Well, That Blows.

Panthers 2: Islanders 0

You don't want this to be the result. Not for a home opener. I know it's just the first game of the season, but whether it's Game One or Game 82, you should be prepared to give it your all, and that is not what the Islanders did.

Thanks to Center Ice's free preview, I got to watch all of this in its... glory?... last night. Ugh. Everything the Islanders did NOT need to do- flub passes, miss the net, take plenty of penalties (yes, Mike Mottau, I'm looking at you), and have zero aggression on the forecheck- all of that was present last night, and it was frustrating to watch. They got beat to every loose puck, and while there was plenty of nastiness (a little too much, in my opinion), there was not much of anything else. Also, I saw a lot of the same old, same old- sending Grabner up ice alone, having Streit man the PP by steering play from the blueline up- and while it might have worked in the past, the Panthers wised up right away, keeping two men back to deter Grabs' speed, and crowding the ice so Streit had a harder time getting out. That is why variety has to be important to the coaching staff; you cannot expect to score goals or win games doing the same thing every time and expecting different results.

The good thing, I suppose, is that this is happening in October and not in February, when (provided all goes as planned) the Islanders will be pushing for a playoff spot along with a few other teams. I give the Panthers full credit- they played their game from the first puck drop- fast, aggressive, and on point, with few penalties. Plus, Jose Theodore played a hell of a game in net, though I'm sure his defense also deserves a ton of credit for blocking so many shots and redirecting the Isles' offense so well. Nothing touched him, whereas starter Al Montoya had plenty of rubber tossed his way (and fared well!). This game definitely could have been a higher score were it not for Montoya's quick saves, so I give him a ton of props, and I give Jack Capuano credit for trusting Al with the start.

Next game is Monday at 1 against the Wild, and I'd expect the Isles to wake it up and get something going... I hope.