The Islanders are ending 2011 on a great note, slowly beginning to climb back up in the points race and winning in back to back games.
Facing off against the Oilers on a Saturday matinee game on the final day of the year, the Islanders had an extremely positive win against Calgary that, in terms of general play, seemed to denote a shift in play style after some line changes. They've clearly worked, as all 3 top lines were contributing in their own ways tonight, and several factors helped create a solid 4-1 win over the now disappointing Oilers. The first line of John Tavares, Matt Moulson and Kyle Okposo was buzzing all night, specifically on the PP and a beautiful 2 on 1 with Tavares and Moulson where Tavares spun around, undressed the D and fed it to Moulson who sent it perfectly into the net. A possible play of the year candidate with 12 hours to spare.
Everyone was doing their job tonight, but another Islander who shined in every aspect of his game was Matt Martin, who through his patience and refusal to give in to Ben Eager's agitations, gained the Islanders 2 powerplays which both led to goals. His work on the PK as well was a massive success as he continues to turn into one of the most important role players on the team.
There's still a ways to go, but the Islanders are not dead yet. They remain 9 points out of 8th with 2 games in hand on Toronto. A totally surmountable lead, but this type of wholesome and all around great play needs to be consistent. Nobody expects them to win out for the rest of the season, but if they string together a nice compilation of wins in the next month, they can be right back in it.
The Islanders next face off against the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh at 7PM on January 3rd. The game will be on MSG+ with Jiggs MacDonald calling the play by play.
Dec 29, 2011
Recap: Islanders - 3, Flames - 1
Winning is fun, isn't it?
The Islanders won their first game at home since December 6 tonight as they defeated the Calgary Flames 3-1 in front of a decently packed Nassau Coliseum crowd tonight. Evgeni Nabokov recorded his 296th career win to go along with goals from Andrew MacDonald, John Tavares, and an empty-net tally from Brian Rolston.
Overall, tonight's game was a great team effort from pretty much everyone, as they took advantage of a somewhat lethargic Flames team. Tonight's standouts were Andrew MacDonald and Travis Hamonic, who both played practically flawless and finished +2 and +3, respectively on the night. Aside from a very early gaffe by Mike Mottau that led to a Tim Jackman goal, the team defense was solid tonight. Evgeni Nabokov played well behind them and recorded 29 saves for his third win of the season.
Up front, most forwards were very solid tonight. All 12 forwards recorded a shot tonight, and while some continue to struggle, such as Nino Niederreiter - players like John Tavares and Kyle Okposo shined with their new linemates. Tavares and Okposo rekindled their chemistry from Tavares' rookie year as Okposo assisted on a beautiful Tavares end-to-end rush. All things considered, Tavares has been one of the major bright spots as he teeters on becoming an elite forward this year despite the continuous losing situation around him.
With tonight's win, the Islanders improve to 12-17-6 on the season, but remain in last place in the Eastern Conference. They certainly have enough time to pull themselves out of that position, but will need more complete games like tonight's to make that push. From here on it, it's about identifying which players are "keepers" and which are "stopgaps." Given the limited funds the Islanders are using, it's imperative the right decisions are made and the right players are kept. It's just as important to leave enough budgetary room to fill in holes with players who can fit the needed roles. Anything less, which we have seen to date, is unacceptable.
But for tonight, we will enjoy this win.
-CH
The Islanders won their first game at home since December 6 tonight as they defeated the Calgary Flames 3-1 in front of a decently packed Nassau Coliseum crowd tonight. Evgeni Nabokov recorded his 296th career win to go along with goals from Andrew MacDonald, John Tavares, and an empty-net tally from Brian Rolston.
Overall, tonight's game was a great team effort from pretty much everyone, as they took advantage of a somewhat lethargic Flames team. Tonight's standouts were Andrew MacDonald and Travis Hamonic, who both played practically flawless and finished +2 and +3, respectively on the night. Aside from a very early gaffe by Mike Mottau that led to a Tim Jackman goal, the team defense was solid tonight. Evgeni Nabokov played well behind them and recorded 29 saves for his third win of the season.
Up front, most forwards were very solid tonight. All 12 forwards recorded a shot tonight, and while some continue to struggle, such as Nino Niederreiter - players like John Tavares and Kyle Okposo shined with their new linemates. Tavares and Okposo rekindled their chemistry from Tavares' rookie year as Okposo assisted on a beautiful Tavares end-to-end rush. All things considered, Tavares has been one of the major bright spots as he teeters on becoming an elite forward this year despite the continuous losing situation around him.
With tonight's win, the Islanders improve to 12-17-6 on the season, but remain in last place in the Eastern Conference. They certainly have enough time to pull themselves out of that position, but will need more complete games like tonight's to make that push. From here on it, it's about identifying which players are "keepers" and which are "stopgaps." Given the limited funds the Islanders are using, it's imperative the right decisions are made and the right players are kept. It's just as important to leave enough budgetary room to fill in holes with players who can fit the needed roles. Anything less, which we have seen to date, is unacceptable.
But for tonight, we will enjoy this win.
-CH
Dec 27, 2011
Recap: Rangers - 3, Islanders - 0
In a pathetic effort from start to finish, the New York Rangers defeated the New York Islanders by a score of 3-0 at Madison Square Garden tonight. Quite frankly, the game was a complete massacare despite the Isles keeping the score close for 55 minutes. But that was nowhere near good enough tonight as a bigger, faster, and more structured team took advantage of a clueless Islander team that could not get out of their own way.
With two goals from Carl Hagelin, an empty net goal by Marian Gaborik, and a shutout by Henrik Lundqvist, the Rangers skated to a somewhat easy win tonight. And while the win propelled them to first in the East, the Islander loss also kept them in last in the East. That is where most of the rest of this entry will lie, because the reality is that at this juncture of the "rebuild," last place is completely unacceptable. The Islanders need a new coach, GM, owner, and some new players too. While the team has acquired a handful of real core keeper players through the draft, namely John Tavares and Travis Hamonic, there is not enough there to take the next step without outside help.
That outside help includes a real winger for Tavares, as while Matt Moulson and P.A. Parenteau have been productive, their overall game and skill level is just not dynamic enough to complement Tavares over a full season. It includes a complement for Travis Hamonic and one for Mark Streit. Andrew MacDonald is a nice support player, but is having a brutal season as he recovers from a hip injury.
All in all, this loss was just another example of the difference between the Islanders and Rangers. The Rangers don't sign players because they have a nice arena. For a while, their locker room was a dump as they played in a 40 year old arena. Sound familiar? Players sign with the Rangers because they overpaid them, they showed a commitment to the team, and they showed a desire to winning. It's not just about playing at the Garden or having a New York name attached to them. The Islanders offer a New York name too, though sometimes it's even hard to believe that.
Truthfully, players don't sign with the Islanders because the Islanders aren't any good. It doesn't have much to do with 2015 or the Nassau Coliseum or Long Island. It has everything to do with the fact that the Islanders have been so bad for so long they are teetering on the brink of irrelevancy. It has to do with an inexperienced front office, including the owner, that has shown no ability to put a legitimate playoff contender together. When you combine all of that, it means that Garth Snow is going to have to trade for an impact player. After four long seasons, one would think there is enough talent in the organization to pull the trigger on a high-end player. But those players cost money, and they don't come fresh with an ELC bonus or a bonus for being 35 years old, so I'm not getting my hopes up.
In the end, this one late-December game means little in a lost season, other than the fact that the Islanders are now a below-.500 team in their history again. But it is a reminder that the Islanders are beyond the point of hope. They need to take action to show commitment to their players. They need to regain the trust of their fans. And they need to show that winning does matter. Until then, the Islanders will just continue to drive in neutral.
-CH
With two goals from Carl Hagelin, an empty net goal by Marian Gaborik, and a shutout by Henrik Lundqvist, the Rangers skated to a somewhat easy win tonight. And while the win propelled them to first in the East, the Islander loss also kept them in last in the East. That is where most of the rest of this entry will lie, because the reality is that at this juncture of the "rebuild," last place is completely unacceptable. The Islanders need a new coach, GM, owner, and some new players too. While the team has acquired a handful of real core keeper players through the draft, namely John Tavares and Travis Hamonic, there is not enough there to take the next step without outside help.
That outside help includes a real winger for Tavares, as while Matt Moulson and P.A. Parenteau have been productive, their overall game and skill level is just not dynamic enough to complement Tavares over a full season. It includes a complement for Travis Hamonic and one for Mark Streit. Andrew MacDonald is a nice support player, but is having a brutal season as he recovers from a hip injury.
All in all, this loss was just another example of the difference between the Islanders and Rangers. The Rangers don't sign players because they have a nice arena. For a while, their locker room was a dump as they played in a 40 year old arena. Sound familiar? Players sign with the Rangers because they overpaid them, they showed a commitment to the team, and they showed a desire to winning. It's not just about playing at the Garden or having a New York name attached to them. The Islanders offer a New York name too, though sometimes it's even hard to believe that.
Truthfully, players don't sign with the Islanders because the Islanders aren't any good. It doesn't have much to do with 2015 or the Nassau Coliseum or Long Island. It has everything to do with the fact that the Islanders have been so bad for so long they are teetering on the brink of irrelevancy. It has to do with an inexperienced front office, including the owner, that has shown no ability to put a legitimate playoff contender together. When you combine all of that, it means that Garth Snow is going to have to trade for an impact player. After four long seasons, one would think there is enough talent in the organization to pull the trigger on a high-end player. But those players cost money, and they don't come fresh with an ELC bonus or a bonus for being 35 years old, so I'm not getting my hopes up.
In the end, this one late-December game means little in a lost season, other than the fact that the Islanders are now a below-.500 team in their history again. But it is a reminder that the Islanders are beyond the point of hope. They need to take action to show commitment to their players. They need to regain the trust of their fans. And they need to show that winning does matter. Until then, the Islanders will just continue to drive in neutral.
-CH
Dec 13, 2011
Recap: Canadiens - 5, Islanders - 3
The Montreal Canadiens defeated the New York Islanders 5-3 tonight from the Bell Centre in Montreal. The Islanders are now winless in their last three as they fall to 9-13-6 for the season.
Might as well start with Al Montoya tonight, who for the first time all year impacted the game negatively for the Islanders. The first two goals were soft, to say the least, and while Montoya kept the Isles in the game through the second period and some of the third, he allowed a seemingly stoppable shot to Petteri Nokelainen to give the Habs the lead and win. Whether the fourth goal was soft or not, it's one that the Islanders needed their goaltender to stop at that juncture of the game. Montoya has now allowed 10 goals over his last two games, which may mean it's time for him to take a rest for 2-3 games. But even then, he'll need to go on a long run of games as the Islanders will need to see if he is a long term starting goaltender or not.
The Islanders battled hard in this game, coming back from a 3-1 deficit with goals from Josh Bailey and John Tavares, which was a promising sign. Bailey has been doing all of the little things while incorporating creativity with his stickhandling, and the results are showing. It's too early to say that Bailey is breaking out, but the signs are there. He is definitely a player to watch over the next quarter of the season. Tavares, who was due for a goal, used hard work and determination at the end of a long shift to get his goal. It was a big goal at the time, and has Tavares on pace for just about 30 goals.
Travis Hamonic has really stepped his game up in all aspects. He really is the whole package, and is someone the Islanders will need to keep around for a long period of time. There is no reason he shouldn't be at least a legitimate #2 defenseman, with the potential ceiling of a #1 guy if he develops at this pace. On the contrary, what has happened to Mark Streit? Clearly he is rusty, but his lethargy and lack of urgency is way more alarming than his physical mistakes. Streit, who is the captain of this team, needs to get his stuff together for this team to be successful.
At this point, it's really hard to justify Brian Rolston playing anything other than even strength. He is brutally bad on the powerplay, and does not have enough hockey sense to play on the penalty kill. That said, his pass to Josh Bailey on the Islanders second goal was a thing of beauty.
The Islanders fourth line of Matt Martin, Marty Reasoner, and Tim Wallace continues to very consistent out there. It's nice to have a dependable fourth line.
The Isles come home Thursday to face the Dallas Stars in a re-match of a 5-4 Isles victory about a week and a half ago. The Islanders will need to have a strong end of the week, or else you can start getting the hammer out to put that proverbial nail in the coffin.
Might as well start with Al Montoya tonight, who for the first time all year impacted the game negatively for the Islanders. The first two goals were soft, to say the least, and while Montoya kept the Isles in the game through the second period and some of the third, he allowed a seemingly stoppable shot to Petteri Nokelainen to give the Habs the lead and win. Whether the fourth goal was soft or not, it's one that the Islanders needed their goaltender to stop at that juncture of the game. Montoya has now allowed 10 goals over his last two games, which may mean it's time for him to take a rest for 2-3 games. But even then, he'll need to go on a long run of games as the Islanders will need to see if he is a long term starting goaltender or not.
The Islanders battled hard in this game, coming back from a 3-1 deficit with goals from Josh Bailey and John Tavares, which was a promising sign. Bailey has been doing all of the little things while incorporating creativity with his stickhandling, and the results are showing. It's too early to say that Bailey is breaking out, but the signs are there. He is definitely a player to watch over the next quarter of the season. Tavares, who was due for a goal, used hard work and determination at the end of a long shift to get his goal. It was a big goal at the time, and has Tavares on pace for just about 30 goals.
