New Blog Is Up!

http://aeryssports.com/arbour-day/

Thanks for reading!

-Ang

Short-Lived, But Still Sweet.

Hey, guys.

So, all went better than expected over at Aerys Sports, and I am now the New York Islanders writer for their NHL section! :)

Unfortunately, that means saying goodbye to this blog. :| It's bittersweet, but of course, it's the practical thing to do. I can't handle two blogs and work and school AND lacrosse, after all.

It's been a great time, and I am grateful to those of you who have stuck with this one for the brief period of time it has been on the circuit. For those of you who still would like to read my stuff, I will link you guys up to the new site in the coming days (as soon as it gets done).

Thanks so much for reading! :)

-Angie

Hiatus.

I will be taking a break from Bad Angles for the time being. This wasn't planned, but I am trying my hand at the NHL beat on Aerys Sports, in the Intermission Report section for the NHL. Seeing as balancing two hockey blogs may not be the easiest feat in the world, I'll be placing this one aside for a bit and seeing what happens. You can still catch me on Twitter at @Bad_Angles, or at my personal handle, @ReinaDeLaIsla (warning: caps lock rants).

Thank you for reading, and I hope you'll check out my posts on the Intermission Report!

Until next time.

-Angie

Tavares Has Strong Showing in Ottawa

John Tavares's star is still rising, but as of right now, he's proven to the National Hockey League that he's worth more than just a passing glance.

The young center was the Islanders' only representative in Ottawa for the NHL's All-Star Weekend, and a member of Team Alfredsson. He took part in three events during the Skills Competition- the Breakaway Challenge, the Skills Relay, and the Elimination Shootout- and did admirably on all of them. You can view video of one of his Breakaway Challenge goals, a nice lacrosse-style shot on Carey Price, here. (By the way, Price's Tebow... one of the best things of the night, just saying.) In the end, Patrick Kane of Team Chara won the popular vote thanks to his Superman costume and trick puck, but Team Alfredsson won the overall competition by a final score of 21-12.

Then came the actual game. Team Chara stormed out to an early lead, 3-0, but JT helped chip away at that lead, ultimately scoring the tying goal in the first period, 3-3. He added an assist on a goal by Milan Michalek, but Team Chara prevailed on a hat trick and an assist by the Rangers' Marian Gaborik, and won 12-9. Gaborik won the All-Star MVP for his efforts.

The best moments:

• Chara obliterating his own record with a 108.8 mph slapper in the Hardest Shot competition.
• All of the goalies' antics, especially Carey Price's. Goalies are certainly a different breed, and thank God for that.
• Daniel Alfredsson's two goals during the game, eliciting an incredible reaction from the Ottawa crowd. They sure love their captain in Canada's capital.

There are many more, but those are just the ones that stood out to me. If you want to have a ball and/or missed any part of All-Star Weekend, just go through NHL.com's video console and have a good time. That is where I grabbed all these videos, btw. ;)

As for JT himself, well, he seemed to have a great time:

“I worked hard to get where I am,” said Tavares. “It’s obviously great playing with such talented players. It’s a special thing. These guys are the best in the world, and to be part of that group is tough to believe. It’s still sinking in.”

(Source: islanders.nhl.com)

Great job, JT! We're proud to call you our All-Star.

Not Enough Whistleblowing... At All

Leafs 4: Islanders 3 (OT)

After controlling most of this game and jumping out to a 2-0 lead, the Islanders let it all slip away and then were subjected to some questionable-at-best officiating, ultimately losing in overtime 4-3.

First, the good.

John Tavares got things started early on with his 20th goal of the season 1:54 into the game. Josh Bailey also scored his second shorthanded goal in a week to make it 2-0. PA Parenteau also scored to pull the Isles even after the Maple Leafs took a late lead. The offense was much more responsive in this game than last night, and Al Montoya made only 17 saves but kept his team in it for as long as he could in his first game since Dec. 20. He even tried to make a glove save in OT that would have made highlight reels everywhere... if it hadn't gone over the line.

Then, the bad.

The Isles ended up coughing up a 2-0 lead thanks to some very shoddy defensive work. Mark Streit and Milan Jurcina were each a -2, and Mark Eaton was miraculously a 0, despite some breakdowns of his own. Ultimately, though, Jurcina has to be called out for tonight's performance; he was out of position on the Leafs' first goal by Clarke MacArthur and then was caught cross-checking a Leaf in front of Montoya, giving a perfect screen for the second goal by Jake Gardiner (the first of his NHL career).

Now, the ugly.

The goal that gave the Leafs a 3-2 lead? A whiff. Up in the air, over Montoya's shoulder and in. You cannot get any luckier or flukier than that, and while I'm sure Leafs fans loved it, everyone on my Twitter timeline was going, "WTF?" because that's exactly what it induced.

There was quite a bit of nastiness in this game too, which led to some physicality and a lot of cheapshots, many of which escaped the refs' notice on behalf of Toronto. Seriously, though, how do you miss a high stick? It's called a high stick because it's, well, high. Hockey sticks are pretty long things, you know; it's hard to miss one waving in the air parallel to the ice when it should be on it blade-first, but that might just be my hazy judgment. Tavares, Andrew MacDonald and Matt Martin, among other Isles, were the recipients of such shots, and the refs conveniently managed to turn a blind eye to every call. Talk about lousy "luck." Doug Weight certainly had something to say about it as he left the ice once the game was over (and can I just say, I adore his tirades... glad to know there's someone behind the bench with some passion in him).

All in all, the frustration was palpable, and certainly visible on the face of many an Islander as they made their way back to the dressing rooms; in fact, Travis Hamonic was seen smashing his stick on his way through the tunnel. I can't blame him. You don't go out on the ice and put up that kind of effort only to lose your way and then stand helpless as the officiating stinks up the place. But that's how it's been all season, it seems, for any game. The calls just aren't there, and they should be. At the very least, the Islanders were able to salvage a point... but it's never enough.

