Comments on: FLORIDA 2, ISLANDERS 0The facts: team-wide slump leads to 5th L in a row

By: ERIKA TENCIC

ERIKA TENCIC — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:21:55 +0000

I think JT is frustrated because he continually makes some beautiful backhand passes to the net–and no one is there!! Yes this is a good young core. But they would be so much better off with good, real, N.H.L talent to help the young guys with. A rebuild does not mean draft picks only. There are solid players out there, go get them, Garth! Help our boys. The players will pay for themselves. You see what winning does for attendance!

By: JP

JP — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:14:08 +0000

The only way you score goals and get into the flow of the NHL or any league for that matter is playing consistently. In and out of the line up takes the edge off your timing. Refer back to Carlins interview with Andrew Macdonald for further explanation. Tambs has been surrounded with garbage teams in his NHL past. 18 goals isn’t alot but a few things need to be taken into account (ice time, # of shifts, supporting Cast, etc…) Richard Parks 15 year career -40 w/ 90 goals in 659 games definetly deserves more ice time.

By: Matt S.

Matt S. — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 19:22:01 +0000

Jeff Tambellini has played 168 NHL games and has 18 goals. so lets stop acting like he never got a chance to show his skills. he’s 25 years old, thats middle age for an NHL athlete these days. he was drafted SEVEN years ago.

By: Alfred

Alfred — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:43:39 +0000

Islanders fans won’t have faith in the team until the owner has faith in the team.

As long as Mr. Wang intentionally underfunds the payroll, currently $16 million below what half of the teams are spending, then fans will will continue to doubt his intentions.

Mr. Wang: You can’t just tell your customers that you are rebuilding whenever your real estate deals don’t go the way you’d like.

By: Kascycki's Krew

Kascycki's Krew — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:40:09 +0000

Story in Star Phoenix of Saskatchewan saying Isles will be in Saskatoon for a SEP 29 exhibition vs. Calgary. Seems like they will do both China and Sask.

By: UIF

UIF — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:15:06 +0000

I’ll say it again…Tavares needs to get some confidence back. Three games in a row now he did what he needs to do…sneak in unnoticed at the right time for a pass in front…and he’s either fanned or missed the net each time. That doesn’t happen if he’s playing with confidence. Sitting out a game may help. Taking him off the top line and putting the lion’s share of the pressure on Bailey-Schremp-KO also may help. He’ll figure it out.

By: CJCB

CJCB — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:04:25 +0000

So if we have or have had(thompson) all these great PKers or guys that do more than fight like playing on the PK unit, why do wee have the 28th best PK in the leagus? Gilles played 3min because the Islanders dont know how to utilize toughness during a game. Dont worry about Tavares he will be fine as will the rest of the kids Bailey and such, just look at Stamkos in Tampa. Patience!! They have been getting beat up playing with the softest team in the league and have basically caried this team to really overachive at this point. we need new life on the 3rd and 4th lines, and we need to play Gilles all the time to get rid of the softest team ever label, just playing him a game here and a game there just doesnt do it. Get rid of Gervais, this guy does nothing and is probably holding back our next Hillen or Mcdonald somewhere in the organization.

By: Josh

Josh — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:02:59 +0000

I really feel like this losing streak is not the biggest shocker to me. Over the past few games we’ve been outskilled every game. I understand there are a handful of superstars who weve battled against in the past bunch of games but its our depth up front that is a joke. When the flyers can roll Van Riemsdyk on the third line when he was a top 2 pick 3 years ago you know thats a sign. Looking at names like briere richards gagne hartnell giroux pronger carle coyburn, how are you going to win with sim, hunter, comeau on your top 3 lines. Bottom line is we need to start spending some of the cap room we have and build around our players. When you don’t have players like malkin and crosby it’s tough to win with only young talent.

By: RobC

RobC — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:58:15 +0000

If we had true media coverage we would get the answers to Tambys status. You wouldn’t see the Yankees getting away with benching guys without being held accountable to the fans. How hard is it for Rob Carlin to ask the questions fans want answered. All Carlin does is ask loaded questions and he even throws in excuses for the coach before his soft ball questions are even answered.

By: Islander

Islander — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:50:22 +0000

On the issue of Tanbellini…not right what they are doing to him. He should be gone or playing…one or the other. No player deserves this treatment.

By: Willis

Willis — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:48:08 +0000

(sorry CB for the length)

By: Willis

Willis — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:47:38 +0000

Insights? Not sure but I wanted to at least get something out instead of bottling it up inside.

Goalie issue doesn’t matter to me since I think they’ll be fine with either one. Right now though, they are way off kilter and I have no idea why and how they can get back to form.

As far as being “soft”, I am not denying that they are not “a tough team” but again, I don’t think that matters as much as some of you do.

When they were playing well and winning, what were they doing differently (than now)?
They were passing well and quickly, being in the right positions to back up someone, supporting each other, and also the offense was being very responsible on D as well. They would come over the blue line as a group of at least 3, maybe even 4 – and this would make it hard for the other team’s defense because they all had to take a man. So this way the Islanders had more room and it worked well for them as they confused to other team and didn’t allow them to stop them.

They are having a hard time getting into the zone now because (IMO) they aren’t doing the support thing now. Every guy who starts in is crowded by 3 opposing! So now you have one strike and then he is supposed to “pass” to someone else? The closest person is on the other side by the boards and there are 2 opposing in between.

Anyway, they have really lost confidence at this point, you can see it by how they either pass quickly without looking (resulting in a turnover) or the hesitation that I noticed the past 2 games from everywhere. Also I think this feeling like they are being suffocated is causing the shots to go wide as well.

Its a downward spiral and they as well as we need Scotty Gordon to see this and take them out of it. Inexperience is one thing but its time to get on with the moving forward stuff now.

And finally, although I can’t stand this saying I think it is very appropriate – THIS TOO SHALL PASS.