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.

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+.

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.

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.

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.

Game Recap: Pittsburgh Penguins 3, New York Islanders 0

The Pittsburgh Penguins (7-2-2) defeated the New York Islanders (3-4-0) by a score of 3 to 0 at the Nassau Coliseum on Tuesday night.

Boxscore:

(G, A)

1st Period: 

PIT: 1, NYI: 0 - Pascal Dupuis (3); Brooks Orpik (1)

2nd Period:

PIT: 2, NYI: 0 - Richard Park (2); Arron Asham (2)

3rd Period:

PIT: 3, NYI: 2 - Jordan Staal (EN - 6); Pascal Dupuis (5)

Goaltending: 

Marc-Andre Fleury - 33 saves on 33 shots, 1.000 SV PCT

Evgeni Nabokov - 26 saves on 28 shots, .929 SV PCT

Final Score: 3-0 Pittsburgh

Attendance: 10,681

Notables:

After a very strong yet even start to the first period, the Islanders began to taper off about halfway into the period. They continued their lethargic play until a defensive breakdown by Steve Staios and Blake Comeau losing their men led to a Pascal Dupuis breakaway and goal. After that, even though the Islanders had their chances, none of them were solid enough to really even come close to being a goal. Lots of shots from the point and a few shots in the slot right to Fleury were about it. The Islanders played another game with absolutely no urgency.

The only player who really looked great tonight was Evgeni Nabokov, who on a 4 minute double minor to Reasoner really stood on his head and kept the game at a 2 goal difference. He was solid all night and made some saves he probably shouldn't have. 

Josh Bailey had a very up and down game tonight. His defensive work was as usual pretty good, but he had some times where he had great chances and completely fanned on them. After a pass from Brian Rolston as he was set up right in the slot, Bailey hesitated for a good 2-3 seconds and didn't even get a shot on what was pretty much a wide open net. It was almost as if he'd choked up and forgot the point of the game was to shoot the puck into the net. He did however have a nice drive to the net with Rolston which he backhanded into Fleury. Although not a goal, a good drive by Bailey to get to the inside. A better game, but still pretty lackluster for his 4th year in the league.

PA Parenteau had an off game compared to what we had season earlier in the year. He was undressed on a 2 on 2 late in the 3rd which could have resulted in a fantastic chance and was just not playing with the offensive instincts we have seen. His vision in the passing lanes was not something to be desired.

Steve Staios both lost his man on the first goal and let Richard Park dwindle around the net for way too long on the first goal. He had an overall OK game and also had some nice shots on goal (and led the team in shots), but those two gaffes were unacceptable by any standard.

Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen are the lowest 2/3rds of the 2nd line right now. They are not doing a good job to create chances and generally are unseen on the ice. 

John Tavares was not playing the greatest defense tonight. Most notably was when he fanned on the pass early in the 2nd that led to Park grabbing hold of the puck and firing it on Nabokov.

Thoughts:

AT: Just another lousy performance from the Islanders right now. I'm not a "sky is falling" kind of person, but falling behind this early in the season is the last thing we want to do. It doesn't create a positive mentality going forward and begins to remind the team (and the fans) of last season's 20+ game losing debacle. This team needs a swift kick in the behind and needs to realize that they ARE a team that can win games as evidenced by the first few games of the season. They are capable of putting up offense and capable of playing solid defense. What they're showing right now is a reflection of laziness. 

Next game: The Islanders will face off against the Penguins once again at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on October 27th, 2011. Gametime is 7:00 on MSG+.

Game Recap: Islanders - 4, Rangers - 2

The New York Islanders defeated the New York Rangers in the first of a 6 game series in one of hockey's biggest rivalries to a sellout crowd of 16,234.

 Boxscore:

(G, A)

1st Period:

NYI: 1, NYR: 0 - Matt Moulson (2), P.A. Parenteau (4), John Tavares (3)

2nd Period:

NYI: 1, NYR: 1 - Marian Gaborik (2), Brad Richards (2)

NYI: 2, NYR: 1 - John Tavares (3 - PP), Mark Streit (2), Brian Rolston (1)

NYI: 2, NYR: 2 - Brandon Prust (1), Ruslan Fedotenko (2)

3rd Period:

NYI: 3, NYR: 2 - John Tavares (4 - PP), Mark Streit (3), P.A. Parenteau (5)

NYI: 4, NYR: 2 - John Tavares (5 - EN), P.A. Parenteau (6), Matt Moulson (2)

Goaltending:

Evgeni Nabokov - 29 saves on 31 shots, .935 SV PCT

Henrik Lundqvist - 30 saves on 33 shots, .909 SV PCT

Final Score: 4-2 Islanders

Attendance: 16,234

Notables:

There is absolutely no way to describe John Tavares anymore. Not in human words. What we've seen out of him in these first four games is, as Al Trautwig aptly put it, "Gretzky-like". He was all over the ice once again, creating chances almost every shift he was out on the ice. If not for a two misses by P.A. Parenteau, a 6 point night could have been very likely. His vision on the ice and ability to both set up plays and, as he showed today, get them himself, is at this point among the league's best. His backhander on the rebound over Lundqvist's shoulder was a total display of his ability to know exactly where the puck will go the minute it hits his stick. Beware, opposing teams. More of this is coming.

After the surprise start, Evgeni Nabokov did everything to show that he's still capable of being a #1 goaltender in the NHL. The two goals he let up were not his fault: The first was after Reasoner let his man go and Nabokov was yet another goaltender to fall victim to the quick release of Marian Gaborik, and the second was on a fluke bank off of Frans Nielsen. Other than that, Nabokov looked very sharp. He was aggressive on the puck, extremely alert and a very calming presence in goal. 