Travis Hamonic has really stepped his game up in all aspects. He really is the whole package, and is someone the Islanders will need to keep around for a long period of time. There is no reason he shouldn't be at least a legitimate #2 defenseman, with the potential ceiling of a #1 guy if he develops at this pace. On the contrary, what has happened to Mark Streit? Clearly he is rusty, but his lethargy and lack of urgency is way more alarming than his physical mistakes. Streit, who is the captain of this team, needs to get his stuff together for this team to be successful.
At this point, it's really hard to justify Brian Rolston playing anything other than even strength. He is brutally bad on the powerplay, and does not have enough hockey sense to play on the penalty kill. That said, his pass to Josh Bailey on the Islanders second goal was a thing of beauty.
The Islanders fourth line of Matt Martin, Marty Reasoner, and Tim Wallace continues to very consistent out there. It's nice to have a dependable fourth line.
The Isles come home Thursday to face the Dallas Stars in a re-match of a 5-4 Isles victory about a week and a half ago. The Islanders will need to have a strong end of the week, or else you can start getting the hammer out to put that proverbial nail in the coffin.
Prospect Update: BU Star Corey Trivino arrested on attempted rape charges
Isles 2008 2nd round pick Corey Trivino, who was evolving into a major prospect for the Islanders after a frustrating first three years at Boston University, was dismissed from the team earlier today. Trivino allegedly forced his way into the room of a Resident Assistant on three separate occasions throughout the night and groped/kissed the RA against her will. Trivino was arrested and may have charges brought up against him if the RA decides to go down that path.
AT: Very disappointing. Leading the Hockey East in goals this year after 3 disappointing years at BU, Trivino was really looking like a special player. Smart defensively, a nice release on his wrist shot, and a very Frans Nielsen-lite style of play. This is inexcusable, however. Trivino has had alcohol related problems in the past, where he was found to be drinking underage and subsequently showed up late to a disciplinary bike ride that the team had assigned him. I'm a realist, and I know college kids drink underage. I am a college student myself after all and so is Carey. We both know it's commonplace. Yet when you're a senior and it's your last season of college hockey, you need to straighten your act up and start acting like an adult. It's clear that Trivino has not done so yet. It's always possible he'll still be signed to an ELC by the Islanders, although the chances of that occurring seem quite lower now. There have been other players in the league who have come back from terrible incidents caused by their own will - Dany Heatley after his accident and Patrick Kane after the cabbie incident, to name a few - but it should be interesting to see what path the Islanders take with him.
AT: Very disappointing. Leading the Hockey East in goals this year after 3 disappointing years at BU, Trivino was really looking like a special player. Smart defensively, a nice release on his wrist shot, and a very Frans Nielsen-lite style of play. This is inexcusable, however. Trivino has had alcohol related problems in the past, where he was found to be drinking underage and subsequently showed up late to a disciplinary bike ride that the team had assigned him. I'm a realist, and I know college kids drink underage. I am a college student myself after all and so is Carey. We both know it's commonplace. Yet when you're a senior and it's your last season of college hockey, you need to straighten your act up and start acting like an adult. It's clear that Trivino has not done so yet. It's always possible he'll still be signed to an ELC by the Islanders, although the chances of that occurring seem quite lower now. There have been other players in the league who have come back from terrible incidents caused by their own will - Dany Heatley after his accident and Patrick Kane after the cabbie incident, to name a few - but it should be interesting to see what path the Islanders take with him.
Dec 10, 2011
Game Recap: Pittsburgh Penguins 6, New York Islanders 3
What started off as a great back and forth hockey game between the Islanders and Penguins was unfortunately turned into a debacle following a terrible call by the referees, and the Islanders lost big at the Coliseum by a final score of 6-3.
Going 1-1-1 on a homestand is unacceptable following such great play on the road. Pittsburgh was without several key players tonight and the Islanders looked dominant for about 15 minutes, and that was about it. David Ullstrom got the scoring started in the first after a nice setup by Bailey, and Milan Jurcina had an insane slapper from the blue line that got the Isles up 2-0. The team was buzzing at this point, but things didn't last very long. Some subpar defense from Mark Streit (that lasted all night long) led to a Steve Sullivan goal and James Neal netted the game tying goal shortly afterwards. Shortly after the 3rd period began, a nice setup by Travis Hamonic and Michael Grabner led to Kyle Okposo with a spot on snipe right over Fleury's glove side to put the game at 3-2 Islanders.
It was shortly after this that an absolutely terrible call occurred which, in my opinion, cost the Islanders the game. The Islanders defense was already thin as it was, but Travis Hamonic was called for elbowing Brooks Orpik, and not only received a 5 minute major on top of a penalty that had already existed, but received a game misconduct, leaving the Islanders with a scary rotation of Mark Streit, Milan Jurcina, Steve Staios, Mike Mottau and Dylan Reese as their defense. Upon replay, it was clear that the hit was directly to the chest of Orpik, and that the blood that came about on Orpik's face was as a result of Orpik's own stick coming up and hitting him in the face. Pittsburgh, as one would assume, scored to tie the game on a rebound, although besides that the Islanders PKers were able to kill off the rest of the major. At that point, the game turned totally in favor of the Penguins, and they began to pile it on.
There is no doubt that Al Montoya was off his game tonight, but when you have such a thin and abysmal defense in front of you, there's only so much you can do. The Dupuis goal was undoubtedly a soft one, and the 5th and 6th goals were also saveable. This just wasn't Montoya's night, and I would assume he knows that.
It was just a bad game on all ends for the Islanders. A thin defense that was made into paper once Hamonic was forced out, a powerplay that looked like it couldn't score on an empty net, and a coach who looked as lifeless as ever.
The Islanders face off against the Montreal Canadiens on the road on Tuesday night at 7:30. Montreal has been less than stellar this year, and this is a game that almost absolutely must be won if the Islanders want to stay in the playoff race.
Going 1-1-1 on a homestand is unacceptable following such great play on the road. Pittsburgh was without several key players tonight and the Islanders looked dominant for about 15 minutes, and that was about it. David Ullstrom got the scoring started in the first after a nice setup by Bailey, and Milan Jurcina had an insane slapper from the blue line that got the Isles up 2-0. The team was buzzing at this point, but things didn't last very long. Some subpar defense from Mark Streit (that lasted all night long) led to a Steve Sullivan goal and James Neal netted the game tying goal shortly afterwards. Shortly after the 3rd period began, a nice setup by Travis Hamonic and Michael Grabner led to Kyle Okposo with a spot on snipe right over Fleury's glove side to put the game at 3-2 Islanders.
It was shortly after this that an absolutely terrible call occurred which, in my opinion, cost the Islanders the game. The Islanders defense was already thin as it was, but Travis Hamonic was called for elbowing Brooks Orpik, and not only received a 5 minute major on top of a penalty that had already existed, but received a game misconduct, leaving the Islanders with a scary rotation of Mark Streit, Milan Jurcina, Steve Staios, Mike Mottau and Dylan Reese as their defense. Upon replay, it was clear that the hit was directly to the chest of Orpik, and that the blood that came about on Orpik's face was as a result of Orpik's own stick coming up and hitting him in the face. Pittsburgh, as one would assume, scored to tie the game on a rebound, although besides that the Islanders PKers were able to kill off the rest of the major. At that point, the game turned totally in favor of the Penguins, and they began to pile it on.
There is no doubt that Al Montoya was off his game tonight, but when you have such a thin and abysmal defense in front of you, there's only so much you can do. The Dupuis goal was undoubtedly a soft one, and the 5th and 6th goals were also saveable. This just wasn't Montoya's night, and I would assume he knows that.
It was just a bad game on all ends for the Islanders. A thin defense that was made into paper once Hamonic was forced out, a powerplay that looked like it couldn't score on an empty net, and a coach who looked as lifeless as ever.
The Islanders face off against the Montreal Canadiens on the road on Tuesday night at 7:30. Montreal has been less than stellar this year, and this is a game that almost absolutely must be won if the Islanders want to stay in the playoff race.
Dec 8, 2011
Recap: Blackhawks - 3, Islanders - 2
The Islanders continued the second game of their short, three-game homestand tonight against the Chicago Blackhawks. The same teams battled just a week ago in Chicago, with the Islanders falling 5-4 in a shootout. Tonight, Al Montoya faced Ray Emery in an intense, back-and-forth game where the Islanders showed some guts and resiliency.
To start, Al Montoya did a great job keeping the Islanders in the game during the first 30-35 minutes. The Blackhawks were generating more pressure with a lot of puck possession, and despite the soft first goal Montoya stood tall to keep the Islanders in the game. Some of his saves were huge and allowed the Islanders to go and tie the game, thus getting a point.
We all knew that John Tavares is the best player on the Islanders, and despite the fact he didn't put a point on the board tonight, he was outstanding. Tavares was all over the ice in all three zones, and especially impressed on his transition game. A few times he got caught trying to stickhandle between too many people, but that will happen to young players.
Most of the lines for the Islanders clicked tonight, especially the second line. Hard work by Kyle Okposo led to a forecheck that resulted in the Islanders second goal - originally given to Steve Staios but later awarded to Michael Grabner.
That said, all was not positive in Isles Country tonight. The powerplay had an extended 5-on-3 where they could not put one home. The powerplay also failed to score on a gift wrapped opportunity with less than give minutes left in the game. You could say the special teams really robbed the Isles of a second point tonight, as the lack of powerplay was compounded by a soft goal on the penalty kill. In a one goal game, that difference means a lot.
The crowd was good tonight. A lot of late arrivers, but the 10,000 fans were really into the game late. It was hard not to be. With all the action from one end to another, the Isles and Blackhawks but on a good show tonight. This was certainly one of those games where the two teams both deserved a point, no matter what you think of the three-point rule.
The Islanders next face off on Saturday night as the Sidney Crosby-less Pittsburgh Penguins come to town after suffering a defeat to the Flyers tonight. It's a real shame what is happening to Crosby right now. Certainly hope he gets better soon as he truly is a fantastic talent and the game is better with him than without him. Concussions are obviously a very scary injury, so it's in Crosby's best interest to be as precautionary as possible going forward.
To start, Al Montoya did a great job keeping the Islanders in the game during the first 30-35 minutes. The Blackhawks were generating more pressure with a lot of puck possession, and despite the soft first goal Montoya stood tall to keep the Islanders in the game. Some of his saves were huge and allowed the Islanders to go and tie the game, thus getting a point.
We all knew that John Tavares is the best player on the Islanders, and despite the fact he didn't put a point on the board tonight, he was outstanding. Tavares was all over the ice in all three zones, and especially impressed on his transition game. A few times he got caught trying to stickhandle between too many people, but that will happen to young players.
Most of the lines for the Islanders clicked tonight, especially the second line. Hard work by Kyle Okposo led to a forecheck that resulted in the Islanders second goal - originally given to Steve Staios but later awarded to Michael Grabner.
That said, all was not positive in Isles Country tonight. The powerplay had an extended 5-on-3 where they could not put one home. The powerplay also failed to score on a gift wrapped opportunity with less than give minutes left in the game. You could say the special teams really robbed the Isles of a second point tonight, as the lack of powerplay was compounded by a soft goal on the penalty kill. In a one goal game, that difference means a lot.
The crowd was good tonight. A lot of late arrivers, but the 10,000 fans were really into the game late. It was hard not to be. With all the action from one end to another, the Isles and Blackhawks but on a good show tonight. This was certainly one of those games where the two teams both deserved a point, no matter what you think of the three-point rule.
The Islanders next face off on Saturday night as the Sidney Crosby-less Pittsburgh Penguins come to town after suffering a defeat to the Flyers tonight. It's a real shame what is happening to Crosby right now. Certainly hope he gets better soon as he truly is a fantastic talent and the game is better with him than without him. Concussions are obviously a very scary injury, so it's in Crosby's best interest to be as precautionary as possible going forward.
Dec 6, 2011
Game Recap: New York Islanders 5, Tampa Bay Lightning 1
The New York Islanders swept the floor with the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight, defeating them by a score of 5-1 in a game that the Islanders dominated in all but about a few minutes in the first period. This was the second time the Islanders have blown out the Lightning while playing at the Coliseum.
Boxscore:
(G, A)
1st Period:
NYI: 0, TB: 1 - Martin St. Louis (9); Brett Clark (4), Steven Stamkos (14)
NYI: 1, TB: 1 - John Tavares (9); Matt Moulson (7), Kyle Okposo (5)
NYI: 2, TB: 1 - Matt Martin (3); Tim Wallace (1), Marty Reasoner (4)
NYI: 3, TB: 1 - Milan Jurcina (1 - PP); Frans Nielsen (7), Mark Streit (12)
2nd Period:
None
3rd Period:
NYI: 4, TB: 1 - David Ullstrom (1); Josh Bailey (5), Steve Staios (4)
NYI: 5, TB: 1 - Matt Moulson (14), John Tavares (14), Mark Streit (13)
Goaltending:
Mathieu Garon - 29 saves on 29 shots, .853 SV PCT
Al Montoya - 23 saves on 24 shots, .958 SV PCT
Final Score: 5-1 NYI
Attendance: 9,458
Notables:
- Even though he wasn't one of the 3 stars tonight, a round of applause - hell, a standing ovation - for Josh Bailey's game tonight. Hard work on the PK and a big reason the Isles were so successful on the PK tonight, setting up some beautiful passes all night long and taking shots when he knew he had to, and an absolutely outstanding drop pass to David Ullstrom without even looking. That was a pure display of the hockey sense we all knew he had. Could he break out from here on out? I don't think more than 40 points is reasonable, but a ceiling of 40 is pretty good from here on out. Any way you look at it, Josh Bailey was easily one of the top 3 forwards on the ice tonight.
