Well, I'll Be.

Islanders 2: Sabres 1

How can I describe last night?

I flew through my classes (barely even paying attention, which is rare for me), then flew to work, then got on the 6 bus going down Sycamore St. to downtown Buffalo, and time seemed to crawl. Of course, as soon as it comes down to going to a hockey game, which is something I wish I could do WAY more often, everything seems to slow down.

But I made it to First Niagara Center with five minutes to spare till puck drop, met my friend Jon in front of the Sabres store (and I made sure I was wearing my John Tavares shirt), and made the long climb up to the 300 level for our seats. Then, time moved at the speed of light.

Even so, it was fantastic.

I can't tell you how I feel when I go to a hockey game, especially one like last night's. I've had the good fortune of going to sellout or close-to-sellout games all three times I've seen the Islanders play live (once at Nassau Coliseum, twice at HSBC/now FN Center), and the atmosphere in every game has been electric, whether or not I'm a home or away fan. Just the chill of the ice, the closeness you feel (even from so far up from the ice) knowing your favorite players are just below you, no electronic screen or computer monitor in your way... seeing them score, seeing your goalie stand on his head, seeing it all... there are no words for it, other than magical. Yep, there's a sort of magic in watching a live hockey game, even if watching on TV gives you more insight.

All things considered, this was a nearly perfect game for the Islanders even with the low score. Early on in the game, Matt Martin dropped the gloves with Zack Kassian and both players got a good number of punches in. The fight came after teammates came to the aid of Nathan Gerbe, the recipient of a big hit from Nino Niederreiter which resulted in an interference penalty and a Sabres power play. Shortly afterward, though, on the Islanders' own power play, Mark Streit threw a shot at the net that Matt Moulson redirected, giving the Isles a 1-0 lead. The Sabres wouldn't tie it until the first two minutes of the third period, when the Isles got caught in a line change and Jochen Hecht ended up cashing in. But it took them a long time, not just to score, but to even get started after the Isles took the lead. The Sabres went 0-for-4 on the power play, including a 5-on-3 that Al Montoya completely stoned every chance on. Montoya was incredible in this game, making 30 saves on 31 shots, quite a few of which made me cheer from the section I was sitting in (surrounded by Sabres fans, might I add, including Jon).

John Tavares, meanwhile, had six shots and some big chances one-on-one that Jhonas Enroth (the best player on the ice for Buffalo) stuffed him on. Enroth would also get help from the post on a ringer by Kyle Okposo, but for the most part, he was solid despite the loss. Tavares looks like he's close to scoring another (few) soon, but let's not discredit his great two-way play- he had a couple of great takeaways to nullify the Sabres' offensive rushes.

Also impressive last night was Travis Hamonic, who blocked some key shots throughout the game and sacrificed his body to make good plays. He's getting better in every game, and I'm honestly very impressed with him. But it's not just him, or Al, or Tavares- every player on the bench just clicked last night, making good plays to one another and helping each other out. It was the first time in a while that they have looked like a cohesive unit, and with a trip to Chicago looming on Friday, it's a great time for them to get that kind of chemistry going. Chicago, my second favorite team (in the interest of full disclosure), is having their own issues- they got blown out by Edmonton last week and just fell to Phoenix 4-1 last night, so the Islanders may just get two points if they can maintain this momentum from their last two wins.

So, highlights of the night?

• the win, of course


• Montoya stuffing Derek Roy twice


• the Martin-Kassian fight, my first one ever witnessed live


• Jon opening a door thinking it was a stairwell and instead running smack into a kitchen filled with equipment


• the Islanders fan whom I gave a high-five after he told someone he was talking to on the phone that mine was the first Islanders shirt he'd seen all night


• the guy behind us who corrected my grammar (boo) but then told me I was cute (I'll take it).


• Just being there. I'm convinced I'll never be happier than when I'm at an arena taking in a game. Being on the lacrosse field might tie with it.

Until next time.

What IS Leadership, Really?

Two things you should know about me from a hockey standpoint: I love stats, and I like paying attention to other teams' captains, as well as my own. Today, while watching Hurricanes-Senators, I heard the announcers talking about Eric Staal's lack of production so far. In 25 games, he has five goals and six assists for a total of 11 points, and he's also an alarming, team-worst -17. Granted, the 'Canes are not the most consistent of teams, winning and dropping at an unpredictable rate, but considering their captain is not starting out as expected with production, it's a cause for concern. Same with Alexander Ovechkin, who has a whopping seventeen points (8 G, 9 A) in 22 games (while recently-returned Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby has just around half that in four games played... just saying).

So it got me to thinking... how exactly are the captains faring this season?

Well, it's pretty much all over the board.

