NYIslesScene

Uniform Déjà Vu

2011-09-06T00:48:00.000-05:00

Ummm so yeah...got an analogy for you...

Univ. of Maryland's new player ensemble : Islanders fish stick jersey ensemble

I love my Alma Mater as much as another Terp but COME ON NOW PEOPLE!!

Photo by: Under Armour

Here's the one good thing, I think if it doesn't work against our own players, the patterned design on the uniform will be a visual distraction to the opponent...so to be quite honest I don't know how it was approved in the first place. Hope our QB can filter out the visual noise of throwing to his own players.

LET'S GO TERPS!!

Please Help a Fellow Blogger and Hockey Lover!

2011-08-31T01:09:00.000-05:00

Difficult times can bring out the best in people and this is what has happened in our Twitter community for @Hawgs38 who with her dog made it out of her house in N. Jersey but returned to a home flooded with water. Fans from all around are donating funds to help her recover so please consider donating what you can, when you've lost so much, every dollar counts.

Thanks for Dani at NHLtweetup for organizing the fundraiser. For more information please click HERE.

Thank you!!

Isles Attempt to Lure Star Goalie

2011-08-19T20:02:00.000-05:00

It's going to take a lot of catnip to convince a goalie of this caliber to play for the Islanders.

SELL BABY SELL!!

2011-08-03T05:55:00.001-05:00

I've been asked many times over the years why I dislike Charles Wang so much. It's not about like, it's about business. Sure, with Wang's 'colorful' business history there is plenty for me not to like however for the sake of time, it's just as easy to focus on general issues. And with all that written, I am full of shit. But hey, I tried to be diplomatic.

The Islanders franchise sucks. There is little to no respect for us as a club. And with clubs out there like Columbus and Ottawa to pick on, this is tragic. I mean we are the Islanders dammit! Umm hellooooo 4 Cups in a row Islanders? The day of the Islanders riding that history train has ended and now what do we all have to stand upon? Zippo.

The only solution to attempt to repair this franchise is for Charles Wang to sell the team. He's been holding the Isles hostage long enough for his development deal however after Monday's vote, it appears this will not happen any time soon. And even if the vote was YES, a new arena would still not have happened under Wang's ownership. A new arena being built was so much greater than a public vote. The vote was a dog and pony show which backfired. So then what else does Charles Wang to have as a foundation to his field of dreams? Zippo. Well zippo in the sense of support from something/someone that counts in getting a new arena built.

The Town of Hempstead (ToH) needs to be provided with an owner they want to work with. Charles Wang will not be that person. Could ToH come out and say that? Nope. But that's the root of the power struggle and it's not going to change. Considering Wang's colorful business history, I would hope ToH would fight tooth and nail to protect their town and the people in it. To reward Wang with more power and more business on Long Island would just be plain stupid. He's had many years to make something of the Isles franchise and he hasn't come up with much except for abusing the word rebuilding, which many Isles fans were all too happy to beat to death as well.

Let's see...what else...

Blaming the old folks for the NO vote winning: Simply put, to ask Nassau Country to allow this arena to be built in this economic climate was an obnoxious of an expectation by Islander fans. It amazes me how many excuses I've seen Islander fans make for why they are not getting their way, how many others they will blame rather than looking to the head of the Isles household as the reason why. Sad but true. Listen up kiddies, part of being a good business person is being able to close a deal. Wang failed at that on many occasions, if he were a CEO he'd be fired by now but since he is the Isles owner, he gets free pass after free pass by Islander fans...thank goodness NOT ALL ISLANDER FANS! And if you think you need a new arena to be a winning team, explain Detroit. What's that? You can't? Of course you can't.

Lions and Tigers and the Islanders are going to move OH MY!: If there would be one reason to start bitch slapping certain Isles fans, this would be it. Sort of like the movie airplane, in trying to calm down the hysterical woman kind of process...why? Because nothing seems to work to deprogram the cult-like fear Charles Wang put into fans about moving the team, a lame scare tactic that wasn't lame enough not to have had some effect. Yet if you ask these fear based fans what the process is in the NHL for moving a franchise...they have no idea. And with that they appear to think Charles Wang has the sole power to move the Isles. He does not. The NHL does. More specifically, the NHL Board of Governors. DO YOUR EFFIN' HOMEWORK PEOPLE!

I am a traitor, turncoat, moron and so on for not supporting a YES vote AND I am not an Islander fan: There aren't enough curse words out there to precede 'you' so I'll just skip to the next sentence. My guess is these insults have mostly come from Islander fans who have not been on the planet longer than I have been an Islander fan. I am 43 years old, started going to Islander games when I was 5 or 6, you do the math. If it were not for my love of the Islanders and Long Island I would not have spent the last 3 years researching every step of this process I could find. What that research has been and who I have spoken to will remain a closed file. At the end of the day, I feel an almost maternal instinct to protect my team from Charles Wang. And since I grew up on and love Long Island, same goes there. I will not apologize for it, I will not back down from it, and I will not rest until Charles Wang is no longer owner of the Islanders.

Could I be wrong about Wang opening up to offers to purchase the Islanders? Sure. But here's the thing, I am determined not to be wrong. If there is an impending exit door coming for Mr. Wang, I'd fork out some moola to be the one to slam it behind him.

As my Nanny used to say...better days are coming.

LET'S GO ISLANDERS!!!

Isles Have Core to Build Upon As Free Agency Looms

2011-06-10T16:16:00.002-05:00

Let me just start by saying this: not everything in this post will be sunshine and roses.

I'll talk about the bad news first: According to multiple sources, including @HockeyBreak on Twitter, Chris Botta at Islanders Point Blank, and most recently NYI Faceoff Circle, Trevor Gillies and Micheal Haley are expected back on the Island; Zenon Konopka, however, is not.

I can't even begin to explain this one, seeing as Gillies was suspended twice by the NHL for irresponsible hits, and will most likely be playing as a marked man for the rest of his career no matter what. Not to mention the man only plays two to three minutes a game, and those come when fisticuffs are needed. He's too much of a worry on the ice and in my opinion a waste of a roster spot, but the Islanders would rather keep him than hang onto a guy like Konopka, who in the course of a year has more than proven himself as an enforcer, a leader and a heart and soul player on the Island. The way he plays and sticks up for his teammates, all while battling his own knee injuries in private, are beyond commendable; also, he loves the fans and he's expressed his desire to stay in New York.

I'm not saying Gillies isn't a great guy off the ice, because according to many people I've spoken to, he is. Even a Pens fan went out of her way to say how nice he was when she met him at a signing once, while he played for another team. It's the idea that this guy has done enough damage to the Isles' image, while Konopka has done much to give people the idea that this team is a doormat no longer, that bothers me. Why should we reward a player who had admittedly built a rapport with Isles management, but who gets disciplined at the drop of a hat? And why, conversely, should we let go of a player who, no matter what he might do outside of the arena, brings his proverbial lunch pail to work every single day and is quick to defend his team to the very end? Sure, we can always get another fighter or grinding center (NYI Faceoff Circle mentions bringing up Casey Cizikas for the fourth-line center position), but Konopka brings too much to the table regarding character and leadership, especially when you consider the Islanders are a team needing direction in the form of a stable leader.

While I shake my head angrily and sadly over THAT, however, I also have a lot to talk about regarding the Isles' injury situation. It looks as though the team will be going from depleted at D to having way too many guys to deal with. Mark Eaton, Mike Mottau, Andrew MacDonald, and Mark Streit (a lot of Ms) are all coming back from injury, adding to the group of Jack Hillen, Bruno Gervais, Milan Jurcina, Travis Hamonic and Ty Wishart that was left over from this season. Radek Martinek is an impending UFA, and while he's an underrated D, something tells me he won't be re-signed, if only for roster space reasons. Juice, Eaton, Streit, A-Mac and Mottau are also signed through next season or beyond, and Jack Hillen is an RFA who should receive a qualifying offer. Gervais is the weak link here in my opinion, since he's on the brink of 27 years old and hasn't shown much in the way of development, as far as I can tell. This past season he has actually regressed from his usual 15/16-point average, scoring six points (all assists) and posting a -14 in 53 games. Compare that to Hillen (22 points, -5, 64 GP), Hamonic (26 pts, +4, 62 GP) and MacDonald (27 pts, +9, 60 GP).

While MacDonald, Hamonic and Hillen have improved and stated their cases to remain in the NHL, Gervais remains an enigma- some games, he's involved in offensive play and makes good plays on D, but other games he looks completely lost. I would be a little surprised if he were to stay on the Island for next season, seeing as we have defensemen signed and more defensemen who deserve the spots. Also, I'd expect Wishart to go down to the A for space reasons.

Now on to the forwards. The top line of Matt Moulson-John Tavares-PA Parenteau scored big this season. Tavares led the team in scoring with 29 goals, 67 points altogether, a significant improvement over his 54-point rookie campaign (though he was second-worst on the team in plus-minus with a -16). Moulson and Parenteau tied at second with 53 points apiece; Moulson had a second consecutive 30-goal season, ending with 31, while Parenteau posted a respectable 20 goals. Both wingers have clinched contract extensions- Moulson for three years, Parenteau for one- while Tavares is entering the final year of his entry-level contract. Expect a deal in the works for JT soon, especially since two other Isles forwards have already been signed for the long term.

Those forwards are Michael Grabner and Kyle Okposo. Grabner shocked everyone with his 34-goal, 52-point rookie campaign (and got a Calder Trophy nomination to boot), while Okposo came back from injury halfway through the season to post 20 points. Both forwards are a part of the "youth movement" Garth Snow is banking so heavily upon for the team's success. Grabner is speedy and has hands to match, while Okposo is gritty, hardworking and has also matured into a leader on the ice. In fact, the same week the KO deal was done, former captain Doug Weight announced his retirement, making me wonder if Okposo would be getting a nod for the C. I still think with a guy like Mark Streit around, the chance of him getting it now is slightly diminished; however, Streit is here for only another two years, giving Okposo (who will be 25 by then) time to grow into the captaincy.

We also have one Frans Nielsen to think about. The guy is a playmaker, not a finisher, but he also posted 13 goals and 44 points in 2010-11 and worked wonders playing alongside Grabner. Moreover, he works beautifully on both sides of the puck and seven of his 13 goals came shorthanded. Yes, seven shorties. And he's the best shootout/penalty shot specialist in the league with something like a 57% accuracy percentage. Yes, really. Don't quote me on the exact stat, but it's in there somewhere. Long story short, he's still young (27), he's in the final year of his contract as well this coming season, and he came at a heck of a bargain ($525,000 a year). If the Isles are smart, they won't let go of this guy.

And of course, let us not forget about the goalies. The Islanders recently signed Anders Nilsson to an entry-level contract, and Al Montoya is signed through next year. Also, Kevin Poulin (remember him?) is coming back from his season-ending knee injury and should make a case for the Island again this year. We also have Mikko Koskinen to consider, as well as that other goalie whom we grabbed off waivers. With Rick DiPietro a constant question mark, the Isles should allow room for him (I suppose- they will anyway), but consider Poulin and start Montoya. Nilsson should see some time in exhibition, of course, to see where he stands before the start of the season. It seems a lot like we went from having no goalies to having a surplus of them, so the Isles have to figure out where everything goes.

Overall, I think we have reason to be happy for next season's start. With a full, healthy roster, who knows what might happen? :) Next post I'll talk about Josh Bailey and Blake Comeau- two questions for the Isles. At least, as far as I see it.

Thank You Tampa Ba(b)y!!!

2011-04-28T14:49:00.000-05:00

A new team was added to my permanent NHL sh*t list this season:

1: Flyers

2: Penguins

One of the most disgraceful moments in NHL history represented in the photo above. Wonder if they are laughing now?

Buh-bye.

LET'S GO ISLANDERS!!

Letting Go of the Past

2011-04-03T12:16:00.003-05:00

Today marked a day of spring cleaning for me, seeing as it's been my first day of doing absolutely nothing outside of home all week. As I went through my piles of books and bags of stuff, I happened upon my old notebooks full of Islanders game notes. Most of them were messy, some were extremely short, but all of them were full of my excitement and disappointment over a given game. The names, I realized, have changed a hell of a lot as well- I've been keeping notes since my second year as an Isles fan. Arron Asham, Chris Simon, Josef Vasicek and Bill Guerin- those names, along with many others, have been seen on plenty of other teams by now. And it was a bittersweet feeling I experienced when I decided that these books would have to go bye-bye.

Let's face it: none of us likes letting go of the past. The Islanders have had a great many awful seasons since their Cup days, yet they hold onto them like they were yesterday- not unlike me with these notebooks.

However, the best thing about letting go is being able to move forward. And I look forward to getting Gamecenter Live next season, and sitting down every night to watch Matt Moulson, John Tavares, Michael Grabner, Frans Nielsen and Al Montoya, among others, play to win. We have a bright future complete with two 30-goal scorers, a 60-point scorer, the best shootout specialist in the league-and soon a PP quarterback and a young goaltender coming back from injury with a vengeance. Despite the team's rank in the standings, the Islanders have posted a fantastic record since February, and that cannot be discounted.

So, while I have loved former players just as much as the new guys on the roster, I let go of the past and look forward, as the Islanders must do now.

Game on!

Isles Keep Truckin' Despite Standings

2011-03-21T11:46:00.004-05:00

One of the things that bugs me the most as a hockey fan is how some people base their entire thought process on the league standings. Don't get me wrong, in many ways they are indicatieve of how a team is faring, but they do not tell the entire story.

Why? I'll tell you. Currently, the Islanders are last in their division, 14th in the conference, and 27th in the entire league (hey, we jumped a bit!). They have 68 points and are eleven points out of a playoff spot. While they come out even (5-5) in the last ten games, they have managed to get a point in four of their last five losses, the only regulation loss coming against the Rangers (and in many of those games, sad to say, they were in a position to win- but such is the case with a young team).

In the process, they have had two players reach 30 goals apiece (Matt Moulson and Michael Grabner) and their top line of Moulson, John Tavares and PA Parenteau is currently in the top three spots for points scoring among the team; Tavares leads the Islanders with 60 points even, his highest total to date. Blake Comeau also reached a career-high 20 goals, and Frans Nielsen has reached a career-high in points with 41. In goal, Al Montoya holds a solid .920 save percentage and a 7-3-5 record in 15 games played, after basically falling under the radar within the NHL's farm system. Crazy how that happens, right?

We cannot overlook the effect that head coach Jack Capuano has had on this team. After taking over Scott Gordon's position mid-season, the former Bridgeport bench-minder has gotten players to believe in themselves and each other, and even through brawls and suspensions the team has come out on top and has been enjoying the benefits of the system. David Strehle reports that since the 1-8-2 start under Capuano, the Isles have turned around and posted up 24 wins, 15 regulation losses and 6 overtime/shootout losses, making it a pretty WIN situation. Surely, the front office will lock up Capuano for next season at the very least.

Also, any opponent will tell you that barring the occasional head-up-rear sloppiness these young ones tend to display, the Islanders consistently come out onto the ice determined to win. There's a reason both Bruce Boudreau and John Tortarella, among others, have praised the Isles' forechecking ability and resilience at different times during the past two years. This is not your regular band of scrubs, no matter what the standings suggest. With a good streak to close out the season, John Tavares could join the 30-goal club, and Moulson has already proved to critics that last season was not a fluke. As for Grabner... well, there have been whispers about the Calder Trophy, for which he is still eligible. And while Montoya had a slow start, he's been giving Islanders fans a lot to smile about with his solid play and laid-back, earnest demeanor during interviews. With Rick DiPietro back in the mix, it's hard to say what might happen next, but all I know is that I'm happy with what the boys are doing on the ice. Something tells me the "country club atmosphere" has left for good, and in its place is a close-knit locker room and a determination to succeed in the coming years.

So even if the Isles don't make the playoffs this year (and they likely won't), with key players like Mark Streit coming back into the lineup from injury, and a young goalie named Kevin Poulin who certainly has what it takes to challenge DP or Al for a nod in net, I'd say we have plenty to cheer for next season.

LET'S GO ISLANDERS!!

There Comes a Time for Change... and This Is It

2011-03-10T20:44:00.005-05:00

Well, this is about as good as I could get it to be after doing six takes. xD I have a lovely new $9.99 webcam from OfficeMax that I was just DYING to use, so here I am showing you my lovely face (and very messy hair, might I add). I hope you all can here me and that I'm not rambling TOO much... haha. :)

In all honesty, though, there has to be a change to the NHL's system, before very bad things happen...

Isles Anomaly, Junk Mail and Gifts for DiPietro

2011-01-27T21:36:00.000-05:00

A post that is long overdue. Actually I started it last month but never finished it, sounds like ADD to me....right Angie? Anyway, it's not often that I see hockey being represented in general, with the marketing of sports products. Baseball, football, basketball, heck even soccer, all seem to have presence in stores (although one really can't bounce a puck) but this past Christmas season at the Union Square Holiday Market not only did I find a hockey ornament but dum dum dummmm an Islanders ornament!

What are the chances of that? Uh, slim to none. Beyond its mere existence is the 'prestigious honor' of being sandwiched between a Yankees and Giants ornament, although the Giants guy looks like he's doing some kind of yoga pose and well the Yankees guy seems to be having an attachment issue with the ball. I say 'prestigious' because compared to those two teams, one would expect to have to whisper to the sales person who would then lead you down a long hallway into a dark cobwebbed room for Isles merchandise in NYC. And yes I cropped out the Rangers ornament.

As fate, or my strong dislike for the Flyers karma would have it, I arrived home after leaving the market only to find this postcard in the mail!

Guess I was on the naughty list this year and received the NHL version of coal. Seems when you buy tickets to see the Isles play the Flyers in Philly, you are somehow added to the list.

Lucky me.

Yes I could have used the paper shredder but knowing that tearing paper is a good sublimation of anger/aggression...VOILA!!

And now onto the Isles...what can be said that every other Isles blogger hasn't already said and at this point repeated. Not much. Lots of changes going on, injuries galore and overall I see a team trying to make the best of it while 'livin' the dream'. The Lighthouse project rumor mill continues and has recently surpassed the Iphone coming to Verizon rumor mill that was shut down a few weeks ago. My prediction still stands - that a new arena will only be built when a new Islanders owner comes along. Maybe one of these days I'll have enough time to get into details about that prediction but for now it's a ongoing game of chicken between the Town of Hempstead and Charles Wang.

One consistency we've seen this season albeit not a great one, is the peek-a-boo drama of Rick DiPietro. In response to his on again-off again love affair with playing in the NHL I'd like to offer these pseudo-blog gifts which might contribute to his ability to show up on the ice consistently...

This first is a lovely invention that might help him stay in or around or near his net.

If the standard issue isn't acceptable to Mr. DP, perhaps one that is more user friendly would do:

And last but not least a gift for overall protection...bubble wrap. Perhaps this might fit nicely under his pads and such to provide some cushioning to his boo boos and prevent new ones.

