The Islanders return to action tonight to face the Atlanta Thrashers in a game that is, shockingly, not on Versus.
The Isles have had eight days off for the All-Star break, so they'll either be raring to go or rusty as a barn door hinge. Some of the players really enjoyed their time off, none more so than Mark Streit, who got to represent at an All-Star game that was decided by a shootout. Streit had two assists to help the East win. (If anyone cares.)
Some players won't be back. Joining Rick DiPietro on the shelf is Mike Sillinger, who is lost for the season thanks to another hip surgery. Which means the Isles will lose more faceoffs down the stretch, which won't help their chances for, you know, winning games.
Which is the point, isn't it? I forgot.
Anyway, appropo of nothing, enjoy this, the best beer commercial of all time. (Which was banned from running during the Super Bowl, by the way).
Showing posts with label Comrie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Comrie. Show all posts
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
LIVEBLOG: Okposo's debut - Leafs 3, Islanders 1
We're live at the Coliseum tonight for the game between your New York Islanders and the Toronto Maple Leafs, and we're very excited to see Steve Regier and Matthew Spiller take the ice.
Oh, yeah, there's Kyle Okposo, too.
The 19-year-old future of the franchise (no pressure, kid) makes his NHL debut wearing Number 21, and not the No. 12 he wore in Bridgeport. Kenneth Dick of OkposoNet informs us that Okposo wore No. 9 at Minnesota, so basically the number on the back doesn't matter as much as the logo on the front, or the numbers in the points column that he can provide. Or, he just likes Brent Sutter better than Duane.
Lots of youngsters in the lineup and Rick DiPietro is out getting an MRI on his troublesome hip, so basically, the Isles get a jump on the 2008-09 preseason. And we're pretty much reduced to rooting HARD against the Rangers. (Go, Sabres!)
Here's a fun fact: Okposo was born April 16 (same day as my son!), 1988 -- five years after the Isles last won the cup, when I was a sophomore in college. Ouch.
Okposo playing with Park and Comeau, doesn't touch the puck but generates some cheers when he steps out on the ice for his first and second shifts. Other than waiting on Okposo, not a ton of excitement here with these 2 teams. Personally? I'm looking for someone - anyone - to run Darcy Tucker. And I'm not alone on that front.
Okposo gets his first shot on goal at the 11:30 mark - save Tokala. No score but the Isles lead in broken stick blades, 2-0. You're welcome.
GOOOOOOOOAL! Talk about end-to-end! Rob Davison gets his first, shorthanded, FROM HIS OWN GOAL LINE. His clear bounced along toward Toskala like a football. He went down, it got by him. That'll be on YouTube within the hour. You got the feeling once the puck was in the Toronto end and it was clear that it was on net, that it could be trouble. But a goal? Unreal.
That's the book on Toskala - he has trouble with the long shots. The reeeeaallll long shots.
Isles up, 1-0, after one.
Besides the arrival of Okposo, the only other good news surrounding the team lately was the news that Nassau County executive Tom Suozzi threw his support behind the Lighthouse Project. Read more about it here. Hopefully, the legislature will get behind it as well and we'll have a new home here sooner rather than later. But knowing Nassau County government, I'm not holding my breath.
Isles killing their third penalty of the game early in the second. Meyer drills Blake, then Dubie stones Kubina on a slapper from the slot. Another good kill.
Penalty on Tucker for hooking, Isles on the power play. Of course, the Leafs have the best scoring chance so far, with Stajan stealing the puck at the blue line and then flying around Berard, who does his best imitation of a fire hydrant. No goal. Okposo almost gets a chance charging to the net, but the pass doesn't get there. Meanwhile, the Isles kill their fourth penalty (too many men).
End of two, still 1-0 Isles.
Is it wrong to be looking up the top 30 2008 draft prospects according to International Scouting Services? That's what I'm doing between the second and third periods. Here's a list -- no profiles yet, but the top prospects are ranked. Here's a tip: Use the list to look these guys up on YouTube. There's plenty of highlights to enjoy. Love that Internet. Here are some profiles as well. Again, you're welcome.
Bad goal allowed by the Isles so I guess they're even on that score as well as the actual score -- and we're tied, 1-1. My hand to God I had just been thinking about writing that the Leafs will score midway through the period, then again with about three minutes left, with an empty netter to cap it off. We'll see - we're a third of the way there.
While the glass is being fixed, here's a thought: The NYI Mobile trivia question asked, who was the first Islander to win the Calder Trophy. And it was multiple choice - Potvin, Trottier, or Bossy. Of course it was Potvin, who was here first -- and yet the most popular answer was Trots at 51 percent??! Let's hope a bunch of weisenheimers texted the wrong answer on purpose, because that's just flat-out embarrassing.
WEAK call against Johnson for holding against Blake. Is this hockey?
Sure enough - a power play goal by Kubina. Give them enough chances, and they're going to score. We'll wait patiently for the make-up call, refs. It's 2-1 Leafs with 8:49 to go.
Leafs goal waved off, Blake called for interference on Dubie, two minutes. Awwwww, tough break, Blakie. And thank you, Mr. Official. Alas, the spirit was willing but the power play is still weak.
Dubie to the bench, breakaway - but Toskala makes the toe save on Comrie. And then there's the empty-netter. Game over, 3-1 Leafs. That's six straight losses and 10 of 12 for the Isles-slash-Sound Tigers.
--
POSTGAME REPORT
Ted Nolan came out and said the veteran guys on the squad gave a poor effort and Bill Guerin agreed with him. Both praised Okposo's debut.
NOLAN:
The young kids played extremely well. We need a better effort as a whole.
ON NEEDING TO GIVE A BETTER EXAMPLE: I don't care who's in the lineup, you care about who competes in the lineup. We played OK, but that's not good enough.
ON OKPOSO: You can tell he's a player when he steps on the ice, he has a great sense for the game.
We didn't want to give him too much in his first game but he did well. He wants the puck.
Dubie gave us a chance. That's all you want from your goaltender.
BILL GUERIN ON NOLAN'S COMMENTS: I 100 percent agree with him.
They didn't have too much to work on off the older guys. It just wasn't there. We're going to try to win with who we have. The lines were shuffled, but in the end, hockey's hockey. You can't use that as an excuse. We could have won that game tonight. We have to do our best to avoid getting down and avoid getting negative.
ON OKPOSO: He played well. Your first game in the league, you're nervous. I think only Mario
came in and had a good first shift and was ready to go.
It's quite a thrill, your first NHL game. (Guerin remarked that his own debut was too long ago to remember but recalled it was at the old Chicago Stadium.)
He got involved in the game and had a couple of opportunities. There's a reason he's here.
KYLE OKPOSO (whose locker is between Comeau's and Guerin's, for what it's worth):
I thought the game was faster than it was the first period, but then I calmed down a bit.
On his scoring chance: I had a little more time than I thought.
The first period I was very nervous.
It's not different than what I've played. Obviously the skill level is higher. But hockey's hockey, whether it's on the pond or here. You've played a thousand times.
All the guys were really supportive and just said to relax.
Oh, yeah, there's Kyle Okposo, too.
The 19-year-old future of the franchise (no pressure, kid) makes his NHL debut wearing Number 21, and not the No. 12 he wore in Bridgeport. Kenneth Dick of OkposoNet informs us that Okposo wore No. 9 at Minnesota, so basically the number on the back doesn't matter as much as the logo on the front, or the numbers in the points column that he can provide. Or, he just likes Brent Sutter better than Duane.
Lots of youngsters in the lineup and Rick DiPietro is out getting an MRI on his troublesome hip, so basically, the Isles get a jump on the 2008-09 preseason. And we're pretty much reduced to rooting HARD against the Rangers. (Go, Sabres!)
Here's a fun fact: Okposo was born April 16 (same day as my son!), 1988 -- five years after the Isles last won the cup, when I was a sophomore in college. Ouch.