Until next time, which will be next Tuesday against Carolina due to the All-Star Break. Let's go, JT!

Thank Heaven For Small Inconveniences

Thanks to school and a three-hour shift at work, I didn't get to watch last night's game against Toronto (though I may not be so lucky tonight) and perhaps it was for a good reason. Apparently, our boys were blanked 3-0. John Tavares had only three shots on goal, the other three lines couldn't help the top line out (shocker), and Evgeni Nabokov was burned for three goals, two of which came from a man named Matthew Lombardi (whom I know very little of) and the other from Phil Kessel (whom I know too much of). Joy.

All I have to say is, whatever happened last night... it needs to UN-happen tonight. And that begins with given the top line shorter shifts, for heaven's sake. If Twitter can be believed, the average shifts for Moulson and Tavares were 1:03?????? How do you expect these guys to perform at top notch if you're killing them with ice time? They aren't superheroes, after all. My goodness.

Okay, that's all for now. Back half of the home-and-home tonight. May the hockey gods grant us strength.

It's #TavaresTime! JT Scores Two, Lifts Isles Over 'Canes

Hurricanes 1: Islanders 2 (OT)

Once again, it took overtime to do it, but the Islanders were able to get a much-needed two points over their fellow struggling team, the Carolina Hurricanes, at Nassau Coliseum tonight.

Why? Two words: John Tavares.

Reporters, bloggers and fans alike are starting to sound like broken records when talking about the 21-year-old center's success, simply because there's been so much of it lately. In so many games lately, and particularly this one, he has been the difference, and with his two goals tonight (his second the winner in OT), he has reached an NHL-best 12-game points streak.

Things were dicey for the Islanders throughout this game; they looked unfocused and lackadaisical, and that sloppiness burned them in their defensive zone, as Jeff Skinner was able to convert at 8:43 in the first off of a turnover. After that, the Isles' offense seemed to come alive, but it wouldn't be until the second period that it would finally break through Cam Ward.

In that second period, the Islanders threw 23 shots at Ward, and he would stop 22 of them. The one he let in was the result of the Hurricanes' own sloppiness in the defensive zone- Kyle Okposo and Mark Streit did excellent work to keep the puck in and get to the front of the net, and Tavares would take care of the rebound.

The game stretched to OT, and Ward would make his only big mistake of the game- one that cost his team an extra point. Mark Eaton passed the puck along to Travis Hamonic at the point, and Hamonic attempted a shot that went wide. PA Parenteau picked it up and drop passed to Tavares. Ward handled the initial shot, but had no idea where the puck was (right under him). As he tried to feel for it, Tavares caught sight of it and poked it home for the win, giving him 19 goals on the year and his team another mark in the 'W' column.

It's good to see the Isles doing so well, but they cannot stop at a three-game win streak. Nor can they rely only on Tavares to score; sooner or later, they have to figure teams will pick up on him and look to shut him down, as Carolina was soon attempting to late in this game. Don't get me wrong, JT's a slippery character and strong on the puck, but he can't be the only one. His linemates and the other three lines must, must, MUST find ways to score as well. The Bailey line had some good chances, but chances mean nothing without finish. Something has to break through, and here's hoping it will against Toronto on Monday and Tuesday, because the Maple Leafs mean business this season, and they won't be sitting down for anyone.

Oh, and if you're wondering about the hashtag in the title, well... Twitter comes up with some gems. I can't be sure exactly where this one came about, but I did first see my friends Joe (@KidsGotJoekes) and Katherine (@_katherine) using it, and I fell in love with it just because it was perfect to describe the way JT's been able to take over the team and the league. Apparently, "Tebow Time" had become popular among football fans, but... I'm not a huge fan of Tebow, anyway, and neither were these guys. Thus, #TavaresTime is now a trend among us three, at the very least. I hope it catches on; it really is quite awesome. :D

Until next time.

Apologies. Here's a Preview.

This week's been hell as far as me trying to get back into the groove of things. I'm in class until 3:30 or later Monday through Thursday, so I usually am not home until after 6 thanks to awful bus schedules. Which means I have only a small window to shower, eat and get stuff done until the Isles game is on. And don't get me started on days when my manager schedules me to work (which thankfully are scarce during the school week... but I digress).

I'm sure you don't care about all of that, though- you just want a preview. So here it is.

The Isles are going to see quite a bit of the Hurricanes between now and the end of the month; they play each other tonight, there are another couple of games (perhaps) until All-Star Weekend in Ottawa, and then they face off again on January 31. Before this, they had played only one game this season, which the Isles won 4-3 in a shootout on January 3 (why does that feel so far away now?).

Both teams are on a high right now; each has shutout the Capitals 3-0 this past week. Jussi Jokinen had a pair of goals (one shorthanded, one power-play) and Jiri Tlusty also had a PPG in last night's win over Washington, which means the Isles will have to look out for special teams and fire back with some of their own. (Are you listening, power play?)

An astonishing stat for you: Carolina is apparently 10-0-3 in its last 13 against New York, and we haven't beaten them in regulation since 2006. I was under the impression that there was at least one regulation win in there somewhere, but I guess not. The Isles do need all the points that they can get, and they can't afford to give any away to the 'Canes, who are battling right there with New York to get out of the Eastern Conference cellar. Eric Staal is not having the season he is used to having, but he can still get one past the Isles, and he has in eight straight games at Nassau Coliseum.

Meanwhile, the Isles' own star, John Tavares, has the longest points streak by an Islander since Mark Parrish (12 games) in 2001. His stretches 11 games so far, and it has a very good chance of continuing today as long as the top line continues its dominance. JT's linemates, Kyle Okposo and Matt Moulson, have had points in the last five and six games, respectively, and are contributing wonderfully to the score sheet, no doubt being helped by their center's success.

