For the second time in as many games, the Isles coughed up a two-goal lead. Make no mistake about it, even though the Isles came out with a point and are still right in the middle of a playoff race, this is the time of the season when the Isles have to start padding points against conference rivals and start building for the postseason, not giveaway points.

Today, the Isles were scratching away at the Hurricanes, rather than knocking them down. With a two-goal lead, the Isles should have clamped down on defense and continued to establish a cycle in the offensive end. In a few weeks, when the season starts to wind down, the Islanders will start to understand that they controlled their fate all along. They could have chosen between life and death. Let’s hope they make the right decision.

Speaking of decisions, over the past few games, the Islanders have had to take the road less-traveled, playing without both of their top two defensemen as far as ice-time is concerned, Radek Martinek and Brendan Witt. With them back in the lineup, the Isles got to take some pressure off of guys like Freddy Meyer [who played another heck of a game today] and Bruno Gervais. However, Martinek and Witt weren’t exactly sharp. They were both using the stick, rather than their skates to keep up with the speedy Carolina forwards that came in the offensive zone.

Nevertheless, while a few Islanders got away with penalties [despite another solid game, Blake Comeau was slashing everything within a five-foot radius], Carolina got away with several cross-checks earlier in the game on Bill Guerin while Ruslan Fedotenko looked like he was being beaten with a Singapore cane by the Sandman. However, nothing was called and Andy Sutton got called for a crease-clearing cross check on Rod Brind’Amour in the third that led to a powerplay goal that ended the game.

Let me be the first to say that officiating a game in this league is a tough job. Regardless of what you do, you haven’t done enough or even worse, you do too much. Nevertheless, this game should have had a few powerplays for both sides. It not only would have sped things up when the game needed a jump and would have possibly added a few more goals. That’s what the NHL is trying to do, right?

Hopefully, with another game against Carolina tomorrow, the Isles can put it together and get the win. After getting some of the rust off today, Martinek and Witt should be ready to play their typical 25-minute game and guys like Miroslav Satan and Andy Hilbert can use their performances as jumping points and start seriously producing more.

On another note, I just want to thank Gary and Claire Harding for inviting me to brunch at the Marriot and today’s game. They are absolutely the first family when it comes to Islander fans and made me feel like I was watching the game at home with my family, instead of with 16,000 other people on an Island that I don’t visit nearly as much as I should.

From the first day I started this site, Gary has been an awesome guy and has turned into someone that I consider a good friend. His wife, Claire, has also been a complete sweetheart as well and has been nothing but great to me from the day we crossed paths. As far as stimulating hockey conversations is concerned, these two know their stuff and are as down to earth and humble as anyone can be. To me, they are the biggest hockey fans I know and are the standard to how smart and knowledgeable real fans should be.

Gary too, if you guys don’t already know, is one of the most insightful bloggers on the internet, no false modesty or arse-kissing needed.

Thanks guys, you rule.

Posted under Post Game Rants

Sorry for such a late post today guys, but between watching two great football games and being in another borough all day, I couldn’t find the time to write about yesterday’s debacle of a game. Now, I however do have that time, so here it goes.

The first period started pretty well, didn’t it? The Islanders scored more in the first period than Tommy Lee does when he goes on tour [I heard that somewhere today, so I figured hey, why not use it] and things looked pretty good. Aaron Johnson, who is filling in for Chris Campoli, who is nursing a shoulder injury he suffered during the game against the Devils, made a few solid plays on defense and the rest of the patchwork defense core was holding together admirably.

However, what was even more impressive was the fact that the Isles came back after being down early and with Richard Park leading the way, they got back in the game and took the lead. Even Miroslav Satan and Josef Vasicek, who haven’t been pulling their fare share on the offensive end over the past 20 games, got involved. I said yesterday that if they [among a few other players] got going, this team wouldn’t have a problem scoring. For the first 20 minutes, I looked like a modern-day Nostradomus.

Then, just like the old Dog’s Eye View song, everything fell apart. However, unlike the mid-nineties one-hit wonder, the Islanders didn’t have a conversation with god and put everything back together. Instead, they just continued to fall apart. When Flyers head coach John Stevens called a timeout after the Isles got the 3-1 lead, his team got a verbal smackdown that seemed to wake them up. At first, when seeing him call a timeout at such an early point in the game, I originally began to remember how many times Mike Milbury tried to pull that same gag, with the result ALWAYS blowing up in his face.

