ISLANDERS 4, CAROLINA 3 (OT)
Hero Kyle Okposo goes from H1N1 to G1 A1
Since the chats on Wednesday and Friday each featured more than 1,200 readers, we will go for it again on Saturday when the Islanders are in Florida to face the Panthers. Thank you to everyone for their participation…CB
40 Responses to “ISLANDERS 4, CAROLINA 3 (OT)
Hero Kyle Okposo goes from H1N1 to G1 A1”
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I need to buy more tums after this one, but 2 points is 2 points I guess and at least we aren’t the team that ended the Canes losing streak
That being said, this team has got to stop letting other teams just cycle the puck at will. Someone on the other chat was blaming Biron for this comeback. You have got to be kidding me. Biron gave up a softie yes, but he made some really nice saves at times when Carolina took over. I don’t care who is in goal, when you let any team dominate you in the 2nd and 3rd period of a game; your goalie is going to give up a few goals. This loss of the 3-goal lead is in no way on Biron; it is on the team for letting Carolina out play them and basically playing like they were standing still for the last 40 minutes of the game.
Thankfully we still got the win and it was a great fantasy hockey night for me as I have JT, Streit and Okposo; who combined had all 4 Islanders goals.
They need to start clearing the zone better, skating it or passing it out with some semblance of precision. BIGGEST OFFENDERS of easy clears in order:
1)Sutton
2)Streit (he could have easily been #1)
3)Gervais (Mr. inconsistency)
UNSUNG HEROES OF TONIGHTS GAME:
1)Witt played big in big spots and penalty kill
2)Hillen…I love this guy, skates it out and his confidence is growing. My sense is he’ll be around for many years to come.
thanks again CB for the live chat. it’s like icing on the cake.
Come the wee, wee hours maybe baby the gyspy lied…. go Springsteen…Isles blow a 3-0 lead and win it in ovetime…God have mercy on the man who doubts what he’s sure of….more boss….go Islanders
Yes, I have to give some props to Hillen who has been a nice surprise.
Glad the Isles took 2 tonight, it looked iffy after the first.
Now get some sleep end do a better job tomorrow! Go Isles!
*and
Can we trade Biron for a defenseman NOW!!! Interesting to see Gordon sit both Tambellini and Bailey tonight
We still need a REAL first line winger to play with Tavares. He scored on the PP but you don’t see him much even strength. I brought this up at the end of the chat, but I will say it again here. Chicago needs goaltending (no one trusts huet) and they are also in trouble because they need to sign kane and toews after just signing hossa. Nielsen is clearly our number 2 center of the future, over bailey. So how about this: biron and bailey for patrick sharp.
3 out of 4 points on the trip so far. I consider this a huge plus. So are JTs 1st multi goal game and KO’s winner. The 2nd period I’d just as soon forget, I don’t care HOW GoGo spins it.
If the game went to a shootout, Gordon would have looked even sillier with Tamby out of the lineup. Gordon leaves me scratching my head so many times. Why is Park playing on the first line when the team has better players for the job? I can understand sitting Bailey for a game since he has struggled, by why is Sim still in the line-up? Please sit him and maybe Thompson for Tamby and Bailey. I mean, Bailey might as well play if he isn’t going to BP. Why doesn’t Gordon call timeouts when his team needs to regroup? Anyway, I’m glad the team won, but I just don’t understand how a player like Sim who played decent last year but couldn’t even stay up as a stick-boy is now playing like crap this year but Gordon has decided he is indispensable. What kind of rebuild is this Snow? Let’s sit the young guys and give the old grinders the prime minutes. Do the vets have naked pics of Gordon or something? We really have a couple of guys who bring nothing to this team.
adam7, we have that winger, it’s Okposo. Scott just likes to fix what few parts are not broken. I have seen enough of Schremp to know he is not remotely the answer for any question we might have. We have more than enough small, slow skating quasi skiled home grown forwards. I also do not see what the allure is with Comeau. Tambellini being scratched is ridiculous, while Bailey’s was overdue.
I predict that for at least one game this season, Scott Gordon will actually ice the best available line up for a game. That being said, who among us would not have signed up for one game over NHL .500 at this point of the season? If DP ever comes back for real, this team may just fight for a playoff spot.
Sumo Goalie (#10) you have no idea what you’re talking about. Sim and Thompson are in the line-up because they have EARNED their spots, they bring grit, tenacious checking, they win loose pucks… they play with heart. You NEED players like them on a “team”. A “team” isn’t about playting fantasy hockey. You need players bringing intangibles to the ice that don’t show up on the score sheet. Relax - Tambi and Josh will be fine; nothing wrong with sitting and watching if you’re taking something in on the game…
With apologies to anyone who may have thought of this first (I haven’t read the chat comments):
Tonight, KO went from swine to twine!
