Monthly Archives: November 2009
FANHOUSE: Chris Botta and Adam Gretz on the NHL’s Playoff Pretenders and Contenders…including the Islanders
FANHOUSE: Chris Botta and Adam Gretz on the NHL’s Playoff Pretenders and Contenders…including the Islanders
Live Chat during Islanders-Maple Leafs tonight from 7:00 – 9:45 pm moderated by CB with special guest blogger Dominik of Lighthouse Hockey
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12:05 pm - If You Don’t Learn From History…The word from a blogger friend of mine at Air Canada Centre this morning is that the Islanders will start with the same forward lines as Saturday. Brendan Witt will play while – too bad – Andrew MacDonald looks like the lead candidate to sit.
(UPDATED at 1:00 pm - FYI: Katie Strang has tweeted that Brendan has shared with her the reasons why he has been away. Katie is writing about it for Newsday on Tuesday. Rob Carlin of The Plus has tweeted that Brendan’s daughter suffered a serious infection from a spider bite and is feeling much better now).
The goalie matchup is Dwayne Roloson against Vesa Toskala. Roloson appears to be the No. 1-A now, but you have to believe Martin Biron will get the nod against the Flyers on Wednesday.
The Press About the Press: Today’s the day the reporters and broadcasters write and talk about all the writers and broadcasters around John Tavares at the morning skate. Because, as you may know, hockey is popular in Toronto. It’s actually really big in all of Canada, ya know.
There are more hockey reporters and broadcasters in Toronto than anywhere else. The bottom line is none of this is anything the very mature Tavares cannot handle with ease in about ten minutes. He’s done it plenty of times before. The “look-at-all-the-reporters” angle is also depressing because this “media crush” is what Derek Jeter and David Wright and Mark Sanchez and even Justin Tuck face almost every day of their seasons. Hopefully, they’ll write and talk about the game, too. Moving on…
Big Week in the Country: The Islanders face the Maple Leafs tonight, looking to keep what was a glorious road trip over .500 with a win.
Then the Islanders have a pair of home games: Philadelphia on Wednesday and Pittsburgh on Friday afternoon. The Penguins’ depleted defense aside, this is a chance for the Islanders to show what they can do against the NHL’s varsity. There will be some fans from Philly and Pitt at the old barn on Hempstead Turnpike, but nothing Islanders fans shouldn’t be able to handle. It would be a shame if the Coliseum is not packed for both games.
The great mystery of the challenge of playing a home game after a long road trip is not in play for the Islanders on Wednesday. For starters, they came home for three days last week. In addition, before coming to the Coliseum, the Flyers will have played in Los Angeles, San Jose, Phoenix and Colorado over the previous six days.
The Islanders finish the week on Saturday with a road game against the Devils, another member of the league’s varsity.
Make-or-break week for Scott Gordon’s Islanders? In the marathon of the NHL season, of course not. But they could keep their mojo and any non-diehard fans on the perimeter interested by playing (at least) .500 hockey this week.
These are not last year’s Islanders, which were 10-12-2 before the epic collapse. While many conveniently forget Joey MacDonald was the NHL’s No. 3 star for the month of November, the tandem of Roloson and Biron should be an upgrade over the course of the season. If he makes it through a conditioning stint in Bridgeport with his health intact, Rick DiPietro should start some NHL games in late December.
The Islanders also now have the gift of Tavares, who is not just a goal scorer but makes everyone on the ice with him better. Last season, there were well-documented issues with Bill Guerin, Mike Comrie and Chris Campoli – eventually remedied late in the season with trades. I do not see any conflicts bubbling up with this crew so far this year.
Having said that – “Curb Your Enthusiasm” reference from last night’s season finale – the Islanders do not want to make a mountain out of the losses in Minnesota and St. Louis. At least two wins, including gutsy efforts at home against the Flyers and defending champs, should keep Islanders and the bandwagon rolling.
Comments on this post and tonight’s game. See you tonight for live chat at 7:00 pm.
Kyle Okposo is off to such an impressive start to his Islanders career that it’s easy to forget he played a half-season in the minors between his time with the University of Minnesota and his NHL debut. While with Bridgeport of the American Hockey League for 35 games, Okposo picked up nine goals, 19 assists and countless lessons on how to be a pro.
“I’m really grateful for my time with the Sound Tigers,” Okposo said after practice the other day. Speaking of his coaches there, Okposo said, “Jack Capuano, Pat Bingham, (former assistant) Bernie Cassell…they helped me in every aspect of the game and prepared me for the NHL.”
But when you’re 19 years old, as Okposo was when he joined Bridgeport during the 2007-08 season, there’s nothing more impactful than the leadership of a teammate.
“Mark Wotton is the man,” said Okposo. “What a great person.”
The 36-year-old Wotton is currently in his fourth season with the Sound Tigers. A former teammate of Garth Snow’s in St. Petersburg, Russia during the NHL lockout and also with the Canucks briefly in the late ’90s, Wotton is Bridgeport’s captain, defenseman and symbolic big brother. He played 42 games over parts of three seasons in Vancouver. Outside of one game during the 2000-01 season with the Dallas Stars and the one season in Russia, Wotton has spent this entire decade in the AHL.
Every player that has come through the Islanders’ AHL affiliate the last four years has credited Wotton’s leadership. Okposo is especially appreciative.
“Wotts really took me under his wing,” said the Islanders right wing. “I got there and the staff was extremely helpful, but to have a player like Wotts show you around, look after you, give you little suggestions on how to prepare for games, that was a huge for me. The AHL could not have any more different a lifestyle and a style of play than college.
“Some of our fans may not know about a lot about Mark, but I can tell you he played a big part in my development in Bridgeport – just like all the coaches. I can’t thank Wotts enough.”