Nevertheless, Stevens’ ploy for his team to step it up and get their act together worked and the Islanders defense fell apart. Unfortunately, unlike the other night against New Jersey, Rick DiPietro couldn’t be the team’s saving grace, and thanks to a few weird bounces and second chances, the Flyers skated out of Nassau with a 5-3 win.

Simply put, this team needs Radek Martinek, Brendan Witt and Chris Campoli back as soon as possible. Sure, Freddy Meyer has stepped it up and Bryan Berard, Andy Sutton and Bruno Gervais are capable of playing 20 minutes a game if they have to, they need the grit and passion that Witt, Martinek and Campoli bring to the ice every night.

Writer’s note: Expect another late night posting tomorrow as I will be attending my first Islanders game as a fan since the 2001-2002 season and have to hitch a ride on the LIRR during the early morning hours. If you see me, feel free to stop me and either show me some love or berate me. Hope to see a few of you there.

Posted under Post Game Rants

Make no mistake about it, tonight is going to be another good test for this bunch of misfits known as the New York Islanders. The Flyers have gotten points in nine of their last ten games and have a ton of talent on both the blue line and forward lines. Players like Daniel Briere, Mike Richards and Kimmo Timonen are starting to get comfortable playing there and they’re is team is winning because of it.

However, on the other side of the ice, the Islanders have a few players playing great hockey right now as well. Bill Guerin has 12 goals and 15 points in his past 19 games, while Mike Sillinger has nine points in his past nine. Mike Comrie also has 11 points in his 12 games. Sure, those numbers pail in comparison to the offensive juggernauts on the Flyers, but at least this team is starting to get steady contributions from the players they need to.

Earlier in the season, getting consistent offense from anyone besides Comrie was pretty much a crapshoot. Now at least the Islanders, who have a half-dozen players over the 20-point mark, have more options than before. The cataylistic [I just made up that word by the way] play of Richard Park has also helped the Isles get some points on the board this season. As a result, teams may have to start preparing differently against them.

Now, if they could only get Miroslav Satan, Josef Vasicek and Sean Bergenheim to finish on the ice a little more, then they’d be solid.

I’ve also been having conversations with people lately about how disappointed they are in the play of a certain Islander… named Ruslan Fedotenko. As far I’m concerned, I think he just started the season hot. He’s on pace for a 14-goal, 40-point season. Last time I checked, that’s pretty much what he does every season. Sure, it would have been nice for him to break out and score 30 goals this year, but I don’t think it’s going to happen.

Just like Fedotenko, Vasicek too started his season playing very well and cooled off. Looking at where his season is going, he’s on pace for the type of season he usually puts in and will probably have anywhere from 15-18 goals and 30-35 points. Again, just like Rusty, Vasicek has the potential to score more goals and be a more complete player, but I don’t think that is going to happen this year either.

Out of the bunch of these players though, I think Bergenheim and Satan are the biggest disappointments. Bergie works his tail off every night and gets plenty of opportunities, while Satan is supposed to be a top-line winger. Instead, hasn’t been able to finish and has been on more lines this year than a fat man at Dunkin Donuts.

If these guys can start to contribute more and Guerin, Comrie and Sillinger can stay consistent, this team shouldn’t have a problem scoring goals.

Against a team with the offense of Philadelphia, the Isles better hope these players start producing tonight.

Posted under Pregame Musings

After injuring his knee in practice earlier in the season, Aaron Johnson is back with the Isles. How much playing time he gets remains to be scene though. If the Isles are content on giving him a shot, with Freddy Meyer and Bryan Berard starting to get more ice time, that means one of them is going to have to sit. As far as I’m concerned, Johnson is young and will benefit from more time in Bridgeport. Why the Islanders seem so content on bringing him to the show with capable defensemen filling in for other more than capable defensemen is intriguing.

Could they be shopping Berard or Meyer? I guess we’ll know more in a few weeks, when Brendan Witt and Radek Martinek and ready to come back. Then the Isles will have three extra defensemen with plenty of NHL experience under their belts. With players like Ruslan Fedotenko, Miroslav Satan and Josef Vasicek struggling as of late and youngsters like Jeff Tambellini, Franz Nielsen and Kyle Okposo in Bridgeport itching for a shot, the Isles could make a deal that could get them a dependable forward and then give a few youngsters playing time. Is it far-fetched? Maybe, but I’m sure we’ve all seen crazier things happen, we’re Islander fans after all.