Okposo playing with Park and Comeau, doesn't touch the puck but generates some cheers when he steps out on the ice for his first and second shifts. Other than waiting on Okposo, not a ton of excitement here with these 2 teams. Personally? I'm looking for someone - anyone - to run Darcy Tucker. And I'm not alone on that front.
Okposo gets his first shot on goal at the 11:30 mark - save Tokala. No score but the Isles lead in broken stick blades, 2-0. You're welcome.
GOOOOOOOOAL! Talk about end-to-end! Rob Davison gets his first, shorthanded, FROM HIS OWN GOAL LINE. His clear bounced along toward Toskala like a football. He went down, it got by him. That'll be on YouTube within the hour. You got the feeling once the puck was in the Toronto end and it was clear that it was on net, that it could be trouble. But a goal? Unreal.
That's the book on Toskala - he has trouble with the long shots. The reeeeaallll long shots.
Isles up, 1-0, after one.
Besides the arrival of Okposo, the only other good news surrounding the team lately was the news that Nassau County executive Tom Suozzi threw his support behind the Lighthouse Project. Read more about it here. Hopefully, the legislature will get behind it as well and we'll have a new home here sooner rather than later. But knowing Nassau County government, I'm not holding my breath.
Isles killing their third penalty of the game early in the second. Meyer drills Blake, then Dubie stones Kubina on a slapper from the slot. Another good kill.
Penalty on Tucker for hooking, Isles on the power play. Of course, the Leafs have the best scoring chance so far, with Stajan stealing the puck at the blue line and then flying around Berard, who does his best imitation of a fire hydrant. No goal. Okposo almost gets a chance charging to the net, but the pass doesn't get there. Meanwhile, the Isles kill their fourth penalty (too many men).
End of two, still 1-0 Isles.
Is it wrong to be looking up the top 30 2008 draft prospects according to International Scouting Services? That's what I'm doing between the second and third periods. Here's a list -- no profiles yet, but the top prospects are ranked. Here's a tip: Use the list to look these guys up on YouTube. There's plenty of highlights to enjoy. Love that Internet. Here are some profiles as well. Again, you're welcome.
Bad goal allowed by the Isles so I guess they're even on that score as well as the actual score -- and we're tied, 1-1. My hand to God I had just been thinking about writing that the Leafs will score midway through the period, then again with about three minutes left, with an empty netter to cap it off. We'll see - we're a third of the way there.
While the glass is being fixed, here's a thought: The NYI Mobile trivia question asked, who was the first Islander to win the Calder Trophy. And it was multiple choice - Potvin, Trottier, or Bossy. Of course it was Potvin, who was here first -- and yet the most popular answer was Trots at 51 percent??! Let's hope a bunch of weisenheimers texted the wrong answer on purpose, because that's just flat-out embarrassing.
WEAK call against Johnson for holding against Blake. Is this hockey?
Sure enough - a power play goal by Kubina. Give them enough chances, and they're going to score. We'll wait patiently for the make-up call, refs. It's 2-1 Leafs with 8:49 to go.
Leafs goal waved off, Blake called for interference on Dubie, two minutes. Awwwww, tough break, Blakie. And thank you, Mr. Official. Alas, the spirit was willing but the power play is still weak.
Dubie to the bench, breakaway - but Toskala makes the toe save on Comrie. And then there's the empty-netter. Game over, 3-1 Leafs. That's six straight losses and 10 of 12 for the Isles-slash-Sound Tigers.
--
POSTGAME REPORT
Ted Nolan came out and said the veteran guys on the squad gave a poor effort and Bill Guerin agreed with him. Both praised Okposo's debut.
NOLAN:
The young kids played extremely well. We need a better effort as a whole.
ON NEEDING TO GIVE A BETTER EXAMPLE: I don't care who's in the lineup, you care about who competes in the lineup. We played OK, but that's not good enough.
ON OKPOSO: You can tell he's a player when he steps on the ice, he has a great sense for the game.
We didn't want to give him too much in his first game but he did well. He wants the puck.
Dubie gave us a chance. That's all you want from your goaltender.
BILL GUERIN ON NOLAN'S COMMENTS: I 100 percent agree with him.
They didn't have too much to work on off the older guys. It just wasn't there. We're going to try to win with who we have. The lines were shuffled, but in the end, hockey's hockey. You can't use that as an excuse. We could have won that game tonight. We have to do our best to avoid getting down and avoid getting negative.
ON OKPOSO: He played well. Your first game in the league, you're nervous. I think only Mario
came in and had a good first shift and was ready to go.
It's quite a thrill, your first NHL game. (Guerin remarked that his own debut was too long ago to remember but recalled it was at the old Chicago Stadium.)
He got involved in the game and had a couple of opportunities. There's a reason he's here.
KYLE OKPOSO (whose locker is between Comeau's and Guerin's, for what it's worth):
I thought the game was faster than it was the first period, but then I calmed down a bit.
On his scoring chance: I had a little more time than I thought.
The first period I was very nervous.
It's not different than what I've played. Obviously the skill level is higher. But hockey's hockey, whether it's on the pond or here. You've played a thousand times.
All the guys were really supportive and just said to relax.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Game recap: Flyers 4, Islanders 1
Call this one 'Afternoon Debacle.'
It's funny that when the Islanders were winning six in a row, Ted Nolan talk about how the bounces were suddenly going the team's way, unlike the previous couple of weeks. Well, where are those bounces now? Going in for the opposition.
Take the Flyers, who a week ago were sinking like the FedEx plane in "Cast Away," but are now winners of three straight. Mike Knuble's fluke deflection midway through the third gave the Flyers a 3-1 lead and that was that.
Bill Guerin scored the Isles' only goal, his 20th of the season. He became only the second player in NHL history to score 20 or more goals for six different teams. Even he said, "I don't know if it's good or bad."
The Isles have now lost three of four, the only break a 5-4 OT win over the Thrashers on Thursday night. Sure, two points on the road are huge, especially given the logjam that exists for the final playoff spot, but you can't like blowing a three-goal lead. That's never good. But you had to like the two goals from Comrie and the OT winner by Trent Hunter, after Josef Vasicek capitalized on a Thrasher defensive error with a nice assist.
Meanwhile, on the injury front, Brendan Witt is back, but Frans Nielsen is out 2-4 weeks with a bad shoulder. We'll take that trade. Witt will be sorely needed down the stretch.
But the stretch of what? The Isles are now four points behind the Flyers for the last playoff spot, and Philly has a game in hand.
Condolences, by the way, to Rick DiPietro, whose grandmother passed away this week. He'll miss Sunday afternoon's game against Florida after starting 14 straight. Hello, Dubie.
It's funny that when the Islanders were winning six in a row, Ted Nolan talk about how the bounces were suddenly going the team's way, unlike the previous couple of weeks. Well, where are those bounces now? Going in for the opposition.
Take the Flyers, who a week ago were sinking like the FedEx plane in "Cast Away," but are now winners of three straight. Mike Knuble's fluke deflection midway through the third gave the Flyers a 3-1 lead and that was that.
Bill Guerin scored the Isles' only goal, his 20th of the season. He became only the second player in NHL history to score 20 or more goals for six different teams. Even he said, "I don't know if it's good or bad."
The Isles have now lost three of four, the only break a 5-4 OT win over the Thrashers on Thursday night. Sure, two points on the road are huge, especially given the logjam that exists for the final playoff spot, but you can't like blowing a three-goal lead. That's never good. But you had to like the two goals from Comrie and the OT winner by Trent Hunter, after Josef Vasicek capitalized on a Thrasher defensive error with a nice assist.
Meanwhile, on the injury front, Brendan Witt is back, but Frans Nielsen is out 2-4 weeks with a bad shoulder. We'll take that trade. Witt will be sorely needed down the stretch.
But the stretch of what? The Isles are now four points behind the Flyers for the last playoff spot, and Philly has a game in hand.
Condolences, by the way, to Rick DiPietro, whose grandmother passed away this week. He'll miss Sunday afternoon's game against Florida after starting 14 straight. Hello, Dubie.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Trade deadline day madness
So at 4:07 p.m., more than an hour past the NHL trade deadline, the burning question for me was -- WHAT THE DEVIL IS GOING ON IN ROOM SIX?
