Simply put, Danis and MacDonald still aren’t proven commodities in this league and with Rick DiPietro’s injury problems the past couple of seasons, the Islanders need not only to sign a seasoned backup, but someone who can also play at Bridgeport that is capable of backing up as well. As far as I’m concerned, Peter Mannino still needs to earn his bumps and bruises, making the Islanders forced to go shopping in the free agent pool or at the draft to solve these problems.

In my last post, I named a few goaltenders the Isles could go after in the draft, but I failed to address the message that could potentially send to DiPietro. Even if they are a few years away, it may agitate DP and make him even more of a loose cannon on the ice, giving the Islanders another disaster of a contract to deal with while they are still paying off the salaries of Alexei Yashin and Shawn Bates. Nevertheless, drafting a young goaltender who in a few years could play 30-40 games would be the best thing for the organization and something that the Islanders enigmatic goaltender will have to deal with.

In addition to signing a young goaltender, the Islanders would be smart to take a look at the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have Curtis Joseph, Olaf Kolzig and Martin Gerber entering Unrestricted Free Agency this offseason. Of the three, Gerber may be the best option. Making $1.8 million this season and coming off a less than mediocre campaign in ’09, Gerber, who won 38 games three years ago, can be the guy to the team if DP’s hips aren’t up for the long haul and can be acquired for a reasonable price. His apparent friendship with Mark Streit should only help facilitate the process as well.

Who knows, many the Islanders can hit the Swiss jackpot two years in a row.

So I’m sure you’re all wondering, what does this have to do with Danis and MacDonald?

Well, I personally think Danis would be the better choice to play at Bridgeport considering the fact that he was the better goaltender of the two last season, with a drafted youngster earning his stripes in Utah and Bridgeport before the Islanders decide where he’s going to go next, leaving Gerber and DP with the big club.

With that being said, I believe that leaves MacDonald without a gig.

But that’s just in my bizarre world.

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Now, while Islanders general manager Garth Snow has kept mum on his intentions, I offer a few thoughts as to what the team should do with their picks.

Option One- Draft John Tavares and a talented blue liner. Many believe Tavares could be the player to build around, but he’ll just be one piece to the puzzle that will get the Isles back into the playoffs. A guy like Calvin De Haan, who scored 63 points in 68 games with the Oshawa Generals this past season, may be a great choice. With Campoli gone, the Islanders could use more depth on the powerplay and De Haan has the talent to be that man. I don’t know how you guys feel, but I miss the days when the Islanders had a bunch of talented defensemen who could score. Considering that, De Haan has the potential to help the Islanders offense quite a bit.

Swedish D-man David Rundblad is a little bit older and while he doesn’t have the same offensive ability, he may be the better skater of the two and has more size, making him the Andy Sutton with a better shot of the future. However, he may be spending more time abroad before jumping to the NHL, making him a tougher guy to consider drafting.

Option Two- Draft John Tavares and a goaltender. Of course, now it’s obvious what I think the Islanders should do with the first pick, but with the 29th, they may consider getting a young goaltender, just in case Rick DiPietro injures another hip. Wait, he’s already injured both of them over the past two seasons.

If Edward Pasquale is available when the Islanders go for their second pick, they should consider picking him up. Winning 32 games in the OHL this season with a solid .911 save percentage this season, Pasquale could be ready to thrive in a few seasons just in case DP doesn’t come close to finishing him record-breaking contract.

Oliver Roy is another quality goaltender the Islanders could look at. Winning 35 games in the QMJHL this season, Roy is a guy that may be able to play 40 games a season and take some of the pressure off DiPietro.

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

While there was no line sniffing or camel clutches last night in Carolina, the Islanders played a solid game for 60 minutes that should have been won had it not been for a few costly turnovers, effectively humbling a Carolina team that might be heading to the playoffs.

Nevertheless, the Islanders still see the game as a step in the right direction.

“I think it shows we have a lot of potential and we can score goals,” Tim Jackman, who had two assists in his first game since signing a new contract, told the Associated Press after the game. “When we’re doing the right things, good things happen.”

Even the Carolina players thought that the Islanders came out hard and of course, being the better team that they are, they banded together and made sure they held on to their playoff spot.

“Yeah, we sat back on our heels,” LaRose told the AP after the game. “Even in the first period, they got a lot of scoring chances. We were a little upset with ourselves after the second period. We did not play well in the second, and it showed. You know, we just didn’t want to come in here with any regrets after the game.”

When I think of where this game began to take a turn for the worse, I think of Brendan Witt’s turnover that led to Erik Cole crashing the net and a goal soon thereafter. That I think deflated the team and after that, they simply hung young goaltender Peter Mannino out to dry. Was he as solid as he was in his first start last week? I don’t think so, as Carolina’s play in the third period was something he nor the Islanders defense was ready for.

Much like any young team, the Islanders earned some more bumps and bruises last night, a process that will surely continue.

However, seeing four unanswered goals and two of them coming from Frans Nielsen and Kyle Okposo made the game an entertaining one.

It may be hard to see right now, but I feel like this team is beginning to start to develop an identity or style of play.

Peter Mannino is a god and you are not.

Well, at least until his next game.

Making 40 saves against any team in the NHL is no easy task, but against a team with nine players with over 35 points like the Chicago Blackhawks, it’s like trying to find all of Cloris Leachman’s liver spots. Seriously, the last time I saw Mannino in net, I thought he was in way over his head. He looked like Peter Griffin in the video store, trying to decide between two “Ernest” films.

But today was different. The Islanders defense was totally outmatched and Mannino did his best Yann Danis impersonation, stopping Chicago’s top players from the top of the circles, the blue line, on breakaways and in traffic.

“I felt good right away,” Mannino told the Associated Press after the game. “Chicago is an unbelievable offensive team and I wanted to get out the nerves as much as possible and stay focused. When you get a lot of shots, it helps, especially if you’re not letting them in right away.”

Well, the kid got his wish and was magnificent.

Chicago’s goaltender, Nikolai Khabibulin, making his first appearance after injuring his knee a few weeks ago however, was not. Only facing 19 shots, “The Bulin Wall” didn’t have what it took and ended up costing his team two points in the process.

It didn’t help matters that the Islanders powerplay was at its best. Mark Streit alone played a crucial role in today’s win by taking shots from the point and playing good instinctive hockey. Sometimes, when you have the ability a guy like Streit has, thinking less and just letting your instinct to score take over makes a huge difference. That’s exactly what happened today.

Another player that wasted no time helping the Isles was Richard Park. Islanders sideline reporter C.J. Papa said on the air on Saturday that the Islanders were going to take things slow with Park, who missed 11 games with busted ribs. While Papa was indeed correct, Park obviously didn’t get the message and has three points in his first two games back. Despite the fact that he got ice cold after starting the season white-hot, Park is still a more than useful player and someone that can teach the youngsters what they need to about this league while still being productive in both ends of the ice.