Ahh the things I could have done to this blog post if only I knew Photoshop.

Nobokov gives the middle finger to the Isles, Moulson signs for 3 years...tune in tomorrow for the next episode of...As The Isles Turn.

LET'S GO ISLANDERS!!!

Rick DiPietro Getting Ready for Tonight's Game

2011-01-15T15:31:00.001-05:00

Rumor was he almost missed being in net tonight due to not being able to find his inhaler.

LET'S GO ISLANDERS!!

A Look at the Isles...

2011-01-06T13:22:00.002-05:00

So, I've been incredibly lax and MIA in blogging this season, and I hope you forgive me. I've pieced together most of my Isles info from The Hockey News, Twitter, the NYI website and some very blurry feeds on channelsurfing.net. I tell you, being an Isles fan in Buffalo is not the greatest. *sigh*

Anyway, I just took a look at the Isles' player stats, so I figured I'd make some observations. Here goes.

John Tavares is the leader of the pack, with 13 goals and 14 assists for a grand total of 27 points. Not bad, considering around this time last year he was mired in a slump that pretty much killed all chances of him getting a Calder nod. I think if he can keep on pace and fix his awful plus-minus (currently a team-low -15), he'll get up to 30 goals or more.
Matt Moulson has a team-best 14 goals, as well as 7 assists. Great pace for another 30-goal season, if he can keep his hot streak up! I don't think there's any doubt about this guy anymore- he's gritty, he's smart, and he works well especially with Tavares and PA Parenteau.
Speaking of Parenteau, he's kind of tapered off since his hot start, but he still taps in a good goal every now and then, and last game I saw him in (on a line with MM and JT) he was excellent, making great plays that turned into either scoring chances or goals. Seems like he has good chemistry with those two, which is good to see.
Josh Bailey started off on top of the stats chart, but now has 10 points total (6 G, 4 A). However, since coming back from his time in Bridgeport, he's been a lot more confident on ice. He had a three-point night against the Devils and has since been fairly quiet, so it's up to him to start charging to the net more and getting those pucks in.
Rob Schremp has equaled his goal total (7) from last season in the beginning of January, so it's safe to say he's developing well and anything after this point will be considered an improvement. He's got wicked hands- time to put them to use.
Milan Jurcina, who's just received a contract extension with the Isles for one more year, has the best +/- on the team- a 1. Not extremely impressive, but at least there's some good news. If he can stay healthy and become an anchor for the blueline in Mark Streit's absence, it'll be even better.
Two semi-disappointments: Doug Weight and Rick DiPietro. Both have struggled with injury, so it's understandable that they haven't had the best numbers; however, both also play key roles in the Isles' system- Doug as captain, Rick as the main man in net now that Dwayne Roloson has (sadly) departed for Tampa Bay. Doug has doubled his goal total from last year, but with only nine points, and now out with a back injury, you have to wonder if he might be done completely. And Rick, now battling an adductor muscle strain (hip) and a question mark for tonight's game in Edmonton, has a 3.45 GAA and .889 save percentage. Not wonderful numbers if you expect him to shoulder the load now. Kevin Poulin has been recalled from BPT on an emergency basis, so if Rick can't go, expect him and Nathan Lawson to see a bit of ice time.
Lawson, meanwhile, has been solid in relief. In a 5-2 win in Calgary, after DiPietro bowed out, he made 28 saves and allowed one goal to hang on. While some say Poulin is better, I personally don't see anything wrong with either of them- even though, granted, Calgary have had their own issues on the ice lately.

That's pretty much all I've got. Isles play the Oilers tonight- puck drop at 9 p.m. I hope to catch this one online, but if not... hellooooo, nhl.com highlights.

The Arts Don't Know Disability, Only Ability

2010-12-24T23:44:00.000-05:00

Dan McNeil: Son finds magic in Chicago Blackhawks' national anthem - chicagotribune.com

Bailey Demoted; Mottau Injured; Isles v. Columbus Tonight

2010-11-24T10:49:00.005-05:00

After reaching a losing streak of 13 games, the Islanders announced about 31 minutes ago via Twitter that they have sent Josh Bailey down to Bridgeport on loan. The demotion comes the night of the Isles' matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets, a team that's been flying fairly high after winning four straight. Ironically, it was Bailey who made the difference last time the two teams played each other, with his overtime goal winning it for the Isles, 4-3.

But this is a very different Columbus squad. Both goalies, Mathieu Garon and Steve Mason, have been solid for the Blue Jackets (Garon gets the nod tonight after Mason shut out the Predators, 2-0). Captain Rick Nash has a six-game goal streak and points in the last nine games he's played, and overall, the team is incredibly strong defensively; their 2.32 goals-allowed average is the third-lowest in the league at the moment, which does not bode well for an offensively struggling team like the Islanders. Not only that, but with Bailey's demotion and captain Doug Weight being questionable for tonight (back spasms), the Isles may have to play a bit shorthanded. Not to mention that Mike Mottau could be out of commission for a while after being struck in the right eye by a puck last game against Atlanta. He spent a couple of days in the hospital down there before being cleared to fly back up to New York; according to Katie Strang, Mottau is suffering from hyphemia (blood in the eye) and could be out for up to six weeks. Not a good thing for a club that is thin on the blueline as it is. They called up Travis Hamonic from Bridgeport yesterday morning to fill in the gap.

I have to question why it is that Bailey has been sent down, yet John Tavares has not. While on the voting ballot for the All-Star Game in Raleigh in January, Tavares has had a minus-rating in all but two games this season and his -15 is the worst on the roster. True, the team as a whole has only scored 18 goals in 13 games, so that isn't all on Johnny, but if you're going to demote anyone to the Bridge, why not have it be a guy who's supposed to be a goalscorer? Just a thought for something that will really send a message across to the rest of the locker room.

However, what's been done is done, and all we as fans can do is hold our breaths and hope that somehow it pays off. Puck drop is set for tonight at 7 p.m. at Nassau Coliseum.

(Isles' preview on their website is here.)

Once Again... A Dead Horse Resurrected- Or Should I Say, a Dead "Bunny"?

2010-11-21T11:50:00.003-05:00

So, here we go again- this time, it's a anti-puck bunny song that's caused a stir among hockey fans, male and female. Basically, an adorable girl in glasses and a Thrashers shirt sings about how "puck bunnies don't know (cough) about hockey, 'cause they're there to play a different game." (Lyrics from the song, by the way.) You can see it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISxhHtKszmE

Puck Daddy picked it up and posted it on their blog, and while it's gotten plenty of positive buzz, of COURSE the Negative Nancys have to comment as well. One blogger, while making a couple of valid points about how not every pretty girl in a hockey jersey is necessarily a puck bunny, went as far as to suggest that every anti-puck bunny out there is some ugly, fat, desperate female who wants a hockey player to look at them instead of the chosen beauties.

News flash: it's time to get over that mentality, because appearances don't matter when it comes to respectable female fans vs. the ones with ears and tails.

Now, when it comes to fandom, personally, I don't lie about where I stand. I'm a female. I'm attracted to men. That may or may not include the men who happen to play in the NHL. It takes nothing away from what I post on here (I would hope) because I don't blather on about how much of a "babe" John Tavares is, or how I would try to get a date with Rick DiPietro. (Um, he's MARRIED, people. Like, God. /end sarcasm) That is not what this blog is about, and besides, Christine would probably go insane. ;) I have more respect for her, our readers, and myself- not to mention this sport. I just happen to have hormones that go beyond a wall of glass and a sheet of ice. Big deal.

But, and I will say this "but" because it's a pretty true one: BUT. I would never conduct myself with the same kind of recklessness and sheer lack of self-respect that puck bunnies do. While it's to be determined whether they know about the game or not, it's clear that they don't care- their priority is to get a hockey player or die trying. My priority, and that of many fellow female fans I associate with, is to watch, learn and love the game- with the bonus of a few nice-looking faces.

I suppose that's all pretty easy to understand (though some people still don't get it), and to be honest, the topic of a female hockey fan will never stop being beaten, buried, and dug up once more for resuscitation. Any girl who happens to mention her attraction to a player could be judged accordingly- by men, sure, but more often by fellow female fans who automatically declare her a deviation from the unwritten rules of our fandom, whatever those may be. It's how we were raised, I guess- after all, sociologically, what are we taught? Cross your legs, pluck your eyebrows, and find a man before your 30s. It's nonsense. But it's near-unquestionable nonsense at this point, though some of us (*raises hand*) will still question it. As I think we should. There's no reason to point the finger at each other, ladies, and even if sometimes we think a girl has dubious intentions, there's nothing wrong with taking her under our wings and teaching her the basics. Am I right or am I right?

But that's a subject for a post on a very different blog. For now, I leave you with this video, and I hope we all know that healthy female =/= puck bunny. Au revoir.

NHL Coach Pat Burns is Remembered 1952-2010

2010-11-20T15:54:00.008-05:00

Surely the Devils could use a little guidance from beyond. : )

On Saturday night Montreal honored Pat Burns:

The State of the Islanders... What Should Be Done?

2010-11-20T09:21:00.003-05:00

It's been a tumultuous month of November for this team and everyone involved.

That's an understatement, I know, but what can be said by anyone writing a blog that doesn't involve swearing like a person possessed? Especially while watching a team that seems to be making all the wrong moves- to say nothing of that team's organization.

Consider that the Islanders have lost eleven straight games- a tremendous losing streak that started against the Florida Panthers (ironically, the team they will face tonight) and resulted in the firing of head coach Scott Gordon. In this losing streak, the Islanders have allowed 43 goals and forced only 16, including eight goals in the last eight games. In his last five starts, Dwayne Roloson has played admirably, facing an average of 30.2 shots per game and stopping, on average, 27.8 shots; however, he remains 2-8-1 while maintaining a save percentage for the season to date at .916. Rick DiPietro, meanwhile, has faced 30 shots per game and has saved fewer of them, at an average of 25.6 saves per start in his last five games. (That's nearly five goals allowed per game, as opposed to just over two goals allowed per game for Roli.) He was also in net the night of the Isles' 7-2 embarrassment against Carolina, as well as the 6-1 loss against Philadelphia. However, the lineup in front of both goaltenders has been unstable, with players popping on and off of the roster on a nearly game-to-game basis. Not to mention that at some points in the losses, not everyone was playing with one hundred percent effort, which can also hurt a goaltender's stats and confidence.

In any case, Gordon has been ousted (to remain with the Isles in an advisory capacity to GM Garth Snow, according to the organization), and in the aftermath of that news, former Isles PR rep turned blogger/journalist Chris Botta has had his credentials yanked and access to the team barred following some rather critical analysis of Snow and the Isles' moves. For that, the organization has come under fire in the past 48 hours, prompting many to wonder: What exactly are the Islanders trying to do?

And what are they doing, really? One has to question it, after letting go of Billy Jaffe and bringing in the legendary (yet less-than-critical) Butch Goring, and now pulling the credentials of a man who, sure, is by no means uncontroversial, but at the very least he pulls no punches regarding his opinions of the team and organization. After the events of this past offseason, the Islanders now look as though they're just trying to silence all critics rather than do anything to improve the on-ice product, and that is not the way to handle hardships. The fact remains that there is a long way to go as far as getting talent on the roster is concerned, not to mention getting players with sufficient experience, and if this is a means of taking eyes off of the state of the actual team... well, they really are doing themselves no favors. In fact, they're coming off more like the spoiled Red Queen from Alice in Wonderland than a viable, capable organization focused on improving things.

Bottom line? Let people keep their heads, and get your priorities in order. After all, we've got a losing streak going on here that shows no signs of losing steam.

Special Hockey Clinic in Queens = AWESOME

2010-11-18T17:17:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday night I went to the Special Hockey clinic being held at the City Ice Pavilion in Queens. The kids were moving and grooving out on the ice, and a couple were zoomed around and then thrown like a bowling ball only to slide across the ice on their knees. Each player was given 1 to 1 instruction by volunteer coaches who looked to be having as much fun as the kids. Parents and caregivers were taking pictures and looked so proud of the kids, some who were stepping out on the ice for the first time. When all was said and done the kids were able to keep their equipment which is great! More clinics are in the works to build their roster, for more information check out the American Special Hockey Association (ASHA).

Hockey IS for EVERYONE!

Senators Coach's Daughter Mourned by Thousands

2010-11-17T22:53:00.001-05:00

This morning a memorial service was held for Daron, the daughter of Ottawa Senators assistant coach Luke Richardson and his wife Stephanie. Reportedly, Daron committed suicide in the basement of her home at the tender age of 14. Suicide is such a permanent choice in response to what are usually temporary problems and/or conditions, however it can be very hard for someone who is struggling to take on this perspective. 14 years of life is not enough time to decide whether life is worth living because things can always turn around on a dime for the better, especially in adolescence. For a 14 year old child to believe that there is no other option is a tragedy. This is something people never get over, they learn to cope or live with it the best they can. Angie and I would like to offer our condolences to the Richardson family, especially to Daron's sister Morgan, who is now an only child, and in my professional experience the family member most likely to carry the weight of this devastation. I hope Morgan will be provided the support she will need to live a happy and healthy life despite the loss of her sister.

Senators coach's daughter mourned by thousands

For more information about suicide prevention:

Kids Help Phone - Canada

Child, Youth, and Family Crisis Line of Eastern Ontario

Suicide Prevention Lifeline

National Institute of Mental Health

Veteran's Day: We Remember All Who Have Served

2010-11-11T18:52:00.001-05:00

A Special Day For All, Ice Hockey and Beyond

2010-11-10T19:28:00.000-05:00

Yes They Are Way Ahead In The Standings But The Flyers Still Suck

2010-11-06T17:50:00.000-05:00

As always I'm holding out hope for tonight's game against the Flyers, hope that the Isles will finally stand up to their playground bully. Bummed that I won't be able to watch the game but a fundraiser for an animal refuge, at the end of the day, is more important...although some die hard hockey fans would say 'no it isn't' or ask if there is a TV at the place before deciding to go. : )

Injury and inconsistent roster seem to be hindering the Isles but overall for me it's really not about the team as much as it is about the organization as I don't believe much will change until a change is made in Isles ownership. This excerpt below of a debate on FB with my Flyers fan friend AJ pretty much sums up what I think about this subject and about AJ's gloating over the fact that the Flyers are way ahead of the Isles in the standings and the Isles appear unable to win against them...what since 2007 is it? I now refer to this as tonight's pre-game coverage:

"Ok so let's focus on your team now because that suits you now like a typical fair-weather Flyers fan. Regardless of how well they do this season they, as they always do, will choke in the end. Your team is top heavy for yet another season, you don't have a defense or a goalie to make it to winning the Cup. All that talent over the years and they still can't pull it off, bad enough the Flyers wasted Lindros all those years. Add to that the classless fans too many Flyer fans are where my friend was afraid to walk to my car after Flyers fans screamed in our faces 'go home' and 'fu*k you and your team' at us inside which happens EVERY time after a game walking in the corridor. I sit in a club seat so that I don't have to deal with the general admission idiots who say stupid $hit the entire game, even when there are kids around. Your fan base has the worst reputation in the league and has for years. A fan base one step below Eagles obnoxious fans and everyone knows it. My team sucks because the owner sucks and at this point is holding my team hostage for a real estate deal. I can't even focus on the team at this point because the 'suck' is tricking down from the guy at the top and he's poisoning everything and everybody underneath him, including the team. The best part of the Flyers? The arena, John Stevens, Martin Biron (my favorite current NHL goalie even when he WAS on the Flyers) and the greyhound adoption table at the games with the greyhounds actually there. I've been watching the NHL for more years than you have been alive, if the overall history doesn't factor into this kind of debate, keep watching and maybe one day you'll get it. Now I must go and burn some white sage and meditate that the Isles somehow find a way to kick the crap out of your team tonight. It's a long shot but with Wang in charge, it's all we Isles fans have, loyalty to our team..WIN OR LOSE. Oh and Peter Laviolette? You and your team can enjoy our sloppy seconds."

Yeah I know I stole that last line from Sean Avery. It was so fitting though.

LET'S GO ISLANDERS!! I'll GIVE YOU EACH 5 BUCKS IF YOU WIN TONIGHT!! Wait ya'll make beaucoup paper so instead I'll donate 5 bucks for each player on the roster tonight to the refuge.

Islanders to Host Special Hockey Day at NVMC! & 1st Special Hockey Team to Debut in NYC!

2010-11-01T21:40:00.000-05:00

As announced on the Islander's website

Islanders to Hold 'Special Hockey Day' on Saturday, November 6th.

For more information about the event Honorees, the Long Island Blues please visit their website

Long Island Blues

and for more information about the American Special Hockey Association (ASHA)

American Special Hockey Association

also Autism Speaks in partnership with ASHA and the New York Rangers will be holding a free skate clinic in Long Island City on Tuesday, November 16th. No skating experience is required but space is limited so for sign up please visit Autism Speaks.

aaaaannnnddddd visit the New York Rangers website for information about the 1st Special Hockey program in New York City.

Got all that? Good.

Hockey IS for EVERYONE!!

They Tried To Make Me Go To NHL Addiction Rehab But I Said...

2010-10-27T17:32:00.001-05:00

Except for thinking I was on the wrong team's website for a split second, compliments to whoever had the sense of humor to make this image the Islanders landing page...although now I have that song stuck in my head.

After the preseason there were two teams I thought were ones to watch; Toronto and Tampa Bay. Wasn't sure about the Islanders because it's fair to say injury and morale has affected the team year after year so it's a wait and see kind of thing. Despite injuries early on, the Isles have impressed even non-Isles fans. All I know is that if, or in the spirit of Tony Robbins, WHEN the Isles remain this way in the standings you can be sure that this image will be on my Happy Holidays card come December.

LET'S GO ISLANDERS!!

Isles Win Three in Row, Have Overtime and Video Review to Thank

2010-10-23T11:50:00.002-05:00

Islanders 3: Lightning 2 (OT)
Islanders 2: Leafs 1 (OT)
Avalanche 2: Islanders 5

I'd love to go into each of these games play by play, but there isn't enough time in the world and at this point in the week, it would all be redundant, so... here's some commentary.

First off, how great is it to be an Isles fan right now? I mean, sure, it's early, but considering the team is playing right now without two top players- Mark Streit and Kyle Okposo- and has managed to start off at the top of the Eastern Conference... you gotta admit, that's impressive. There have been some important variables involved- some lucky calls going our way, plus some spectacular goaltending- but even as players have popped in and out of the lineup, the general play of the team has stayed the same.