Was GoGo watching the same game as the rest of us? What 2nd period chances other than in the final seconds was he referring to? At least they got two points despite only playing well for less than half of the game. Tavares would have a lot more points if he were playing with some finishers.
*Anthony#12
Sim adds what. Smallish, can’t handle the puck and is basically invisible. To sit Bailey is ridiculous. He needs playing time. I do agree Thompson has grown on me but he is expendable, Bailey is our now and future. Tambellini needs to play one way or another. He can have a bad game here and there but play him. He is a different player this year and believe me I was NO Tambs fan.
I think sitting Bailey tonight was a good thing for him. Let him watch a game or two from the pressbox like Comeau did. Long term it could be the best thing for him.
Let’s all take a step back for a second…20 points after 19 games is outstanding for a team that had 61 points all last season. The Isles still have plenty of needs and issues but it’s hard to argue with the results right now. I don’t always agree with Gordon’s moves but he seems to me to be a good fit for this team now.
PS: Sim seems to squander whatever hard work Neilson or other linemates do.
Anthony, I respectfully disagree. Sim hasn’t earned anything and isn’t exactly the best defensive player either. Thompson is a better option than Sim, and for the most part is a decent 4th line player but he really isn’t anything special either. The team has grit in Okposo, Hunter, Park, Witt, Jackman, Sutton, and Bergenheim, but the team is lacking in overall skill which Tamby and Bailey are better at providing. And grit is useless in the NHL if you don’t have skill or defensive acumen to go with it. Sim provides zero offense and is becoming a defensive liability and if having 1g and 1a and a -6 +/- after 18 games is earning ice time well then you are right. Tamby has 6g 3a and a +1 in 13 games and is arguably our best SO player, not to mention him and Bailey are both plus players. So I’ll take my 2 fantasy players over your 2 grit guys any day.
On a side note, I agreed with the benching of Bailey, but if he isn’t going to go to BP then he should be put right back into the lineup. And Gordon needs to stop playing favorites when it comes to sitting people. He seems to have a few teacher’s pets.
Adam! You are still at it. Just what don’t you like about Matt Moulson? Is it his stereotypical label as a minor leaguer? Some players take longer to find their niche. Moulson finally realized that he could and should be more than simply a swift skater for a big man. Now that he is willing to pay the price down low in the scoring areas he is producing for the first time in his career. He has been the perfect complement for Tavares,who is proving to be a surpringly good playmaker in addition to his scoring touch. I agree for balance it might be best for Okposo to be on the second line while searching for an upgrade as a 3rd linemate for Tavares and Moulson. Until the latter proves he doesn’t belong,he remains a surprisingly efficient player who is a late bloomer. Also,please stop with your premature definitive assessment of Bailey. He has begun to turn his Game around. The verdict on either he or Neilson is long from being concluded.
Hunter needs to play with jt and mm, sit Comeau and schremp and put Bailey and tambs back in with sim. Gives us our best lineup IMO with weight hurt
cb you used my G1A1 line from the chat show me some love for best comment lol
Oren, you obviously never played against an in-your-face scrapper who’s relentless, draws penalties - gets you off your game. Sim plays hard every shift. I’m not saying he’s our saviour, or John Tonelli or anything, but he’s a player who brings something different to the table than Tambi, Schremp, Neislon, Bailey etc. You need that on a team; you can’t have too many 5′ 9″ 170 lb “wanna-be scoring forwards” on your team. Aside from Hunter, we don’t have any monsters in the corners. Sim’s not a monster, but he battles hard and compliments the scores. And he’s a veteran, somethng this team needs… We’re winning with him, be happy with that!
It’s fun watching meaningful games for a change! After last year, I really didn’t want to be rooting for the top pick again at the mid-way point! Enjoy it…
I disagree that tonight was good for Bailey. We took him from the Spitfires last year and now we expect him to get it. I thought that he has played great when Weight was on his line because he had someone to play with. If Gordon wanted my opinion I’d sit Shremp & Sim, unless they are trying to get Sim going to trade him. Then I’d sit Bergenheim.
Play Bailey with Hunter & Comeau. Playing Bailey as a third line center is going to make him disappear. Develop him. Put him on a line with people that can play.
While it is not entertaining, New Jersey would play boring, shutdown hockey and confidently old onto 1 goal leads.
Why can we not teach our players to hold a lead???????? i am tired of giving up leads and working hard to salvage points. something is wrong wih the game approach for a 60 minute game!!!! WE are getting leads and losing them.
I recommend the Islanders video gees review NJ devil tapes and learn how it’s done because our system after a lead is not working, plain and simple.
I would rather read everyone’s comments saying how the Islanders controlled the game from beginning to end rather than reading comments about being happy to get the 2 points!