Players like that do not grow on trees my friends.

I don’t know how you guys feel, but seeing Blake Comeau finally put some fertilizer on his grapefruits and not only nail Avery near the Islanders bench in the first period, but then later blow him a kiss like he had a new man-servant, made my day.

It didn’t matter that the Rangers had the lead after the first 20 minutes, the Islanders skated hard against a much better team on paper and carried the play in the physicality and speed department. That’s what I want to see from this team the rest of the season.

The fact that the Islanders showed Avery his rear more times than my hands can count erase the bad penalties the Isles took, the mistakes they made in the neutral zone and the bad goal they gave up in the third.

Let’s face it, not many people expected the Islanders to stand much of a chance against a revamped and stacked Rangers team. Nevertheless, they kept it close for most of the game. Take away their mistakes, like running into each other and deflecting shots past their own goaltender [no sarcasm there, I swear] and I think they were the better team.

However, on special teams, it’s obvious the Islanders miss Doug Weight and have serious work to do with the man advantage next season if they are going to be a better team. Decent teams do what it takes on the powerplay and can get those extra tallies when they have to. 0 for their last 18 with the man advantage, it’s obvious the Islanders must change their approach if they are going to be a better team next season.

On a side note, I am quickly becoming a fan of both Dean McAmmond and Jesse Joensuu. Both of these guys were working their tails off last night. Aside from the play of Comeau, I think these two guys were the Islanders best players. Could McAmmond be earning himself a spot on this team for next season? Is Joensuu doing the same thing? Only time will tell with that, but overall, I think the Islanders showed tonight that they could hold the ice with a playoff team.

That in itself means a lot.

However at the same time, they are still a far way off from making themselves a team that can reach the post season in the not too distant future.

Still plenty of work to get done.

Now are you guys beginning to see that this kid can be more than a checking line forward? Can you see that he can be a top six forward and score 20 goals a season? If not, then you my friends are the idiots. Damn, was he something special last night. Flying all over the ice, Bergenheim was taking the body, was the first man in on the forecheck and even finished offensively. When you combine all of that with any player on a given night, you’ll usually see the results on the scoresheet and last night, Bergenheim was no different.

While obviously not as key to the Islanders rebuilding movement as Kyle Okposo or Josh Bailey, Bergenheim’s continued stellar play will definitely be a huge boost to this team and help the Islanders find out what they want to do next season.

The same thing can be said for Yann Danis, who too was on top of his game. With Rick DiPietro coming back next season, many think the Islanders would be better off going with a more experienced goaltender to back him up, but I think either MacDonald, but preferably Danis would do a more than solid job backing him up. Better at handling his rebounds and getting the defense to come to his aid than MacDonald, I see no reason why Danis can’t play 20-25 game next season in a backup role.

He proved again last night that he can perform at a top level and I think I’m at the point where I don’t need any more convincing. Danis would be more than capable in a backup role next season.

What do you guys think?

Speaking of opinions, what do you guys think of the whole Bill Guerin situation? Could he really be on the move? Every one from Hockey Buzz to TSN believes that is the case. Guess we’ll just have to see what transpires there. I’ve already told you guys countless times this season that I like what Guerin brings to the table and every team, regardless of a youth movement or not, needs a few veteran pieces. Moving Guerin could also be the beginning of more moves to come, signaling the real beginning of the Islanders youth movement.

Stay tuned.

He’s been that good this season and last night, he was great.

However, a Petr Sykora goal late in the third was enough to ruin an otherwise spectacular night from the Isles goaltender in a 1-0 loss to the Pens.

The first period was a weird one, as neither team did much to establish a forecheck or any type of advantage. Danis did a solid job, especially of handling his rebounds, but Pittsburgh made his job way too easy. I don’t know what the book is on Danis, but the Penguins were taking shots from extremely high in the offensive zone and to no avail. It was almost like they got a tip that the guy can’t stop the shot from the point. I don’t know where they got their information and it obviously didn’t pay off for them, as both teams skated in their respective locker rooms with the game still scoreless.

The Islanders were far too timid in the first, but started to get going over the last few minutes in the first, getting several good scoring opportunities. Sean Bergenheim and Radek Martinek had great chances in the second, which was played with much more vigor, but couldn’t convert. The Islanders powerplay failed to even amount a shot on goal in the period, keeping the game scoreless. The team’s second powerplay wasn’t much better, as the Isles couldn’t get a decent shot off. As a matter of fact, they could barely stay in Pittsburgh’s zone.

Overall, while I thought the Penguins were the better team in the first, the Islanders skated much harder in the second period, making the third period an interesting one to watch. Remember, the Penguins needed this win big time, while the Islanders youngsters are doing everything they can to prove themselves. There was a lot at stake here. However, the element of desperation just wasn’t really there going into the the third period.

The beginning of the third was a bit different though, as the Islanders came out with some jam and it was there where Marc-Andre Fleury earned his paycheck for the night, making several high-quality saves. The Isles got another powerplay opportunity after a few minutes, but that was wasted once Brendan Witt was thrown on the ice as a screen in front of the net. I don’t know guys, why would Isles head coach Scott Gordon put Witt, a guy with 23 career goals on the powerplay in a 0-0 game? I know it’s not the first time he’s done it this season, but it makes as much sense as openly admitting that you enjoy listening to George Michael. Not a way to produce offense if you ask me.

Evgeni Malkin nailed a post around the midway point of the third and even had a powerplay opportunity afterwards, but they too couldn’t light the lamp, mostly due to Danis’ play rather than anything the Penguins were doing.

Things started to change soon afterwards, as the Penguins were beginning to fly on the ice. Sykora then made the Isles pay and that was enough to spoil an amazing effort by Danis.

Not fair, but that’s the way the cookie crumbles sometimes.

However, we know the truth.

These youngsters on the Islanders, when they finish, are talented players, that can in fact, play with a solid team like the New Jersey Devils. The Islanders defense, when on their game, can protect whoever is in net and whoever that is, Joey MacDonald or Yann Danis, can make the big saves when they have it. The Islanders veterans too have some gas left in their tanks and last night, even Jon Sim made the most of a very small opportunity and got on the scoresheet.

It was that kind of a night.

For the entire season however, it’s been just a matter of waiting for the stars to align and these guys to find the level of consistency for 60 minutes to show the rest of the league this. Chances are the Islanders will play like this another two or three times this season, on their way to one of the worst seasons in franchise history. Nevertheless, I feel the flashes of brilliance have been there to see, you just have to look extremely close. Hopefully, next season, they won’t be so hard to see.