Of course, that doesn't mean we haven't had our injuries. Our most recent casualty has been Andrew MacDonald, who had successful hand surgery earlier in the week and will be out for a few weeks at least. That gives us another chance to watch Jack Hillen, who's been a healthy scratch for many of the games mainly because of lack of roster space. Also out day-to-day (supposedly) is Josh Bailey, who aggravated a hip flexor he sustained against Washington earlier in the month. He left the game against Toronto early in the second period, and did not play at all in the rest of that game or in Tampa Bay. Blake Comeau, who had been developing a very good tandem with Bailey up until Josh's injury, looked a bit lost against Tampa and didn't play very well as a consequence.

Still, the Isles have managed to overcome injuries and low expectations, implementing a strong forecheck, a determined defense and penalty kill, and two goalies- a healthy Rick DiPietro and an ageless Dwayne Roloson- who've wowed more than once in each game they've played. Roloson had the game of his season to date against the Leafs, with not quite the number of saves (28, as opposed to 58 last season) but certainly with the same kind of acrobatics, and so far he's simply been a rock in net. DiPietro, however, isn't staying too far behind- he started off a bit slow, but has picked up and is making some great saves out there, looking closer to the form of his All-Star season than the past two years. In the absence of Okposo and Streit, we've seen Bailey, Comeau, Matt Moulson and newcomer PA Parenteau step up and deliver points. Our power play has been touch-and-go, but we still have plenty of time to fix that. And overall, we've had some good production from our other new Isles- James Wisniewski, Milan Jurcina, and Michael Grabner in particular.

We've also been lucky. I mean, two video reviews ruling non-goals for the Leafs, and then two video reviews ruling Isles goals good goals (including the overtime winner by Moulson) against the Lightning? Those two games alone could have been drastically different if the calls had gone the other way, and I'm sure the Islanders know it. They could be looking at a record for the worse right now, instead of a 4-1-2 start (their best since 2001-02). Then again, maybe we should credit the refs and the "War Room" over in Toronto for taking the time to ensure calls are going the right way. While officiating has still had plenty of issues so far, at least good goals are goals now.

So how long will this last? Who can say for sure? I do know that right now things are going much better for the Isles than was projected before the start of the season, and we can only hope they get better from here on out.

LET'S GO ISLANDERS!!

Historic Vote in Suffolk County, New York Creates Nation's First Registry for Animal Abusers

2010-10-13T14:01:00.000-05:00

A MAJOR step in the right direction!

Animal Legal Defense Fund : Historic Vote in Suffolk County, New York Creates Nation's First Registry for Animal Abusers

Fights, Gestures and A Return to Rivalry, Oh My!

2010-10-12T14:15:00.002-05:00

Rangers 4: Islanders 6

It's common knowledge that when one comes upon a game between these two teams, it's bound to be a ton of fun. And so it was, even with no John Tavares in the lineup; Rick DiPietro in one net, Henrik Lundqvist in the other, both teams yapping before the puck was even dropped- and once that happened, all hell broke loose.

The first period alone saw a fight between Zenon Konopka and Brandon Prust, an incident between James Wisniewski and Sean Avery in which Wiz mimicked the act of, well, oral sex, and three goals (two from the Isles, one from the Rangers- thank Josh Bailey, Ryan Dubinsky, and Blake Comeau, in that order). It also bore witness to some hard hits, some yapping, and some sparkling saves from a remarkably healthy and calm-looking Rick DiPietro. In the second, the Rangers tied it up and then took a 3-2 lead, which was where I stopped getting updates because I left for West Seneca with a friend of mine. I started feeling dejected because I thought the game had taken a turn for the worse, until I found out around 6 p.m. that the Isles had indeed pulled out a win thanks to Moulson and Comeau (game-winner) as well as former Ranger PA Parenteau and Frans Nielsen (empty-netter). DiPietro finished with 29 saves, the Isles with two points, and youngsters Comeau and Bailey came away with the first and second stars of the game, an impressive feat for two players who've impressed from the Dallas game onward. Bailey in particular has shown some great skill and progress- he's making good, smart plays, working hard and proving to be one of the more reliable forwards on the Isles roster.

Also a great sign? DiPietro's playing well for a guy making his first season starts in quite a while. He's moving well, making great saves while still (mostly) staying in the net, and while he was a bit jumpy in the game against the Stars, he seemed to be a lot more calm and confident against his old foes. While he did allow four goals, he could have been much worse, particularly in the start of the game when he had to make 3 or 4 quick stops on an offensive flurry by the Rangers. Overall, it's obviously a work in progress, but it could be much worse.

As for Wiz... well, reports on Twitter indicate the defenseman has been suspended for two games for this against well-known slopstirrer Sean Avery. Call me crazy, but while this was a dumb move and shouldn't be allowed, the fact that he got two games while Mike Cammalleri got one for his vicious slash on Nino Niederreiter (a move that could have hurt the guy) is laughable. Two games is fine, but give Mike 3, and for God's sake take into account that vicious hits, whether by players with suspension histories or not, should be cracked down on far more than a silly, immature gesture. Wiz, you were wearing the "A" and all, and you definitely should've known better than to stoop to Avery's level, but instead of putting so much focus on this, maybe they should've decided what to do about Niklas Hjalmarsson's hit on Jason Pominville- a hit that's landed Pommers with a concussion. Just a thought.

All of that said...

LET'S GO ISLANDERS!!

Ondrej Pavelec Falls Down Goes Boom

2010-10-09T01:16:00.000-05:00

Of course if it's something serious, be well...BUT if you forgot proper nutrition or fluids prior to game then your teammates should be allowed to take shots on you without your gear on...fair payback for scaring the bejesus out of them.

This Just In

2010-10-03T20:46:00.000-05:00

NJD: 1
NYI: 2

YAY! Bailey and Comeau = double YAY!

MTL: 7
NYI: 2

BOO!

Redskins: 17
Eagles: 12

YAY YAY YAY!! Vick getting hurt = bonus.

AND drumroll please...

BUF: 9
PHI: 3

OH HAPPY DAY!!!!!!!!

Injuries Already???? Isles Start Season Without Two Top Players

2010-10-02T09:01:00.002-05:00

Preseason isn't over, but the Islanders face a couple of glaring holes in their lineup already as we come closer to October 9.

First down was blueliner and alternate captain Mark Streit, who was injured during the team's Orange and Blue Scrimmage on Sept. 26. He received a slight cross-check from teammate Matt Moulson and fell awkwardly hurting his left shoulder. Further evaluation revealed Streit had torn his rotator cuff and labrum, requiring surgery and putting him out of commission for, at the very least, six months. That's practically the entire season and a big blow to the Isles, who lose a PP specialist and defensive leader. Moulson posted on his Twitter account (@MMoulson) that he felt really bad about what had happened, but Streit assured him it wasn't his fault. And it's not- you never want to hurt a guy you play with (unless you really don't like him... just kidding), especially when he's a key to your team's success.

Also out of commission is Kyle Okposo, who also sustained a serious shoulder injury during a scrimmage and is out, according to the Isles, "indefinitely." The minimum length of time I've heard so far is three months, but of course that could end up being longer, which is a huge setback not only for Kyle personally, but for his linemates and the rest of the offense. For the past two seasons, Okposo's been hovering around the 20-goal mark without quite reaching it, and many believed that this would be the season he would get there, provided he stay healthy. With this injury, however, he may not be able to, and the Islanders lose a valuable source of point production.

Ironically, goaltender Rick DiPietro is said to be healthy after missing the majority of two seasons with knee problems. Hopefully this is still true at the start of the season, let alone the midpoint or further. In the interim, the Isles have signed D Mike Mottau to replace Streit in the lineup... what they do to fill Okposo's place remains to be seen.

Connecticut Whale Logo Unveiled: Add One More to the Fugly List

2010-09-30T13:41:00.000-05:00

Connecticut Whale Logo Unveiled - Courant.com

It appears there are a lot of pissed off whales and fisherman wandering around. My vote is for the whales who have every right to be pissed off at fishermen and whoever created and approved this logo.

Is there one graphic designer whose only job is perfecting the Grrrr mouth look on sports logos?

No whales were harmed in the making of this post however my eyes were singed a bit revisiting the fish stick logo.

A New Dawn? A New Day? for Jeff Tambellini?

2010-09-29T17:45:00.001-05:00

We shall see.

Tyler Carr: A Warrior Indeed

2010-09-29T14:17:00.000-05:00

Tyler Carr of the Washington Ice Dogs earns his Black Belt.

Thanks to The American Special Hockey Association for sharing the news.

Congratulations Tyler!

One should act

in consonance with

the way of heaven and earth

which is enduring

and eternal

The superior man

perseveres long

in his course

adapts to the times

but remains firm

in his direction

and correct

in his goals

I Ching

NHL Rule Enforcement, Will it Work?

2010-09-28T17:24:00.000-05:00

The NHL recently posted an official video regarding 2010-2011 rule changes including blind side and lateral hits to the head.

Comments about these rules seem to be mixed between those who think this is a puss move on the NHL and those who like the changes but are skeptical about the NHL enforcing the rules and/or confident the refs will be able to discern the difference between a good hit and a bad one. Maybe this video below is a pre-season precursor as to how accountable players will be held for their antics -

Chicago's Nick Boynton received a game misconduct penalty for making a throat slashing motion towards Tampa Bay's Blair Jones after Jones pummeled Boynton right in the kisser. Boynton mouthing "you're f*#$*%g dead" while making the gesture probably topped off his being suspended for one game which means missing his team's home opener on October 7th. Maybe this kind of thing has happened in the past but if in pre-season a player is going to be suspended for this and miss the home opener, maybe there is hope that all involved and responsible for rule enforcement will do their job. As I watched the video part showing bad hits, it repelled me from the computer screen - that kind of violence doesn't represent the sport I've loved since being a kid. It's not necessary, it's not ice hockey and kids especially should not have to be subjected to it.

Side note - Boynton got pummeled because he pulled back his right arm too far when winding up to hit Jones thus he lost his balance and gave up his space to Jones.

(source: NHL.com)

Isles News From NHL.com

2010-09-27T22:58:00.000-05:00

Mark Streit Out Indefinitely with Should Injury

Matt Moulson Trying Not to Blame Himself for Streit's Injury

Isles Invite 6 to Training Camp

Isles 2010-2011 Preview

WTF? and Just Plain Disgusting

2010-09-25T13:52:00.000-05:00

WTF?? : (

and

Just plain disgusting.

Way to be classy Philly. It is no wonder why I can't stand your sports attitude in general.

To those at Philadelphia Daily News who find what Michael Vick and his cohorts did to defenseless animals over the years as 'Top Dog', may you come back in your next life as a fighting/bait dog. Here's Vick's indictment just in case ya' wanna have an idea of the brutality which only stopped...wait for it...BECAUSE HE GOT CAUGHT.

Vick_indictment.pdf

Leopards don't change their spots, neither will Vick. Now in the spotlight again with the pressure to perform...just give it time. Vick in the starting spot is not a 'shocking turnout' - this was the plan from the beginning but the slow ease-in was done to avoid pissing off too many dog loving season ticket holders and so on....'so on' meaning $$$$$$$$$$$.

This post co-written by our guest blogger Maddy

Yet Another Reason Blindside Hits Have No Place in the NHL

2010-09-14T23:01:00.000-05:00

From CNN news -

College Player Who Committed Suicide Had Brain Injury

FYI...An athlete's art work may be used to identify changes in brain activity and could be tracked from childhood. Certain drawings 'pull' for certain information about a person and may be one of the only ways to externalize symptoms that medical tests have yet to pick up on.

We Remember

2010-09-11T16:51:00.014-05:00

It's times like these you learn to live again

It's times like these you give and give again

It's times like these you learn to love again

It's times like these time and time again

Oh Caption My Caption!

2010-09-09T12:50:00.012-05:00

And the Fu Manchu award for best tweet regarding Kovalchuk goes to...

@IntentToBlow: New on ItB: Devils in crisis as Kovalchuk contract approved, but no one has pen.

This award sponsored by various sports media, bringing you James and Kovalchuk coverage that can suck the life out of sports fans.

Article on Repeat Athletic Injuries

2010-09-08T23:36:00.005-05:00

From The New York Times:

When Repeat Injuries Can't Dim An Athlete's Passion

Analogy of the NHL Pre-Season

2010-09-03T14:10:00.003-05:00

Kovalchuk's Deal Saga : Watching Paint Dry

Nice Check. Give Gaby Sanchez Hockey Skates?

2010-09-02T23:15:00.001-05:00

First Comes Fandom, Then Comes...?

2010-08-22T19:43:00.005-05:00

Thanks to a friend of mine, Melissa (@melissakania on Twitter) for this picture, which illustrates just what is so wrong with some of the merchandise being sold to us female hockey fans.

This is an actual product sold in the Sabres' shop at HSBC Arena. I had the misfortune of coming upon it when I went for the Sabres' draft party, and all I could say was, "HUH?" Because I fail to understand why Reebok makes things like this when we don't even have women's away jerseys available.

Maybe it's an overreaction, but all I think when I see this is that the league assumes there are more puck bunnies in the league than legitimate female fans. That's insulting. The fans I know don't watch games to ogle Ryan Miller or scream sexual propositions at Zach Parise. They may not know all of the statistics, but they know a clean hit or an amazing goal when they see it, and they love the game every bit as passionately as the boys do. The league is a business, yes, and they should try to make money off of whoever comes to games, but don't openly encourage puck bunny behavior, and don't insult the intelligence of the women who come to watch the sport.

They also have a "Marry me, Crosby" tee which I've seen pictures of, and of course the same opinions apply. All I have left to say is, thank God there's no "Marry me, DiPietro" or "Marry me, John Tavares" tees out there, or I would really be annoyed. The Champagne jerseys were bad enough.

Suffolk County, Long Island: Law Pitched to Block Animal Abusers from Re-adopting

2010-08-21T12:36:00.001-05:00

A step in the right direction:

Law Pitched to Block Animal Abusers from Re-adopting

Long Island Boy, 8, Needs Bone-Marrow Donor

2010-08-20T14:18:00.000-05:00

Long Island Boy, 8, Needs Bone-Marrow Donor « CBS New York- News, Sports, Weather, Traffic and the Best of NY

I'm going to do my best to get out to LI on Sunday for the test...how about you???

Staten Island Groundbreaking Held For Iraq Veteran’s New Home

2010-08-20T14:12:00.000-05:00

S.I. Groundbreaking Held For Iraq Veteran’s New Home « CBS New York- News, Sports, Weather, Traffic and the Best of NY

Michael Vick's Pit Bulls Where Are They Now

2010-08-16T19:50:00.001-05:00

Michael Vick's Pit Bulls Where Are They Now | Parade.com

No Pink in the Rink!

2010-08-13T18:32:00.002-05:00

Earlier this week, Reebok debuted its latest "jersey" for women, the "Champagne" jersey, and inadvertently started a rebellion among its female fans.

A few days, an email campaign, a few dozen blog posts and a whole Facebook page later, female fans are voicing more and more that they have had it with the way the NHL markets its products to women.

Now, I'll be fair. However much I wish there weren't a market for pink, bedazzled, sparkly and girly jerseys, there is, for whatever reason. If there were more of a selection for female fans who prefer team colors, I wouldn't care quite as much, though I'd still be annoyed.

However.

Look on shop.nhl.com and there is only one jersey in team colors- a home jersey. No away jersey. No player tees in women's sizes (have to be custom made through NHL Shop online, and anywhere else you'll have to buy a men's size). No team tees without curly script and girly colors. And plenty of Champagne jerseys to go around.

Why?

I'd appreciate it if we were given equal options to men in our apparel selections. We're every bit as important and serious as male fans are, and yet much of the time we're treated as though we are second-rate and not as "serious" as the boys, though many of us are dedicated, loyal and knowledgeable. And we're sick of the pink and the sparkles. No amount of (weak) defense from a representative for Reebok will change that.

At this time I'd like to direct you to a Facebook page a friend of mine, Rebecca (@TigerPredsChick) created, and she, Rachel (@RachelAddison), Jennifer (@predsaddict) and I administrate together, called "Female hockey fans who want REAL merchandise." We also have a Twitter account- @NoPinkInTheRink. We would appreciate it if you would join and pass it on if you're just as annoyed as we are about the way the league markets to us female fans.

Link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Female-hockey-fans-who-want-REAL-merchandise/138893456150147?ref=ts

And if you need a moment to decide, consider this monstrosity.

The Islanders "Champagne" Jersey

Thanks. :)

End of the Line for Witt

2010-08-01T20:05:00.003-05:00

The Islanders tweeted today that they have decided to buy out the remainder (one year) of defenseman Brendan Witt's contract. Witt had about $3 million against the cap and had been put on waivers yesterday (the third time since the start of this calendar year). He spent last season after February in Bridgeport of the AHL.

This is bittersweet. It gives the Isles a bit more money to play with plus an empty spot on the roster, yet they also lose one of the true heart-and-soul players of this team. Witter was not the fastest guy on the ice, nor the highest-scoring, and he was injured a lot. Yet often he seemed to lead his teammates without even trying, and he played through his pain. In the end, that seemed to hurt him more than help, but you can't deny he loved to play the game, and he loved the fans on the Island. I only wish things could have worked out differently for him regarding the team, but maybe he'll find a new start elsewhere.

You'll be missed, Witter.

Isles Trade for D Wisniewski

2010-08-01T19:28:00.002-05:00

The Isles' new-look defense had another member added to its ranks, as yesterday they traded a third-round pick in 2011 to Anaheim for (get this) just-signed defenseman James Wisniewski. Wiz was second in scoring among Ducks blueliners last season with 30 points in 69 games, and while his size- andhis reputation for cheap shots- might hurt his appeal with some fans, his toughness is certainly not to be questioned.

This is a win for both teams. The Ducks, having just signed Wisniewski to a one-year contract to avoid arbitration, unload some cap room to sign forward Bobby Ryan, while the Islanders get a solid blueliner and the means to reach the cap floor. It will definitely be interesting to see how he fares on the Island this season.

Sources: LA Times, Islanders website

Moulson, Isles Avoid Arbitration, Settle for 1-Year Deal

2010-07-27T09:52:00.004-05:00

Basically everything it says in the title: Matt Moulson has agreed to a one-year deal with the Islanders worth $2.45M, according to multiple sources and Newsday writer Katie Strang.

Just one year? Yes. It's a bit disappointing for some fans, but over the course of next season we will be able to see if Moulson can repeat the success of last year (a career-high 30 goals). A bit pricey for a grinder like him? Arguably, seeing as he's largely unproven, even with the 30-goal, 48-point year- and he wasn't even the highest pointscorer (that honor goes to rookie John Tavares with 54). However, consider that teammate Trent Hunter, a player much in the same vein as Moulson only slower, is making $2M a year, and Moulson has outperformed him greatly. Also, there is reason to believe that #26 will produce at least as much next season (check out this article by Dominik on Lighthouse Hockey, it provides a good breakdown of how Moulson does on the ice with various linemates).

So, good deal? For the length, yes. For the money? We shall see.