You see, unlike five of my Blog Box brethren, I had to follow the deadline day doings from work while they got to spend the day at the Coliseum, rubbing elbows with the likes of Newsday's Jim Baumbach as they monitored the day's events. So like a good little Blog Boxer I kept tabs on all their blogs, as well as ESPN.com, TSN.ca, SI.com.
So on Baumbach's blog and on The Tiger Track, right around 3:30 they say that everyone was called into Room 6. Was it to talk to Ted Nolan or Garth Snow about the trades involving Marc-Andre Bergeron, Chris Simon and Rob Davison? Was there bigger news coming?
I had no clue and it was KILLING ME ... until Baumbach posted an update at 4:15 that they talked with Snow about the deals, and how he said there was one big deal he tried to do that fell through that involved a player that ended up not getting traded anywhere. Bryan McCabe? The return of Olli Jokinen? Perhaps we will never know.
So, as to the trades that DID happen -- no surprises. A couple of small deals, all solid. Bergeron has been expendable almost from day one this season and has been a defensive liability. The fans' reaction to Chris Simon sealed his fate but he also had no role on this team any more. Getting a third-round and sixth-round pick for the two of them in a deep draft is good business. Dealing a seventh-round pick for Davison to add needed blue line depth was also a no-brainer.
The biggest news was the signing of Mike Comrie to a one-year deal, which took him off the table. Comrie brings plenty to the club, is the team's leading scorer and is a Nolan favorite. He's been essential in the team's recent resurgence and I'm glad he's staying.
Fedotenko, Vasicek and Satan were all rumored to be available but they're not going anywhere now, so this is your team heading into the final stretch. It's a team that will be without Sillinger for the rest of the way, and that hurts, but I've always liked this group of players and we'll see how they respond now that the deadline is passed.
The biggest deal of the day came at the deadline, with Marian Hossa going to the Pens, who are tonight's opponent. So the trade deadline could help the Isles in the very short term, as the Pens will be shorthanded without the three guys they dealt, no Hossa (unless he's on a flight RIGHT NOW) and Sid the Kid still hurt.
It would be great to see the Isles come out blazing at home tonight and grab two points against Pittsburgh for their seventh win in eight games. Faceoff in 2 hours and 30 minutes and counting...
And to the Blog Boxers who toiled all day -- great job, and thanks for helping me keep tabs on all the action. You lucky stiffs.
You see, unlike five of my Blog Box brethren, I had to follow the deadline day doings from work while they got to spend the day at the Coliseum, rubbing elbows with the likes of Newsday's Jim Baumbach as they monitored the day's events. So like a good little Blog Boxer I kept tabs on all their blogs, as well as ESPN.com, TSN.ca, SI.com.
So on Baumbach's blog and on The Tiger Track, right around 3:30 they say that everyone was called into Room 6. Was it to talk to Ted Nolan or Garth Snow about the trades involving Marc-Andre Bergeron, Chris Simon and Rob Davison? Was there bigger news coming?
I had no clue and it was KILLING ME ... until Baumbach posted an update at 4:15 that they talked with Snow about the deals, and how he said there was one big deal he tried to do that fell through that involved a player that ended up not getting traded anywhere. Bryan McCabe? The return of Olli Jokinen? Perhaps we will never know.
So, as to the trades that DID happen -- no surprises. A couple of small deals, all solid. Bergeron has been expendable almost from day one this season and has been a defensive liability. The fans' reaction to Chris Simon sealed his fate but he also had no role on this team any more. Getting a third-round and sixth-round pick for the two of them in a deep draft is good business. Dealing a seventh-round pick for Davison to add needed blue line depth was also a no-brainer.
The biggest news was the signing of Mike Comrie to a one-year deal, which took him off the table. Comrie brings plenty to the club, is the team's leading scorer and is a Nolan favorite. He's been essential in the team's recent resurgence and I'm glad he's staying.
Fedotenko, Vasicek and Satan were all rumored to be available but they're not going anywhere now, so this is your team heading into the final stretch. It's a team that will be without Sillinger for the rest of the way, and that hurts, but I've always liked this group of players and we'll see how they respond now that the deadline is passed.
The biggest deal of the day came at the deadline, with Marian Hossa going to the Pens, who are tonight's opponent. So the trade deadline could help the Isles in the very short term, as the Pens will be shorthanded without the three guys they dealt, no Hossa (unless he's on a flight RIGHT NOW) and Sid the Kid still hurt.
It would be great to see the Isles come out blazing at home tonight and grab two points against Pittsburgh for their seventh win in eight games. Faceoff in 2 hours and 30 minutes and counting...
And to the Blog Boxers who toiled all day -- great job, and thanks for helping me keep tabs on all the action. You lucky stiffs.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Game recap: Islanders 3, Sharks 2
Did we say something about things getting better all the time?
Oh, the record is getting better, that's for sure. Monday afternoon's stirring, 3-2 comeback victory over the Sharks was the Isles' fourth straight win and set the team just a point away from the eighth and final playoff spot in the East. But it came with a cost as Andy Sutton tore a hamstring near game's end and will be out for the season.
If you're scoring at home (or as Keith Olbermann used to say, or even if you're by yourself), that's two defensemen lost for the year in Sutton and Campoli, and two more on the shelf in Witt and Gervais. Drew Fata was recalled from the Tigers. Gervais is day-to-day while Witt will be out another week or more. And Mike Sillinger is also gone. Yeesh.
Not sure why the hockey gods are so mad at us. Was the Fisherman logo THAT bad? (Yes. Yes, it was.)
Sutton's hammy aside, Monday's win was terrific and saw more outstanding play from Freddy Meyer (game winner) and Mike Comrie, whose game-tying goal made a fool of San Jose's Kyle McLaren. Kudos also to Rick DiPietro, who came up huge in the waning moments as the Sharks circled, looking for the equalizer.
Meanwhile, the trading deadline is a week away and the GMS are meeting in Florida. I think there would be more deals if they met in a colder climate. Too much sun and warmth is too distracting for these guys, who must have spring fever.
I can see it now: "Up next on SportsCenter, a record 132 trades at the NHL's GM meeting in Yellowknife."
Oh, the record is getting better, that's for sure. Monday afternoon's stirring, 3-2 comeback victory over the Sharks was the Isles' fourth straight win and set the team just a point away from the eighth and final playoff spot in the East. But it came with a cost as Andy Sutton tore a hamstring near game's end and will be out for the season.
If you're scoring at home (or as Keith Olbermann used to say, or even if you're by yourself), that's two defensemen lost for the year in Sutton and Campoli, and two more on the shelf in Witt and Gervais. Drew Fata was recalled from the Tigers. Gervais is day-to-day while Witt will be out another week or more. And Mike Sillinger is also gone. Yeesh.
Not sure why the hockey gods are so mad at us. Was the Fisherman logo THAT bad? (Yes. Yes, it was.)
Sutton's hammy aside, Monday's win was terrific and saw more outstanding play from Freddy Meyer (game winner) and Mike Comrie, whose game-tying goal made a fool of San Jose's Kyle McLaren. Kudos also to Rick DiPietro, who came up huge in the waning moments as the Sharks circled, looking for the equalizer.
Meanwhile, the trading deadline is a week away and the GMS are meeting in Florida. I think there would be more deals if they met in a colder climate. Too much sun and warmth is too distracting for these guys, who must have spring fever.
I can see it now: "Up next on SportsCenter, a record 132 trades at the NHL's GM meeting in Yellowknife."
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Progress but still no wins; what now?
Two road games, no wins, two blown leads with less than four minutes left in the third period and one point don't add up to much other than the continuation of what is now a seven-game winless streak.
Yes, there have been signs of progress. But forgive me for not getting excited about scoring three goals for two straight games. With 26 games left in the season, tonight's home game against the Flyers needs to be the start of the turnaround if the Islanders are going to make the playoffs. They are six points behind the eighth-place Bruins so it's well within reach.