One thing that was rightfully apparent last night though regardless of where you stand on the poll of opinion in this league was the play of Danis. Was he something special or what? 40 saves, from a ton of different angles and in traffic. You can’t ask for more than that and luckily, the Islanders didn’t have to. I think it’s safe to say this kid has proven that he can be a more than solid backup in this league and isn’t scared to be the main guy if he has to. Any goaltender that can keep a 5-8 record, 2.63 GAA and a .922 save percentage on a team as bad as the Islanders should be given the keys to Nassau Coliseum. It’s going to make things extremely interesting next season. I mean seriously, who would you want to back up Rick DiPietro next season. I’m sure if you poll the majority of Islander fans right now, it would be right now the middle.

Like I said, things will be interesting again this offseason.

Only with this team.

Too bad Bruno Gervais has hit the goalpost more over his past 150 games than the back of the net as well.

On the whole, I liked the fact that the Isles were attempting to take shots on Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick from all angles. Tim Jackman’s goal, aside from being incredibly sneaky, proved that when you have the puck and shoot it, good things happen. For far too long this season have the Islanders tried to set up the perfect pass and take the perfect shot. Now, it at least looks like they are getting the idea that garbage goals are just as good as highlight reel ones.

Nevertheless, they were still a bit too pensive out there, especially on the powerplay.

Going 12:47 without a shot just proves that.

Speaking of highlight reel goals though, who would have thought that Bill Guerin was going to pass when he had the whole net to himself? It seemed like Doug Weight came out of nowhere. That goal got the Islanders back into the game and gave them some more confidence, but the seesaw battle continued for 60 minutes.

While he had two golden opportunities over the course of the game and couldn’t finish, I really like the spunk Bergenheim had out there tonight. The same thing goes for Andy Hilbert and Jackman, who never hurt the team when they are on the ice and somehow, someway, always do something that gives the team some kind of boost.

However, one of the reasons the Kings were able to sneak back in was because of a few bad penalties by the Isles and poor coverage in front of the crease. While he’s been much better over his past few games, Brendan Witt again was on the ice during a key moment and failed to clear the crease. I know he does a lot on the ice, but that’s what is priority should be and he hasn’t been doing it for a big chunk of the season. A lot of this has to do with the fact that he’s been forced to play much more in his own end because of youngsters like Joe Callahan and Jack Hillen

In all honesty, this game should have never went into overtime, but both teams couldn’t finish each other off. With the powerplay opportunities both of them had, this game should have ended in regulation. But when you have two teams that aren’t playoff bound [The Kings could still make it though if they get hot], things like this are bound to happen.

Then it comes down to the crap shoot and the Kings prevail courtesy of a slick move by Jack Johnson.

Game over.

It’s till a game though and a lesson learned.

Stop taking bad penalties and convert on the powerplay.

While this obviously good for Danis, who was a relative-unknown last season, it’s not exactly the best news for Joey MacDonald.

So with that being said, who gets to back up Rick DiPietro next season?

“One thing about Yann, I think he’s taken it a step further than what Joey did,” Gordon told the Associated Press last night. “Not that Joey didn’t play well, but certainly, Yann, from a level of consistency, has been able to play like a guy that’s a true No. 1. That’s reflective of his numbers…to consistently give up less than three goals is what you expect a No. 1 guy to do, and that’s the type of performance he’s been able to give us. It goes hand in hand with his success. When you have that kind of goaltending, it certainly makes it easier for your team to know that, when you have those off moments, it’s going to stay tight.”

Only on the New York Islanders could there be a goaltending controversy right now. With the trading deadline rapidly approaching, could one of the two be on the move? Again, only on the Islanders. Nevertheless, this situation alone should provide plenty of bar conversation over the next week or so.

What do you guys think?

Bergenheim back- Despite registering just one shot in 11-plus minutes of action, Sean Bergenheim is back. It may take him a few games to get back in the swing of things, but having another gritty player in the lineup is definitely going to help the Islanders the rest of the season. Another guy I’d like to see get up to 15-20 goals, Bergenheim got hot at the end of last season, lets see what happens this time around. A skilled penalty killer as well, having a healthy Bergenheim back in the lineup also makes up for the injury of Nate Thompson and allows either Richard Park or Andy Hilbert more responsibility at center. Considering how dependable those guys have been on the ice this season, I think that’s good news as well.

So again, while this team isn’t going to make the playoffs, at least there are things to think about the rest of the season and offseason.

The two newbies weren’t the reason why the Islanders fell last night however. As a matter of fact, I’d rather see Hillen on the ice than Thomas Pock, but having Callahan in there instead of Streit hurts the Isles big time. Sure, Chris Campoli gets more ice time as a result and can rack up some points, much like he did last night, but having the both of them out there is what the Isles need.

With Callahan and Hillen logging just under 25 minutes combined, the rest of the Islanders D was put on the spot and didn’t have the same jump they’ve had over the past few games. They also didn’t have any surface to air missiles to stop Richard Zednik from jumping over Witt and potting one past MacDonald.

Where they horrible last night? No. They managed to hold their own with a playoff bound team. Even in loss, it’s a huge step in the right direction for this team.

However, the biggest step in the right direction last night was the continued progression of Josh Bailey. Shooting more and finding the open man, no one is questioning Garth Snow’s decision now to trade down two spots in the entry draft. I know 15 points in 37 games is far from incredible, but over the past half dozen games, he’s starting to make a believer out of me. The same thing goes for Blake Comeau, Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen, who are all playing well with the added responsibility they’ve been given over the past few weeks.

Keep it up the rest of the season boys. It may not be pretty the rest of the way, but if these youngsters can continue to improve little by little, by next season, this team will start to take shape a bit more.

That is all I’m asking for and all the thousands of broken-hearted fans of this team are asking for. Much like the Chicago Blackhawks and Washington Capitals, this is a three or four year process and despite the team’s record, if these youngsters can continue to pick it up, this will prove to be a productive year one.

That was a night as well where the Isles’ youngsters stepped up again and played well enough to help induce an Islanders win.

If Danis and the Isles’ babies can step up again, the Islanders can and will hold their own with the Panthers.

Seeing Kyle Okposo, Josh Bailey, Frans Nielsen and Blake Comeau play the way they have been as of late has almost given me a renewed sense of vigor. For a while there, watching this team play was like driving a screwdriver through my head. Now, it’s become fun again. Once Sean Bergenheim gets back in the lineup and Scott Gordon finds a place where he fits, the team should be even more energetic and fun to watch.

The way the veterans have stepped up as well has made this season an interesting one. What this team decides to do at the trading deadline should provide plenty of things to talk about too.

That alone should be enough to get me through the season.

Goalie Controversy?- Only with this team, I swear. Who would have that thought that Danis could hold down the fort the way he has over the past five games. No one in the NHL, that’s who. Like I’ve said before, nothing against Joey MacDonald, but Danis has been the better goaltender and the Islanders defense has supported him much better than they have Joey Mac. Because of that, you’ve got to give Danis every opportunity to make the most of his chance.

What happens in the end of this all however, is completely up in the air.