Mark Streit is an absolute maestro on the power play. We knew this, but he shows it more and more every game. He had a beautiful pass to Tavares on the power play all the way through traffic that beat Lundqvist on his left side. Not many players in the NHL have that kind of vision. 

Matt Martin, after receiving a promotion to the 3rd line following the scratch of Blake Comeau, completely took advantage of his opportunity and played at a very high level. He continued to finish his checks and was hustling the entire game.

The PK duo of Marty Reasoner and Jay Pandolfo continues to shine. The Islanders took way more penalties than they should have today, but they were lucky enough not to have to pay for it due to the mastery of man down play by these two. Subtle, yet two of the biggest additions made in this offseason.

The continuous improvement of P.A. Parenteau, who is now among league leaders in assists and points, is something to behold. He had a beautiful backpass to Tavares on the first goal and was in general an offensive force with 3 assists.

Kyle Okposo continues to do... nothing. He has been nothing short of invisible in these first four games and that continued tonight. The first line can only contribute so much offense, and Okposo really needs to pick it up. Grabner and Nielsen have both picked it up, it's time for Okposo to do the same.

Josh Bailey continues to be invisible.

Thoughts:

AT: Obviously, it's always nice to beat our most hated rival. The way we did it however was even better. We played a complete game against Tampa, and we carried that over tonight. The score essentially should have been much higher in favor of the Islanders, but the strong goaltending of Henrik Lundqvist as usual ensured that didn't happen. Still, pure dominance by the Islanders tonight. The breakout of John Tavares could be one of the biggest storylines in the NHL this season, and all we as fans have to do is watch and enjoy.

Game Preview: New York Rangers vs. New York Islanders

NEW YORK RANGERS (0-0-2) VS.

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (2-1-0)

The Essentials

October 15th, 2011 - 7:00 PM

Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum - Uniondale, NY

TV: MSG+ (NYI), MSG (NYR)

The Season Series

10/5 vs. Rangers

11/5 vs. Rangers

12/22 at Rangers

12/26 at Rangers

2/24 vs. Rangers

3/11 at Rangers

The Goalies

NYR: 30 - Henrik Lundqvist (Backup: Martin Biron)

NYI: 20 - Evgeni Nabokov (Backup: Al Montoya)

The Scratches

NYR: 18 - Marc Staal (IR), 86 - Wojtek Wolski (DTD), 38 - Mike Sauer (DTD)

NYI: 25 - Nino Niederreiter (IR), 14 - Trevor Gillies (Healthy), 27 - Milan Jurcina (DTD), 39 - Rick DiPietro (DTD)

The Line-Ups

New York Rangers

10 Marian Gaborik - 19 Brad Richards - 10 Derek Stepan

24 Ryan Callahan - 17 Brandon Dubinsky - 26 Ruslan Fedotenko

8 Brandon Prust - 22 Brian Boyle - 42 Artem Anisimov

42 Mats Zuccarello - 40 Erik Christensen - 71 Mike Rupp

5 Dan Girardi - 27 Ryan McDonagh

44 Steve Eminger - 32 Jeff Woywitka

53 Tim Erixon - 4 Michael Del Zotto

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

3 Travis Hamonic - 47 Andrew MacDonald

10 Mike Mottau - 4 Mark Eaton

Let's Go Islanders!

Recap: Islanders - 5, Lightning - 1

The New York Islanders (2-1-0) defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning (1-2-0) on Thursday night.

Boxscore:

(G, A)

1st Period: 

TB: 0, NYI: 1 - John Tavares (1)

TB: 1, NYI: 1 - Steven Stamkos (1); Marc-Andre Bergeron (3)
TB: 1, NYI: 2 - Matt Moulson (1); John Tavares (1), Mark Eaton (1)
TB: 1, NYI: 3 - John Tavares (2); Matt Moulson (1), P.A. Parenteau (3)
TB: 1, NYI: 4 - P.A. Parenteau (1); John Tavares (2)

2nd Period:

TB: 1, NYI: 5 - Michael Grabner (1); Kyle Okposo (1)
3rd Period:

No Scoring

Goaltending:

Dwayne Roloson - 13 saves on 18 shots, .722 SV%
Mathieu Garon - 16 saves on 16 shots, 1.000 SV%

Al Montoya - 34 saves on 35 shots, .971 SV%

Final Score: 5-1 NYI

Attendance: 9,759

Notables:

The Isles best player was their best player tonight, as John Tavares was all over the ice in the first period. He scored two goals and assisted on two others. He played physically in all three zones, and backchecked extremely hard. His linemates, Matt Moulson and P.A. Parenteau also had fantastic games as both scored a goal and had an assist in the first period as well.

Al Montoya was solid in net again tonight, stopping 34 on 35 shots. While he wasn't really tested that much, he made the saves that he needed to make as he continues to establish himself as the team's #1 goaltender. There is no reason that he should not be in net against the Rangers on Saturday night. You know it would mean a lot to him too, given his history with the team.

Words cannot express how much Mark Streit means to this team. The little subtleties he brings to the table provide a calmness to the rest of the defense. Both Andrew MacDonald and Travis Hamonic will learn a lot from him this season as they continue to progress into legitimate top-4 defensemen.

Speaking of team defense, the Islanders have allowed a total of four goals this season. A big reason for that? Attentiveness to team defense, especially by the forwards. Big marks to the fourth line of Marty Reasoner, Matt Martin, and Jay Pandolfo. They have been the Isles most consistent line, doing exactly what they need to do. Pandolfo has especially been an extremely under-the-radar acquisition, but a good one through three games.

Blake Comeau needs to pick his game up, as the third line is toiling right now. That said, Josh Bailey had a complete game in all three zones today, giving the Islanders exactly what they should expect from a third line center.