- It looks like John Tavares has finally gotten his groove back. An absolute snipe following fantastic work along the boards from Kyle Okposo and a dish from Matt Moulson and a great setup right back to Moulson for the 5th goal of the night for the Isles. He's now back on track and among the best players in the league in terms of points. That's 23 through 25 for Tavares, and we can only expect many more. Tonight was his first goal in 13 games.
- Matt Moulson continues to roll. 8 shots on goal and a beauty to finally get one in on the Isles 5th goal. He's becoming a truly legitimate sniper in this league and with Tavares is making up for a dominant duo.
- Tim Wallace, coming in with something to prove, exceeded all expectations tonight. 7 hits, hard work all night and a great behind the net pass to a perfectly positioned Matt Martin right in front. Brent Thompson is clearly doing a great job in Bridgeport, because every player that has come up, as Butch Goring noted, seems to fit right in. I don't think we'll see Wallace once Niederreiter comes back, but it's nice to have true depth in the system for once.
- As mentioned, congrats to David Ullstrom on his first NHL goal, and it was a beauty. I think at this point he's considered "graduated" from the Sound Tigers and will, for the rest of this season, take the role Blake Comeau had with us previously. The only difference being that Ullstrom will do it successfully.
- Al Montoya wasn't tested very often, but it just goes to show what having a real #1 in net who can stay healthy can do for the team. They look infinitely more poised, productive and confident when Montoya is in net, knowing that it'll be very rare for a soft goal to be let in. If Montoya doesn't start at least 80% of the remaining games, it should be considered a crime against humanity. It is a shame that for the 7th time this season the first shot on goal has beaten the Islanders' goaltender, but besides that he was as confident as always.
Thoughts:
AT: Yes, Tampa looked awful tonight. But the Islanders have looked phenomenal in the past 5 games and they did exactly what they should have tonight. They beat a team that was simply not as good as they are. This is the type of game that a good team looks at as a "no reason to lose" game, and the Islanders in succeeded in taking that to heart. All out domination tonight, and it's great to see.
Next game: The Islanders get a rematch against the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday, December 8th at the Nassau Coliseum. Game time is 7 PM and will be shown on MSG+.
Dec 4, 2011
Game Recap: New York Islanders 5, Dallas Stars 4
The New York Islanders (8-11-5) defeated the Dallas Stars (15-10-1) by a final score of 5-4 tonight in Dallas, Texas. A back and forth game that had several Islanders getting injured and Rick DiPietro giving up a 3 goal lead thankfully ended in an Islander victory.
1st Period:
Thoughts:
Boxscore:
(G, A)
1st Period:
NYI: 1, DAL: 0 - Matt Moulson (PP - 10); John Tavares (11), Mark Streit (11)
NYI: 2, DAL: 0 - Matt Moulson (11); John Tavares (12), P. A. Parenteau (15)
2nd Period:
NYI: 3, DAL: 0 - Dylan Reese (1); Matt Martin (4), Marty Reasoner (3)
NYI: 3, DAL: 1 - Tomas Vincour (1); Stephane Robidas (7), Mike Ribeiro (15)
NYI: 3, DAL: 2 - Eric Nystrom (10); Vernon Fiddler (8), Nicklas Grossman (2)
NYI: 3, DAL: 3 - Jake Dowell (1); Tom Wandell (2), Toby Peterson (2)
NYI: 4, DAL: 3 - Matt Moulson (12); John Tavares (13), P.A. Parenteau (16)
NYI: 4, DAL: 4 - Tom Wandell (1); Jake Dowell (2), Radek Dvorak (10)
NYI: 5, DAL: 4 - Matt Moulson (13); P.A. Parenteau (17)
3rd Period:
None
Goaltending:
Rick DiPietro - 17 saves on 21 shots, .810 SV PCT
Al Montoya - 13 saves on 13 shots, 1.000 SV PCT
Andrew Raycroft - 22 saves on 27 shots, .815 SV PCT
Final Score: 5-4 NYI
Attendance: 14,423
Notables:
- Instead of jumping right to the obvious bad, I'll hit the very good. What a spectacular game by Matt Moulson. After one hell of a release on a shot against Chicago, I had a feeling we were back to seeing old Matt in action, and boy am I glad I was right. 2 quick goals in the first following great persistence, a perfect position for the 3rd, and potting in a beautiful pass from P.A. Parenteau from the game winning goal. The whole first line was absolutely magnificent tonight, especially John Tavares who assisted on 3 of Moulson's goals along with Parenteau. This was the perfect reason not to break up this line ever again unless someone of elite caliber comes along. And even then, it's debatable. Both PAP and Moulson have proven themselves to be truly capable of being 1st line players and should remain as so for the rest of the season barring some unforeseen drop in play. Moulson's sniping abilities and situational awareness were on full display tonight, as he got the first 4 goal game of the NHL season an first 4 goal game for an Islander since Viktor Kozlov did it exactly 5 years ago to the day against the Rangers. If all 3 of these players could get game pucks, they should most certainly get them.
- Now to the very bad. It's time for Rick DiPietro to retire. There is nothing you can possibly come up with to defend him as a player anymore. I had hoped that he could maybe return to a level slightly below pre-injury form based on some play earlier in the year, but all hope is gone. DiPietro had this one in the bag and while 1 of them there wasn't much he could do, 3/4 of them were all due to his poor situational awareness, terrible side to side movement and lack of flexibility. In fact, his lack of flexibility caused him to strain his groin, allowing Al Montoya to take his place. It's over. He is not an NHL caliber player anymore, and may not even be an AHL caliber player anymore. If Montoya was in net for this one, I think a 5-1 win could have easily been achieved. Instead, we spent half of the game saying to ourselves "here we go again". Enough is enough.
- And back to the good. Coming in cold for the third period, what a performance by Al Montoya. Saved all 13 shots he faced including a huge one with 10 seconds left against Michael Ryder. His GAA is now down to 2.17, and it makes you question Capuano's sanity by not declaring him the #1 goaltender immediately. Not much more to be said. Montoya's putting up Vezina-worthy stats right now and should be treated as such.
- Nino Niederreiter was flattened by a shoulder to head hit by Mark Fistric of the Stars and left the game with concussion like symptoms. He will most likely remain in Dallas until he is cleared by doctors to use air travel, as doing such can worsen symptoms. He was just beginning to look up after a big goal in Chicago, so hopefully he'll be okay.
- Michael Grabner also joined the injury train. He suffered a strained groin and will be re-evaluated on Long Island. He also got yet another breakaway and failed to bury it, which is becoming very frustrating to watch.
- Mike Mottau had a terrible game after a surprisingly good one against Chicago. Just the usual poor defense we usually see from him. The sooner Eaton is back, the better.
- Travis Hamonic should be on the top pairing for the remainder of the season. He and Mark Streit formed a pretty solid pairing tonight, and could only get better as the season goes on. Streit's defense is definitely a cause for concern, but an OFD like Streit and a DFD like Hamonic on the top pairing considering their skill levels in their respective areas is a great top pairing to have.
Thoughts:
AT: I hate to turn this recap into an anti-DiPietro rant, but he almost single-handedly blew what should have been a total blowout tonight. Absolutely terrible performance, and it's no longer an anomaly. It's time to part ways, or the Islanders will never go anywhere. It's pathetic when we have to be afraid as fans of Montoya sitting because his backup is completely unreliable. Is this how we're supposed to watch hockey?
Next game:
The Isles face off against the Tampa Bay Lightning at home at 7:00 on Tuesday, December 6th. The season series is tied 1-1. The game will be shown on MSG+.
Dec 3, 2011
Recap: Blackhawks - 5, Islanders - 4
The Islanders fell tonight to the Chicago Blackhawks by a score of 5-4 in a shooutout. The overtime losses drops the Islanders to 7-11-5 for the season, as they travel to Dallas to face the Stars tomorrow evening.
This was a very fun game to watch from all angles - it had good skating, offensive chances, storylines, and execution. Of course, the Islanders gave Al Montoya - the team's #1 despite what the coach publicly claims - the start in his hometown. Montoya had an above average game, stopping 32 shots but making some key saves in keeping the game close. Without him, chances are the Islanders not only lose in regulation, but get blown out of the building. The Hawks' team speed was too much for the Islanders to take, and that alone led to a few scoring chances that were bailed out by Montoya.
John Tavares looks poised to break out of his slump shortly. Even with his two assists, Tavares was active in all zones and is looking more confident with each shift he takes. We've been calling for upgrades on his wings, but Matt Moulson and P.A. Parenteau played like first line players tonight - as each player had a goal and an assist during tonight's game.
The defense was not strong tonight with the subtraction of Andrew MacDonald. We knew that defense was a major weakness of the Islanders, and it showed tonight. All of the defensemen were sloppy tonight in their own zone, especially Mark Streit. Milan Jurcina played soft and lazy, the opposite of what makes him successful in the NHL. Mike Mottau and Dylan Reese had their own ups and downs, but that's to be expected from two fringe defensemen. The Islanders will need to tighten their gaps and coverage against the Stars tomorrow night.
Nino Niederreiter scored his first goal of the season tonight on a beautiful snipe from the slot on a partial breakaway. He's going to score a ton of NHL goals over the next 20 years. That said, he needs to work on other parts of his game - especially his defense. He probably does need work outside the NHL since he is not fully ready, but that doesn't seem like it's an option to the Islanders right now.
It was nice to see Kyle Okposo get on the scoreboard again tonight. Okposo looks like the player that was on the verge of breaking out two years ago. Clearly, this is exactly what the Isles needed to see from Okposo, who is still undoubtedly a big part of the future of the team.
Not much to be mad about overall tonight, with a skills competition being the deciding factor of the game. The Islanders played hard, fast, and with a purpose tonight, which is something we haven't seen much of this season. So far, December is looking like a much better month than November - and I say, better late than never.
This was a very fun game to watch from all angles - it had good skating, offensive chances, storylines, and execution. Of course, the Islanders gave Al Montoya - the team's #1 despite what the coach publicly claims - the start in his hometown. Montoya had an above average game, stopping 32 shots but making some key saves in keeping the game close. Without him, chances are the Islanders not only lose in regulation, but get blown out of the building. The Hawks' team speed was too much for the Islanders to take, and that alone led to a few scoring chances that were bailed out by Montoya.
John Tavares looks poised to break out of his slump shortly. Even with his two assists, Tavares was active in all zones and is looking more confident with each shift he takes. We've been calling for upgrades on his wings, but Matt Moulson and P.A. Parenteau played like first line players tonight - as each player had a goal and an assist during tonight's game.
The defense was not strong tonight with the subtraction of Andrew MacDonald. We knew that defense was a major weakness of the Islanders, and it showed tonight. All of the defensemen were sloppy tonight in their own zone, especially Mark Streit. Milan Jurcina played soft and lazy, the opposite of what makes him successful in the NHL. Mike Mottau and Dylan Reese had their own ups and downs, but that's to be expected from two fringe defensemen. The Islanders will need to tighten their gaps and coverage against the Stars tomorrow night.
Nino Niederreiter scored his first goal of the season tonight on a beautiful snipe from the slot on a partial breakaway. He's going to score a ton of NHL goals over the next 20 years. That said, he needs to work on other parts of his game - especially his defense. He probably does need work outside the NHL since he is not fully ready, but that doesn't seem like it's an option to the Islanders right now.
It was nice to see Kyle Okposo get on the scoreboard again tonight. Okposo looks like the player that was on the verge of breaking out two years ago. Clearly, this is exactly what the Isles needed to see from Okposo, who is still undoubtedly a big part of the future of the team.
Not much to be mad about overall tonight, with a skills competition being the deciding factor of the game. The Islanders played hard, fast, and with a purpose tonight, which is something we haven't seen much of this season. So far, December is looking like a much better month than November - and I say, better late than never.
Nov 29, 2011
Game Recap: New York Islanders 2, Buffalo Sabres 1
The New York Islanders (7-11-4) defeated the Buffalo Sabres (13-10-1) by a score of 2-1 in Buffalo, New York tonight. The Islanders gained the lead back after an early 3rd period goal by Buffalo and held on for a big road win, only their second such of the season.
After a couple of shaky games, it looks like Travis Hamonic is back to his old self. He was blocking shots all night, and there were several times where he took one that looked like he was in a bit of pain. He left for the locker room after one but didn't even miss a shift. He is without a doubt our future #1 defenseman and showed himself as that tonight once again. He's sound positionally was very physical all night. Great job. He and Andrew MacDonald were fantastic tonight, with MacDonald also taking a painful shot at the end of the 3rd with Enroth pulled that might have saved the game.
Boxscore:
(G, A)
1st Period:
NYI: 1, BUF: 0 - Matt Moulson (PP - 8), Mark Streit (10), P.A. Parenteau (13)
2nd Period:
None
3rd Period:
NYI: 1, BUF: 1 - Jochen Hecht (2), Jason Pominville (17), Thomas Vanek (15)
NYI: 2, BUF: 1 - Brian Rolston (3), David Ullstrom (1), Joshua Bailey (4)
Goaltending:
Al Montoya - 30 saves on 31 shots, .968 SV PCT
Jhonas Enroth - 28 saves on 30 shots, .933 SV PCT
Final Score: 2-1 NYI
Attendance: 18,690
Notables:
Al Montoya has once again solidified himself as the #1 goaltender on this team. Neither Nabokov or DiPietro can come close to matching the positional awareness, the quickness or the general efficiency of Montoya. He has now only allowed 4 goals in the past 3 games and is simply stealing games for the Isles in games they might not have necessarily been able to win with another goaltender in net. He was most notably efficient on a 5 on 3 after two bad penalties by Streit and Bailey, blocking a bunch of shots in succession and helping to lead to some very important clears. Goalies coming into their own at age 25 or later isn't a new thing, and it's clearly happening with Montoya. As soon as the new year hits, Snow needs to be on the phone with his agent.