“We both want to play and I think we’re both capable,” Danis told the Associated Press the other night. “You know, I’m not worried about it. I’m feeling really good. I’m feeling big out there. This is a huge opportunity that I’ve waited a long time for. I was hoping to get in a few games and show what I can do. I wasn’t expecting what’s happening right now.”

When you also consider the fact that his team is playing for their pride at this point and MacDonald has already had 36 starts to prove himself to the team and the rest of the league, it’s only fair that Danis gets a similar shot as well, right? I mean seriously, what’s the worst thing that could happen? The team is already in last place.

“It’s made the challenges of coaching the first year in the NHL and it’s allowed me to deal with adversity,” Gordon told the Associated Press right before the All-Star break. “Every team that I’ve coached, at some point you have adversity, whether it’s the loss of players, losing your goaltender, having to manage people that, at times, are unmanageable. There’s all kinds of different things that, when that year is over, you look back on it and learn from it and it makes you a better coach.”

With the amount of injuries this team has had to deal with this season, you kind of have to give Gordon a free pass. If Doug Weight and Rick DiPietro were healthy and Brendan Witt and Radek Martinek in the lineup a bit more often, I really feel that former Isles coach Ted Nolan could have gotten this team to the playoffs or pretty damn close to it. Then seeing what a positive impact Gordon had on some of the youngsters like Chris Campoli and Frans Nielsen in addition to Weight, Guerin and Trent Hunter, I really think this team could have challenged for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Yeah, I know what you’re thinking, this dude is one crazy cat, but back when Joey MacDonald was one of the NHL’s players of the month, this team was scoring enough to get by and was playing decent defense. The rest of the league, simply put, was shocked. No one wanted to admit that the New York Islanders played their tails off every night and had a decent chance at coming out with two points regardless of who they were playing.

Despite the fact of the rumors that this team may be moved and where they are in the standings right now, I feel that Gordon can be the guy to help lead them to the land of respect once again. Is it going to be a quick process? No, but the fact that Gordon isn’t letting up and is ready to continue taking the beating he’s taken this season is a good sign to me.

He’s not giving up. And if he doesn’t maybe some of the youngsters will play the same way over the last 35 games of the season and put a smile on my face a few times before the season’s over.

Just maybe.

Photo by the AHL.

“We didn’t play for two periods, and that pretty much says it all,” Islanders coach Scott Gordon told the Associated Press after the Isles 3-1 loss to the Devils. “Not many teams can afford to play like we did for two periods like we did. We’re in that category.”

Well, it appears that Gordon is beginning to understand that this team cannot get by the way they are right now. They are missing a true sniper and a real goaltender and without them, every game will end the same way: with the Islanders working hard, but in the end not having the necessary tools to induce wins.

Simply put, Bill Guerin and Trent Hunter have to start producing more. When they were playing well, the team was at least hovering around .500 and the team was looking games 5-4, rather than 3-1. Now, when the defense starts to pick up their play and support the goaltender playing in front of them, the offense can’t produce. With Doug Weight and Mike Sillinger out, the Islanders are missing two very important catalysts and in order for them to be at least competitive, Guerin and Hunter have to start scoring.

You can only expect so much out of the rookies and Richard Park.

On another note, Yann Danis played well last night. However, for all the solid saves he made, he gave up two pretty bad goals. With the team’s confidence being what it is, all it takes is one bad bounce to break their hearts and deflate them. That’s exactly what happened last night.

Plus,when you make mistakes and commit turnovers with the man-advantage, you set yourself up to fail. Like I said before, when your team isn’t that good in the first place, you can’t make mistakes. I’m sure the Dave Clarkson goal was another mistake the Islanders regretted when they watched the video after the game as well.

Lastly, I think it’s safe to say Radek Martinek had his best game of the season thus far. Less pensive, more snarl and his stick was all over the ice. However, it wasn’t enough, as he was on the ice for the second New Jersey goal. His defensive partner, Brendan Witt, hasn’t been the force he was the past two seasons and couldn’t clear the crease, allowing the goal to be scored.

Just another sour note on a sour season.

A few years ago, a good Western swing was the kind of thing that got fans in Islander country excited. The message boards would chat it up about who the team could get down the stretch to help during the playoff run and who should get traded. Even though many of us knew the team didn’t have much of a shot to get past the first round, it was always fun to see how the team stacked up against the good teams in the West, just in case the Islanders pulled off something magical later in the season.

Make no mistake about it though, this season’s Western road trip has proven this team has no shot at doing much more than causing the team and it’s fans a whole lot of aggravation.

Every night this season, Joey MacDonald leaves his soul out on the ice and the Islanders make mistake after mistake in their own end. If any goaltender in the NHL had it bad, MacDonald could laugh right in their face. If this keeps up, MacDonald may go down in the history books for having one of the worst records in NHL history. However, it’ll have nothing to do with his play as he’s been just as good as any goaltender in this league.

He just doesn’t have the support on the ice that the rest of the netminders in the league do.

By the end of the season, that may be the biggest travesty this team commits.

Tambellini stepping up?- You don’t beat goaltenders like Mikka Kiprusoff by accident, so make no mistake about it, Jeff Tambellini’s wrister last night was the real deal. Rather than skate in and try to deke his way to a goal like he’s been trying to do all season, he just shot the puck with a decent angle and rolled the dice. Guys with shots like Tambellini do that in this league and they score. If he can continue to skate hard and take those types of shots, maybe he’ll save this season for himself.

Trevor Smith’s first goal- I said it after his first few games and I’ll say it again; this kid has a nose for the net. It’s something you can’t teach. He’s not incredibly quick and doesn’t have a super duper shot, but he’s always in the right place at the right time and is tough enough to earn the bumps and bruises needed to continue scoring. My kind of player.

Last season, Comrie started off hot because he wasn’t scared to take shots on net. No toe-drags, no fancy stick-handling moves, just plain old shooting at the net. Over the past four games, he’s done the same thing and has looked great on the puck. Simply put, he’s buzzing and has both Comeau and Okposo doing the same thing. The end result is one damn good line that played a key role in the Isles victory yesterday.

Speaking of key roles, Joey MacDonald was on his game in the first period and after a shoddy no-goal call, things could have fell apart, but they didn’t. After Brett McLean’s marker, Joey Mac was rock solid and the Islanders defense rose to the occasion, blocking shots and establishing themselves through solid passing in their own zone. When you do that, you make the goaltender’s work a whole lot easier. Thankfully, that was the case yesterday afternoon.

Add in another quality game from Mark Streit and what I consider a turning point game for Sean Bergenheim and you get enough to ensure an Isles victory.

Smith’s debut- With Trent Hunter and Mike Sillinger out of the lineup, Trevor Smith made his NHL debut and truth be told, I really like the kid. Forget about the fact that he’s wearing my favorite number on the back of his jersey, he’s got a lot of spunk and has a nose for the net. I got a feeling he may be someone that Islander fans may get to know a bit better over the next few weeks.