A Letter to the Islanders

2010-07-23T17:12:00.002-05:00

Hello,
This is coming from a fairly young Islanders fan. I'm 19 years old, and I've only been watching the Islanders for a few years now. But in my five full seasons of watching, four of them have included a color commentator by the name of Billy Jaffe- a smart, funny and classy gentleman who taught me more about the game than I ever thought possible. Every season he would consistently raise the bar with his breakdowns of my favorite sport, showing how different lines and even different players worked on the ice, and offering knowledgeable opinions and information.

Now, four years later, after countless broadcasts during which the only bright spot would be Howie Rose and Billy Jaffe's broadcasts... Jaffe is let go. And why? Supposedly because he wasn't "positive" enough? With all due respect, who would the Isles like alongside Howie Rose, a cheerleader? Jaffe is an analyst, not a lobbyist. His job is to break down the game for us to understand, and that means all aspects of the game, not just the good ones. Besides, I can remember plenty of broadcasts during which he was a positive presence. One could tell he just loved this team (an example- last game of the 06-07 regular season, where he showed more emotion than I ever thought possible during regulation and the eventual playoff-clinching shootout against New Jersey). Moreover, he was a fan favorite, made himself available for numerous fan events, and had tremendous chemistry with Howie. Why would the organization allow something like that to be broken up? I can't understand it.

Granted, perhaps there were certain things behind the scenes that we fans don't know about. That aside, though, fans are being kept in the dark as it is. There was no press conference about Jankowski not being renewed and who would take his place, there was nothing about Bryan Trottier leaving his position in the organization from the org itself, and I wonder how long it will take for the Isles to say something regarding Billy, if anything at all. It's all extremely frustrating, and I don't know how much more I, as a fan, can take.

I don't expect an answer from anyone in your department regarding all of this. I just wanted to reach out to you to let the organization know that they are alienating what remains of their fans, whether they realize it or not. We don't want to be treated like mindless peons- we want something constructive, clear and substantial. Nothing against the candidates for Jaffe's replacement, of course- they are both icons of the team's glory days, and they deserve to be respected. But I can't imagine how much better they would be than a guy who is quickly becoming known as one of the best in the business.

Thank you very much for your time.

Angelica Rodriguez
Williamsville, Buffalo, NY (formerly of Brooklyn, NY)

(an actual email sent about ten minutes ago)

Yet Another Departure... This Time From the Press Box

2010-07-23T09:45:00.002-05:00

After four seasons of color announcing for the Islanders broadcast, Billy Jaffe has been shown the door by the organization. (Source: Islanders Point Blank) Exactly why, no one can tell for sure.

This is a bit of a surprise, and more than a little saddening, seeing as for four out of my five years watching Islanders hockey, I've learned more from Billy than from anyone else. His broadcasts with Howie Rose were often my favorite part of the game, and made it a great experience no matter what the score was. No matter how badly we lost, he always remained positive and gave us something to end the night with, and him not being next to Howie at the start of next season is extremely disheartening, especially since I (being a bit biased) and many other fans could call this duo the best broadcasting pair in the Metro area. Not only that, but Billy made himself available for plenty of events including draft parties, and seemed like a classy, all-around good guy.

No word yet on who's coming to replace him, but I do know this: Billy, you will definitely be missed. Best of luck in your future endeavors.

The Dreaded "C" Word... Contract... And How Kovalchuk Did Not Become "Koval-cha-ching"

2010-07-22T09:26:00.003-05:00

And all that THAT implies regarding one insanely talked-about player since free agency started: Ilya Kovalchuk.

I almost didn't write a post about the three-ring circus revolving around this young man, seeing as so many other people were writing about him that I feared it would be the same old rehashing a few days too late. But I figured I could put it into my own words and my own view, and besides, the blog needs material, and this is Grade A, top-choice fodder. So here goes.

Kovalchuk has been mightily chased after by a few teams since July 1. People had been expecting this since the end of the playoffs for the Devils (who traded for him late in the season), and so it was- the Kings, Blues, and Islanders were just a few of the teams involved. To my chagrin, the Isles even reportedly offered Kovalchuk $10M a year, which he refused, apparently. (Thank God.) Then there was talk of him signing ultra-long-term with the Kings for a couple of days... until (not so much) out of the blue, the Devils came along and offered him a 17-year deal worth over $100 million.

And he accepted.

But the good old NHL didn't.

The next day, the league rejected the contract on the terms that it circumvented the salary cap. The Devils decided that they would spread out the money so that Ilya would get more now, less in the later years, thus lowering the cap hit to about $6M a season. Not cool by the league's standards. (Source: Yahoo!Sports) So now it's back to the drawing board, and Kovy's future remains up in the air.

As long as we don't/didn't take him, I'll be happy, and here's why: this is a guy who is projected to be sub-par after 12 years, who hasn't won a Cup, and who is a big name and provides offense, but in my opinion would not be a good fit for the system that Scott Gordon has implemented. And us paying through the nose for him long-term would be a disaster whether or not it gets us up to the cap floor. We would be much better off going for a Lee Stempniak or an Alex Frolov (both of whom are reportedly still available). But I digress.

This has been a wild, wacky saga, and who knows how it's going to end. All I know is, I'm kind of tired of hearing about Ilya Kovalchuk on Twitter, Facebook and everywhere else. There are plenty of other players worth following and hearing about. Let's focus on them and leave this sad story alone for a while.

While You Were Out

2010-07-22T09:15:00.002-05:00

I must admit, looking through old notebooks full of game notes from five years ago helped me get out of this non-posting funk. So over the next couple of days, barring any kind of major catastrophe (like work? *cue laugh track*), I will be posting plenty of my thoughts on what's been going on lately in the hockey world- Isles being a given, but also around the NHL and such. So please, stay tuned. :D

Isles And Draft Doctor Jankowski Part Ways

2010-07-07T14:51:00.002-05:00

After some good news on the Island, the clear skies suddenly have a foreboding tinge of gray to them.

The Islanders have decided not to renew the contract of assistant general manager/amateur scouting director Ryan Jankowski, whose deal expired shortly after the 2010 NHL Draft. Chris Botta reports that since his takeover of the scouting staff in 2006, the Isles have drafted players such as Josh Bailey, Travis Hamonic, Kyle Okposo, Matt Martin, Andrew MacDonald, Calvin de Haan, Kirill Petrov and others. When you consider the promise and talent these young players show, one has to wonder: Did it go wrong somewhere? And if it hasn't, then what exactly are the Islanders doing letting go of a guy who's been so beneficial to the drafting process?

And who does that leave in charge of it all?

Stay tuned.

Free Agency, Islanders Style

2010-07-02T16:20:00.005-05:00

So. As it turns out, the Islanders can't buy a free agent that easily.

Yesterday, the Island was strangely quiet amid reports that while GM Garth Snow tried to offer plenty of money to D Paul Martin and Dan Hamhuis, both turned him down in favor of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Vancouver Canucks, respectively. Some say that when it comes down to it, the reason isn't because of the fact that the Isles aren't going places, hockey-wise... it's just because they aren't really going anywhere, geographically. Nassau Coliseum, while well-loved and full of history, is not the newest of buildings, and its condition more often than not drives top-tier FA players away. Aside from that, goalie Martin Biron and winger Jeff Tambellini both wandered elsewhere- Biron to the Rangers, Tambellini to his hometown Canucks.

Today, it was a different story, with the Isles signing D Milan Jurcina and Mark Eaton to one-year deals. They also agreed to terms with G Nathan Lawson on a one-year, two-way contract, and signed P.A. Parenteau and Zenon Konopka to one-years as well. Not terribly binding, but I suppose it'll be good enough for now. Jurcina and Eaton, at 6'4 and 6'2, add some definite size to the Isles' blueline, not to mention some toughness, no doubt. Meanwhile, young Parenteau, who played a few games with the Rangers last year, will likely get his first real crack at playing in the big leagues, and Konopka, while more of a fighter (with 265 PIM last season with Tampa Bay), also helps out in the faceoff department. Lastly, Lawson might not get a ton of playing time as a two-way contract, but it'll be interesting to see when he comes up and how he will do.

One person I'd love to see back, though? Andy Sutton. Chris Botta reported via Twitter that Sutts would love to be an Islander again... then again, I'm sure he wouldn't mind donning the Senators jersey for another year either. Stay tuned for that story as it (hopefully) unfolds.

To read more about the signings, check out here, here and here.

An Abrupt Yet Satisfying Ending

2010-06-10T13:55:00.002-05:00

Last night was Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final between Chicago and Philadelphia, and it was a great one. Thousands filled the stands with an orange wave at the Wachovia Center, and though the home team gave them plenty to cheer about- a brief 2-1 lead, then a tying goal by Scott Hartnell with about three minutes left to play- it was Patrick Kane who slipped the puck through Michael Leighton's pads at 4:06 of overtime, crushing their hopes and clinching the Stanley Cup for his team.

At first, no one but Kane was even sure the puck had gone in- no light had come on over the goal and the ref hadn't even responded, but Kane took off to the other end of the ice, raising his arms high and jumping onto goalie Antti Niemi. Once it was certain, though, the Blackhawks celebrated in triumph, and for good reason- there were many milestones to commemorate.

Jonathan Toews, for example, now stands among the youngest captains to ever hoist the Stanley Cup, is the second youngest Conn Smythe winner (for playoff MVP), and the youngest Triple Gold inductee (Olympic gold medal, World Championship gold medal, and Stanley Cup) at 22 years of age. Marian Hossa also was able to celebrate his third time being in the Stanley Cup Final, this time with a win, and here's a fun fact for ya: he's the first Ottawa Senators draft pick to win a Cup. And of course, Antti Niemi, the goalie everyone's been talking about (other than Jaro Halak), becomes the first Finnish goalie to win the Cup. Teamwise as well, this is the Blackhawks' first Stanley Cup win since 1961.

Even so, and it pains me to say this... all due respect to the Philadelphia Flyers for a great series, and a great run to the Cup. You beat a lot of odds to get to where you were at, and you played your hearts out. Mike Richards, Chris Pronger, Michael Leighton and Co. have much to be proud of, and though I loved to hate you this series, I have to admit you did Philly proud.

That said, congrats to the 'Hawks for a well-deserved win, and to the city of Chicago as well. As for now... well, that's all she wrote on the ice. The NHL Awards are coming up, as well as the Draft, so we'll be working on previews for those soon. :)

Oh Caption My Caption!

2010-06-07T09:37:00.000-05:00

Hossa Mantra : Stanley Cup Final Game 5

2010-06-05T16:30:00.000-05:00

In an NHL article après losing to the Flyers in Game 4 (5-3) Marian Hossa talked about moving beyond frustration and playing smarter...actually he mentioned that word quite a few times...HOSSA MANTRA...WORK SMARTER NOT HARDER. A tip of the Tony Robbins hat to you sir.

Full Story

The only question I would ask the Blackhawks and want to correct is: WHY DO YOU ALL LOOK SO NUMB OUT ON THE ICE? Is that about playing smarter or about something else? Something else that the Flyers seem to have.

What can Chicago salvage from game 4? Scoring goals 2 & 3...knowing they are capable of scoring like that under that kind of pressure...these two goals may have made all the difference heading home as opposed to walking out of the Wachovia Center with a 4-1 or including empty net 5-1 wound.

This is a most unwelcome team role-reversal but I keep 'seeing' my nephew TJ (who lives outside of Chicago) at the parade in Chitown, hopefully foreshadowing to this result - that the unexpected underdog wins in the end.

GO HAWKS! PLAY ALIVE! BLACKHAWKS FANS HELP THEM OUT!

ps. You better believe my nephew is an Islander fan. Hawks are his second team...distant second if he wants to be invited to the big people table at Thanksgiving.

Stanley Cup Final Game 4: Book vs. Street

2010-06-04T20:15:00.002-05:00

It's 8:03 and I should be in front of a TV but am not, busy day. So before jumping into my car to get in front of a TV here's a thought for game 4...so it's like this...Blackhawks are like people with book smarts and the Flyers are like people with street smarts. Usually it's good to have as even a balance of both but that's not going to happen with these two teams. Who wins the Stanley Cup is going to depend on what type of 'event' they are at - street fight or intellectual debate. In game 3 Philly did what they are so good at doing - pulling the other team into a street fight, thus they won - although not enough of an impressive sequence or goal to make it seem like Philly can pull this whole thing off from 2 games to 1...and that is why my cell phone is still chirping crickets. Chicago looked tired in OT- yeah it sucks when the muscles start to feel sour. But like I said in prior blog post it's all about endurance so unless Chicago wakes up and turns the atmosphere into a debate of intellect (aka skill), the Flyers are going to win. And by now if you follow this blog, you know how hard it was for me to type that last sentence. For some reason I don't think Chicago is done - maybe something such as a loss was needed to jilt Chicago out of their trance. Whether it be a gut feeling or a wish I think/hope Chicago is going to come down heavy in this game and remind everyone why they (team) are playing for the Stanley Cup in the first place, while at the same time reminding Philly of how lucky they were to have even gotten this far. Hope all that makes some kind of sense, it's hard to type a blog post with one foot out the door, it's 8:15 now and I've got to find myself in front of a TV pronto.

GO HAWKS!

Stanley Cup Final Game 3: Philly Fan Factor

2010-06-02T19:04:00.011-05:00

So the Blackhawks are up 2 games to zero as Game 3 is about to start in a few minutes. If the Flyers want to stay in the race, they will need to draw upon the energy of their fans around them. Anyone who has been at a do-or-die game at the Wachovia Center knows what I mean. Not sure what happened to Peter Laviolette but it has resulted in a scattered energy on the team, unable to focus under his leadership and like Chris Pronger, some are acting out.

Got a kick out of the shots of Antti Niemi in the third period Monday night...the crazed look in his eyes was like the look of a crazed ex who just doesn't get it that it's over.

Blackhawks still not impressive, like studying for a C and surprisingly getting an A. All the Flyers have to do is use the boards and shoot.

Best part of the series so far? The sound coming from Flyers fans on my phone -

GO HAWKS! Let's keep it this way.

GAME ON!!

Remember

2010-05-31T19:43:00.001-05:00

Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

-Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae

There's Always a Scapegoat

2010-05-31T16:04:00.006-05:00

Tonight is Game 2 of the Stanely Cup Finals. Much to do went around about Peter Laviolette sending in Brian Boucher to replace Micheal Leighton in Game 1. I was more focused on the poor performace of both teams, who looked like pee-wee teams doing the ping-ping scoring that often goes on at that wee age, which at that age is cute. The Blackhawks got off easy - there was no victory for them this game but it appeared they realized that by how they skated off the ice. As for the Flyers, the last thing they needed was internal drama which was what their coach wound up creating - it's one thing to replace your starting goalie when the score is 4-0 but this was not the case. Coach Laviolette made Leighton look like a chump early on in this final race, there were other Flyers that should have exited instead of Leighton.

Morale is important Coach Laviolette if you want your boys to win for you because when it comes down to it in my world, it's all about making 'Dad' proud and as that goes, by removing your goalie when both teams were playing loosely, you publically put your team in a submissive position which can change the entire mindset of a team who really believed they could win the Stanley Cup under your leadership. But like in any family dynamic there is always someone in the role of scapegoat. In ice hockey that role is all too often filled by the goalie. In my opinion Leighton should have finished the game. What a coach can do in a scenario like game 1 is essentially play confidence chicken with the other coach - puff up his feathers and show 'fake it to you make it' confidence in your collective team because at the end of the day it's not about one game, one win or one loss...it's about who is still standing at the end of what is one long ass season. It's about endurance.

All Leighton needed was one confidence boost moment like Antti Niemi had late in the game when he impressed even himself with a glove save off of Daniel Briere's line drive from the slot.

Probably The Only Case of Penis Envy

2010-05-30T00:23:00.009-05:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

More than the wish that the Islanders will one day again hoist the Stanley Cup in victory is the wish that future reality will include young girls being able to dream of partaking in their own Stanley Cup playoffs...to work so hard for every minute of ice time throughout the years, shooting pucks into their own dryer with bigger goals in mind that are actually obtainable - to be a part of something so intense as the race for the Stanley Cup while wearing pink skate laces if she chooses to.

Isles Season Wrap Up --> Stanley Cup Finals

2010-05-29T15:30:00.000-05:00

A little late but here's my Islanders season wrap-up. It's pretty clear to most who don't live in a cave that the Islanders have a lot of work ahead of them. I don't believe much will come of the team until a change of team ownership occurs. With that in mind, in the spirit of Angie's grading system, every Islander has earned an 'A' for the simple fact of being an Islander. I do believe something came out of this season; that being a manifestation of the mantra posted at the top of this blog: "Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable". I chose this mantra because it seemed important that some type of bond form on the team, a core energy to draw from to calm the instability that is the makeup and management of the team. Didn't see much of an Alpha male on the ice taking up a leadership role but time and time again these fellas (or at least most of them) made lemonade out of lemons. What I liked most about the season, again related to the mantra is that there seemed to be an increase in contributions made throughout the entire team, none too small, and that the workload was shared among many players rather than a handful who were expected to excel at the game. Sure I'd like to see the Isles kick it to the play-offs but until that happens I can handle it if they don't win as long as there are points of growth, subtle as they may be, to bank for a later date.

in other news...

Was called a hockey geek by those who know geekiness...MAC geeks. This is how the story went - Islanders playing the Rangers - needed to get an adaptor from the Apple store - torn between watching the game and going to the Apple store - problem solved - watched 1st period - drove to Apple store during intermission - watched 2nd period at Apple store - drove back during intermission - you know the rest. Proof of hockey geek title worthiness below:

So far only two NHL fan sightings in NYC during the playoffs.

For $400 it probably should look like DP

Even in the cold, Jones Beach is the place to be. Pictured below are the new Islanders starting forwards. Would be great if one of them pooped on Darcy Tucker.

To the guy on the Meadowbrook Parkway who used his jacket to carry a dead goose to the grass median and then nuzzled the goose's beak into its wing - you are awesome and should be cloned. A Fu Man Chu to you sir, well deserved.

and last but not least:

Dear Blackhawks,

I am writing regarding the Stanley Cup Finals that begin tonight. The Flyers have gained a momentum during the playoffs so if you don't stun them in the 1st period, by the middle of the 2nd period it will look like they were only stretching/warming up until then. More importantly, they believe they can win which is more of a threat coming from a lower seeded team. Sit back on your heels at any time and I will be forced to endure more texts like this one.

Please do what you can to make these texts stop because there is nothing better than a silent Flyers fan.

Sincerely,
Christine

More 'Evidence' Blind Side Hits Have No Place in the NHL

2010-05-19T00:26:00.006-05:00

Related to the recent blog post about blind side hits in the NHL, the LA Times article below takes a look at yet more potential outcomes of Traumatic Brain Injury.

"In concussion's wake, sadness and anxiety thrive"

Are There No Gentlemen Left in the NHL?

