Montreal. Plekanec again, with an assist from Alex Kovalev on a breakaway after a big save by Huet. Isles seem a step behind on the ice and the crowd is getting quieter by the second. This is where LOUDVILLE needs to step it up - try and bring the crowd back into it and spark the team -- not yell nonsense during the anthems.
Isles starting to pick it up -- Satan leading a 2-on-1, looks to pass then fires a shot off the post, moments later Vasicek wrists one wide left. Later, Hilbert in front to Jackman, stopped. Then Comrie on a break, cuts right to left but Huet slides across to make the save.
Campoli with a nice breakup of a potential 2-on-1 -- a goal there would have been a back-breaker.
Sillinger and Fedotenko with a chance on the doorstep, nothing doing. Ten shots on goal, Isles down 2-0 after two. Three goals in the third period? It COULD happen.
Three minutes in and Comeau makes a nice feed to Jackman, who can't pull the trigger. Isles need a quick goal here to turn things around.
Instead, Comrie gets 2 for cross-checking - dumb play. Then Campoli gets his stick slashed out of his hands - no call. Isles kill it, though.
Park gets one back, putting in a rebound off a shot from the right boards by Guerin with 9:04 remaining in the third - Montreal up 2-1. FINALLY, someone is in front of the net, and sure enough, the Islanders score. THAT's how you get it done. And now the crowd gets back into it.
Hunter nice pass to the point for Bergeron, deflects high. Less than four minutes left - crunch time now.
Final minute, Isles with a scramble in front, then the puck back out to Campoli - he doesn't shoot - tries to pass to the left boards and it's picked off - Montreal scores with the empty net. Game over, big disappointment. Off to the post mortem.
POSTGAME COMMENTS: TED NOLAN
On the slow start: That's what they kept telling us all day, but we tried to do our best to compensate with short shifts.
We didn't play as bad as I thought we would, but we just couldn't get back into it.
On the shorthanded goal: Just one of those things ... a nag-up play where the defense pinched in too prematurely. It was a good play [by Montreal] and a good goal.
If we win two or three and then lose one, I'll be happy with that.
Coming off two hard-fought games, we didn't have our legs early but we rebounded well in teh second and third periods.
To win hockey games, you have to play 60 minutes and we played 40.
It's pregame and you know what that means... SHOUT OUTS! A big howdy to my friends and Squids softball teammates Tom and Marty Stock in Section 218 (Mike Downey couldn't make it - home sick; get well, buddy). We Squids didn't have a great season but we had a hell of a lot of fun. Now THAT would have been an interesting blog.
I'd like to tell you more about the matchup but frankly, I'm freezing. Hands are like ice. And I'm the only one in the blog box right now, and it feels a little weird.
First of five games in 8 days for the Isles, all against contending teams. So it's an important stretch as the team heads into the All-Star break.
Is it too much to ask to respect the nationals anthems while they are being sung and refrain from being loud an obnoxious? I didn't even post during the anthems. Just putting it out there.
Dee Karl is here - it's just the two of us, so far.
Brendan Witt still out with the ankle injury, still listed as day-to-day. We'll miss the 14 blocked shots he usually racks up. Freddy Meyer's been playing well, though, and on cue, a nice steal at the Isles blue line. Then Satan with a chance blockered by Huet.
Campoli whistled for a questionable foul at the 12:45 mark. Tripping? Welcome to the NHL. Montreal with a shot in close - wide left, then Park carries in on a shorthanded break, fires wide. Good penalty kill.
1-0 Montreal. Tomas Plekanec with a blistering shot from the top of the circle, just under the crossbar, pouncing on the loose puck for the unassisted tally. Good chance converted by the Canadiens, who are in fifth place in the East entering tonight's game.
Witt, by the way, sixth in the NHL in blocked shots with 109, 18th with 103 hits. Thank you, Islanders media guide!
Nice play by DiPietro keeping his pads at the post as Koivu tries to stuff it short side. Another good opportunity for Montreal, which has had the advantage thus far. Another chance by Higgins turned aside by DP.
A bad play by the Isles - miscommunication allows Michael Ryder to grab the puck behind the net and set up a shot from the slot. Meanwhile, the Isles have ONE SHOT ON GOAL with a minute left in the first. Yikes. Montreal outshoots them 9-1, up 1-0 after one.
Feels like a hangover after the impressive road trip. We'll see if Ted wakes the team up in the dressing room. The crowd could use a wake-up call, too.
Just walked the entire concourse looking for the nacho stand - nada. Also no sushi bar if that's how you roll. THAT'S what we're missing - nachos and sushi and the Isles would be winning this game.