After a couple of shaky games, it looks like Travis Hamonic is back to his old self. He was blocking shots all night, and there were several times where he took one that looked like he was in a bit of pain. He left for the locker room after one but didn't even miss a shift. He is without a doubt our future #1 defenseman and showed himself as that tonight once again. He's sound positionally was very physical all night. Great job. He and Andrew MacDonald were fantastic tonight, with MacDonald also taking a painful shot at the end of the 3rd with Enroth pulled that might have saved the game.
John Tavares is just itching for a goal after not having one in 10 games. He had 6 shots on goal and had one drive to the net in the 3rd period that went just off the post after beating Enroth. He's such a dynamic player that we know the goals and points will come, but obviously seeing him consistently denied is unfortunate. Would have been nice for him to pot one in front of Mom and Dad who were in attendance tonight, but he played such a well rounded game once again that they should be proud regardless.
Mark Streit had a terrible game. Although his shot on the first goal was what led to the Isles first goal, he was terrible defensively tonight, making some really pisspoor decisions on defense. Even on the PP, most notably the second one, he was not exactly the most efficient we've seen him. After being set up right in the slot, he elected to attempt to pass it to the right point and was intercepted in what should have been a nice shot on goal for him. He also took a very, very poor penalty that, combined with Bailey's, created a very scary moment for the Islanders. Just not a very good game.
The third line of David Ullstrom, Josh Bailey and Brian Rolston was outstanding tonight. While Rolston needs to learn to finish his checks, Ullstrom and Bailey were clicking well once again and really putting a lot of pressure on Enroth. Right before the 2nd goal, there was yet another opportunity between Ullstrom and Rolston where the puck just trickled short of the goal line. Consistent pressure finally led to the game winning goal, but it was great to see such great chemistry going on between the three. Perhaps, just perhaps, Bailey and Ullstrom are benefiting from Rolston's veteran prescence.
Matt Martin had a hell of a fight with Zach Kassian. You couldn't count the amount of punches thrown if you tried. Great job by Martin to pull Kassian's jersey off revealing the lack of the jersey being tied down as well, getting him a 10 minute misconduct penalty.
In his 9 minutes of ice time, Nino Niederreiter somehow was able to land 5 hits. Great job, but he's touted as a goalscorer, and can not continue to play on the 4th line where he goes out, checks someone, then goes back to the bench. I truly believe his right role his rookie season is on the 3rd line with Bailey and Ullstrom.
It was great to hear such an intelligent hockey mind in former Islanders captain Pat Flatley between the benches and as commentary between the periods. I would love to see him replace Butch Goring after this season if possible. Really adds insightful comments and knows the game well.
Thoughts:
AT: Still need to score more, but a great game defensively all around complete with some stellar goaltending. The Isles are playing hard again and are on the right track. We have some big tests coming up, and we're still 4 games under .500, so it's now or never to begin a comeback.
Next game: The Islanders face the Chicago Blackhawks in Chicago on Friday, December 2nd at 8:30 local time. The game will be broadcasted on MSG+.
Nov 27, 2011
Opinion: What's Next For Islanders?
After a Thanksgiving weekend record of 1-1-1, the Islanders enter the upcoming week a different team, despite a similar record. They won their first road game on Saturday in New Jersey, headlined by inspired goaltending from Al Montoya and a huge shorthanded goal by Michael Grabner. They probably should have won Wednesday at home against Philadelphia, but that didn't happen for a multitude of reasons, most notably three soft goals let up by Rick DiPietro.
Either way, the roster from last Monday night in Pittsburgh will be somewhat different than the lineup that will skate in Buffalo on Tuesday. For one, Blake Comeau was waived after a disappointing beginning to the season. He was picked up by the Calgary Flames (0 points in 2 games) on Friday. Mark Eaton sprained his MCL and won't be back until after the year turns. The Islanders called up Micheal Haley for some jam. David Ullstrom continued to nail down a spot on the third line. Marty Reasoner didn't play a shift. And then there is the curious case of Nino Niederreiter, who is still sitting in the press box, but now tweeting that he doesn't know why.
Quite simply, it is a mess right now. The Islanders are all but out of the playoff race by Thanksgiving for the second year in a row. Questions have risen regarding the status of Jack Capuano's job security. General Manager Garth Snow has been in hiding, aside from a few short-worded answers to reporters trying to get a little more out of him. All the while, the team continues to struggle and and the fans remain irate.
Chances are that Saturday's win just delayed the inevitable firing of Capuano. With three road games this week against good teams, it's certainly plausible that Capuano does not make it through if the team puts forth a few lackluster efforts. While the Islanders have stayed within their organization for personnel changes on the roster, it is clear at this point that it is not enough. That said, it's hard to expect the Isles to make a trade, so unless Capuano is able to mix and match to perfection, the Isles will have to fight through it themselves.
There were some promising signs this week. John Tavares was extraordinarily good on faceoffs against New Jersey, which means that he's still helping the team despite not finding the back of the net much. Kyle Okposo finally looks like the Okposo of old, as he's starting to use his body to go north-south as opposed to unsuccessfully attempting to dangle through defensemen in an east-west game. Al Montoya looks like he has no rust whatsoever, despite not playing much over the past six weeks. Travis Hamonic and Andrew MacDonald are showing signs of being the defensive pairing we saw over the last 45 games last season. Josh Bailey looks like he's found his game in all three zones.
However, until the necessary chances are made, which stem from hiring an experienced coaching staff (when the inevitable firing happens) to dropping the dead-weight on the team, things will remain in status quo. The only question will be is if the Islanders can pick their game up enough to be competitive for the rest of the year. If not, this team will lose. A lot. And we all don't want to be back in the draft lottery. So after twenty games, it's time for management to evaluate what they have and make changes accordingly.
-CH
Either way, the roster from last Monday night in Pittsburgh will be somewhat different than the lineup that will skate in Buffalo on Tuesday. For one, Blake Comeau was waived after a disappointing beginning to the season. He was picked up by the Calgary Flames (0 points in 2 games) on Friday. Mark Eaton sprained his MCL and won't be back until after the year turns. The Islanders called up Micheal Haley for some jam. David Ullstrom continued to nail down a spot on the third line. Marty Reasoner didn't play a shift. And then there is the curious case of Nino Niederreiter, who is still sitting in the press box, but now tweeting that he doesn't know why.
Quite simply, it is a mess right now. The Islanders are all but out of the playoff race by Thanksgiving for the second year in a row. Questions have risen regarding the status of Jack Capuano's job security. General Manager Garth Snow has been in hiding, aside from a few short-worded answers to reporters trying to get a little more out of him. All the while, the team continues to struggle and and the fans remain irate.
Chances are that Saturday's win just delayed the inevitable firing of Capuano. With three road games this week against good teams, it's certainly plausible that Capuano does not make it through if the team puts forth a few lackluster efforts. While the Islanders have stayed within their organization for personnel changes on the roster, it is clear at this point that it is not enough. That said, it's hard to expect the Isles to make a trade, so unless Capuano is able to mix and match to perfection, the Isles will have to fight through it themselves.
There were some promising signs this week. John Tavares was extraordinarily good on faceoffs against New Jersey, which means that he's still helping the team despite not finding the back of the net much. Kyle Okposo finally looks like the Okposo of old, as he's starting to use his body to go north-south as opposed to unsuccessfully attempting to dangle through defensemen in an east-west game. Al Montoya looks like he has no rust whatsoever, despite not playing much over the past six weeks. Travis Hamonic and Andrew MacDonald are showing signs of being the defensive pairing we saw over the last 45 games last season. Josh Bailey looks like he's found his game in all three zones.
However, until the necessary chances are made, which stem from hiring an experienced coaching staff (when the inevitable firing happens) to dropping the dead-weight on the team, things will remain in status quo. The only question will be is if the Islanders can pick their game up enough to be competitive for the rest of the year. If not, this team will lose. A lot. And we all don't want to be back in the draft lottery. So after twenty games, it's time for management to evaluate what they have and make changes accordingly.
-CH
Nov 25, 2011
News: Flames claim Blake Comeau off of waivers
One day after he was waived following not a single point in 16 games, Blake Comeau was claimed off of waivers by the Calgary Flames.
AT: I believe this is the best for all parties. Blake had a good season last year but was just not doing much this year and clearly needed a change of scenery. Calgary isn't exactly a good team so it's hard to see him putting up much more than he did last year playing with the Flames, but he was simply not working for the Islanders anymore, and certainly not worth $2.5M with his play.
This should, by logic, pave the way for Niederreiter to take his place on the 3rd line, but supposedly Niederreiter and Reasoner are the scratches today against the Devils, which makes very little sense at all. You have a 19 year old power forward just itching to play, and you continue to scratch him in favor of Brian Rolston who has easily been one of the most inefficient players for the Islanders all year long.
AT: I believe this is the best for all parties. Blake had a good season last year but was just not doing much this year and clearly needed a change of scenery. Calgary isn't exactly a good team so it's hard to see him putting up much more than he did last year playing with the Flames, but he was simply not working for the Islanders anymore, and certainly not worth $2.5M with his play.
This should, by logic, pave the way for Niederreiter to take his place on the 3rd line, but supposedly Niederreiter and Reasoner are the scratches today against the Devils, which makes very little sense at all. You have a 19 year old power forward just itching to play, and you continue to scratch him in favor of Brian Rolston who has easily been one of the most inefficient players for the Islanders all year long.
Nov 24, 2011
Recap: Flyers - 4, Islanders - 3
Last night at the Nassau Coliseum, the Philadelphia Flyers defeated the New York Islanders by a score of 4-3. The Islanders blew a 3-1 lead over the course of the game, culminating in a Danny Briere overtime goal after a failed two minute 4-on-3 Islander powerplay. The Islanders have now dropped 13 of their last 15 games, and will go into Friday's matinee against the Devils with a 5-10-4 record.
Usually, we would harp on the negatives to start, but I think Kyle Okposo deserves some recognition for the effort he put together last night. A three point first period was the flashy part of Okposo's night, but what we saw was the Okposo of two years ago. Okposo backchecked extremely hard, won board battles, went towards the play head-on, and crashed the net. He got to the soft areas of the ice and created chances for himself, which is the first time we have seen that from Okposo this year. Last night, he and Michael Grabner came alive and gave the Islanders a second scoring line for the first time all year. It was long overdue, and if he keeps it up the Islanders will be much better for it.
On another positive note, Josh Bailey had a very nice game as well, which included a nice cross-crease pass to Okposo for the second goal. But Bailey was engaged last night. He was good on the PK. He played a smart game, showing off his hockey sense - the main reason we was drafted when he was. It's too early to call this a coming out party for Bailey, but last night he played like an NHL player with a purpose. Hopefully he gains some confidence out of it and keeps playing like that.
As soon as the Islanders went up 3-1, they went into a shell like usual. Using a 1-2-2 style of play, the Flyers entered the zone with ease, despite not always getting shots off. The team put forth a good effort in the third, but were on their heels too much with the Flyers pushing. This type of style does not suit the Islanders well at all. They are too slow on the defensive side to compensate for mistakes, and not active enough with their bodies to stop any east-west play. Eventually, this caught up to the Isles as the Flyers tied the game in the third.
However, this playing style does not exclude Rick DiPietro from blame. DiPietro was downright horrific last night, letting up three goals that were beyond brutal and a fourth on a tricky bounce that went off his glove. It is perfectly clear that DiPietro is not good enough anymore to be an NHL goaltender. He is slow side-to-side, he goes down early on every shot, he plays the puck with too much frequency, and when he does play the puck does not make enough smart plays with it. His rebound control is terrible, which causes him to flop a lot. Defensemen must have quite the adventure playing with him, as he is too predictably unpredictable for them to be proactive about the play ahead. The Islanders must do something about this situation before it gets any worse, even if their hands are tied. He is negatively affecting the team at this point.
A lot of people have been clamoring for Matt Martin to be placed up on the second or even first line. Last night proved that Martin is not ready for that responsibility. Twice he was fed in the slot by Josh Bailey with no one on him. He fanned on the shot both times. Now, Martin is still developing as a player and may very well get there, but his time isn't now. That said, I am quite confident as Martin gets more acclimated to the NHL game, those chances will not be passed up, even if he shoots the puck in the goalie's chest every time.
The defense played a good game as a whole last night. There were a few rocky shifts last night from Steve Staios, but overall the team play good defense. But with a team like the Flyers, you can't take the pedal off the metal. And that may have happened, which was essentially a complement to DiPietro's struggles. With a better goalie, these breakdowns become less magnified.
The powerplay was putrid last night. With a two minute 4-on-3 in overtime, it's a must score. There was zero reason to have that kind of awful powerplay. There was no movement or creativity. Mark Streit and John Tavares just repeatedly passed the puck back and forth with P.A. Parenteau activating on the half-wall from time to time. It's too predictable and is not good enough. They needed to get shots to the net, and that just didn't happen there. Very shortly after the powerplay ended, Danny Briere put one past DiPietro and the game was over just like that.
