THE PRE-GAME SHOW: NYI AT FLYERS, 7:05 PM
DP on IR…Fritz in…b-cast notes…Score-O!
1:00 pm - Courtesy of Steve Mears of Islanders Radio, we can tell you that Mitch Fritz is in. No one - especially not Scott (News Flash) Gordon, will tell you who’s out. (REVISED, 2:35 pm: Greg Logan says it’s Tambellini).
If the D pairings hold, you will see Sutton-Streit, Campoli-Gervais, Polk-Skinner. Gordon would like to find a few more minutes for Brett Skinner, who is on the second-unit power play.
DiPietro on Injured Reserve: No, silly…the Islanders didn’t announce it. But the information can be found on the official team site, where once again eagle-eyed Point Blank readers snooped those two asterisks next to Rick’s name.
Doesn’t really mean a whole lot, other than the league office makes those roster changes automatically and the Islanders don’t want their fans (and teams without scouts or those new DVR things) to know.
Waste of Time: “Hmm…hey Islanders! You need a goalie, eh? Whadaya say you give us $4 million in salary, we’ll give you Khabby, plus we’ll throw in the kid we took with our third overall pick a couple of years ago! Deal”?
Folks, even if DiPietro was lost for the season - and I’m fairly certain he isn’t - you never have to email me to see if the latest fraudulent rumor du jour has any validity. I might not get every scoop - and that site’s bound to get one out of every hundred right - but if I ever have anything legit, I promise to post it as the lead item on the site.
Your Back Pages: Thanks to their reincarnation as (The Hockey) Newsday, Long Island’s newspaper has granted your Islanders a lovely run of back covers since the start of the regular season. That could come to an end now that the New York Knicks are back in action, and because our hoops team may be fun to watch again.
If the Islanders can adjust their game schedule to play games on Knicks off-days - as is the case for the next week - it could be a back-page bonanza.
(Rein bar at the Garden City Hotel, in case they want to comp us some night)
On the Streit Where you Live: Defenseman Mark Streit cherished his time in Montreal and now is enjoying his life on Long Island - although the two situations could not be any more different.
“In Montreal, I was there maybe a few weeks and it seemed like everyone already knew who I was,” said the native of Switzerland, off to a strong start to his Islanders career. “Here, you have some more time to yourself. I live in Garden City and have probably been to just about every nice restaurant in town.
“It’s been wonderful, my time on Long Island. I find the quality of life here is very high. With the city and the Island, you feel like you have the best of all worlds. I’m really loving it.”
Net Worth: Forbes released its annual look at the value of each NHL franchise. The magazine estimates the Islanders’ worth at $154 million, which puts them 29th in the league. (Picture the scene in the editor’s office: “Boss, I want to write the ultimate dissection of our country’s disastrous economy”! “Sorry, kid, but can you poke around and uncover how much the Columbus Blue Jackets are worth”?)
What the Forbes article means is simple. Even if the Islanders were 6-2 and the team was averaging another 2,000 fans at the gate per game, that $154 mill will not grow - and could even continue to fall - until the Lighthouse Project is not just approved, but significant progress is made.
Bossy on 1050 ESPN Radio: Islanders Hall of Fame right wing Mike Bossy is one of our guests on “NY Hockey This Week” on Saturday from 5:30 - 6:30 pm on 1050 ESPN Radio. Don La Greca and I will talk to Mike about the Islanders and get his take on some NHL issues, including the Brandon Sutter incident.
The Devils Pre-Game Show: For the first time this season, my 10-year old and I watched the Devils pre-game show on MSG Plus before they faced the Leafs last night. We only watched because Aidan is still a Blakey fan (unlike Ron Wilson), but kudos to producer Roland Dratch and his crew for reminding Islanders followers what they are missing.
In 30 minutes they covered a whole range of topics, from Brent Sutter providing a positive update on Brandon’s recovery, a one-on-one between Stan Fischler and Wilson (including the coach on Blake’s benching), a look at Jamie Langenbrunner’s return from injury, a preview of the NHL debut of Devils forward Matt Halischuk and some insight into the play of Leafs rookie dman Luke Schenn. All from a cast of five: Fischler, Steve Cangialosi, Doc, Chico and Ken Daneyko.
Neil Best of Cablevision-owned Newsday advanced my story of the Islanders not having a pre-game show, pointing out the imbalance but unable to find a reason for it. Two weeks later, there are no signs that one is coming.
SCORE-O!
