BUFFALO 7, ISLANDERS 1
The not-the-way-they-drew-it-up recap
5:55 pm, The Veterans Memorial - The recap from Uniondale after the Sabres’ 7-1 drubbing of the Islanders before an off-the-charts-energetic-for-a-while Kids Day crowd.
The No. 1 Story - There really is just one story in hockey today, and that’s the passing of Rangers prospect Alexei Cherepanov during a game today in Russia. Cherepanov’s coach with Omsk, former Islanders assistant Wayne Fleming, said he collapsed on the bench during the third period. His agent, New York-based Jay Grossman, called him “a great kid and an outstanding hockey player with a great future on and off the ice. Read more of the tragic news from TSN.
The Game
Out-skated from the drop of the puck, the Islanders were out-everythinged by Buffalo til the bitter end. Make this about Joey MacDonald not being as sharp as Friday and Saturday all you want, but this game was not only about the goaltending.
The Post-Game
Scott Gordon - “For us to be effective, we have to work as a unit of five. We weren’t even close to being on board with our forecheck. We didn’t even change well. We tried to find the easy way. It played into their hands. The only line that generated any offense was the Weight line. We’ve got to throw this one away.”
On staying with Joey MacDonald when it was 5-0 mid-second period: “I told Joey, ‘I’m not a believer in pulling goalies to change momentum.’”
Joey MacDonald: “It seemed like the harder I battled, the worse it got.”
Bill Guerin - “We weren’t in positions, we didn’t skate, we didn’t work as hard. Three (games) in four (days) shouldn’t have anything to do with it. The season just started. We’re all in shape.
On the penalty box parade: “Like Scott (Gordon) says, ‘If it doesn’t save a goal, it’s not a good penalty.’”
On Joey MacDonald: “It’s just didn’t go his way. We didn’t make it easy on him. He didn’t play as poorly as you might think.”
That’s what a captain does, and he happens to be right. If the Islanders chalk this one up to just poor goaltending, they’d be kidding themselves.
The No. 2 Story: Despite his team getting blown out in the second period, Gordon did not substitute Rick DiPietro for a struggling and abandoned MacDonald when it became 5-0 mid-second on three goals in two minutes. DiPietro also wasn’t put in to start the third.
Gordon provided the defense about not utilizing the motivational cop-out of changing the goalie, but the “Ricky-can-play” chorus the last week from the Islanders seemed to be exposed today as a little more fraudulent.
The No. 3 Story: Radek Martinek, the Islanders’ best all-zone defenseman, suffered an injury on Saturday and the Islanders at this point do not want anyone connected with the game - including their fans - to know about it.
3 Standout Islanders:
Not today.
What We Learned Today:
- At least for now, Overspeed is not going to beat a team that is fresher, sharper and significantly speed-ier.
- The Sabres took some hits the last two years with the FA losses of Campbell, Drury and Briere, but by retaining GM Darcy Regier and coach Lindy Ruff and building from within, they will contend again. They should be a model for many other franchises.
- Scott Gordon will not pull his starting goaltender when his team gets down 3-0, 4-0, 5-0, etc. just to change momentum.
- Nate Thompson has guts and nuts, now they have to be flashed as difference-makers in a win.
Game Rating (out of 5 stars): 2.5 - The stars are all Buffalo’s.
Islanders Performance: 0.5 - The .5 is for Thompson, Jon Sim and Brendan Witt getting dirty. The coaching staff will either 1. burn the tapes or 2. show a lot of them the next two days. Gordon said in the post-game, “We’ve got to throw that one away,” but I’m not so sure he will.
Event Rating: 4.0 - Prior to the on-ice shellacking, the Islanders put on a good show with a teen-rock band on the overhead stage, mascots all over the place, free Guerin jerseys for the kids and loads of good stuff. After the game, kids got to go on the Coliseum ice and shoot pucks.
One of those days that hurt when I was in the old gig. Hey, old friends, this is cyclical - there will be games where you won’t do much and the home team puts on a good show. You know that at the end of the night, all the fans really want is a win.
Attendance: 13,523 at start of game. About 5,523 mid-way through the third period.
Awkward Moment: The lineman dropping the puck at center ice after the Sabres made it 5-0 on the power play, just as Freddy Meyer was making his way from the penalty box back to the bench. That kind of day.
V-8 Moment: Forgive us, but we really didn’t know Derek Roy was this amazing - and he only had one assist in a 7-1 game!
Just Keeping it..Ya Know: Although no one comes out of a game like this looking good, Jeff Tambellini needs to show more, soon.
Just Sayin’: No matter what the deal is with Blake Comeau, you don’t go back with the same lineup after you drop a 7-1 game at home. Young Blake, start stretching.