• The two biggest point producers so far are Jason Pominville (Buffalo) and Jonathan Toews (Chicago). Each captain has 25 points on the season, Toews with more even point distribution (13-12). Pominville (9-16) is one point behind Thomas Vanek on the Sabres' stat chart, while Toews is leading his teammates. Toews also has a captains-leading four game-winning goals (well, tied with Vincent Lecavalier), and while he wasn't on the scoresheet for the Blackhawks' last two losses (San Jose and Edmonton), he proves that when he's on, the 'Hawks have that much more of a chance of winning.
• Zdeno Chara has also been a huge factor in his team's success. With sixteen points and three of his four goals on the power play, he's been a big contributor, but another telling stat is his plus-minus. He's +13, and while other players certainly contribute to a player's plus-minus, that's still impressive. Much more impressive than Staal's -17, Ryan Getzlaf's (Anaheim) -11 or Mark Streit's (NYI) -10. It still wasn't the best, though- that honor belongs to Shea Weber of the Nashville Predators, who is a +15 even with the 4-1 loss to Detroit yesterday.
• Other impressive leaders on the ice are Chris Pronger, who (though I hate him) posted 12 points in 13 games played. Also, the aforementioned Crosby, though admittedly he posted half of his eight points in one game- his return against (who else?) the Islanders.
• Captains who have been contributing on the power play include Milan Hejduk (Avs, 4 PPG), Shawn Horcoff (Edmonton, 4 PPG) and Henrik Sedin (Vancouver, 5 PPG).
• The captain who's been the naughtiest? Dallas's Brenden Morrow, who's tallied 39 minutes in the sin bin so far. On the opposite end, Pominville and Horcoff have been relative saints (2 PIM each).
  
• Zach Parise's got two shorthanded goals so far, which is a third of his goal total to date (six altogether). David Backes (St. Louis), Daniel Alfredsson (Ottawa), Mikko Koivu (Minnesota) and Jason Pominville are the only other captains to post shorties this season.
• Despite his scanty goal total, Eric Staal has 88 shots so far. His scoring percentage is just 5.6%. In contrast, Sedin's 36 shots and 8 goals total to around 22%.
  
• Aside from Pominville, Joe Thornton (San Jose) has been very helpful to his teammates, tallying 16 assists.
• The one team without a captain, Florida, is getting decent production from its four alternates. Stephen Weiss leads the way with 22 points and +13. Next is Brian Campbell (19, +5), then Tomas Kopecky (10, -5) and Ed Jovanovski (5, -3).
  

So what does this all mean? In the grand scheme of a 25-man team, it doesn't seem like much, right? Not exactly. Teams and coaches expect their captains to lead by example, both on and off the ice (to use the old cliche). Many of these captains are in, at the very least, their team's top ten in scoring, and it directly contributes to their team's success. When you consider who's in the top five in the league standings right now- Pittsburgh, Chicago, Detroit, Boston, and Philly- their captain's successes and influence over their team must certainly factor in, which is why the captaincy is an aspect of a team that cannot be overlooked or tossed to just anyone. Just look at how Pittsburgh faltered in the playoffs without Crosby, or how Carolina is struggling along with the production of Staal, and you'll see what I mean.

On the other hand, captains can't always get their team going. Other things, like overall lack of effort (evident in the Islanders' play many a time) or coaching (which is what I hear grumbles about from Washington Capitals fans) may hamper a captain's production and leadership abilities. In that case, measures must be taken to wake up the team, whether that come from line changes, trades and waivers or a coaching change. However, in many cases, leadership on the ice in the form of production is definitely one of the factors in a team's lasting success.

Road, Not-So-Sweet Road... Till Now.

Islanders 3: Devils 2

It was long, at times it was frustrating, but the Islanders finally snapped a losing skid and managed to get their first road win of the season- albeit, at the expense of Zach Parise.

The recipient of a two-handed slash to John Tavares in the front end of this home-and-home (one that landed JT with a $2,500 fine), Parise thought he had gained retribution of sorts by scoring with two seconds left in the third period to tie it up at 3. (To be honest, I thought he had also- anyone who watched the 2010 Winter Olympics knows what he's capable of late in the game.) But after reviewing the play, the refs declared the goal disallowed because of a "kicking motion"- apparently, Parise had kicked the puck in rather than batted it with his stick.

Of course, the Devils captain was less than thrilled with the outcome; you could read his lips screaming "Horses***!" at the officials as he skated by. Well, I'm not sure about that, Zach. It looked awfully close to me; he was in the crease for a couple of seconds before the puck even came his way, and he was right on top of Al Montoya, who did everything in his power to fend him off and still maintain position on the puck. It could have definitely been argued that goaltender interference was there, if not the kicking motion.

Either way, the call was made, the goal erased, and the Isles finally caught a break and secured the two points. 3-2, final score.

It wasn't a pretty game to watch, though there were some great moments- for example, the three Islanders goals. Matt Moulson got the Isles up and running, finishing up a huge hustle play by PA Parenteau with a beautiful shot that tricked Martin Brodeur up high. 2011 draft pick Adam Larsson would tie it up at 4:20 of the second period. Josh Bailey then scored one that was also subject to a review after David Ullstrom dislodged the net, but it stood as a goal.

