Sin Bin Extravaganza

Islanders 3 : Dallas 5

What I realized at this game? Even though I love watching hockey ‘live’, witnessing tonight the Ice Girls twirling around, the Ice Breakers attempting to do whatever they were hired to do, Isles fans booing their own team as if they have already given up on them, the loud mouth guy who sits in front of me providing loud mouth commentary the ENTIRE game, a fight breaking out in the 3rd period that left 2 young kids clinging to their dad as he tried to climb the stairs away from the fight…watching the games on TV has its advantages. Add to that me sitting in the middle of Dom and Anthony who amuse themselves by torturing me with their ‘in your face’ cheers for the Ice Girls and Ice Breakers. Lucky for them they are funny.

Speaking of giving up on, did the Isles fans who booed the team not get the memo stating there is a new coach? Do they not realize that this means the team will go through a transition period adjusting to a new system? Or that this was only the 6th game of the season? Although, booing your own team is a sucky thing to do no matter what game it is.

Speaking of sucky – in the first period Brendan Witt was injured and then left the game with what has been reported as a ‘lower body injury’. By the look on Witt’s face as he rocked back and forth on the bench, it was indeed a painful experience.

Speaking of painful – the game outcome. With Dallas getting hammered by the Devils on Wednesday night 5-0, one would think the Isles had a decent chance at winning this one. With the total shots on goal for tonight’s game being Isles 27, Dallas 29 one might think a winning outcome would have also been possible. Nope and nope.

Shortly into the 1st period Thomas Pock and Sean Avery had an ‘exchange of ideas’ in front of the net with Kyle Okposo joining in that led to his taking a seat in the penalty box for roughing. While sitting in the bin reflecting upon his transgression, Loui Eriksson scored for Dallas (3:30). It was at 6:01 in the period that the Isles seemed to come alive but it wasn’t enough to prevent Dallas from heading to the locker room with a 3 goal lead. Brendan Morrow scored on a tip in (14:13), Sean Bergenheim served two minutes for roughing and Loui Eriksson scored again with a backhand (18:22). Both goals at full strength.

The second period started off with noticing Witt was not on the bench. Yikes. Soon after came a sin bin extravaganza. I was jotting notes when it all started but it involved Trent Hunter and then both teams, resulting in Stephane Robidas (kneeing), Sean Avery (roughing), Sean Bergenheim (roughing), and James Neal serving for Avery (roughing) heading for a time out. About a minute later Philippe Boucher joined his hockey brethren, two minutes for cross checking. Below is my Treo’s attempt at capturing the sight of 4 Dallas players standing in the bin.

Add this all together and what do you get? The Isles getting a two minute 5 on 3 advantage with the puck making friends with the goal posts instead of the net. And as if that wasn’t enough penalty to and fro, a few minutes went by before Mike Comrie served two minutes for too many men on the ice. After that it seemed as though things were settling down until Rick DiPietro caused a few of us to hold our breath when he skated away from the net as a Dallas player skated his way. It was much to do about nothing thank goodness. Bill Guerin broke up some ice hockey ping pong by scoring his second goal of the season, a solid wrist shot assisted by Bergenheim (10:16). The rest of the period made way for Dallas scoring two goals, Krystofer Barch (13:05) and Mike Ribeiro (18:27), with Ribeiro scoring a shorthanded goal as Bergenheim sat in the penalty box for the 3rd time (roughing).

With Dallas up 5-1 at the start of the third period, little hope of a comeback was in the air. While Mark Fistric was serving time for tripping, Mark Streit’s snap shot sailed passed Marty Turco, his first goal of the season (3:28). Following penalties on Doug Weight (elbowing) and Philippe Boucher (interference), Jon Sim ended the game with a snap shot goal (19:57), his first of the season.

The highlight of this game? My niece Kelsey texting me during the second period to see if I was at the game. In 2007 I took Kelsey to her first NHL game, Isles vs. Flyers in Philly. Her interest in ice hockey, as an Islander fan of course, has set in and in November I will be taking Kelsey to her first Islander home game. It’s good to be the Aunt.

LET’S GO ISLANDERS!