It's wonderful to see how much JT has grown from his rookie year- his skating has improved so much, he's tons stronger on the puck, his playmaking skills are sharper than ever and he's shooting (and scoring) from everywhere. He's also a mature young man at 21, and I wouldn't be shocked if somewhere down the line he gets a permanent A or maybe even a C, though maybe it would be easier or better for him to concentrate on scoring. He's still very young and has a lot more room to improve.

Meanwhile, the secondary scoring has heated up somewhat. Michael Grabner has three goals in three games- granted, two are empty-netters, but scoring on an empty net is harder than you think!- and Josh Bailey had a beautiful shorthanded backhander against Philly the other night that ended up being the game-winner. Both of these players have looked much better in recent games, and Bailey especially has had some nice chances. I hope this story continues to develop, with some support from Matt Martin who has professed to want to contribute more on offense. Tonight would be the perfect night to do so.

Well, that's all for now. Let's go, Islanders!

Tavares Continues Point Streak, But Isles Fall Short of the Mark

Predators 3: Islanders 1

A lackluster first period was enough to keep the Isles out of the win column once more against the Nashville Predators, in an aggravating display of defense and goaltending from the opponents.

Pekka Rinne made 36 saves, and the skaters in front of him combined for three goals, +10, 19 blocked shots and 14 takeaways, as the Predators ultimately kept their lead. Sergei Kostitsyn and Matt Halischuk scored on the first two Nashville shots of the game, and then David Legwand padded the total. Then Rinne and the D took care of the rest, shutting much of the Isles' offense down save for the Isles' lone goal late in the third, by John Tavares (who extended his points streak to nine games).

Nashville is both fascinating and aggravating to watch. Not once did the Preds deviate from their game plan, scoring all of their goals and then focusing exclusively on keeping the Islanders away from their goalie- and without taking penalties, might I add. When New York did get in front of the net, Rinne took care of virtually every opportunity, particularly on a two-man-down situation in the second period. He ended up earning the second star of the game for his efforts.

There isn't much else to say about this game, except that I hope the Isles can get their heads right and come out for a full 60 minutes against Washington tomorrow night. The Capitals MAY not be what they were last year, but they can still eat a team for breakfast if they're not prepared. Stay tuned.

Preview: Predators @ Islanders, 1/16/12

This preview is late because my eyes couldn't stay open long enough last night, but no matter.

One of the first things you look at regarding the Nashville Predators against the Islanders is the record they have against us. It its last eight games, the Music City machine has a 6-0-2 record, the last match being a resounding 5-0 whooping on the Isles.

The second thing to look at is the Predators' current record of 25-15-4, good for sixth in the Western Conference and tenth in the NHL. They're on a four-game winning streak, the last win against the Flyers, 4-2. (Transitive property: If the Flyers beat US, and THEY beat the FLYERS... just sayin'.)

The third thing to look at is their overwhelming lack of offense. Top scorer and captain Shea Weber has 32 points, only nine of those goals. Their top goal scorers are David Legwand and Patric Hornqvist, each with 12. So how are they winning?

Well, defense and goaltending certainly help. During their current streak, the Preds have only allowed five goals against, and this is no real easy feat particularly against Philly. After some early-season defensive and goaltending woes, everything seems to be getting right on track- Pekka Rinne has a 2.54 GAA and .920 save percentage after 40 starts.

What can the Islanders do to bust through that entire juggernaut? Just stick to the script. The top line has been doing everything right so far; secondary scoring is the real main concern. Josh Bailey and Michael Grabner had some excellent chances against Buffalo that failed to convert, but Grabner did end up scoring twice (including an empty-netter), which gave him three goals in three games. Maybe this will give him the confidence he needs after looking a lot more like his old self in recent matches. As for Bailey, he's showing the slick hands and the drive to the net. Now all he needs is a bit of accuracy.

Expect the goalie matchup to be Nabokov vs. Rinne. Nabokov got win #300 on Saturday night and, despite a recurring goof, played a solid game. Unless Jack Capuano wants to give him some well-deserved rest, I can foresee him being in net.

Let's go, Isles!

Nabokov Gets 300th Win As Isles Fend Off Sabres

Sabres 2: Islanders 4

It was not an easy night for Evgeni Nabokov, by any means.

The 36-year-old goaltender had to make some tough saves and didn't do himself any favors by giving the puck away to Nathan Gerbe in the second period, letting the Sabres tie the game at 2.

But ultimately, he kept himself and his team in it, and he fought off a bad call and a penalty shot by Thomas Vanek late in the game to preserve what would become his 300th career win.

He also had some help from his offense. The top line once again delivered a sparkling performance. Matt Moulson tallied the first Isles goal and an assist, Kyle Okposo scored the second goal, and John Tavares had two assists. Michael Grabner also had an offensive breakout, with five shots and two goals (including the game-winner, as well as the empty-netter for insurance). The Isles once again led their opponents in shots overall, 40-25.

As for the Sabres, they got their chances and were as resilient as a team playing back-to-back games can be. Patrick Kaleta and Derek Roy were the goal scorers, as top scorers Jason Pominville (no shots, -2, left at one point in the game due to discomfort after a play) and Thomas Vanek (2 shots, -1, also left after getting a puck to the face) were relatively quiet. Vanek played the remainder of his game with a facial shield after leaving in the second period. Jhonas Enroth, meanwhile, made 36 saves and did his best to keep the Sabres in the game; ultimately, his efforts proved to fall short.

It was also a big night for a former Islander. Patrick Flatley was inducted into the Hall of Fame tonight. The Montreal, QC winger played for the Rangers as well, but was drafted and played the bulk of his career with the Isles- and in his rookie year, he helped lead his team to its fifth straight Stanley Cup Final in 1984 on an impressive playoff campaign. He also became a captain, and though not a flashy scorer, he led the team well and made his presence known. Congrats to Flats, and I certainly hope (and think) he enjoyed the current Isles team's performance tonight.

Until next time.