On another note, I just want to say that while I love the work of Howie Rose on Islanders telecasts, I loved hearing Jiggs McDonald yesterday. I know I say it every time he’s back with the Isles, but that’s only because it’s true. With everything that’s gone on with his life over the past few weeks, it’s great to see him in on TV doing what I feel he’s one of the best in the world at.

Where is the passion? Where is the intensity?

In the end, it was a better effort than what they put forth against the Penguins, but it’s not anywhere where it should be.

The game started off extremely slow, with both teams feeling each other out, making me wonder when either team was going to “show up.” Rick Nash scored a goal early on that got disallowed and Tim Jackman had a golden opportunity of his own as well, but Columbus goaltender Steve Mason had his number, making that listless feeling I had in my gut stick around a bit longer.

The second period felt similar until the Blue Jackets got on the board and the Islanders started to show their true colors. Only 11 shots through the midway point of the game, Mason wasn’t exactly busy. It’s not like they didn’t have chances though. Simply put, the Islanders powerplay just wasn’t getting it done and whenever they had an angle on a shot, they were shooting the puck right into Mason’s chest, rather than make him work.

The line of Doug Weight, Trent Hunter and Blake Comeau was buzzing at times, but they weren’t able to finish. Mark Streit too had a few opportunities, but was unsuccessful. After Jason Chimera skated past everyone on the ice and scored the Blue Jackets second goal of the night, everything looked like it was about to fall apart.

The look on Scott Gordon’s face was the same exact look on my face after Nate Thompson took a penalty less than a minute after the goal. Unfortunately, I was at my girlfriend’s house, so I couldn’t assault her animals or scream. So instead, I was forced to grind my teeth.

Then, out of nowhere, Richard “I never stop hustling” Park potted a short-handed goal that got the Islanders back in the game.

My girlfriend’s animals were without a doubt safe now, as were my teeth.

After the period was over and C.J. Papa interviewed Park and I listened to him speak candidly about the team’s attitude right now, I felt that maybe, just maybe, things could turn around in the third.

The way Joey MacDonald was playing early in the period nearly cemented that notion, but the Isles couldn’t get one past the goal line. The lines were mixed up for the period as well and Tim Jackman and Comeau [who has to sharpen his skates or get some new ones!] as well as Weight and Bill Guerin had a few chances. But again, things just couldn’t go their way.

Another Blue Jacket goal with just about nine minutes to go cemented another Islanders loss, making this writer consider wishing upon a star, to Santa Claus, or anyone one else with the ability to change this team’s luck, hoping for something to change soon.

But what can be done?

During a few of the earlier games this season, where Mac’s lack of positioning played a part in several goals, I would have to say yes.

However, with guys like Brendan Witt, Radek Martinek and Andy Sutton all out of the lineup, I think MacDonald did as good a job as anyone in the NHL… and that includes DiPietro.

Nonetheless, it would be idiotic to think that in spite of his injuries that DP isn’t still the Islanders franchise player. Without him, they haven’t been .500 team.

While it would take a toll on any player to see his team floundering without him, I think it’s been extra tough on DP, especially with the huge contract and constant expectations put on him.

“I’m not even sure I can put into words how hard it’s been,” DiPietro told Newsday. “It was a long summer, a lot of rehabbing, and a lot of things to get ready for this season, and then to have it not work out like it did in the beginning and have to go back and do it all over again—it’s tough. Definitely you realize how much you enjoy playing the game and the competition of being in net for the games, but now I’m rested and maybe we can go on a run to finish out the last half of the season.”

What is capable of at this point though?

Over the past two seasons, DP has had surgery on both knees and his hip. Can he still be the goaltender the Islanders need at this point? Can he be one of the players that helps lead them to the promise land of consistent entry in the NHL playoffs every season? Can he be the one that takes this team from semi-laughing stock and gets them the respect the need to get a new building as well?

I don’t know.

That’s the biggest problem for me as well. Over the past few weeks, I haven’t been able to escape the feeling that this team is missing something. It’s obvious that Kyle Okposo, Jeff Tambellini and Mike Comrie aren’t that something and we all know how much Radek Martinek is missed right now, but he isn’t the key to this team.

Again, is that key DiPietro?

Guess we’re just going to have to see about that, but at any rate, they’re are a few players that I feel are going to get the most out of the next three days off.

Joey MacDonald- Even when the Islanders defense was without the likes of Andy Sutton, Radek Martinek and Brendan Witt, Joey Mac has done everything but bribe the opposition in order to keep this team in the mix. A few times he’s come down to earth, showing an inability to keep his feet moving in the crease, but for the most part this season, his positioning, determination and poise have been excellent.

Either way you feel about MacDonald’s play, it’s pretty hard to argue with eight wins in game in November.

“Joey’s given us a chance to win every night,” team captain Bill Guerin told the Associated Press. “That’s all you can ask from your goaltender. He’s played as well as anybody out there. He’s just a great teammate, and works his tail off every day. He deserves a lot of accolades for us being in every game.”

I still can’t believe I’m going to say this, but another guy that deserves a few days off is Andy Hilbert. Six goals already this season and a heck of a lot more polish in the offensive end have quickly proven to me that Super Andy may just have a 20-goal season in him. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if this is another Jason Blake case, where the guy just needed a coach to have more confidence in him and play him in every situation. I know Ted Nolan always had a soft spot for the kid, but I never thought last season that Nolan trusted him for offense late in games when the team was in a bind. This season however, Scott Gordon seems to really trust him and because of that, Hilbert is having the best season of his NHL career.

While guys like Trent Hunter, Doug Weight, Mark Streit and Guerin have been solid as well, I really hope Mac and Hilly get a few good night’s rest under their belt before Thursday against Washington.

In other news guys, my site has been nominated on YesIslanders.com for Islanders Blog of the year! The voting takes place all month. Please stop by and throw me a vote!

I don’t know if there was turkey in the Islanders locker room in between the second and third period last night or if they were kidnapped and replaced with Bizarro World clones, but this team absolutely dumped the third period in one of the worst periods I’ve seen all season.

Let’s be fair here though, the crap storm started over the last five minutes of the second period as the Islanders basically lost any will to continue their stellar play and thought that they could sit on a three goal lead.

Big mistake.

There’s a reason why the three-goal lead is often considered the worst in professional hockey and the Islanders proved it last night.

In the end, the look on Doug Weight’s face said it all.

To start a game the way the Isles did, getting fantastic goaltending from Joey MacDonald and a few lucky bounces, to only lay down the way they did proves this team is still going through growing pains.

Nevertheless, I really like the way Josh Bailey’s line played through the first two periods and for my money, I’d keep this kid up here. Hes got nothing left to learn in juniors. Let him get his bumps and bruises here.