Despite the perception of some dysfunction because of the DiPietro injury and other injury-related issues, fact is you can’t detect a whiff of nonsense around Scott Gordon’s practices. This is a happy, determined-to-get-it right squad that’s due. Plus you got a Flyers team that may be over-pumped in front of a hysterical and hung-over crowd after last night’s World Series triumph. Doesn’t always work that way.
ISLANDERS 4, FLYERS 3
Point Blank record for ‘08-09: 6-1
One Week from Tonight: Thursday, Nov. 6 is Point Blank Night at Gabrielle’s Brasserie and Wine Bar in Rockville Centre. Join me and Sound Tigers coach Jack Capuano for an evening of conversation, a few surprises, wine tasting and watching the Islanders and Thrashers in a game of ice hockey on the television. Click here for more details. If you’re able to make it and haven’t RSVPd yet, please let us know in Comments. See you next Thursday.
84 Responses to “THE PRE-GAME SHOW: NYI AT FLYERS, 7:05 PM
DP on IR…Fritz in…b-cast notes…Score-O!”
Please Wait
Keep up the good work CB. I no longer even visit Imania. All the info I need is right here.
Oh, and I agree; Flyers coming off a winning streak, Isles building on two solid performances and now a little tougher with Fritzy…let’s say Isles 3, Flyers 2.
Fritzy!!!!! The monster has arrived…..
5 - 3 ISLANDERS breakout game for KO
CB: wow you acually picked us to win!
good to see Fritz is in tonight, hope he can get a good scrap in
LOL..
ATTABOY
Hmm…3-2 Flyers in OT, or shootout.
I hope I’m wrong, and agree the Isles are due, and have done some good things over the last two games, but the Flyers looked awesome on Tuesday. Sure, it was against Atlanta, but still, they seem like they’re in a groove now.
5-1 Flyers.
Flyers will have a breakout game against the Isles. Seems like most teams do these days!
4-2 Isles…Comrie empty netter…
Sorry guys.. But 4-2 Flyers.
Just have a feeling, with the amount of talent they have, we’ll be a bit over matched..
Not only is Streit making me happy on the ice, now he is saying things off the ice that make me happy as well. I am really happy this guy is an Islander!
So let’s see.
Flyers coming off of a crushing victory over Atlanta.
3/4th’s of the crowd will still be drunk from last night.
Flyers could give a hoot if they get penalized cuz the Isles can’t score a PP goal.
What’s the name of the goalie for the Isles?
This is probably the worst day in the last 15 years that any team with a NY logo should be in Philly.
And CB predicts an Islander victory?
I love this blog.
GO ISLES!!!
Isles 3
Flyers 2 (OT)
Steve:
The reason the Islanders don’t have a Pre Game show? Well, you ever notice that when the Isles are playing at home, other than Ranger games, there really aren’t many people in the stands. You could say there is a lack of interest. As for the Isles not having a pregame show. Well, there is also a lack of interest in that as well. You were looking for a reason, now you have one. Good day.
Who is Steve?
Flyers 6, Isles 4
5-2 heading into the third, Isles score two but come up short. Flyers finish it off with an empty-netter.
I agree with the lack of interest during pregame shows. I can’t tell you the last time I watched a pregame show from start to finish.
John: I assume you meant me. Going by that logic, half the teams in pro sports shouldn’t have pre-game shows - including the Devils. I wonder why a “fan,” even of another team, would have so much interest in defending a network decision. Hmmm…CB
Fritz & Cote drop them before the 3 minute mark of the 1st. Book it…
Tambs is the healthy scratch tonight. Per Logan
CB is the man (e5)
When was the last time an Islander actually truely won a fight? I’m talking about a Knockout! Not get tired and wrestle him to the ground…Anyone remember?
Guerin last season.
Ricky in preseason lol.
There were others.
Logan reports Tambellini is benched tonight. Looks like Nolan is not the only coach who can not get thru to this kid. Will Snow fire Gordon over this as he did Nolan?
Okay so Tambs is out, Fritz is in, Sutton’s back, Gervais is paired with Campoli. This might be a good game. I’ll say Flyers 4, Isles 3 and hope its the other way around.
