Happy New Year, Indeed!

Oilers 1: Islanders 4

Well, things couldn't have gone smoother on the day the Islanders inducted Ken Morrow into their Hall of Fame.

The legendary Team USA and Isles blueliner was given a spot on the Hall of Fame banner just before puck drop, and the current Isles team responded in spectacular fashion, defeating the Edmonton Oilers 4-1 at the Coliseum.

The Isles jumped out to an early lead in the first, taking advantage of a roughing call on Ben Eager and scoring on the power play. John Tavares was able to grab a dribbling puck after PA Parenteau lost control of it, putting it past an already-committed Devan Dubnyk. After that came two reviewed goals- one a call in the Oilers' favor, one against the Isles. The first was a goal by Sam Gagner ruled good after video showed that Evgeni Nabokov's own man, Mark Streit, had initiated contact with the goalie. The other was a no-goal call on Matt Moulson, ruled down because of a "distinct kicking motion" (Moulson had angled his skate just prior to the puck striking it).

Moulson would find justice, however, and on an incredible play by his linemate. With two Oilers drawn to him, Tavares executed a beautiful spin-o-rama move and passed right to Moulson, who put it past Dubnyk. The goal was Matt's 17th of the year, keeping him firmly on pace to score 30 or more by the end of this season. After calling Moulson to score the next one on my personal Twitter, I couldn't believe I was right- most of the time, I'm not. ;)

The rest of the scoring happened in the first five minutes of the second period. Eager was bound and determined to have Martin fight with him, and once more he got a roughing penalty- and for the second time, the Isles' power play capitalized, this time on the hands of PA Parenteau. Shortly after that, Martin himself scored to make it 4-1, giving himself some "poetic justice", in the words of Howie Rose. After that, Eager would get an unsportsmanlike and a 10-minute misconduct, putting him away for much of the rest of that period. I'm sure he didn't mind, though- the look on his face after Martin's goal said it all.

Don't be misled, though- the Oilers put up a very good fight. They outshot the Islanders for much of the game, giving Nabokov plenty of work to do until the third period, when they just seemed to lose steam. Meanwhile, the Isles did good work on defense, and while Nabokov didn't need to be a huge hero, he did make some excellent saves to keep the Oilers from getting back into the game. Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins were all held point-less despite Hall's four shots, Eberle's two, and Nugent-Hopkins's four. Hall and RNH also hit at least one post apiece. If not for the posts, it would have been a much closer score.

But it is what it is, and overall the Islanders did extremely well, both to gain a lead and to hold off the big three scorers. They also had a slight scare when Andy Sutton blindsided Tavares with a late hit in the second period (not uncommon for the Oilers' blueliner, who's been suspended twice already this season); however, JT would return to the game and earn the Isles' first star. Moulson and Martin rounded out the top three, making this New Year's Eve an enjoyable one for them and for the rest of the team.

Happy New Year to them and to everyone else, Isles fan or no!

Until next time.

Notes: Travis Hamonic continues his development as a top defenseman, leading all Isles with 22:12 of TOI...Mark Streit, in contrast, got considerably less than he is used to, finishing with 19:55... Tim Wallace was extremely physical throughout, with at least three big hits... October 10 and 13 are the last times that the Isles have held the opposition to a goal or fewer in two straight games, but they've done it in their last two now, outscoring their opponents 7-2.

With an Early Game Comes... a Preview!

The Islanders face off against the Edmonton Oilers today, which is pretty fitting, since I can't seem to remember a single New Year's Eve they've had off. The good thing about this one, though, is that it's at 1:00 pm, which means the boys have plenty of time to kick back and pop some champagne before 2012 hits.

Now, on to this matchup. The Edmonton Oilers have the potential to be scary good someday, but their talent- Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins among them- like the Isles', is still a bit green. As such, the Oilers have been losing as of late, starting their seven-game road trip with a loss in Vancouver, and being beaten by Minnesota 4-3 just the other night.

The Islanders have won five straight against Edmonton on home ice, outscoring them by a 2:1 ratio, but that's no reason for us to get cocky. The Islanders need to put together a few wins now, for no better reason than to try and get back into the playoff hunt- not to mention, they need some of their swagger back. It was great watching them play around and joke with each other after Thursday's win, but now it's time to get back to business. Even though the Oilers are struggling, that's no reason to underestimate Eberle (five goals and three assists in six games) or Nugent-Hopkins, the NHL's leading rookie scorer with 35 points this season (five more than PA Parenteau, our team's leading scorer). Hall, meanwhile, has been a bit quiet, but did score two points in the Oilers' loss to the Wild (1G, 1A).

As for the Islanders, the key is simple: simplicity. The Moulson-Tavares-Okposo line looked wonderful Thursday night, and they have to bring the same energy and aggression that they brought against Calgary. Crash the net hard, early and often (that does create a LOT of our offense, to be honest), don't go for fancy passes and dipsy-doodles (unless you can), and stay out of the penalty box, if only to keep RNH off of the PP where he has 15 assists this season. Same formula, different team. Carry on.

Let's Go Islanders!!

