Monthly Archives: March 2010
With the speed of the internet, history gets revised a little more quickly these days.
This is not inside information, just merely setting the record straight. The Los Angeles Kings did not swoop in and hire Dean Lombardi while Charles Wang looked for a new Islanders general manager. For the record, Lombardi did not “nearly” become the Islanders general manager. It never came close.
Lombardi interviewed with the Islanders and was highly recommended by hockey people inside and outside the team, but he was never considered a serious candidate by Wang.
Keep in mind, this was back in the Islanders’ “hockey committee” days. Wang knew Lombardi would insist on a traditional GM’s role. Lombardi – with a track record and without desperation for a GM job – would not go for that, which is why he accepted the Kings’ offer.
On June 8, 2006, Wang hired Neil Smith, who was desperate for the job and accepted the conditions of the committee (that is, until he went to work). Forty-one days later, Smith was replaced as general manager by Garth Snow. The committee concept went away quietly within two years. Today, final hockey decisions are made by Snow and Wang.
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Facing a talented home team looking to get a stronger hold on a playoff berth, the Islanders did so many things right. They just could not finish – or Jonathan Quick stoned them – in a bitter 1-0 loss Saturday night in Los Angeles.
The Islanders’ inability to finish was best illustrated when John Tavares threw a gorgeous pass from behind the net to Kyle Okposo, who was stopped by a Quick arm save with eight seconds left and Dwayne Roloson pulled for an extra attacker.
“Once we got our legs under us after the first period, I thought we had the better of play for two periods,” said Scott Gordon. ”We just couldn’t score. Jonathan Quick obviously played a pretty good game for them. They took advantage of a team that played last night, getting the early lead in the first period.”
Brad Richardson’s goal at 13:35 of the first held up. Each team had 26 shots on goal. Roloson has a .951 save percentage in his last three games.
The Islanders, with ten games left, remain six points behind eighth place Boston. The Bruins host the Rangers on NBC on Sunday. To have a better shot of staying in the playoff race, the Islanders need their heated rival to win in regulation. The Bruins and Thrashers play Tuesday, so at least one team is going to get points.
Even with the pointless night, Tavares (seven points in the first two games of the trip) should merit serious consideration for one of the NHL’s Three Stars of the Week when they are announced on Monday.
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4:00 pm: With a win tonight in Los Angeles, the Islanders pull within four points of eighth-place, Marc Savard-less Boston with a host of crummy teams – the Rangers, Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Florida, Carolina (the best of the bunch) - around them.
Since the Islanders have been talking playoffs, I didn’t think Scott Gordon’s bolt on Rob Carlin was nearly as big a whoop as another move last night. Not sure why Gordon would start his No. 2 goaltender in the 5-4 overtime loss in Anaheim. Back-to-back games with the playoffs on the line should not be an issue, no matter how perfect Martin Biron’s record was against the Ducks while playing for better teams in Philadelphia and Buffalo. Dwayne Roloson is the man who got the Islanders to this place.
Still, the gritty-gutties charge on, with coreboys Kyle Okposo and John Tavares looking swell.
Tonight is big. A win, and the playoff conversation can continue into games next week at MSG on Wednesday and Calgary at home on Thursday. An Islanders loss, coupled with an (unlikely) win by the Bruins over the Rangers on Sunday afternoon in Boston, and the Fall for Seguin and Hall choir can begin warming up again. If the Islanders are not going to make the playoffs, there is still a very reasonable chance of them adding Tyler Seguin, Taylor Hall or Cam Fowler to the long and steady rebuild.
You’re bound to hear and read a lot about Matt Moulson over the next 24 hours. Moulson is one of the NHL’s great stories of the season and a terrific pickup for the Islanders. But it’s a giant leap to say the Los Angeles Kings goofed or miss Moulson. They made a decision to move on without him and are 16 games over .500, currently in playoff position after a rebuild. The Islanders deserve to take a bow over his acquisition, absolutely. To say the Kings made a massive mistake is losing sight of reality.
As noted by the unstoppable MSG Network statistician Eric Hornick, the Islanders have been out-scored a league-worst 78-40 in the third period. The -38 is bad enough for this young team, but some perspective really brings the pain. Those 40 third period goals are nine fewer than the next-worst team. Only three teams have allowed more than the Islanders’ 78 goals in the third period.
All the Islanders should do is embrace the ugliness as another climb in the learning curve, just as they’ve shouted to the mountaintops about how they have already earned more points this season than last.