Speaking of Tambellini and Okposo, those two are heating it up together in the AHL. Both averaging over a point per game since KO [I like the sound of that already; you know what, I just trademarked it] arrived on the scene, who knows how long it’ll be until they’re both on the Island for good. Tambellini has had chances before, but this season should be his last in the AHL. He’s accomplished everything the Isles could have expected him to there. Now it’s time for them to give him a shot at the NHL level. Okposo on the other hand, may wind up moving up faster than anyone else expects him to.

In other news, Wade Dubielewicz has been sent to Bridgeport on a conditioning stint and Mike Morrison has been called up to fill in for him. With DP healthy and playing well, who knows how long it’s going to be until Dubie gets another start. Now at least the guy will be able to stay sharp and come back and maybe get a start in before the All-Star break. Morrison I think actually has more NHL experience than Dubie and will be able to hold his own if DP gets injured.

With that being said, it’s obvious the Isles are trying to protect themselves from a mid-season slump, by keeping so many players ready to go at any time. In a fe weeks, we’ll be able to see how these moves have panned out.

Posted under Isles Thoughts 2008

John Davidson’s trademark line pretty much summed up Rick DiPietro’s performance last night: “Oh, Baby!”

I know it may seem a tad on the melodramatic side, but damn, was DP that good last night. The Isles defense mad plenty of mistakes [Marc-Andre Bergeron coughing up the puck in the first behind the Isles net immediately comes to mind] last night, but DP was spectacular. Glove save here, kick save there, if anyone had doubts as to why he’s an All-Star, they should be gone at this point.

On the other end of the ice, the Islanders weren’t exactly swarming the New Jersey net, as the Devils were the one’s with consistent offensive pressure, but they took advantage of the opportunities they had and even got a powerplay marker. The passing I saw between Ruslan Fedotenko and Trent Hunter that led to Mike Sillinger’s goal was what I’ve wanted to see from the Islanders all season. Earlier in the year, when they were cycling the puck, goals like that was commonplace. If they can keep that kind of play up, they’ll be in good shape.

Speaking of good shape, is it me, or do the Isles match up extremely well against the Devils? Even though last night was a bit different, as DP stole the show and there wasn’t the fighting or huge amount of intensity the Isles have had in other games with NJ, they came out with the win. That fact alone, that the Islanders could get away with not playing their best game against the best team in the division speaks volumes. This team has the Devils number on the wall. [Sorry for the Tommy Tutone reference, I couldn’t resist.]

Maybe it isn’t a great matchup though. Maybe it’s just Rick DiPietro playing with his heart on his sleeve. At any rate, this team, despite its lapses on defense and lack of offensive prowess, is nestled in the seventh spot in Eastern Conference. With two games in a row against Carolina next week, they have an opportunity to possibly even jump a few positions.

I have a feeling this season, come playoff time, is going to be a weird one. If Detroit and Ottawa manage to get ousted from the playoffs, this entire league will be wide open for the taking. No other team clearly stands out as one that can do a ton of damage. If the Islanders can just hang out in the middle of the pack long enough, there’s no telling what they can get accomplished.

Posted under Post Game Rants

17 shots in three periods and only one opportunity on the powerplay pretty much summed up a game that was dying for more action. Throughout the three periods, I, like most of the other people watching the game were hoping the Isles would start taking the game to the Canadiens. However, the hitting never really got started and the Isles looked really hesitant to establish anything in the offensive end.

At certain times this season, I’ve complained that the Islanders were simply peppering the net with shots in an effort to get the offense going. Last night was like they were waiting for something perfect to appear. Against a good defense and an even better goaltender in Cristobal Huet, those opportunities were few and far between. The Isles did manage to get on the scoreboard though, courtesy of some gumption on the part of Bill Guerin, who simply threw some garbage at the net and let Richard Park clean it up. I’ve said it a bunch of times this season, but Park is not only one of the grittiest players on this team, I dare even say that he’s the most improved. Every line he’s played on this season he’s given a spark and added something to it that it didn’t have before. If only the Isles could get a few more players to give that kind of effort on a consistent basis.

If they could have just continued to throw stuff at the net and get bodies in front, this could have been a completely different game.

Rick DiPietro didn’t help matters much either, as he gave the puck away on several occasions. While his play in net was solid last night, the giveaways with the puck severely reduced the Isles’ time in the offensive end. In a close game like last night’s, the team could have used a few more breakouts and shots on net.