No one even bothered to try and respond to the liberties Lightning players, especially Victor Hedman, were taking on John Tavares. Matt Martin did say something to Hedman at the end of the game, but as strong as he has gotten, the Isles cannot afford to have Tavares taking huge hits every shift. The answer, however, is not Trevor Gillies.

Former Islander Dwayne Roloson never had a chance tonight. The Tampa defense was nowhere to be found, but it didn't help that John Tavares had a phenomenal night either.

OHL Alert: Ryan Strome had a hat-trick in his first game back for the IceDogs as they defeated the Belleville Bulls tonight. Clearly, he was not all that affected by getting sent down.

Thoughts: 

CH: Clearly, this was the Isles best game of the season. They played a great first period, a good attacking second period, and a smart, shut-down third period. They never let off the gas, even with a four goal lead - they just changed their style. This was obviously very encouraging based on the fact that the team can play different styles within a game to win. With the Rangers coming in after a cross-Atlantic flight and a week between games, the Islanders have a chance to make it a quality 3-1-0 homestand with a win. If they play 60 minutes, they will certainly have a great chance.

AT: Nice to see the Isles offense finally find it's groove, and the players who had been playing hard (Tavares most notably) finally get their due in the score sheet. The defense was solid even though they allowed 35 shots, the 4th line was absolutely monstrous both in forechecking and creating some offensive pressure, and the team as a whole played as they should have. Most notably for me was the PK unit, specifically Reasoner and Pandolfo. Two subtle additions in the offseason may turn out to be the two greatest, as right now they look to be one of the best PK units in the entire league.

Next game: The Islanders next game is Saturday night at the Nassau Coliseum against the New York Rangers. Game time is at 7:00 PM and will be broadcast on MSG+.

Recap: Islanders 6, Devils 2

The New York Islanders (1-1-0) defeated the New Jersey Devils (0-2-0) 6-2 in their 2nd preseason game and first and only game at home tonight at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Islanders captain Mark Streit played his first game in 17 months.

Boxscore:

(G, A)

1st Period
NYI 1: NJD 0 - Kyle Okposo (1), Michael Grabner (1)
NYI 2: NJD 0 - Mark Streit (1 - PP), Matt Moulson (1), Frans Niselsen (1)
NYI 2: NJD 1 - Nick Palmieri (1), Matthew Corrente (1), Matt Taormina (1)
2nd Period
NYI 3: NJD 1 - Frans Nielsen (1- PP), John Tavares (1), Mark Streit (1)
NYI 4: NJD 1 - Steve Staios (1), Mark Streit (2)
NYI 5: NJD 1 - Matt Moulson (1) - Unassisted
NYI 5: NJD 2 - Mattias Tedenby (1), David Clarkson (1), Patrik Elias (1)
3rd Period
NYI 6: NJD 2 - Matt Moulson (2 - PP), Travis Hamonic (1), Frans Nielsen (2)

Goaltending

Al Montoya - 8 saves on 9 shots, .888 SV PCT
Kevin Poulin - 16 saves on 17 shots, .940 SV PCT
Johan Hedberg - 20 saves on 26 shots, .769 SV PCT

Final Score: 6-2
Attendance: 7,107

Recap:

1st period - The game started off with the Islanders roaring out of the gate, clearly outplaying the Devils. As a whole the defense was performing to a much higher level, most likely due to the reinsertion of a #1 D-man in Streit returning to the lineup. Michael Grabner sent a beautiful pass over to Kyle Okposo at 10:35 in to give the Islanders a 1-0 lead, and 5 minutes later on a powerplay, Mark Streit showed he was back and better than ever by ripping a shot home to increase the Isles' lead by 2. A few minutes later, Nick Palmieri sent a shot past Al Montoya to help the Devils catch up, keeping the score at 2-1 as the 1st period ending.

2nd period - After a David Clarkson penalty, the Isles went back to the PP. After a nice setup by John Tavares, Frans Nielsen hammered home a goal to increase the lead to 3-1. Tryout veteran d-man Steve Staios ripped home a slapshot at 12:47 that was assisted by Mark Streit, giving Streit a 3 point night. Matt Moulson came in on the wing on a 2 on one and sniped one over the right shoulder of Johan Hedberg, giving the Isles a 5-1 lead. Trevor Gillies and Cam Janssen also had a nice scrap in the 2nd that was on all accounts a draw, and came about when Janssen landed a hit on Martin that sent him to the lockerroom. Towards the end of the period, Mattias Tedenby hit Kevin Poulin over his shoulder for his first goal of the preseason.

3rd period - The Islanders continued their overwhelming dominance in this game, both in scoring and with a little help by Trevor Gillies in his second fight with Cam Janssen of the night, which lasted upwards of a minute and left Cam Janssen bloodied. Shortly after on a powerplay, Matt Moulson put his second tally on the scoresheet with an assist from Nielsen, giving the Dane a 3 point night. The Devils gave Kevin Poulin a good run for his money in this period, but Poulin stayed solid and kept the Devils scoreless in the 3rd.

Notables:

- What can you possibly say about Islanders captain Mark Streit, playing his first game in 17 months? He played a very solid defensive game as he's always known for and showed that his shoulder had literally no rust on it from the time off. He was all over the ice and showed why we missed him so dearly last season, keeping the Isles powerplay very efficient, with the PP unit going 3 for 8 on the night. If you had no idea Streit had missed last season, there would be no way you would have known he hadn't played in such a long time. We welcome - and thank the hockey gods for - his return and hope to see more of this in the regular season. It was also notable that Streit played 23 minutes, more than any other Islander.