YESSSSSSS! Finally, can we give up on Tamby and keep Fritz.
sounds awosme. go fritz!!! anyway, botta good point on the bulin wall situation but when you think about it, it does ake sense. how many teams need a starter? ottawa and isles are the biggest i would say. how many have the cap? isles can trade comrie and leafs second for barker and bulin and then at the deadline trade him to a team that needs him for if not a first then a second and either a rosterplayer or a prospect. idk, it just makes sense to me though. anyway, good for gordan, maybe if tambs comes back he’ll realize he needs to produce.uh botta can i get your idea on schremp. im sure you know of him and it sounds like we can get him. thanks
wow this is a good day in islanderland. first the news about the vintage jerseys and now we get fritz in for tambs! i think the clock is ticking on tambs’s nhl career.
o, the most important part, 5-3 isles. high scoring for isles, i know, but, they are due and hopefully okposo can start goin now that he got his first of the season and maybe we can see fritz fight and we score 2 straight from that spark which sounds great if it happens
Who did we get “POLK” from?
I actually misspelled it on my blog once too… Good luck Fritzy!
Isles 4-2
Fritz can give KO some extra breathing room hopefully against the most physical team in the conference.
3-1 Flyboys! C’mon its the Isles. Teams circle us now and know its automatic.
We will beat the Jackets 1-0 however next week it will be our 3rd win.
5-1 Flyers. Highlight of the game. Fritz biting off Cote lips in a fight and spitting them into the crowd as he exits the ice.
Thanks for the info on saturday, Mike Bossy on 1050, I will be listening. Now thats a great uniform, Bossy is wearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated, The Drive For Five.. That should be their main home uniform for ever. Thanks CB, Mark/NJ
Someone asked about Bailey, he doesn’t need to play he’s just a very highly paid Jersey model
Nice Jerry
The Isles should put DP on IR until Feb and just trade for Khabibulin & Barker from Chicago…Comrie would look better on that team. Time for evryone to start talking about player trades with Chicago.Make a move Snow!!!
gordon better have these guys ready tonight!!you are what your record says it is.. hey coach interact with the players a little more when they go on and off the ice ..you looked pretty stiff during that ranger game,
Gordon basically told tamby he’s looking for Nolan-type-players - toughness, strength, grit, heart, character. Tell me Snow doesn’t look like a doofus here. Nolan TOLD Snow LAST year Tamby is not an NHL player. What does snow do? Signs him to a 2-yr deal. Niiice move by our back-up goaltender in a suit.
tom- i couldnt agree more!!
hey knowledgeable islander fans excluding the defenseman, ko and bergy, what young players are legit nhl players
z.parise,m.gaborik,j.spezza, etc, oh, i forgot we don’t have them anymore
sorry, or didn’t draft them when they could have
true dat jerry
I’m not saying I’m a huge Tambellini fan but I want everyone who is psyched for his benching to remember their stance and if he catches on somewhere else and blossoms don’t add him to list of players that everyone complains about starring in other uniforms …
i like tambs.
I still will say it. The draft day Dilbury trade of Luongo and Jokkinen for Parrish and Kvasha, then drafted Ricky instead of Gaborik or Heatly, set this team back 7-8 years. Dont even have to go before with Bert, McCabe, Brewer or Chara. Draft day 2000!!!
chris,
Tamby will NOT “blossom” anywhere…except in the ahl. he’s useless and should never have been given a 2-year deal. that’s garth snow for ya, a freakin idiot!
I am by no means a Tambellini apologist. In fact, Ive been accused of being hard on the guy. However, I think that the people who are so angry about his contract need to take a step back. Tambs is hardly making anything- he even took a pay CUT this season. People need to relax about the two frickin years. Two years this, two years that- so? The absolute WORST thing that happens because of that two year minimal contract is that he is put on waivers- then he either A gets picked up by another team or B plays admirably for Bridgeport. What is the big deal???
It was a low risk contract- people making a gigantic deal out of it dont realize that there are players who get signed by EVERY team who make more than Tambs and never even sniff the NHL.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pC0TatWQDls&eurl=http://hockeyfights.com/fights/47675
Godard VS Cote.
Hopefully we can Mitch Fritz do that to Mr. Cote.
And I don’t know if people realize it, but the fans in this video are standing up.. And they are clapping. haha Something you don’t see too much around the island as of right now.
Tamby’s small contract is not a problem, but paying player like Comrie 4.5 mil. - that’s insanity…
A. Your not paying it
B. Its not keeping us from getting other players (ie: knicks)
C. There is a cap floor that has to be reached.
BLOG IDEAS FOR BOTTA:
- Anything about Kirk Muller
- Why did we not keep Healy after the 93 playoff run
- Which players specifically revolted against Laviolette
DiPietro retiring at 27? Maybe if we start this rumor, it’ll end the injury policy insanity.
