Isles Take Care of Business

Red Wings 0: Islanders 6 (no, you don't have to adjust a thing)

Name a player who's won 6 of the last 8 Norris trophies and played over 1,300 NHL games.

Name another player who's won 2 Selke Awards for best defensive forward in the league, and 4 Lady Byng trophies for his gentlemanly play on the ice (though you wouldn't have guessed it last night)?

Hint: Both of them played for the other team.

Yet even with these illustrious achievements in their careers, neither Nicklas Lidstrom nor Pavel Datsyuk could help out the Red Wings, as the Islanders played what was perhaps their best, more complete effort this season- a full 60-minute game- to trounce Detroit, 6-0.

Rob Schremp with 2, Kyle Okposo, Mark Streit, Matt Moulson and Bruno Gervais all with one. These aren't names you hear all the time, not even Streit's, but no matter- they all played wonderfully, both individually and as a unit, and got two well-deserved points last night. It was both a shutout and a shootout, as the Isles outshot Detroit by a wide margin, and executed brilliant two-way play- sustaining a great forecheck and getting pucks past both Jimmy Howard and Chris Osgood (who took Howard's place after it became 3-0), but also getting all five men back in the defensive zone and covering with aggressive, smart plays, supporting each other to get the puck out of the zone and not allowing the Red Wings to pepper Dwayne Roloson with shots. The defense was also jumping into the play on the forecheck, evident by Gervais and Streit each with a goal and a primary assist. Freddy Meyer also had an assist on Gervais' goal.

Roloson didn't have much to do, though he did make several key stops late in the game, but he definitely deserves his 24th career shutout after providing the Isles with excellent play and much-needed veteran presence for much of the season. He automatically got the #1 star of the game for the shutout, with Streit and Schremp getting the #2 and #3, respectively. And the defense in front of him was superb: not only were players like Andy Sutton and Jack Hillen making great plays, but forwards came back and helped out, alleviating the pressure the much-bigger Red Wings may have put on the D. Granted, this Red Wings team has been battered by injuries and isn't at the same standard as in years past, but they are still somewhat formidable, even outside of the playoff race, and full credit goes to the Isles for keeping that in mind and bringing their A game.

All in all, this was a great win, and one that the Islanders needed to stay close to the playoff picture. Next up: we'll have to wait until Saturday for the Isles to get back onto the ice, against the Sabres on Saturday night at home once more. The Sabres are not the same team they were last year; they're looking much better, so the Isles are going to have to find the same magic they had last night and use it against an Eastern Conference foe.

LET'S GO ISLANDERS!

Notes: Streit now has 2 power-play goals in two games... Okposo has extended his goalscoring streak to four games... Josh Bailey now has a seven-game pointscoring streak (how about all these streaks, man? Love it)... Sean Bergenheim returned to the lineup after missing 18 games with a rib injury. He played on the fourth line with Jon Sim and Doug Weight and had 12:58 TOI and one shot... to make room for Bergie, Brendan Witt has been placed on IR with a lower body injury, and Nate Thompson was a scratch.

(EDIT: Lidstrom, not Backstrom. My bad. Too many Nicklas' in the NHL. :))

Just getting around to checking out game results for tonight -

Islanders beat Wings 6-0 and Tampa Bay beat Washington 7-4?

Thank you Islanders organization for getting rid of the blinding orange background on the NYI website - the blue is soooo much better.

Another Night, Another Shootout For Isles

Islanders 5: Coyotes 4 (SO)

It should be no surprise to us by now. The Islanders just don't like leads, apparently, because they give up plenty of them. Last night, it was the same old story, only if possible more outrageous.

It all started with an elbow.

No, seriously, an elbow. Ed Jovanovski received a five-minute major for catching John Tavares up high and got thrown out of the game while the Isles and Coyotes were tied at 1. The delayed penalty situation allowed Kyle Okposo to score a goal (his third in three games), and although the Isles did nothing on the ensuing power-play, a serious coaching error gave them a huge advantage.