Also saw a few Canadiens fans wearing their Montreal sweaters - but almost none of them had a number on them. C'mon, people, you're Canadiens fans - plenty of history - can SOMEONE rock a NILAN 30 or a ROBINSON 19 or a DRYDEN 29? Finally, I saw a girl with a LAFLEUR 10. You come to cheer on your team in someone else's house, you gotta represent.
Meanwhile, Isles on the power play but it's the Canadiens who score, 2-0 Montreal. Plekanec again, with an assist from Alex Kovalev on a breakaway after a big save by Huet. Isles seem a step behind on the ice and the crowd is getting quieter by the second. This is where LOUDVILLE needs to step it up - try and bring the crowd back into it and spark the team -- not yell nonsense during the anthems.
Isles starting to pick it up -- Satan leading a 2-on-1, looks to pass then fires a shot off the post, moments later Vasicek wrists one wide left. Later, Hilbert in front to Jackman, stopped. Then Comrie on a break, cuts right to left but Huet slides across to make the save.
Campoli with a nice breakup of a potential 2-on-1 -- a goal there would have been a back-breaker.
Sillinger and Fedotenko with a chance on the doorstep, nothing doing. Ten shots on goal, Isles down 2-0 after two. Three goals in the third period? It COULD happen.
Three minutes in and Comeau makes a nice feed to Jackman, who can't pull the trigger. Isles need a quick goal here to turn things around.
Instead, Comrie gets 2 for cross-checking - dumb play. Then Campoli gets his stick slashed out of his hands - no call. Isles kill it, though.
Park gets one back, putting in a rebound off a shot from the right boards by Guerin with 9:04 remaining in the third - Montreal up 2-1. FINALLY, someone is in front of the net, and sure enough, the Islanders score. THAT's how you get it done. And now the crowd gets back into it.
Hunter nice pass to the point for Bergeron, deflects high. Less than four minutes left - crunch time now.
Final minute, Isles with a scramble in front, then the puck back out to Campoli - he doesn't shoot - tries to pass to the left boards and it's picked off - Montreal scores with the empty net. Game over, big disappointment. Off to the post mortem.
POSTGAME COMMENTS: TED NOLAN
On the slow start: That's what they kept telling us all day, but we tried to do our best to compensate with short shifts.
We didn't play as bad as I thought we would, but we just couldn't get back into it.
On the shorthanded goal: Just one of those things ... a nag-up play where the defense pinched in too prematurely. It was a good play [by Montreal] and a good goal.
If we win two or three and then lose one, I'll be happy with that.
Coming off two hard-fought games, we didn't have our legs early but we rebounded well in teh second and third periods.
To win hockey games, you have to play 60 minutes and we played 40.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Game recap: Islanders 5, Devils 2
And we thought the Toronto game was exciting.
The full house at the Coliseum Saturday night not only saw the Islanders score five -- count 'em -- FIVE goals in a game but were also treated to some Eddie Shore-type hockey, with a handful of fights and tough defense as the Isles went 4-0 against the Devils this season with a 5-2 victory. It was the Isles' fourth win in five games and the first time the team scored as many as five goals in a game since Oct. 18.
Quite a bit different than the 5-2 loss at Ottawa two nights earlier. Instead of being bombarded with shots, winning goalie Wade Dubielewicz had some help in front of him, and his defensemen not only clamped down on Jersey but joined the attack, with three d-men scoring goals.
Chris Campoli, who loves to jump in on offense, got the Isles the lead with a shorthanded goal in the first and then Marc-Andre Bergeron scored on the power play in the second. The Devils rallied to tie, but then Andy Sutton of all people scored what proved to be the game-winner, one-timing a nice feed from Mike Sillinger from the top of the slot. Sean Bergenheim finally scored a goal, ending a 25-game drought, and Mike Comrie added the empty-netter. Sillinger had another strong night with three assists, as did Richard Park, who had two helpers.
Sutton recorded the Gordie Howe hat trick, with a goal, assist and a fight, taking on Michael Rupp. It was the third bout of the evening. Comrie and Mike Mottau threw down in the first after Comrie creamed Mottau with a devastating hit. Bill Guerin and David Clarkson exchanged pleasantries right before the Sutton-Rupp main event.
As if that wasn't enough good news, Kyle Okposo has signed for three years at $2.55 million. Okposo helped the USA improve to 3-0 at the World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic with a 3-2 win over Russia, assisting on the first goal of the game.
Okposo will join the organization when he returns but it isn't clear whether he'll report to Bridgeport or make the jump to the NHL immediately. Figure the Isles, as long as they're winning, play it safe and start him with the Sound Tigers while Garth Snow weighs his options on how to improve the team for the playoff push.