- A contract may just be being written up by Garth Snow right now for Steve Staios, who also had a fantastic defensive game. He was clearly playing his heart out to prove himself, and prove himself he did. His defensive work was on par with a top 4 d-man (I'm not insinuating anything...) and his goal tonight was fantastic. Staios clearly has taken this tryout contract very seriously and was playing like someone who truly deserves to make the team. If anything, even if he becomes the 7th d-man, he'd be a much better player for that position than Mike Mottau who was wholly unimpressive last night. Staios tonight proved exactly what hard work will get you.

- Beautiful assist to Kyle Okposo aside, Michael Grabner was absolutely on fire tonight. It still seems as if he needs to work on his hands as he had a few breakaways and missed one entirely wide of the net, but his defensive work with Okposo was fantastic. Everything that we saw from Grabner last season clearly carried over to this season, and if he keeps getting these chances I would not be surprised to see a 40 goal season out of Grabner this year. He's becoming an all around great player and has the potential to be... anything, really.

- After scaring the living daylights out of everyone with his second major knee injury last year, Kevin Poulin was lights out for most of the night. He made the saves he should've, and some he probably shouldn't have. His athleticism and lateral movement were still top notch, and his smart play continued. While every ounce of worry isn't completely gone, it's good to see him come back strong.

- Ryan Strome was playing with Jay Pandolfo and Tim Wallace, yet still was able to make himself noticed. His work ethic continues to be top notch and his time on the PP provided some great opportunities for the team. While his line assignment pretty much guaranteed he'll be sent back to Niagara, it was good just to see once again the type of player we have.

- Matt Moulson's snipe on his first goal proving - again - that he's no fluke. The skill is there and will remain. 30 goals again this season? I think that's a safe bet.

- John Tavares was setting up plays like it was his job tonight. Well, it is, but you get the point. He had one great attempt to Matt Moulson that was denied, and even though he only ended up with 1 assist, he could've easily had a 3-4 point night based on his play. He looked stronger and much bigger as well, as he's clearly been doing some heavy training in the offseason. Just makes you all the more excited for the regular season.

- Travis Hamonic continued his outstanding defensive work and had an absolute howitzer of a shot tipped in by Matt Moulson. While he's traditionally known for his defensive work which is outstanding, I have a feeling we're going to be seeing a lot of his offensive side as well this year if he keeps it up.

- Frans Nielsen showed why he's such a great all around player, potting a beauty on the power play in the 2nd period and helping to dish out another in the 1st. He ended up with a 3 point night and had an overall great game.

- For such a small kid, Aaron Ness did a pretty good job at blocking shots and was generally very efficient defensively tonight. Very on par with what's to be expected of him this year at Bridgeport.

- Josh Bailey had an okay game. Certainly better than yesterday and playing with a bit more passion, but his play in general is worrisome for the season. He had some nice play set ups in the 2nd and played decently defensively, but in general he needs to become more aggressive to ensure he stays on the puck.

- Nino Niederreiter was not overly impressive, but that may very well be due to the fact that he was playing on the first line while not really ready for it. He could and may very well be slotted into the 3rd line right now. At the moment, I would go with PAP over him on the 1st line, and put Nino with some combination of him, Comeau, Rolston or Bailey on the 3rd line. It wouldn't even be the worst idea to send him back to the WHL for another year.

Thoughts:

AT: Overall, the team played a great game and really brought a lot of passion to the table that the Devils were clearly lacking. Very few players stood out in an ugly way, so that's always a general positive in my book. We see once again the kind of offensive power that this team has ready to go, and the defensive capability the team has, even without Andrew MacDonald on the roster. A game like this definitely made me even more excited for the regular season, and at this point the only thing you can hope for is a healthy team for the rest of the preseason.

CH: Just an all-around great game from the Isles tonight. They played well in all three zones - especially in the offensive zone. Their best players played like best players, which will be so important for this team going forward. On a night when the Isles played without MacDonald, Brian Rolston, Blake Comeau, P.A. Parenteau, and Marty Reasoner, they showed the potential is there to be a surprise team in the East.

Next game: The Islanders will face off against the Calgary Flames at the Credit Union Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada at 9 PM Eastern Time on the NHL Network. The majority of the NHL roster should be playing for this one.

Recap: Isles Rookies - 7, Bruins Rookies - 2

The Islanders and Bruins completed their two game mini-series tonight at the Nassau Coliseum, with each team winning one game. The Isles rebounded strongly after Monday night's defeat with a dominant 7-2 performance over the Bruins. 

Boxscore (Incomplete)

NYI 1:0 - McNeely (1); Niederreiter (1), Donovan (1)
NYI 2:0 - Strome (1); McNeely (2), Kichton (1)
NYI 3:0 - Strome (2); McNeely (3), Niederreiter (2)
NYI 4:0 - Cizikas (1); Kabanov (2), Ness (2)
NYI 5:0 - Niederreiter (3); Strome (2), Ness (3)
NYI 6:0 - DiBenedetto (1)
NYI 7:0 - Cizikas (2)
BOS 7:1 - Cunningham (1)
BOS 7:2 - Cunningham (2)

The Good

- Have to start here with the outstanding play of goaltender Anders Nilsson. From start to finish, Nilsson was magnificent and was the best Islander out there - despite the score. He made approximately 35 saves in the victory, including a showstopper on a 5-on-3 going lateral from side to side and a nice glove save on Ryan Spooner. He was technically sound with good rebound control. No question Nilsson's potential is sky high.

- The chemistry that Nino Niederreiter and Ryan Strome are forming cannot be ignored. They completely feed off each other. For Niederreiter, he was all over the ice engaging and initiating the play. We got a good taste of the blistering shot that Strome has on his two goals. They were complemented by an under the radar player, Tyler McNeely, who added two goals of his own. McNeely will really be a player to watch for the Sound Tigers this season.