Overall, yes, the team had a better effort, but with the season essentially on the line, saying "at least we got a point" is not good enough anymore. Granted, if the team wins both games this weekend, they'll be "just" three games under .500 going into next week, which may keep their playoff hopes on life support. Maybe that happens if they build off this type of effort. Either way, with seemingly no changes on the horizon, it looks like the team is going to have to fight through this themselves. And that is the real shame.
The Islanders next play Friday afternoon at 3 PM against the New Jersey Devils at the Nassau Coliseum. Once again, they will be wearing their new third jerseys.
Usually, we would harp on the negatives to start, but I think Kyle Okposo deserves some recognition for the effort he put together last night. A three point first period was the flashy part of Okposo's night, but what we saw was the Okposo of two years ago. Okposo backchecked extremely hard, won board battles, went towards the play head-on, and crashed the net. He got to the soft areas of the ice and created chances for himself, which is the first time we have seen that from Okposo this year. Last night, he and Michael Grabner came alive and gave the Islanders a second scoring line for the first time all year. It was long overdue, and if he keeps it up the Islanders will be much better for it.
On another positive note, Josh Bailey had a very nice game as well, which included a nice cross-crease pass to Okposo for the second goal. But Bailey was engaged last night. He was good on the PK. He played a smart game, showing off his hockey sense - the main reason we was drafted when he was. It's too early to call this a coming out party for Bailey, but last night he played like an NHL player with a purpose. Hopefully he gains some confidence out of it and keeps playing like that.
As soon as the Islanders went up 3-1, they went into a shell like usual. Using a 1-2-2 style of play, the Flyers entered the zone with ease, despite not always getting shots off. The team put forth a good effort in the third, but were on their heels too much with the Flyers pushing. This type of style does not suit the Islanders well at all. They are too slow on the defensive side to compensate for mistakes, and not active enough with their bodies to stop any east-west play. Eventually, this caught up to the Isles as the Flyers tied the game in the third.
However, this playing style does not exclude Rick DiPietro from blame. DiPietro was downright horrific last night, letting up three goals that were beyond brutal and a fourth on a tricky bounce that went off his glove. It is perfectly clear that DiPietro is not good enough anymore to be an NHL goaltender. He is slow side-to-side, he goes down early on every shot, he plays the puck with too much frequency, and when he does play the puck does not make enough smart plays with it. His rebound control is terrible, which causes him to flop a lot. Defensemen must have quite the adventure playing with him, as he is too predictably unpredictable for them to be proactive about the play ahead. The Islanders must do something about this situation before it gets any worse, even if their hands are tied. He is negatively affecting the team at this point.
A lot of people have been clamoring for Matt Martin to be placed up on the second or even first line. Last night proved that Martin is not ready for that responsibility. Twice he was fed in the slot by Josh Bailey with no one on him. He fanned on the shot both times. Now, Martin is still developing as a player and may very well get there, but his time isn't now. That said, I am quite confident as Martin gets more acclimated to the NHL game, those chances will not be passed up, even if he shoots the puck in the goalie's chest every time.
The defense played a good game as a whole last night. There were a few rocky shifts last night from Steve Staios, but overall the team play good defense. But with a team like the Flyers, you can't take the pedal off the metal. And that may have happened, which was essentially a complement to DiPietro's struggles. With a better goalie, these breakdowns become less magnified.
The powerplay was putrid last night. With a two minute 4-on-3 in overtime, it's a must score. There was zero reason to have that kind of awful powerplay. There was no movement or creativity. Mark Streit and John Tavares just repeatedly passed the puck back and forth with P.A. Parenteau activating on the half-wall from time to time. It's too predictable and is not good enough. They needed to get shots to the net, and that just didn't happen there. Very shortly after the powerplay ended, Danny Briere put one past DiPietro and the game was over just like that.
Overall, yes, the team had a better effort, but with the season essentially on the line, saying "at least we got a point" is not good enough anymore. Granted, if the team wins both games this weekend, they'll be "just" three games under .500 going into next week, which may keep their playoff hopes on life support. Maybe that happens if they build off this type of effort. Either way, with seemingly no changes on the horizon, it looks like the team is going to have to fight through this themselves. And that is the real shame.
The Islanders next play Friday afternoon at 3 PM against the New Jersey Devils at the Nassau Coliseum. Once again, they will be wearing their new third jerseys.
Nov 21, 2011
Game Recap: Pittsburgh Penguins 5, New York Islanders 0
Until this team starts looking like a professional hockey team, there seems to be very little point to showing how many points the other team scored. We pride ourselves on being a professional blog with our own opinions interjected into it as most bloggers try to do, and that's exactly what I'm going to do here.
Another pitiful, disgusting loss once again. I knew when Nilsson was announced as the starter, he was going to be the one who was going to have to take this beating. Sidney Crosby was announced as active for this game for the first time in almost a year, so suddenly every sports outlet decided to pick up and watch this game. And oh boy, did Crosby show he was back all right. He made our defense look silly and the Penguins, being faster, tougher and actually having a structure, danced around the Islanders the entire night. The only player who looked to me like he gave it all tonight was David Ullstrom, who clearly went out knowing he had to prove himself. I would keep him up for the foreseeable future, but at the same time I wouldn't want him part of this charade.
This team is just not good. Every aspect of the game they are outplayed in. I place a key part of that on the coaching, as for yet another game the Islanders looked like they had the structure equivalent to peewee hockey. It's becoming embarrassing to watch as a fan. We had somewhat of an excuse last year when we lost Streit and Okposo, 2/3 of our best players. Now it's inexcusable. On the players parts, on the coach's part, and on the owner and GM's parts. How do you explain this to a fanbase that has been dying to see the 2nd round since 1993? How?
You have to congratulate Sidney Crosby on a heck of a comeback, though. Say what you want about Pittsburgh and hate the team all you want, but he showed once again why he is a generational talent that nears, and may very well surpass Gretzky in terms of level of skill. He is one of the most exciting players you can possibly watch in any sport.
What do you do at this point? What can you even hope Snow would do besides trade our upcoming UFAs for draft picks?
As for the next game, the Islanders play the just as tough Flyers at home. I expect a dismal crowd except for the huge influx of Flyers fans. And rightfully so. I wouldn't, nor would I get mad at anyone for not paying to see this product on ice.
- AT
Another pitiful, disgusting loss once again. I knew when Nilsson was announced as the starter, he was going to be the one who was going to have to take this beating. Sidney Crosby was announced as active for this game for the first time in almost a year, so suddenly every sports outlet decided to pick up and watch this game. And oh boy, did Crosby show he was back all right. He made our defense look silly and the Penguins, being faster, tougher and actually having a structure, danced around the Islanders the entire night. The only player who looked to me like he gave it all tonight was David Ullstrom, who clearly went out knowing he had to prove himself. I would keep him up for the foreseeable future, but at the same time I wouldn't want him part of this charade.
This team is just not good. Every aspect of the game they are outplayed in. I place a key part of that on the coaching, as for yet another game the Islanders looked like they had the structure equivalent to peewee hockey. It's becoming embarrassing to watch as a fan. We had somewhat of an excuse last year when we lost Streit and Okposo, 2/3 of our best players. Now it's inexcusable. On the players parts, on the coach's part, and on the owner and GM's parts. How do you explain this to a fanbase that has been dying to see the 2nd round since 1993? How?
You have to congratulate Sidney Crosby on a heck of a comeback, though. Say what you want about Pittsburgh and hate the team all you want, but he showed once again why he is a generational talent that nears, and may very well surpass Gretzky in terms of level of skill. He is one of the most exciting players you can possibly watch in any sport.
What do you do at this point? What can you even hope Snow would do besides trade our upcoming UFAs for draft picks?
As for the next game, the Islanders play the just as tough Flyers at home. I expect a dismal crowd except for the huge influx of Flyers fans. And rightfully so. I wouldn't, nor would I get mad at anyone for not paying to see this product on ice.
- AT
Nov 20, 2011
Recap: Bruins - 6, Islanders - 0
Blogger's Note: We apologize for our inactivity over the past week. Both Alex and myself had prior obligations that prevented us from consistent posting. We will be back to normal starting next week as we head into the Thanksgiving holiday.
The night started out with a buzz as the Islanders inducted original captain Ed Westfall into the Islanders Hall-of-Fame, a well deserved honor for the former color commentator and beloved figure in the franchise's community. After a somewhat late start, the game began - only the Islanders did not bother to show up. A 6-0 loss to the Bruins dropped the team to 5-9-3 on the year, which is good enough for last in the Eastern Conference. Of course, these nine losses include their four shutouts against at home. approximately 25% of their total games palyed.
Essentially, the story of the game is that nothing really went right for the Islanders tonight. The offense was non-existent, the defense was putrid, and the goaltending was just as awful. Rick DiPietro started but only made it through 20 minutes before getting pulled after allowing three goals on thirteen shots, including a Nathan Horton goal off a turnover and an easily savable shot off the stick of Chris Kelly. From then on, it was the Anders Nilsson show in his NHL debut. Nilsson was solid in the second, but allowed three goals in the third period despite having no defensive support, especially by the forwards.
The reality is that singling players out would be unfair, as they all did not play well tonight. It's clear that a legitimate shake-up will be needed - one that goes beyond the coach. Despite the obvious notion that the Islanders are a budget team, Garth Snow is going to have to make a trade to change parts around. Blake Comeau does not have a single point this season. Marty Reasoner and Jay Pandolfo have one point each. Brian Rolston has two goals but is playing inflated minutes, a questionable coaching decision at best. But overall, no Bridgeport call-up is going to make a tangible enough difference at this point. The problem stems much deeper than that.
Defensive coverage was spotty as best tonight as well, with Mark Streit boasting a -5 rating tonight. But it's not fair to focus just on Streit, as none of the defensemen had a good game. Their gap control was terrible, there was no clogging of the lanes or board battle victories. The Bruins were able to establish a net front presence, which undoubtedly made things difficult for DiPietro and Nilsson at points.
An interesting situation to follow is the Nino Niederreiter decision - will he stay or will he go? Niederreiter has been pretty impressive, given his age, for the most part even though he had a tough game against Boston. Personally, I believe Niederreiter should be returned to Portland of the Western Hockey League. There should be no rush to develop a 19 year old power forward, especially one who is a very high-end prospect. Niederreiter does not need to be associated with constant losing when he has other options. One argument is that Niederreiter has nothing left to learn at the junior level. That is nonsense, as players never stop learning. Development is a never-ending process, and certainly staying in the WHL for one more season will not hinder his long-term development. The answer comes down to his salary cap hit and if the Islanders can stay over the cap floor without it. But the real question is with the unrestricted free agency age so low, why would the Islanders want to waste a year off his entry-level contract in such a wasted season? Time will tell whether Niederreiter is returned, but all signs are pointing to him stay on Long Island all season.
Getting back to the game, the final result is that the Islanders did not perform well at all. They looked disinterested for most of the game, especially after DiPietro gave up the third goal. The team was unable to recover and deal with the Bruins' team speed, as Boston continually was getting multiple chances in the Islander zone. The Islanders did not play with any physicality whatsoever, which makes playing a team like Boston incredibly hard. Overall, it was a terrible effort on a night where the Islanders needed a victory. Now 5-9-3 after the first 17 games, the team is already way behind the pack in the playoffs. It will be a very tough, if not impossible road ahead. With games against Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and New Jersey next week, things will certainly not get easier. But things will have to get better, or else the Islanders season will be all but over before Christmas for the second straight year.
The night started out with a buzz as the Islanders inducted original captain Ed Westfall into the Islanders Hall-of-Fame, a well deserved honor for the former color commentator and beloved figure in the franchise's community. After a somewhat late start, the game began - only the Islanders did not bother to show up. A 6-0 loss to the Bruins dropped the team to 5-9-3 on the year, which is good enough for last in the Eastern Conference. Of course, these nine losses include their four shutouts against at home. approximately 25% of their total games palyed.
Essentially, the story of the game is that nothing really went right for the Islanders tonight. The offense was non-existent, the defense was putrid, and the goaltending was just as awful. Rick DiPietro started but only made it through 20 minutes before getting pulled after allowing three goals on thirteen shots, including a Nathan Horton goal off a turnover and an easily savable shot off the stick of Chris Kelly. From then on, it was the Anders Nilsson show in his NHL debut. Nilsson was solid in the second, but allowed three goals in the third period despite having no defensive support, especially by the forwards.
The reality is that singling players out would be unfair, as they all did not play well tonight. It's clear that a legitimate shake-up will be needed - one that goes beyond the coach. Despite the obvious notion that the Islanders are a budget team, Garth Snow is going to have to make a trade to change parts around. Blake Comeau does not have a single point this season. Marty Reasoner and Jay Pandolfo have one point each. Brian Rolston has two goals but is playing inflated minutes, a questionable coaching decision at best. But overall, no Bridgeport call-up is going to make a tangible enough difference at this point. The problem stems much deeper than that.
Defensive coverage was spotty as best tonight as well, with Mark Streit boasting a -5 rating tonight. But it's not fair to focus just on Streit, as none of the defensemen had a good game. Their gap control was terrible, there was no clogging of the lanes or board battle victories. The Bruins were able to establish a net front presence, which undoubtedly made things difficult for DiPietro and Nilsson at points.