2010-05-16T16:00:00.001-05:00

Atlanta Thrashers prospect Partrice Cormier is currently facing criminal charges stemming from his elbowing Mikael Tam (in the jaw) in January which caused Tam to convulse on the ice and as reported also caused him to stop breathing for under a minute. Cormier who is also known for being the former captain of Canada's world junior hockey team could face up to 18 months in jail.

Although following this season had been tricky this year, the blind side hit issue I have followed. After watching the NHL for many years, a gut feeling continues that there's a momentum out there building that is making death on ice a possibility - a desensitization going on where these kinds of hits are freakishly becoming strategy for taking players out of the game - strategy by players who in my opinion utilize these hits to overcompensate for a lack of impulse control, professional boudaries and ultimately real skill.

What amazes me the most about this issue is that after coaches, GMs, owners & players have time after time witnessed the escalation in shots to the head and the outcomes THERE NEEDED TO BE A RULE ABOUT IT IN THE NHL. Are there no gentlemen left in the NHL for a gentlemen's agreement? It takes a ruling, which by the way took too long to be put into place, to discourage blatant behavior that is NOT NECESSARY IN THE GAME OF ICE HOCKEY.

The ruling states:

"A lateral, back pressure or blind-side hit to an opponent where the head is targeted and/or the principle point of contact is not permitted. A violation of the above will result in a minor or major penalty and shall be reviewed for possible supplemental discipline". -full story here.

Don't know about you but as it reads, it kind of seems like wussy, non-desrcript wording where ultimately the consequences remain in the subjective hands of the NHL which in the past has shown sketchiness when doling out suspensions.

I read somewhere that the average age of retirement from the NHL is late twenties which means barring unforeseen circumstances, a retired player has quite a ways to go in his lifespan. The wear and tear of being in the NHL should not include Traumatic Brain Injury. If you have ever been around someone with TBI, which I have, it's not anything someone should purposefully (meaning the hit) do to someone else regardless of rivalry and a desire to win, and should not be a price to pay for a career in the NHL.

As far as players who either think, voice, or give off the vibe that 'it was an accident' or like James Wishiewshi's response that he didn't do anything wrong when he nailed his 'friend' Brent Seabrook into the boards - if at that level of conditioning and skill a player cannot control the force of his body, he doesn't belong on the ice to begin with. Those players who know it wasn't an accident don't belong on the ice either. Granted ice hockey is a contact sport, it's supposed to get rough out there on the ice, I get that however this issue verges on damaging the integrity of the game and no matter how rough - there's got to be integrity for the sport to flourish. It would be a shame for this sport to be void of another 'great one' because he took up curling instead because his parents saw how violent hockey had become. Yup, just in case you didn't get ENOUGH of curling at the Olympics...there ya go.

If the NHL is going to promote hockey as family entertainment then they should share the responsibility in protecting children from witnessing this kind of violence. And that's what it is: violence. The responsibility cannot fall solely on parents because there is no predicting when this kind of violence is going to take place at a game. The solution should not be a parent avoiding the game altogether - there's got to be shades of gray.

One last thought, it appears that off ice behavior is paralleling on ice antics with the escalation of fans beating upon the glass looking like a bunch of apes, and that is insulting apes around the world. What's up with that? Bad day at the office?

Please note: escalation does not equate a generalization of players and fans. Most players and fans get it and at the end of the day ice hockey remains awesome.

(sources: nhl.com, yahoo.com, usatoday.com, my brain)

Round Two Almost Over

2010-05-13T12:54:00.003-05:00

...and I have improved markedly. 3-for-4 so far!

Last night was the culmination of the series between the Penguins and the Canadiens, a Game Seven, perhaps the very last one at Mellon Arena unless the Pens won. However, the Habs had something else in mind. In the end, Brian Gionta, Mike Cammalleri and Jaroslav Halak proved to be the heroes, and the Habs prevailed, 5-2, ending the defending Stanley Cup champions' reign. There were plenty of cheers, jeers and tears on both sides (especially over the Internet- yikes), yet in the end the No. 8 seed came out on top and will face off against the winner of Boston-Philadelphia. The difference in this series, besides the fact that Jaro Halak has given this team incredibly good chances, was that the players who needed to perform- Gionta, Cammalleri, etc.- did exactly that. In this series, Gio scored five goals, three assists and Cammalleri seven goals, one assist, while Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were pretty much stymied with a goal and assist each. That's true performance by the former two.

The only series currently still active is Boston-Philly, and it's come to a Game Seven as well. Whoda thunk it? Boston's back on its heels after giving up a 3-0 series lead, while it looks as though the Flyers have all of the momentum in the world. If they win... I won't know what to do with myself. *bites lip nervously* They remain perhaps the only active playoff team I honestly can't stand. Come on, Bruins.

In other news...

-Sharks win series against Red Wings, 4-2, successfully eliminating any chance of Detroit revisiting the Cup Finals. Thank God. San Jose is doing excellently as of late- maybe we're wrong about them.

- Chicago wins series over Vancouver, 4-2. So the WC finals is going to be a matchup against the #1 and #2 seeded teams. How interesting. Meanwhile, there's all sorts of chaos and mutiny going on in the Eastern Conference. A tale of two cities, indeed- or shall we say two conferences?

Round Three begins Sunday. Stay tuned.

WTF? x 2

2010-05-10T20:00:00.004-05:00

Sitting at a pub in the East Village with Pittsburgh vs. Canadians on the flat screen above while watching Flyers vs. Bruins game on my laptop with earphones plugged in. Beyond you wondering what is wrong with me (hey! my roommate coveted the TV!) what is with both the Bruins and Penguins not living up to my playoff expectations?? I guess it's cool that there is no rhyme or reason to the playoffs so far but really Flyers up 3-0?? So far I think the winner of the Stanley Cup is going to be a surprise to many. But for tonight it's WTF? x 2 until (or if) something begins to shift for both Boston and Pittsburgh. ACK! Flyers up 4-0? Bartender! make it a double!

The Imperfect Game

2010-05-06T13:57:00.004-05:00

Earlier this week, UVA men's lacrosse player George Huguely allegedly murdered former girlfriend and women's lacrosse player Yeardley Love in a private residence. Both students were seniors at the university. This incident has sparked an incredible fire within the college lacrosse community, as well as the sports world in general. As a (non-current) lacrosse player, this sparked an interest in me as well. SB Nation's Andrew Sharp wrote an incredible online article describing his take on the story and how he feels the culture of lacrosse- one of entitlement, chauvinism, and reckless abuse of alcohol and other substances- helped this happen. In many ways, he is completely right; however, the culture he so vividly details goes far beyond the realm of elite lacrosse programs.

Unfortunately, we live in a society of warped values and priorities, where the athlete takes precedence over a great many other people- the teacher, the civil worker, sometimes even the soldier. You see it even in high school, depending on where you go. For me, it was a huge public high school in Brooklyn, yet I still saw the popularity of the boys' lacrosse players and the football players. Even my own teammates on the girls' team loved them; meanwhile, many had personalities that were (at times) suspect. Thankfully, none of them were incredibly out of control, in part because they had a hard-assed coach with strict tactics (and three City Championships because of it), yet you still felt a cocky, holier-than-thou kind of air about them. You can imagine how much more magnified that kind of admiration is in a school with an even better lacrosse program- more money, more elite, more of a sense as a player that you deserve the world and more because you can throw a ball into a net past another person.

It's not unlike the world of junior hockey in Canada, a "boys will be boys" world where young girls are branded as "puck bunnies" whether or not they want a hockey player- and to some players, every girl wants them, even if they say no. Or take high school football in the South, where coaches pull all strings necessary so players with failing averages can graduate on time and receive scholarships to the best colleges. These young men are taught that they can do anything they want, have anything they want, and people will love them no matter what- and that mentality breeds trouble. It really isn't unlike a fraternity, as Sharp writes, where masculinity (and in many cases, misogyny and violence) reigns supreme. And apparently Huguely was fueled by this mentality when he allegedly took Love's life.

These kinds of cultures ruin what should be innocent fun for all. They take the focus off of a simple game and make it a world where you, as a player, are compared to a god walking the face of the earth. That pressure is unbearable for many, and it can corrupt anyone, which is why it's so important that everyone, not just players, coaches and staff members, gets involved and changes the face of all of these sports. It's not enough to make excuses. We have to show players, beginning at the youth level, that they are not invincible, and they cannot have it all unless they deserve it, in terms of both hard work and moral fiber. How to do that must be figured out soon.

(Examples of junior hockey and high school football taken from my reading of two books- Crossing the Line: Violence and Sexual Assault in Canada's National Sport by Laura Robinson and Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger, both highly informative and disturbing accounts of the culture of youth sports. I recommend them to anyone who wants to learn more on the subject. Also, if anyone has any books or articles to recommend, I'd be more than willing to take them into account.)

P.S. Rest in peace, Yeardley Love.

Round 2 Update

2010-05-04T10:00:00.002-05:00

Last night I went 2-for-2- Chicago and Boston BOTH pulled out wins against Vancouver and Philadelphia, respectively. Not only that, but Boston and another of my picks, the San Jose Sharks, lead their foes by a 2-0 series margin right now. *fist pump*

As for Chicago and my final pick, Montreal, they're knotted up in 1-1 series ties. After a 5-0 shutout loss against the Canucks, Chicago came back from an 0-2 deficit and ended up winning 4-2. Also, the other night the Canadiens rallied for a 3-1 win, avoiding an 0-2 series deficit after losing miserably to the Penguins, 6-3, in Game One. I'll miss the games tonight, unfortunately, since I'll be training for my VERY FIRST, REAL job :D, but no doubt I'll get some updates from my kind fellow fans on Twitter. Tonight's Game Three for MTL-PIT and SJ-DET. Should be fun!

Round Two, Welcome.

2010-04-30T10:38:00.002-05:00

So I went 1-7 in the first round. Honestly, I think 0-8 would have looked a bit better- at least miss the mark completely, ya know? But thank God for the Chicago Blackhawks, that's all I have to say. Anyway, the matchups for Round Two look like this:

Eastern Conference

(4) Pittsburgh vs. (8) Montreal

After a crazy Game 7 upset of No.1 seeded Washington, the Habs take on yet another offensive powerhouse in the Penguins. Unlike the Caps, this Pittsburgh team is unafraid to score by any means necessary- though they will have to contend with monster shot-blockers and a stone wall in net by the name of Jaroslav Halak, which is what they were able to avoid in the first round against Ottawa. They start off tonight at 7.

(6) Boston vs. (7) Philadelphia

Now this is going to be good. After knocking off the number 3 and 2 seeds, respectively, these two teams match up in what will surely be a rough-and-tumble kind of series. Should be interesting. Though the Bruins have gotten some rest, the Flyers have been kicking back for about a week or two now since handily disposing of the NJ Devils in five. Also an interesting goalie duel- Tuukka Rask vs. Brian Boucher.

Western Conference

(1) San Jose vs. (5) Detroit- SJ leads, 1-0

So, these two teams have already started business, with San Jose just getting by with a 4-3 win last night thanks to two goals by Joe Pavelski (including the game-winner). The Red Wings have gone straight into this series after winning Game 7 against the Coyotes 6-1. Look for fatigue to be a factor.

(2) Chicago vs. (3) Vancouver

There's already some bad blood between these two teams, stemming back (I believe) from last year's playoffs in which the Hawks dispatched the Canucks in the second round, 4 games to 2. With an incredibly strong team this season, Vancouver will look to exact revenge- though much of that rests on the pads of one Roberto Luongo. He'll have to be dynamite against the hot offense that Chicago has.

Kick back, relax and enjoy the semi-finals- one step closer to finding out which team will hoist the Stanley Cup. (And as long as it's not Pittsburgh or Detroit, we'll be juuuust fine. :D)

And Two More Picks Bite the Dust.

2010-04-25T11:09:00.003-05:00

I'd like to pay my respects to another two of my playoff picks, the Colorado Avalanche and Ottawa Senators. Though they fought bravely and surprised everyone who ever doubted them, Craig Anderson, Matt Duchene and the rest of the Avs were defeated last night by the San Jose Sharks, 5-2, and lost the series four games to two. Also, the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Ottawa Senators, 4-3 in OT on Pascal Dupuis' goal, taking the series four games to two as well. I am now 0-3 on the first round. Ugh.

Well... I have some serious hopes hinging on the Phoenix Coyotes now, as they take on the Red Wings in Game 6 at 2 p.m. and are on the brink of elimination themselves. I had a dream last night that Ilya Bryzgalov allowed a soft goal in OT, giving the Wings the series win... I'm praying to the hockey gods that that stays only in my subconscious. PLEASE, I'M BEGGING YOU. I have to win at least one of these rounds.

Anyway... the Kings and Canucks also play tonight, and with the Kings losing big in their last two matches, they need a wake-up call if they want to stay in it. Stay tuned.

One Series Down, Seven to Go...

2010-04-23T14:54:00.002-05:00

So... one series has ended, and I'm already on a losing streak.

The Flyers closed out their series with the Devils, 4 games to 1, with their 3-0 shutout last night. Man, that sucks. But honestly, it was well-deserved... they played all out, while the Devs were all over the place and played with no distinguishable urgency whatsoever. Plus, Philly owes four steak dinners to goalie Brian Boucher for pretty much proving everyone (or at least me) wrong with his clutch play during this series. He's got the guys in front of him believing in him and playing some great D as well. I don't know if they'll fare as well against the Capitals (should Washington win this series, I believe that's the team the Flyers will face), but who knows?

Anyway... the Caps have the chance to win their series against the Habs as well, and they'll take it tonight at 7 p.m. Also on the docket: Coyotes-Red Wings, Kings-Canucks, Bruins-Sabres. Versus has made me very happy with its lineup for tonight, so I'll be enjoying the Caps and Coyotes games while keeping an eye on all of the other scores.

P.S. Triple OT last night in Pittsburgh? Yikes! I know some Pens fans weren't happy about the result. (4-3 win) Looks like they'll have to close out the series on road ice... that is, if all goes as planned.

Hockey and the Female Fan, Revisited.

2010-04-22T10:30:00.003-05:00

I have a favorite Tweep of mine to thank for this link- Angela MacIsaac, or @that_angela. She's a former sportswriter and journalist and a Flames fan who knows her stuff. Today she sent me this link to an article by Cassie McClellan of fromtherink.com about hockey and the female fan. In it, a roundtable of female bloggers and fans talk about how they first fell in love with the sport, how male fans have received them, and some of their negative encounters. I found it interesting and quite relatable.

I don't know if I ever made it clear to anyone how I first got into the sport, so I'll do so now. The movie "Miracle," about (what else) the 1980 U.S. Men's Olympic hockey team and their coach, Herb Brooks, was released in 2004. I saw it on cable one day during the eighth grade and fell in love with the story, and with the sport in general. Throughout that summer (which was ironically in the middle of the lockout year, 2004-05), I watched the movie, read a book (The Boys of Winter by Wayne Coffey) based on it, and watched classic games on MSG. By the time the 2005 preseason started, I was head over heels for hockey. How I became an Islanders fan is a different story.

In five full years of being a fan, I've been pretty lucky so far. Though I have gotten surprised looks from fellow fans, not to mention some less-than-acceptable name suggestions in my eyes when looking for the perfect podcast name ("Hockey Score Broads"? Uh, no), overall the majority of male fans I've encountered has accepted me as an equal, and we've had some great discussions and debates. Unfortunately, though, that's not the same everywhere- and even the NHL's marketing team, not to mention individual team marketing squads, tugs at the wrong strings. Pink and shiny isn't the way to go, guys, and I've said it before. Neither are those detestable "Marry me, Miller!" shirts a friend of mine found in a team store- at HSBC Arena. Yes, those are real, the hockey gods help us.

So yes, women can be actual fans who spew stats and celebrate goals and can name more than one player on the team. Of course, women can be women as well, and every now and then they will notice a player who's easy on the eyes, but more often (at least, I hope) they will bleed their team's colors, cheer on and cry for their favorites every season, right along with the guys. I know I do.

Vote for Rob Schremp in TSN's Play of the Year Showdown: Pool B

2010-04-21T10:26:00.003-05:00

So, Rob Schremp's baseball-style goal against the Colorado Avalanche dazzled many hockey fans for sure. Now, Bob the Builder's up against Miikka Kiprusoff, Jonathan Toews and others for one of the best plays of the season on TSN.ca.

Right now, Robbie's trailing behind Kipper, 40.2% to 35.6%. Kiprusoff's incredible toe save against the San Jose Sharks is impressive, no doubt, but some believe it's based more on luck than anything else. Of course, Isles fans *should* be voting for Robbie because not only was that an incredible goal, but he wears the orange and blue as well. :) But you are, of course, the judge.

P.S. Doug Weight talks about the Canucks-Kings series here on Fanhouse TV. He gives some great insight on both teams, as well as specific players.

P.P.S. Coyotes, Senators, Blackhawks, Avalanche all lost. I really know how to pick my teams, eh? :( Hoping for a Capitals win tonight.

Playoff Addiction Step One: Admit You Have a Problem...

2010-04-19T13:08:00.002-05:00

I have to admit, I wasn't quite as involved in watching the playoffs last night as I had been for the past week. Oh, don't get me wrong, I watched, but damn if I forgot there were two OTHER games to watch out for- Phoenix-Detroit and New Jersey-Philly. Oopsie.

Enough of that, though. You know what the best thing about this has been? No team has gone 2-0 in the series. For the FIRST TIME in league history! That's when you know every team is playing its hardest- even the lower seeds have come to play and are making it hard on those whom are favored to win. Take Phoenix, for example. Plenty of people I know wrote off the Coyotes despite them being the higher seed because, after all, it's Detroit they're playing, and the Red Wings have all this history, 19 years straight in the playoffs, blah blah blah. All the respect in the world, but Phoenix has a ton of momentum, not to mention a newly nominated Vezina candidate (Ilya Bryzgalov) in net. I've said all of this before, but I'll say it again- you can't count them out, especially since they won Game 3 convincingly yesterday afternoon, 4-2.

Also, unfortunately taking a 2-1 series lead in this round was the Flyers. After getting to overtime, an unlikely fellow by the name of Daniel Carcillo scored the game-winner. Ugh. Spare me. The Devils should be in full desperation mode- or at least trying hard to get the ball, or puck as it were, back into their hands regarding this series.

In other games, the Penguins scored a big win over the Senators last night 4-2 on the road, with Sidney Crosby a present factor (1 G, 1 A, +1) and Marc-Andre Fleury (20 saves) getting things done in net. The Senators had the crowd with them for most of the game, but Brian Elliott has definitely been sharper, and their defense needs to be more focused as well. Also, after a 0-0 stalemate for three periods, a fluke goal off of the stick of San Jose's Dan Boyle cost the Sharks the game in overtime, giving the Colorado Avalanche a 2-1 series edge. Talk about tough times for the No. 1 seed.