Save of the Game: Up just 2-0 early second, Buffalo’s Patrick Lalime made a shoulder save on a left-alone Jeff Tambellini to keep it that way.
Scouts in Attendance: Detroit, Nashville, San Jose (JFJ!), Tampa Bay, Toronto, Rangers, Los Angeles, Florida, Calgary, Colorado, Pittsburgh, Phoenix and Atlanta.
NYI Prospect of the Day (maybe the month): 2008 sixth round pick Justin DiBenedetto scored 5 goals and added 2 assists, contributing to all 7 goals in Sarnia’s 7-2 win over The Soo in the Ontario Hockey League last night. He had a natural hat trick in the first 12 minutes of the game. Going into the game, the Soo Greyhounds were 5-2 and visiting Sarnia was 2-6 - so it’s not like this was an expected blowout.
Islanders Press Coverage: from Newsday - Greg Logan, columnist Mark Herrmann and the live-bloggin’ Katie Strang. Peter Botte resurrected from the Daily News, Dan Martin from the Post and nobody from the New York Times. We’re going to assume the NYT ain’t coming much.
The Goal Song, Take 2: Just one goal, in the third, with the Islanders down 6-0 and the barn emptying. Not the day to judge. We still think it will survive for a while, be tweaked and eventually settle in. We also think we’ll be killed for that observation in the Comments area.
Next Up: The first real road trip of the season - leave LI Wednesday for Tampa Bay, vs. Barry Melrose and the Lightning Thursday and in Sunrise on Saturday to face the Panthers. Point Blank will not be there, but we will find a way.
The Lineup (before the game misconducts mid-second)
Park - Comrie - Okposo
Sim - Weight - Guerin
Tambellini - Nielsen - Hunter
Bergenheim - Thompson - Hilbert
Streit - Pock
Meyer - Gervais
Witt - Hillen
MacDonald
DiPietro
Open up about the game. Do it all in Comments.
(congrats to the young fella on the right)
35 Responses to “BUFFALO 7, ISLANDERS 1
The not-the-way-they-drew-it-up recap”
Please Wait
Just back from the game with a few thoughts …
1) I was on of the few thousand morons that stayed for the entire game - that either makes me a fool or a fan - some (including my girl friend) may say both!
2) While I understand the need for a “Kids Day” I have to say that every year it turns out to be awful if you’re an adult fan looking to see a hockey game. Now, I don’t have kids yet, so I realize that I may me the odd man out here, but it really isn’t a hockey atmosphere - not that the Isles play helped create that atmosphere either! All of the cheezy songs and cheezy mascotts - it never feels like a hockey game.
3) I agree on Tamby. Three games into the season isn’t enough for me to throw the guy under the bus, but he’s been invisible.
4) Would love to see KO used on the PP or with some other linemates. Like Park and Comrie is ok, but I’d love to see KO with some other players who can create more consistantly. Certainly need to see him on the PP …
5) The goal song is ok - sadly I don’t think we’ll be hearing it that often at the Coli - but I’ll still go and cheer because I’m a fan/fool …
I completely disagree with Gordon’s decision not to pull a goalie if the team is flat. That’s one of the true momentum shots you can give to a dying team with not much life.
I had a bad feeling that our 6 defensemen in the lineup today were not going to give us a very good chance of winning today. McLaren has been placed on waivers again today by the Sharks. I think Garth should make the acquisition. No one knows when Campoli, Sutton and Martinek will be back, and it really might be better off to see Hillen play in B-Port. Goaltending and defense wins hockey games more times than not. Our offense is more likely not to have an offensive explosion like we had Sat night. Minus the 1st period Sat night, we’ve scored just 2 goals in 100 minutes of play, and 1 of them was an empty netter.
Forget about this game quickly, another quality NHL defenseman needs to be Garth’s priority right now.
Also,
R.I.P. Alexei Cherepanov
Very sad to see a 19 year old kid lose their life, no matter what the profession, or in this case, no matter what NHL organization he was drafted by.
Very tragic and I’m sure I can speak for everyone that our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.
Obviously the passing of Cherepanov is a great loss.
As far as the Islanders are concerned… OUCH!
Ugly game.
This is a good opportunity for me to once again voice my opinion on something that frustrates me to no end and it has nothing to do with the on ice Islanders.
Is Howie Rose the worst sports announcer in all of pro sports…? or maybe it’s Ken the Hawk Harrelson. Either way… he’s terrible.
From his feigned ignorance just to ask Jaffe a question so as to pretend that the viewer at home needs an explanation on something… or his silly giggling at inside jokes where he changes his voice to some alien like morphed Howie.
HIs complete “not getting it” because he was never an athlete is wearing thin.
