24 games to go, 11 points out of a playoff spot

24 games to go
11 points out of a playoff spot
It’s dark
and I’m wearing sunglasses

Hit it!

Mattrick!

After that abysmal first half, who would have thought that we’d be in this situation? I mean, I have no confidence that we’ll make the playoffs. At best it’s a minuscule long shot, but I am having a damn good time watching this team play. DP should have gotten knocked the F&%K out months ago!

A few notes:

- Congrats to Matty Moulson for the Mattrick! I will never forget that moment because I was at the game with my wife and son. It was his first hat trick game, and hopefully not his last.

- Speaking of Moulson…. He’s on fire! His hat trick comes two days after scoring two against his brother-in-law, Jonathan Quick. I want to be at that table next Thanksgiving!

- How much fun is Grabner to watch? We need to get this kid a nickname.

- Another solid performance by “Big” Al Montoya. Who knew that Cubans could play hockey?

- Is it just me or are we playing a lot of “back to back” games this year?

- I’m glad the Carmelo Anthony trade is finally done because I was afraid the Knicks would have to end up sending Nino Niederreiter to Denver as part of the deal once they ran out of basketball prospects to give up.

- Finally, I love that Capuano is showing some sack. This has to be one of my favorite quotes of the season:

Kings coach Terry Murray had this to say about the Islanders after they shut down his squad:

“The Islanders right now are in a very relaxed state. They’re stretching guys out, they’re leaving the zone early to try and make a play. There’s no pressure, no consequences to anything they do. That’s the easiest time of your life to play this game.”

Capuano’s response to Murray:

“If it was that easy to play against, maybe they should have beaten us.”

Islanders Pride

That's #59, for all of you placing your jersey orders today

Yes, Islanders pride.  It’s certainly been in short supply over the past 25 years…particularly for us fans.  But it was certainly on full display last night as our beloved Islanders gave the Penguins a full dose of “we’re not taking this shit anymore!” – to the delight of the nearly 13,000 faithful that gave the old barn a distinct 1993 feel.

In Animal House, it was up to Blutarsky, well into his 7th year in the Delta House, to inspire the “really futile and stupid gesture” that spelled revenge.  Last night, it was young Michael Haley, in his first NHL game this year, thrust into the role…and in the end the gestures were neither futile nor stupid, though one could imagine Haley and a pre-game Islander locker room rattling off the names of their intended targets all the same:  “Johnson…Dead!  Talbot…Dead! Godard…DEAD!”

First off, you don’t get revenge losing 5-3, no many how many heads you beat in, so first credit the Islanders for coming out flying and blitzing an undermanned Penguin team early.  I’ve always said you get far better revenge on a netminder by hitting the back of the net than by hitting the front of his face.  Tavares, Moulson, and ever-improving Michael Grabner all netting their 20th en route to an early 6-0 lead simply set the stage for part 2, but there was nothing like seeing a rattled Johnson embarassed the old- fashioned way before the team took aim at settling the score man to man.

If the skate were on the other foot, I’m sure we’d be as irate as Penguins fans probably are this morning after Matt Martin hunted down Maxime Talbot, Haley broke the ‘goalies on goalies only, please’ code, and Trevor Gillies gave Eric Tangradi an elbow that would have made Macho Man Randy Savage proud.  (Then again we’d be even more irate when the NHL refused to do something about it, a feeling Pittsburgh fans will not have to deal with once the league rides in on its white horse to restore the honor of the poster-boy Penguins).  But for one night, this is EXACTLY what needed to be done, exactly when it needed to be done.  It’s not just about the Islanders standing up for DiPietro and Comeau, even if that’s the biggest part.  It’s about standing up to a Penguins team that has gotten fat on the Isles for years and been a major part of why this team is at its worst, record-wise, in Atlantic Division play.

It wasn’t pretty.  It won’t go unpunished.  But if this team ever evolves into a contender, we will all look back at 02.11.2011 as a major stepping stone, when this team came together and gave it back in every way possible to a team that’s held them down and, when they last met, made fools of them.  At some point, enough is enough.  At some point, being a punch line has to become unacceptable.