The full house at the Coliseum Saturday night not only saw the Islanders score five -- count 'em -- FIVE goals in a game but were also treated to some Eddie Shore-type hockey, with a handful of fights and tough defense as the Isles went 4-0 against the Devils this season with a 5-2 victory. It was the Isles' fourth win in five games and the first time the team scored as many as five goals in a game since Oct. 18.
Quite a bit different than the 5-2 loss at Ottawa two nights earlier. Instead of being bombarded with shots, winning goalie Wade Dubielewicz had some help in front of him, and his defensemen not only clamped down on Jersey but joined the attack, with three d-men scoring goals.
Chris Campoli, who loves to jump in on offense, got the Isles the lead with a shorthanded goal in the first and then Marc-Andre Bergeron scored on the power play in the second. The Devils rallied to tie, but then Andy Sutton of all people scored what proved to be the game-winner, one-timing a nice feed from Mike Sillinger from the top of the slot. Sean Bergenheim finally scored a goal, ending a 25-game drought, and Mike Comrie added the empty-netter. Sillinger had another strong night with three assists, as did Richard Park, who had two helpers.
Sutton recorded the Gordie Howe hat trick, with a goal, assist and a fight, taking on Michael Rupp. It was the third bout of the evening. Comrie and Mike Mottau threw down in the first after Comrie creamed Mottau with a devastating hit. Bill Guerin and David Clarkson exchanged pleasantries right before the Sutton-Rupp main event.
As if that wasn't enough good news, Kyle Okposo has signed for three years at $2.55 million. Okposo helped the USA improve to 3-0 at the World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic with a 3-2 win over Russia, assisting on the first goal of the game.
Okposo will join the organization when he returns but it isn't clear whether he'll report to Bridgeport or make the jump to the NHL immediately. Figure the Isles, as long as they're winning, play it safe and start him with the Sound Tigers while Garth Snow weighs his options on how to improve the team for the playoff push.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Game recap: Isles 5, Caps 2
Now THAT was a nice win.
On the road, facing adversity in the third period in the guise of an overturned goal that preceded the loss of a two-goal lead, the Islanders buckled down and rallied with three goals while holding the Capitals without a shot over the final nine minutes of play. Bill Guerin scored a hat trick for his first three goals as an Islander, and the Isles scored three times on the power play. Like Schoolhouse Rock taught us: Three is a magic number.
How many times do you see something like a video replay go against a team, and then the momentum swings the other way? Well, this time the Islanders were able to regain that momentum after the Caps tied the score at 2-2, thanks to Bryan Berard's shot from the point. That's two goals for Berard - both of the game-winning variety. That's a move that's paying dividends.
Guerin also showed what kind of scorer he could be, adding to his six assists with his trio of tallies. His slapper made it 3-2 and then he took a nice pass from Comrie and flicked a wrister from the left circle to clinch it.
So many good things tonight -- Campoli continues to impress, particularly with his offensive instincts, with four (count em - four!) assists. Bergenheim also scored with assists from Vasicek and Satan -- that line has looked good so far, and the added scoring depth is crucial if this team is to succeed. And DiPietro was solid once again, making several big stops, including one on Ovechkin after the Caps drew within one.
Who? Ovechkin? Was he even on the ice? Exactly. VERY nice win.
On the road, facing adversity in the third period in the guise of an overturned goal that preceded the loss of a two-goal lead, the Islanders buckled down and rallied with three goals while holding the Capitals without a shot over the final nine minutes of play. Bill Guerin scored a hat trick for his first three goals as an Islander, and the Isles scored three times on the power play. Like Schoolhouse Rock taught us: Three is a magic number.
How many times do you see something like a video replay go against a team, and then the momentum swings the other way? Well, this time the Islanders were able to regain that momentum after the Caps tied the score at 2-2, thanks to Bryan Berard's shot from the point. That's two goals for Berard - both of the game-winning variety. That's a move that's paying dividends.
Guerin also showed what kind of scorer he could be, adding to his six assists with his trio of tallies. His slapper made it 3-2 and then he took a nice pass from Comrie and flicked a wrister from the left circle to clinch it.
So many good things tonight -- Campoli continues to impress, particularly with his offensive instincts, with four (count em - four!) assists. Bergenheim also scored with assists from Vasicek and Satan -- that line has looked good so far, and the added scoring depth is crucial if this team is to succeed. And DiPietro was solid once again, making several big stops, including one on Ovechkin after the Caps drew within one.
Who? Ovechkin? Was he even on the ice? Exactly. VERY nice win.
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