Some notes: JT has extended his points streak to 8 games and led the Isles forwards in TOI with 20:40... Travis Hamonic had 4 hits and 23:10 TOI to lead the entire team... Matt Martin and Joe Finley dropped the gloves in the second period, with Finley getting the edge on Martin mainly due to his height (6'8 compared to Martin's 6'3). Credit to Matty Marts for sticking with him in the fight.

Preview: Sabres @ Islanders, 1/14/12

Well, it's snowy and windy and freezing outside, and there are no games on Gamecenter that I would like to watch, so instead, I'm here writing up this preview.

The Buffalo Sabres are currently at 23rd in the league and 11th in the Eastern Conference. Right now, they hold a 2-1 lead against their rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs, late in the first period. Paul Gaustad and Matt Ellis are the goalscorers.

Buffalo is a bit of an enigma. They have talented players, but as some fans lament, not much of an identity. And they win and lose at frequent intervals, as the Islanders do. Last time these two teams met (a game that I attended!), the Islanders won 2-1, the shots were even, and there was a bloody fight in the first period, plus plenty of penalties on both sides.

Now, though, the Sabres have players in the top 30 in scoring- captain Jason Pominville (43 pts, 13th) and Thomas Vanek (40 pts, 19th). Of course, the Isles have their top 30 scorers too- John Tavares and Matt Moulson, with 39 and 37 points, respectively. And it's been a while since their last meeting, so who knows if there may be a little bit more offense than last time. Then again, despite their offensive weapons, both teams have run a bit dry in scoring lately, so who knows.

Overall... this game, to me, is just a big question mark. The Isles have had recent success against Buffalo, but with the streakiness of these two clubs, it's hard to tell what will happen- and it'll be hard to me to gauge if I can't watch tomorrow. Psst, if anyone can give me a feed, it'd be much appreciated. Email me. ;)

Until then.

DiPietro Likely to Miss Remainder of Season

From the "what now?" files: embattled goaltender Rick DiPietro is going under the knife again.

This time, it's for a sports hernia, which first Newsday reported and then apparently the Islanders confirmed. DiPietro will undergo surgery Tuesday to repair it, which reveals to fans exactly what was that "second injury" that DP sustained while already on IR.

This is frustrating on all counts, mostly for DiPietro, of course, but also for the team and organization, and for the fans. DiPietro still has the majority of his 15-year contract to fulfill, and it doesn't seem likely that that will be the case. Since being shut down in 2008 to have hip surgery, he's played 47 games and been in and out of the Islanders lineup, while a parade of goalies has come in to relieve him, the latest of course being Evgeni Nabokov and Al Montoya, along with recently called-up Kevin Poulin.

And despite some whispers of him thinking about retirement, Ricky has told Newsday that he isn't looking that way at all, which has some thinking, "Well, why the heck not?" It just doesn't make much sense for him to put the strain on his body and his mind, and I bet it can't be easy on the team- or his wife, for that matter.

According to nhl.com, GM Garth Snow says the earliest DP can look to come back is the start of April, which basically means the entire season will be shot for him once more. (The NHL regular season ends April 9.) Another frustrating part in the never-ending saga that is Rick DiPietro's return from injury.

We've Got Stats, But No Show: Isles Fall Again to Flyers

Flyers 3: Islanders 2

Too little much too late, in the case of the New York Islanders.

Though John Tavares continued his scoring streak with a goal in the final minute, the Isles ultimately ran out of time against the Philadelphia Flyers, a team that has given them fits for years. Kyle Okposo was the only other goalscorer, and Sergei Bobrovsky improved his record to 7-0-0 against New York. Both Isles goals came in the third period.

It was another one of those games in which the Isles dominated the stats, but had no finish. They led in shots 35-22, hits 28-22, and faceoff percentage 52% to 48%. But the differences were big, and they were mainly contained in net.

Evgeni Nabokov, in his quest for 300 wins, did play admirably to begin. The first goal he allowed, a deflection by Scott Hartnell on the man-advantage for Philly, wasn't something he could control- especially when the penalty was questionable. (It was a tripping call on Nabokov himself.) But in the second period, he flubbed a play behind the net and then got caught out of position at the post by Wayne Simmonds, who tucked it between Nabokov's pad and the pipe for the 2-0 lead. After that, with Okposo having scored to cut the lead to 1, it was simply over for him as Sean Couturier wristed one right over his shoulder, capping an end to a frustrating night made only mildly interesting by the Tavares goal shortly after. It's a shame, because he had some brilliant saves to keep the game tight, but Isles fans will certainly only remember the gaffe that led to the Simmonds goal- and it's one he's made in the past.

I don't know what else there is to say. Except all we have to do is move on to Saturday night against Buffalo, a game that I might not even be able to watch, because (surprise!) I live in Buffalo and have Time Warner Cable, and there's no viewing party at First Niagara because of the Bandits' home opener. Sigh. Oh, Time Warner. Why couldn't you and MSG reach a deal again? I don't understand it.

Until next time.

Tavares Named NHL All-Star!

John Tavares, the Isles' top center and leading scorer, has been named to the 2012 All-Star Game roster.

The 21-year-old has 39 points and currently stands at 22nd in the league in scoring, tied with Florida's Kris Versteeg. He has 10 multi-point games and one hat trick so far this season. This is his first All-Star mention.

More info here:

http://islanders.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=611364

Congratulations, JT!

Preview: Philadelphia Flyers @ New York Islanders, 1/12/12

If the Islanders always manage to have the Red Wings' number, be advised- the Philadelphia Flyers have the Isles on speed dial.

Since the end of the 2006-07 season, the Islanders are an abysmal 1-17-5 against their division rivals. Tomorrow night, they play host to the black and orange in hopes of making that 2-17-5.

Philadelphia has a very good club this season as it did last- currently standing fourth in the East and sixth overall. Claude Giroux is fast becoming the centerpiece of the team, leading his team and standing second in the NHL in scoring with 48 points. However, he won't be the biggest threat to the Isles, strangely enough.