Or, as the magical Mark Knopfler wrote for the underrated song on his classic Dire Straits album…
Why worry
There should be laughter after pain
There should be sunshine after rain
These things have always been the same
Why worry now?
I’ll be loitering in the Comments space during the game. Thank you for continuing to check out the blog.
CB’s 24 hours of Bruins-Penguins
Leading 4-2 after two periods facing an opponent that appeared out of sync and lifeless, the Islanders were out-shot by Anaheim 14-2 and out-scored 2-0 in the third period before Saku Koivu scored on a breakaway 14 seconds into overtime.
Scott Gordon, after a series of softball questions after a tough loss, walked away from MSG Network’s Rob Carlin during the live postgame show when the sideline reporter asked about the Islanders’ third period troubles. My hunch is Gordon was upset because he addressed in Carlin’s first question how the Ducks came back. Instead of walking out, Scott should have gone toe-to-toe with him and tell the interviewer why he thought the question was BS.
The Islanders have been out-scored by 38 goals in the third period this season.
Said Howie Rose immediately after the blow-off: “Sometimes a non-answer is more of an answer than you sometimes verbalize. Scott not really happy with the question, I guess. But I think it’s a fair one when you consider it’s been a theme and tonight it reared itself again.”
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4:00 pm: First off, congratulations to Rhett Rakhshani on his selection as one of the ten finalists for the Hobey Baker Award as college hockey’s player of the year.
Whether you’re monitoring the playoff race or The Fall for Seguin and Hall, just about every game last night worked in the Islanders’ favor. With a win tonight, the Islanders would close to within five points of eighth-place Boston with eleven games to go.
Most believe, with good reason, that the odds of the Islanders making the playoffs are outlandish. But there’s also the matter of every team in the East from 8-15 being pretty crummy. Yeesh. If only for one time, maybe they should have a play-in tournament. Ironically, that’s kind of what’s going on now anyway. Rangers play Boston on Sunday.
From the great Eric Hornick, here is some clarification on the five-point achievement of John Tavares in Vancouver on Tuesday.
Tavares tied the Islanders’ record of five points in a game by a rookie. He’s only the third to do so on the road.
MOST POINTS, ROOKIE, ONE GAME: …………… 5
John Tavares (2-3)……………………….3/16/10 at Vancouver
Mikko Makela (2-3)………………………1/28/86 vs. Toronto
Pat LaFontaine (3-2)……………………..3/3/84 at Toronto
Mike Bossy (1-4) ………………………..11/1/77 vs. Atlanta
Bryan Trotter (1-4)……………………..11/26/75 at Minnesota
Bryan Trottier (3-2) ……………………10/11/75 vs. Los Angeles
Dave Hudson (1-4)……………………….3/3/73 vs Vancouver
Curbing the giddiness from Tavares’ five-point bonanza on Tuesday is the knowledge that he had five points combined in his previous 20 games (one goal and four assists). Yep, he’s a kid, all right.
If anyone’s around, see you tonight for game commentary.
Chris Botta on Twitter
Aaron Ness knows he has to leave the University of Minnesota. The Islanders want their skilled second round pick from 2008 to begin his professional development as a defenseman. Now it’s just a matter of the team and the player agreeing on the next step, and a contract.
Multiple sources tell Point Blank that Ness, who just concluded his sophomore season with the Gophers, is ready to turn pro – if the Islanders want him. A league source said the Islanders have not given up on Ness and hope to strike a low-risk Entry Level contract agreement so the 5-10 defenseman can play in the minor leagues.
A former powerhouse, the Minnesota hockey program has been a shambles the last few years under the direction of coach Don Lucia (yes, Garth Snow was very much publicly ahead of the curve on this one). The Gophers finished this season at 18-19-2.
Ness has regressed under the tutelage of assistant coach John Hill. At one time thought to be a lock for Team USA at the World Junior Championships, the strong-skating Ness did not even make it to the final round of cuts. Islanders prospect Matt Donovan, a fourth round draft pick now with the University of Denver, made the team. In 29 games this season, the offense-minded Ness had just two goals and ten assists.
According to a source close to the Minnesota team, Lucia is known for telling young players of the “horrors” of the minor leagues in an attempt to keep them with the Gophers. Ness’s development has fallen off to the point where the pro ranks are his only option if he wants to give himself the chance of achieving his dream of playing in the NHL. His closest friend, Jordan Schroeder, has just left the school after signing a contract with the Vancouver Canucks.