My man Crazy Joe Davola commented recently that the Isles are likely to be sellers at the deadline, and after further review I agree with him. Newsday is also speculating about who will stay and who will go. With so many free-agents-to-be, and with a deep draft expected, signs seem to be pointing to 'seller.'
Figure Satan, Comrie and Bergeron are the prime suspects to leave. Vasicek should stay, and while I like Hunter, I don't see him in the future. I like Fedotenko's style of play and wouldn't mind him sticking around.
And you know something? Just because they may be 'selling' veterans doesn't mean they won't be 'buying' players in return. If they can stock up on young talent, fine. And even if they deal those veterans, I'd rather see them throw in all the youngsters -- Tambellini, Okposo, Comeau, Johnson, Nielsen -- and let them have at it and battle for that last playoff spot.
Meanwhile, we'll see if the snow tonight holds down the crowd. This team can use all the help it can get.
The Islanders' Web site mentioned a new women's track world record in the indoor 60-meter hurdles set by Susanna Kallur, daughter of Anders Kallur, one of the "Core of the Four." Read more about her here. She also has a twin sister, Jenna, who is also a top hurdler for Sweden.
Yes, there have been signs of progress. But forgive me for not getting excited about scoring three goals for two straight games. With 26 games left in the season, tonight's home game against the Flyers needs to be the start of the turnaround if the Islanders are going to make the playoffs. They are six points behind the eighth-place Bruins so it's well within reach.
My man Crazy Joe Davola commented recently that the Isles are likely to be sellers at the deadline, and after further review I agree with him. Newsday is also speculating about who will stay and who will go. With so many free-agents-to-be, and with a deep draft expected, signs seem to be pointing to 'seller.'
Figure Satan, Comrie and Bergeron are the prime suspects to leave. Vasicek should stay, and while I like Hunter, I don't see him in the future. I like Fedotenko's style of play and wouldn't mind him sticking around.
And you know something? Just because they may be 'selling' veterans doesn't mean they won't be 'buying' players in return. If they can stock up on young talent, fine. And even if they deal those veterans, I'd rather see them throw in all the youngsters -- Tambellini, Okposo, Comeau, Johnson, Nielsen -- and let them have at it and battle for that last playoff spot.
Meanwhile, we'll see if the snow tonight holds down the crowd. This team can use all the help it can get.
The Islanders' Web site mentioned a new women's track world record in the indoor 60-meter hurdles set by Susanna Kallur, daughter of Anders Kallur, one of the "Core of the Four." Read more about her here. She also has a twin sister, Jenna, who is also a top hurdler for Sweden.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Catching up on west coast time
People are wondering where the posts have been lately, and while I'd love to say I was scouting in Saskatoon or covering the World Juniors in the Czech Republic, the truth is I'm still recovering from the holidays -- so some quick thoughts before the Isles take on Edmonton tonight.
Great to see that common sense prevailed in "PadGate." It was clear from the outset that DiPietro and the Islanders weren't trying to gain any advantage or pull a fast one on anybody. The snow-white pads all but screamed "ATTENTION: THIS IS NEW EQUIPMENT" and when asked, D.P, simply switched to the old pads. Problem solved, crisis averted, angry blog posts avoided.
Two OT losses in a row were very different. The Isles probably should have won the game outright against the Panthers with a strong effort but could have easily lost the game against Colorado Saturday. So you split the difference, get two points anyway and move on.
Horton's first goal for Florida was one D.P. should have had (maybe if he'd had those new pads on, he would have) and then Booth's goal came after multiple deflections, so that was fluky. DiPietro flat-out saved the Isles against the Avalanche, making 38 saves. The only Colorado goal in regulation was - maddeningly - another deflection that of course came with 31 seconds left in the second.
Bergeron's play has been a welcome sight, and production from the defense may have been just what the doctor ordered to cure the scoring drought. Blake Comeau has also looked good, as has Mike Comrie. By the way, Cosmo cover girl Hillary Duff has a "secret reason" why she's so happy. Could it be number 89? Head to your local checkout counter and find out!
I'm also seriously considering a trip to Bridgeport to see Kyle Okposo make his debut for the Sound Tigers, and you know something - we all should. He had a solid tournament at the World Juniors and by all accounts could be a mainstay on the right wing. Why not get a sneak preview?
One last thing - I have to agree with Chris Botta in his Point Blank blog about the 'HEY!' chant after goals. I'm sure it's because I'm a father of a young Islanders fan who discourages the use of words like SUCK, but New Yorkers and Long Islanders in general get a bad rap, and I know there is a perception of Islanders fans as being somewhat crass, even though the majority of us have class.
The chant appeals to the lowest common denominator, and while it may get the building fired up, there are other ways to do that. And while I love it when the barn gets loud, can we get a little more creative?
Great to see that common sense prevailed in "PadGate." It was clear from the outset that DiPietro and the Islanders weren't trying to gain any advantage or pull a fast one on anybody. The snow-white pads all but screamed "ATTENTION: THIS IS NEW EQUIPMENT" and when asked, D.P, simply switched to the old pads. Problem solved, crisis averted, angry blog posts avoided.
Two OT losses in a row were very different. The Isles probably should have won the game outright against the Panthers with a strong effort but could have easily lost the game against Colorado Saturday. So you split the difference, get two points anyway and move on.
Horton's first goal for Florida was one D.P. should have had (maybe if he'd had those new pads on, he would have) and then Booth's goal came after multiple deflections, so that was fluky. DiPietro flat-out saved the Isles against the Avalanche, making 38 saves. The only Colorado goal in regulation was - maddeningly - another deflection that of course came with 31 seconds left in the second.
Bergeron's play has been a welcome sight, and production from the defense may have been just what the doctor ordered to cure the scoring drought. Blake Comeau has also looked good, as has Mike Comrie. By the way, Cosmo cover girl Hillary Duff has a "secret reason" why she's so happy. Could it be number 89? Head to your local checkout counter and find out!
I'm also seriously considering a trip to Bridgeport to see Kyle Okposo make his debut for the Sound Tigers, and you know something - we all should. He had a solid tournament at the World Juniors and by all accounts could be a mainstay on the right wing. Why not get a sneak preview?
One last thing - I have to agree with Chris Botta in his Point Blank blog about the 'HEY!' chant after goals. I'm sure it's because I'm a father of a young Islanders fan who discourages the use of words like SUCK, but New Yorkers and Long Islanders in general get a bad rap, and I know there is a perception of Islanders fans as being somewhat crass, even though the majority of us have class.
The chant appeals to the lowest common denominator, and while it may get the building fired up, there are other ways to do that. And while I love it when the barn gets loud, can we get a little more creative?
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Game recap: Islanders 4, Maple Leafs 3 (OT)
This was one of those good news/better news/bad news games for the Islanders. The good news is that Wade Dubielewicz proved that he can step it up for the team when they need it. The better news is that Dubie's stellar play in the third period and overtime helped the Islanders win their third straight game, a 4-3 victory over the Maple Leafs Wednesday night at the Coliseum.
The bad news is that the reason Dubie was in goal in the first place is that Rick DiPietro suffered a knee injury in pregame warmups and lasted just the first period, in which the Islanders scored three goals, which if my math is correct represented a 300 percent increase in scoring efficiency compared to the last six weeks.
DiPietro was scheduled to get an MRI and be reevaluated Thursday, and as of 11:15 a.m. there has been no update. DiPietro will not make the trip to Ottawa for Thursday night's game against the Senators, so Yoda will need to use the force again tonight.
Mike Comrie scored twice, including the OT game-winner off an assist from Richard Park, who had a career-best three assists in the game. Of course, Park made the winning play as the final seconds of overtime ticked away by stealing the puck from Jason Blake, making his return to the Coliseum as a Maple Leaf. Blake was treaded well by the Islanders with a video tribute and was mostly well-received by the crowd, so there probably more than a few pangs of pain when he his giveaway led to Comrie's game-winner with less than 10 seconds left on the clock (right, Dee?).