Tonight, the Capitals and Canadiens face off in front of a raucous Bell Centre crowd, no doubt, at 7:00 p.m., and Semyon Varlamov will start in place of Jose Theodore for Washington, so we'll see how that goes. The Bruins and Sabres also play tonight, with another Vezina candidate (Ryan Miller) in net, and the Sabres looking to avenge a 5-3 drubbing in Game Two. The late game is the Kings against the Canucks, in L.A. tonight. I'll likely only be watching one of these games (Caps-Habs)... I'm in terrible danger of suffering from premature playoff burnout, resulting in an unhappy Angie, and we don't want that, now do we? :P

Enjoy!

Bruins, Caps, Kings All Deliver

2010-04-18T13:24:00.002-05:00

The drama just keeps on coming. Gotta love it!

First... if you haven't already, please watch the first half-minute of this video in which Andy Sutton gets into it with a reporter about his hit on Jordan Leopold. It's spawned a trending topic on Twitter (#areyouanexpert) and its own Facebook fan page, and though perhaps it shouldn't, it's given me a whole new reason to love the big guy. :)

Now, on to the games, and though I missed about the whole first period of Bruins-Sabres, I got to see at least all of Habs-Caps, and what a game that was. But first things first.

Bruins beat Sabres 5-3; series tied at 1.

So no huge hits or strange feats here, but Thomas Vanek lovers will definitely have a hard time dealing with this; the forward left the game in the first period with the dreaded "lower-body" injury. Should he end up missing the rest of this series, that will definitely change things- for the better for Boston, and for the worse for the Sabres.

Washington beats Montreal 6-5 (OT); series tied at 1.

W.O.W. This game was the most entertaining of the night. Jose Theodore certainly didn't think so- he allowed 2 goals on the first two shots he faced and ended up giving way to Semyon Varlamov, who did allow three, but no matter- Nicklas Backstrom saved the night with his hat trick, including the game-winner in overtime, as the Caps battled back from 4-1, then tied the game at 5 just after Tomas Plekanec scored late in the third period. Best part? The reaction on the bench from all of the coaches, who got into a legitimate group hug as the team celebrated. They knew they needed this one before heading into the snake pit that is the Bell Centre.

L.A. beats Vancouver, 3-2 (OT); series tied at 1.

I saw Vancouver build up their 2-0 lead just before falling asleep, but I missed all the good stuff, unfortunately. And the best thing? Jonathan Quick, who made some incredible saves in the second and third period to keep the Canucks from adding to their lead, thus allowing the Kings to come back and win it. Give kudos to some great defensive work by the guys in front of him to stymie Vancouver's offense.

So tonight, here goes nothing- Game 3 of Pens-Sens, followed by Game 2 of Hawks-Preds, followed by Game 3 of Sharks-Avs. All one right after another on Versus. Addiction, I has it. Enjoy, y'all.

Playoffs, Night Three: Not a Good Track Record.

2010-04-17T12:00:00.002-05:00

Well, at least the Devils won.

That's the consolation I have to give myself, after watching four straight hockey games and getting updates on another one. And go figure- the one I don't watch is the one in which the team I'm rooting for wins. Up until 2:00 a.m. for all of that?! But hey, at least there were some great games on. And I will say this much- for all my complaints about Versus showing NHL games, I was in hockey heaven last night with their continuous coverage of the playoffs. Four games, all shown one right after the next. Don't say you can't appreciate that!

New Jersey beats Philadelphia, 5-3; series tied at 1.

Thank the hockey gods. I couldn't take much more of the Flyers winning. The Parise-Zubrus-Elias line was definitely cooking last night, combining for 2 goals and 6 points, and Ilya Kovalchuk had three points himself, plus Martin Brodeur made 26 saves to seal the deal. This was the only game I couldn't watch (I need Center Ice badly), but I got enough of the gist of it to know that this, as every game is now, was a big one for NJ.

Pittsburgh beats Ottawa, 2-1; series tied at 1.

A much low-scoring event than was Game 1 (though don't worry, the other three games more than made up for it). Brian Elliot did his best, but in the end it was Sidney Crosby making an excellent move on Jason Spezza and three other Ottawa Senators to assist on the winning goal by Kris Letang. One of the highlights of this game? Former Islander Andy Sutton's vicious hit on Jordan Leopold. Leopold, focused on the puck and the D already on him (Nick Foligno), barely even caught sight of the freight train that was Sutton until he'd already been hit. They call it a clean hit, and I saw no signs of an elbow, but it won't ingratiate him one bit with Pens fans.

Nashville beats Chicago, 4-1, take 1-0 series lead.

Antti Niemi? He was good, but he didn't compare to Pekka Rinne, who made some fantastic saves in order to keep the high-scoring Hawks offense off the board. Also, he didn't let in the two headscratchers Niemi did- one an unlucky bounce, the next an unfortunate rebound, both going to the stick of J.P. Dumont. Dumont got the first star of the game for his efforts, and two empty-netters sealed the deal for Music City.

Detroit beats Phoenix, 7-4; series tied at 1.

What a game this was. Five goals in four minutes in the third period- all trading off, Detroit, Phoenix, then the Wings, then the Coyotes again, until finally Justin Abdelkader got the deciding goal. Then Henrik Zetterberg capped off a hat trick, Valtteri Filppula got his second, and the Wings skated off with the victory (to my chagrin). You wanna talk drama? This and the next game had plenty of it. Not a lot of defense, but plenty of action!

San Jose beats Colorado, 6-5 (OT); series tied at 1.

The Sharks needed this one as well... and they got it, in dramatic fashion. Much like the Coyotes-Wings game, the Avs and Sharks exchanged goals, and Colorado went late into the third period with a 5-4 lead- until Joe Pavelski got to the front of the net and knotted it up at 5 with 30 seconds to go. Then Devin Setoguchi put it away for San Jose at 5:22 of OT, on the power play. After watching the end of the Hawks game, then the end of the 'Yotes game, by this point all I could do was turn off the TV, turn over on the sofa and sleep... and yes, I did sleep on the sofa. My little cousin took my bed over. But it was worth it!

So today's games are as follows: Buffalo-Boston, currently in progress (the Sabres lead 2-0), Montreal-Washington at 7:00 p.m. and the L.A. Kings in Vancouver at 10:00. Drunk on hockey? Nawww. This is just a pleasant buzz to start off. :)

Lee Named Rookie of the Year; JT, KO, JH to Play in Worlds; Koskinen, Petrov on the Move

2010-04-16T13:13:00.003-05:00

Lots of stuff has gone on this week for the Isles- both players and prospects.

-First, Scott Gordon has been named head coach of the 2010 U.S. team for the World Championships. Defenseman Jack Hillen and forward Kyle Okposo (who turns 22 today- happy birthday!) have also been named to the squad. Also, John Tavares will play for Team Canada in the Worlds. Great job, guys!

- Trevor Gillies has been signed to a one-year contract with the Islanders. In 14 games this season, the tough guy tallied 75 penalty minutes.

- Last year's sixth-rounder in the draft, Anders Lee, has been named the USHL's Rookie of the Year. He played 59 of 60 games for the Green Bay Gamblers and tallied 66 points (35 G, 31 A). Congratulations to him!

- And according to Chris Botta, Isles prospect Kirill Petrov will be at prospect camp this summer, apparently with the blessing of the Russian KHL and his current team, Ak Bars. The skilled winger has been touted as one of the team's best future players.
Not only that, but another top prospect, goalie Mikko Koskinen, has been called up to Bridgeport. The big, solid netminder reportedly underwent hip surgery, but had a solid end of the season in the ECHL for the Utah Grizzlies. Expect him to be a mainstay in BPT next season.

Playoffs, Night Two Revisited

2010-04-16T10:14:00.002-05:00

So last night, there were only three games to pay attention to, and only two of them were at the same time, but I still had a hard time! Get this: I LIVE in Buffalo, and it took me ten minutes just to find the channel that was showing the Sabres- Bruins game. Ugh. All that aside, I did have a very enjoyable time watching the games, though one of them was a shocker.

Sabres beat Bruins 2-1, take 1-0 lead.

Low-scoring, as I suspected. A little bit boring in the third, yeah. But it's great to see the Sabres get off to an early start, just for the benefit of seeing all those devoted fans celebrating not only in HSBC Arena, but in the tent outside. When they say "standing room only" in Buffalo, they MEAN it. Ryan Miller was his usual sharp self, as was Tuukka Rask despite allowing more goals. And while it got scrappy... why wouldn't it? It's the playoffs!

Canadiens beat Capitals 3-2 (OT), take 1-0 lead.

WOW. I mean it. WOW. Ovechkin was very much a non-factor in this one, and the Habs did what they had to do to keep the game close and eventually beat the #1 seed in OT. Yes, it is just the first game of the series, but if possible the Habs have made a statement: we're here to play, just like Washington is. The Caps are gonna have to buckle down to prove that they're not going to turn out to be the San Jose Sharks of the East. P.S. How about the trash talk going down between both teams?

Canucks beat Kings 3-2 (OT), take 1-0 lead.

This was to be expected, even if the Kings got to a 1-0 lead in the first period. Vancouver's a tough team to play, and they outshot and outplayed the Kings for much of the game. However, Jonathan Quick held up there for a while and the fact that they're such a young team and kept it from being a blowout helps things.

Tonight, it goes like this...

(7) Nashville at (2) Chicago, 8:30 p.m.

The final Game One of this round. I have no idea why they started it so late, but oh well. It should be good. The Blackhawks won this series 4-2 but haven't played the Predators in months, though they're division rivals. The Hawks haven't lost in regulation in seven, but the Preds shouldn't be overlooked- they have strong goaltending with Pekka Rinne, though they'll need to deal with a dangerous Chicago offense. As for Antti Niemi, well... he'll need to keep from allowing soft goals so often.

Ottawa at Pittsburgh (Ottawa leads 1-0), 7:00 p.m. - the last game was high-scoring... look for more of the same.

Philadelphia at New Jersey (Philly leads, 1-0), 7:30 p.m.- maybe a goalie change? Martin Brodeur was not at his sharpest, and perhaps Jacques Lemaire will go for a lineup shakeup.

Detroit at Phoenix (Phoenix leads 1-0), 10:00 p.m. - Detroit will need stronger special teams, particularly the penalty kill, against the Coyotes, while Phoenix will need to keep winning faceoffs and peppering Jimmy Howard.

Colorado at San Jose (Colorado leads 1-0), 10:30 p.m.- The outcome of Game One should be a wake-up call for the Sharks, who have tons of pressure on now while Colorado should be looking to just keep this momentum going on the road.

FIVE GAMES! Wow. I'm going to be paying the most attention to Chicago-Nashville, Philly-New Jersey and Detroit-Phoenix, though all of these series are great to watch. Something tells me I'm going to be crawling out of bed to do tomorrow's blog post. Well, that's the playoffs for ya.

Playoffs Start With a Bang; Night 2 Preview

2010-04-15T09:47:00.002-05:00

So it seems as though all eight teams playing last night liked the idea of a one-goal game, because that was all we saw on the scoreboard...

1. Philly beats NJ 2-1, takes 1-0 lead.

Eesh. I thought Boucher was the shaky goalie?! He actually made some great saves to keep the Devils off the scoreboard. Save for Travis Zajac's shot through a screen that cut the lead to 2-1, New Jersey couldn't get anything past him, while Martin Brodeur has been better. It's a shame, because I really would love for the Flyers to stop in, er, mid-flight. Hopefully the Devs will snap out of it and tie it up on Friday.

2. Ottawa beats Pittsburgh 5-4, takes 1-0 lead.

This was the highest-scoring game of the night- and what a shootout it was. Brian Elliott was sharp, as he needed to be, while Marc-Andre Fleury was the victim of a bad bounce, as well as his own fluster. Evgeni Malkin scored two goals and Sidney Crosby had three points but wasn't as much of a factor as he had been, likely because of the great coverage Ottawa executed.

3. Phoenix beats Detroit, 2-1, takes 1-0 lead.

So, everyone's calling Phoenix winning against Detroit an upset, and I say to that: Whatever. Phoenix was higher-seeded for a reason, and while they of course don't have the experience that the Red Wings have, they're not just going to lie down and let them skate to easy victory. Detroit had 1-0 and 2-1 leads, but they were eliminated quickly by Keith Yandle and Wojtek Wolski, and then Derek Morris score early in the third period to cement the come-from-behind win. P.S. Awesome job by PHX fans with the "White-Out." Same for Pittsburgh.

4. Colorado beats San Jose, 2-1, takes 1-0 lead.

Well, San Jose's gonna have to do some damage control fast. Though they'd tied it at 1 on Ryan Clowe's goal, a lucky bounce and a goal by Chris Stewart kept the game from going to OT, and Sharks fans were certainly not happy. They're going to have to work hard to keep from falling into a 2-0 hole, because this energetic Avs team shows no signs of backing down. Lots of pressure, but hey... that's what happens when you're the No. 1 seed.

So Night 2 commences tonight, with the other half of the playoff spectrum competing for an early lead, and it goes as follows:

(8) Montreal at (1) Washington, 7:00 p.m.

Montreal has their work cut out for them in this series- the high-octane offense Washington boasts will be going full-throttle while Montreal stumbled into the playoffs, winning only three of their last 11 games. They'll have to look to Jaro Halak to be extra-sharp tonight, though here's a fun fact: Carey Price started all four games against the Caps. Interesting.

(6) Boston at (3) Buffalo, 7:00 p.m.

Yay! A series I can watch locally! And while Boston took the season series 4-2-0 against the Sabres, neither of these teams is very high-scoring; therefore, look for tight games all the way. In net, look for Tuukka Rask against Ryan Miller, and I hope Miller's not too tired after playing most of the season plus the Olympics.

(6) Los Angeles at (3) Vancouver, 10:00 p.m.

The Canucks won the season series 3-1, but the Kings won big in their final meeting, 8-3. That being said, the Kings aren't much of a hot team right now. They won only two of their final 12 in regulation, and Jonathan Quick is a bit shaky (1-3-4 in last eight, pulled for the only win the Kings had in that span). Add an Art Ross Trophy winner (Henrik Sedin), his equally talented twin (Daniel), and perhaps the best Vancouver team in a while, and it'll be an uphill battle for L.A.

Can't wait for tonight's action! P.S. Yeah, Chicago doesn't play Nashville until Friday night. Lame. *grumble* Enjoy!

Draft Lottery Has Isles Choosing 5th, Plus Playoff Preview

2010-04-14T11:59:00.004-05:00

The 2010 NHL Draft Lottery was held live on Versus at 8 p.m. last night, and much as was predicted, Edmonton won first dibs on the plethora of talent to be made available in late June. The Islanders are to pick fifth, with Boston (from Toronto), Florida and Columbus holding picks 2-4.

As everyone knows, there has been much speculation as to whether or not the first player drafted will be Taylor Hall of the Windsor Spitfires or Tyler Seguin of the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL, who are virtually neck-and-neck in terms of scouting prestige and talent. In truth, whomever is taken first will be a great asset to Edmonton. As for the Islanders, well... I'm hoping they can grab Erik Gudbrandson, a defenseman playing for the Kingston Frontenacs. He's 6'3", 195, so he can definitely fill out, and he adds some good size to the blueline (which we are in need of). Though The Scouting Report online says that he has credible offensive talent, I really think that, especially if/when he puts on some weight, he can certainly be physical and add some toughness to our D as well. The final rankings had him listed as No. 4, but perhaps we can get lucky and Columbus will pass him by- or we can trade up a spot.

Now, on to the main event. There is still plenty of hockey left to be played, and it begins tonight as the Stanley Cup Playoffs get underway. The games tonight are as follows: Eastern Conference:

(5) Ottawa at (4) Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.

The defending Cup champs take on the resurgent Senators, and this should be pretty interesting. In the regular season, the teams split the season series with each team winning once at home, once on the road, and it's a much-the-same Pens team against a new-look Sens team who hopes their goaltending will be on point. Brian Elliott, who's starting in the playoffs for the first time, was a big part of the reason the team got into the playoffs. We'll see if he can keep that going. Of course, expect the usual suspects- Sid Crosby, Geno Malkin and Co.- to step up and try to get things done for the Penguins. It can go either way as far as individual game scores- both teams have beaten each other by wide margins- so who knows.

(7) Philadelphia at (2) New Jersey, 7:30 p.m.

Now this will be fun. Tough customers with talent, the Flyers won the season series easily over their Atlantic Division rivals, 5-1-0. To some surprise, Claude Giroux and Chris Pronger each have scored 7 points against the Devils for the team lead. Though the Devs may have the edge in goaltending- Brian Boucher is okay but sometimes shaky for Philly, while Martin Brodeur can make any team look good- they're going to have to capitalize on that, and get guys like Patrik Elias, Zach Parise and of course Ilya Kovalchuk going early on. They'll also have to get their power play scoring and draw plenty of penalties from this not-so-disciplined Flyers team. Expect Dan Carcillo to be a bit of an impact as well- I'm perfectly sure he'll happily fill the "pain in the butt" role in Sean Avery's absence.

Western Conference:

(5) Detroit at (4) Phoenix, 10:00 p.m.

I was watching NHL Network as I always do when I wake up in the morning, and if you watch often you know they always repeat NHL on the Fly until noon. Well, they had their Western Conference playoff preview last night, and I was surprised at how everyone on the show was so quick to write off this Coyotes team. Yes, Detroit is a great hockey club and they're finally healthy, and just in time. Yes, they've got plenty of experience and will use it well against a Cinderella team like the 'Yotes. But Phoenix has an edge in goaltending- Ilya Bryzgalov is a rock in net, and Jimmy Howard, while an impressive rookie, is perhaps the one player who isn't very experienced on the Red Wings. While Phoenix may be in the playoffs for the first time in eight years, they are masters in one-goal games and I think that they can, if not win this series, at least keep it quite close till the very end. They'll have to deal with Henrik Zetterberg and pavel Datsyuk, two of the best in the league, not to mention Nick Lidstrom, but they'll persevere.

(8) Colorado at (1) San Jose, 10:30 p.m.

San Jose, as you well know, is not the most reliable team in the playoffs, though they're the No. 1 seed almost every year. This year is the year in which they need to really prove that they can win when it counts. It may be hard- Colorado is a young but talented club that has a great goalie in Craig Anderson, a dynamic rookie in Matt Duchene and some vets to keep the balance. They also don't have much pressure on them; they've already surprised the heck out of so many who believed they would be in the WC cellar this season as well. The two teams split the four-game season series, so anything's possible here. However, injuries may be a problem- Duchene and Peter Mueller are questionable, and David Jones will not play, while SJ is healthy.

So, those are the games on the program for tonight, and I will do my very best to keep tabs on all of them. It's the best time of the year- the weather's warmer and the hockey's more intense, and every shift counts. Gotta love it! Playoffs, baby!