P.S. Good thing this is an early game- I'll be in downtown Buffalo for the ball drop tonight! It's no Times Square, but it'll do to be SOMEWHERE. ;) Happy New Year, everyone!

Stats sources: islanders.nhl.com, oilers.nhl.com

Getting the Mojo Back? Well, A Line Switch Certainly Helped

Flames 1: Islanders 3

After being faced with the Islanders' third straight loss in regulation, head coach Jack Capuano knew he had to do something, and fast. He didn't demote anyone or sit anyone down. Instead, he made a couple of adjustments to his lines. And wouldn't you know it, they worked.

Kyle Okposo started on the top line with John Tavares and Matt Moulson tonight, and the impact he made was certainly noticed, as the Islanders rallied back to win against the Calgary Flames, 3-1, at Nassau Coliseum. The new top line combined for eleven shots and the game-winning goal, and everyone noticed the immediate chemistry between Okposo and Tavares.

At first, it looked as though this game was going to go horribly wrong. 1:11 into the first, Tom Kostopoulos threw one toward the net that deflected off of former Islander Tim Jackman and past Evgeni Nabokov for the 1-0 lead. Then later on, Lee Stempniak blasted Kyle Okposo with a shoulder-to-head hit, and in the ensuing line brawl, Chris Butler seemed to commit a "third man in" penalty on Matt Moulson, yet somehow, the Flames emerged with a power play thanks to a four-minute call on Moulson. Screwy stuff, and I don't know how in the world to explain it, so don't ask me. Thankfully, Okposo only had a cut on the nose and nothing worse, but with a player who has a concussion history (even a short one), you don't want to take your chances. Then again, the refs were just awful in this game when they chose to blow their whistles (which wasn't often, save for one more call on Michael Grabner for "high-sticking"). Nabokov also had to come up with some bailout saves after Andrew MacDonald and Milan Jurcina made some questionable moves that led to odd-man rushes for the Flames.

In the second period, though, the Islanders tied it up. PA Parenteau fed a wide-open MacDonald from behind the net for the tying goal at 3:04 of the second period, giving A-Mac his third goal of the season (all against Western Conference teams, go figure). From there on out, the Islanders were rolling, throwing all that they could at Miikka Kiprusoff (who, to his credit, handled the pressure admirably). Kipper would stop 31 of 33 before the night ended.

Of course, no one can blame him for the game winner. John Tavares came through with a beautiful individual effort, driving around Chris Butler and across the slot, tucking it around the right pad of a sprawling Kiprusoff for the tiebreaker. It was a combination of JT's incredible work and some not-great choices by the Calgary defense that led to that goal, and some key shut-down defense by the Islanders to ensure that the Flames never got close no matter how hard they tried. Brian Rolston gave the Islanders the insurance goal with 43 seconds to go, sealing a much-needed win for the Islanders (who are now 13-1-7 in their last 21 games against Western Conference teams, a stat that I would love to transfer to the Eastern Conference). Overall, this was a solid 60-minute effort by a team that has gone through some tough losses and tougher practices lately, and is still attempting to find some sort of groove. They haven't gotten many breaks, what with injuries and phantom calls, but they're not focusing on that, instead electing to work hard with what they have, and to try and build momentum.

Don't have much more to say, other than that I loved this win and I hope to see more just like it.

Until next time.

Notes: Give some credit to PA Parenteau, also- he had two assists today, and now leads the team in points with 30... Nabokov made 29 saves on 30 shots, shaking off his early gaffe admirably... Attendance was just under 15,000, but I had the pleasure of hearing some loud cheering as the game went on, including one guy all by himself screaming "LET'S GO, ISLANDERS!" You're incredible, guy. ... Travis Hamonic also had a solid game, finishing with 21:39 TOI, 2 shots and a +3 rating... Islanders prospect alert! Ryan Strome is on fire for Team Canada in the World Junior Championships. He leads the tournament in scoring with three goals and four assists in two games so far. Of course, he was tearing up the ice with the Niagara IceDogs as well before the WJC started... can't wait to see him on the ice for the Islanders.

Offense... Do We Have It?

Islanders 0: Rangers 3

Nothing is more frustrating than knowing you have a decent core of offensive producers and seeing every single member of that core fail to produce, particularly against a division rival.

That's how I feel right now, to be honest. In between dealing with a fuzzy Gamecenter Live, having to explain that no, I'm not watching MSG Plus 2 because I live in Buffalo ("WHAT?!"), and trying to ignore people snarking about my favorite player, I was watching the Islanders short-circuit against the Rangers at MSG for the second time in four nights. Not one Islander recorded a point or even came close to it, save for a couple of rushes early on- and forget about the anemic power play, which failed to record a single shot in its first two attempts.