An interesting situation to follow is the Nino Niederreiter decision - will he stay or will he go? Niederreiter has been pretty impressive, given his age, for the most part even though he had a tough game against Boston. Personally, I believe Niederreiter should be returned to Portland of the Western Hockey League. There should be no rush to develop a 19 year old power forward, especially one who is a very high-end prospect. Niederreiter does not need to be associated with constant losing when he has other options. One argument is that Niederreiter has nothing left to learn at the junior level. That is nonsense, as players never stop learning. Development is a never-ending process, and certainly staying in the WHL for one more season will not hinder his long-term development. The answer comes down to his salary cap hit and if the Islanders can stay over the cap floor without it. But the real question is with the unrestricted free agency age so low, why would the Islanders want to waste a year off his entry-level contract in such a wasted season? Time will tell whether Niederreiter is returned, but all signs are pointing to him stay on Long Island all season.
Getting back to the game, the final result is that the Islanders did not perform well at all. They looked disinterested for most of the game, especially after DiPietro gave up the third goal. The team was unable to recover and deal with the Bruins' team speed, as Boston continually was getting multiple chances in the Islander zone. The Islanders did not play with any physicality whatsoever, which makes playing a team like Boston incredibly hard. Overall, it was a terrible effort on a night where the Islanders needed a victory. Now 5-9-3 after the first 17 games, the team is already way behind the pack in the playoffs. It will be a very tough, if not impossible road ahead. With games against Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and New Jersey next week, things will certainly not get easier. But things will have to get better, or else the Islanders season will be all but over before Christmas for the second straight year.
Nov 16, 2011
News: Third Jersey Unveiled
At a fan event today, the Islanders finally revealed their non-anticipated third jersey. And like everyone expected, yes, it's black.
AT: Really just a despicable job by the Islanders PR department and Terry Goldstein. Black is not in the color scheme of the Islanders and never has been. This jersey looks like Dallas' jersey in a black form. The Islanders must have known the uproar from fans after word was leaked that the jersey would be black. The Islanders must have known the uproar from fans after a leaked picture showed the jersey was black. The Islanders should now know the uproar from fans, and the laughter from hockey blogs around the league as they insist on knowing better and doing what's best for business, as usual. Just more of the same as this fanbase continues to be treated like footstools.
AT: Really just a despicable job by the Islanders PR department and Terry Goldstein. Black is not in the color scheme of the Islanders and never has been. This jersey looks like Dallas' jersey in a black form. The Islanders must have known the uproar from fans after word was leaked that the jersey would be black. The Islanders must have known the uproar from fans after a leaked picture showed the jersey was black. The Islanders should now know the uproar from fans, and the laughter from hockey blogs around the league as they insist on knowing better and doing what's best for business, as usual. Just more of the same as this fanbase continues to be treated like footstools.
Nov 11, 2011
Recap: Avalanche - 4, Islanders - 3 (OT)
The Colorado Avalanche (8-7-1) defeated the New York Islanders (4-6-3) by a score of 4-3 tonight in Denver, CO. The Islanders blew a 3-0 lead in the last 21 minutes of regulation time, and have now lost 8 of their last 9 games.
Boxscore:
(G, A)
1st Period:
NYI: 1, COL: 0 - Josh Bailey (1); Mark Streit (8)
2nd Period:
NYI: 2, COL: 0 - Brian Rolston (2); PA Parenteau (10), Frans Nielsen (4)
NYI: 3, COL: 0 - Michael Grabner (5); Matt Moulson (5), Mark Streit (9)
NYI: 3, COL: 1 - Paul Stastny (5); David Jones (4), Kyle Quincey (9)
3rd Period:
NYI: 3, COL: 0 - Michael Grabner (5); Matt Moulson (5), Mark Streit (9)
NYI: 3, COL: 1 - Paul Stastny (5); David Jones (4), Kyle Quincey (9)
3rd Period:
NYI: 3, COL: 2 - Milan Hejduk (6); Shane O'Brien (5), Joakim Lindstrom (2)
NYI: 3, COL: 3 - Jan Hejda (1); Daniel Winnik (4), Ryan O'Reilly (9)
Overtime:
NYI: 3, COL: 4 - Kyle Quincey (3); Milan Hejduk (4), Paul Stastny (6)
NYI: 3, COL: 3 - Jan Hejda (1); Daniel Winnik (4), Ryan O'Reilly (9)
Overtime:
NYI: 3, COL: 4 - Kyle Quincey (3); Milan Hejduk (4), Paul Stastny (6)
Goaltending:
Al Montoya - 47 saves on 51 shots - .922 SV %
JS Giguere - 30 saves on 33 shots - .909 SV %
JS Giguere - 30 saves on 33 shots - .909 SV %
Final Score: 4-3 COL
Attendance: 13,221
Notables:
- This was just a brutal loss any way you look at it. The Islanders were up 3-0 with less than one minute to win in the 2nd period and lost the game. Blame it on what you want, but the answer is on the ice. The team blew the lead, not the refs. The Islanders have now lost 8 out of their last 9 games and are 4-6-3 on the season. Sound familiar?
- Not only is this team bad, they are poorly coached. Jack Capuano has not instilled a work ethic or a structured system. They look like they are freelancing out there instead of playing with a direction. That may have worked last year, as the Isles needed a break from the robotic system of Scott Gordon. But it doesn't work this year - when the team needs a direction.
- Al Montoya really deserves the brunt of the blame here, despite his 47 saves tonight. At least two of the goals he let up were pathetically soft, and the overtime winner may have been stoppable too. This is his first real blemish, so it will be interesting to see how he reacts in his next game.
- For the first two periods, Kyle Okposo looked like his old self. Then he went back to the 2011-12 version of himself. Okposo needs to get his game together and quick. Especially given the commitment the Isles have given him.
- Nice to see Michael Grabner and Matt Moulson with strong games.
- Whether it's Mike Mottau or Milan Jurcina in the line-up, the Islanders need help on defense badly. But that answer is not coming in-house right now. Garth Snow will have to make a trade, and soon - before this season is really lost. Time to shake things up.
- Not only is this team bad, they are poorly coached. Jack Capuano has not instilled a work ethic or a structured system. They look like they are freelancing out there instead of playing with a direction. That may have worked last year, as the Isles needed a break from the robotic system of Scott Gordon. But it doesn't work this year - when the team needs a direction.
- Al Montoya really deserves the brunt of the blame here, despite his 47 saves tonight. At least two of the goals he let up were pathetically soft, and the overtime winner may have been stoppable too. This is his first real blemish, so it will be interesting to see how he reacts in his next game.
- For the first two periods, Kyle Okposo looked like his old self. Then he went back to the 2011-12 version of himself. Okposo needs to get his game together and quick. Especially given the commitment the Isles have given him.
- Nice to see Michael Grabner and Matt Moulson with strong games.
- Whether it's Mike Mottau or Milan Jurcina in the line-up, the Islanders need help on defense badly. But that answer is not coming in-house right now. Garth Snow will have to make a trade, and soon - before this season is really lost. Time to shake things up.
Next game: The Islanders will face off against the Vancouver Canucks in British Columbia on Sunday, November 13 at 9 PM.
Nov 7, 2011
Game Recap: Boston Bruins 6, New York Islanders 2
The Boston Bruins (6-7-0) defeated the New York Islanders (4-6-2) by a score of 6 to 2 at the TD BankNorth Garden in Boston on Monday night in front of a crowd of 17,565.
Next game: The Islanders will face off against the Colorado Avalanche at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. Game time is 9PM on MSG+.
Boxscore:
(G, A)
1st Period:
NYI: 0, BOS: 1 - Benoit Pouliot (1); Jordan Caron (1)
NYI: 1, BOS: 1 - Matt Moulson (3); Steve Staios (3), Michael Grabner (1)
NYI: 1, BOS: 2 - Nathan Horton (PP - 3); Zdeno Chara (8), David Krejci (3)
NYI: 1, BOS: 3 - Tyler Seguin (8); Patrice Bergeron (8), Brad Marchand (5)
NYI: 2, BOS: 3 - Michael Grabner (4); John Tavares (5), Matt Moulson (4)
2nd Period:
None
3rd Period:
NYI: 2, BOS: 4 - Milan Lucic (7); Nathan Horton (4), David Krejci (4)
NYI: 2, BOS: 5 - Nathan Horton (4); Joe Corvo (4), Dennis Seidenberg (3)
NYI: 2, BOS: 6 - David Krejci (3); Zdeno Chara (9), Milan Lucic (6)
Goaltending:
Evgeni Nabokov - 9 saves on 12 shots, .750 SV PCT
Al Montoya - 22 saves on 24 shots, .917 SV PCT
Tuukka Rask - 24 saves on 26 shots, .924 SV PCT
Final Score: 6-2 BOS
Attendance: 17,565
Notables:
- In what most view as as a "showcase" start so to speak, Evgeni Nabokov was given the nod to start tonight and looked absolutely abysmal. Poor positioning on the first goal and just generally poor play during his entire stint. He was pulled near the end of the 1st period after letting up two somewhat stoppable Boston goals and just did not look very good. Not to say his defense couldn't have helped him out on all 3, but this wasn't a great night for Nabby.
- In relief, Al Montoya shook off any rust he may have accumulated and went right back to the stellar form we'd seen from him earlier in the season. He was making some absolutely ridiculous saves, was showing some pure athleticism even when he had taken an accidental fall on the ice and managed to get his glove on a quick shot, and once again proved himself as the best goaltender in the organization right now. If he does not get the start on Wednesday, it will be very surprising.
- The Isles first line of Michael Grabner, John Tavares and Matt Moulson was really clicking tonight. Moulson had a beautiful redirection on a Staios slapshot to tie the game in the first, and John Tavares and Michael Grabner were making sweet music on a nice tic tac toe-esque play to make the game 3-2. This line is doing pretty well right now, and should stay together for the time being. On a minus, Moulson was completely outgunned by David Krejci with the empty net, leading to the 6th goal. Not good.
- Brian Rolston, after having a somewhat solid game against Washington, is back to being useless. He can be repped all day long for his shot, but when the rest of his play is just flat out bad, he needs to be moved to the 4th line or scratched. Simple as that. And why on Earth would Jack Capuano put him out as the extra attacker is absolutely mind numbing. More on that in a bit.
- Where in the world is Kyle Okposo? Once again, completely invisible on the play and doing nothing to contribute offensively. For a former 50 point player, it's almost terrifying to see him become a shade of what he used to be. Not sure what happened this offseason to create this, but it's troubling.
- While I've been generally fond of him this season, and nice shot on the first goal aside, Steve Staios was terrible defensively tonight. His big defensive breakdowns were happening pretty consistently, and one breakdown on the Bruins blueline led to an odd man rush that made the game 4-2. He was moved down to the third pairing with Eaton at the end of the game, and rightly so.
- Mark Streit also had a bad game defensively. Some bad turnovers on the blue line led to some big Bruins chances.
- The defense as a whole just played a terrible, terrible game. They'd been serviceable so far, but this was no excuse. Horton and Seguin undefended in front is absolutely inexcusable.
- I understand it would be frustrating going with a 3rd coach in 2 years, but I am losing a lot of faith in Jack Capuano's abilities to make smart decisions. Between the consistent benching of our obvious best goaltender, to putting Rolston out as the extra man, to taking forever to switch up the lines, to bad matchups against opponents (like putting Eaton out against Ovechkin the other night), to pulling the goalie tonight with over 3 minutes left and 3 goals down... it's becoming very hard to continue to be a fan of Capuano.
Thoughts:
AT: After playing pretty well as a team through 40, I'm not really sure what happened in the third period. Everything fell apart. Or, perhaps, the Isles mistakes finally caught up to them. Everything I've addressed in the notables applies to the whole game, but the Isles caught a lot of lucky breaks and still managed to generate a decent amount of chances. In the 3rd, everything went away and all the luck they'd been getting ran out. I think it's safe to say now that this team is beginning to show that they are just not very well put together. The lack of a 4th top 4 d-man is showing, the lack of more than 4 top 6 forwards is showing, and the coaching staff's inability to see who the real #1 goaltender is, as everyone knows, is most certainly showing. It's not time to start looking at the top 5 picks for the draft next year, but it is time for this team to wake up.
Next game: The Islanders will face off against the Colorado Avalanche at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. Game time is 9PM on MSG+.
Nov 5, 2011
Game Recap: New York Islanders 5, Washington Capitals 3
The New York Islanders (4-5-2) defeated the Washington Capitals (9-3-0) in a comeback victory at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Saturday night in front of a crowd of 14,812.
Boxscore:
(G, A)
1st Period:
WAS: 1, NYI: 0 - Joel Ward (4); John Carlson (4), Jeff Halpern (4)
WAS: 2, NYI: 0 - Alexander Ovechkin (6); Nick Backstrom (12), Jeff Schultz (4)
2nd Period:
WAS: 2, NYI: 1 - Frans Nielsen (3); P.A. Parenteau (8)
WAS: 2, NYI: 2 - Brian Rolston (1); Frans Nielsen (2), P.A. Parenteau (9)
3rd Period:
WAS: 2, NYI: 3 - Matt Martin (2); Steve Staios (2), Josh Bailey (1)
WAS: 3, NYI: 3 - Brooks Laich (PP - 2); Dennis Wideman (8), Nick Backstrom (13)
WAS: 3, NYI: 4 - P.A. Parenteau (2); Milan Jurcina (1), Frans Nielsen (3)
WAS: 3, NYI: 5 - John Tavares (EN - 8); Rick DiPietro (1)
Goaltending:
Tomas Vokoun - 30 saves on 34 shots, .882 SV PCT
Rick DiPietro - 25 saves on 28 shots, .893 SV PCT
Final Score: 5-3 NYI
Attendance: 14,812
Notables:
- The biggest storyline going into tonight's game was the radical line changes that Jack Capuano finally decided to enact following several games of lackluster offense. The lines were as follows:
Moulson-Tavares-Grabner
Rolston-Nielsen-Parenteau
Comeau-Reasoner-Okposo
Martin-Bailey-Pandolfo
- The first line was really solid tonight, and had several great chances in front. John Tavares was strong on the puck again and creating chances all night for himself and his linemates, Michael Grabner had his chances and Matt Moulson had a better game compared to his invisible past few. 9 shots on goal came from this line in general and there were many spots where a goal looked like it was impending. The offense will almost certainly come from this line in time.