- Speaking of chemistry, it looks like prospects Casey Cizikas and Kirill Kabanov have formed a little of their own. Cizikas is all over the ice at all times, is incredibly solid defensively and really showed his skills off tonight. And while were on skillful players, Kabanov really has a boatload of it. But the play that defined Kabanov's night was using his speed to beat two Bruins players for an icing, circling the net and finding Cizikas wide open who finished the play. These two guys, originally drafted as projects, could really be coming into their own.

- On the defense side, Andrei Pedan had a strong first period. Though he faded throughout the game (including getting beat bad on the second Boston goal), the potential he has is obvious. Very solid in all three zones tonight, especially on that 5-on-3.

- You can see the potential that David Ullstrom has. He is responsible in his own zone, is skilled with the puck, and has great hockey sense overall. He just needs to put it together, but plays like where he drove the net in the third period are what makes me excited about this kid. Compared from yesterday to today, he was much better.

- Very fun start to the game with Benn Olson, Brett Gallant, and Art Bidlevskii all getting into fights in the first three seconds of the game tonight. No question it was retribution for the hit on Rhett Rakhshani last night.Things calmed down a little after that, but it was certainly a fun start to the game.

- On a personal note, it was a very fun two nights at the Nassau Coliseum. Tonight was a lot cleaner than Monday, but overall the young Isles looked good out there (they won the aggregate 12-9). Looking forward to the pre-season game, and then the regular season. It's our first season writing about the team and we could not be more excited about it.

The Bad

- While he did rack up a few assists tonight, it seems that Aaron Ness is still off his game. He made a lot of risky plays, including getting beat on the first Boston goal. When the puck is on his stick, he is calm and collected, but otherwise he seems panicky. No question that he is a project and will require a lot of seasoning at the AHL level - much like Mark Katic.

- John Persson never really got it going tonight, even though he had a strong game on Monday. Disappointing, especially because his linemates (Kabanov/Cizikas) played outstanding tonight. Nothing too terrible from him, just extremely invisible.

- It's not fair to call him a lost cause, but Long Island native Tony Romano did not look very good again. He looked slow and tentative, and given his "veteran" status of the team should have been better. It will be interesting to see how he adjusts in the main camp and when he is ultimately sent down.

The Ugly

- Another game, another injury (or two). This time, Mark Katic left the game hunched over in the first period. Turns out Katic suffered a dislocated shoulder, which should keep him out for a little bit. He'll be re-evaluated on Friday, so hopefully it was just something they needed to pop in. But the Isles really need to find a way to avoid the injury bug. That's two of Bridgeport's better players down with injuries in the first two rookie games of the season.

Final Thoughts

CH: The Isles, as a whole, were dominant tonight. They played hard for each other, pressured the Bruins in their own zone, and played like they wanted a victory. It showed on the scoreboard. To me, however, the most important aspect is that the Isles top players played like their top players. Guys like Strome and Niederreiter were dominant, and given their skill level - they should have been. These guys are maturing very quickly, which will certainly make for interesting training camp competitions over the next few years. Even though last night was a loss, these two games showed how good the potential of this team can be. But potential is just a word. Now it's time to move on - training camp starts Friday.

AT:

From the get go (including the 3 fights in 5 seconds!), the Islanders were flat out the better team. No doubt about it. Boston had some impressive players (their goalie DeMichiel really stood out with some of his saves) and some really great chances, but in the end the Islanders totally overpowered them. For me, a few players really stood out. One was Ryan Strome. This kid looks like he is beyond his years x10. His outlet passing, ability to read the direction a D-man will be taking, and his general speed and accuracy are absolutely mind boggling. His one goal which came on a 3 on 2 where he just sniped it into the top right corner was absolutely phenomenal. Another player was Nino Niederreiter, who was looking incredibly strong and set up some great plays for Ryan Strome and Tyler McNeely, even though his goal scoring prowess is usually what he is noted for. Finally, Kirill Kabanov although invisible at times was hustling all game, and had one great play where he beat out the icing and fed the puck to Cizikas in a phenomenal show of chemistry. Honorable mentions include Andrey Pedan who was throwing some big hits and playing great D and Tyler McNeely who was almost always involved in the play.

However, the one player who was the absolute MVP in my opinion was Anders Nilsson. What a game this kid had. Perhaps it's due to playing with older players in the SEL, but he looks like he's ready for the pros with his play. For his size and style, the athleticism he shows is a great indication of the future. I can not wait to see him play in Bridgeport.

Overall, a very fun game that I was very happy to be able to go to (thanks again Carey!). Can't wait for training camp to officially start!

Next Game

Training camp for the Islanders officially starts Friday with player physicals (among other things). The Isles first pre-season game of the year is scheduled for next Friday, September 23 against the same Bruins in Boston.

Rookie Game 2 Preview: Bruins Rookies vs. Islanders Rookies

BOSTON BRUINS (1-0) vs. NY ISLANDERS (0-1)

The Essentials

September 13, 2011 - 7:05 PM

Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum - Uniondale, NY

TV: Islanders Web Site

The Season Series

9/12/11 - BOS 8, NYI 5

The Goalies

BOS: Michael Hutchinson

NYI: Anders Nilsson

The Rosters

Boston Bruins

FORWARDS: Anthony Camara, Carter Camper, Craig Cunningham, Dylan Hood, Alexander Khokhlachev, Jared Knight, Kyle MacKinnon, Adam Presizniuk, Tyler Randell, Calle Ridderwall, Yannick Riendeau, Ryan Spooner, Conor Stokes.

DEFENSEMEN: Ryan Button, Marc Cantin, Charlie Dodero, Dougie Hamilton, Zach McKelvie, Kevan Miller, David Warsofsky.