Some highlights:

• Micheal Haley was given an instigator penalty and a misconduct for beating on Stu Bickel early in the game (and, in true Islander fashion, would not return for the rest of the night due to a hand injury. Sigh.)
• Dan Girardi was given a kneeing penalty after colliding with John Tavares, and thankfully this one was not called a "dive" by JT like it was against the Leafs on Saturday.
• I yelled at a lot of different Rangers.
• Evgeni Nabokov got another start, and he did everything he possibly could in net tonight, making 28 saves, including some beauties in the first period. His counterpart for the Rangers, Henrik Lundqvist, however, was perfect, and to add to his own 28 saves, the defensive play of the skaters in front of him was superb.
• Save for the fight early on, this was not a very nasty game. It started out much like a game of chess, to be honest, with the two teams feeling each other out and figuring out how best to play defense against each other. Perhaps that was what hurt the Islanders' chances of winning- though, admittedly, the defense had its usual issues.
• Travis Hamonic led the team in TOI with 24:57, while Matt Moulson led the forwards with 20:36- and Michael Grabner was benched for the last 8:30 of the second period, a definite message being sent to him from the coaching staff. Indeed, he hasn't been sparkling (15 points and a -11 on the season to date), but I can think of a few guys who deserve to benched ahead of him (starting with Marty Reasoner... just saying).
• Jack Capuano pulled Nabokov with over three minutes remaining in the third, which lead to the game-sealer empty net goal by Marian Gaborik- and once again, I wonder what he's thinking. Clearly, pulling the goalie is not working, and neither are any of the other tactics he has employed this season to try and galvanize his team. Time to get tougher and/or change something around, Cappy, because this team is like Internet Explorer: not responding. If need be, bench someone, even your captain (whose fault this game was not, by the way- just making an example). You're not here to be a friend. Be a coach. Get these guys to start winning again.
• On the Rangers' side, Michael Del Zotto and Carl Hagelin were the wonder duo tonight, scoring the Rangers' first two goals (Del Zotto with the start, Hagelin with the finish). Del Zotto was a +3 to finish the night, while Hagelin was a +2.

Not much more to be said, except.... WAKE IT UP, BOYS.

Until next time.

Wearing Your Jersey in a Foreign Land, Part Two.

My co-worker hates the Islanders.

Why? I don't know. Nor does he.

"I don't know anyone on that team other than DiPietro," he says. (He's a Jhonas Enroth fan, and an ice/street/roller hockey goalie.)

He even carved "Islanders Suck" into a piece of styrofoam as we were doing truck earlier today, to which I just raised an eyebrow.

Methinks I have a troll on my hands.

My last day there, I'm going to wear an Isles shersey to work just to mess with him.

Leafs Get Win... Okay, Maybe the Refs Helped Out a Bit.

Maple Leafs 5: Islanders 3

If I were Doug Weight, I'd be ticked off, too.

The assistant coach had all manner of vitriol to spew in the on-ice official's direction after a call regarding John Tavares. JT had been cross-checked in the head by Toronto's Joffrey Lupul, when the refs decided Tavares had dived as well. Instead of a penalty, it was a 4-on-4 situation, which riled up Weight and sent the Isles' comeback into a downward spiral.

Of course, it hasn't been the first time that the refs have done this (ahem, San Jose?). But at least the first time, the Islanders managed to get at least one point.

All of that being said, there were questionable plays throughout this game on New York's behalf. From the first period, which I missed most of (and came home from work to find the Leafs already up 2-0) but heard of the horrors involved, to a couple of bad mistakes by Mark Streit and Frans Nielsen to give Joey Crabb a shorthanded goal, to the aforementioned ridiculous call and subsequent blowup by Weight... it just wasn't good. And the issue really is that the Islanders could have come back... maybe.

Let's be honest, the Isles put themselves into a hole in the first period, even with the pretty goal scored by Kyle Okposo with 4:15 left. Though they showed some good resilience with a Frans Nielsen power play goal 40 seconds into the second period, there were too many gaffes and missed opportunities, and James Reimer (bless his heart) allowed for many of those opportunities. After missing a few games with an injury, the Leafs goalie was bobbling more than a few glove saves and coughing up rebound after rebound, and yet the only thing that saved him (other than his skaters) was the fact that the Isles could not collect the rebound, or put it wide or high. John Tavares showed ultimate patience by finding the gap and shooting for it to cut the lead to 4-3 midway through the third period, which made me wonder if mayyyybe I was going to be wrong about the whole "we're just not solving Reimer tonight" concept... and then the call happened.

It all leads back to the call.

No, it really doesn't. It's just highly frustrating, and so is watching this team struggle, especially with so much promise. It doesn't show right now because yes, we're on the skids, and we've needed extra time to win lately, but it's there. It just needs to be found and brought back out to stay. Consistency would be wonderful (and so would a reliable defense- Mike Mottau was the surprise defensive star of tonight's game, which is saying something). I just hope Jack Capuano figures out what to do, other than laugh as his assistants go on tirades...

Until next time.

Meeting Number Three... Not a Charm

Islanders 2: Rangers 4

After the Islanders pulled within one for the second time in the match, John Mitchell capitalized on a questionable decision by Isles head coach Jack Capuano to seal the win for New York, 4-2.

Capuano had elected to pull Evgeni Nabokov with a minute and a half left, before the Islanders had even left the defensive zone, when the puck was turned over. With Nabokov completely out of position, the Rangers upped the tally easily, taking the wind completely out of the Isles' sails.