It was a fabulous play by by Park, who has been one of the team's best players this season. He stole the puck at the Islanders' blue line, broke into the Maple Leafs zone and fired a shot of which a Toronto defender got a piece. But Comrie was there charging to the net and put the puck past Andrew Raycroft, another backup getting rare playing time.
Park has the opportunity to make that play thanks to Dubie, who got some help from the crossbar on a shot by Mats Sundin but was otherwise a stone wall as he made four BIG stops in the OT in a shooting-gallery atmosphere.
Another interesting development was the significant playing time afforded Blake Comeau and Freddy Meyer, particularly at the end of the game. Comeau has some serious jump and it's clear that Ted Nolan is going to give him the opportunities to help the team. I love the fact that there are so many young players contributing to a team that is also winning.
It was a thrilling victory, to be sure, and it was great to see Dubie coming up huge. But let's not kid ourselves - the Isles need DP back, pronto. Let's hope he's OK.
Tom Liodice of The Tiger Track (who had a great live blog of the game) says Joey Macdonald of the Sound Tigers will back up Dubie tonight in Ottawa.
The bad news is that the reason Dubie was in goal in the first place is that Rick DiPietro suffered a knee injury in pregame warmups and lasted just the first period, in which the Islanders scored three goals, which if my math is correct represented a 300 percent increase in scoring efficiency compared to the last six weeks.
DiPietro was scheduled to get an MRI and be reevaluated Thursday, and as of 11:15 a.m. there has been no update. DiPietro will not make the trip to Ottawa for Thursday night's game against the Senators, so Yoda will need to use the force again tonight.
Mike Comrie scored twice, including the OT game-winner off an assist from Richard Park, who had a career-best three assists in the game. Of course, Park made the winning play as the final seconds of overtime ticked away by stealing the puck from Jason Blake, making his return to the Coliseum as a Maple Leaf. Blake was treaded well by the Islanders with a video tribute and was mostly well-received by the crowd, so there probably more than a few pangs of pain when he his giveaway led to Comrie's game-winner with less than 10 seconds left on the clock (right, Dee?).
It was a fabulous play by by Park, who has been one of the team's best players this season. He stole the puck at the Islanders' blue line, broke into the Maple Leafs zone and fired a shot of which a Toronto defender got a piece. But Comrie was there charging to the net and put the puck past Andrew Raycroft, another backup getting rare playing time.
Park has the opportunity to make that play thanks to Dubie, who got some help from the crossbar on a shot by Mats Sundin but was otherwise a stone wall as he made four BIG stops in the OT in a shooting-gallery atmosphere.
Another interesting development was the significant playing time afforded Blake Comeau and Freddy Meyer, particularly at the end of the game. Comeau has some serious jump and it's clear that Ted Nolan is going to give him the opportunities to help the team. I love the fact that there are so many young players contributing to a team that is also winning.
It was a thrilling victory, to be sure, and it was great to see Dubie coming up huge. But let's not kid ourselves - the Isles need DP back, pronto. Let's hope he's OK.
Tom Liodice of The Tiger Track (who had a great live blog of the game) says Joey Macdonald of the Sound Tigers will back up Dubie tonight in Ottawa.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Game recap: Islanders 3, Capitals 2 (OT)
OK, so they only scored three again, and they lost the lead with less than a minute to play in regulation, but the Islanders still prevailed and sent the home crowd to the Christmas break happy with a 3-2 overtime win.
What you have to like about this team is that there are so many players that you want to root for. Take Richard Park. He never takes a shift off and he does pretty much whatever Ted Nolan asks him to. And with every shift he's taken on more responsibility, and is now much more than a fourth-liner and penalty killer. He played up with Mike Comrie and Bill Guerin tonight, and the line put in two of the Isles' three goals.
Park's game-winner came off a faceoff win -- again, the little things -- and was aided by the fact that Caps defenseman Mike Green accidentally got hit in the face by teammate Jeff Schultz as Park worked the puck. With Green down behind the net, Park took a wrister from the left circle and found the five-hole, igniting the pandemonium.
Miro Satan, as he did the night before, got the Isles up 1-0 with a second-period wrister. The Caps evened the score and it was 1-1 late in the third when Chris Campoli fired a blast at Olaf Kolzig. Bill Guerin was there for the rebound -- he's coming around again -- with what looked to be the game-winner. But Washington stunned the house when, with Kolzig pulled, the dangerous Alex Ovetchkin beat Rick DiPietro, forcing OT.
Credit Radek Martinek and the Islanders' defense for not only limiting Ovetchkin all night, the way they did against Sidney Crosby the night before, but for holding the Caps to just 14 shots on goal. Kudos also to Chris Botta, who was honored for 20 years with the team. Nice work, Chris -- you've been great to us bloggers and the Isles are lucky to have you.
In other news, an interesting take on the Kyle Okposo situation in the New York Times. I couldn't agree more.
And Nolan had extra reason to smile Saturday night when son Brandon made his NHL debut for the Carolina Hurricanes, where of course he plays for ex-Isles coach Peter Laviolette. Brandon got an assist on Carolina's first goal in its 4-1 victory.
So with no games until after Christmas Day, allow Still Drivin' to wish a Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.
What you have to like about this team is that there are so many players that you want to root for. Take Richard Park. He never takes a shift off and he does pretty much whatever Ted Nolan asks him to. And with every shift he's taken on more responsibility, and is now much more than a fourth-liner and penalty killer. He played up with Mike Comrie and Bill Guerin tonight, and the line put in two of the Isles' three goals.
Park's game-winner came off a faceoff win -- again, the little things -- and was aided by the fact that Caps defenseman Mike Green accidentally got hit in the face by teammate Jeff Schultz as Park worked the puck. With Green down behind the net, Park took a wrister from the left circle and found the five-hole, igniting the pandemonium.
Miro Satan, as he did the night before, got the Isles up 1-0 with a second-period wrister. The Caps evened the score and it was 1-1 late in the third when Chris Campoli fired a blast at Olaf Kolzig. Bill Guerin was there for the rebound -- he's coming around again -- with what looked to be the game-winner. But Washington stunned the house when, with Kolzig pulled, the dangerous Alex Ovetchkin beat Rick DiPietro, forcing OT.
Credit Radek Martinek and the Islanders' defense for not only limiting Ovetchkin all night, the way they did against Sidney Crosby the night before, but for holding the Caps to just 14 shots on goal. Kudos also to Chris Botta, who was honored for 20 years with the team. Nice work, Chris -- you've been great to us bloggers and the Isles are lucky to have you.
In other news, an interesting take on the Kyle Okposo situation in the New York Times. I couldn't agree more.
And Nolan had extra reason to smile Saturday night when son Brandon made his NHL debut for the Carolina Hurricanes, where of course he plays for ex-Isles coach Peter Laviolette. Brandon got an assist on Carolina's first goal in its 4-1 victory.
So with no games until after Christmas Day, allow Still Drivin' to wish a Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Game recap: Rangers 4, Islanders 2
Eleven games and counting where the Islanders have scored no more than twice. Remarkably, they are 5-5 with an overtime loss in that stretch, which says a lot about the defense and the play of Rick DiPietro. But you wonder how much longer the team can tread water when a third goal by the opposition equals a loss.
You kind of knew beating the Rangers would be tough one night after a big win over the Senators. Toss in the fact that the game was at the Garden, and that the Rangers were supremely motivated to win after dropping the first three meetings of the season. Sure enough, they jumped out on top on a goal by Jaromir Jagr. Miro Satan got the equalizer early in the second, but two more goals by the Rangers threatened to blow the game open. Mike Comrie's wrister late in the second got the Isles within one again -- but that also meant they had reached their goal quota for the game.
Again, the power play (can we really call it that any more) was a major culprit, going scoreless in four chances, including a 29-second, 5-on-3 advantage in the first.
We mentioned it in one of the early blog posts this season, but the Islanders just don't have that one scorer who scares you, or who can carry a team when they need it. So you figure if Garth Snow has a Christmas list, a sniper is at the top.