(Credit goes to nhl.com for playoffs info.)

Assessing the Season: 2009-10

2010-04-12T11:08:00.004-05:00

So, the curtain has fallen on another Islanders season. Last night ended with a 6-5 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Naturally, by this point I would be weeping into my jersey about how unfocused, disorganized and bad they were, but I'm abandoning all of that in favor of hope for the coming year, as I've said before. Hey, they did lose a few games and badly, but any growing team is like that. Besides, the way some of our young players are developing I'd be willing to bet on some serious improvement next season.

With that said, let's get into some grading for the year. I've never really done this before, and something tells me that if I were an actual teacher I would be incredibly fair. But you be the judge. We'll start with the forwards.

Josh Bailey: He started off the season a little slow, but as it wore on, he started getting more confident and finished the year with 16 goals and 35 points. Not bad. His defensive play is also very good, and I think if he continues on this path he could score 20 a year. Unfortunately, he'll miss the AHL playoffs with a facial laceration; best wishes for a quick recovery. Grade: A-.

Sean Bergenheim: I've been rooting for this guy since he came back to us from playing in Finland, but he just hasn't improved much. He's got tons of heart, but his feet move faster than his hands and he holds onto the puck too long- not to mention the penalties he manages to commit. Overall, 10 goals and 13 assists on the year isn't too bad for a fourth-liner, but I was hoping for more from him. Grade: C.

Blake Comeau: This year, I believe, has been his best to date. Last year he scored 7 goals; this year, he's scored 10 more and the same number of assists (18) to finish alongside Bails with 35 points. He's developing into a great two-way forward and very good on the PK. Overall, great strides made by #57. Grade: A-.

Trent Hunter: Two years ago, he received a five-year contract extension worth $10 million. Since then he has scored a combined 59 points. This season, only 28 (11 goals, 17 assists). I don't know about the Isles' front office, but I certainly don't think that kind of production is worth $2M a year. Not only that, but I don't think the leadership they expected of him has been present. He worked well with Frans Nielsen early on, but on his own, not a great impact. Consider that Brendan Witt exhibited a similar kind of presence on the ice (with better leadership) and was waived, and you'll see what I mean. Grade: C.

Tim Jackman: He was injured for much of the year, came back and got injured again in a fight, and ended up wearing a face mask for the rest of the season which inhibited his game a lot (seeing that he's more of a fighter than a goalscorer). That said, he does his job when healthy and is completely unafraid to do so- oh yeah, and he can score a couple of goals every now and then. Grade: B-.

Matt Moulson: What a surprise this guy has been for the Islanders. Drafted by the Penguins, ends up with the Kings and then signs with us- and scores 30 goals by season's end. He finished with 48 points total and having played all 82 games as well, which is a plus! (Durability, in case you've forgotten, has been an issue with the Isles in past years.) He's a hard worker, gets to the front of the net, and has great chemistry with John Tavares as well as Nielsen and Hunter. Awesome find by Garth Snow and Co., and I hope we lock him up long-term because he is a great asset to our offense! Grade: A+.

Frans Nielsen: Definitely could score more in regulation (12 goals, 38 points), but he's a great playmaker and seems to score goals at great times. Plus, his shootout prowess is greatly appreciated, as he's gotten the second point for his team quite a few times. Gotta love the backhand deke! Grade: B.

Kyle Okposo: He was snakebitten early in the season and that scoring drought may have cost him a spot on the U.S. Olympic Roster, but he came ever so close to 20 goals anyway (19) and tallied 52 points total, a great improvement over last year's 39 points. He finished with a -22, which is not impressive, but even so he works his tail off every night, is good on both ends of the ice, and above all, his great attitude and maturity while just a few days shy of age 22 definitely make him a viable candidate for captain in another year. (P.S. He also played 80 games this year, another improvement.) Grade: A.

Richard Park: I love this guy's work ethic and determination and he is a great penalty killer as well, but in other areas (particularly offense, where we can use everyone's help) he is lacking. He's scored some beautiful goals in the past; however, he doesn't do it often enough to be a real kind of impact player. In fact, he dropped off from last year (from 14 goals to 9). A good faceoff man, but has to pick his spots better while shooting. Grade: C+.

Rob Schremp: They call him Bob the Builder, and for good reason- he's got plenty of tools in his shootout arsenal. Okay, so you've heard that one before, but I couldn't resist. In regulation 7 goals, 25 points total may not sound very impressive in 44 games, but on the ice he does have plenty of confidence and, when in the lineup for a prolonged period of time, he can grow to be a great offensive threat. He also gave Isles fans one of the most exciting goals of the year against the Avalanche, let's not forget. :) Grade: B.

Jon Sim: It's a thankless role he plays, that of the agitator, but aside from a few penalties he takes himself, not to mention the beating he undergoes on a nightly basis, he gets the job done most of the time. He's also scored 13 goals this season to boot. Grade: B-.

Jeff Tambellini: This guy is definitely one of the two enigmas on the team (the other is on the blueline). On the one hand, perhaps he hasn't really been given a fair shake this season- inconsistent playing time, preference over call-ups, etc.- but on the other, he really has to make the most of what opportunities he has been given. He's had a hat trick game this year, but he has 14 points in 36 games this season. With plenty of players developing at a faster pace, he needs to prove he can be consistent. Grade: C.

John Tavares: The #1 draft pick for 2009 went through a hell of a dry spell mid-season, but he made up for it at the end and tallied 24 goals and 54 points for the year. He's shooting more from all areas now and I think he will only get better, as all players do. An excellent start overall to his playing career, and let's hope the sophomore slump doesn't hit him too badly! Grade: A.

Doug Weight: Captain? Yes. Injured for a ton of games? Yes. Though he adds life to the power play, however, you really can't get past the fact that he scored only one goal this year- yes, one. 17 points total. It's hardly his fault, but it's just a shame how the season's gone for him after having a bit of a "renaissance year" on the Island last year. I don't expect him to play in 2010-11. Grade: C-.

Now on to the defensemen! Alphabetically:

Bruno Gervais: If you guessed that this guy's the other enigma for the Isles, you're correct. He tied last year's goal total, and he's had a couple of games in which he's solid, but so many more games stand out in my mind where he just looks lost- screening and crowding his own goalie, having the puck deflect off of him, point-blank losing the puck to an opposing player, etc. He needs a ton of work in order to stay in this lineup, especially with the development of other players and if we draft a defenseman who could be NHL-ready. Grade: D.

Jack Hillen: This D has developed very quickly into a reliable offensive defenseman, though he could score a few more goals to become legit. Still, he's done very well and will be a great piece of the blueline corps soon enough. His size is a bit of a downside as well, but he's got a good hip check and can use his speed to a good advantage. Grade: B+.

Andrew MacDonald: What's impressive about Andy Mac is that he managed this season to make a call-up in an emergency turn into a prolonged stay in the NHL. Gotta love that. He's a bit more of a quiet D, but he'll develop into a solid blueliner soon enough. I wish the Isles' website had his stats up, but I'll be content with saying that he's a good young D. Grade: B.

Radek Martinek: Too few games played to judge fairly. INC.

Freddy Meyer: Andy Sutton Jr. Only 5'10", but he's built like a barrel and sends much bigger guys flying with his hits. He also chips in on O every so often, which helps, and he's a smart player who doesn't take an awful lot of penalties either. Good work by him. Grade: A-.

Mark Streit: Last year, Streiter made the All-Star game and led the team with 56 points. This year he started off a bit slow, but finished off impressively, if with five fewer goals. Still, 49 points isn't too shabby, and his huge shot still contributes to the PP. I would hope he takes a well-deserved rest this offseason, though- from last NHL season to the IIHF Championships, to training camp and this season, to the Olympics and back to the NHL to play almost 30 minutes a night can take a toll on even the best players. P.S. His hits have improved too, and if I'm not mistaken he's one of two guys who've played all 82 games this year. Grade: B+.

Last but not least, the goalies:

Martin Biron: He started off shaky, got more stable after Rick DiPietro ended up bowing out, and unfortunately had a couple of flat games to end the year. But I think he's won enough starts to potentially cement another year in an Isles uni- that is, unless someone else on the FA market proves to be more promising. Also, gotta love his positive attitude throughout the year, knowing it was entirely possible he wouldn't last beyond the trade deadline on the Island. Grade: B.

Rick DiPietro: Too few games to judge fairly. INC.

Dwayne Roloson: When Ricky was brought into the mix, he did stumble a bit, and there's no real saying if he ever recovered from that; however, up until the Olympic break he did keep the Isles in a great place for a while. He's an athletic goalie, and I think he can do the same thing for us next year barring a three-goalie situation. Grade: A-.

Coaching: Well, it's touch and go, of course. Scott Gordon and Co. are still getting into the NHL groove, and they have a young team on their hands. But despite some errors, especially regarding special teams (needs a TON of work there), the Isles finished this year 18 points and four places higher than last year, and that has to be commended. Regarding certain individual players, perhaps more could have been done (ie. Gervais, Tamby), but overall it's coming along. Grade: B-.

Isles Stumble on Special Night for Pens

2010-04-09T10:13:00.002-05:00

Islanders 3: Penguins 7

Mellon Arena saw its last home game in the regular season played last night, and while Penguins greats were honored, the current team took care of business on the ice.

Sidney Crosby had four points last night as the Pens rolled over the Islanders, 7-3, to my chagrin. This was the first game I was able to see live in almost two months, and unfortunately it was a doozy. But then again, how was I to know when I innocently tuned into NHL Network...?

23 seconds into the first period, Pittsburgh got its scoring started; Brooks Orpik shot one that got past Martin Biron in a screen. Then Alex Goligoski scored on a power play. Matt Moulson got one back on the Isles' own man-advantage, on a heads-up shot by Mark Streit, and the Isles started to buzz but a bad giveaway and near-breakaway by Evgeni Malkin led to his 26th of the year. (Whoa... wait, Matt Moulson has more goals (28) than Evgeni Malkin?) Kyle Okposo cut the lead to 3-2 with a great shot through a screen for his 18th of the year. Then came a goal by Sidney Crosby- his 49th of the year, which he scored after Pascal Dupuis decided to play football on the ice and shove Jack Hillen out of the way. An interference call which the referee conveniently missed, of course. 4-2 Pens, end of the first.

The second opened with Dwayne Roloson in net, the Isles getting desperate and shooting from everywhere, and Marc-Andre Fleury being equal to the task. Not that some of the shots weren't easy ones to save- to the chest and center of the pads. Oh, and he did make a great save on Frans Nielsen with his glove as Nielsen had a wide open net... but something tells me that Frans could have definitely shot more to the far corner. Josh Bailey would make good with his 16th of the year, however. At 14:34, Crosby took a shot from the point that everyone at first thought was his 50th goal of the year; however, later the goal was given to ex-Isle Bill Guerin, whom the puck was deemed to have deflected off of. Either way, it's 5-3 at this point. (Can you tell by now that this game was high-scoring?) Then two minutes later, Tyler Kennedy gets one past Roli, 6-3. By now, I'm ready to bury my head under my sheets. The offense just couldn't finish anything, while the defense was hanging both goalies- Biron and Roloson- out to dry.

The third period saw only one more goal by Guerin to make it 7-3, but the damage was irreparable. The fans at Mellon Arena were certainly pleased. I couldn't say much of the same, but hey, that's the way it goes. I'll be out of town this weekend so I'll miss the last two games of the season, but stay tuned for my review of the team, player by player. You always hate to see a season end early, but at least we can salvage some kind of hope; after all, we're not at the very bottom of the league anymore.

Notes: Mark Streit had 2 assists... Bridgeport's leading scorer Greg Mauldin (51 pts, 74 games) made his NHL debut tonight. He played on the fourth line between Trevor Gillies and Tim Jackman... non-Isles related news: Raleigh, NC will be the site of the 2011 All-Star Game, so congrats to them!... also, much respect to the Penguins for some great years at Mellon Arena. Best of luck in their new building.

P.S. Last night was possibly the last home game ever for an American hockey star. Mike Modano may be hanging up the skates after 22 years in the NHL. From Minnesota to Dallas, Mo has given fans something to cheer about, and he certainly made a huge name for himself in the league with 557 goals and 1,359 points in his career. Last night was a perfect ending as well- he tied the game with the Anaheim Ducks in the third period and then went on to score the game-winning shootout goal. Best wishes to Modano in whatever he decides to do, and congrats on a wonderful career.

Also, another American-born player- Keith Tkachuk- announced that he is also retiring at the end of this season after 19 years in the league. He has 538 goals and 1,063 points in his career with the Winnipeg Jets, Phoenix Coyotes, Atlanta Thrashers and St. Louis Blues, and he will also be missed. Best wishes to him as well, and kudos for a great career in the league.

Isles Strike Out, But Sailing Forward

2010-04-06T12:09:00.003-05:00

With an overtime loss by the Boston Bruins last night, if my friend Matt is not mistaken, the Islanders are officially out of the playoff race. It's been a long season, with plenty of hiccups and triumphs along the way; the best thing about it, however, is the fact that the Isles have plenty to look forward to for next year.

Right now, the Isles are 33-35-10, combining for a total of 76 points with four games (including tonight's) left on the schedule. Last season, the Isles were 26-47-9 for 61 points, clinching the worst record in the league and the top pick in the resulting draft. If they were to win the last four games on their schedule, they would have 84 points, which is a vast improvement. With two games against Pittsburgh, this isn't likely to happen, but who knows. Not only that, but their top draft pick (John Tavares) is both a 20-goal scorer and a points leader for the team in his rookie year, and they have an almost 30-goal scorer (Matt Moulson) and three players also within five goals at the most of 20- Kyle Okposo (17), Blake Comeau (16) and Josh Bailey (15). Yes, their defense still needs work, but Jack Hillen and Andy MacDonald are making great strides. And the two remaining goalies, Martin Biron and Dwayne Roloson, have been doing their best to fill the hole Rick DiPietro has left. If anything, I would say goaltending is the biggest weakness, as Ricky's leadership will be hard to completely replace, but if Biron gets re-signed, who knows what could happen next year? Or perhaps if one of our prospects comes up... anything can happen.

Overall, I think the Isles have improved a lot, and the hockey gods willing, they will continue to improve throughout the summer, right into training camp and the season. Captaincy will be a concern yet again, what with Doug Weight being down once more for the year (shoulder) and likely not coming back to the Isles. I would say not coming back to hockey, period, but I wouldn't want to make that assumption; at the most, we can assume the Isles won't re-sign him in FA. As for everything else, well... there's the draft, and free agency, and beyond. There's nowhere else we can really go but up, is there?

Western Road Trip Starts Off Strong, Loses Steam

2010-03-21T11:54:00.003-05:00

Islanders 4: Ducks 5 (OT)
Islanders 0: Kings 1

After the Isles' great win in Vancouver, they kind of lost a big one in Anaheim. After getting out to a good lead, they coughed up two goals in the final period and then immediately lost the game in the first seconds of overtime.

It happened like this: Richard Park, Kyle Okposo, Kyle Okposo, and John Tavares, in that order. Park crashed the net and got one past Jonas Hiller at 9:53, then Okposo made some pretty moves into the zone and deflected the puck off of Lubomir Visnovsky's skate for a goal in the last minute of the first period. That pulled the Isles to a 2-2 tie after Visnovsky and Matt Beleskey had scored to give the Ducks a lead. In the second, Okposo chased Hiller with a shot from a sharp angle that willed its way through Hiller's arm and into the back of the net. Then Tavares got a pass from Frans Nielsen and a great screen from Matt Moulson to break in Curtis McElhinney, who came on in relief for Hiller.

But after that, Jason Blake was in the right place at the right time, having a puck deflected off of him on the power play to pull the Ducks within one. Then Visnovsky scored his second in the final 30 seconds of regulation- a real shame, as Martin Biron was definitely making up for some earlier gaffes with some good saves. Then in overtime, Bruno Gervais skated through the neutral zone with the puck and coughed it up to Saku Koivu, who flew in on Biron all alone and placed the puck perfectly for the overtime winner at :14. A heartbreaker for sure, but at least the Isles were able to hold onto a point.

Perhaps even more frustrating than a loss like that is a loss by only one goal- especially if that one goal is the only one scored in the entire game. And last night, that goal was scored by the wrong team. Brad Richardson scored his 11th of the season for the L.A. Kings, and Jonathan Quick got his fourth shutout of the season with 26 saves. This sounded and looked like a pretty even matchup, the only difference being the one mistake by the Isles' defense to allow a screen in front of Dwayne Roloson for the eventual gamewinner. However, you know it's a good night for netminders when both goalies ended up getting stars in the game (Quick with the first, Roli with the second), and the Isles head back to New York for a matchup with those pesky backyard foes, the Rangers, on Wednesday night at MSG. If I can get the time and a feed for this one, then all will be right with the world, because there's nothing I love better than a good Rangers-Isles matchup and a night of trash-talk with my favorite Rangers fans!

Let's go Islanders!

JT Finds Points Galore in Vancouver Rout

2010-03-17T19:10:00.003-05:00

Islanders 5: Canucks 2

Well, well, well... where has this #91 been?!

That's probably what many Isles fans are saying of center John Tavares today. He factored into all five Islander goals last night in Vancouver, scoring two and assisting on the other three, capping off a great night and a 5-2 win. Dylan Reese (who?) scored his first career NHL goal, while Freddy Meyer and Matt Moulson also tallied goals. Kyle Wellwood and Alexandre Burrows got the Canucks on the board.

Of course, I was unable to watch this game, but I got plenty of news about it thanks to my friend Matt- he gave me the shock of my life when he told me JT had scored two goals and had five points on the night. After struggling with production for much of the calendar year 2010, it seems as though Tavares has found some kind of start-up again. Who knows how long it might last- all I know is, I'm hoping it does for a while. Offense is one thing the Islanders really need, as everyone knows, so if we have our #1 draft pick putting up big numbers for the next couple of games (or even a goal or a couple of assists or something) it would definitely help.

As for me... I really, really need to get back to watching some games. NHL Center Ice, where are you?????? Day #34 of Islanders withdrawal, and it's getting severe. :(

The View from Section Blur

2010-03-13T16:35:00.007-05:00

Ya so Angie is having computer issues so for now ya’ll are stuck with just me. Lucky you. Thing is, I’ve been uber busy so the Islanders and hockey in general this season have been a blur.

Brendan Witt has left the building. That sucks. What sucks more is too many Isles fans yapping about how #32 didn’t fit into the system (which may not have been a bad thing mind you), was too slow of a skater blah blah blah blah. How short of a memory some Isles fans have. When Ted Nolan left as coach it was Brendan Witt who was the glue that held the team together and dare I say the fan base. Everyone, meaning everyone collectively looked to Witt when Isles fans were like WTF? is with this ownership and with the future of the team? It’s one thing for a player to be a commodity to management, but it’s a sad day when someone as dedicated to this team and a lover of Long Island becomes a commodity to a fan base that Brendan Witt served well both on and off the ice.