This was not an easy game to watch. The Rangers struck first, on a shot by Brandon Dubinsky resulting in his first goal in over a month (of course). It took until :18 into the second, on a rebound PA Parenteau cashed in on, to tie it, and then Marian Gaborik (league-leading 20th) scored right off of a faceoff win by Artem Anisimov, darting behind three Islanders to get it past Nabokov. Michael Del Zotto made it 3-1 after collecting a loose puck. Matt Moulson would be the only other Islander to score, continuing the trend of low offense that has hurt this team since the beginning of the season- and with plenty of offensive weapons (not the least of which is John Tavares, who hasn't scored since Dec. 13 in Montreal), it's hard to believe they have a second-worst 72 goals forced (only two goals better than L.A.). It also doesn't help that the power play, which did capitalize on two opportunities, still needs to work on a few things.

As for the rivalry... well, it came out in the third period. Newest member on the "Angie doesn't like you" list? Stu Bickel, who got into it with Matt Martin and then sucker punched Tim Wallace, earning himself a two-minute minor that turned into Moulson's goal. He joins Evander Kane, who had run Al Montoya in the Isles' previous game in Winnipeg, giving him a concussion (hence Nabokov's start). For his part, by the way, Nabokov made 21 saves, though the three goals he allowed had been on the Rangers' first 13 shots. Meanwhile, former Isle and current Rangers backup Martin Biron made 24 of 26 stops to secure the win, continuing his streak of excellence against the Islanders.

Sigh. Well, the good thing about this game is that there's no time to dwell. The Islanders return home to face the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have just defeated the Sabres tonight, 3-2. Toronto's been all over the board as far as I can tell, so who knows what we'll find tomorrow.

Until next time.

Sigh.

Stars 3: Islanders 2

Three straight dropped?

The frustration is mounting once again. After a listless loss to the Penguins 6-3 and a spirited effort against Montreal, 5-3, the Islanders were all over the board last night, though none of it reflected either on the PP or the scoresheet.

The second line factored heavily into the scoring, with Michael Grabner and Kyle Okposo tallying goals, but New York forfeited the 2-1 lead and the two points to Dallas in the third period, letting young Jamie Benn secure the win for his club at 4:33. Kevin Poulin did his best in his first start of the season, but the 21-year-old netminder (called up from Bridgeport after Rick DiPietro was placed back on IR) could not weather the storm.

I'll say this much: I knew this game was going to be a mess. It's easy to tell when your team's struggling and when they're flying high, and there was way too much of the former in this match. Too many slow starts out of the zone, plenty of giveaways, getting hemmed into the defensive zone- and worst of all, the power play was completely power-LESS. Doug Weight's got to change something in his strategy, because there is absolutely nothing there. Not to mention the lack of intensity and aggressiveness, underscored by the relative zest and tenacity shown by the Stars as they fought to regain the lead. Overall, just disappointing.

The one bright spot for tomorrow night in Minnesota? Andrew MacDonald and Mark Eaton are game-time decisions, which makes me hopeful that maybe some relatively fresh faces and legs will revive this team. I hope so, at least, because it's getting really discouraging.

Just a PSA.

Whoever's been searching for "ugly girls wearing hockey jerseys" and coming up with my blog... for God's sake, do not use the pictures that you find. They were given to me in full trust, and if I see them being misused anywhere else I will find out who you are. Trust me.

Okay, carry on. :)

Defense Comes Up With Points, But Isles Fall One Short of Victory

Blackhawks 3: Islanders 2 (OT)

Overtime losses are frustrating as hell to watch. You just get so pumped up for sudden-death, especially when your team's climbed back from a deficit to tie the score, only to watch the opposing team come the other way and bury your high hopes deep into the ground with an overtime goal.

Granted, both of these teams I root for, but still.

Though Travis Hamonic and Steve Staios both netted their first goals of the year, the Islanders' offense could not contribute anything, and eventually the Blackhawks claimed the second point in overtime, 3-2, on a 2-on-1 rush for Chicago. Patrick Sharp scored his 15th of the year and second of the game on a feed from Marian Hossa, and he and Hossa were certainly the difference makers.

Of course, you expect your top players to make the difference for your club, and while the top two lines tried their hardest, nothing came out of it. Matt Moulson and PA Parenteau came up with an assist each, but that would be all. The Islanders' power play was stagnant, the penalty kill had to be on its game, and Al Montoya (25 saves) was not quite the rock he needed to be, though he tried his best. Give the Isles credit for coming back and forcing an overtime, earning the team a needed point (and lengthening their points streak to six games), but I suppose all offensively good things have to come to an end.

On to the last game of the home stand on Saturday, against Pittsburgh. (Joy.) Sidney Crosby is once again out of the lineup as a precaution after being shaken up in a collision with teammate Chris Kunitz during a game (though I half-expect the Pens to announce that he'll be playing against us Saturday night- gotta get those points... Sorry, natural cynicism, I suppose). Expect either a blowout or an exceptionally tight-played game, as these usually are. Usually being the operative term.

Until next time.

P.S. Some notes- Attendance was recorded at 10,711... Michael Grabner was back in the lineup tonight, only missing one game as a result of his groin injury. He didn't look quite as speedy tonight as he usually does, though he had some good SH chances... Oh, and dear Howie Rose, I love you, but please, learn how to pronounce Hjalmarsson. (It's YAL-mar-son. Not difficult. Soft 'j.') Thanks.