Because Jovanovski (who had scored the Coyotes' only goal to date) had been thrown out of the game, and the penalty had come in the last minute of the period, Phoenix went back out for the second period needing to put another player into the penalty box. However, Dave Tippett and the coaching staff forgot all about it- and ended up paying dearly. Play didn't stop after the penalty ended for almost five minutes, partly thanks to the smarts of goalie Dwayne Roloson- noticing the Isles were still on a man-advantage, he kept playing the puck every time the Coyotes tried to ice it, keeping play going. It took a forced penalty to get a whistle, and the Islanders used the power play- and then 5-on-3, as the Coyotes kept taking silly penalties out of frustration- to their advantage. Mark Streit scored his first goal in about a month and a half on the 5-on-3, and then Josh Bailey added a goal to his two assists for his first career three-point night. That chased goalie Ilya Bryzgalov out of the game and brought in Jason LaBarbera.

Then, as quickly as momentum had shifted the Isles' way, a bad penalty call on Jack Hillen (really an offensive interference penalty by Shane Doan) turned things around for the Coyotes. They started pressuring Roloson, and then got lucky; a fluky goal went off his glove, and was credited to fourth-liner Paul Bissonnette. Then the Isles were the ones looking tired, chasing the play, and running all over the place, while the Coyotes used their size and strength to get to the front of the net and baffle Roli. Taylor Pyatt scored, then Peter Mueller, and just like that it was 4-4 and the Isles were headed to overtime. Again.

Overtime was shaky at best, and just like that, yet another shootout commenced. Frans Nielsen and Robert Lang scored in the first round, Rob Schremp and Peter Prucha both missed, and then Lauri Korpikoski gave the Coyotes the advantage. It was up to the hot hand, Josh Bailey, and he came through, keeping the Isles in it. Afterward, it was a battle of wits, as Radim Vrbata, Okposo, Mueller, Tavares and Doan all missed, and finally, Matt Moulson was able to fire it right through LaBarbera to give the Isles the much-needed second point. Still, they remain one point behind ninth-place Philadelphia, and with the way they're playing, it's going to take everything they have to catch up. All in all, this was a baffling game, and one that the Islanders were lucky to keep in hand after losing a commanding lead.

Next up is a game at home on Tuesday, against a very hot Detroit Red Wings team which, despite going 5-1-1 in their last seven, is still fighting for a playoff spot themselves. Who would have thought? Though it's East vs. West, this should be an interesting matchup- and one I'll be hoping to see the Isles win. Seeing as somehow they manage to show up against better teams every so often, maybe Tuesday night shall see some of the same.

LET'S GO ISLANDERS!

Notes: Congrats to captain Doug Weight, who played in his 1200th game last night at Jobing.com arena. Last year, he'd scored his 1000th and 1001st points in the same building... Brendan Witt was a healthy scratch this game, making room for Freddy Meyer on the roster. Witt has been struggling all season and is a -18... Bailey now has points in six straight games.

DiPietro In Net as Isles Fall Short

Islanders 3: Stars 4

Well, it wasn't a bad start. Wasn't a good one, either.

Filled to the brim with mistakes and missed calls, this matchup between the Stars and Isles at American Airlines Center was probably entertaining from a fan's perspective, if maddening for the respective coaches of each team. The one person everyone's eyes were on, though, no matter the score, was the goaltender in net for New York.

Rick DiPietro made his first start since January 2, 2009, and turned aside 24 of 28 shots as the Isles lost to the Stars, 4-3. The Islanders got goals from Josh Bailey, Kyle Okposo, and Frans Nielsen on bad turnovers by the Stars; however, Dallas prevailed, throwing all they had and then some on DiPietro and ultimately getting the edge.

Some highlights of the game:

- the biggest of all, DiPietro was okay, not spectacular in net, but I'd like to see you try getting into a net after a year of rehab and looking any better. His reaction time got better over the course of the game, and his lateral movements were all right. He did allow a bad rebound for Brad Richards' game-winning goal in the second period, but with Andy Sutton and Nate Thompson both right in front of him, you would think one of them would've seen it and cleared it. Not the case, and Richards gets a gimme for his 13th of the year. The D otherwise tried their best to help out, doing a good job in the beginning but getting steadily sloppier over time. Overall, not sharp, but expected. It's going to take a while to get there.

- talk about mistakes. Marty Turco, in net for the Stars, is likely not happy with his overall performance; though he did get the win (just scraped by), he definitely didn't handle the puck well and was shaky at best throughout the match. One rebound in the first ends up being Bailey's 10th of the year to tie it at three; he turns his back to the play and ends up not even seeing Kyle Okposo's goal go past him; then, he completely flubs a clearing attempt instead of freezing the puck, has Matt Moulson strip him and hit Nielsen with a pass for Nielsen's first goal in six games, and 7th of the year.