No, that honor goes to noted Isle-killer Daniel Briere, who has 24 points (half of them goals) in his last 19 games against us. In fact, he scored the OT winner the night before Thanksgiving, after the Isles had had a 3-1 lead. Briere is sneaky and gifted, and I'm sure he'll be a handful tomorrow if the Isles' D doesn't keep up.

Taking Marty Biron's place in net for the Isles killers is Sergei Bobrovsky. The young netminder has good numbers as it is- 9-3-1, a .919 sv % and 2.45 GAA- but against New York, he is 6-0-0 with a 1.84 GAA. That is scary good, and it almost guarantees he'll be in net against us tomorrow, even with the Flyers' astronomy specialist, Ilya Bryzgalov, ready to go.

Granted, the Flyers have been up and down lately in terms of play. After a poor third period against Ottawa that ultimately cost them the game, the Flyers buckled down and their rookies came up big to give them the win. However, their top line (Giroux, Scott Hartnell and Jaromir Jagr) hasn't scored in three games, and some of their losses have been big this season. Still, they are not going to be easy against the Isles, and players have found ways to break slumps against this team as well.

The best thing the Islanders could do is be aggressive. Philadelphia is a strong team that has skill, but loves the rough stuff as well. The Isles need to answer that bell with a strong, energetic forecheck and plenty of support, and try their best to draw penalties without taking any themselves. The power play has had its struggles, but it's managed to break through in recent games for some pretty sweet goals. The main idea is to throw the Flyers off of their game early and go from there. If the score is 1-0 at the end of the night, in our favor, it'll be an accomplishment, what with Bobrovsky's talent. Just focus.

Until next time.

Islanders Take Care of Business Against Red Wings

Red Wings 1: Islanders 5

What was all that noise I was spewing about Evgeni Nabokov being sub-par against the Red Wings?

After the showing tonight, I can happily eat my words. The veteran netminder made 23 saves to preserve the win for the Islanders over the Wings, 5-1, in an offensive explosion that would make Mike Bossy proud. Mark Streit, Matt Moulson and John Tavares each finished the night with three points. Moulson also reached the 20-goal mark, and his line finished with a goal and an assist apiece. Michael Grabner would also break his scoring drought with his 11th of the year. Justin Abdelkader kept the game from being a shutout in the third period.

Where can I start with this game? I'm just glad to see these boys rebound after a couple of God-awful losses. The top line brought its A-game as usual, carving up the Red Wings' D for some great goals. Tavares was struck in the face with a puck, but returned not even a shift later and soon after scored two of his three points (1 G, 1A). Moulson scored two goals- one on the power play in the first period, and the other in the second period, which is where the bulk of the Isles' scoring occurred. And not to be outdone, Kyle Okposo benefited from plays by both of his linemates to score his ninth of the season.

The second line of Matt Martin, Josh Bailey and Grabner also did some wonderful work. Martin in particular made an impact on offense, tallying an assist on Grabs's goal and finishing with two recorded shots and four hits. On the fourth line, Jay Pandolfo stood out, recording five blocked shots and three takeaways (and proving that he still has the chops as a defensive forward and penalty killer). His line was on the ice for the Abdelkader goal, but other than that, they were solid as well.

Of course, none of this would have mattered if Nabokov hadn't been on his game, and that he was. Some of his saves were downright acrobatic against the team he would have gone to, had the Islanders not claimed him off of re-entry waivers. Some people, myself included, questioned the decision to stick with him as starter after the Isles had called up red-hot Sound Tiger Kevin Poulin, but I doubt there are any questions tonight, as Nabokov earned the second star of the game for his efforts.

This is a huge win for the Isles against a team that is still tops in the league. Some people regarded this game as a "joke" via social media, seeing as New York is still dwelling in the bottom of the standings, but I've got news for them: Standings don't matter if a team doesn't bring its all. On any given night, a team with a bad record can beat one of the best. Clearly, the Red Wings are a great squad, but even head coach Mike Babcock admits that recently, the team has looked past the Islanders, and the Isles have capitalized on that. And they will continue to, even if they can't quite get past teams in the same boat or worse off than they are.

Until next time, against Philly (oh, that should be fun).

Let's go Islanders!

Preview: Red Wings @ Islanders, 12/10/12

I don't have a cutesy little title for this post, because honestly, there's nothing cutesy about this matchup.

The Detroit Red Wings are second in the Western Conference and fourth overall with 53 points, and that's not by accident. They have a system that has worked for years, and they're not straying too much from the game plan anytime soon. Plus, while their offensive leader, Pavel Datsyuk, only has 13 goals and 43 points, they've proven that they don't need a lot of flashy goalscorers in order to win games.

Last night, the Red Wings came back from a 2-0 deficit to beat Chicago in overtime, 3-2. The game before that, they stormed back from a 3-0 deficit against Toronto, only to fall 4-3- but that's still impressive. This team has tenacity, so while it's key for the Islanders to get that all-important first goal, they also must mount a lead and stick to it. The Red Wings can capitalize on virtually every mistake their opponents make, so there cannot be any sloppy moments if the Isles want these two points.

Not that this team has had much difficulty against the 'Wings in recent years. Some scores that come to mind involve a pair of 2-1 wins, a 2-0 win, a 6-0 win, and a 4-3 win- and in many cases, these games were the among the best-played of the year, particularly in net. However, the Islanders can't just bank on history. They have to come out and match the Red Wings in intensity for all 60 minutes. Detroit isn't a team that takes a lot of penalties for dumb reasons, so the Isles can't exactly goad them into doing that, but being aggressive can throw them off of their game.