Lightning Doesn't Always Strike Twice

Lightning 1: Islanders 5

The hockey gods seem to have blessed Bridgeport.

I'm not talking about the Sound Tigers' success- well, not exactly (though they're not in horrible shape, either). I'm talking about the influx of AHLers that has boosted the Islanders' roster, answering their call with a resounding blast of the goal horn.

David Ullstrom tallied his first NHL goal and Tim Wallace his first NHL point, as the Islanders rolled over the Lightning last night by a final score of 5-1. The two Sound Tigers came to fill holes left by Michael Grabner (groin, DTD) and Andrew MacDonald (lower-body injury, 2-4 weeks). Twelve different Islanders, including the aforementioned callups, recorded points in last night's rout. Heading the scoresheet were top liners John Tavares (1G, 1A) and Matt Moulson (1G, 1A) and captain Mark Streit (2A).

The Islanders may have gotten their second win in a row since losing in a shootout to the Chicago Blackhawks (next up again on their schedule tomorrow night), but what strikes me most about this game is the fact that over half the roster factored into the scoring. It was a beautifully balanced effort. Josh Bailey had a wonderful game, setting up Ullstrom for his milestone goal with a nifty little drop pass. (And that's a shock, seeing as he'd been pretty sub-par for a good part of this season so far.) Milan Jurcina stepped up into the play, sneaking in from the point and benefiting from a beautiful tic-tac-toe play headed by Streit and Frans Nielsen. Wallace recorded his first point, an assist, feeding Matt Martin from behind the net. Matt Moulson continued his hot streak with his 14th on the season, assisted by (who else?) Tavares, and Tavares broke his 13-game goalless drought, as well as the 0 on the Jumbotron, early in the first for the Isles.

And to think Tampa Bay had been leading before all of this happened.

The defense was also very sound in this game, giving the Lightning few chances either to get settled in the zone or to score once they gained possession. When they faltered, however, Al Montoya was equal to the task after his small hiccup in the first. He made 23 saves to preserve the win, and for his efforts he earned the third star of the game. With Rick DiPietro out indefinitely with a groin pull (and Kevin Poulin called up from the A), expect Monty to shoulder most of the workload from now until DP is healthy again.

Give Mathieu Garon credit, though- the guys in front of him didn't do much to help him out, admittedly. When not serving penalties, they were executing poor puck protection and not doing much to help even the scoring. More than once it looked like they were just standing still out there, and with as much offensive firepower as the Lightning have, that can't really happen. Now on a five-game losing streak after last night, they have to get their feet moving again, and not to the sin bin. Garon did all he could to try and keep his team in it- now the onus falls to the skaters.

I'll end tonight's recap with a little anecdote I neglected to mention from Monday. I have a friend who talks hockey with me a lot, and though he's a Sabres fan, he even has a few Islanders on his fantasy teams. As I passed him to go talk to my professor Monday, he whispered to me, "Mouuuulson," and grinned. I smiled the rest of the way down the stairs. Moulson is indeed tearing it up with a five-game goal streak (eight goals tallied in those five games) and is on pace for yet another 30-goal season, we hope. Way to go, Matty.

Until next time.

"Roller Coaster" Doesn't Even Begin to Describe It

Islanders 5: Stars 4

Someone fed Matt Moulson a giant bowl of Wheaties this morning.

The winger scored four goals, including the game-winner, to lift the Islanders over the Stars 5-4, in a game in which the team in general had a 3-0 lead evaporate in fewer than five minutes, but kept pushing over the top to get the two points. Dylan Reese also scored, while Tomas Vincour, Eric Nystrom (yes, Bobby's son), Jake Dowell and Tom Wandell kept Dallas in it. Vincour, Nystrom and Dowell's goals all came within two minutes in the second period, snipping away the Isles' lead like a loose string on a sweater. But thanks to some serious focus and grit by the top line of Moulson-Tavares-Parenteau, the Islanders were able to hang on.

Rick DiPietro got the win for New York thanks to Al Montoya- let's face it, that's what happened. Tonight's starting goalie, DP, had allowed four goals on 21 shots and sat on the bench with a groin injury (?) to begin the third, as Montoya stopped all 13 shots he faced in the final twenty minutes of play. And again, though I love DP, it still baffles me that there's any question of the #1 goalie on Long Island. Granted, DiPietro is not the only one to blame, at least on the first two Stars goal- Vincour's shot was deflected, and Nystrom outmuscled a poorly-positioned Reese right in front of DP. But it's safe to say there was a lack of intensity on Rick's end, and a bit of discomfort too (hence the benching, at least according to the Isles). The only thing to be grateful for, from an Islander standpoint, is that Andrew Raycroft was slightly worse.

At any rate, other than Moulson, John Tavares was second on the scoresheet with three points, all assists. The top-line center has had nine points in thirteen games since his last goal scored (Nov. 5 in Washington), and while I'd love to see more goals out of him, there's no denying he's still had an impact. He's a great playmaker, incredibly strong on the puck, and with his improved skating and solid two-way play, it's easy to see why he's tied with linemate PA Parenteau for the team lead in points.