-I would have liked to see more sustained offensive pressure from the Isles based on Turco's performance; however, it didn't happen. The Isles had all sorts of trouble clearing the puck out of their own zone and allowed Dallas to maintain possession, and the Stars were only too happy to throw all they had and then some at a cold DP. The best offensive pressure all game, in my opinion, was in the last minute of the game with an extra skater on for New York. Jack Hillen just missed Turco's glove side, and then John Tavares hit the post on a backhand shot. Turco, meanwhile, apparently chose a good time to channel Marty Brodeur, making a couple of good saves to preserve the two points for his club. Too little, too late for the Isles.

- How well is Josh Bailey playing lately? One goal, one assist tonight, and a five-game points streak. Even Scott Gordon admits he looks stronger on the ice and is gaining confidence, now unafraid to go to the net and shoot. I also think it helps that he's playing more with Kyle Okposo- those two had good chemistry last season, and when Okposo got moved around on different lines, first with Tavares at center and then Nielsen, Bailey never really found his groove again. Here's to hoping it works out for Josh!

- let's not talk about the refs missing a fair few calls, now, shall we? Oy.

With all of that said, the Isles will try it again, this time likely with Martin Biron in net, in Phoenix at 6 pm. Pregame, 5:30. Be there.

Back to Basics for DiPietro

Ten years ago, the Islanders selected an energetic, talented young goaltender from Massachusetts as the first overall pick in the NHL Draft, and started to groom him as the face of the franchise.

Now, that same goalie, with some differences, made his first start in a year last night after yet another surgery and rehab.

If you're Rick DiPietro, no doubt you're relieved by now to once more get the chance to play in the NHL, after all you've been through. Indeed, DiPietro was shaping up as one of the elite goalies in the league during the 2007-08 season, complete with an All-Star nod, when he injured his hip during the skills competition. He made it through the weekend, but the damage was done, and later on in the season he bowed out and went for surgery. The season after, 2008-09, he played a grand total of five games, experienced complications with his surgery, and took more time off to get things straightened out.

To his admittance, it was rough going. Not only do you deal with the physical stress of rehab and therapy, you also have to take into account the emotional and mental duress one is under when his job (and his dream) is in jeopardy: the wonders of how long it will take, or if it will work, and of course... would he ever play again? DiPietro said to reporters yesterday before the game against Dallas that he did wonder about that, and the depression associated with those thoughts did get to him (as it would any player), but that he listened to New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's words after his comeback from injury (he missed the entire of last football season and the Pats missed the playoffs) and learned to appreciate what he has as a professional athlete.

All in all, the experience makes for a more humbled, more mature (no doubt) and perhaps a more tentative goaltender in Rick DiPietro, who knows to make the smart play and not to do too much in his first few games back for the Islanders. Last night's game was of course not his best game as an Isle; he let up a bad rebound that cost the Isles the game, and he knew it as he got back up for the ensuing face-off. But no one said that this wouldn't be expected. It takes a lot for a player at any position, after so many injuries and surgeries, to get back up to scratch, and he's got his work cut out for him. It's clear that he and the coaching staff know that, and are ready to do whatever they have to in order to improve his game and help him become consistent.

Here's to hoping it all works out.

Tavares Supposedly in Slump, DP Supposedly in Net

Soooo while stopping by nhl.com I stumbled upon an article written by John Kreiser about John Tavares supposedly being in "the first prolonged slump of his brief NHL career". 

Really Mr. Kreiser? Are you in a writing slump? Seems to me that you are if you have to write about a prolonged (that word use slays me) slump of a 19 year old who has spent oh let's see...under three months in the NHL? Guess there would not be a slump to write about if he didn't score all those goals and if he wasn't, despite this awful PROLONGED slump, leading rookies in points and goals. 

One of the self-imposed guidelines I have for watching/writing about the Isles is that I don't focus a lot on/about team newbies.  Maybe it's a carry over from working with younger athletes as they transition from level to level in sports or watching poor transitions in the NHL (that drives me bonkers considering the resources available in professional sports). Rookies should be treated like the word is defined; mentored and nurtured (yeah even boys need to be nurtured people) and kept protected while they get their footing. It's a subtle process if an athlete is going for longevity in a sport and no matter what rookies expect of themselves, it's not worth burn out. Hey did you know that the change in sounds that surround a player while on ice can influence their performance? Everything matters, to what degree varies from athlete to athlete.  