The ugliness came courtesy of Ryan Hollweg, who showed again how classless he is by threatening to rip open the fresh stitches in Radek Martinek's face. Martinek caught a skate blade the night before, but played with 15 stitches nonetheless. Of course, Hollweg saw the wound as a target, and displayed his intelligence by telling Martinek he would rip them open when they met in scrum along the boards.
When Simon slashed Hollweg in the face, it was a bad split-second decision by a player who has always been highly regarded by his teammates. Hollweg, however, thinks about his violence before inflicting it, and is as much of a lowlife as anyone in the league. If the NHL is serious about protecting its players (and some of Colin Campbell's "punishments" make you wonder), it will sit Hollweg for a few games.
Not that it would make much of a difference to Hollweg.
You kind of knew beating the Rangers would be tough one night after a big win over the Senators. Toss in the fact that the game was at the Garden, and that the Rangers were supremely motivated to win after dropping the first three meetings of the season. Sure enough, they jumped out on top on a goal by Jaromir Jagr. Miro Satan got the equalizer early in the second, but two more goals by the Rangers threatened to blow the game open. Mike Comrie's wrister late in the second got the Isles within one again -- but that also meant they had reached their goal quota for the game.
Again, the power play (can we really call it that any more) was a major culprit, going scoreless in four chances, including a 29-second, 5-on-3 advantage in the first.
We mentioned it in one of the early blog posts this season, but the Islanders just don't have that one scorer who scares you, or who can carry a team when they need it. So you figure if Garth Snow has a Christmas list, a sniper is at the top.
The ugliness came courtesy of Ryan Hollweg, who showed again how classless he is by threatening to rip open the fresh stitches in Radek Martinek's face. Martinek caught a skate blade the night before, but played with 15 stitches nonetheless. Of course, Hollweg saw the wound as a target, and displayed his intelligence by telling Martinek he would rip them open when they met in scrum along the boards.
When Simon slashed Hollweg in the face, it was a bad split-second decision by a player who has always been highly regarded by his teammates. Hollweg, however, thinks about his violence before inflicting it, and is as much of a lowlife as anyone in the league. If the NHL is serious about protecting its players (and some of Colin Campbell's "punishments" make you wonder), it will sit Hollweg for a few games.
Not that it would make much of a difference to Hollweg.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Game recap: Penguins 3, Islanders 2
Just when the Islanders could use a day off - and they've had more than their share so far - there's none to be found. Instead, the Islanders get to visit the Devils and Martin Brodeur, who not only has beaten the Isles 38 times with 10 shutouts, but is going for career win No. 500. It's his third shot at the mark, and it's at home against a team he has pretty much owned.
Good luck, fellas.
The Islanders head to Jersey fresh off another close loss, this one a 3-2 defeat against the Penguins at the Igloo. The Isles battled back to tie the game in the second period after being down a goal, but lost the lead for good when Sidney Crosby picked Brendan Witt's pocket and fed a perfect feed to Georges Laracque of all people, who roofed it for a 3-2 Pens lead. The third period was scoreless.
Bryan Berard, back on the blueline, lamented after the game that this was one that the Islanders should have had, which was pretty much the feeling after the loss to the Flyers on Monday night. But the Isles managed only one shot on two power play attempts, while the Pens had six man-up advantages, scoring once. The Isles are now 2-4 on the road.
Mike Comrie and Josef Vasicek scored for the Isles and they're tied to the team lead in goals at six. Comrie deflected a shot by Witt and Vasicek made a terrific play after winning a faceoff in the Pens' end, drifting behind the defense to get in position for what was a game-tying goal.
Now, the Islanders will try and break out of its offensive rut against the Devils and Brodeur. True, the Devils and Brodeur himself have struggled thus far, but this will be a tough game. A win for the Isles here would be huge.
Good luck, fellas.
The Islanders head to Jersey fresh off another close loss, this one a 3-2 defeat against the Penguins at the Igloo. The Isles battled back to tie the game in the second period after being down a goal, but lost the lead for good when Sidney Crosby picked Brendan Witt's pocket and fed a perfect feed to Georges Laracque of all people, who roofed it for a 3-2 Pens lead. The third period was scoreless.
Bryan Berard, back on the blueline, lamented after the game that this was one that the Islanders should have had, which was pretty much the feeling after the loss to the Flyers on Monday night. But the Isles managed only one shot on two power play attempts, while the Pens had six man-up advantages, scoring once. The Isles are now 2-4 on the road.
Mike Comrie and Josef Vasicek scored for the Isles and they're tied to the team lead in goals at six. Comrie deflected a shot by Witt and Vasicek made a terrific play after winning a faceoff in the Pens' end, drifting behind the defense to get in position for what was a game-tying goal.
Now, the Islanders will try and break out of its offensive rut against the Devils and Brodeur. True, the Devils and Brodeur himself have struggled thus far, but this will be a tough game. A win for the Isles here would be huge.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
LIVEBLOG: Islanders 3, Rangers 2
Lots of juice for tonight's game, with both teams coming in hot; the Isles winners of four of their last five, the Rangers off a 5-1 homestand and playing stingy defense with their effective if not so entertaining trap. Also plenty of rough stuff expected on and off the ice. Fellow bloggers Tom Liodice and Mike Carey have set the over-under for fights in the stands at five. I'm taking the over.
This is actually the first Islanders-Rangers game I've been to in person in a couple of years and the place is rocking already as we await the puck to drop. Always depressing to see so many opposing jerseys in the crowd for a home game but that's the Isles' lot in life, so we deal with it. Still sucks, though.
Sillinger, Hilbert and Guerin out for the faceoff and here we go!
D.P. in goal to everyone's relief, and the Rangers are buzzing him early. Comrie with a chance for the Isles but can't keep the puck on his stick.
Almost five minutes in and we're still waiting for the first big hit - Hilbert almost had one on Staal but didn't get all of him. Comrie again in the middle of it, can't slide the puck across to Fedotenko, then D.P. stones Nigel Dawes - the pace is picking up. The teams at one point played six minutes without a whistle.
Just heard the first Potvin chant, in our own building. Inevitable, but it still hurts. I know we have the revised, anti-Ranger "When you're happy and you know it, clap your hands" chant, but that one isn't enough for me. And the chicken dance is too obvious (plus, there's too much to explain to my 5-year-old). We need to come up with something a little sharper. There's your homework for tonight.
By the way, the Ice Girls just cleared the slush away from Henrik Lundqvist's crease without incident. Nice to see Henrik's grown as a person.
DiPietro stops Hossa in close with under 6 minutes left. Give the Rangers the edge in period one - they've had more of a presence in the offensive end and their chances have been more dangerous. Of course, as I type that Guerin has two good chances with around 3 minutes left. Then Comrie - again, in the middle of things - passes to Hunter in the left circle, he dekes but can't get it past Lundqvist with 2:13 on the clock.
Sutton takes a run at Prucha and just misses, so of course Prucha answers by boarding Richard Park with 1:26 left, Isles on the power play. Staal flattens Campoli on the far boards, period ends scoreless. Call round one a draw, with the two teams even on points with no knockdowns.
Second period about to start - here's something fun: Guy sitting in front of me has an Avery jersey. Guy in front of him has a DiPietro sweater on, holding up a sign that says, "Avery, you suck!"
Speaking of Mr. Olsen Twin, someone needs to tell him that stickhandling is not his forte. He ragged the puck from center ice, back into his own zone, looking ... looking, before dropping a backhand pass to no one that Sillinger picked off. No goal by the Isles, though.
Good chance by Ben Walter on the backhand, high shot hits Lundqvist in the shoulder. Then Sillinger another high shot stopped ... Witt levels Dawes in the Isles end, starts a break the other way but Comrie holds onto the puck through the high slot and can't get a good shot off. Pace hasn't changed from the first.
By the way, there's a certain free agent acquisition on the visitors who hasn't made much of an impression so far. Don't want to mention him by name as that would be a sure jinx, but he played last year across the river in the land of the Sopranos. Hope that narrows it down for you.