Moving on –

Let’s see…Angie covered Andy Sutton being traded, Isles win over Chicago followed by loss to Atlanta…uh hold on….ring ring…yes this is she who is this…Satan is that you? I thought you were in hell?...oh you’re on the Bruins now?...same thing?...what? Comeau? Hat-trick? Hell froze over? Excellent. Quite possibly Mr. “six goals in two games” figured it was better to play like he is able than to be right as I suggested some blog posts ago…or not as the case may be.

Islanders lost to the Bruins 3-2, Satan came to town for real, Mark Streit earned his 200th career NHL point, Josh Bailey scored his 14th goal of the season (you can do better than that though…stickwork stickwork stickwork) and Matt Moulson scored his 23rd goal of the season, excuse me Mighty Matt Moulson as I understand him to be…the dark horse coming from behind and now in front as the Isles leading scorer.

The Isles then tripped to Philly. Let’s get the most important point out of the way –
(Getty Image)

THERE WILL BE NO MORE OF THAT MARTIN BIRON! I don’t care if you played for that team, you are an Islander now so knock it off.

Although not at the Wachovia Center for this game, I was able to watch it on TV until sometime late in the 2nd period, once the energy of the Islanders shifted, I turned the game off to avoid the outcome - although my friend AJ was more than happy to text me updates. FlyerDork. Despite the fact that the Isles started off strong with goals from both John Tavares and Kyle Okposo in the 1st period, the Flyers won afriggingain! 15 in a row. What a way to ruin a game that started out so well for the Isles with three penalties in the 3rd period causing two goals for the Flyers. High-sticking and boarding were the penalties – will they ever learn?

Was able to watch most of the St. Louis game. To sum it up – ping pong hockey ending with Martin Biron looking completely unaware he was a NHL goalie in a shoot out. Where he ‘went’, only Biron knows…or not as the case may be.

Rick DiPietro out for who knows how long, Doug Weight out for the rest of the season due to a shoulder boo-boo and to make this rainy day darker – the Flyers beat Chicago today.

My eyes burn when seeing Phoenix that high in league standings? How the h-e double hockey sticks did that happen?

Tonight the Isles host the Devils (7pm) and then host the Maple Leafs tomorrow (5pm).

LET’S GO ISLANDERS!!

ps. the WTF? is with this ownership and with the future of the team? still stands.

Post-Olympics, Isles Start With a Trade, Then With a Bang, Then a Whimper

2010-03-05T08:04:00.002-05:00

I've missed almost this entire week's worth of hockey action, to my chagrin, mainly because of my relocation to Western New York (which I've mentioned in earlier posts). I tell you, though, one thing that Buffalo is crazy about is their hockey. In almost every store you go to, there's something Sabres or hockey-related. It's quite comforting, actually, seeing as New Yorkers never show this much devotion to either the Rangers or the Isles. Still, I'm not showing any signs of changing my allegiance, to many Isles fans' delight, and I promise to be more diligent in my posting as time goes by. It's all just a matter of sitting down and getting to watch the games online (though my computer doesn't handle online video streams well, I don't think).

Anyway, the Islanders have been busy bees since the closing ceremonies, first trading away defenseman Andy Sutton to Ottawa (what?) for a second round pick. I'm not going to lie; I don't like this trade. I think we definitely could have gotten more than just that pick for Andy, and moreover, um... where are we going to get size on this team, particularly on the blueline? At 6'6, Sutton ain't a guy you miss on the ice. I mean, sure, Streit has a hell of a shot, Hillen is a blur, Meyer can hit with the best of them. But they're all six feet tall or shorter (emphasis on shorter- the tallest one is Streit at six feet even). We need size, and we just traded away not only our biggest player, but a guy who (when healthy and not suspended) can shot block like no other, and throw out the biggest (clean, most of the time) hits possible. We had better hope that we can either sign him in FA once more or get another big guy there.

There was also some speculation as to whether either goalie- Dwayne Roloson or Martin Biron- would be moved. Twitter was, well, atwitter with rumors, and some even guaranteed a 95% chance that Roloson would go. Well, the deadline came and went, and a proposed deal to the Flyers did not come to fruition. The other players supposedly being shopped- Biron, Richard Park and Sean Bergenheim- stayed put as well. And the games continued.

The Isles started out well with a 5-3 victory against Chicago. Blake Comeau, somewhat of an enigma for the team, had a hat trick in the win, and Jon Sim and Richard Park scored the other two goals. Streit had two assists and Roloson made 41 saves to seal the deal, and it looked as though Sutton wasn't going to be missed much (just like it did when he had gotten suspended earlier in the year)... but then last night happened.

What, exactly? A 6-3 Thrashing- yes, a Thrashing, by the aptly named Thrashers of Atlanta. Roloson was pretty far off his game in this one, as was his defense. He allowed three goals in the first before being pulled, but Atlanta still managed to get to a 4-0 lead before the buzzer. Mark Streit cut that lead to 4-1 with 20 seconds left. Then in the second, the Thrashers reached a 6-1 lead before being cut off. When all was said and done, Niclas Bergfors, Nik Antropov, Clarke MacArthur, Maxim Afinigenov and Evgeny Artyukhin had all scored (Antropov with two). Rob Schremp and Tim Jackman stopped a bit of the bleeding with goals of their own, but it was too late to come back completely in a game where there were a few soft goals and definite mistakes on defense that cost the Islanders. I didn't watch the entire thing, only saw some highlights online (thank God for nhl.com's extensive game highlights! One thing that I absolutely love on their site), but I'm kind of glad I wasn't able to see too much of the carnage.

Next game is scheduled for Saturday at 2 pm against Boston, so make sure you catch it in lovely HD on MSG Plus. I'll (hopefully) be watching... and praying what happened last night doesn't happen again.

To Wrap Up These Two Weeks...

2010-02-28T13:03:00.003-05:00

Thursday night was an epic rematch between two backyard rivals- the U.S. and Canadian women's teams. Four years ago, the U.S. women received a shock when they failed to get to the gold medal game, losing in a shootout to an upstart Swedish women's team. Canada, of course, won gold that year. 2010 was a chance for a much younger and fresher American team, coached by none other than 1980 men's Olympian Mark Johnson, to exact revenge.

And by and large, they did, blasting aside everyone in their path (including a much different Team Sweden) to get a date with Team Canada on Thursday. However, the relaxed and composed team we saw throughout the tournament was much different- tense, nervous, playing with a ton of pressure- and as such, they were shut out, 2-0.

No doubt the disappointment on the faces of the U.S. team that night is as hard to describe as the joy on the Canadian side, as well as in the stands. But there is so much reason to be proud of the women for a job well done. It may "suck to win silver" in the words of captain Natalie Darwitz, but there is a comfort in knowing that you got that far, even if you didn't have too much competition. (Speaking of which, there's a great article on talkhockeytome.com about the usefulness of a mercy rule in women's hockey, including a comparison of development in North America to countries in Europe.) Overall, the women should still be proud of their achievements.

On to the men's game, and yet another North American matchup on the ice. Today at 3 p.m. the American and Canadian men clash in a gold medal game that the NHL is likely drooling over- after all, both teams are fully comprised of professionals from teams all over the continent. This is a great opportunity for the entire country to see what the NHL is made of- though many NHL fans will be watching, casual sports fans (like my dad) are also interested to see what will happen.

This is both good and bad- it allows the NHL more exposure, but it also makes the Games seem commercial when three decades ago, amateurs were the ones we cheered for. Indeed, the argument is that the Olympics were more entertaining and romantic when college players skated, and that could be true. But nonetheless, we will root for Zach Parise, Ryan Miller and the U.S. today at 3, and leave the debates for afterward. Right now, it's all about the game, and avoiding the MAJOR amounts of trash talk on Twitter, Facebook and elsewhere!

After that is the closing ceremonies, and then this two-week whirlwind of dreams, both come true and deferred, that we call the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics will be over. I always seem a bit down after the Olympics end, because it's simply great to watch all of the events and feel as though you're a part of it all. But we'll have Sochi in 2014 to look forward to (and of course, London 2012 in the summer!). As for right now, enjoy the gold medal game and the rest of the events, everyone!

This Just In...

2010-02-24T20:43:00.003-05:00

Watching Canada vs. Russia game at my mom's house with sister...mom walks by TV and asks what inning it is. Yeah, she's been up since 5:30am so we'll let her slide this time. GO TEAM USA!

Not Everyone is Their Grades but Kids are Awesome!

2010-02-23T14:35:00.002-05:00

Just a Thought...

2010-02-22T10:31:00.002-05:00

Okay, so... last night's USA-Canada game? One of the best of the tournament, I'm not going to lie. Brian Rafalski's hat trick and Ryan Miller's stone-wall performance in net factored heavily into it, but perhaps the most telling thing about this American team is that they work hard and they work as a team, which is something that perhaps Canada has to work on. Much as I lambasted Brian Burke for choosing some players, that formula seems to largely be working well.

However, let's refrain from calling this an "upset," shall we? True, the U.S perhaps doesn't have the same amount of talent or superstar quality as Team Canada. And yeah, we know many of our upstairs neighbors don't really respect us when we step onto the ice with them. But let's be real here- this is NHL vs. NHL. Not 1980- not NHL-quality professionals vs. a bunch of scrappy college kids. This was Zach Parise vs. Sidney Crosby, and Miller (save percentage leader in the NHL) vs. Martin Brodeur (a future Hall of Famer). We can't let the (otherwise) Canadian domination in the sport cloud our judgment whenever our country manages to beat them.

It's awesome that the U.S. came into this game and was able to get a win, of course- very morale-boosting. And they got some help from the other side, too- Brodeur was not very Brodeur-like last night. But we're far from the days of the Miracle on Ice, and we can't call this miraculous. At the most, it's simply well-deserved.

The Week In Review... WINTER OLYMPICS!

2010-02-19T16:35:00.003-05:00

So I've missed the past two Isles games due to my BIG HUGE MOVE to Buffalo and all. But at least I have the Olympics to keep me occupied during a very long, Isles-free two weeks. So here goes.

- United States has gotten 18 medals so far, leading the competition. Evan Lysacek (men's figure skating), Shaun White (no surprise, men's snowboarding), Lindsey Vonn (women's downhill skiiing), and Shani Davis (men's speed skating- 1000m) are among the gold medalists.

- The first Canadian gold went to a young man by the name of Alexandre Bilodeau, for the men's moguls in freestyle skiing. Canada has 7 medals total.

- Men's ice hockey started off with both Canada and the U.S. winning their first two matches. The States beat Switzerland 3-1 and Norway 6-1; the Canadians beat Norway 8-0 first, then the Swiss 3-2 in a shootout. I got to see the Swiss game- a great contest that was, and one in which Jonas Hiller stood on his head for the White Cross. Too bad Sidney Crosby could be used twice in the shootout (and what kind of dumb rule is that, anyway?)

- In women's ice hockey, predictably, both the U.S. and Canada are kicking butt and taking names. Canada beat Slovakia 18-0, Switzerland 10-1, and Sweden 13-1; the U.S. beat China 12-1, Russia 13-0 and Finland 6-0. Can't wait to see how the gold medal game turns out.

Forgive me if I don't cover more; however, I don't really care to know more about the Olympics besides hockey, snowboarding and the occasional speed skater. No offense meant to the other great sports out there; I just haven't had the time to watch everything. Also, I should just come out right now and say I am supporting our only Isles representative, Mark Streit, and Team Switzerland in Men's Hockey; however, GO USA! for everything else. :)

Enjoy, everyone!

GO TEAM USA! & HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

2010-02-14T22:57:00.001-05:00

Much Effort, Not Enough Finish

2010-02-11T09:50:00.003-05:00

Islanders 1: Penguins 3

The Islanders had some life in them. They had jump, and feistiness, and net presence. They had everything we've been asking of them since the 7-game losing streak had begun.

They were missing the key component- the ability to put the puck into the back of the net.

Ultimately, it was a lack of finish combined with some harmful mistakes that got Chris Kunitz two goals, Evgeni Malkin a goal and an assist, and the Penguins another win over the Isles, 3-1, at Mellon Arena last night. It was New York's seventh consecutive loss at the Igloo, and one in which perhaps the result looked a bit worse than it should.

The first period was a good showing- tightly-played and with plenty of bad blood. Matt Martin figured pretty heavily into that; as Mike Rupp tried to go at it with Andy Sutton (retribution for Sutton's hit on Pascal Dupuis last time these teams met up) Martin hovered near them and started yapping at Rupp, as if to let him know that he wasn't about to let him beat down on his teammate. Then a few minutes later, he got into it with Tyler Kennedy and proved to be a good match. That kind of toughness is refreshing to see, after games in which the Isles were just flat-out smacked around on the ice.

After a scoreless first in which John Tavares and Doug Weight each had chances- and hit either posts or the side of the net- the Isles failed to make good on a 5-on-3 power play opportunity, and then Kunitz scored his first of the night. The offense failed to get back into the defensive zone in time, leaving plenty of space for Kunitz to tuck the puck in past Dwayne Roloson's right pad. Shortly afterward, Sidney Crosby and Bill Guerin had a 2-on-1 chance which somewhat handcuffed Guerin. Still the puck fluttered to the net and an alert Roloson made a great save. Roloson also took part in some of the feistiness, roughing it up with Rupp a bit after Rupp whacked at him. The resulting 4-on-4 play led to a Malkin goal off the faceoff- a blast from the point that also beat Roloson down low. That somewhat killed the Isles' momentum, and though they still worked hard, frustration mounted (especially for Tavares) as nothing got through.

In fact, it took until 9:38 of the final period for someone to get past Marc-Andre Fleury, who had made some good saves but hadn't had to really be stellar. Frans Nielsen won the faceoff cleanly and went right to the net, where Gervais made a nice pass to him. Nielsen got the puck just around the left pad of a sprawled-out Fleury to cut the lead in half. It still looked manageable for the Islanders... until Mark Streit drifted too close to Blake Comeau, who was carrying the puck into the offensive zone, and Comeau lost the puck. Bill Guerin picked it up and swiftly headed the other way, passing to Kunitz, who put it right past Roloson for his second of the night and eighth of the season. 3-1 Penguins, 14:48 of the third, and the Isles couldn't rebound.

While captain Crosby was point-less in this game, it barely mattered- Malkin and Kunitz were more than capable of picking up the slack, and Fleury made all the saves he had to in order to preserve the win. Malkin now has points in his last 11 games, and as a team the Pens have gotten eight straight wins on Igloo ice. As they keep going, the Isles have a couple of days to figure things out until their game against the Lightning at home. I don't know if I'll be able to watch that one; I'm currently in the middle of getting my computer and my notes together, packing it all in and heading to Buffalo. Sabres country, I know, but where else to talk about hockey in the great state of New York? They're crazy about it up there- about as in love with it as I am- and while I'll miss watching my boys in HD on MSG Plus, well... you gotta do what you gotta do. I'll keep up with them though. :)

Notes: The Isles only had one true penalty in the whole game? Niiiice... Fleury is 5-0-1 in his last six against the Isles... Tavares is still looking for his first goal in a while. He's goal-less in 12.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANGIE!!

2010-02-11T05:42:00.007-05:00

You're the BEST!

DP has nothin' on you #39 except for a few years in age...well that and a few surgeries.

Love ya sis,
xoxo
Christine

Isles Stop Losing Streak At 7

2010-02-10T09:38:00.002-05:00

Predators 3: Islanders 4 (SO)

Well, it took a couple of call-ups and Martin Biron in net to do it, but the Islanders finally pulled off a win!

Now, that's not entirely fair, I know, and it did happen in the shootout, but a win is a win, and they did it in typical Islander style. Freddy Meyer got things going, receiving a great pass from Rob Schremp and blasting it past Pekka Rinne. After that, the Predators thought they had scored on the "shot" of Patric Hornqvist; however, video review showed that there was a distinct kicking motion made to push the puck through the five-hole on Biron. The Predators would tie it anyway, as Biron had trouble holding onto the initial shot by Ryan Jones, letting it pop up into the air, and then as he fell back into the net, Cal O'Reilly received the rebound and put it over the goal line.

Two minutes later, Nashville took the lead. The Isles got caught on a line change, and Jerred Smithson hit Joel Ward for a breakaway, which he scored on. Andy Sutton proceeded to smash his stick apart on the crossbar after the goal, frustrated that he wasn't able to get to Ward. Bruno Gervais got the tying goal on a 5-on-3 with 57 seconds left in the period.

Four minutes into the third, Steve Sullivan got a one-timer past Biron just seconds after a 5-on-3 for the Predators had ended. After that, the Isles tried their best, but Rinne made some great saves to keep the score in his team's favor. It wasn't until Martin Erat took a bad penalty for boarding John Tavares that New York finally broke through.

Martin Biron had dashed to the bench, giving the Islanders a 6-on-4 advantage. Newly recalled Matt Martin passed to Mark Streit at the blueline, who took his time lining up the shot, then let loose, ripping it past Rinne with 11.1 seconds left in the third period to tie it at 3. Streit isn't one to show much emotion when he scores, but no doubt he and his teammates were feeling all sorts of relief for the tying goal.

Overtime produced nothing, so on the game went to a shootout. First came Frans Nielsen, who smoothly gave the Isles the lead in the skills competition with his signature backhand deke. Then Biron stopped Sullivan and David Legwand before attempting a risky pokecheck in the third round on Erat, which kept the Preds alive. In the extra round, John Tavares lifted the puck over Rinne's right pad, and then Biron stopped Hornqvist to seal the deal. JT got the first star, but credit Streit with the tying goal, Biron with the great saves in the shootout (winning his first start since December!) and Meyer for being an all-around demon defensively on the ice, as well as scoring a goal.

The Isles don't have time to savor this one, however, as they travel to Pittsburgh for a game tonight against the Penguins- permitted the weather allows. It's coming down out there right now as I type, and Pitt's already been hit with the "Snowpocalypse," as they're calling it, so who knows what's going to happen for tonight. If the game goes as planned, however, we're talking a 7:30 start, 7:00 pregame on MSG Plus 2. It's the Isles' fourth time playing the Pens, and the second matchup at Mellon Arena. We already know what to expect- the big guns, Crosby, Malkin, and Staal, among others, will be ready to go after having a couple of days off. The Isles have to fight fatigue and avoid a "hangover" after this morale-boosting win.

LET'S GO ISLANDERS!!

Notes: Martin had two assists and three hits, factoring in pretty darn well... Jeff Tambellini and Doug Weight were healthy scratches for tonight, while Rick DiPietro dressed as backup instead of Dwayne Roloson... the Isles were 2-6 on the power play last night, a very big improvement... last time the Preds visited the Islanders was Oct. 16, 2006, and they won 2-1 in (you guessed it) a shootout.