In this article Tavares explains himself to a point, in my opinion that does more mindset harm than good, Scott Gordon addresses the issue, Kyle Okposo is quoted, good grief even Mike Bossy is quoted. Enough fellas. 

On an article side note - #91 & #21 if you keep calling something a 'grind', that is what it will remain...yeah that goes for you too #39. Try finding another word that authentically speaks to challenge, not pain.

As for Rick DiPietro returning to the net tonight in Dallas? Wait and see. If following his heart means he plays in the NHL, so be it. I would like to request that he stop publicly apologizing for getting hurt/being gone and am putting out an intention that he remains in his body while remaining in net. 

Cough you too cough cough #32 cough stay in body cough cough. 

LET'S GO ISLANDERS!! 

What. A. Game.

Islanders 3: Avalanche 2

That's all I have to say.

I don't think you could ask for a better matchup- two speedy teams with dynamic rookies. John Tavares in one corner, Matt Duchene in another. That was a storyline in itself: the tale of two youngsters in a heated race for the Calder Trophy, facing off against each other for the first time. I think it would've been a good one, had Dwayne Roloson and Rob Schremp not completely stolen the show.

The Avalanche struck first after Andy Sutton went to the penalty box for an interference call. Chris Stewart put a one-timer past Roloson at 2:48 of the first period. Toward the end of the period, Jon Sim got in front of Craig Anderson and whacked away at the puck, finally putting it past the Avs goalie for the tie at 18:10. It was a great, hard-working play, and closed out a solid period in which the Isles had to find their legs in the first few minutes, but were able to adjust and get their fair share of chances.

After that, things got interesting. Roli the Goalie came up big, stacking the pads on Duchene on one opportunity, and the offense started getting some good chances. After John-Michael Liles went to the box for holding the stick, Schremp showed his skills and collected a rebound from Frans Nielsen, batting it in- out of midair. The goal went under review, but slo-mo replay showed that Robbie had gotten his stick right under the crossbar, deeming it a good goal. Tell me this kid doesn't have amazing hand-eye coordination. Highlight-reel makers around the league must have been drooling.

After that, Jack Hillen took a silly penalty for tripping at 18:11 which killed the momentum a bit, but the penalty kill stood up tall and not only killed that one, but the subsequent one on Kyle Okposo at 1:34 of the third period. Roloson was nothing short of brilliant in this closing frame, making several key stops including a complete highway robbery of Duchene (again). After coughing up the puck along the boards (Bruno Gervais came in too close and couldn't get to it), Duchene got the pass in front of the back post, and Roli lunged over and grabbed the shot. Even though Matt Hendricks did get the tying goal midway through the period, Roloson was able to keep it just a tie, and then Kyle Okposo won it for the Isles with his seventh of the year late in the third, flying along the right side and firing it past Anderson's left shoulder.

This, of course, is the best I can do to explain the awesome game I saw on MSG Plus last night. You definitely had to be there or see it on TV to appreciate the way the Islanders played. It took them a while, but they were able to stay with the Avs and work hard for the win. And of course, it doesn't hurt having a brick wall like Roloson in net. He saved 30 shots in all, dazzling everyone. No doubt Rick DiPietro (!!!!!), who dressed as backup to Roli last night (and who's reported to be starting one of the two remaining games of this road trip- either Dallas or Phoenix), was watching closely. And now that he's back in the mix for the Islanders, expect a trade coming up soon... and unfortunately (though not unexpectedly) for Martin Biron, he may well be the odd goalie out.

We shall see how this turns out. For now, however, we gear up for any one of the three to be in net against Dallas on Friday.

LET'S GO ISLANDERS!!!

Notes: Mark Streit had two assists... Jon Sim has scored goals in three straight games, and in four of his last five... Kyle Okposo has tied Matt Moulson and John Tavares in the team lead for points with 28, on 7 goals and 21 assists... call Billy Jaffe "Superman." The guy went from the Versus broadcast of Blackhawks vs. Wild in Chicago Tuesday night, straight to the airport in time to meet the team bus in Colorado for yesterday's pregame skate. Talk about tired!