The Isles were unable to run away with the lead, however, as the Devils had The Adam Show going. Adam Henrique tied it up, taking advantage of Mike Mottau's turnover and walking through three Isles including Mottau before tucking it past an outstretched Montoya. Then came the barrage of opportunities, both on breakaways/odd-man rushes and during scrums in front, which the rock that is Martin Brodeur handled deftly. He completely robbed both Michael Grabner and Kyle Okposo in a matter of three seconds, and then stifled Grabner and Tavares on a number of breakaway attempts (Grabs more so than Tavares). Though Grabs would score shorthanded (his seventh of the year), the fact that he still has issues scoring on the breakaway is worrisome. For someone with his speed, his hands still need to work on catching up, and though anyone would have a tough time getting one past Brodeur even as he's nearing the end of his career, Grabner and Tavares both need to pick their spots better.

The defense also has to stop letting themselves get toasted on so many opportunities. Though Montoya is good, and a growing consensus is rising in favor of keeping him as our starting goalie, he cannot stop them all. The defense needs to step up. I personally would be in favor of dumping Mottau somewhere, just because the first memory that came to mind when we had first signed him was of him tumbling onto his ass against Josef Vasicek, and Vasicek deking Brodeur out of his pads to score the only Islanders goal for a win against New Jersey. Not a wonderful impression.

But there also has to be an adjustment with the rest of our D, starting with our captain. Maybe it was just a bad game, but Mark Streit's defensive choices have been a bit... off. For a guy who had been getting better defensively in his first two seasons with us, that isn't the best observation. Plus, he's been quiet on the scoresheet (probably due to lack of chances to shoot- he's been covered quite a bit, probably because of his booming shot from the point). He's also still trying way too hard to do too much out there, and it is hurting more than helping. Of course, there's a shallow defensive pool on the Island as is, so he isn't getting the help he needs, but he also needs to relax and stop trying to make so much happen.

Oh, and can we please get our other Swiss player- Nino Niederreiter- out of the press box and into play, thanks.

That's all I've got. Isles need to regroup and figure out where to go to build momentum from this skin-of-their-teeth win. This is only their first road win and sixth total win of the season, so something must be salvaged from today in order to keep going strong. On to the Sabres in Buffalo, a game that I WILL be at with my friend Jon! :D Lots of pictures, I hope, with that recap on Wednesday.

Until next time.

A Thanksgiving... Surprise?

In case you can't read that, the Isles have announced via Twitter that Blake Comeau has been placed on waivers. Tough news for the winger... can't say it wasn't expected at some point, but damn, couldn't it have waited till after Thanksgiving?

Another Day, Another Disappointment.

Flyers 4: Islanders 3 (OT)

I just don't know where to begin.

Today's been a frustrating day overall. Though I had no classes and no work (thankfully), I spent most of the day cleaning and dealing with some issues. I won't talk about those issues here, though. Instead, I'll project all of my anger onto this loss.

I knew things were going to end up badly when Rick DiPietro allowed a goal 18 seconds in. I mean, no sooner had Howie and Butch said "this game will be broadcast in high-definition" than the Flyers were celebrating. The score, however, did not stay 1-0 for long, thanks to one Kyle Okposo.

Yes, you read that right.

Okposo scored to make it 1-1, and then he scored again at 10:37 to make it 2-1. He also assisted on Michael Grabner's sixth of the year late in the first. Yes, the same Kyle Okposo who had posted only three points prior to tonight, scored three points in the first period ALONE- and had a monster of a game overall, getting shots, forechecking and backchecking.

Clearly, the time off watching in the press box helped him immensely. And it helped him earn the first star despite the Islanders giving up a 3-1 lead he helped forge and then losing in OT. Even with all of that, tonight Okposo showed everyone the form and work ethic that had gotten him his five-year contract to begin with.

Also on the scoresheet for three points was Grabner, who assisted on both of Okposo's goals. The sophomore speedster had another slow start to his season, but still has six goals to speak for (two behind leader John Tavares) and worked extremely well with Okposo and Frans Nielsen. Overall, that line played very well, as did the team in general, at least for the first and most of the second period. Sitting Marty Reasoner and Brian Rolston seemed to help speed up the younger players, as well. (You have to admit, those two have done very little on the ice- at least, Reasoner hasn't, and he was supposed to be a step up from Zenon Konopka. Can we please have ZK back now?)

And then, it all fell apart, thanks to Daniel Briere and some mistakes by DiPietro. Now, I don't like Daniel Briere in the least. I liked him a lot more when he was in Buffalo, but for some reason, the black and orange tends to make me dislike players I used to adore. I can't deny, though, that he's a good player, and he's sneaky with his shots. After Scott Hartnell cut the lead to 3-2 in the second, Briere took advantage of a weird bounce off the glass just to the left of DiPietro's short side. DP took a swipe at the puck as it dribbled in front of him, but couldn't grab onto it, and Briere was able to corral it and put it right past Rick's left shoulder. Then came overtime (which Gamecenter Live mercifully stopped working for), and Briere put it away with a nasty shot from just inside the blueline.