Also, they'd do well to take their shots against Jimmy Howard- the goalie is in the top 10 in every major category in the league, including first in wins and third in shutouts. The offense has to bring the heat, and not just the top line. Of course, if David Ullstrom is able to return tomorrow night, he could bring some stability to the Josh Bailey and Matt Martin line, where he'd been playing before suffering a concussion (might I add, by Andrew Ladd's elbow- and to think I once LIKED him). Detroit's not a team that's blown out very often, due to strong defense and good goaltending, so the Isles have to preserve whatever lead they can gather with equally strong defense and two-way play.

Meanwhile, Evgeni Nabokov will likely get the nod in net once more, as Al Montoya is working toward a return. Concussions are a heady thing to deal with in terms of recovery (forgive the pun), so if I were the Isles' coaching staff, I wouldn't put Monty in net until Saturday against the Sabres, also allowing for him to shake off some rust and get back to form in practice. I know it sounds like forever, and I want to see Montoya back by all means- I just don't want to see him get placed back on IR, either. Besides, while Ullstrom shouldn't be rushed back either, I always think it's a bit easier for skaters to come back into the lineup, and I could be wrong about that; either way, it's a different story altogether.

Well, we shall see.

Montoya, Ullstrom Making Slow Progress Toward Returns

I say "slow" because in no way do I want to jinx either of them, particularly Al Montoya. But after being out of the lineup with concussions, both Monty and forward David Ullstrom are scheduled to practice today, prior to the Isles' tilt against Detroit tomorrow.

Arthur Staple of Newsday has the full story.

Montoya and Ullstrom had both been injured in the Isles' overtime win in Winnipeg almost three weeks ago. Ullstrom could be back by tomorrow; Montoya, however, will need some more practice time to shake off the rust. Which is fine, since Evgeni Nabokov (save for Saturday's huge hiccup) has been playing solid hockey in relief. Plus, Staple whispers something about Kevin Poulin, who could be called up after posting three consecutive shutouts last week.

I don't know about any of that, but if Ullstrom's return could potentially mean sitting Michael Grabner, who has been invisible out there, then maybe it's a good thing. Grabs might need a break from the ice if it means he can get his focus back to where it should be.

Until next time.

Stats are a Girl's Best Friend

The Islanders website has the most important stats lined up for last night's game against the Ducks, and I am giddy with excitement at breaking this down. So here goes.

• John Tavares and Kyle Okposo each have four-game point streaks and Matt Moulson has a three-game streak.

This top line has been the Isles' bread-and-butter ever since Jack Capuano decided to create it. They provide much of the offense, plus a lot of the jump and creativity the Isles need to score. JT is smart, Moulson's gritty and KO is energetic, making this line pretty hard to stop cold.

• The Islanders outshot the Ducks 8-3 in the first period, but the Ducks rebounded to outshoot the Islanders 9-8 in the second and 8-5 in the third. For the game, the Isles outshot Anaheim 21-20. It’s the second time this season that each team has had 21 shots or fewer in an Islander game.

Both teams played some excellent defense early on, which is probably why the shot totals were so low. I remembered seeing quite a few shot blocks, including a couple that hurt players- indeed, Marty Reasoner ended up leaving the game with a broken hand. (That should, however, give Jay Pandolfo an opportunity to get back onto the roster.) Also, there were quite a few misses- and some posts, let's not forget.

• The Islanders are 14-18-6 overall and are 6-9-3 on the road. They are 6-4-1 in their last 11 road games, after going 0-5-2 in their first seven away from home.
• The Ducks are 11-22-6 overall and 8-12-1 at home. Anaheim is 4-9-2 under new head coach Bruce Boudreau.

Clearly, something is clicking for the Islanders that wasn't before on the road. Hard to say exactly what it is- perhaps the line changes, perhaps something else- but at a time when the Isles are on a stretch with as many road games as home games, we need all the road points we can get.

As far as the Ducks go, Boudreau has not had the success he's used to as head coach. Known as more of an offense-first coach, at least in Washington, he's probably not used to either the Western Conference or the more defensive mentality of the Anaheim Ducks, even with stars like Bobby Ryan, Ryan Getzlaf, and last year's MVP, Corey Perry. (Speaking of Perry, his two assists last night were the 400th and 401st of his career.)

Also of note:

Evgeni Nabokov is two wins shy of 300 for his career. According to the Isles, Roberto Luongo, Nikolai Khabibulin and Martin Brodeur are the only active NHL goalies with more wins than Nabokov. Though he lost last night, he still posts 26 career wins against Anaheim, which is more wins for him than against any other opponent.

Milan Jurcina led the Isles in hits with six; Ryan Getzlaf led the Ducks with six as well, but the Isles were outhit 30-26, which isn't a huge margin, but enough of one. My question is, where was Matt Martin in this whole hit mix? He led the league at some point (and might still do so), but I don't remember seeing him hitting a whole lot. Not dropping the gloves is one thing, and I also appreciate him working on his offensive output... but we need a good physical presence, which Martin provides with gusto.

The Isles were outscored 3-1 in the third period, proving once again that the third period is not kind to them. Indeed, last night they proved undisciplined and sloppy in their own end, particularly on the Getzlaf goal (when neither Jurcina nor Eaton did anything to stop him). Nabokov was also sloppy, letting the puck through the five-hole (which sometimes can't be helped, but... you expect a goalie with close to 300 wins under his belt to make that kind of save).

Still, in their last four games, the Isles are 3-1-0, and their top forwards are producing at a satisfactory level. It's still up to the next three lines to provide energy and support, which is falling by the wayside. Josh Bailey and Michael Grabner in particular remained silent, and both were on ice for Anaheim goals (Grabner was a -1, Bailey a -2). And it can't be that way.

Until next time.

A Lead! A Tie. A Lead! A Tie... A Loss?

Isles 2: Ducks 4

PA Parenteau is going to have nightmares tonight.

The winger had two legitimate scoring chances stopped cold by goaltender Jonas Hiller, then took the penalty which led to the goal that put his team down for the count, as the Isles fell to Anaheim, 4-2.