4-3 isles in OT..lets end this 4 game skid..two things I want to see in this game is that okposo works well with hunter and Jon freakin Sim show us something!!!
@ken
I like your blog ideas too, however; if you EVER type the name that you typed in your first idea again, I will personally hunt you down and…well you get the idea.
Another fine performance by Joey MacDonald. Nice numbers going into tonight. GAA of 3.54 and an 890%. Glad they let Dubie go. Rick and Snow can both burn in hell. Just move to Vegas already.
please dont get mad about dubie.. did anyone really feel confident with dubie in net?
Since I’m not really having fun watching this Isles be down 2-1.. I decided since my friends were missing the game, one was coaching, the other sister is having a baby right now.. I texted them and told them Mitch Fritz fought Marty Biron.. Then I texted them again, and told them Fritz hoppped the glass to go after the fans. lol I think he’s keeping Cote in check. Haven’t seen him much.
I would make the Bulin and Barker for Comrie trade in a heart beat. Bring up Colliton to play centre. Another good young defenceman and more when Bulin gets traded at the deadline.
at least the isles try hard. they just dont have the talent.
it’s amazing how stupid this fan base it.
whats stupid?
Nice of Cote to turn down Fritzy in his first ever NHL game, that blows.
This team could not score in a whore house with a fist full of hundreds
Hilbert’s having a great game
It’s funny how fascinated the Flyers fans are by breaking glass.
Let’s keep it PG movetovegas… lol Good line though.
Yeah, I love how the crowd cheered..
That’s a slash.. lol Those sticks are expensive..
This team sucks… lol
Have not had the lead in 5 games at any time………good to see Joey Mac on his knees WELL before the shot beats him up high. What a disgrace this team is
Honestly, the last way I would describe this team tonight is “sucks”. They played a great game. No they arent winning, but they outplayed the Flyers all night. If this team just has ONE GUY who was a finisher, they would have won their past three games. How about Radim Vrbata, who is being completely wasted in TB?
UIF: You nailed it!
I pray this team moves to Vegas. Just leave Long Island. NO ONE WOULD CARE. They are a joke.
Outplaying and outworking a team is all well and good and they certainly did that tonight, but a lack of skill (finishers) will always be a problem with this team. They needed to score on that OT PP, stop passing and throw it at the net. Simple.
at least we tried hard
ive never seen a coach so happy after a lose.. now does he give out cookies and ice cream to the kids in the locker room
Jon: Absolutely. That’s all on Snow though. Gordon’s doing a very good job with what he’s got; nothing.
Chris TMC: I completely agree. The last period was close to domination. However, I think we should stop mixing grit and skill and just put together two different sets of lines. Guerin-Weight-Okposo, Hunter-Nielsen-Comrie for skill and Bergenheim-Park-Hilbert, Fritz-Thompson-Sim for grit. It seems like however nice they are set up, grit guys aren’t able to score (other than dirty goals). Park and Sim is just not the combination that’s gonna bring the best out of Comrie.
Give these young guys another 10 games to start scoring, then consider trading to improve scoring.
This post is for two people - and isn’t meant to be disrespectful so please don’t take it that way …
1) “Movetovegas” …you’re clearly upset and you’ve been posting for a good portion of the night so you obviously care eventhough you’re acting as if no one does. I realize what you’re posting and your “name” is your way of showing displeasure with the team, but if you put the same energy into going to games with friends and supporting this team then maybe more people would care?
2) JOE RVC …I blame myself for reading your posts, because everytime I do I just shake my head. Didn’t you even read CB’s blog about how Gordon is expecting more? I mean you make it out to be like the guy is giddy his team lost! What do you want him to do? Tear the bench from the ground and throw it on the ice? Who knows what he says to the team after the game? They played a good game against a tough team …
Reality people - we all knew what this season would be like. They will be struggling for wins, which will actually help in the long run. The team is playing hard …I like Gordon and to judge him on this season is a joke …
“UIF: You nailed it!”
That’s two in a row calling the score. I might have to buy a lottery ticket before the luck runs out.
responding to: i4e11
Jon: Absolutely. That’s all on Snow though. Gordon’s doing a very good job with what he’s got; nothing.
EXACTLY. And wastn’t that Ted Nolan was doing as well? Wang REFUSES to get it through his thick skull he’s a horrible at juding a good GM from a bad one.