Well, That Blows.

Panthers 2: Islanders 0

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

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

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

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

Tavares, Streit and Pre-season, OH MY!

First things first, though.

My late, but sincerest condolences to everyone who perished in the plane crash that killed the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl KHL team earlier this month. It's just been such an awful, awful offseason for hockey in general, and this didn't make it any easier. May you all rest in peace. Side note: Of the 36 killed, Pavol Demitra, Karlis Skrastins, Ruslan Salei, and Karel Rachunek, as well as former Islander Josef Vasicek, had played in the NHL previously.



That being said... the show must go on, and it has. The pre-season has started for the Islanders- they face off against the Bruins on Friday night. How exciting, hockey is back once more, and with some good news to announce.

First came John Tavares's six-year, $33M deal that shuts up everyone talking about him possibly making a move up north (*cough*plenty of Torontonians*cough*). The deal keeps the young center on the Island long-term, and is a decent cap hit ($5.5M per year) for a guy who is developing at a steady pace. I, for one, was very happy to see that he is willing to stay for so long, and not only that, but it also means that we have a great young core of Tavares, Matt Moulson (three more years), Michael Grabner (five years), and Kyle Okposo (five years), meaning stability. Stability is exactly what we need.

Josh Bailey was also handed a two-year deal at the deadline, which was surprising. I don't doubt, however, that this year will be the year he needs to prove he's got what it takes to stay on the Island. Since the forward lines got a bit crowded with young talent, there hasn't been much of a place for Bailey, and he always manages to start out hot and then fade into the background. Yes, he could have used a year in junior, but the past is the past, and somehow, the Isles have to find a way to utilize him (and he has to find a way to sustain his early-season success on the ice long-term).
As for Nino Niederreiter, well... he did a fine job in a pair of rookie games against the baby Bruins last week. I only got to watch about half an hour of one game, but I definitely noticed his presence on both sides of the puck. He was constantly moving, setting himself up for good scoring chances, and he had quite a bit of chemistry with this year's first-rounder, Ryan Strome. I wouldn't be surprised if El Nino made it this year- in fact, I'd be shocked if it were the opposite.



And, last but not least, the Islanders announced today that Mark Streit will be the 13th captain in franchise history. Now, I know what you're thinking- 13, bad luck, kill it with fire- but I have a great feeling about this. The veteran defenseman is a great presence on the ice and in the locker room, and has built a rapport with his younger D partners, as well as fellow countryman Niederreiter. I don't think the Isles could have done better with this pick, and I'm looking forward to seeing him healthy on the ice and wearing the "C"!

A Small Word... RIP Wade Belak

The hockey world has been hit hard this offseason.

Within four months, three hockey players have passed away- three young, seemingly healthy players in the prime of their lives.

First was Derek Boogaard. Then it was Rick Rypien. And the night of August 31, it was reported that Wade Belak was found dead in a hotel room in Toronto. The former NHLer was only 35 years old. Earlier today, AP confirmed that his death was a suicide.

Three players. Similar styles of play. All dead within a third of a year.

Clearly, something is very wrong here. I don't even know how to describe it or what to say. The NHL and NHLPA issued a joint statement today that is pretty succinct and nothing groundbreaking- just a promise to re-evaluate existing programs and do whatever they can to get to the bottom of this. Of course, that's all well and good. But with that comes the need to recognize just how many players in general, in the enforcer role or otherwise, who are in need of help.

With that being said, if you would like to try and help things out on a more general scale, my friends Alex and Sabrina have each designed tee-shirts, a portion of the sales of which will go to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. If you can, please buy one and help out. And take a moment to send a little thought or prayer up to the three guys who have left this world.

Rest in peace, boys.

Potential Third Jersey: Don't Waste Your Money

There's been an awful lot of buzz lately over the Islanders' potential new third jersey and what it will look like. While nothing has come from the Isles org specifically, we do have a bit of speculation- and it's not pretty.

I first heard about the third jerseys a few months ago, while I was still in school. A guy in my Broadcasting class who is a hockey buff (and whom I happened to harbor a crush on- just slightly) told me, and then shared a link on my Facebook wall earlier this summer. Now, other bloggers like Puck Daddy and Islesblogger have picked up on it.

I would include pics, but I don't want to get cited for infringement, so I won't. But at any rate, there are links and images in both spots, and all I have to say is that I am not amused, Isles. Not. Amused. I know it's still a trend to have three jerseys, but... black? Really? Black isn't even in our team colors. Plus, it looks like an awful knockoff of a college jersey- no familiar crest, no real logo other than "ISLANDERS" in blue and orange. No. Not buying it.