- The second line entered beast mode the minute the puck dropped. Brian Rolston looked like a changed man, Frans Nielsen's playmaking skills returned right back to full form, and P.A. Parenteau was playing like a man possessed. The first goal came when Parenteau fed Nielsen in front, to which he got his own rebound and sent it past Vokoun. The 2nd came when Nielsen had a beautiful pass to Rolston from the point from which he fired home his beautiful slapshot. The game winning goal came off of pure persistence from P.A. Parenteau to keep hammering at the puck until it was frozen. A Jurcina shot slid slightly past Vokoun, and PAP was there to knock it home.
- The third line seems to be the abyss of the team right now. While Comeau, Reasoner and Okposo all had their shots and chances, nothing seems to be generated on this line from anyone. Comeau had a few nice shots in by himself and Okposo was finally hitting the net, but in general this line wasn't contributing much and was the Isles' weakest.
- The 4th line was also solid once again, though mostly due to the continuously hard play of Matt Martin. Josh Bailey probably had his best game of the season, finally registering his first point on a nice feed to Staios that he sent towards the net. Martin was there to stay persistent and got the garbage goal in front to put the Isles ahead 3-2. Martin is playing at a phenomenal level right now and should be a staple on the 3rd line.
- Travis Hamonic had a really good game tonight. Had a near goal when he hit the post, defended well against Ovechkin and played really well rounded defense.
- Rick DiPietro had an OK game. Not good, not bad. The first goal was deflected off of Reasoner's stick, so that can't be placed on him. The 2nd was a one timer from the greatest player in the world, so it's hard to blame him for that either, although it could have been had. The 3rd goal probably should have been had, even though it was a beautiful snap shot from Laich at the point. He was making the saves he should've and continues to look healthy, and I suppose that's all we can hope for right now.
- Whatever Jack Capuano said to the team between the first and the second clearly worked. Credit to him for finally realizing the lines weren't working as is and for putting some fire into the team's soul. After getting some well deserved criticism, he's showing potential of being a great coach once again.
- A burst water pipe in the ceiling led to the entire section 306 and parts of 305 being shut down entirely. If you needed any more proof the Coliseum is in a very lackluster state (though if you did, you need a vision test as well), here it is. I'm not even sure if a complete renovation would solve the problems that this building has.
Thoughts:
AT: Great rebound game from the Isles to beat one of the best teams in the league. This was a must win game from my point of view. The Isles could not afford to slip into a major losing streak like last year. They looked like they were heading that way after the first, but this was a really great game that gives the Isles a lot of momentum and confidence heading to Boston on Monday.
Next game: The Islanders will face off against the Boston Bruins at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston, Massachusetts on Monday, November 7th, 2011. Game time is 7PM on Versus.
Oct 31, 2011
Opinion: Time for line changes?
With the news that Trevor Gillies has been placed on waivers which is clearly to make room for the return of Nino Niederreiter and the total lack of scoring aside from two games this season, it appears that the need for a line change has become absolutely essential to restart this powerful offense.
Obviously, we know the first line clicks very well. John Tavares is probably going to have an 80+ point season, P.A. Parenteau has improved upon his flaws from last season and has been a very efficient playmaker, and Matt Moulson's stick handling and sniping abilities remain fully intact as he goes into his prime. Of all the lines, we know this one should remain intact for the time being, although nothing is ever set in stone. The only player from this line who should remain there eternally barring some shocking drop in play is John Tavares. Realistically, this line is staying the same and should not be broken up right now.
The second line is questionable. While Frans Nielsen and Michael Grabner have picked up their games substantially from earlier in the season and are returning to form, the drop off in play of Kyle Okposo leaves room for improvement with the return of Nino Niederreiter. Both are strong power forwards who aren't afraid to get physical, although Niederreiter's offensive ability is far superior to that of Okposo's, in my opinion. He fills the role of a power forward on this defensive line quite well and I think would mesh well with the hockey vision of Nielsen at center. While some have called for Niederreiter being placed on the 3rd line, I believe he would make much more of an impact on the 2nd line and really be a sparkplug for this team's offense.
The 3rd line has been troubling all season long. Comeau had his best games of the season the past two games, but hasn't done much to prove his worth so far. Josh Bailey has been 90% invisible in the games he's been in and generally floats around without getting vigorously involved down the middle like we had seen from him in the beginning of last year. While I'm pretty confident that this is mental and not based on lack of ability, it's trouble. Brian Rolston has been showing his age and has been generally inefficient all season long. My solution for this troubling line would be moving Kyle Okposo down to the third line with Bailey as his center and Comeau on the opposite wing. You have two strong power forwards with offensive instincts and a playmaker who has great potential, yet hasn't shown much of it yet. I believe Bailey is one of the main reasons this line isn't producing right now, but unfortunately it's doubtful he'd be placed on the 4th line considering their consistency. As for Rolston, he should be scratched until an injury comes along. His contract should not matter whatsoever.
The 4th line has been one of the most consistent lines all year round. Between Martin's consistent hard play and vicious forechecking, Reasoner's faceoff wins and PKing ability, and Pandolfo's veteran prescence, PK skill and shot blocking supremacy (so many adjectives in the last sentences), the 4th line must not be broken up right now. It's as simple as that.
As for the defense, there needs to be a change as well. Staios has been solid, but his age is showing. He's a solid bottom pairing defenseman at this point in his career, but much like Eaton last year, he's being asked to do too much compared to what his abilities and endurance will allow him. Although his health is a concern, based on his play since his return, my best bet for the defense would be to move Jurcina to the top pairing with Streit. There, you have an outstanding offensive defenseman with above average defensive abilities and a big, strong defensive defenseman with a rocket of a shot. Streit is a lefty and Jurcina is a righty as well, so it creates a dynamic situation when setting up in the offensive zone. The Hamonic-MacDonald chemistry should not be broken up and should be left alone. As for the bottom pairing, Mark Eaton has been very solid this year, but is a very stable bottom pairing d-man and needs to stay there. I believe he and Staios would be a great bottom pairing, with both providing solid defense in their own end.
As for the goaltending situation, Montoya should continue to be this team's #1. He is the most durable of all 3 (considering Nabokov's recent injury) and has the best stats thus far. Why he continues to be scratched or back up is extremely confusing, albeit not completely surprising. With 73 games remaining, Montoya should play 40 games for the rest of the season, Nabokov 25, DiPietro 8.
With these changes, if adapted, the lines would look as follows:
Moulson-Tavares-Parenteau
Grabner-Nielsen-Niederreiter
Comeau-Bailey-Okposo
Martin-Reasoner-Pandolfo
Streit-Jurcina
Hamonic-MacDonald
Eaton-Staios
Solid all around, keeping the chemistry that has worked, changing and tweaking the lines that haven't. It should be painfully obvious to Jack Capuano that what the lines are as right now are simply not working. Hopefully, he has the hockey intelligence to be able to realize that if the offense continues to fail in producing, a mix up must be made. If, even after these changes are made, the offense continues to struggle... there should be no hesitation in making a drastic line shift.
- AT
Obviously, we know the first line clicks very well. John Tavares is probably going to have an 80+ point season, P.A. Parenteau has improved upon his flaws from last season and has been a very efficient playmaker, and Matt Moulson's stick handling and sniping abilities remain fully intact as he goes into his prime. Of all the lines, we know this one should remain intact for the time being, although nothing is ever set in stone. The only player from this line who should remain there eternally barring some shocking drop in play is John Tavares. Realistically, this line is staying the same and should not be broken up right now.
The second line is questionable. While Frans Nielsen and Michael Grabner have picked up their games substantially from earlier in the season and are returning to form, the drop off in play of Kyle Okposo leaves room for improvement with the return of Nino Niederreiter. Both are strong power forwards who aren't afraid to get physical, although Niederreiter's offensive ability is far superior to that of Okposo's, in my opinion. He fills the role of a power forward on this defensive line quite well and I think would mesh well with the hockey vision of Nielsen at center. While some have called for Niederreiter being placed on the 3rd line, I believe he would make much more of an impact on the 2nd line and really be a sparkplug for this team's offense.
The 3rd line has been troubling all season long. Comeau had his best games of the season the past two games, but hasn't done much to prove his worth so far. Josh Bailey has been 90% invisible in the games he's been in and generally floats around without getting vigorously involved down the middle like we had seen from him in the beginning of last year. While I'm pretty confident that this is mental and not based on lack of ability, it's trouble. Brian Rolston has been showing his age and has been generally inefficient all season long. My solution for this troubling line would be moving Kyle Okposo down to the third line with Bailey as his center and Comeau on the opposite wing. You have two strong power forwards with offensive instincts and a playmaker who has great potential, yet hasn't shown much of it yet. I believe Bailey is one of the main reasons this line isn't producing right now, but unfortunately it's doubtful he'd be placed on the 4th line considering their consistency. As for Rolston, he should be scratched until an injury comes along. His contract should not matter whatsoever.
The 4th line has been one of the most consistent lines all year round. Between Martin's consistent hard play and vicious forechecking, Reasoner's faceoff wins and PKing ability, and Pandolfo's veteran prescence, PK skill and shot blocking supremacy (so many adjectives in the last sentences), the 4th line must not be broken up right now. It's as simple as that.
As for the defense, there needs to be a change as well. Staios has been solid, but his age is showing. He's a solid bottom pairing defenseman at this point in his career, but much like Eaton last year, he's being asked to do too much compared to what his abilities and endurance will allow him. Although his health is a concern, based on his play since his return, my best bet for the defense would be to move Jurcina to the top pairing with Streit. There, you have an outstanding offensive defenseman with above average defensive abilities and a big, strong defensive defenseman with a rocket of a shot. Streit is a lefty and Jurcina is a righty as well, so it creates a dynamic situation when setting up in the offensive zone. The Hamonic-MacDonald chemistry should not be broken up and should be left alone. As for the bottom pairing, Mark Eaton has been very solid this year, but is a very stable bottom pairing d-man and needs to stay there. I believe he and Staios would be a great bottom pairing, with both providing solid defense in their own end.
As for the goaltending situation, Montoya should continue to be this team's #1. He is the most durable of all 3 (considering Nabokov's recent injury) and has the best stats thus far. Why he continues to be scratched or back up is extremely confusing, albeit not completely surprising. With 73 games remaining, Montoya should play 40 games for the rest of the season, Nabokov 25, DiPietro 8.
With these changes, if adapted, the lines would look as follows:
Moulson-Tavares-Parenteau
Grabner-Nielsen-Niederreiter
Comeau-Bailey-Okposo
Martin-Reasoner-Pandolfo
Streit-Jurcina
Hamonic-MacDonald
Eaton-Staios
Solid all around, keeping the chemistry that has worked, changing and tweaking the lines that haven't. It should be painfully obvious to Jack Capuano that what the lines are as right now are simply not working. Hopefully, he has the hockey intelligence to be able to realize that if the offense continues to fail in producing, a mix up must be made. If, even after these changes are made, the offense continues to struggle... there should be no hesitation in making a drastic line shift.
- AT
Oct 29, 2011
Game Recap: San Jose Sharks 3, New York Islanders 2 (F/OT)
The San Jose Sharks (6-3-0) defeated the New York Islanders (3-4-2) in overtime following a questionable call at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Saturday night.
- Another 4th liner who had a great game tonight was Marty Reasoner, who had an outstanding .824 faceoff percentage, winning 14 faceoffs and losing only 3. He also had some nice chances on Greiss and was generally very efficient in the offensive zone tonight. After some wishy-washy games, he's really turning into a major key to this team even being competitive.
Boxscore:
(G, A)
1st Period:
SJS: 1, NYI: 0 - Joe Pavelski (7 - PP); Patrick Marleau (6), Dan Boyle (4)
2nd Period:
SJS: 1, NYI: 1 - John Tavares (7 - PP); P.A. Parenteau (8), Matt Moulson (3)
SJS: 1, NYI: 2 - Michael Grabner (3 - PP); Kyle Okposo (3), Frans Nielsen
SJS: 2, NYI: 2 - Logan Couture (3); Brent Burns (2), M.E. Vlasic (2)
3rd Period:
None
Goaltending:
Thomas Greiss - 35 saves on 37 shots, .946 SV PCT
Rick DiPietro - 27 saves on 30 shots, .900 SV PCT
Final Score: 3-2 San Jose, F/OT
Attendance: 11,742
Notables:
- Matt Martin was ferocious once again tonight. He finished the game with 7 hits, 2 SOG and a blocked shot. All in 12 minutes of ice time. For this season he will almost certainly stay on the 4th line, but the work ethic he showed tonight and has shown all season will almost definitely move him up to the third line next season. He's beginning to turn into a Steve Webb who can score and do almost everything right to the highest level his abilities will allow him. Well done, Matt.
