Comments on: DEVILS 5, ISLANDERS 2List-less loss, List-full blog

By: Joe

Joe — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 18:56:24 +0000

KP, His job is to enforce not to score. We arent going to make post season this year anyway, end that thought quickly. It is a fine if there is blatent goonery at the end of the game, Gordon had a few minutes till the 5 minute mark so nothing would’ve happened.

I hope he brings his pride to Buffalo.

By: Strummer's Army

Strummer's Army — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 18:51:32 +0000

KP they NHL can’t suspend a coach for sending out his tough guys and engaging in fights

By: Rob

Rob — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 17:38:42 +0000

Didn’t catch the third last night, but FYI, MSG+ is replaying the game right now from 12pm to 2pm. I’ve got my DVR set so I can see this hit.

By: Steve

Steve — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 16:30:51 +0000

The excuse of not wanting to roll less lines because we had a game today (and of course risk players getting hurt) for his reason not to retaliate is just that. Its funny how Gordon is on record (read the morning blog) as saying he knows we’re playing 3 games in 4 nights but, still had no problem dressing Fritz even though that meant rolling 3 lines and double shifting a few players.

By: PreOriginal

PreOriginal — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 16:18:51 +0000

Absolutely. Disgusted. There. Was. No. Retaliation. In the old days, Smitty alone would have chopped of eight Devils legs with Arbor’s blessing. Nystrom and Gilles and Potvin would’ve crushed the rest of that filthy team to a bleeding pulp. Scott Gordon should resign. Today. Period.

By: same ol' same old

same ol' same old — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 15:46:11 +0000

there was a comment before the game that said when Fritz was recalled that Gordon couldn’t roll 4 lines. Is’nt this season for the “kids” to learn. if your not going to play him then don’t recall him. this theory is beyond redicules. in the ’90s the Isles sucked. they had one maybe two legit goal scorers. but yet teams still hated playing us, with players like Pilon, Vikota, Delgarno,and other hard hitting players. this organization puts no fear (scoring or physical) into other teams. WOW, we can put a good forcheck on for maybe 40 minutes…… oooo scary.

same ol’ same old

By: Rick

Rick — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 15:31:55 +0000

The hit was dirty, there’s no doubt about it. Sutter can say whatever he wants, it doesn’t change the fact that Mottau took a cheap shot because, well, he’s a talentless player and really has no place on an NHL roster to begin with. Now hopefully Campbell will do what he has been saying and suspend Mottau for 5 games, just like Pock got. But I have no faith that he’ll actually suspend Mottau at all. Campbell has a vendetta against the Islanders, and his inaction on this one will solidify that theory.

That being said, Scott Gordon better be careful how he goes about things going forward. It’s great that he has this ’system’ and his ’style’, but guys like Witt, Guerin, Weight - you know they wanted nothing more then to see Mottau get hit hard & hit often after that. Not to put Mitch Fritz out there, to say what Gordon said, is a cop out and an embarrassment. Gordon could start to lose the vets if he keeps taking his ball & going home instead of standing up to the bully.

By: KP

KP — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:22:19 +0000

Must be a lucky number. Can you play 1-0-0 in the Lotto??

By: Peter Rogers

Peter Rogers — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:21:06 +0000

Well said KP but it took 100 comments before 1 sane argument?

By: KP

KP — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:16:34 +0000

OK, just saw the clip on TSN. Sorry, I thought it was towards the end of the game, so maybe there wouldn’t have been a suspension on Gordon’s part.

But the hit is definitely what the league is trying to get away from. I don’t believe there was any malicious intent on Mottau’s part, but the guy has his arms way up. That’s dangerous. If you keep your arms (and elbows down), it turns into a clean shoulder hit and no one complains.

That’s worth 5 games, at least, if the league is serious about cracking down on this problem.

By: KP

KP — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:09:42 +0000

didn’t see the game last night, but I’m sure I’ll catch a replay of the play tonight during the broadcast.

You guys calling for the on ice brawl are right. I mean why have a guy on the bench who is going to goon it up when he doesn’t do it in a perfect situation. Gordon is getting ripped on this one left and right today from what I’ve read so far.

This brings me to my other argument, which I’ve been saying for post lockout - the role of the enforcer is GONE in this game. To play, you have to have some level of hockey skill and be able to contribute. Or at least skate with the play. Fritz can’t do either. Why is he up with the big club? So he can play a whopping two minutes (on the first night of a back to back road trip) and shorten your bench? Get into one fight, sit in the box for five minutes of playing time and sitting the rest of the night?

These guys are totally USELESS!! They bring NOTHING to your roster. They have ZERO benefits.

The real reason Gordon didn’t send out Fritz is an easy one - Gordon would have been suspended. With under five minutes to play, if Fritz went out there and tore it up, Gordon gets a suspension and most likely a fine to boot. The league doesn’t want to see a goon out there in garbage time trying to mess players up.

The most important thing here is that something happened that we haven’t seen on the Isles in a long time and that’s teammates standing up for each other. It didn’t matter who went after Mottau, as long as SOMEBODY did. That’s why Trent Hunter will wear a “C” on his Islanders jersey before his career is over.

Witt, Sutton, Guerin, maybe you can consider Hunter now, Jackman when he’s here… these are your tough guys and they can do your house cleaning and play solid minutes a night. Some worthless goon who is going to do nothing but play 2 minutes a night is a waste.

So you mean to tell me there’s no one left in Bridgeport who deserved a promotion and could’ve played 6-9 minutes in a fourth line role last night? Nobody but Fritz?

Now you have a shorthanded Isles team going to play a very speedy Sabres team. You’ll still have Fritz to play his three minutes tonight and now you’ll have to find someone else to fill a void assuming Nielsen isn’t back, and from what I read isn’t very likely.

So let’s all thank Garth we signed Mitch Fritz. Love the story on the blog here about he was honored to be in a fight with Georges Laraque. Because being able to handle Laraque is what’s going to win you a Stanley Cup down the line. Right…

By: mike

mike — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:05:22 +0000

probably a concussion to, but that’s okay, Gordon message was received loud and clear, run our skilled finesse guys and we will turtle like little girls so no one else gets hurt, what an embarrassment!!! FIRE THE LIAR GORDON!!!!