You can have your gentlemanly 5-3 losses…or even your spirited wins…but last night was as proud as I’ve been to be an Islanders fan in a looong time, and I suspect I’m not alone.

Dear DP- This is how it’s done

Sincerely,
IslesBlog.com

Nabokov is a Tool

… but you already knew that.
For another take on this situation, here’s a great article written by Justn Bourne for Deadspin.
Check it out

By the way, I do have to say that this whole situation restores a bit of faith in Snow and the Wanger (sounds like a 70′s mismatched cop drama). It shows that they are capable of fighting for something.

Horseshit Effort

The Newest Sponsor of Your New York Islanders

I can forgive losing.  Sometimes a team is simply better than you.  For instance, the Blackhawks’ 5-0 dismantling of the Isles last Sunday sucked, but I could live with it because (i) the Isles were playing their 4th game in 7 nights on the tail end of 5-game West coast swing and (ii) the ‘hawks are simply much better talent-wise than the Isles.  The mostly successful trip also helped lessen the sting.  But last night’s horseshit effort is unforgivable.  The Sens were 16-21-6 coming into the NVMC and on a 6-game losing streak.  And while the Islanders have had some good vibes over the past 2 weeks, they simply cannot show up with that type of lackluster effort at home against a struggling team and expect to be considered anything other than “doormats” (the term Konopka took exception to TSN using to describe the Islanders this week).

You don’t want to be referred to as doormats?  Well, stop playing like it.  Show some f*cking pride and man-up against a team that cannot simply out-talent you (like roughly 25 other teams in the league).  Again, I can live with being out-talented, but I cannot live with being out-worked.  We are simply not good enough to take periods, especially two in one game, off.  Chris Botta hinted that perhaps it was a letdown.  I fear he was right.  A letdown!?!?  This team is 13-22-7.  They are not entitled to a f*cking letdown!

What will obscure the lack of effort will be the goalie carousel that Cappy rode last night.  Price of admission?  A 20-year old a-list prospect’s self-confidence.  I, for one, think Poulin is the Isles future goalie.  Notice I did not say present goalie.  The Isles should be very careful with Poulin’s workload at the NHL level right now.  He is still only 20 years old.  That is VERY young for a goalie.  That said, if you are going to play him like Cappy is inclined to during DP’s hiatus, then you cannot send a message to your team about their effort by pulling your 20-year old goalie.  A timeout 8 minutes into the game?  Sure!  Ranting and raving like Tortorella when someone skates to closely to Marc Staal?  Fine!  Blatantly picking your nose on camera like Al Arbor?  Um, ok.  But do not pull your future franchise goalie (no matter how self-confident everyone tells me he is).  But as dumb as I felt pulling Poulin (my mom once caught me pullin’ the poulin and boy was I embarrassed…) was, I felt just as strongly that reinserting him to start the third period was smart.  Hockey and head games can be funny that way.  The Isles actually responded to Poulin (in a way they certainly did not to Lawson’s entrance) and played a good and gritty third period.  That should stick with Poulin (when he inevitably returns to Bridgeport sometime in the next 5 days or so).

I hope DP remains on the shelf long enough for me to catch the Poulin Wall in person this Monday against the Devils.  I really hope that David Hasselhoff sings “Looking for Freedom” while standing on him in lieu of the national anthem.  A middle-aged man can dream, can’t he?

Oilers 2- Islanders 1… and developing a man-crush

If that's not a bad-ass mugshot, I don't know what is

Some quick thoughts on last night’s game:

-         How ’bout that Kevin Poulin? After his unexpected debut, he recorded a 54–minute “shutout”. The kid has heart and definitely had the “Eye of the Tiger” out there last night.  My advice:  Don’t lose your grip on the dreams of the past
You must fight just to keep them alive

-         Again, the Islanders seemed content to play 66.6% of a hockey game. That first period was dreadful. You’re not going to get anywhere unless you play the full 60, boys.

-         Gotta give credit where credit is due- Dubnyk was brilliant against the team from Long Island during the last period when the Islanders had a 2 man advantage for almost 1:40. They were pouring on the shots and he just kept ‘em out.