Bridgeport of the American Hockey League is the likely destination, and the choice of Ness, but some time in the East Coast Hockey League is not out of the question for the struggling defenseman.
In a very rare college case, Kyle Okposo left Minnesota in 2008 in the middle of his sophomore season. Ness, for his own good, will likely leave now that his second year is over. The Islanders should be able to make arrangements.
Comments on Aaron Ness and this post.
From Boston, Matt Cooke-Bruins coverage for FanHouse
UPDATED at 11:00 am: A real MSG press release:
MSG, a leader in delivering state-of-the-art, cutting edge technology to viewers, announced today that it will telecast the March 24 Rangers-Islanders matchup from Madison Square Garden in 3D, the first network hockey telecast ever produced in 3D. MSG will also be the first network in America to offer home viewers a live 3D sports telecast. In 1998, MSG was the first regular provider of sports coverage in high-definition television, producing all Knicks and Rangers home games in that emerging format.
The Rangers will host a special viewing party of this historic telecast at the Theater at Madison Square Garden that will include appearances by popular Rangers alumni Mark Messier, Adam Graves, Ron Duguay, Nick Fotiu, Ron Greschner, Dan Blackburn and others, as well as fan contests and giveaways . Tickets to the 3D screening are $20 and available at newyorkrangers.com via Ticketmaster. MSG HD subscribers with 3D compatible televisions will be able to watch the telecast on a separate channel offered by Cablevision, and MSG is in discussions with other providers. For more information please visit msg.com/3D.
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When I first heard about the Jets’ reaction to losing the coin flip to host the first-ever game at the new football stadium they are sharing with the Giants, I felt as most did. Owner Woody Johnson was being irrational, paranoid and politically very incorrect toward NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
Then, as I was walking around the city on St. Patrick’s Day, some guy in a Rangers jersey and green hat stumbled out of the Mean Fiddler and over to me and said the Islanders suck and I suck (he obviously reads the blog, lol). It got me day-dreamin’…
Fiction: The NHL Winter Classic Coin Toss
(phone rings in the offices of the Lighthouse Development Corporation)
Gary Bettman: “Hey CBW, it’s the commish! How are you? Yeah, I’m sure Kate’s gonna come back with a great plan. Look, I wanted to give you an update on something.
“We’re going to do the next Winter Classic in New York! Isn’t that great? The Mets told us we can have Citi Field from Oct. 4 on, no problem. So here’s what we came up with. Sidney and the Penguins have to be in the game. Dick Ebersol wouldn’t have it any other way, you know that. Then it came down to your Islanders and Jimmy’s Rangers.
“What we decided to do was flip a coin. I did it myself, right here in our offices. For witnesses, I had Colie and one of the kids from newyorkrangers, I mean, nhl.com. We had some cake and made a little event of the whole thing. It was really exciting.
“Look, let me just come out and say it. The bad news is that the Rangers won. To make it really fair, we made it a best two-out-of-three!
“The Rangers are going to play the Penss on New Year’s Day on NBC. But here’s the good news. I’ve worked it out so you get the first VERSUS game of the New York teams! The Islanders are going to play the late game in San Jose. Hope you’re as excited about this as we are.”
Then I thought about how Islanders Country would feel if the NHL flipped a coin that came up Rangers and no one from the teams was there to witness it.
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After missing four months of action with a hip injury that required major surgery, 2009 second round pick Mikko Koskinen has been sent to Utah of the East Coast Hockey League to play some games. Koskinen could re-join Bridgeport for the stretch run and any potential playoff action. With almost all of this season lost, the 6-5 Finn will need at least a full 2010-11 season with the Sound Tigers before his NHL prospects can be properly judged.
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Chris Botta on TwitterThis is a one-post-per reader Comment thread, please.
Blake Comeau, who has six goals and seven assists in his last nine games, credits a surprising source for his improved all-around play this season: defenseman/nutritionist Freddy Meyer.
“Freddy and Andy Sutton have been major inspirations to me when it comes to fitness and nutrition,” said Comeau, who had an assist in last night’s 5-2 win in Vancouver. “Freddy, since the end of last season, has taught me so much about good eating habits. I knew coming ino this season that I wanted to play lighter so I can be quicker on my feet, but not lose any strength. By talking to Freddy about it so much, I’ve learned how.”
The result of Meyer’s wisdom was a loss for Comeau of ten pounds and a gain of a career-high 12 goals.