Scramble in front, D.P. covers the puck and there's shoving. We're seeing a bit more of that as the game goes on. By the way, that's recent Bridgeport call-up Tim Jackman, not Hugh, playing on the line with Simon and Walter. He has a chance in the crease but can't push it under Lundqvist.
Fedotenko called for tripping - dubious. Sure enough, Chris Drury scores with the man advantage, going five-hole on a slap shot from the left point off a pass from Mara. 1-0 Rangers. (I was thinking that Drury hadn't done much, either - then he scores.)
Jagr left alone in the circle on a 3-on-3 and the Rangers almost take a two-goal lead. Guernin veered off him - a mistake. Have to be aware of where Jagr is at all times.
Third period, Isles down by one. The Rangers played a tough game last night so you'd think the Isles would be the fresher team. First altercation of the night finally happened up in section 338, and we have an ejection. The under is looking good right now, but there's plenty of time left. I'm sitting tight with the over.
Hunter scores to tie it, his fourth goal of the season. Nice play by Fedotenko breaking in down the left wing, then sliding the puck to Hunter in the right circle, converting at the 1:11 mark. New ballgame, people. Satan with a good chance moments later, but Staal covers the open side of the net and blocks it.
Rangers answer, Jagr dishing to Dubinski at the right post but DiPietro drags the left pad and smothers it. But the Rangers regain the lead when Avery (damn) makes a nice pass to Mara, who snuck in from the point and was alone on the doorstep to deflect it past DiPietro. Jackman called for hooking at 5:54, and the Rangers best chance to add to the lead occurs when Jagr finds Drury for another slapper - D.P. gets a piece of it, then blocks a second chance at the right post.
Isles kill it - then Sutton is whistled for interference while Prucha is called for holding. Four-on-four action! Not for long - Girardi (not Joe, Dan) gets the box for high-sticking - four-on-three!
Comrie -- is he involved in EVERY scoring chance? -- holds the puck, drifting through the slot, then finds a wide-open Fedotenko, who just buries it. It's 2-2, a new game again.
DiPietro with the touchdown pass to Sillinger at the opposite blue line, he doesn't score. Can't see a damn thing since everyone is standing in front of me and Fedotenko's mug is on the big screen as his goal is announced. I guess Lundqvist made the stop. Wild.
SATAN! Isles take the lead! Vasicek starts the play by stealing the puck from Girardi and moving in for a shot. Isles keep it in and Satan is open in the high slot, and he fires a wrister that finds the top left corner. Great shot by Satan, who is really heating up. (FYI - two more fights in the stands in the last few minutes. It's getting testy up there.)
More fun blog facts - when the horn sounds after a goal, it's so loud my laptop freezes up for a second or two.
DiPietro stellar - stops Drury, then Dawes in front, then deflects the puck from Strudwick in the goalmouth with just over three minutes left. Rangers fans can yell "Suck!" all they want after the D.P. chant - he just came up HUGE.
Oszival called for holding with 2:05 left and even though the Isles are at home I'm half-expecting the make-up call. Isles work most of the advantage in the Rangers zone, but then with the goalie pulled and Jagr behind the net, Hunter is called for a penalty with 18.8 seconds left. Can't call it a make-up call, though.
Final chance for Rangers - the shot from the point by Drury goes wide, and that's it - YOUR FINAL SCORE: Islanders 3, Rangers 2.
Isles improve to 8-4 on the season and are now tied for first place in the division with the Flyers, with another divisional home game Saturday against the Devils.
POSTGAME INTERVIEWS:
Tim Jackman
ON WHAT NOLAN TOLD THE TEAM BEFORE THE THIRD PERIOD: Just keep to our game plan and keep working hard. I was in the trainer's room getting stitched up, though, so I missed most of it. (Jackman had a nasty gash below his right eye)
ON PLAYING IN AN ISLANDERS-RANGERS GAME: Unbelievable atmosphere out there. The fans were into it. A great experience.
ON FORCING THE ISSUE AGAINST A TEAM THAT HAD PLAYED THE NIGHT BEFORE: The key thing was to get the puck deep in their end and make them work. It takes three periods. I thought we played well and it was a great win.
ON PLAYING THE FOURTH LINE WITH SIMON AND BEN WALTER: I thought we played well. I played with Simon a couple of exhibition games, so I think we were on the same page.
Jackman added that he was told Monday afternoon that he'd be playing on the big club.
Ted Nolan
I thought we played a real strong game going into the third period. Ricky certainly made some big, big saves for us. But this was a total team effort.
We wanted to roll four lines and see what happens. The fourth line played real well tonight. This is a really good character-type of team.
ON SATAN: The last couple of games, he's hot. And it's a good time now because we get to play a lot. We have three lines that can pop some goals in for us.
The biggest play was when Ricky shut the door with a 3-2 lead.
ON WALTER AND JACKMAN: Both of those guys deserved an opportunity and they're taking advantage of it.
ON HUNTER: He may not have a letter on his shoulder, but he's definitely one of our leaders.
ON THE TEAM'S MAKEUP: Garth did a tremendous job getting some character guys over the summer ... So far, so good.
This is actually the first Islanders-Rangers game I've been to in person in a couple of years and the place is rocking already as we await the puck to drop. Always depressing to see so many opposing jerseys in the crowd for a home game but that's the Isles' lot in life, so we deal with it. Still sucks, though.
Sillinger, Hilbert and Guerin out for the faceoff and here we go!
D.P. in goal to everyone's relief, and the Rangers are buzzing him early. Comrie with a chance for the Isles but can't keep the puck on his stick.
Almost five minutes in and we're still waiting for the first big hit - Hilbert almost had one on Staal but didn't get all of him. Comrie again in the middle of it, can't slide the puck across to Fedotenko, then D.P. stones Nigel Dawes - the pace is picking up. The teams at one point played six minutes without a whistle.
Just heard the first Potvin chant, in our own building. Inevitable, but it still hurts. I know we have the revised, anti-Ranger "When you're happy and you know it, clap your hands" chant, but that one isn't enough for me. And the chicken dance is too obvious (plus, there's too much to explain to my 5-year-old). We need to come up with something a little sharper. There's your homework for tonight.
By the way, the Ice Girls just cleared the slush away from Henrik Lundqvist's crease without incident. Nice to see Henrik's grown as a person.
DiPietro stops Hossa in close with under 6 minutes left. Give the Rangers the edge in period one - they've had more of a presence in the offensive end and their chances have been more dangerous. Of course, as I type that Guerin has two good chances with around 3 minutes left. Then Comrie - again, in the middle of things - passes to Hunter in the left circle, he dekes but can't get it past Lundqvist with 2:13 on the clock.
Sutton takes a run at Prucha and just misses, so of course Prucha answers by boarding Richard Park with 1:26 left, Isles on the power play. Staal flattens Campoli on the far boards, period ends scoreless. Call round one a draw, with the two teams even on points with no knockdowns.
Second period about to start - here's something fun: Guy sitting in front of me has an Avery jersey. Guy in front of him has a DiPietro sweater on, holding up a sign that says, "Avery, you suck!"
Speaking of Mr. Olsen Twin, someone needs to tell him that stickhandling is not his forte. He ragged the puck from center ice, back into his own zone, looking ... looking, before dropping a backhand pass to no one that Sillinger picked off. No goal by the Isles, though.
Good chance by Ben Walter on the backhand, high shot hits Lundqvist in the shoulder. Then Sillinger another high shot stopped ... Witt levels Dawes in the Isles end, starts a break the other way but Comrie holds onto the puck through the high slot and can't get a good shot off. Pace hasn't changed from the first.
By the way, there's a certain free agent acquisition on the visitors who hasn't made much of an impression so far. Don't want to mention him by name as that would be a sure jinx, but he played last year across the river in the land of the Sopranos. Hope that narrows it down for you.
Scramble in front, D.P. covers the puck and there's shoving. We're seeing a bit more of that as the game goes on. By the way, that's recent Bridgeport call-up Tim Jackman, not Hugh, playing on the line with Simon and Walter. He has a chance in the crease but can't push it under Lundqvist.