Frustrating? You bet, especially when the Isles had put up a tremendous effort as compared to their last two losses.

That's the issue with this team. Though they played very physically and generated a lot of chances tonight, they cannot hold onto a lead for very long, and DiPietro's shakiness in net late in the game didn't help. I hate pinning blame on goalies, but he had to be a lot sharper than that in order for the Isles to win, and he has been in earlier games. Tonight just was not his night, and it was unfortunate, especially with Grabner and Okposo being so good. You could sense that he knew it too, as he was taking a few risks, coming out of the net and trying to do a bit too much. Stay calm, Ricky. You have to if you want to be a winning goalie.

Oh, and after all the commotion, Micheal Haley only saw about 5 minutes of ice time in his season debut, in which he was pretty much tossed around for one sequence like a rag doll between two Flyers. Well, it wasn't that severe, but. I was a bit disappointed. I would have liked to have seen him get a bit more ice time than that, at any rate.

*sigh*. Well. Not much more to say here. I was excited about finally (maybe) winning and having some good luck bestowed on the Isles' third jerseys, which they wore last night (and all I have to say is, can we PLEASE get some black helmets to match, because those blue ones look dumb). But what's done is done, and there's no redoing it. Time for some turkey and looking forward to Friday and Saturday's home-and-home with New Jersey. Here's hoping Zach Parise doesn't do to us what he did tonight against Columbus... that shootout goal was sick-nasty (and if you haven't seen it, go to nhl.com and look for Zig-Zach. Yes, Zig-Zach.).

Until next time.

Isles Recall Haley

I saw this on the Islanders website and pretty much screamed.

http://islanders.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=602777&navid=DL|NYI|home

Is it because he's a great goalscorer? Nah. Because he's good at playmaking? Maybe, but no. He's a grit-and-character player- someone with just the toughness we need on the Islanders, and after Mark Eaton was placed on IR, someone we at least need to help out. I was disappointed when he was sent to Bridgeport at the start of the season, but maybe this is the start of something good. :D

Nilsson "Has Lots to Learn", But... Was Monday Really a Learning Curve?

Anders Nilsson, fresh off his first NHL start, says he "still has lots to learn" from playing in the NHL.

Of course, when you're a 21-year-old goalie and you've never seen NHL ice before, anything would be a learning experience. However... getting the start Monday, against a healthy and rejuvenated Sidney Crosby, was that really the best way for him to learn?

There is the justifiable argument that becoming the best you can be means playing against the best in the league, and I can see how that comes into play here. Like or hate him, Sidney Crosby is one talented player, and he makes his team and the league better by being in the lineup. But I still don't see how Capuano saw fit to start a kid against him AND Evgeni Malkin and then let him be lit up for five goals without once thinking to pull him. It's the equivalent of torture, and even Penguins fans (on Twitter, at least) were expressing their sympathies after a while. (Not that it made anything better, believe me, but... just making a point.)

I'm a lacrosse goalie, which is a bit different from hockey goalie, but I can tell you right now that I hate being replaced in games. I also want to try and compensate for any mistakes I might make which lead to goals; however, if I get scored on enough, it's certainly demoralizing. Not to mention that, for the Islanders, there was certainly a healthy goalie on the bench in Rick DiPietro, former embarrassment or no. After Goal #3, it would have been prudent for Jack Capuano to pull the plug and send Ricky in to try and salvage something for the Isles. Not to say that the Isles' play hinges solely on who's in net for them, because that would be silly, but it may have helped at least a bit. It would also have given the kid some breathing time after being thrown into a shooting gallery.

As for Nilsson... well, of course he's got a ways to go before getting completely comfortable in net. But from the sound of things, he's willing to work as hard as he can for as long as he's up here. It's just a matter of how long.

Isles at .500 All-Time.

For the first time since 1978, the New York Islanders are at an all-time .500 winning percentage.

That's for the first time in 33 years. Out of 40 years of being a franchise.

Now, the Isles are on the borderline of becoming a losing organization. And that's after the crapshow of the 90s, with the coaching changes and constant losing seasons. The 00s, however, have not been much kinder.

It takes only one more game to be sub-.500, however slightly. But somehow, some way, the skid has to stop, and the Isles have a chance to stop it against the Philadelphia Flyers tonight.

I'm not saying it'll be easy, but it'll be something.

A Question of Identity

Throughout 17 games, the Islanders are 5-9-3. They're last in the Atlantic Division, last in the conference and 29th in the league (ahead of only Columbus). And somehow, the idea that there is absolutely no identity to this team bothers me more than the standings ever could.