New York Islanders

David Ullstrom - Justin DiBenedetto

Nino Niederreiter - Ryan Strome - Tyler McNeely

Kirill Kabanov - Casey Cizikas - John Persson

Brett Gallant - Tony Romano - Mitchell Theoret

Mark Katic - Calvin de Haan

Matt Donovan - Aaron Ness

Andrey Pedan - Art Bidlveskii

Brenden Kichton - Benn Olson

Recap: Bruins Rookies - 8, Isles Rookies - 5

Tonight at the Nassau Coliseum, the 2011-12 rookie pre-season began with the Boston Bruins rookies defeating the Islanders by a score of 8-5. 

Boxscore

BOS 1:0 - Spooner (1); Randell (1)

NYI 1:1 - Niederreiter (1); Strome (1), de Haan (1)

BOS 2:1 - Hood (1); Spooner (1), Cantin (1)

NYI 2:2 - Persson (1); Kabanov (1)

NYI 2:3 - Kabanov (1); Ness (1), Cizikas (1)

BOS 3:3 - Spooner (2); Warsofsky (1), Riendeau (1)

BOS 4:3 - Knight (1); Cunningham (1)

BOS 5:3 - Warsofsky (1); Hood (1), Cunningham (1)

BOS 6:3 - Riendeau (1); Spooner (2)

NYI 6:4 - de Haan (1); Cizikas (2), Theoret (1)

NYI 6:5 - Niederreiter (2); McNeely (1), de Haan (2)

BOS 7:5 - Camper (1)

BOS 8:5 - Knight (2) EN

The Good

- Nino Niederreiter was engaged physically and mentally, and had an outstanding game with and without the puck. His two goals are absolutely indicative of his play.

- Ryan Strome played the best of any draft year first rounder as an Islander that I have seen. He is fast, smart, and skillful - the complete package. His dish to Niederreiter on the first Islander goal was a thing of beauty. On a side note, Tyler McNeely was a nice complement on that line. Do not count McNeely out as a darkhorse to do some damage at Bridgeport this season.

- Speaking of darkhorses, Casey Cizikas was outstanding on the PK tonight. But we knew that already. What we may not have known is how skilled he is with the pick. Two assists tonight, including a couple of beautiful passes to John Persson.

- Kirill Kabanov showed the immense amount of skill that he has, but I would like to see him acclimate himself more physically. That said, he stood his ground in front of the net and in the corners, which led to a very nice deflection goal. Going into those dirty areas is what will get him into the NHL.

- On the defensive side, Calvin de Haan played a magnificent game. He was a tad rusty without the puck, especially in odd-man rushes, but with the puck he is smart, quick, decisive, and a perfect candidate to lead the team to transition up the ice. There is no question the talent is there, but he definitely needs to start the season in the AHL.

- Finally, Justin DiBenedetto was a sparkplug tonight. The guy was all over the ice forechecking and backchecking. In fact, the team took on that type of personality as a whole. They play very hard for each other, which is what you want to see from a group of guys who are growing up together.

- I should mention on the Bruins side - Dougie Hamilton and Ryan Spooner were incredibly impressive tonight.

The Bad

- Let's start with the defense where Aaron Ness and Mark Katic had some issues back there tonight. Katic was a little better, but was caught out of position a few times and did not make great decisions on the powerplay. Ness, on the other hand, looked more nervous than anything. I'm interested to see how Ness responds tomorrow in front of a bigger crowd, especially since he was able to get that first shift out of the way.

- David Ullstrom was very inconsistent tonight. He had some good shifts, including a beautiful rush to the net. But then he had some not so good shifts. Turnovers, trying to do too much, bad passes etc. He was very physical tonight, which is a good sign and what he needs to do to make a difference. No question he has potential, so he's another one I am looking to watch tomorrow night.

- Brett Gallant and Tony Romano two-thirds of the fourth line just did not cut it tonight. Romano looked slow and tentative, where he should be making quick decisions at this point of his career. Gallant took some really dumb penalties and played like the tryout that he is on.

The Ugly

- Tough moment in the first period when Rhett Rakhshani was hit up high along the boards. Turns out that Rakhshani suffered a concussion on the hit, which means he will be out until his symptoms subside. You hate to see his happen in the first period of the season. We should find out more info on Rakhshani's condition going forward sometime tomorrow, but do not expect him to be anywhere near the lineup for the game tomorrow.

- As a whole, the defense coverage in the slot needs to be a lot better. Sure, some of the goals that went in could (or even should) have been saved, but overall the Isles were sloppy in the D zone. While they had good transition, there were sequences where it bit them in the behind. That needs to be corrected going forward - tomorrow would be a good start.

The Very Ugly

- Few words can describe how shaky Mikko Koskinen was tonight. His positioning was off, his rebound control was worse, and the results were the worst. I realize this is the first game back after a long summer, so in a sense it is only fair to cut Koskinen some slack - but the numbers do not lie. Koskinen gave up 7 goals against on 14 shots against. A 50% save percentage. Maybe Koskinen will get another shot, but as it stands he is certainly number six out of six on the depth cart.

Next Game

The Islander Rookies and Bruin Rookies will face off again tomorrow night in the second half of this mini-series. Game time is 7:00 PM at the Nassau Coliseum. This game IS open to the public.

Rookie Game 1 Preview: Bruins Rookies vs. Islanders Rookies

BOSTON BRUINS (0-0) vs. NY ISLANDERS (0-0)

The Essentials

September 12, 2011 - 7:05 PM

Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum - Uniondale, NY

TV: Islanders Web Site

*THIS GAME IS NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC*

The Goalies

BOS: Michael Hutchinson 

NYI: Mikko Koskinen 

The Rosters

Boston Bruins

FORWARDS: Anthony Camara, Carter Camper, Craig Cunningham, Dylan Hood, Alexander Khokhlachev, Jared Knight, Kyle MacKinnon, Adam Presizniuk, Tyler Randell, Calle Ridderwall, Yannick Riendeau, Ryan Spooner, Conor Stokes.