So, it's safe to say I'm hoping these designs either ARE just a rumor or will not be approved by the organization. The retro blues are just fine for me. Keep your third jerseys to yourselves.

Wearing Your Jersey in a Foreign Land: A Small Interlude.

Sunday, August 14, coming in to work off-hours. We can wear whatever we want, as opposed to solid black or white tops and dark denim or solid black pants during store hours. I come in wearing my Isles' Wisniewski shirt.

One of our sales leaders (an avid Sabres fan): Islanders?! Get out of here with that shirt. How dare you come in here wearing that.

Yes, Buffalo has a surefire love for the boys in blue and orange. ;)

"Beautiful Women Don't Wear [Hockey] Jerseys."

Apparently, this is what the hosts of TLC's show "What Not to Wear" believe. In making over one of my fellow hockey fans, Becky (@keribo1 on Twitter) in an episode first aired on August 16, they made this point and even went as far as to take away three of her jerseys (at least one of which was signed). They brought them back in frames for her to hang on her walls, which was great, but I just couldn't shake off the idea that they were trying to say a woman can't root for her favorite team and be feminine at the same time, or that only ugly women wear sports jerseys. NOT true. And it also isn't true that guys would rather see a woman dolled up to the nines than repping a team they themselves root for. I mean, come on- instant conversation starter. I was at a bus stop in downtown Buffalo one day wearing my Nik Hjalmarsson shersey and got chatted up by two different guys. Who were both Sabres fans, might I add.

So, while I appreciate the opinion, I've got news for them.




















Yes, we do.

No matter our size, shape, height, age, skin tone, team affiliation... no matter WHAT, we are ALL beautiful, awesome, wonderful women with a lot more going for us than just knowing "what not to wear." We are not shallow. We are passionate, die-hard, intelligent, even a little crazy. Above all, we are much more than our clothes. And we wear WHATEVER we want, WHENEVER we want. We don't abide by the stereotypes of a ridiculous TV show. And we will not be judged for that.

Wear your jerseys and shirts proudly, girls.

Thank you SO MUCHHHH to the girls who contributed to this post: (in order by picture)
(Twitter handle/Tumblr URL)

Becky (@keribo1)
Ishara (lumivalo-rask.tumblr.com)
Andrea (hawkeytalk.tumblr.com)
Kate T. (@antheia/antheia.tumblr.com)
Melissa S. (@lipsticlullabye/shawn-ovary.tumblr.com)
Melissa G. (@starsnbolts1026)
Debbie (hockeyobsessed.tumblr.com)
Maggie (maggie-19.tumblr.com)
Lauren (lenofi.tumblr.com)
Lauren B. (Tumblr unknown :()
Jess (@jessharka/matt-moulson.tumblr.com)
Liz (ohmygerbe.tumblr.com)
Brandi (eternityxechoes.tumblr.com)
Samantha (marcandrefleurylvr29.tumblr.com)
Shelby (@shelbygriswold/vanekatthedisco.tumblr.com)
Amara (shannytaygans.tumblr.com)
Shannon (seabrin.tumblr.com)
Abigail (fiveminutemajor.tumblr.com)
Steph (nevergiveup--.tumblr.com)
Nicole (Tumblr unknown :()
Kaitlin (silentshadow36.tumblr.com)
Mary (brooks-laich.tumblr.com)
Mel (@mjolmew/wingardiumlevihossa.tumblr.com)
Elizabeth (getyourtoewsfaceon.tumblr.com)
Sabrina (@SabrinaSinBin/sabrinasinbin.tumblr.com)
Kenisha (@heyitskenisha/bruinsofboston.tumblr.com)
Kate (joe-flacco.tumblr.com)
Jill (jillyskille.tumblr.com)
Jenny (wingschick.tumblr.com)
Hanna (hannabeee.tumblr.com)
Erika (@rinkrebel/capsfreak.tumblr.com)
Emma (thebergeronprocess.tumblr.com, who also has an AWESOME article on this subject)
Jessy (ryan-johansen19.tumblr.com)
Alex (@QueenCrash/queencrash.tumblr.com)

And yes, the last picture is me. :)

RIP Rick Rypien

James Mirtle was the first I saw who reported, on Twitter, that former Canuck Rick Rypien was found dead in his home tonight. Nothing has been confirmed yet, but there is suspicion that the death was a suicide. He was only 27 years old.

I'm not going to speculate. I'm just going to offer up my most heartfelt apologies to Rypien's family, as well as the Canucks organization and the Winnipeg Jets (whom he had signed with earlier in the offseason). Whatever the circumstances may be, this is a terrible loss for the hockey world, and one of someone far too young to go.

Rest in peace, Rick.