This team seems lost in the shuffle. We might as well face it. There's been lack of effort some days, a lack of toughness much of the time, and above all, there's just something missing- that je ne sais quoi they had even during the plentiful losing streaks, that started when Zenon Konopka told cameras, "We're not the doormat of the NHL anymore." That assertion sparked a revolution in the locker room, and the team became a unit for the first time. They got into trouble, but more importantly, they got wins, and they showed people that from then on, things were going to be very different.

This season? It's not quite the same. Konopka is gone, Micheal Haley (another tough guy) is in the AHL, and so is the notorious Trevor Gillies. While I don't miss Gillies, I'm wondering just what happened to the spunky, upstart team I was hoping to see more of last season. It's disappeared completely, save for (perhaps) the closeness in the locker room. And it's worrying me.

I'm not saying I want this team to turn into a bunch of goons, but this is also the same reason I lobbied so hard for Konopka to stay on the team. He didn't do a whole lot other than win faceoffs and get a lot of PIM, but he did one more thing: he gave the team a personality. Watching him in the locker room during videos and such, seeing how teammates responded to him, you really got the sense that he was well-liked and respected. In fact, many considered him the Isles' de facto captain after a while. Having that kind of spark on the team, just the right amount of venom along with a genuine loyalty... it really transformed them.

Now? Not so much. And it's through no fault of our captain. Mark Streit is trying hard. He's no doubt as good a leader as he can be, trying to keep positive and honest. And maybe he's trying a bit too hard on the ice- and who can blame him? He doesn't want to lose anymore.

But that's just what they're doing tonight. Losing to arguably the very best- Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins. As of this writing, Crosby has four points on the night in his NHL return, and it's no surprise, what with an AHL goalie (Anders Nilsson) in net and absolutely NO intensity by the Isles.

Something has to give. But the coach and GM, and the players themselves, have to figure out exactly what that is. And they need to figure out in what direction they want to go- namely, up from rock bottom.

Taking a Look, After a Week.

What can I really say that hasn't already been said by everyone else in the sports blogosphere?

Very little, to be honest. But I'll have to try. After all, this is what I want to do, and it's something I have to work at if I want to be any good at it. Of course, missing three straight games and two periods of another one isn't the way to go, but when you're a poor college student still living at home and you need a few nickels to rub together, you have to make your sacrifices.

All of that aside, it has been an incredibly rough week for both me and my team. After taking a mental health day on Monday (one of those days when you wake up and just cannot deal with the world...), I went to my two classes on Tuesday and then straight to work until a quarter to ten at night, completely missing every awful period of the Rangers-Isles game. Maybe it was for my own good. Then I worked again on Thursday until 9:45, missing Habs-Isles. Unfortunately, that was the only win this week.

And that brings us to last night's complete crapshow. 6-0. DiPietro pulled after three goals. Anders Nilsson, fresh from a callup after Al Montoya was placed on IR, suffering three GA. And a complete lack of effort, from the looks of the highlights.

So let's recap.

The Isles were able to get two of eight potential points this week. They were outscored 14-3 during their three losses. After 17 games, Mark Streit has two goals and is a team-worst -12 (though he's third on the team with 11 points). Blake Comeau and Marty Reasoner trail him with -11 each. Kyle Okposo has a whopping three points (all assists). John Tavares has had zero goals in at least his last five games (yet still leads the team with 16 points). Blake Comeau has zero POINTS. Josh Bailey, only three.

Here's the issue with this team. They have been relying on goaltending and Tavares for far too long. We all know this. And now, with Montoya AND Nabokov on IR, and Rick DiPietro (ironically) our only healthy goalie, everyone on this team must step it up. Majorly. Tavares cannot, cannot, do it all on his own. While his skating has markedly improved, and he covers the ice very well, he needs support. And Comeau and Bailey, whom I feel the Isles were very generous with in giving them chances to stay at least one or two more seasons apiece, have done very little. Flashes of brilliance, yes, but with Bailey on the bubble and Comeau coming off of a 24-goal season (he really had that many?!), neither can afford to take much more time off from scoring. Bailey's been working hard at least in games I've seen, but he loves to hold onto the puck just a bit too long and do the cutesy thing, and you cannot do that and expect to score. Same with Comeau- I can't tell you how many times I've watched him coast around the net and try the wraparound goal. Sometimes it works, but many times it doesn't.

As for Kyle... I don't know. He's just off. He's as hardworking as ever, but his shots are just missing. And he's been in the minus region for a while. However, considering some players (like Comeau) are in worse shape than he is statistically brings a bit of a question mark to the idea that he's been benched for the last three games. True, he's been a bit invisible after committing for five years to the Island and receiving an A- and we need our leaders to be examples on the ice. I still can't help but wonder if there's something in Jack Capuano's usage of Okposo that is hurting his play, though. After all, under Scott Gordon, he had his first 50-point season and scored 18 and 19 goals in two seasons. Going from a close-to-20-goalscorer (and projected above that) to jack squat in less than a year? Injury or no injury, that's concerning.