However, there was at least one positive I saw from last night’s game. Freddy Meyer played a very strong game in the defensive end and was one of the only Islanders consistently taking the body. I talked about how Meyer needed to step it up yesterday and that’s exactly what happened. What this team decides to do with Berard and Meyer when Radek Martinek and Brendan Witt are ready to come back is going to be interesting to say the very least.

Regardless, the Isles have little time to sulk over last night’s effort. The New Jersey Devils have been a team they have played well against all season. If they can do the things they didn’t do last night against the Devils, the skid will end at one game and the Isles can continue to cement their spot amongst the best teams in the Eastern Conference.

Posted under Post Game Rants

Coming off of a big game against the Senators the other night, the Islanders can’t let up against Montreal tonight.

Just like Ottawa, the Canadiens have plenty of scoring options and have depth at both forward and defense. Goaltending also isn’t an option. Cristobal Huet is one of the most underrated goaltenders in the NHL and Carey Price is having a solid season as the team’s backup. Again, just like the game the other night, this is going to be a good test for the Islanders and it’s going to come down to how well they can take advantage on the powerplay and how effectively they can take the body.

With both Radek Martinek and Brendan Witt still on the shelf, youngsters Bruno Gervais and Chris Campoli have to step it up in both ends of the ice [Campoli hasn’t been contributing on offense much lately after starting the season on fire], while Freddy Meyer and Bryan Berard have to play solid in their own end and make smart plays in the neutral zone. Injuries are just something that every team in the NHL has to deal with and the Islanders are no different. The only question is, can the Islanders continue to get consistent performances from their sixth and …gulp seventh defensemen until Martinek and Witt are ready to come back?

I think that this is going to be a tricky question to answer. Berard and Meyer haven’t gotten a ton of playing time this season, but seem to be getting better after every game. However, they lack the defensive and skating ability of Martinek and the overall grit and vigor that Witt brings to every game. Simply put, these guys are going to have to continue to rise above the flaws in their games [Berard’s defensive game and Meyer’s lack of polish in both ends and inability to make himself noticeable] and make themselves the players the Isles need them to be right now. This is the kind of situation is one that both of them, if they can take advantage of, can increase their value as players and either cement their roles on the team or allow them to be traded and get the Isles some help on the forward lines.

With a bunch of players looking at unrestricted free agency and the Isles having some cap space, things can get done at the trading deadline. If Berard and Meyer can step it up, things may be that much easier for the Isles to get something done.

Posted under Pregame Musings

I said yesterday that the Islanders had to play their game if they had a chance to come out with two points against the Senators. Two powerplay goals and a few hard hits later, and the Isles now find themselves pushing themselves further into the playoff picture. Add in a Wade Redden schooling at the hands of Mike Comrie, an angry Daniel Alfredsson, who was throwing cross-checks around like an infant having a temper tantrum and a Freddy “Don’t call me Bill Pullman” Meyer hit on Jason Spezza and it was obvious, that was one entertaining hockey game.

However, while the Islanders got the win, it wasn’t so much that they played a great game, it was because the Senators really played horribly [How “ALF” got the first star in tonight’s game is beyond me]. They committed penalty after penalty and couldn’t clear out the front of the net. That’s not to take anything away from the Islanders victory though, but the Senators were a far cry away from the team that beat the Detroit Red Wings the night before. The Isles took advantage of Ottawa’s mistakes and kept themselves in the game during even strength. For that alone they should be proud. I also said yesterday that the Isles can play with any team in the NHL except the Senators and Red Wings. Even though it was only one game, we may have to start to cross another team off that list for now.

Don’t forget as well that this team is fighting injuries… big time. Their two best defensemen, Radek Martinek and Brendan Witt are out and Miroslav Satan and Ruslan Fedotenko are playing with nagging injuries. Guaranteed there are other players on this team that are banged up and haven’t said anything or are trying to play through the bumps and bruises. That being said, their play tonight got the job done and then some.

On the defensive end, Meyer played a strong game last night and Bergeron was gangbusters on the powerplay. I still can’t believe he has eight goals in 29 games. Despite playing mediocre defense, he has helped keep the powerplay afloat at times and has proven he can be a force on offense, even when getting limited playing time. Bryan Berard has been solid since he came back as well. Bruno Gervais, Andy Sutton and Chris Campoli have quietly solidified their spots on the D as well. So even with the injuries, this team has shown it has the guts and intestinal fortitude on the blue line to win hockey games.

Regardless of that though, Rick DiPietro was again on top of his game and kept the high-scoring Senators off the scoresheet when it counted. That’s why the Isles ended up with two points.