However, though this was a game full of goalie fails and goals scored, it was also full of injuries, particularly two key ones- Nino Niederreiter and Michael Grabner. Niederreiter was the recipient of an awful hit by Mark Fistric in the first period, and was taken off the ice and diagnosed with concussion-like symptoms. No doubt it's a hit that will be reviewed by Director of Player Safety Brendan Shanahan. Michael Grabner also left late in the second with an apparent groin injury and, according to the Islanders, will be re-evaluated tomorrow. Milan Jurcina also left for a brief period of time, and returned in the third (and with Andrew MacDonald already out from an injury sustained while blocking a shot in the final seconds of the Sabres game... yeah, let's not go there).

Strangely absent from the ice for most of the third period was captain and minute-muncher Mark Streit, who would return for the closing minute. And even more strange was the fact that no one asked Jack Capuano in the postgame presser why Streit didn't play. He's the captain. Why wasn't he on the ice? No one knows. Though Mark has been struggling lately, he's been able to push his plus-minus out of the double digits, and he's even generated two points (assists) in three games, which isn't much, but it's something. There has to be some sort of explanation for it, but it wasn't one Capuano was willing to give on his own, and certainly not interesting enough for the media. *sigh*

Well, at the very least, the Isles walked away from this road trip with seven of a possible eight points. It couldn't have gone better, and with a three-game homestand coming up this week (Tampa Bay, Chicago, Pittsburgh), it's the best possible scenario: the Islanders coming home full of confidence in a good road trip, even if one of the wins could have gone a bit smoother. We'll see how they react after a couple of days off and Tuesday night's game against the Lightning.

Until next time!

Isles Get One Point in Shootout, Capuano Fails to Make Point Regarding #1 Goalie

Islanders 4: Blackhawks 5 (SO)

Now, this game wasn't very easy for me to deal with... eh, who am I kidding, I rooted for the Islanders all the way through. It's true that I enjoy watching the Blackhawks, and I have ever since discovering James Wisniewski (who has since been with at least four different teams) shortly after becoming a hockey fan. For that, I've gotten a fair bit of flak, and I certainly don't care. The fact remains that I root for the Islanders all the time- even when it comes to a match between them and the 'Hawks. And root I did for the orange and blue, tonight.

Kyle Okposo, Matt Moulson, PA Parenteau, and Nino Niederreiter were the goalscorers for the Islanders at the United Center, and the latter two were tying goals after falling behind twice. This was a very uneven game for the Isles- they started out strong and took a 2-1 lead in the first period, then proceeded to flop and slop all over the place in the second (outshot 15-2), and finally picked up in the third, outshooting Chicago 23-7 and pushing the match to an overtime, and then the skills competition. For the Blackhawks, Andrew Brunette, Ben Smith, Jonathan Toews, and Patrick Sharp scored in regulation, and then Toews scored the lone shootout goal to win it. Though the Islanders fan in me wants to dislike him tonight, I have to give Tazer credit where credit is due- he's certainly a leader on the ice, and as far as performance goes, he's a safe bet to make something happen for his team. Props to both teams also for keeping this game entertaining, as well as keeping their poise when things got choppy.

As for the goaltending, well, considering the score, it was pretty much a free-for-all, but both Al Montoya and Corey Crawford had some impressive saves. Montoya, a Chicago native, was performing in front of a large group of family and friends tonight, and reportedly shelled out around $3,875 to get them to the United Center (more proof that hockey tix in Chitown are hard to get). His best save was in the first period, on Marcus Kruger with- get this- the unpadded part of his blocker, having dropped his stick in the scramble to get to the eventual rebound. Incredible stuff from a guy who was probably only supposed to be a temporary fix while Rick DiPietro worked to get back into health and form.

However, Montoya has proven to many people that he belongs in the NHL. His stats right now are incredible, and his name is among Tim Thomas's, Pekka Rinne's, and other elite NHL goalies in terms of save percentage and goals-against average. Yet in his post-game interview, head coach Jack Capuano said, "I wouldn't say that" when asked if Montoya is his clear-cut #1 goalie.

Sorry, Jack, but methinks you're out of your mind.

I just don't know what else Al can do to prove he's a solid starter. He's kept his team in games they'd otherwise have been losing by wider margins, he gives them chances to rally and force games (like he did tonight) and all of this with a defense that is too often unreliable. And yet with all of this, Cappy, you're basically saying he's still fighting with Rick DiPietro for a starting position? How so? It just blows my mind. I know Ricky's got his contract, and I know him sitting for a while is probably not his idea of earning that paycheck, nor is it the organization's. But facts have to be faced: Al Montoya has earned the #1 spot on the Island. He took his opportunity when it was given to him, and he's provided more than just a bit of "healthy competition" for DiPietro. He works hard and he's kept a positive attitude throughout the season, and even injury couldn't stop him for very long. I have nothing against Ricky, but the guy is not the same player he was before his knees and his hips began to hinder his play. He may never be.

All I'm worried about is that once Montoya's contract expires, he's going to want a new opportunity with another team. And considering the extreme amount of slack the team's willing to give DiPietro, I wouldn't blame Monty for going somewhere else that will clearly name him the starting guy. I don't want him to, though, either...