But it's more than just him. It's the entire team. There's no consistency, and after the first few names on the stat chart, it's just a big batch of zeros. What's going on, I have no idea... but it's scary. With the talent and the supposed veteran savvy we're supposed to have, I bet no one thought it'd take this long for the Isles to get settled with each other. Perhaps the issue is more than just on-ice chemistry... but that's something for another blog post.

With everything considered, it'd be nice for Cappy to take a few more chances and shake up the roster more frequently. Something's got to click with this team. And perhaps tomorrow night, against the Penguins, is a prime opportunity. The big story? Sidney Crosby's return. Of course, it couldn't be more perfect- against a team he lights up on a regular basis, who has a freshly renewed rivalry after last February (or so some say). This is a great opportunity for the Isles to wake up and bring their best to Consol Energy Center; after all, look what they did to Ovie and the Caps. At any rate, I'd like to see them do something positive. I'm trying my absolute best to remain positive for them, but now it's up to them to change their stars, as it were.

It starts now.

THIS IS WHY I HATE MISSING TOMORROW NIGHT'S GAME.

El Nino returns to the Island.

CURSE YOU, 3-9:45 PM SHIFT!!! CURSE YOUUUUUUUUUU!!!!

Is There A Way to Decline Overtime?

Islanders 3: Avalanche 4 (OT)

If my caps lock isn't broken by now, it never will be.

I spent a hellish amount of time caps-lock screaming on Twitter (when I wasn't actually yelling at the game), and as far as I can tell it didn't do any good. The Islanders squandered a three-goal lead and lost to Colorado, 4-3. Why?

Well, we got secondary scoring. For once, John Tavares was not the main article on the scoresheet. Josh Bailey finally broke his goose egg, Brian Rolston made it 2-0, and Michael Grabner was the beneficiary of a beautiful play by Matt Moulson that resulted in a 3-0 tally. So it wasn't that.

What did they do wrong? They lost sight of the prize.

Now, I know there's all this hoopla about "Denver, the Mile-High City" and "the altitude kills you" and such, but did it ever. Grabs was red in the face by the end of the second, it's true, but I just can't completely buy that. After Avs goal #2, a crazy little floater that caught Al Montoya up high, the Isles seemed to just lose it completely. A little less discipline, a little less confidence and a whole lot more of sloppy seemed to be the issue. Even Montoya, usually unflappable in the crease, was a little less sure of himself, and it may have been that which led to the mistakes to come.

However, let's not throw the goalie completely under the bus just yet. After all, it takes defensive breakdowns to create scoring chances, and it takes lack of offense to lead to constant defensive pressure. In the third period, though the Isles had a few scoring chances, much of it was spent in the defensive zone, and that cannot happen when you're trying to protect a lead. It's like this team still hasn't learned to play a full sixty minutes, and that is something that must be done before we can even fathom trying to break into the playoffs. It's not enough to score a bunch of goals over forty minutes. There needs to be a constant effort.

And that being said, there also needs to be some actual OFFICIATING by the guys in stripes. I thought the "tripping" call on Rolston was bad enough (Shane O'Brien's feet were nowhere near Rolston's stick at the time), but then in overtime, Daniel Winnik (who definitely earned my "don't you ever show your face to me again" award for being a real douchebag) skated through the crease for the second time after running over Montoya late in the third, causing a "high sticking" call on Montoya, which I completely disagree with. Sorry, but if you're nowhere near the puck and you decide to have a little skate and try to interfere with the goalie, you deserve an instigator or goalie interference at least. (even though they were bowling over Monty all night, but I digress.) But of course, that was not so. So Monty got the penalty, the Isles went on the PK, and Kyle Quincey scored.

Welp. On to Vancouver, I suppose- and thanks to school in the morning and work Tuesday night, I will be seeing little to none of the next two games. Thanks ever so much, manager of mine, for scheduling me for a 3-close on the night two division rivals play. Phew. Oh, and I have pics to share with you (from my friend Jacob, which I have to upload to my email- oh, technology). But for now, adieu.

Thank You, Veterans.

Today's Veterans Day, and I have only one thing to say (for now)...


Also, not to be forgotten are the victims and souls who were there at the end of WWI, for Remembrance Day.


Recap of last night's game to come, extremely late, but it'll be here.

Islanders @ Avalanche... Battle of "Like Minds"?

Well, if you're anything like me, you'll want to have forgotten all about the debacle in Boston two nights ago. Tonight will give us the opportunity to do just that.

The Isles come to Denver to play the Avalanche, another young team struggling to forge an identity in a competitive division and conference. Colorado went 2-6-1 following a five-game win streak, not very unlike the Isles themselves who went 1-5-2 following their win streak. Like John Tavares (who leads the Isles with 13 points), fellow 2009 draft pick Matt Duchene leads the Avs with 12 points on the season to date. And if you look at the comparative stats, the story's pretty much the same for each team, with a few discrepancies.