“The difference in my game, especially in the second half, has been noticeable,” said Comeau. “I have a lot more left late in games. I’m beating guys to the puck. I owe a lot to Freddy.”
“I can’t take credit for Blake’s success,” said the veteran defenseman. “He’s a very good player just coming into his own. He’s asked some questions over the year and I’ve given him some advice. My wife (Lindsey) and I have always been into nutrition. Now that we’ve started a family, we really try to stay on top of what we eat. If the advice has helped Blake in any way, I’m glad.”
Comeau said he has made a pair of adjustments to his game that have also made a difference.
Consistent competitiveness: “I was guilty of taking my foot off the peddle at times,” said Comeau, referring to an inability to play physically for 60 straight minutes or consecutive games. “I feel I’ve made a lot of strides in the way I compete.”
Scoring chances: “Something has clicked the last month or so. I’ve made it a personal goal to get least five good shots off a game – at least,” said Comeau. He grinned. “You have to figure I’m going to miss the net once or twice, maybe have another one blocked. This gives me the chance to get a few high quality scoring chances a game. It’s worked.”
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ToH Communicates: Town of Hempstead supervisor Kate Murray has mailed a letter to residents explaining the Town’s decision to “jump-start” the Lighthouse Project. Some highlights of the Murray missive:
“Reasonable development is coming to the hub of Nassau County.”
“The Lighthouse proposal’s process has ground to a halt. If the town did not act to get the process moving forward, development at the Lighthouse site would simply remain in limbo indefinitely.”
“The developers (Charles Wang and Scott Rechler) have withdrawn from participating in the environmental review and zoning process.”
“We have directed the (town) consultants to come up with a Planned Development District that would complement a refurbished Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum and accomodate many of the priorities that have been included in the Lighthouse proposal…I believe the PDD should be harmonious with our region’s suburban character.”
“In my opinion, the Lighthouse plan, as it stands, would create a mini-city with numerous mid- and high-rise buildings (of the total 41 buildings proposed, 19 towers range from five to 40 stories), casting shadows over three zip codes.”
“The developers have indicated that their project would add 1,500 car trips per hour, while town consultants have calculated that the proposed development will result in 6,500 new car trips per hour (during peak travel periods).”
“We are hopeful that the Lighthouse Group will embrace a new zone and adjust its development proposal accordingly. I am proud that the town has “jump-started” the process and I am excited about the future of Nassau’s hub. We’re all Islanders, and reasonable development will promote a bright future for our region and help to keep our local hockey team where it belongs.”
Point Blank Take: No one can blame Kate Murray and the Town of Hempstead for trying to explain their process, even if the whole “jump-start” stuff is pretty funny. Since the Lighthouse Development Corporation has basically gone dark since Oct. 1, the Town has every right to attempt to get its bullet points across to its residents. They did so in an effective, politically-smart manner.
A Nassau County source tells Point Blank that Hempstead has a lofty goal of presenting its vision for the Lighthouse property by Memorial Day. It will be fascinating to see what Murray and her Westchester-based donor/consultants come up with. By cutting the project drastically – and they will – the ToH board could back itself into a difficult corner. They could run the risk of push-back like, “Town scraps affordable housing” or “Town doesn’t want business development” or even “Town okay with less than state-of-the-art arena.”
Of course, the big question is, how much will the Town scale back? Count on it being a lot. If that wasn’t clear before, it should be from the letter. “Casting shadows over three zip codes” is a great, knife-twisting line by Hempstead PR guy Michael Deery.
If the town cuts the Lighthouse Project by more than half – the house Project? the Liferaft Project? – there won’t be enough room for Wang to negotiate. It’s difficult to envision, after all the years and dollars spent, Wang settling for less than 75% of what he proposed. If Murray scales down dramatically, Wang will have to turn to his options.
One thing is for certain: Paris has her tower, London has her bridge, but Nassau is not getting the “iconic destination point” Wang wanted for Long Island. Nevertheless, he doesn’t want to go anywhere else, and Nassau and the Town of Hempstead could still give the Islanders owner his best deal.
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Two goals and three assists for John Tavares, which ties an Islanders rookie record. First NHL goal by Dylan Reese. After the Islanders swept last weekend, I asked Scott Gordon if there was any reason why a young team playing loose couldn’t win games on this West coast trip. He said there weren’t any reasons at all, as long as they played within themselves. With the win, the Islanders remain seven points behind eighth-place Boston and jump over Florida for 12th in the East.
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