Monthly Archives: March 2009
Thanks for being our eyes on the Carolina game.
5:15 pm – Arena at Harbor Yard, Bridgeport: In the high-tech but cramped offices of assistant coaches Pat Bingham and Matt Bertani, the Sound Tigers have separate power play meetings for two 5-man units in preparation for tonight’s game against Worcester:
Trevor Smith – Ben Walter – Junior Lessard
Chris Lee – Andrew MacDonald
Jon Sim – Jeremy Colliton – Jesse Joensuu
Jamie Fraser – Joe Callahan
(Mark Wotton – Dustin Kohn)
Sound Tigers head coach Jack Capuano has Bingham run the power play meetings. The coaching staff has edited and analyzed the most recent game of the Sharks, a 4-1 win over Hartford on Sunday.
Bingham provides every detail on the Worcester penalty killing unit’s forecheck. “They are a high-pressure kind of PK,” Bingham tells his players. “If they’re gonna pressure high, we have to make them pay.”
Bingham’s knowledge of Worcester is so obsessive that he practically provides a radio call of a Hartford power play goal against the Sharks. Some of the players are impressed. “I should have been a play-by-play man,” the assistant coach says.
Capuano, Bingham and Bertani show one final clip. It’s Worcester at their best on a two-minute kill. “Sorry for this being such a lengthy one,” says Bingham, “but it shows everything they do.”
The staff has spent hours preparing for these two 5-minute meetings so their players have all the tools they need when the puck drops at 7:00. Bingham’s final piece of advice: “They’re going to work hard, so we have to work harder.”
Says Capuano: “You want your players to understand the other’s teams tendencies – how they pressure, how they forecheck. And more than that, what we need to do to execute. As Pat said a few times in the meeting, Worcester brings the pressure. We have to find ways to exploit any weaknesses.”
Pat Bingham, Matt Bertani, Jack Capuano
Capuano, Trevor Smith, Chris Lee, Junior Lessard
Comments.
11:55 am - Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi was on the radio today with Boomer Esiason and Kim Jones of WFAN. Suozzi confirms over 50,000 watts what’s been buzzed about for over a year: Kate Murray doesn’t want anything to do with the Lighthouse Project. She won’t even join Suozzi, Charles Wang and Scott Rechler in basic planning meetings, like the one they’re having today. Listen and weep.
The Lighthouse outreach is Thursday at 7:00 pm at the Long Island Marriott. All are invited. Comments.
10:10 pm - Bruno Gervais and Chris Campoli came through the Islanders’ system together. At times, they were in competition for one of the six spots on the blueline. Through it all in their development years, they were supportive of one another.
Gervais and Campoli are also gems when it comes to charitable appearances. As single young men, they had the time. As good young men, they were always willing.
But it’s interesting how, because they were young and single and always willing to do a charity event, just about everyone made the leap that they must be the best of friends. I don’t know: are you tight with every person around your age that you’ve worked with the last five years?
Here’s what I can share from first-hand experience. For at least the last two years before I left in May of 2008, I wasn’t aware that Gervais and Campoli rolled. Teammates? Yes. Respectful? Absolutely. Brothers on the blueline and in the clubs? Not to my knowledge. As everyone knows, often life takes you in different directions.
The morning after Chris was traded to Ottawa, more than a handful of reporters and bloggers crowded around Bruno’s locker room stall. They wanted to know how Gervais was holding up. A few told me they felt really bad for Gervais, as if he lost his dog. One report referred to Gervais as Campoli’s “best friend on the team.”
What exactly was that based on? The media scrum turned a little awkward when everyone got the sense, rightfully so, that Bruno was not even the slightest bit misty about Chris being off the Island. (Of course Gervais is too kind a soul to think about this much, but a part of him had to be like, “Phew…that’s one good young defenseman I don’t have to battle for a job anymore”).
Tomorrow in Ottawa, the Islanders probably won’t have a morning skate because they play tonight in Carolina. Those workouts are prime time for former teammates to share a brief, warm reunion. Instead, Gervais and Campoli will make the usual eye contact in the 6:30 warmup, maybe even tap sticks at the red line. Early in the game, if there’s time at a whistle, they might share a laugh. When it’s over, Campoli will shower quicker than usual and make sure he hugs it out with several of his old teammates down the hall. Gervais will no doubt be one of the first he looks for.
But let’s not confuse this with the kind of genuine, life-long bonds we share with our closest friends created back in grade school, or in the neighborhood, or, yes, even at work. Let’s be real. If you asked Bruno and Chris to draw up a list of their 50 closest buddies…well, let’s put it this way:
Gervais and Campoli were no Damon and Affleck.
ETC: The Islanders have recalled goaltender Peter Mannino and forwards Joel Rechlicz and Mike Iggulden from Bridgeport for tonight’s game against the Hurricanes.
Two insightful stats from James Mirtle: Gervais is 16th in the faux Rod Langway Award competition for best defensive defensemen. And, as y’all know, the Islanders have been hurt a lot the last few years.
Our plan for later today is to go to Bridgeport and attempt to bring you something a little different. The Sound Tigers host Worcester tonight at 7:00 pm at the Arena at Harbor Yard.
Comments.
John Jeansonne has a good look at the psychological approach of improving defenseman Bruno Gervais on the Newsday site today. We also recently spoke with the 25-year old defenseman.