He insisted that the Islanders insert DiPietro today despite a very reasonable explanation from Jaffe - why subject DP to a an ugly game when he’s cold. Let him prepare for his debut so he’s warm…
I’ll add that obviously he’s still not 100% - this is no secret, but back up goalies don’t get the chance to warm up anymore… this has been the rule for years.
DOC
I am glad I had to work & couldn’t catch the game today!
R.I.P. Cherepanov
Apparentely he died after collision with jagr, who he played with on a same line for the last 3 games.
You’re an idiot IslesFan in Bkny…
Why is that?
uh game was awful and the goal song had no energy and neither did the crowd.
if a tree falls in the woods and nobodt hears it or cares does it make a sound
I heard the same thing from my buddy, IslesFan. Doc, I don’t think he meant that in any sort of malicious way.
R.I.P. Cherepanov
Look! I apologies if I said anything that might’ve upset somebody. I certainly didn’t mean it, especially if it’s concerns someone’s life. I just read that on Avangard web-site. On the other hand English is my second language as you can see but I would never call someone an idiot publicly.
when are the isles going to admit jeff tambellini looks like a 12 year old boy playing a mans game ..garth does anyone else in the league want him hes not an nhl player ,sorry
The Islanders played bad, but I think Buffalo will be a force this year.
I hope you’re right about Blake Comeau. He should have been in the lineup all season and this horrific loss better put open up a spot for him.
First and foremost, RIP Alexei Cherepanov. The game lost a great player today, and unfortunately, the NHL lost a probable future star long before he should have left us. I give his family my condolences.
Secondly, today is the kind of game that must be used as motivation for tomorrow, correct the mistakes, and then forget it ever happened. Dwelling on a game like today’s will do nothing but hurt the Islanders all-around. It must be forgotten as soon as the mistakes are corrected.
Thirdly, Jeff Tambellini needs to start producing. While he is good on the forecheck, and he backchecks nicely, he needs to start producing. A “sniper,” or whatever you believe him to be, needs to put the puck in the back of the net or he isn’t worth the time. He gets into the zone and throws up a floater shot that really never has a chance to go in. He must turn it around, and most likely within the next 10 games.
Fourthly, Kyle Okposo really belongs into the NHL. While he may not have scored yet, man is he strong for a 20 year old. I am getting excited to see this kid down the road.
Lastly, the goalie situation. Joey Mac may not have played completely horrible today, but he still was terrible with rebound control. I counted at least four goals where he simply gave up a terrible rebound that led to an easy goal for the Sabres. If all goes well, we should see DP in net this Thursday. We can only hope so. It is pretty obvious how sorely missed a crease-clearing guy like Sutton is missed, and how badly Martinek’s poise is missed as well.
Tough, tough, tough loss.. I watched the whole game. Not all Joey’s fault.. There was no offense, and no defense. I know Billy Jaffe talked about “taking one for the team” but this was completely unfair to Joey Macdonald. DP should not be dressed, and Denis should have been in there after 4 goals. Macdonald was off his game to begin with, and he wasn’t getting any help. He’s not a starting goaltender, so I think they should call up Denis to maybe switch it up.
Some positives to take from the game-
Team toughness. Without a legit enforcer, the boys stuck up for themselves. When Comrie received that hit from behind (CLEARLY!!), everyone got into it (although Comrie has to be smarter and not take 4 PIMS). And big marks to Bergy, taking on a much tougher guy in Rivet. Bergy’s not a fighter, but he immediately dropped the gloves anyway. Nate Thompson showed a lot of grit. I really like this kid, gives a lot of energy. Good pick up off waivers.
I would like to see Comeau in the lineup for the next game.
Btw, Trevor Smith has 3 points (2g, 1a) in 3 games across the sound, and Iggulden has 4 points (1g, 3a) in 3 games.
“3 Standout Islanders:
Not today.”
Well put. haha
http://www.youtube.com/v/DjCs0DV4tIE
Last minutes of Alexei Cherepanov…
ryan i agree but we lost those 3 fights. nate thompson is ok if he scraps. witt is our best defenceman and his head was bleeding so we cant afford him to be injured or be off the ice. bergenheim is also important as well. bring up fritz and let him do his job.
This organization has sunk to a new low, and I am not talking about losing a game to a more talented team. This nonsense with DiPietro is absurd. Obviously he can’t play and they got caught with their pants down today. Everyone could see that MacDonald (who looked more like Ronald today than Joey) was fighting the puck from the start.
Every other coach in the leage would have pulled this kid but, then again, every other coach in the league dresses TWO healthy goalies who can each play in the game. It’s not like your veteran #1 guy is in there, so you let him fight through it, JM is a novice and needed to be pulled.