We shall see.

Until next time.

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.

Controversy, Controversy, Controversy...

Sharks 3: Islanders 2 (OT)

If any of you follow me on Twitter, then you should already have a good idea of how I felt about the outcome of this game. Caps lock is usually my friend when I'm inclined to live-tweet games, but it was in especially generous use last night after the entire officiating staff working the game between the Isles and San Jose dropped the ball- right onto the Isles' toes.

It was an incorrect "delay of game" call that cost New York an extra point- and after watching refs and linesmen together review the play and come to a consensus, it's a wonder that they still got it wrong. The puck clearly deflected off of the glass, as an irate assistant coach Doug Weight yelled repeatedly, pointing to the Jumbotron. Then, as Brent Burns scored on the ensuing power play at 1:07 of overtime, the little wind left in the Isles' sails blew completely out.

It's a shame, too, because this really was an entertaining game. It started out rather slowly for starting goaltender Rick DiPietro (yes, him) after Steve Staios took a penalty ten seconds in, and Joe Pavelski potted a power play goal seven seconds after that. But he shook it off admirably and went on to make 27 saves, many of them during the penalty kill. On the other end of the ice, Thomas Greiss gave the Isles fits for much of the first period as well. He ended the night with 35 saves.

The Islanders were able to tie it up at 3:15 of the second, however, on their own man advantage. John Tavares picked up the rebound from a Matt Moulson shot and placed it over a sprawled-out Greiss for his sixth goal of the year, on a great net-crashing play by the top line. Then the Islanders had a brief lead halfway through, as Kyle Okposo made an excellent play to catch a streaking Michael Grabner at the front of the net. Grabner scored his third of the year on that play. But fellow Calder nominee Logan Couture tied it up two minutes later, and the Isles found themselves deadlocked.

As disappointing and frustrating as this loss was to witness, it can't be blamed on the team. As Jack Capuano said in his postgame interview, "This was probably the best game we've had all year." That remains to be seen, of course, but I was pleased to see all four lines trying hard to get to the net, as opposed to just the top line. Josh Bailey had a decent game, which was in stark contrast to the last two games he played against Pittsburgh. Blake Comeau also had a good game, and he finished with four shots on the night. The third line was the line a few people, myself included, were worrying about- the top line has definitely produced as of late, the second line is getting there, and the fourth line always provided some energy and defensive upside, but until last night the third line was in a sort of limbo. Brian Rolston often seemed to be the only one working out there, while Bailey looked lost and Blake Comeau tried, but more often than not missed the net. Last night, though, there was a bit more cohesion, which makes me optimistic. Maybe it'll take a couple more games, but I'm hoping to see them score some goals soon.

Well, not much else to do except collect the point (the Isles' second in two nights- they're still winless in five) and move on. The team doesn't play again until Thursday, when the Winnipeg Jets come into town. This should be an interesting game. The Jets played a topsy-turvy game in Philly that ended 9-8 in their favor (after holding a 5-1 lead at one point), and then their offense was stumped by Dwayne Roloson in a 1-0 loss to Tampa Bay. Don't know which team will show up, don't know who will start, but I do know I will be watching on my computer. :)

See you then.

Dropping a Pair? Awesome.

Isles 1: Lightning 4
Isles 2: Panthers 4

Just some quick notes:

• The top line clearly can't do everything. It's time for the secondary scoring to show up. Shot totals were abysmal in both of these games- which means no established forecheck and very little puck possession. Also, the shots a lot of players did take were wide of the net or at bad angles (haha, no name-dropping intended~).
  
• Mark Streit? Still a beast on the PP. And so very good at shot passes to the front of the net. I adore it.
  
• You can't blame these scores on the goalies- Al Montoya and Evgeni Nabokov kept the Islanders in it for as long as they each possibly could have. Not much can be done when the offense isn't clicking.

Oh, well. It's been long enough for me not to go into detail about both of these matches. Not to mention I didn't watch either of them in their entirety (thanks, work).
Center Ice free preview is over as of tomorrow, which means I get to miss Islanders-Penguins on Tuesday night. Joy. Must scramble to find alternate source.
Night.

Offense Abounds, JT Shines as Isles Strike Lightning

Lightning 1: Islanders 5

Dwayne Roloson probably thought he'd have a little bit better luck than this.

The former Isles goalie was torched for five goals on 18 shots- not all his own fault- and pulled midway through the second period, while the Islanders took care of business against the Lightning, 5-1.

Victor Hedman gave his goalie grief 36 seconds into the first, inadvertently shoving a John Tavares shot into the net after Roloson made the initial save. JT was credited with his first goal of the season, and he was not finished there; he had hands in the next three afterward, scoring once more and providing assists for his linemates Matt Moulson and PA Parenteau. That entire top line ended up scoring eight points in the first- JT with half of them (2G, 2A). Moulson and Parenteau had a goal and a helper each, and each of them finished with a +4 rating. However, I think we can all agree that Tavares's play last night was a huge key to that line's success.