Not that you want to get too comfortable, but do you feel like for the first time in your NHL career you’ve earned a regular spot in the lineup?
Yeah, I do. It takes time, you know. Nothing gets handed to you, and I had my moments when I was really inconsistent. But I have to say, all the coaches I’ve had here, and all the teammates, were really supportive of me and worked with me. I remember when Garth (Snow) was my teammate. He went out of his way as a veteran player to make me feel comfortable. Now I’m glad I get to be a part of what we’re building.
You’re signed for two more seasons after this one…
And that’s good. With this group of players and the way Scott (Gordon) is leading us, I want to be here for a long time and see it through. These last two months, we’re starting to see that all the hard work to commit to the new system is going to pay off.
A lot has been written and said about Mark Streit the last few days. What don’t we know about your D partner?
Let me tell you something. I’ve had the good luck to play with a lot of great leaders here. Doug Weight and Brendan Witt, Billy Guerin when he was here. I think Mark Streit is one of the best. Such an emotional leader.
I have to be honest with you. I’m surprised to hear that. Mark seems like such a mild-mannered guy.
True, he’s a really nice guy off the ice, but that’s different. I’m telling you: he’s become an incredible leader for us. Just talking about my own experience with him, Mark gets on me. If I make a soft play, I hear about it from him. He pushes and pushes me, and I think that’s made me a much better player the second half of this season.
Although Streit is known for his offense, from watching you play together, it’s not like he’s always the one rushing the puck and you’re stuck to take care of the defense.
Not at all, that’s right. We have really good chemistry. We know how to handle each situation. It’s become like second nature. When he goes, I have it covered. And if he gets the puck to me, I never have to worry about him having my back. Even with some of the attention Mark is getting lately, his defensive play is really underrated. He deserves to get a lot of Norris votes.
Is it fair to say Streit has had a lot to do with you developing into a regular this season?
There is no doubt about it. I even have the locker stall next to his. Between periods, he’s always encouraging me: “YOU GO”! You would think if you’re the defense partner of Mark Streit, that’s the last thing you’d be doing. But Mark wants what’s best for me and the team. On top of that, he knows everything about every player in the league. He is so well-prepared and that has rubbed off on me. Confidence comes from preparation.
Comments.
Contacts
Kate Murray, the Town of Hempstead Supervisor, declined to represent her constituency the last two hockey seasons when the Islanders hosted Town of Hempstead nights at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. That’s somewhat understandable. Maybe she was concerned about a perceived conflict of interest if Charles Wang left her a pair of comps at Will Call.
But last May, when Hempstead hosted a scoping hearing at a packed Town Hall, Murray was nowhere to be found. Last month, when the Town of Hempstead adopted the scope, Murray was said to be on vacation.
When it comes to Nassau’s biggest real estate development in a generation, Kate The Public Servant becomes Greta Garbo.
One week from today, the Lighthouse Development Corporation is hosting a Community Education Outreach at 7:00 pm at the Long Island Marriott in Uniondale. That’s Thursday, March 26. Charles Wang and Scott Rechler, the developers approved after a lengthy Request For Proposals process, will be in attendance. Tom Suozzi, the Nassau County Executive, has accepted an invitation to speak. There will be other community leaders, from both sides of the aisle.
The Marriott ballroom will be jammed with citizens for and against the project. Point Blank has been told by residents via email that the Town of Hempstead has begun an underground campaign encouraging dissenters to show up in full force. If you have an opinion about the project but don’t think your voice is important enough to attend, think again.
Everyone is invited. Remember, this is not just about the New York Islanders. Arrive early to get a seat and to sign up to speak.
Kate Murray received the same invitation as Suozzi. There will be no grander stage for the Town Supervisor to tell Lighthouse advocates and opposers what she really thinks. Murray will have as much time as needed to provide her detailed, impassioned view of what she likes and doesn’t like about the Coliseum project. Her concerns – if she had any - will be amplified by the large media turnout. These are the types of opportunites the finest community leaders embrace.
You can be guaranteed this will be a news-making event. Let’s hope Kate Murray will be there next Thursday to represent the Town of Hempstead.
Will you? Point Blank will be there on March 26 at 7:00 pm. In Comments, 1) please RSVP only if you are able to attend; 2) give us an idea of how many of your friends are also coming and 3) whether you’re attending or not, let us know what you hope comes out of the meeting.
Comment Guidelines. If you haven’t already, please read before posting. Islanders call-ups will be tomorrow. Hockey talk in next thread. Thanks.
10:25 am – Tim Jackman has been signed to a one-year contract extension through the 2009-10 season.
The Islanders have decided to reward a grinder for his exhaustive efforts to become an NHL regular and fit into the team’s system. After starting the season in Bridgeport with 6 goals in 12 games, Jackman has become a favorite of the Islanders’ coaching staff for his skating, size, grit and desire to stick up for teammates.
After practice yesterday, we asked Jackman about his improved skating. He said, “Two summers ago, I really felt I was at a crossroads. I was at the point in my career where I was either going to make the NHL or not. I decided to do everything possible to put myself in the best position to succeed. I didn’t want to have any regrets.”
Among his initiatives, Jackman hired a personal strength coach and a skating coach and spent his “offseasons” working even harder than he does during the hockey season. This morning, his efforts paid off.
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