As well, I really love what I see from Weight this season as well. He’s the best passer this team has had since…dare I say… Pierre Turgeon.

In spite of that however, this team has got to remain focused on the ice for 60 minutes. Or else, this entire third period choke conundrum they just got themselves out of is going to rear it’s ugly face once more.

DP speaks- Islanders goaltender Rick DiPietro was interviewed by the AP a few days ago and while sharing his thoughts on various subjects, talked mainly about his array of injuries over the past two seasons.

“It’s crazy,” DiPietro said. “It’s like someone has a voodoo doll and keeps poking me. I’ve done everything but seek alternative medicine in different countries. I’ve asked about it, but there’s nothing to do but hard work. I’ve had a lot of bad luck, which sucks. But in the long run, it’s going to work out. There’s absolutely no question that my goal since signing that deal was to win here, and everyone here wants to win the Stanley Cup. I think we’re taking the right steps.”

After watching last night’s game, I think DP takes his turkey with extra gravy.

While his star has dimmed substantially over the past few seasons, to the point where he’s bounced around the league at an almost Mike Sillinger-esque pace, five years ago, the power forward was arguably one of the best in the league. Playing with players the likes of Marcus Naslund and the Sedin twins in Vancouver, Bertuzzi was a steady 40-goal scorer with the kind of toughness and desire that made many think he was the next incarnation of Cam Neeley or Clark Gillies.

A few years before that however, he was a fresh face on a young Islanders team full of them.

Scoring 18 goals in his rookie season, the shaggy-haired winger looked like he was ready to take the next step in his development, but over the next few seasons, a mish-mash of inconsistency, immaturity and lack of playing time made most feel that if he was ever going to get a chance to be a star, it wasn’t going to be with the Islanders.

Nevertheless, there were plenty of moments where Bertuzzi proved he had the ability to be a lot more than a third line grinder.

One game in particular against the Philadelphia Flyers I remember Bertuzzi deked around three defenders and beat the goaltender with one of the nastiest backhands I’ve ever seen. That same game, he landed about three or four vicious hits along the boards as well. It seemed whenever he was on his game, he played at a level that was far better than any of the players around him. To this day, I wonder what the Islanders could have been like if they had Ziggy Palffy, and Bertuzzi on the same line and on the same page. It would have been my teenage hockey fantasy [well, maybe Alyssa Milano in an Islanders Jersey anywhere else but a hockey rink was my teenage hockey fantasy, but I digress] that’s what.

Unfortunately, that situation just never came to be. For every game Bertuzzi was solid, there were three more where he took a bad penalty and didn’t hustle, causing Mike Milbury to put him on garbage pick up, where he never lived up to his true potential.

It’s a situation that will always leave Islander fans wondering.

As for me, I’ll just remember the good times, the few there were.

Photo by Elsa Hasch /Allsport

Seriously, what kind of journalist says something along the lines of the Islanders don’t stand a chance and Roberto Luongo and the Canucks can get away with playing decent and still win?

This is the NHL baby. Every game in this league never has a clear-cut winner. All it takes is for a hot goaltender or someone with a wicked backhand to get an opportunity in the shootout and it’s lights out, regardless of how good your team is.

Luckily, the Islanders got both last night, as Joey MacDonald and Frans Neilsen played superb games, leading New York to an “unlikely” win.

Winners of three in a row and holding a 7-9-2 record, things aren’t nearly as bad as they were a week ago, right? The return of Radek Martinek has quietly bolstered the Islanders defense and all of a sudden Frans Neilsen, Josh Bailey [would you guys keep him around after his nine games are up? As of right now, I totally would] and Kyle Okposo are noticeable out there. Are they playing phenomenal hockey? No, but they are making factors of themselves. The same thing goes for a guy like Tim Jackman, who looks like he may stick around this season after getting a long cup of coffee last season when injuries buried this team and their playoff chances.

This season however, the Islanders playoff chances haven’t really even been realized yet. All this team is doing right now is trying to earn the league’s respect back. In my mind, they are still a legitimate scorer and another offensive defenseman away from being a playoff contender, but if they keep finding ways to win and get Mike Comrie, Brendan Witt and Mike Sillinger back and they can produce, this team is going to be a heck of a lot of fun to watch.

Joey MacDonald alone has been a blast to follow this season and has almost singlehandedly kept this team as close to above water as he can. Nevertheless, I think guys like Bruno Gervais, Chris Campoli, Mark Streit and Andy Sutton have played much better in their own end over the past few games as well, giving MacDonald every chance to flourish.

If this keeps up, this team may just take us on another joy ride for a few weeks.

At the very least, Islander fans should enjoy this and keep their eyes on the prize. This is blue collar, unsexy hockey, but it’s winning hockey. With a host of rookies and aging veterans on this team, you couldn’t really ask for me right now.

However, things haven’t been going all that well for them and if the Islanders play smart, they may just be able to sneak out of dodge with a win.

After Dany Heatley, Jason Spezza, Filip Kuba, and Daniel Alfredsson, the Senators have virtually no offense to speak of. Their defense has also been lackluster, as they are -34 this season as a team and are still at 6-7-2. Martin Gerber hasn’t started his season off on the right foot either, losing his spot as the team’s starting goaltender to former 30-game winner Alex Auld [it doesn't really count though since it was on the Canucks. With the offense they had that year, with six players scoring over 55 points, it's pretty safe to assume Pat Jablonski could have won the Vezina there. If you don't know who Jablonski is, you should be ashamed of yourself. Go read a hockey almanac for Christ's sake!], who has been eerily solid. Nevertheless, this is a team the Islanders can defeat.

How you ask?

Score on the powerplay! That’s how!

All season, the Islanders have gotten a plethora of opportunities with the man advantage. Even with the rampant amount of injuries they’ve had, they still have to produce when they’re a man up. No more excuses.

We’ll see what happens tonight.

The Josh Bailey experiment continues: After committing two penalties in his first game, can Bailey step it up in game two?

From the looks of it, Bailey and his teammates are getting more comfortable with each other with every second he spends on the ice.

“I didn’t know what to expect. It was just nice feel like you are a part of things again,” the 19-year-old Bailey told the AP after his first game on Tuesday. “The first period, I needed to make a couple of adjustments. A couple of plays, I was a little slow on. As the game went on, I got more comfortable out there.”

“I think Josh is going to be a player,” Weight told Newsday. “He came into camp, and guys had certain expectations. Every day, he turned everybody’s heads. He’s got great talent and great savvy for the game. I think he’s got it in his mind [to stay in the NHL]. He’s very stoic and very calm. I think he’s real excited to be in this league. When guys have the talent and the mind he has and the urge to be great…I thought he fit right into place.”

Hopefully, Bailey can break through and fill in more than admirably for Mike Comrie.