Not only was this unfair to him, it was nothing short of fraud upon the fans who paid to see an NHL game where the home team decided to cheat them out of a player. Essentially, by design, the Isles went with a lineup of 19 players. Maybe coach Gordon wanted to lose the first 3 games, but the customers would have appreciated having a full team, with another professional goalie available to at least try to win the match. What an absolute disgrace. This is worse than anything Milbury ever did, and that is really saying something. The league should take a look at this, since the rules require that a team dress a competitive lineup with 20 players. What a mess. Wang and Co. should really be ashamed of themselves.
We need Fritz and this game sucked.
Wait a second, people. The Islanders lost 2-1 against a good Devils team with goaltending from a man who may be the best ever, and then won convincingly against a similarly rebuilding team.
Then, in an afternoon game while starting their backup goaltender against a talented offensive team, they had a hiccup. Major hiccup? Yes. The kind of hiccup that could come with a little vomit in the back of your throat? Probably. A disgrace? No.
I’m not defending the performance; it was rather despicable. Yet, we’ve all seen worse performances out of Islanders teams who were supposed to have been better than this year’s squad.
Let’s all relax. Their performance was still not as bad as that new goal song, and I don’t care what CB says about it.
First and foremost, RIP Cherapanov. As an Isles fan, when he was selected by the Rangers, my thought was always, “man I hope this guys turns into a dud.” But when something like this happens, it’s amazing how quickly those feelings disappear. Rest in peace, Alexei.
On to the game…
There is nothing positive to write about. Having been there to witness this debacle, this was the sloppiest effort I’ve seen in years. Just awful.
As someone wrote above, the Isles goaltending situation is bordering on unprofessional. Yes, MacDonald had a bad day, no thanks to anyone in front of him. But if DP is out of commission, then why is he on the bench? We’ve all been to the Coliseum: there’s an elevator up to the luxury boxes… no stair climbing required. Get him off the bench if he can’t play. No, I don’t buy Gordon’s “momentum” explanation in the least. It’d be nice if the Isles would stop treating their fans like idiots when it comes to injuries.
And let’s talk about team toughness, another topic from above. Yes, kudos to Bergenheim for jumping in when Rivet [I guess] tried to earn his captain’s stripes by being the third man in. But what this really exposed was the Isles lack of a true enforcer, as Lindy Ruff repeatedly trotted out Andrew Peters time and again after the brawl. Who did the Isles have to answer him? No one.
The Sabres played without any fear, as they had nothing to fear.
Sloppy, ugly day. There’s a lot of work to be done.
when we lose by more than 3 goals and they may happen often. can we please drop the hockey and talk about the ice girls
does tambellini know the islanders have a weight room???
By the way, I was very annoyed we did not get our free chili.
After watching the game, I am SO not happy.
The secrecy with the injuries seems to be right out of the Beliechec(sp) school of dealing with the media.
I think we all want answers soon…..and some defensive help.
No mention has been made about Witt…of course I don’t expect the team to disclose his injury but after seeing all that blood it would be nice to know if he’s ok at least.
tambellini didnt get the message on overspeed. any time there was an opportunity to bang hard in pursuit of the puck he used underspeed…..he wasnt forechecking he was pretending….i am old enough to have seen his dad. he was the same type of player….used to drive arbour insane…..another wasted pick….he is the anti bergenheim. how long before they bite the bullet and start signing the grigori panteleevs of the world…..or does nate thompson satisfy? i cant believe comeau cant earn minutes on this team….as far as the injury reporting this is alot like the old days when arbour never disclosed injuries even though at that time he had to. but we dealt with it then…difference was that those teams won in spite of any injuries.
1. I definitely need to meet the Ice Girls this year.
2. Tambellini is scaring me, and I’m a big believer in his talents, but he’s non-existent.
3. Thompson won me over, but Rivet is a total punk, I don’t get why he did that. I hope we dress Fritz or someone for our next Sabres game.
4. Witt better be okay.. he’s my favorite and that looked brutal.
I’m totally baffled at the fact that one of our top prospects has been sitting in the press box for the last three games, I really don’t get why Blake Comeau has not been in the lineup? All summer long we hear how were getting younger and rebuilding and then one of the top prospects is scratched three games in a row, it’s a load of crap. Don’t blame not buying into the system, because it didn’t look like anyone bought into the system today
CB I’m surprised you haven’t mentioned anything about Rivet jumping into the Mair vs Thompson fight. What’s your take on all of this? I was livid because it resulted in Witt getting hurt.
However, the brightside of this is the kids are starting to stick up for one another. Okposo standing up for Comrie and Bergie going after Rivet.
What do you say?
I can’t even comment on this game. It was that bad!
Not going to rehash the thoughts above on the game. I agree with them all and it was excruciating to be there. Just wanted to point out that more people cheer and sing along with the duh-duh-duh duh-duh-duh amstel light commercial song than the new goal song. Perhaps a switch is in order?