-         I’m not one to be a sore loser, but that third period potential game-tying goal that was disallowed was ridiculous. I have never seen a ref blow a whistle so quickly. What a waste!

Overall, I agree with Cappy; they did not deserve the win last night. I guess I’m at the point where I’ve resigned myself to the fact that we’re really not in any playoff hunt, so I was able to take a few good things from the loss last night- Poulin’s debut being first on that list.

I know it’s early, but I developed a man-crush on Poulin last night. Hopefully he’ll be more than a man-one-night-stand, and will develop in to a man-life-partner.

I love you, man.

Thrilling OT Shutout Win for Roloson

Just a quick post to congratulate Rolie on his debut last night. It’s always good to see a netminder with an Isles logo on his helmet get a thrilling win… even if he is not actually playing for said team anymore.

I don’t even know if I’m being sarcastic or not at this point.

Full recap here

Roloson to Tampa

I'll miss your, defensive breakdowns, most of all

Last night, while the hockey world’s attention was focused squarely on the Winter Classic in Pittsburgh, Garth Snow traded what was likely his most valuable trade asset on the current roster in a one-for-one swap with the Tampa Bay Lightning for defenseman prospect Ty Wishart.

Obviously, the fact that Dwayne Roloson has been traded should come as no surprise to anyone – his stellar play, manageable contract that runs only through this season, and long-term uselessness to a franchise in a slow rebuild made it an absolute certainty. What is a bit odd is the timing. While trading Wiz so far in advance of the deadline made sense, given his potential for injury and play that wasn’t necessarily improving, Roloson had the potential to create something of a bidding-war at the trade deadline among Cup contenders looking for veteran goaltending help. As we’ve all learned, however, the Islanders are usually content with getting 75 cents on the dollar for their tradable assets if it means an extra 25 cents in their pockets.

They cynic will attribute the deal’s timing solely to financial savings, but clearly Ty Wishart had to be someone Garth had his sights set on to move this quickly as well. Indeed, despite the red flags that come with a 2006 first-round draft pick who has played a total of 5 NHL games as the page turns to 2011, Wishart still projects as a top prospect. Hockeysfuture.com ranked Wishart as Tampa’s #6 prospect coming into the season, two years after he was acquired from San Jose, the team that drafted him 16th overall in the 2006 draft, in the deal that sent Dan Boyle to San Jose. Hockeysfuture.com states that Wishart “has excellent size, is mobile and has the hockey sense to be a dominant defenseman” and projects him as “a top pairing defenseman who plays a lot of minutes and who contributes at both ends of the ice.” We’d all sign up for that as an addition to Hamonic, DeHaan, and MacDonald on a young Isles blueline.

As far as Rolie goes, there should be nothing but praise from Islanders fans for his year plus in the blue-and-orange. While we thought the days of employing veteran caddies for DP ended with Vanbiesbrouck and Osgood, his continued injury woes called for the stability and leadership that Roloson so perfectly provided. And while it’s tough to see a Tampa team that drafted in front of the Isles last year as a contender, we’ll have to continue to build at our own pace.

For me, I am also thrilled he did not end up in Washington. My colleague let his slip show in his last post as what I will diplomatically call a “geographically-motivated Capitals sympathizer” – but I remain among those who still remember when the Capitals were right there with the Rangers and Flyers as the Islanders chief rivals in the mid-late 80s…from their stunning sweep in 1986 that signaled the true end of the dynasty, the 1987 classic that saw the Isles cap a comeback from 3-1 down with the Easter epic, and culminating with Dale Hunter’s disgraceful display in 1993. Personally, I’m not interested in anything that helps that miserable franchise or their bandwagon fanbase achieve anything – it’s bad enough that we have to consider them a marquee franchise because of one player so good that even the idiot fans of DC can’t ignore him.

But I digress…good luck Rolie, and look forward to seeing you on LI, Ty Wishart.

It’s So Pretty!

We goin' Sizzler! We goin' Sizzler!