Winning the Hard Way

Thrashers 5: Islanders 6 (SO)

So, all in all, one thing hasn't changed so far from 2009 to 2010- the Islanders' fantastic ability to induce heart attacks in their fans.

Somehow, the Thrashers always seem to push a game with us to overtime, and that was the case here. After coughing up a 3-0 lead and then a 5-3 one, the Islanders finally managed to dispose of them in the shootout, 6-5, on the goals of Jeff Tambellini and Frans Nielsen. Still, there never should have been need for a shootout in the first place.

This was yet another game that started out well for the Isles and then turned into one that the coaches no doubt were happy to see the end of. Dwayne Roloson was certainly not at his sharpest, with five goals allowed on 27 shots; then again, defense in general left much to be desired. Once again, I must call attention to one Mark Streit, who gave away the puck quite a few times last night, particularly on the power play. Scott Gordon has to change it up sometime, especially after that horrid excuse for a man-advantage in OT (the best chance for the Isles to put it away and avoid the shootout), and find someone other than Mark to quarterback the power play. I'm sure Jack Hillen, who's proven he has potential as an offensive defenseman, would be an okay choice to try out the PP, even if only for a couple of games. Something has to change, though, because even with captain Doug Weight back in the lineup, the PP looked anything but powerful against Atlanta.

As for the offense, it did very well, and it was heartening to see guys who haven't scored in a while- Josh Bailey, Trent Hunter and Richard Park, as well as Jon Sim and Matt Moulson- get the puck into the net. Aside from the atrocious power plays, the forecheck really tested the Thrashers D (which isn't known for aggression, granted) and did a good job with their passes, for the most part.

The officiating, however, was terrible. Honestly, the tying goal by Ilya Kovalchuk in the third period was on an easily debatable interference call on Jeff Tambellini. Not only that, but there were non-calls on both sides, leading me to wonder whether the refs secretly wanted a shootout or not... sheesh.

Still, a win's a win, and the Isles will definitely take this one. They face off next against Colorado on Wednesday, the 6th, on the first game of their Western Conference road trip.

LET'S GO ISLANDERS!

Notes: The Isles are now 3-0 over the Thrashers in the 4-game season series... Rob Schremp, though he missed his chance in the shootout, was a perfect 6-6 in face-offs... Tim Jackman will miss a month with a broken orbital bone, shortly after returning to the lineup from a hip injury. That leaves us hard-pressed to find an enforcer within the lineup.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

All the Best to You in 2010

Angie & Christine

Team USA Announced

Here's the roster for the U.S. Men's Olympic Team, as feverishly copied down by me after the Winter Classic (Bruins won 2-1 in OT, awesome):

Forwards: David Backes;Dustin Brown; Ryan Callahan; Chris Drury; Patrick Kane; Ryan Kesler; Phil Kessel; Jamie Langenbrunner; Ryan Malone; Zach Parise; Joe Pavelski; Bobby Ryan; Paul Stasny

For Isles fans, notably, young RW Kyle Okposo was left off the list (which I won't comment on, seeing as that's a touchy subject for me =P); Chris Drury, however, in spite of his -7 and grand total of 14 points so far this season, will be headed to Vancouver, as will be Ryan Callahan with his 19 points and -11. Here's to hoping they, as well as the others on this list, will bring a lot to the table. Here's one thing I have to say: There is certainly youth and speed here. Zach Parise is a strong choice, as of course is Patrick Kane. We'll see how the offense turns out, I guess.

Defense: Eric Johnson; Jack Johnson; Mike Komisarek; Paul Martin; Brooks Orpik; Brian Rafalski; Ryan Suter

Komisarek's somewhat of a question mark, but I suppose you don't question Burke's methods.

Goal: Ryan Miller; Jonathan Quick; Tim Thomas

Best bet in goal? In my opinion, Ryan Miller. A well-deserved bid to the Olympics for him. Thomas is good when he doesn't let his temper get in the way; Quick, I don't know much about, but I'm not too sure. At any rate, congrats to everyone added.

P.S. With Okposo left off the roster, Mark Streit is our lone Islander headed to Vancouver for the Olympics. Congrats to him; that gives the other guys a chance to rest up a bit and regroup for the rest of the season.