For starters, Miroslav Satan seems to be reborn in Pittsburgh, and already has eight goals, compared to the 16 he had last season with the Islanders. Another former Islander, Ruslan Fedotenko hasn’t enjoyed that same amount of success, but with Crosby out of the lineup for a tad, it’s obvious that’s played a part. Speaking of Crosby, he will be in the lineup tonight, making things that much more difficult for the Isles.

Nevertheless, if they get ahead early, stay out of the penalty box and play a consistent 60-minute game, we’ll see what happens.

In other news, Greg Logan of Newsday reports that Sean Bergenheim will be back in the lineup tonight and that Tim Jackman has been called up to replace Mitch Fritz. Nate Thompson has a strained groin, so he’ll be out of the lineup as well. While Jackman isn’t the enforcer Fritz is, he’s a grittier player, who has more talent offensively. He’s been playing well in Bridgeport this season and should fit in fine with the team again this season.

Joey Macdonald will also be in the net as well, cementing his spot as the team’s starting goaltender with Rick DiPietro injured. Like I’ve said before, you can’t really ask for more for this guy. Who you can ask for more out of are the youngsters, Jeff Tambellini especially, alongside guys like Brett Skinner, who have done little or nothing this season.

Also, According to Newsday, Josh Bailey, Mike Sillinger and Martinek all practiced yesterday and are all close to returning. Once they come back, things are going to get mighty interesting with this team. Who stays? Who goes? Who knows. At any rate, it’s going to be fun seeing Bailey, Kyle Okposo play with guys like Doug Weight and Bill Guerin.

In other, other news:

I was quoted by the New York Times hockey blog today for my coverage of the New York Islanders.

You can check that article out here as well.

http://slapshot.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/07/isles-move-to-the-back-of-the-line/

There’s a reason why the Rangers are in first place and there’s a reason why the Isles have only two wins through eight games this season.

Goaltending and offense my friends. Something the Isles don’t have much of right now.

Through the first 40 minutes though, the Islanders looked like they were holding their own. Kyle Okposo, despite flubbing a few golden opportunities through he first half of the first period, really stepped up his game and easily had his best contest of the season. See what happens when this kid gets his legs moving and isn’t scared to initiate contact in the corners? The same thing goes for Frans Nielsen, who was all over the puck through the first two periods.

Speaking of solid performances tonight, Mark Streit was on top of his game as well. With seven points in eight games, the guy is doing everything he can on both ends of the ice to keep this team alive. Even his defense has been better than expected, as he’s did a solid job of clearing the crease, in addition to his prowess on the powerplay.

If there were anything really positive to take from this game, those would have to be it.

On the negative side, Joey MacDonald, while playing decent overall, has got to improve his play with traffic in front of the crease and with loose pucks around him. The Rangers first goal tonight was one that any decent goaltender in this league would have stopped. That’s not to say that Joey Mac isn’t a good netminder, he just has one glaring weakness that needs to be addressed and addressed soon.

Something else that needs to be addressed is the play of Jeff Tambellini. This guy has to get going offensively and soon. He’s taking shots, but isn’t getting any lucky bounces or help. I say throw him on a line with Mike Comrie and Kyle Okposo. Trent Hunter and Nielsen aren’t bad guys to play with, but the combination of speed and offensive ability that Comrie and Okposo have may give Tamby a bit more room on the ice to thrive.

In injury news, it seems that Freddy Meyer is only going to be day to day with an abdominal injury. Nothing against Brett Skinner, but Meyer was playing solid hockey before his injury and with Radek Martinek, Brendan Witt [who allegedly will be out for the next four weeks]and Andy Sutton all out of the lineup, the Isles need all the help they can get.

I personally feel like DP has never been healthy this season and has tried to play through whatever has been ailing him. Either that or his conditioning is so poor that he ended up getting injured again. At any rate, at least the drama is over Yann Danis is in town and the Isles are going to have to step it up on both ends if they are planning to pick up any points against the Rangers today.

With Andy Sutton, Mike Sillinger, Radek Martinek, Brendan Witt and now DP out of the lineup, let me be the first to stop the obscure terms given out by the organization and that the Islanders are suffering from a “heart and soul” injury and the estimated time out of the lineup for “heart and soul” may be the start of the 2009-2010 season. Last season, the Islanders were in the hunt until about the last 20 games, when injuries completely took over. That made one think that if they were healthy and the youngsters stepped it up, this team could still be competitive.

However, with guys like Kyle Okposo and Fran Nielsen looking out of place through their first handful of games as full-time NHlers, the Islanders are sinking faster than a fat man’s face in a gallon of Edy’s ice cream. Simply put, these youngsters have to play their hearts out over the next 70 plus games or else this season is over.

With that being said, the Islanders need players like Doug Weight, Mark Streit, Bill Guerin and Trent Hunter to continue to play well and produce. These guys are the ones that have to set an example for the youngsters like Okposo, Neilsen and Jeff Tambellini, who for the most part, have looked lost this season.

Games against the Rangers are always a good way to rile up the team, so here’s to hoping tonight does the same thing. I don’t know about you, but a two-goal game from a youngster and a few powerplay tallies would be a good sign of things to come if you ask me.

Cam Ward was damn good.

The Islanders offense, despite registering all of those shots, wasn’t up to finishing the job. Kyle Okposo had a golden opportunity to get the Islanders on the board in the first, but came up empty. As I’ve said before on the site, this is a guy that has to start finishing and soon. The same thing goes for Jeff Tambellini and Mike Comrie.

However, despite the fact that this team is having problems finishing, there were several positives to take from this game.

The physicality was there. Doug Weight and Nate Thompson were taking the body. I think overall, Thompson played his best game of the season. He had much better shot selection and was a force physically. As far as the responsibilities of a fourth line center go, he’s was on top of all them last night. With Mike Sillinger and Mark Parrish in the wings, Thompson is going to have continue to play that way or else he’ll find himself in Bridgeport.

Another Islander who was strong last night was Bill Guerin. On the whole, the line of Sean Bergenheim, who is quickly becoming a force, Guerin and Weight have been solid. All they need is a huge game to get the confidence going. Once that happens, hopefully the rest of the team can pick up the slack.

Speaking of someone who needs to pick up the slack, Rick DiPietro was not on top of his game. I’ve made several mentions over the past three seasons at how DP, while being a great puck-handling goaltender, needs to watch himself at times. When he tries to do too much, he usually ends up hurting the Islanders. Last night was no different. If this team has any shot at turning this season around, it all starts with Rico. He has to be on top of his game.

With the team’s next game against the Rangers on Monday, there’s no time like the present. Games against the Rangers usually bring out the best or worst of both teams as well, making this an even more important game for both teams, with the Isles struggling to find out where they belong in the league and Rangers trying to keep their lead in the conference.

Being the third game in four nights for the Isles, they weren’t expected to come out with a lot of jump and at first, they didn’t. But, like most games the team has played over the past 3 weeks, they found a way to put things together and pulled out an impressive 4-1 win.