The Islanders had everything in place to win this game. They had been outshooting, outplaying and outdefending the Ducks to a T. Evgeni Nabokov was making the necessary saves, and though the faceoffs weren't there, everything else was right. The offense took a while to come, and indeed the Ducks were the ones to score first- Bobby Ryan flipped a backhand that beat Nabokov up high 14 minutes into the second period.

But the Islanders put their heads down and fought back, and two minutes later Matt Martin struck gold, tucking a lazy puck past the goal line to even up the score. After relying on Nabokov for a couple of extra saves, and getting sloppier as time progressed, Kyle Okposo got the Isles a brief lead off a pass from John Tavares.

And then everything went to hell.

Ironically, I was catching up on my Islanders website reading material and had just finishing loading an article about how the special teams were contributing to New York's success, when Gamecenter erupted. Bobby Ryan had scored a shorthanded goal, striding down the ice and completely embarrassing Andrew MacDonald in the process. Such hands I can't remember seeing (oh wait, yes I can... a certain #91. But that's beside the point).

After that, things just got worse. After drawing a penalty and getting robbed on two bona fide chances, as mentioned before, Parenteau took a tripping penalty that killed nearly half of the Isles' power play, allowing Ryan Getzlaf to break the 2-2 tie on the 4-on-4 situation- though, let's be honest, the defensive pairing on that play did next to nothing to stop Getz from breaking through. As someone said on Twitter afterward, "Easiest goal [he] ever scored," and that is not a good thing. Add in a Nabokov blunder and a goal by Teemu Selanne, and you've got the whole game.

Thus, the winning streak has ended for the Isles, and perhaps it's a good thing. I mean, before this game the team had gone to Disneyland and we were treated to funny tweets by Matt Martin and Michael Grabner, which is all well and good, but one has to wonder if perhaps the Islanders thought that playing against Anaheim would be much easier than it is. News flash: wrong-o. This team is still very talented, and Bobby Ryan alone is proof of that, his two-goal night giving him five goals in five games. Not to mention Getzlaf, another slumping star able to get a wake-up call against the Isles, and of course the aging but still legendary Selanne, who currently leads the Ducks in scoring. As for Hiller, he did what he needed to do, and the Islanders just couldn't solve him as well as they needed to.

On to Phoenix, and for God's sake, let's hope there's no implosion like there was tonight.

Until next time.

Second Period: Isles 1, Ducks 1

Highlights/observations:

• Bobby Ryan breaks the tie at 14:18, and former Isle Jason Blake earned the second assist on that goal.
• Two minutes later, Matt Martin pokes in a slow-moving puck on the goal line for his second in two games, tying the score. Mark Eaton and Michael Grabner have the assists.
• Both goaltenders were much busier in this period; Nabokov particularly had to make some key saves.
• During his intermission interview, Martin said, "I want to produce more offensively." And tonight's goal marks 5 on the season for him, tying his NHL career-high.
• Faceoffs are still shoddy, but have improved- Tavares now at 36%, Bailey at 58%.
• Ducks lead the Isles in hits, 24-18.

Isles @ Ducks: 1st Period Summary.

We're scoreless in the first, and the second period is about to start, but I figured I'd post this just in case sleep gets the better of me. ;)

So, here goes. Some highlights and observations:

• Isles lead in shots 8-3.
• Faceoffs have been abysmal, for the most part- Brian Rolston won his only draw, but Frans Nielsen and Josh Bailey are at 40%, Marty Reasoner is at 50% and John Tavares is at 17%. Step it up, boys.
• Some quality scoring chances and three post shots- two by Rolston, one by Travis Hamonic
• Isles are doing a good job of keeping the scoring chances by Anaheim to a minimum and giving Evgeni Nabokov an easy night- so far.
• Anaheim and New York are both playing fairly good defensive hockey and staying disciplined.

Overall, pretty boring. But we'll see what changes.

Get in Touch With Me!

Just letting you guys know, or to remind you (even though I do have it in the About section underneath the title :P), I do have an email account set up for this blog, if you'd ever like to contact me to ask me questions, give me suggestions on improving this blog, throw post topics at me, or just have a one-on-one about the Isles and NHL hockey (I'd really like this).

Whatever the case, I'd love to hear from you, so be sure to contact me at:

badangles.angie@gmail.com

Thanks a ton!

Hell-O, West Coast.

The Isles hit Anaheim on Friday night to be entertained by the Ducks, and they are doing so in style.

John Tavares tallied three points and PA Parenteau and Frans Nielsen clinched the shootout to beat Carolina 4-3. The Isles are on a three-game winning streak, and though things looked dicey in the 'Canes game, they managed to show poise and tenacity and steal the extra point. Tavares has points in four of the last five games New York has played, and has earned the first star in all of the last three. Linemate Matt Moulson also has a hot hand with four points in the last two, and Kyle Okposo has gained momentum since being moved to the top line with Tavares and Moulson. The other MM, Matt Martin, has also played key roles in the Isles' wins, providing offense and drawing penalties by refusing to drop the gloves.

Meanwhile, the Ducks are struggling something awful. Mired in last place in the Pacific and 14th place in the Western Conference, they've dropped their last three, including a 3-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks last night (Jan. 4). They've been especially dry on offense (their top goalscorer, Corey Perry, now has 15 goals- Teemu Selanne leads with 36 points) and goaltender Jonas Hiller, currently with a .898 Sv% and a 3.17 GAA, has not been the brick wall they've needed him to be. Offensive stud Bobby Ryan also had a three-game goal streak snapped last night, and captain Ryan Getzlaf has a whopping -19 and 25 points. So it's safe to say they are not getting the production that they need from an otherwise talented group of players.