Gogo needs to further modify his system - especially when going into the third with a lead. Looking over the game results this year, I think we could have 6 more points today if my idea was a reality.
Al, I wasn’t referncing Moulson. I meant the other wing. Moulson is growing on me, however, I do not think he is the answer.
The Isles are 7-6 when most experts picked them for last and there are still a ton of complaints. Unreal.
Guys, I don’t get all the complaining, a road win is a road win. Was it a thing of beauty, far from it. But not every game is a work of art. Enjoy them finding ways to win. As far as who sits, if you win then the coach was right. I for one like both Bailey and Tambellini but I think some sort of rotation may be good for this team. It keeps everyone hungry and competing for playing time. Also, while I’m rooting for him, Schremp hasn’t shown me anything thus far. Granted its a small sample but so far I’m not impressed. His defensive lasp contributed to the third Carolina goal. Try and enjoy the win folks.
Bottom Line: We’re All Islanders!
Did you hear the Stat - First time since before their 1st Cup that they scored 3 Goals in the first period for 3 games in a row. WOW. Just can’t overlook the path those breadcrumbs are leading to.
the isles didnt play a great game. they had the ‘canes down, and let them back into the game, via a soft goal. and they still won. pretty no. fun to watch, yep. and they won. they won a road game that for the past two or three seasons they woud have folded and lost. instead of getting tight and spitting the bit, the hunkered down, nearly won at the end of regulation time, and got two points in OT.
a win tonite is 5/6 points over 3 road games in 4 nites. thats good work for any NHL team. the isles need to learn to hold leads, people need to learn to enjoy victories.
Heading to tonights game to watch the boys play. It’s been awhile since the Isles won one in Florida. But before I head to the game I think I will enjoy this sunny and 80 degree awesome weather
After tonight about 1/4 of the season is complete, and no matter how much we like to complain, no matter what grudge we might hold against GS, CW and the team, no matter what we all THOUGHT should have been done in the off season, it is absolutely clear we are heading in the right direction. Our stars are developing, young guys needing time to develop are (and are getting better even if not as fast as we want), our BO kids are playing and developing, despite the premature negative evaluation (just look at the usual ETA for draft picks to reach the NHL), we have a solid prospect core in college, juniors, and Europe, and have cap space when the time is right. I think if we take a step back there is more to look forward to than we’ve had in a very long time!
Guy’s that wasn’t pretty last night but two point’s is just that 2 point’s, and on the road even better. After tonight the Islander’s will be at the 1/4 point of the season(20)game’s. And with a win(hopefully) they’ll be 8-6-6 for 22 PTS. Who on Oct,3 the home opener would of thought that they would be where they are I didn’t. I thought they would be compitive. Overall there play has been okay, as we all know to many lead’s blown and to many defensive break down’s. And I’m talking all player’s on the ice they all have a job to do in the DEF zone, if someone’s wide op[en in front of that net then someone missed there assignment. Theree’s an old saying there’s five mistake’s before the puck get’s to the goalie. The only knock that I may of Moulson is he may hold on the to the puck to long and doesn’t also seem to look to pass, otherwise he wasn’t even suppose to make the team and look at his numbewr’s not to bad. I think JT is coming along just fine, does he need work, yes every 19 old in the NHL need’s work. He’s starting to show flash’s of what he can do and with time and hard work that will come. Look at Steven Stamkos last year’s # 1 pick the type of season he’s having already. Let’s not start talking trading Biron when it’s not going to happen to at the earliest late Feb or at the deadline. Overall were a better team then last year are we making the playoff’s, well only time will answer that one, as long as there compitive night in and night out that’s all that we can ask for.
LETS GO ISLANDERS!!!!!
I agree with #12..also play Bailey..let Schremp go wherever he is supposed to go…..
Last nights game was ugly, plain and simple. After 20 stellar minutes, they thought Carolina would simply lay down. The Isles got lazy and sloppy and let the Canes back in it. I’m sure that although Marty Biron played an excellent game, he would like that game tying goal back. Never expected to see such a good game from Okposo considering his illness. That overtime goal was as good a goal as you’ll see anywhere this year.
2 JT & OT KO WE WIN!
#8 Chicago is not trading Patrick Sharp. Not this season, when they have a shot at the cup. The Hawks are poised for a cup either this season or next season. Sharp is very valuable to there team. I just dont see them giving him up for an unproven young player in Bailey who should be good and biron who is a streaky goalie without contract next season. The islanders would have to give up more or some picks. It wont happen, not for sharp. I say do it for Ladd.
More roloson Less Biron………’nuff said
I wonder if Park is being marketed to other teams. Was interesting that Howie made special mention of his faceoff and play prior to Okie goal also 1st line play. Advertising? HM