DEFENSEMEN: Ryan Button, Marc Cantin, Charlie Dodero, Dougie Hamilton, Zach McKelvie, Kevan Miller, David Warsofsky.

 

New York Islanders

Rhett Rakhshani - David Ullstrom - Justin DiBenedetto

Nino Niederreiter - Ryan Strome - Tyler McNeely

Kirill Kabanov - Casey Cizikas - John Persson

Brett Gallant - Tony Romano - Mitchell Theoret

Mark Katic - Calvin de Haan

Matt Donovan - Aaron Ness

Andrey Pedan - Art Bidlveskii

Brenden Kichton - Benn Olson

Trade: David Toews Traded to Chicago for Future Considerations

David Toews, a center and 2008 3rd round pick, was traded by the Islanders to the Chicago Blackhawks for future considerations earlier today.

AT: Toews, a center playing for the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL after disappointing seasons at the University of North Dakota, was traded to the team that his brother, Jonathan Toews, is currently the captain of. Toews was yet another center in the Islanders system and with his unimpressive play (albeit very strong playoffs stats-wise) had not been invited to the Blue and White scrimmage due to the Islanders' stated intentions of having no plans to sign him. So, it's good he'll get a chance to find a nice home in Chicago with the help of big brother Jon. Better there than being stuck behind a plethora of centers far ahead of him in the depth charts. As for what the Islanders are getting in return... who knows? Toews was not even a consideration in the Islanders system and considered a bust universally, so we shouldn't be expecting anything other than maybe a 7th round pick. Regardless, good luck to David, and best wishes on better success in Chi-town.

CH: Agreed. Some picks you win with, and some you lose with. Unfortunately, this is one the Isles lost on. But that happens, and sometimes you just have to pull the plug. The Isles did it last year with Jyri Niemi, as they traded him to the Rangers in 2010 for a 6th round pick. We will see what the Isles get back, but expect nothing more than a 7th round pick or low level prospect. This is just a favor to Toews, which is more than fine. Like Alex said, best of luck to David in all of his future endeavors.

Report: Islanders Viewing Party Switches Games

According to Stu Hackel of SI.com, the Islanders have decided to replace the game shown at Friday's Isles MeetUp at Champions from the brawl filled 9-3 domination of the Pittsburgh Penguins to the "very good but not as great" 7-6 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres.

In a statement, the team said, “The New York Islanders have requested that MSG Network change the originally scheduled game to be viewed at the Friday, Aug. 19 meetup. As a part of MSG Plus’ Summer Ice programming, the schedule had the Islanders game from Friday, Feb. 11 against the Pittsburgh Penguins set to air at 7 p.m. Instead MSG Plus will air the Islanders 7-6 overtime victory on Sunday, Feb. 13 over the Buffalo Sabres.”

This came after a media/fan outrage when the Islanders announced they would be showing the controversial Penguins game at the meetup earlier this week.

CH: This is likely the last time we reference this Penguins game unless it is in passing. There is little question the NHL pressured the Islanders into taking the Pens game off, to which the Isles responded by asking MSG to change the game. We can argue for hours if it is hypocritical (it is, given the NHL shows plenty of brawl filled games on NHL Network), or a bad PR stunt or whatever. What's sad is the Islanders seem to be more worried about their competitors customers than their own, but one would have to imagine their hand was forced. Either way, the debate is pointless.

Both fanbases have made themselves out to be martyrs during this week, which is wrong. The Islanders, highlighted by Trevor Gillies' inexplicable hit and taunt of Eric Tangradi, did plenty wrong during the game. The Penguins, highlighted by Eric Godard jumping the bench to "save" Brent Johnson, did some questionable things as well. The fact is this game is now going on six months old, and everyone needs to get over it.

But by get over it, I don't mean forget about it. This game meant so much to Islander fans, including myself, and no one can ever take that away from us.  Some quick final points:

• The Islanders played a potential defining game in their rebuild, one in which their fans are certainly treating it as such. That cannot be taken away from the Islanders or their fans, no matter how much other parties try.
• The Pens, right or wrong, did not like the events that went down in this game. It seems the organization is over it. Their fans and the media - not so much. That's what propelled this to levels of ridiculousness.
• I still do not understand why a fan gathering of 150 fans on Long Island affects a single person in Pittsburgh
• A renewed rivalry between the Islanders and Penguins is great for the league. The Atlantic Division is filled top to bottom with rivalries, which increases the passion and quality of play.

AT: At this point, I'm not sure if there's going to be any matchups with Atlantic division teams where the fans of each team don't absolutely despise each other. The fact that the media and the league have blown this completely out of proportion is disgusting, slightly infuriating and somewhat amusing. If this is how bored fans get during the offseason, man, I really can't wait for the season to start just so we can start arguing over actual hockey, not viewing parties. That's all I can say on this. Grow up, Pittsburgh fans. You have a star player who is the face of the NHL - one who may never play again. Methinks you have better things to worry about.

News: Islanders Announce Training Camp Dates

On their official website, the New York Islanders have announced their training camp schedule. You can view that here. 