Having Jason Spezza miss the rest of the game after Meyer’s hit and having Heatley out of the lineup helped matters for the Isles too.

Nevertheless, when I think of reasons why this team is in a playoff spot right now, DP is the first thing that comes to mind. There’s a reason why he’s an All-Star and he played like one tonight. Fans around the league may think that he snuck in this season, but this guy means more to his team than arguably any player in the league. When he’s on, this team can play with pretty much anybody. He proved it again tonight.

Posted under Post Game Rants

When Kyle Okposo was rumored to be signed I can’t remember where I heard it, but I specifically remember a member of the media saying that they were rushing him and he was far from NHL ready. I know the AHL isn’t the NHL, but it’s pretty damn hard to argue with five points in two games. Over at Islander TV, they have the highlights from his first two games and aside from being shocked to see Kip Brennan with a visor on and scoring a nifty looking goal the other night, I was even more surprised to see just how solid Okposo was.

For a guy that’s been labeled as a power forward, he can pass extremely well. I also like what I’ve seen from his skating as one of his goals he has already came from just taking the puck up the ice, drawing a defenseman near him and firing a rocket that deflected off the D-man’s stick and went in. You can’t teach hockey instincts like that and it seems the Isles won’t even have to try with Okposo. Okay, no more hyping the kid up, we’ll see what he has in store for us as the season goes on. Could it be he ends up with the team this season? Guess we’re just going to have to wait until the trading deadline to see if the Isles deal any of those players that will be free agents at the end of the season.

As far as today’s game is concerned however, there will be no second guessing or waiting for anything to happen; that is, if the Isles hope to come out with a victory. Simply put, this Senators team scares the crap out of me. They have it all, two goaltenders most teams in the league would love to have, plenty of primary scoring threats, a host of solid role players who can contribute and a defense that can contribute on both sides of the ice. Considering that, there’s a reason why this team is leading the charge in the Eastern Conference; they are the real deal.

So if you ask me if the Isles can beat this team playing their kind of high-energy game, even the hardcore fan in me would laugh in your face, while the journalist side of me would try to find a way to say it formally. If the Isles get in penalty trouble early and get down a few goals, this will be over faster than Kip Brennan’s fight the other night [If you haven’t seen it, it’s on Isles TV]. However, if the Isles can play their game, which means cycling the puck, staying out of the box and taking the body, they’ll have more than a fighting chance.

We’ll see how it goes.

Posted under Isles Thoughts 2008, Pregame Musings

What happens when you take one wild period, a sloppy one and another one where your team plays solid in both ends? Well last night, it turned into a win. While it was far from perfect, the Isles got the two points they needed and are now in sole possession of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. However, I think the best part about last night’s game was the fact that the Isles finished and made the most of their opportunities on offense against a top-flight NHL goaltender.

Sure, the defensive effort wasn’t what it needed to be and they left Rick DiPietro out to dry on several occasions, they buckled down in the third period and he was extremely sharp. On nights like those, perfection isn’t needed. Just resolve and character. Coming back after coughing up a to-goal lead showed just that.

While the Islanders as a whole pulled it together last night, the newly formed line of Mike Sillinger, Trent Hunter and Ruslan Fedotenko took advantage of every opportunity they had. They took shots when they had the chance, kept a solid cycle going and were communicating on the ice. With Hunter and Fedotenko not scoring as much as they should be this season and Sillinger playing streaky all season, this may be exactly what this trio needs to get them going.

Hunter played one his best games of the season, hitting everything in sight and got in front of the net. The same thing goes for Fedotenko, who was buzzing in the offensive end, kept his mistakes on defense to a minimum and made a few solid passes in the offensive end, one that led to a Sillinger goal. As far as Sillinger goes, the guy works his tail off every night and it was great to see him get some points on the board. In order for this team to continue to stay in the position they’re in, secondary players like Sillinger, Hunter and Fedotenko need to get hot. Mike Comrie is on pace for a career high in points and Bill Guerin will be near his average of 30 goals by the end of the season. Those guys aren’t miracle workers. There’s only so much they can do. They need help.

Another person who has been producing as of late on offense is Marc-Andre Bergeron. Sure, his defensive play has been extremely spotty this season, but it’s pretty damn hard to argue with 15 points in 28 games from a defenseman playing about 15-18 minutes a game. If these cans can continue to play the way they have been and the team can keep the mistakes on defense to a minimum, this team can play with just about anyone [well, except the Senators and Red Wings].

Posted under Post Game Rants