Fedotenko called for tripping - dubious. Sure enough, Chris Drury scores with the man advantage, going five-hole on a slap shot from the left point off a pass from Mara. 1-0 Rangers. (I was thinking that Drury hadn't done much, either - then he scores.)
Jagr left alone in the circle on a 3-on-3 and the Rangers almost take a two-goal lead. Guernin veered off him - a mistake. Have to be aware of where Jagr is at all times.
Third period, Isles down by one. The Rangers played a tough game last night so you'd think the Isles would be the fresher team. First altercation of the night finally happened up in section 338, and we have an ejection. The under is looking good right now, but there's plenty of time left. I'm sitting tight with the over.
Hunter scores to tie it, his fourth goal of the season. Nice play by Fedotenko breaking in down the left wing, then sliding the puck to Hunter in the right circle, converting at the 1:11 mark. New ballgame, people. Satan with a good chance moments later, but Staal covers the open side of the net and blocks it.
Rangers answer, Jagr dishing to Dubinski at the right post but DiPietro drags the left pad and smothers it. But the Rangers regain the lead when Avery (damn) makes a nice pass to Mara, who snuck in from the point and was alone on the doorstep to deflect it past DiPietro. Jackman called for hooking at 5:54, and the Rangers best chance to add to the lead occurs when Jagr finds Drury for another slapper - D.P. gets a piece of it, then blocks a second chance at the right post.
Isles kill it - then Sutton is whistled for interference while Prucha is called for holding. Four-on-four action! Not for long - Girardi (not Joe, Dan) gets the box for high-sticking - four-on-three!
Comrie -- is he involved in EVERY scoring chance? -- holds the puck, drifting through the slot, then finds a wide-open Fedotenko, who just buries it. It's 2-2, a new game again.
DiPietro with the touchdown pass to Sillinger at the opposite blue line, he doesn't score. Can't see a damn thing since everyone is standing in front of me and Fedotenko's mug is on the big screen as his goal is announced. I guess Lundqvist made the stop. Wild.
SATAN! Isles take the lead! Vasicek starts the play by stealing the puck from Girardi and moving in for a shot. Isles keep it in and Satan is open in the high slot, and he fires a wrister that finds the top left corner. Great shot by Satan, who is really heating up. (FYI - two more fights in the stands in the last few minutes. It's getting testy up there.)
More fun blog facts - when the horn sounds after a goal, it's so loud my laptop freezes up for a second or two.
DiPietro stellar - stops Drury, then Dawes in front, then deflects the puck from Strudwick in the goalmouth with just over three minutes left. Rangers fans can yell "Suck!" all they want after the D.P. chant - he just came up HUGE.
Oszival called for holding with 2:05 left and even though the Isles are at home I'm half-expecting the make-up call. Isles work most of the advantage in the Rangers zone, but then with the goalie pulled and Jagr behind the net, Hunter is called for a penalty with 18.8 seconds left. Can't call it a make-up call, though.
Final chance for Rangers - the shot from the point by Drury goes wide, and that's it - YOUR FINAL SCORE: Islanders 3, Rangers 2.
Isles improve to 8-4 on the season and are now tied for first place in the division with the Flyers, with another divisional home game Saturday against the Devils.
POSTGAME INTERVIEWS:
Tim Jackman
ON WHAT NOLAN TOLD THE TEAM BEFORE THE THIRD PERIOD: Just keep to our game plan and keep working hard. I was in the trainer's room getting stitched up, though, so I missed most of it. (Jackman had a nasty gash below his right eye)
ON PLAYING IN AN ISLANDERS-RANGERS GAME: Unbelievable atmosphere out there. The fans were into it. A great experience.
ON FORCING THE ISSUE AGAINST A TEAM THAT HAD PLAYED THE NIGHT BEFORE: The key thing was to get the puck deep in their end and make them work. It takes three periods. I thought we played well and it was a great win.
ON PLAYING THE FOURTH LINE WITH SIMON AND BEN WALTER: I thought we played well. I played with Simon a couple of exhibition games, so I think we were on the same page.
Jackman added that he was told Monday afternoon that he'd be playing on the big club.
Ted Nolan
I thought we played a real strong game going into the third period. Ricky certainly made some big, big saves for us. But this was a total team effort.
We wanted to roll four lines and see what happens. The fourth line played real well tonight. This is a really good character-type of team.
ON SATAN: The last couple of games, he's hot. And it's a good time now because we get to play a lot. We have three lines that can pop some goals in for us.
The biggest play was when Ricky shut the door with a 3-2 lead.
ON WALTER AND JACKMAN: Both of those guys deserved an opportunity and they're taking advantage of it.
ON HUNTER: He may not have a letter on his shoulder, but he's definitely one of our leaders.
ON THE TEAM'S MAKEUP: Garth did a tremendous job getting some character guys over the summer ... So far, so good.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Game recap: Isles 3, Sabres 2
Jason who?
You remember, little guy, goal scorer, brought lots of energy, fan favorite? Blake, yeah. Well, it looks like the Islanders found a suitable replacement in Mike Comrie, who scored two goals for the second straight game as the Islanders swept the season-opening home-and-home with the Sabres with Saturday night's 3-2 win.
Comrie, Guerin and Fedotenko (The leftovers line? Can we come up with something better?) have combined for 16 points in these first two games and put on another show in a much more defensively sound game than the Friday premiere in Buffalo. Comrie scored twice in the first nine minutes of the third period with his two linemates recording an assist on each goal.
The second was a joy to behold. Guerin banked a clearing pass off the boards and Comrie chased it down deep in the Sabres end for a scoring chance. He was stopped, but Fedotenko swept in, won the puck, slid behind the net and then fed Comrie in the slot with a perfect pass, and Comrie converted to make it 3-1. A sloppy/fluky goal by Hecht cut the gap to one but DiPietro shut the Sabres down at the end and had another solid game, despite a couple of near-misses. The Islanders' defense was much stronger tonight, particularly in front, and the special teams was outstanding once again.
Chris Campoli also scored for the second straight game, roofing a shot in the second period to tie the game 1-1. Campoli has looked terrific so far and the coaches are praising his maturity. A breakout season for him on the backline would be a huge boost for a team that -- and we know it's early -- has looked very, very promising thus far.
The Islanders last opened the season this well in 2001, when they won their first four games, all on the road. They'll look to continue the momentum Monday afternoon against the Caps on Kids' Opening Day. Take Sunday off, fellas. You deserve it.
You remember, little guy, goal scorer, brought lots of energy, fan favorite? Blake, yeah. Well, it looks like the Islanders found a suitable replacement in Mike Comrie, who scored two goals for the second straight game as the Islanders swept the season-opening home-and-home with the Sabres with Saturday night's 3-2 win.
Comrie, Guerin and Fedotenko (The leftovers line? Can we come up with something better?) have combined for 16 points in these first two games and put on another show in a much more defensively sound game than the Friday premiere in Buffalo. Comrie scored twice in the first nine minutes of the third period with his two linemates recording an assist on each goal.
The second was a joy to behold. Guerin banked a clearing pass off the boards and Comrie chased it down deep in the Sabres end for a scoring chance. He was stopped, but Fedotenko swept in, won the puck, slid behind the net and then fed Comrie in the slot with a perfect pass, and Comrie converted to make it 3-1. A sloppy/fluky goal by Hecht cut the gap to one but DiPietro shut the Sabres down at the end and had another solid game, despite a couple of near-misses. The Islanders' defense was much stronger tonight, particularly in front, and the special teams was outstanding once again.
Chris Campoli also scored for the second straight game, roofing a shot in the second period to tie the game 1-1. Campoli has looked terrific so far and the coaches are praising his maturity. A breakout season for him on the backline would be a huge boost for a team that -- and we know it's early -- has looked very, very promising thus far.
The Islanders last opened the season this well in 2001, when they won their first four games, all on the road. They'll look to continue the momentum Monday afternoon against the Caps on Kids' Opening Day. Take Sunday off, fellas. You deserve it.
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