Your New York Islanders now have back-to-back pretty (so pretty) wins on their resume.  Two nights after beating the Easter Conference leading Pittsburgh Penguins, the Isles tonight beat the Western Conference leading Detroit Red Wings.  While this team will not be partaking in this year’s playoffs, they will not be giving up either.  I like the character, and I like Jack Capuano.  I am not sure if Cappy is the long term solution for this team, but he has done himself proud after taking over this rudderless bunch.

A few other thoughts on the last couple of games (in no particular order):

1. Frans Nielsen!  Frans Nielsen!  Frans Nielsen!  It will be an absolute crime if…when…he does not win the Selke thing year.  Nielsen is simply playing the best hockey of anyone on the Isles front line right now.  Btw, Josh Bailey is quickly becoming Robin to Nielsen’s Batman.  These two are really developing a nice chemistry.  They are not exactly Trottier and Bossy, but these two can play (and they are getting better each game).

2. Speaking of dynamic duos – I am crushing like a 13 year old girl on Justin Bieber when I watch Hamonic and AMac together.  There is simply no question anymore that Hamonic is the real deal.  Perhaps Garth Snow is not a complete idiot.  Perhaps the hockey people working on Hempstead Turnpike actually know a little bit about hockey.  Maybe the Wiz will not be so sorely missed when AMac, Hamonic, Streit and de Haan are each logging 24 minutes a night next year (assuming de Haan does not continue to get hurt every time someone skates within 6 feet of him – I am officially concerned about de Haan, although he did return after leaving the previous WJC game with a dreaded lower body injury).

3. Tavares looks every bit like the player I thought we were getting, and he is elevating PAP’s game as well.  PAP might actually be a useful player after all.

4. Despite the goal tonight, Joensuu stinks.  On the other hand, Dylan Reese represented himself quite nicely tonight.

5. Loving Konopka.  Notice he was the first guy in the celebratory huddle/man-hug after PAP’s OT goal tonight.  This guy cares.  He needs to be back next year when these games actually mean something.  Oh yeah, his face-off victories made quite a big difference.  Just ask Tavares, who got a goal with 2.7 seconds left in the first period after the Red Wings iced the puck with fewer than 6 seconds left.  Talk about stealing a goal!

6. It is official – I hope Matt Moulson remains with the Isles and signs a long-term deal.  While I am not a huge fan of Moulson (mostly because I am not as sold as others that he is as solid in all three zones as Botta tells me he is), I do think Moulson is a top-6 forward in this NHL.  The Isles simply cannot afford to let top-6 forwards walk out the door (unless there is a first round pick coming in the door, and I highly doubt that is going to happen).

7. Roloson is ridiculous.  If this guy was DP’s age, I would give him a 15 year contract.  That said, I do hope Garth moves him to Washington for a 1st round pick or a prospect.  The Caps system is absolutely stacked, so Garth can do very well here if the right situation presents itself.  Unfortunately or fortunately, the Caps love their two young goalies.  As a Caps season ticket holder, I think both of those guys would benefit tremendously from working with Roli on a nightly basis.  The Caps simply will not win a cup this year without a goalie with true playoff experience.  I am hoping they realize that and overpay for the final piece of the championship puzzle.

That is all for now.  Happy new year everyone (meaning Boomer and Tommy, since they are the only ones likely to read this)!

Winning Ugly and Losing Even Uglier

Now THAT is the picture of "Ugly."

Three straight wins (over the Lightning, Devils and Canadiens) may have looked good on the scoreboard, but that was probably the only place those wins looked good.  To be fair, I only saw the first period of the Lightning game, and I hear that the Isles looked a lot better in the remainder of that game.  However, in both the Devils and Canadiens games, the Isles were hardly the best team on the ice.  While shots on goal can be misleading, I do not think that was the case in these games.  To be sure, there were periods of time (not full periods mind you) when the Isles looked strong, but those periods aggregate less than 30 minutes.  The difference in these games (and something to be encouraged by) was that the Isles capitalized on their limited opportunities.  That is typically the sign of a good team.  We know the Isles are not yet a good team, but there are glimmers of hope in this otherwise dismal season.

As for the Rangers game, other than the later touchdown by the home team, the game was…actually, it was jsut ugly all over the place.  Even the Isles’ goals were ugly.  Oy vey!