That being said, what do the Isles have to do? Easy. Forecheck, and forecheck early. Don't leave it up to the defense and whichever goalie is in net for us tonight, to do everything. There are plenty of offensive weapons on this time, not the least of whom is Tavares (and he can't do everything by himself). Josh Bailey and Blake Comeau, this is your chance to show something on the ice. Both of you have been playing better than you had been starting out, but you're still largely invisible out there. Get some points on the board. Stay out of the penalty box. And everyone, EVERYONE, needs to show some effort tonight, for a full sixty minutes.

I really shouldn't have to say all this (and let's face it, I don't), but it's frustrating to see this team go from kicking ass and taking names against a top team in Washington, to completely falling apart against Boston. There has to be some consistency and some kind of sustaining momentum. It's still early, but it won't be early forever. Keep your focus.

A WIN! A WIN!

Capitals 3: Islanders 5

CAN IT BE????

YES, IT CAN!!!

This game started amid some serious frustrations. First was the issues I had with Gamecenter Live. Now, I know I'm a subscriber, and I JUST got GCL two weeks ago. But apparently, nhl.com was under the impression that I was not one. So I ended up spending about 45 minutes trying to figure it out. I missed the Capitals' second goal, plus Frans Nielsen's goal that broke the Islanders' scoreless streak and made the 2-0 Caps lead, 2-1.

But FINALLY I was able to shake the website out of its stupor and log back in to see the rest, and oh, how good it was. It's a funny thing about the Islanders- they always manage to play a seriously good game against teams that are projected way above them in the standings, no matter how they do against teams at or below their "level," so to speak. And show up they did against Washington after giving up a 2-0 lead. After Nielsen, Brian Rolston benefited from one of Nielsen's spot-on cross ice passes to boom a shot through Tomas Vokoun's five-hole, tying it up at 2. Then, carrying that momentum, Matt Martin's line crashed the net, and Martin ended up burying one to make it a brief 3-2 lead.

Brooks Laich shot a laser past Rick DiPietro's glove to tie it up again, but for the Caps, who had a 4 goal-per-game average forced coming into this game, that would be it. Every single Islander on the ice played a wonderful defensive game to make sure Washington did not get comfortable in their zone. And DiPietro, who made 25 saves, even got an assist on the night- he banked the puck off the boards to John Tavares, who potted the empty-net goal to seal it for Long Island. Not bad for a guy whom the fans were calling for backup Al Montoya to replace at the end of the first period, eh? In all seriousness, though, I think Ricky did the best he could. There's not much you CAN do when the offense isn't scoring-all of the pressure is then placed on you as a goalie, as well as the defense in front of you. Yes, maybe one goal could have been avoided, but that doesn't take away from the fact that there is more than just a goalie out there. At least tonight, it began to look like it.

P-A Parenteau and Frans Nielsen also had great games for the Islanders, earning the first and second stars (respectively) of the night. Parenteau had a three-point night and was a +3 after being moved to a line with Nielsen and Brian Rolston, who (no coincidence) each had at least one point. Nielsen scored both a goal and an assist as well, and that second line was in fact the best line on the ice for the Isles. It makes sense, since each of these guys is so hardworking and great with the puck. We all know about Nielsen's two-way abilities as well, but one cannot overlook how good Parenteau is both with and away from the puck. He covers the ice very well and works very hard to get to the puck along the boards, showing (especially this season, and especially tonight) that perhaps it wasn't just teammates Matt Moulson and Tavares who were the reasons for his 20-goal, 53-point season last year (though of course it helps to have those guys with you).

Lastly... I just loved watching the guys grouping up to receive the stars of the game. Mark Streit asked the team to do that after wins at home, which I think is a great move; it conveys a real sense of solidarity. And after going winless in six, seeing them so happy and excited to celebrate a much-needed two points did give me the warm and fuzzies. :) Now it's on the road for a week to face Boston (who trashed Toronto tonight, 7-0) and Colorado, as well as Vancouver. We shall see how far this win will take them- and of course, while they can't dwell, they can certainly try and keep up the great play they had tonight.

LET'S GO ISLES! :D Nice to see a win for a change!

Who Wants to Watch- er, Read Previews?

Well, I am admittedly awful already at keeping this blog up to date (haha, see what I did there? Alliteration!). What can I say? The Islanders have dropped six of the last six and only gotten two of a possible twelve points, and now they're coming in to face the multi-headed monster that is the Washington Capitals. The Caps have won nine of eleven games played so far and are fresh off of a 5-1 drubbing of Carolina.

Is this a huge case of David vs. Goliath or what?