Then again, the Islanders are having their own issues. Mark Streit hasn't scored since Nov. 17 and only has two goals on the season. Michael Grabner is also unusually quiet, with only 16 points and at a -12. Streit looked almost like his old self last game, even getting a quality scoring chance that no one was able to finish on, but he's been no great danger on the PP and fans have been criticizing him for his defensive plays all season. Grabner, meanwhile, has gotten the chances, including quite a few breakaways, but either his hands can't keep up or the defense has learned how to stay with him, because he's slowed down considerably since his hot finish last year.

That being said, these two players are key to the Isles' success, and must be a lot more productive in order to provide support for top scorers John Tavares, Matt Moulson and PA Parenteau. Okposo also needs to hit his stride soon, though he's gotten points in all three of the Isles' wins and looks much more comfortable alongside JT and Moulson. (And for God's sake, everyone needs to get out of the minuses.)

All things considered, the blue and orange has been successful against Western Conference teams not named the Chicago Blackhawks all season, so now is the perfect time to continue that trend. If they stick to the game plan they've adhered to the past three games, shooting early and often and keeping the offense to the perimeter, providing Evgeni Nabokov with easy saves, another win should be in order.

P.S. Rick DiPietro managed to obtain another lower-body injury while on IR. Don't ask how. Plus, there's no timetable for Al Montoya's return, meaning it'll be Nabokov and Anders Nilsson for a while. Godspeed, and defense, please take note.

Isles Weather the Hurricanes, Emerge Victorious in Shootout

Islanders 4: Hurricanes 3 (SO)

I don't even know where to begin.

First off, a rant. I dislike shootouts immensely. It's a huge gimmick, I can never sit still during one, I'm constantly with my heart in my throat, I wish I knew what was happening beforehand (kind of like flipping to the end of a story to see how things wind up) but at the same time I don't want to know, and... yeah, I also hate how the Islanders happen to not be very good at them.

Except for tonight.

PA Parenteau and Frans Nielsen both scored in the skills competition to give the Isles the extra point against the Carolina Hurricanes, 4-3, after a decidedly sloppy 65 minutes of play. John Tavares earned No.1 star-like credentials yet again, tallying three crucial assists on each of the Isles' regulation goals. Once again, as he goes, the Islanders go, and he has been going strong.

The Isles jumped out to an early lead in the first on a Matt Moulson PP goal, but coughed it up 30 seconds later to Anthony Stewart, who capitalized by redirecting a shot straight off the faceoff. Both Cam Ward and Evgeni Nabokov had to make some good saves, as first the Isles, then Carolina, gained momentum. In the second period, the 'Canes took a 2-1 lead thanks to a bad mistake by Nabokov behind the net. Brandon Sutter put the puck into the wide open net, and despite sloppy play by both teams, nothing more was scored that period.

The third period scoring opened with another goal on the man-advantage, this one by Frans Nielsen, who took advantage of a beautiful bank shot by Mark Streit and put it past an out-of-position Ward. Then a bevy of turnovers by both sides created some hairy situations, and eventually a goal by Isle-killer Chad LaRose. (Carolina has a couple of those guys- see: Eric Staal.) Things were not looking good, as turnovers and faceoff losses continued to hurt the Isles' chances of tying it up. And then, at 18:30, with Nabokov heading to the bench, Travis Hamonic made a great play at the blueline to keep the puck in, JT corraled it and shot it right through the slot, where Kyle Okposo poked it home. From there, it was on to a pretty tame OT (except for the sparkling chance by Tavares that Ward just managed to stop) and then the shootout, where the Isles' shooters did work and Nabokov was perfect enough to preserve the win his skaters put in place for him.

This was not a pretty win by any means, but it is a win that the Isles will gladly take, both on the road and as the third in four games. Give plenty of credit to Nielsen, Matt Martin (who drew the penalty which led to Moulson's goal and played with a smart, cool head) and Hamonic, who continues to thrive and was among the Isles' TOI leaders yet again with a whopping 25:08. (Only Andrew MacDonald, at 25:12, had more time on ice.) Also, captain Mark Streit was the only positive number in terms of plus-minus (+1), had an assist and was very effective offensively. Great job, cappy.

On to bigger... better?... things. Well, no, on to Anaheim and a 10:00 p.m. start, which I am grumpy about. Stupid West Coast. Oh, well. It's one game out of many the Isles have left to play, and we cannot be satisfied yet. These boys have to play smarter, neater and they have to keep the ante raised. Tavares's confident play helps us loads, but we need to wake up other guys on the team, most notably one Michael Grabner. But that's a topic for another post.

Until next time.

Haley Sent Back to Bridgeport, Isles Start Series Against 'Canes

Looking at the depth chart for the New York Islanders' lineup tonight, it looks as though Micheal Haley has been sent back to Bridgeport, apparently in order to make room for Jay Pandolfo who has been scratched the last few games. Pandolfo will be traveling as an extra forward, something I'm not exactly following all the way through.

In nearly every game Haley has played for the Islanders, he has left everything on the ice and then some. He has no points in his 7 GP, but 29 penalty minutes, most of them earned from his on-ice bouts fought either to defend teammates or wake them up. He's been the energizer for the fourth line and for the entire Isles on-ice roster, and yet there seems to be very little appreciation for that. I, for one, will be disappointed not to see him on the ice to start tonight.

Whatever the reasoning may be for sending him back, the Isles still face off tonight against the Carolina Hurricanes, playing the first of four between these two teams. The Isles are coming off of a two-game winning streak, their latest a rousing 4-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers. John Tavares is the hot hand on this team, scoring two points and earning the No. 1 star in each win and proving that when he is on, the team is on as well. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes are faltering a bit, coming off of a 5-2 loss to Tampa Bay; they're also missing top scorer Jeff Skinner (out since Dec. 8 with a concussion). However, with captain Eric Staal rallying back from a disappointing start to the season, look for this team to follow his lead and be hungry for two points. It's another one of those games that can go very well or horribly wrong, depending on which team comes out stronger (and in that same vein, which Isles squad shows up to play tonight- good or not-so-good?).

You can view the Isles' preview here.

Let's go, boys!