I only hope Yashin is ok after the knee to knee collision, he’s too hot now to get injured on us. We need him for than ever right now.

Over the course of the game, I found myself smiling numerous times. However, it wasn’t at the two beautiful goals Blake scored, the hard working goal Park scored, or even the empty net goal I hope gets Hunter going to get me to crack a smile, it was the play of Rick Dipietro.
 
After a few of those saves, I felt like throwing in my WWE soundtrack and playing Shelton Benjamin’s theme song, “Ain’t No Stopping Me Now.” [If you don’t watch wrestling and have no idea what I’m talking about, then just continue reading and think of other ways to not have a life.]

Not obsessed with playing the puck anymore, DP looked amazing, stopping everything in his way except for a lone Ovechin goal, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. They scored the goals they had to against a very solid goaltender in Olaf Kolzig, took the body when they had to and made sure they didn’t waste a great game in net. That’s what good teams do and ever since they took that shellacking in Tampa Bay a few weeks back, they’ve looked like a totally different team.

DP, for one, is playing the puck much less and has given D-men like Sean Hill, Brendan Witt and Alexei Zhitnik an opportunity to make the first pass more often. That alone has been a huge factor in the Islanders success. The Isles need those three guys back there working hard and being a part in every game they play; they play more minutes than anybody else on the team for a reason. Their invigorated play as of late is going almost completely unnoticed, but truth be told, they have been great over the past five games and it goes hand in hand with the matured play of DP.

POOR ANDY…

What does this poor kid have to do to score a goal? If the man upstairs let Mick Vukota score a hat trick on more than one occasion during his career, he has to let Andy get at least one before the All-Star break. The past few games, he’s been peppering the nets with shot and hitting goal posts, which has been good, but damn, it’s like he’s jinxed or something.

FAVORITE MOMENT LAST NIGHT…

Had to be when Kolzig slammed his stick down on the ice after one of the goals. He looked so frustrated. But then again, that’s what happens when your defense consists of NHL rejects like Jamie Heward and Bryan Muir, geesh.

NEXT GAME…

Tuesday, against the Pens….again. This time they’ll probably have Crosby back in the lineup, so the Islanders can silence the retards on the internet that don’t give this team any credit, making excuses every time they do something right and take these “Happy Feet” impersonators on a march that they’ll never forget.

Let’s Go Isles.

Before last night’s game started, I really wanted DP in there, because I want him to get into a big rhythm, but after 30 odd saves, I felt like the Islanders goaltending situation hasn’t been this solid since we had Ozzy & Snowie together. Dunham is really making his case that he can be depended on this season.

Always known for being a solid goaltender, who was always in the wrong place at the wrong time [backing up Martin Brodeur, being the starting goaltender for a Predators team that had nobody, but him that was worth a damn, being a part of the revolving door that was the Thrashers goaltending situation last year, THE RANGERS, etc] Dunham has come to the Isles this season and has been simply amazing. Even when they got smoked by the Lighting last week 5-1, Dunham was solid, but got little help from his D.

Last night however, was much different.

Over the past few games, it seems that our defense core has picked up their games and is playing great on both sides of the puck. Even Brendan Witt was taking some shots from the point last night and Sean Hill and Radek Martinek were again extremely solid. I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I think aside from the sloppiness they showed for a few minutes here and there last night, the Isles defensive effort was perfect.

If that wasn’t enough, Blake and Yashin again played a marvelous game on both ends and both gave each other great passes that led to goals. It’s kind of a double edged sword however when you think about it, because I keep saying to myself, “WHY DIDN’T ANYONE THINK OF PUTTING THEM ON THE SAME LINE BEFORE?” But then again, instead of thinking about it, I’m just going to enjoy it. I haven’t seen two players on the Islanders play like this together since, well never!

It was also great to see Asham and Satan get goals too; we need to get them going in the biggest way and last night might be exactly what they need. Andy Hilbert also played a decent game last night but hasn’t been anything like the crafty, underrated player we thought he would be. He has to get going shortly or I can see him in another jersey very soon.

This one; hope it fits.

Back to Dunham…

Two nights ago, I compared DP to Billy Smith because of his frequently excellent use of the stick check and last night Billy Jaffe compared Dunham to him, which shows you how well these two guys have been playing. Right now we’re second in the conference in GAA and in the upper tier as far as the entire NHL goes. If we can keep that up and then get some more offense, this season is going to be a lot of fun for everyone.

NEXT GAME…

After we drop off Gino Campoli, we go see our old friends the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday, I hope Darcy Tucker and company are ready to meet Brendan Witt and Chris Simon. Should be interesting to say the very least.

Let’s go Isles.

In the end, that was the only thing that separated the Islanders from the Tampa Bay Lightning.

It was just a case of the score not meaning all that much by the end of the game.

The fact that the Islanders came back against a team like that after being down early really showed me how much this team wants to win. Ricky D played his third straight great game as well; he’s controlling the puck much less and is challenging shooters, which means his groin is back to where it should be and he’s ready to take this team where it’s supposed to be. It’s funny, a few times last night, my father compared him to Billy Smith because he was being so aggressive and was using the stick check so well.

If Ricky is going to continue to play like that, I think this team can hold their own with anybody. Like I’ve said before, the only thing that is keeping DP from being the dominant goaltender we all know he can be is his maturity. The past three games, he’s almost been a completely different player. To be honest, I hope the old DP got kidnapped and this one is here to stay.

Aside from DP’s great play, what about Radek Martinek last night? Oh my god, it was like someone set his ass on fire or something. I haven’t seen him play like that since the first year he was here. To be fair, Martinek is one of those players [much like Kenny Jonsson] that play so consistently that you sometimes forget that he’s on the ice. But his performance last night was a step above what he’s been doing lately.

I still can’t get over the goal he scored last night, what a laser beam! After he took the shot, Holmqvist snapped his neck back at him, saying in body language, WHO THE HELL WAS THAT?

IT WAS MARTINEK, RADEK MARTINEK. HE HAS A LICENSE TO SHOOT.
[Sorry for the crappy Bond reference, I couldn’t resist]

If Martinek’s goal wasn’t enough, York’s goal was highlight material too. It looked light Holmqvist was having major problems with shots from being the circle and the Islanders should have tested him from there during the shootout. Nevertheless, I’ll take the point considering we were down 2-0 against a team with that such offensive talent. For us to stick in there, take the body, cycle the puck well and come back, is a positive step forward for this team.

TONIGHT, AGAINST FLORIDA…

The Isles need to continue taking the body and hustling against an older Florida Panther team that has a good balance of scoring ability, goaltending and defense. Look for Eddie Belfour to try and redeem himself after his post-game drunken escapes the last time the Islanders played the Panthers. If not, he could always cut Alex Auld with a beer bottle again.