Among the key dates for Long Island fans are:

• Sept. 13 - 7:00 PM - Boston Bruins Rookies vs. New York Islanders Rookies - Nassau Coliseum
• Sept. 14 - 1:00 PM - New York Islanders Children's Foundation Golf Event - Bethpage Red
• Sept. 24 - 7:00 PM - Preseason: New Jersey vs. NY Islanders - Nassau Coliseum
• Sept. 25 - 9:00 AM - 3rd Annual Islanders Community Event - Adventureland (Rt. 110)
• Sept. 30 - 7:00 PM - Preseason: NY Islanders vs. New Jersey - Prudential Center, Newark, NJ
• Oct. 1 - 7:00 PM - Preseason: Boston vs. NY Islanders - Webster Bank Arena, Bridgeport, CT

Also listed are the rookie camp attendees:

Goalies: Mikko Koskinen, Anders Nilsson, Kevin Poulin

Defensemen: Art Bidlevski, Calvin de Haan, Matt Donovan, Mark Katic, Brenden Kichton, Anton Klementyev, Aaron Ness, Benn Olson, Andrei Pedan

Forwards: Casey Cizikas, Justin DiBenedetto, Brett Gallant, Kirill Kabanov, Tyler McNeely, Nino Niederreiter, John Persson, Rhett Rakhshani, Tony Romano, Ryan Strome, Mitchell Theoret, David Ullstrom

Note: It's our goal to be at as many of these events as we can. No matter what, we will do our best to provide comprehensive coverage of training camp. Stay tuned.

Speculation: Re-Visiting Alexei Yashin and the Implications of Signing Him

Well, here we are again. We posted a piece on Yashin a few days back when it first came out that Alexei was talking with a few teams: some KHL, one NHL. Obviously, it was easy to put the pieces together. The former Islanders captain still has a relationship with owner Charles Wang, he has a history on Long Island with a team that doesn't get much interest to begin with, and he's a free agent. The worst kept secret in hockey the other day was that the Islanders were the team Yashin was negotiating with.

Fast forward to today, and Katie Strang confirms all of this (and more) on her blog on Newsday (complete with quotes from Snow and Yashin's agent Marc Gandler). Islandermania and Islanders Point Blank go up in a frenzy, so where does this leave us?

As I posted today on Twitter, this is a Charles Wang executive decision. While Garth Snow is going to get the scrutiny here, he is just doing what he is told. If you want to criticize Snow for that, go ahead. But let's focus on the real problem here. By even announcing that they are negotiating with the biggest fan pariah outside Kirk Muller in Islander history, they are showing they are more concerned about friendships than accountability. Yes, Charles Wang is a very loyal man - we've seen it on a few occasions - trying to make it work in Nassau County, the Rick DiPietro contract, and now this. A line needs to be drawn, however, and they are crossing that line.

There is a point of ridiculousness where the Islanders will be paying a player to play - the same player who they are currently paying NOT to play for them. You can call a buyout what you want, but it's essentially a firing with the severance package being the sum of money the player gets over the course of the term. The Islanders are actually contemplating bringing back a 37-year old Alexei Yashin after "firing" a 32-year old Alexei Yashin five years ago.

Of course, there are some pretty important cap implications when you take a closer look at it. The Islanders will be somewhere in the ballpark of $5 million under the floor after Blake Comeau's arbitration case. Yashin is 37 years old, which means he is eligible for 35+ bonuses, or the Doug Weight clause, if you will. The Isles can give him as many unattainable bonuses as they like, all of which will count on his cap hit. If they want to give him $500K for each playoff round won, they can do that. That's an extra $2 million right there. They may not even have to make a move for the defenseman everyone wants if they do this,

But before we get ahead of ourselves, this is still a hockey blog and not a PR blog. In this case, the two things certainly mix. From a hockey perspective, Yashin can help. He will not be brought in to be anything more than a support player, and one that could produce approximately 45 points and could fill in on a one-year term if a guy like Comeau is traded. That's not the point. You have to look at the whole package. Yashin, who is one of the nicest players in the business, carries too much "Islander baggage" for this thought to be at all tolerable. Yashin's problem has always been his killer instinct - he is not lazy and he does care about winning. He just won't go the extra mile to do so, and that is what has always kept him from being elite.

Obviously, there is no question this report comes at the worst possible time for the New York Islanders. With just ten days before the referendum vote, the Islanders need every fan's unconditional support. The problem is, bringing back Alexei Yashin was one of those conditions that will turn away a lot of people. The buzz from the fans just melted, and whether they sign him or not, the damage is essentially already done. It is clueless and without thought to the customers that have helped this franchise so much over the past few years. There really is just no other way to put it.

That said, anyone who is going to Vote NO because of this needs their head checked. We can argue forever about Yashin, but Charles Wang will not be here forever. It is up to us to make sure the Islanders are here for the foreseeable future. If that means a year of Alexei Yashin and more of Charles Wang's meddling ways, that's the trade-off. Do not sacrifice NHL hockey, jobs, an arena, Nassau County's future because the Islanders are thinking of doing the unthinkable. You will just be as shortsighted, if not more, than those who are voting no for the sake of voting no. It looks terrible, but hockey operations are different than the arena campaign. This needs to be a time when things are separated.

We will see how things play out over the next few days, but it's clear that a Yashin return is possible, if not even probable at this point.

-CH

News: Islanders Sign F Tim Wallace

As reported earlier by Katie Strang, the Islanders have signed AHL F Tim Wallace to a one year, two-way contract for the 2011-12 season. Wallace, 26, is an Anchorage, Alaska native who has spent his entire 5-year professional career in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization. 

He finished with 20 goals and 37 points in 62 AHL games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins last season.

CH: Obviously this is a depth signing for the Sound Tigers, and it's one they needed. I know that a lot of people will take the cynical view to these types of signings, especially with the NHL team needing work in itself, but when you look at the move in a bubble, this helps a Bridgeport team in need of an influx of talent. Wallace will replace Jesse Joensuu in a top-6 role down on the farm with the option for a call-up. He does have 24 games in the NHL under his belt, with only 2 assists. That said, good depth signing and Bridgeport's looks a little brighter today.