- Another 4th liner who had a great game tonight was Marty Reasoner, who had an outstanding .824 faceoff percentage, winning 14 faceoffs and losing only 3. He also had some nice chances on Greiss and was generally very efficient in the offensive zone tonight. After some wishy-washy games, he's really turning into a major key to this team even being competitive.
- We're probably going to mention John Tavares at least once every single recap considering. He's one again showing the strength he's added over the season, really fighting off defenders to help develop plays and push forward past the neutral zone. He scored his 7th goal of the season tonight on one of many rebounds on a powerplay, but in general helped keep the momentum in the Islanders hands for most of the night.
- Rick DiPietro was efficient tonight. Not spectacular, but efficient. He was out of position on the first early goal but could not help the 2nd or 3rd, and really helped keep the score tied for most of the game. His quickness seems to have somewhat returned and he wasn't making any plays that would remind of you of the boneheaded moves he used to pull, even as late as last season. I understand most people were upset he was starting, but he was very serviceable tonight and did a good job. It would have been nice for him to get the win.
- Michael Grabner is coming right back into the player he was for the last half of last season. There was one point on the PK where he had two takeaways in 5 seconds and helped kill off some major time from the penalty. He and Frans Nielsen also helped generate some really solid offensive chances while shorthanded, proving their worth to the PK. Great job by the 2nd line.
- Kyle Okposo had a generally efficient game. After a nice pass from Nielsen, Okposo read a streaking Grabner in the slot perfectly, fed him the pass and got his 3rd assist of the season. However, late in the third, he took a very careless penalty and elbowed a Sharks player in the head, eliminating any chance of an offensive surge for the Isles in the last few minutes of regulation.
- Blake Comeau had his best game of the season, bar none. 4 shots on goal, some nice takeaways and finishing his checks all game. Still not a 100% game from him, but far improved.
- The most obvious one here is the absolutely poor officiating tonight. This isn't even a homer-esque "we lost so clearly the refs were awful" sort of comment, it is pretty unanimous in the NHL world right now that the Islanders were on the wrong end of some very terrible officiating tonight. In the 3rd period alone, there were 3 non-calls for interference against San Jose players that went completely unnoticed. Then, the most notable was the delay of game penalty in the overtime period. Travis Hamonic lifted a shot over the left side of the boards, which clearly hit the glass and then went out of bounds. If it had not hit the glass, it would most certainly be a delay of game penalty, but all replays clearly showed that the puck had touched it before going out of play. Even though the initial linesman had called the play correctly, all 4 officials gathered together and discussed whether to give a penalty or not - and still gave the wrong call. This led to an Islander PK where almost everyone knew the Sharks would score, and Brent Burns fulfilled that destiny. Doug Weight was infuriated on the bench and Islander fans and players alike let the referees have it. Just a very poor job by the officials.
Thoughts:
AT: Whether or not the Islanders would have actually won or lost this game if that bad call was called off is something entirely. The fact that they lost based on that poor call is infuriating, and hopefully will be addressed. However, putting almost 40 shots on goal against a backup and only scoring twice is once again showing that this offense is pretty much stagnant. You are not going to win games like that, and 5 games later you'd think Jack Capuano would wake up and shake things up a bit.
Next game: The Islanders will face off against the Winnipeg Jets at home at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Thursday, November 3rd, 2011. Game time is 7 PM on MSG+2.
Oct 27, 2011
Recap: Penguins - 3, Islanders - 2
The Pittsburgh Penguins (8-2-2) defeated the New York Islanders (3-4-1) by a score of 3-2 in a shootout at the CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh on Thursday. The Islanders have now winless in their last four games.
Boxscore:
(G, A)
1st Period:
NYI: 1, PIT: 0 - Frans Nielsen (2); Kyle Okposo (2), Mark Streit (6)
2nd Period:
None
3rd Period:
3rd Period:
NYI: 2, PIT: 0 - Matt Martin (1); Steve Staios (1), Marty Reasoner (1)
NYI: 2, PIT: 1 - Chris Kunitz (3); Pascal Dupuis (6), Kris Letang (8)
NYI: 2, PIT: 2 - James Neal (9); Chris Kunitz (3), Evgeni Malkin (4)
Shootout:
Letang - Save
Nielsen - Save
Malkin - GOAL
Parenteau - Miss
Neal - Miss
Tavares - Save
NYI: 2, PIT: 1 - Chris Kunitz (3); Pascal Dupuis (6), Kris Letang (8)
NYI: 2, PIT: 2 - James Neal (9); Chris Kunitz (3), Evgeni Malkin (4)
Shootout:
Letang - Save
Nielsen - Save
Malkin - GOAL
Parenteau - Miss
Neal - Miss
Tavares - Save
Goaltending:
Marc-Andre Fleury - 17 saves on 19 shots, .895 SV PCT
Evgeni Nabokov - 30 saves on 32 shots, .938 SV PCT
Final Score: 3-2 Pittsburgh
Attendance: 18,461
Notables:
- Not a bad road effort for the Islanders, but the team cannot be blowing 2-0 leads in the third period. The Isles needed this game to get back to .500 and stop their three game losing streak. While it is nice they got a point, their winless streak now reaches four games and shades of last year are undoubtedly appearing in the players' minds. They will have to nip this in the behind on Saturday before they fall into a similar trap as last season. While it is still not the time to panic by any stretch, there is reason to be concerned. A good effort and win on Saturday should erase all of that.
- A weird moment after the 65 minutes of hockey as the Isles opted to pull Evgeni Nabokov, who had played exceptionally well for Rick DiPietro as the shootout began. DiPietro did well in relief, stopping 2/3 breakaways, but was awarded an overtime loss for his efforts. Certainly, Jack Capuano did not look all too happy about the situation during his post game interview. It will be interesting to see what actually happened there. That said, any hatred or criticism towards DiPietro has no viability. There is nothing about this game that is his fault, especially because he put forth a good effort coming in cold.
- The Isles fourth line of Matt Martin, Marty Reasoner, and Jay Pandolfo was the best line tonight. They played great two way hockey and were finally rewarded with a goal, as Martin scored his first of the season of a nice garbage goal in front. Through 8 games, they have been the most consistent line. While it's nice that the Isles finally have a reliable fourth line, it is also indicative of how the rest of the team has played.
- The Frans Nielsen line seems close to breaking out. Michael Grabner had a few good opportunities tonight, and Kyle Okposo worked very hard in all zones and was awarded an assist on Nielsen's goal. The lines as a whole deserve another game to get a win, but if the team loses again, it may be time to shake things up.
- John Tavares is becoming an exceptional NHL player, but stick him next to Evgeni Malkin and there is a noticeable difference there. That's not a shot at Tavares, but more so a compliment as to how good Malkin is.
- The Isles passing has been pretty putrid during the last few games. Like we said after the last game, these problems are stemming from both ends - both the passer and the receiver. It's an extremely important part of the game that has the team losing flow and opportunities. For a team that has a pretty creative team offensively, this is surely a part of the game that will need to be fine tuned.
- Nice to see Milan Jurcina back in the line-up. While he has durability issues, the Islanders are a much better team with him in the line-up as opposed to Mike Mottau.
- Blake Comeau engaged more tonight than he has all season. If he plays like he did tonight, the goals will come soon. At the same token, Josh Bailey has been very good positionally, but whenever he gets the puck he looks like he has no idea what he's doing. The entire third line has been the definition of inconsistency, which is simply an issue the Islanders cannot afford to have to deal with.
- There is little to no question the Isles missed Mark Streit's outstanding first pass ability. Streit has played extremely well given that he missed an entire year.
- Overall, the team established a good net front presence tonight. They scored both goals from right outside the crease, which is caused from creating traffic. If they continue to go to those dirty areas, more goals will come.
- A weird moment after the 65 minutes of hockey as the Isles opted to pull Evgeni Nabokov, who had played exceptionally well for Rick DiPietro as the shootout began. DiPietro did well in relief, stopping 2/3 breakaways, but was awarded an overtime loss for his efforts. Certainly, Jack Capuano did not look all too happy about the situation during his post game interview. It will be interesting to see what actually happened there. That said, any hatred or criticism towards DiPietro has no viability. There is nothing about this game that is his fault, especially because he put forth a good effort coming in cold.
- The Isles fourth line of Matt Martin, Marty Reasoner, and Jay Pandolfo was the best line tonight. They played great two way hockey and were finally rewarded with a goal, as Martin scored his first of the season of a nice garbage goal in front. Through 8 games, they have been the most consistent line. While it's nice that the Isles finally have a reliable fourth line, it is also indicative of how the rest of the team has played.
- The Frans Nielsen line seems close to breaking out. Michael Grabner had a few good opportunities tonight, and Kyle Okposo worked very hard in all zones and was awarded an assist on Nielsen's goal. The lines as a whole deserve another game to get a win, but if the team loses again, it may be time to shake things up.
- John Tavares is becoming an exceptional NHL player, but stick him next to Evgeni Malkin and there is a noticeable difference there. That's not a shot at Tavares, but more so a compliment as to how good Malkin is.
- The Isles passing has been pretty putrid during the last few games. Like we said after the last game, these problems are stemming from both ends - both the passer and the receiver. It's an extremely important part of the game that has the team losing flow and opportunities. For a team that has a pretty creative team offensively, this is surely a part of the game that will need to be fine tuned.
- Nice to see Milan Jurcina back in the line-up. While he has durability issues, the Islanders are a much better team with him in the line-up as opposed to Mike Mottau.
- Blake Comeau engaged more tonight than he has all season. If he plays like he did tonight, the goals will come soon. At the same token, Josh Bailey has been very good positionally, but whenever he gets the puck he looks like he has no idea what he's doing. The entire third line has been the definition of inconsistency, which is simply an issue the Islanders cannot afford to have to deal with.
- There is little to no question the Isles missed Mark Streit's outstanding first pass ability. Streit has played extremely well given that he missed an entire year.
- Overall, the team established a good net front presence tonight. They scored both goals from right outside the crease, which is caused from creating traffic. If they continue to go to those dirty areas, more goals will come.
Thoughts:
CH: A better performance tonight, without question, but as the team blows a 2-0 lead to lose it's fourth game in a row, it's hard to not look back to last year and see a similar pattern. While there is little to no chance they lose 20 games in a row, the players are most likely beginning to feel the pressure of not winning. That said, a point in Pittsburgh is much needed and in the big picture is not a bad thing. We'll see how the Islanders come out Saturday, in what should be an amped up crowd that is celebrating the last true successful Islanders team.
Next game: The Sharks come to town on Saturday as the Islanders celebrate the 1992-93 cinderella team as part of their 40th anniversary event. Game time is at 7 PM.
Game Preview: New York Islanders vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
NEW YORK ISLANDERS (3-4-0) vs. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS (7-2-2)
The Essentials
October 27, 2011 - 7:00 PM
CONSOL Energy Center - Pittsburgh, PA
TV: MSG+ (NY), ROOT (PIT)
TV: MSG+ (NY), ROOT (PIT)
The Season Series
10/25 vs. Pittsburgh - 3-0 PIT
10/27 at Pittsburgh
11/21 at Pittsburgh
12/10 vs. Pittsburgh
3/27 at Pittsburgh
3/29 vs. Pittsburgh
10/27 at Pittsburgh
11/21 at Pittsburgh
12/10 vs. Pittsburgh
3/27 at Pittsburgh
3/29 vs. Pittsburgh
The Goalies
PIT: 29 - Marc-Andre Fleury (Back-up: Brent Johnson)
NYI: 20 - Evgeni Nabokov (Back-up: Rick DiPietro)
The Scratches
PIT: 87 - Sidney Crosby (IR), 48 - Tyler Kennedy (IR), 4 - Zbynek Michalek (IR), 37 - Brian Strait (IR), 33 - Steve MacIntyre (Healthy), 10 - Mark Letestu (Healthy)
NYI: 14 - Trevor Gillies (Healthy), 25 - Nino Niederreiter (IR), 10 - Mike Mottau (Healthy), 35 - Al Montoya (Healthy)
The Scratches
PIT: 87 - Sidney Crosby (IR), 48 - Tyler Kennedy (IR), 4 - Zbynek Michalek (IR), 37 - Brian Strait (IR), 33 - Steve MacIntyre (Healthy), 10 - Mark Letestu (Healthy)
NYI: 14 - Trevor Gillies (Healthy), 25 - Nino Niederreiter (IR), 10 - Mike Mottau (Healthy), 35 - Al Montoya (Healthy)
The Line-Ups
Pittsburgh Penguins
26 Steve Sullivan - 71 Evgeni Malkin - 18 James Neal
14 Chris Kunitz - 11 Jordan Staal - 9 Pascal Dupuis
24 Matt Cooke - 12 Richard Park - 45 Arron Asham
15 Dustin Jeffrey - 46 Joe Vitale - 27 Craig Adams
7 Paul Martin - 58 Kris Letang
44 Brooks Orpik - 5 Deryk Engelland
2 Matt Niskanen - 6 Ben Lovejoy
New York Islanders
26 Matt Moulson - 91 John Tavares - 15 P.A. Parenteau
40 Michael Grabner - 51 Frans Nielsen - 21 Kyle Okposo
11 Brian Rolston - 12 Josh Bailey - 57 Blake Comeau
17 Matt Martin - 16 Marty Reasoner - 29 Jay Pandolfo
2 Mark Streit - 24 Steve Staios
47 Andrew MacDonald - 3 Travis Hamonic
4 Mark Eaton - 27 Milan Jurcina
Let's Go Islanders.
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