To be honest, though Capuano has switched around lines, putting Bailey as the fourth-line center and moving Grabner up to top line RW among other things, I don't know if the Isles are in the right mindset to succeed tonight. This Washington team of course has PLENTY of offensive weapons, not the least of which is captain Alexander Ovechkin, so the defense will have its hands full. (Here's a telling stat: the Caps have forced 4.00 goals per game since the start of the season, according to capitals.nhl.com.) Rick DiPietro gets another start tonight, with Al Montoya backing up, and while I don't doubt Ricky, I'd love to see Monty in net again. He does have the best save percentage and GAA of the three goalies New York has suited up, so why not put a little bit of faith in him once more?

Either way, I'm not the coach. And we'll see whether the Isles possess the right frame of mind to at least be competitive tonight. They can do it- they've done it in the past, and though Washington owned them in the season series, sweeping four of four, all four games were decided by just a goal. And that was with a depleted roster for much of the season. So imagine what COULD happen tonight, provided the boys in blue and orange bring their A game.

We shall see.

Support Movember!

Mustache November, or "Movember" as it's commonly called, is an entire month in which men go without shaving their upper lip. It supports prostate cancer awareness. And this year, we've got eight players ready to go the distance for the cause.

Last night (and in that picture), I was already impressed with Blake Comeau's stache, haha. This is going to be a great thing, and I'm glad so many of the guys are doing it. With morale on the team no doubt lagging a bit thanks to the losing streak, at least there's something like this to be fun with.

There is also a Matt Moulson "Moulstache" tee that Moulson paired up with sportschirps.com to make, which I am DYING to get my hands on. It is amazing. xD Have a look:

Tell me that isn't awesome.

You can also donate to specific players' causes, or to the team as a whole. Here's more info on that, from The NHL Arena (thanks, TMC, for posting :D).

I hope these guys can get some good 'staches and donations going! I'm planning to donate as soon as I can get my tuition reimbursed (thank God for financial aid!).

Oh, Brother.

Jets 3: Islanders 0

"The Jets franchise, who once resided in Atlanta, has 20 wins over the Islanders, and 12 of them coming on Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum ice."

This sentence above comes from Get Real Hockey on Tumblr, and it explains a bit about last night. New jersey, new city, new name, whatever, this team still somehow has a stranglehold over the Islanders when they come to their house. Stats or not, though, it still made for some frustrating-as-hell hockey to watch.

I won't be too harsh. I mean, these guys did play a good game- for 20 minutes, anyway. Actually, I'm more inclined to say those 20 minutes weren't concentrated into one period- they would have flashes of brilliance for about thirty seconds and then lose it completely again. And it was not for lack of trying that they lost, though some could argue that the energy was not there for enough of the game- they did have some good chances that Andrej Pavelec was just up to the task on. (Then again, I'm sure any goalie would be up to the task of stopping a shot directly to his chest or pads instead of around him...) His teammates also stepped up; Randy Jones, Nik Antropov and Jim Slater were all temporarily benched after being blasted by shots they were blocking (and I'm pretty sure at least two of them were thanks to the shot of Mark Streit, which I would not want to get in the way of either).

One sequence comes to mind: The Tavares line was out, and they had crashed the net beautifully, but Pavelec would make one save, then another, then a rebound that missed the net, and then a rebound that went OVER the net. Clear-cut scoring chances that had absolutely no finish whatsoever. That shift in particular made me scream in frustration at my computer, just because it's a recurring theme that NO ONE wants to see again, least of all the players themselves, I know.

It also blows for Rick DiPietro, who got another start tonight and showed up admirably, making 23 saves on 25 shots. (Yeah, the Islanders also outshot the Jets 34-25. What does that say about the finish?) These guys are going to have to do something in front of each of their goalies. This isn't the first time the Isles have had a three-headed monster to deal with in goal, but it doesn't matter; each of them has been playing well, and since Capuano has made clear that he's not choosing any specific one of them to be #1 anytime soon (see end of article), the guys in front are going to have to adjust to whoever is in net for a start. Or perhaps Cappy will have to make some adjustments to his lines.

The only bright spot about this game? No penalties! Save for a fighting major Travis Hamonic served at the end of the first period after dropping the gloves with Evander Kane (who was really annoying me last night- scored a goal, got into a fight after making Hammer lose his stick and then took a penalty shot- thank goodness Ricky stopped him. End rant.). Though it's frustrating that on the most disciplined night of the Isles' young season, they also fail to score goals, maybe it's a good thing that no penalty kills were added to the already mounting headache they had to deal with on the ice.

Other than that, all I have to say is... come on, Isles, get it together. You're playing the Capitals on Sunday, the defending champion Bruins on Monday (I don't care if they're currently in the basement of the Eastern Conference, they're still dangerous), and you'll have to travel a lot more this month. Let's see some goals and some points, huh? Other people may be lamenting over how badly our team sucks right now, but it's still early. As long as the Isles can shake this funk now before it stretches to ten games, we can still focus on that p-word everyone wants to say (but is too scared to... who am I kidding, playoffs).

I still have faith.