Comments on this post only. Comment Guidelines. The conversation about last night’s tilt continues in next thread.
LIVE CHAT TONIGHT!
(Can't believe JD doesn't have Ice Girls in St. Louis)
Will a pre-Thanksgiving game make-or-break the Islanders season? Of course not. But make no mistake, tonight’s tilt against the Blues is an important one in the wake of tossing two points Friday in Minnesota.
I stand by my feeling that the 4-1 win in Boston on Monday was the Islanders’ best beginning-to-end performance of the season. They may not have been brilliant offensively, but for almost all of the 60 minutes the Islanders played steady and tough. A home win over the Atlanta Thrashers without Ilya Kovalchuk can never be your best game.
There is little argument that the loss to the Wild last night was the worst of the season. Not with the bar raised for these Islanders. Not with Minnesota generating little all night – including on a 5-on-3 power play. Not with the Wild reeling from poor play and injuries to a half-dozen regulars.
As stunning and shameful as the giveaway on Owen Nolan’s game winner was, it still wasn’t the reason for the loss. No, the Islanders were plagued again by their failure to put teams away – same deal as in Carolina and Florida last week (they eventually beat the Canes in overtime).
The games in South Florida, Raleigh and Minnesota had one thing in common: the home teams – and their crowds – had nothing going for them. Of the three, the Wild looked the worst. But hey, it happens.
If the Islanders take care of business tonight against the Blues - another nothing-special team – Friday night’s misery will be instantly forgotten. Even better, if the Islanders can put the heartbreaking loss behind them with an efficient performance in St. Louis, it would be another solid sign of a team growing up.
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Many of you may not know this, but Deb Placey is from St. Louis and worked one of her first TV jobs in Missouri. Look forward to seeing Deb back during the home games next week.
Behind a 47-save performance by Nathan Lawson, Bridgeport won in Abbotsford, 3-1, on Friday. Trevor Smith, who grew up an hour away in Vancouver, scored his seventh goal of the season. The Sound Tigers are now at .500 (10-10-0-1).
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We know Dwayne Roloson will be in goal. Other than that…
Will Jeff Tambellini and/or Rob Schremp return to the lineup? My money’s on Tambellini.
If he does, who sits – Blake Comeau? Sean Bergenheim? My dough’s on Comeau.
If Brendan Witt plays – 50/50 – does Andrew MacDonald get scratched, or another dman? Maybe Bruno Gervais (down to 16 minutes last night) watches a game.
With no morning skate in St. Louis, these questions may not be answered until about an hour before the game. But if the Islanders would like to send a text this afternoon, there are thousands of Islanders fans who I’m sure would like to know.
Comment Guidelines. See you at 8:00 pm EST tonight for hours of live Islanders talk.
CB on FanHouse: Bogosian in Team USA Picture
NHL Power Rankings: NYI Movin’ Up Slowly, Steadily
Live Chat: Join the mayhem starting at 8:00 pm EST tonight!
CB on FanHouse: Bogosian in Team USA Picture
Video: Fight erupts after Niedermayer gives away stick
Wild Injuries: The Islanders have another very winnable game on the road tonight in Minnesota. The Wild are not very good to begin with and tonight they’ll be without Martin Havlat, Benoit Pouliot, Petr Sykora, Chuck Kobasew and Pierre-Marc Bouchard. On the other hand, none of them – including 2-6-8 in 19 games Havlat – have played particularly well this season. Maybe Todd Richards is just having his Scott Gordon rookie season as he tries to install a system and an attitude.
The Islanders will have the same forward lineup from yesterday’s practice:
Bergenheim – Nielsen – Okposo
Moulson – Tavares – Park
Sim – Bailey – Hunter
Comeau – Thompson – Jackman
(Schremp, Tambellini)
Per Katie, Martin Biron is the starter tonight. Brendan Witt will sit this one one. He hasn’t skated much lately.
Clutterbuck/Tavares: Good friends and former junior teammates John Tavares and Cal Clutterbuck meet in the NHL for the first time. Clutterbuck, at 22 three years older than Tavares, says he owes his ex-Oshawa linemate a ton, but that won’t stop him from trash-talking all night. The great Wild beat reporter Michael Russo has the story.
While that may be the fun stuff, the Islanders will want to watch out for Clutterbuck. He hits hard, he hits a lot. Sometimes, he hits dangerously. The Islanders, like many teams, don’t have anyone like him.
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Must-Read Islanders Blog: I’ve added a link on the right to another Islanders blog. This was overdue, but Dominick of Lighthouse Hockey does superb work on your favorite team. He brings something different, he brings facts to back up his points. Of all the bloggers unable to follow the hockey team 24/7 – wait, that’s everyone – Dominik does the best work. Don’t let the title fool you. His blog is about the team, not as much about real estate development.
Screw ‘Em!: Five-year-old Josh Sacco, better known as Lil Herb Brooks from the wonderful “Miracle” video on You Tube (1.8 million views and counting), will be at tonight’s game to lead the Minnesota fans in the pre-game roar of ”Let’s Play Hockey.”
Simbellini: Forgive me for not getting all worked up over the scratching of Jeff Tambellini. The Islanders have very little sandpaper and hardly anyone who gets on the nerves of the opponent. If Scott Gordon feels Jeff hasn’t earned a regular spot in the lineup and wants to play PIA Jon Sim over him, no problem here. Something else to consider: there’s no reason to assume Sim is the player currently beating out Tambellini for the job. I actually feel bad wasting a paragraph on the subject, so we’re not going to waste this weekend doin’ the same!
(Wild don't have ice girls. Had to go Vikings)
This is a Sim/Tambellini-free zone. Other comments related to this post or tonight’s game are welcomed. Thank you. See you tonight in Chat at 8:00 pm.
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