Also on the board last night was Michael Grabner, who'd been a little under the radar during the past two games, but who finally knocked in a goal last night on another slip-up by Roloson. Indeed, that goal chased Roli from the net (which I was sad to see), replacing him with Mathieu Garon who had an admirable showing (16 sv). Grabner was also very effective on the penalty kill along with his PK crony Frans Nielsen. The Isles didn't take quite as many penalties as the nights past, however, and if they did, often the power play was canceled out by a Lightning penalty.

As for the Lightning, Steven Stamkos deflected a shot by former Islander Marc-Andre Bergeron to tie it at 1 in the first, but that was all the Bolts could really muster up. It seemed as though the Islanders were everywhere at once, picking off passes or getting into the passing/shooting lanes, as well as executing a great backcheck (with four or more getting back into the defensive zone at a given time). When Tampa Bay did start to generate offense, the defense and Al Montoya (34 sv) were there to take care of it.

Aggression was also a factor- I don't know how many times I mentioned Matt Martin in my game notes last night. Aside from four shots on goal, he was all over the ice, a giant blue-and-orange wrecking ball, if you will. He had at least three huge hits on three different Lightning players and was extremely effective on his fourth line with Marty Reasoner, who was great in the faceoff circle, and Jay Pandolfo. Altogether, the Islanders did a wonderful job of scoring quickly early, scoring more than two goals and then shutting down the offensive efforts of the Tampa Bay Lightning. This was a tremendously fun game to watch (and I even didn't mind the TB commentators!) and I hope they can carry it over to tomorrow night's game against the Rangers at the Coliseum once more. That should be a fun game, even though I might not even be able to SEE it (some crazy thing about the New York City markets being blacked out if you live in the Buffalo market or something... not sure, so I guess we'll just have to wait and see)... but at any rate, it'll be feisty. Here's to hoping Micheal Haley's in the lineup.

LET'S GO ISLES!

A Brief Interlude.

Nothing like some goalie love. :) Awwww.

Al Is Right With the World! Isles' First Win of the Season

Wild 1: Islanders 2

Well, at least we survived.

That's what the Islanders are no doubt saying in the locker room right now as they come away with a win against the Wild, 2-1- and if they aren't, I am. What started out as a fast-paced, lively game turned into a quest to avoid giving away a point, but thanks to some sharp defense and the quickness of Al Montoya, they ultimately triumphed.

First blood was drawn on the PP by Andrew MacDonald, who threw a sweet wrist shot that banked off the post and hit the twine. Then a bit later, Frans Nielsen got a pass from Mark Streit and redirected it past Nicklas Backstrom for the 2-0 lead (after getting the puck out with some gorgeous work along the boards- at least, it was either him or John Tavares before a line change, I couldn't tell because I was too mesmerized). The defense held Minnesota to just TWO shots on goal for that period, and the two shots they did have were saved well by Al Montoya. The defense was blocking everything that came their way. All was going well.

And then the Wild got going.

I'll be honest- Minnesota dominated the Isles through nearly two full periods afterward. They were quick, smart and aggressive, everything the Islanders should have been for a full sixty minutes- and while the Isles managed to make some good plays and hold off the Wild's comeback, they owe a huge part of their success today to Al Montoya, who carried his stellar play from Saturday night over to this afternoon. He made 20 saves to seal the deal for New York, and was especially impressive on the PK, which had a full plate today thanks to a combination of whistle-happy refs and their own rambunctiousness. Even the away commentators were giving him props, which definitely made me proud. Save for one small hiccup that led to a goal, he was perfect.

As it was, though, the Wild didn't score until 1:13 of the third period, on a shot by Matt Cullen, who now has two goals in two games. From that point on, the Isles went into survival mode, as the Wild offense was buzzing and aggressive as hell. In one shift, John Tavares got bowled over twice, by two different Wild players, and that should not happen. JT, I know you're a smaller guy, but at some point you have to stand up and take matters into your own hands, or you're just going to keep getting smacked. The Isles are not a team that is prone to dirty plays, no matter what some other team's fans tell you; however, they can get aggressive if need be, and that needs to be true in Johnny's case.

Another player I wondered about was Michael Grabner, who's been floating around a bit and had a couple of chances in this game, but didn't do a lot. It's only two games in, I know, but for the Isles to establish themselves, every facet of their team has to contribute early. We're not an incredibly well-known offensive juggernaut, but Grabs is one of five 20-plus goalscorers (he had the highest goal tally at 34) and he, JT, Matt Moulson, and others have to step up now and contribute more to the scoring. We saw flashes of what the Tavares line is capable of, and clearly we saw much of Grabner's speed, early on; now that has to be sustained. You can't show up for one period and score twice and think that that's enough. It has to be consistent, and it wasn't today.

So, the Isles don't play again until Thursday (Tampa Bay), and I'll likely be subjected to another away telecast (thanks, Buffalo market). I did enjoy FS- North (I think it was them anyway) more than I did the Florida broadcast- the guys were a bit chattier, a little more informed and a lot less dramatic than the fools from Saturday. Still, I miss Howie Rose and Butch Goring. (I miss Billy Jaffe even more, but let's not talk about that.) I'll probably update with some posts on hockey in general during the week, so stay tuned if you'd like to know my rambling opinions. xP