ISLANDERS AT FLORIDA, 7:00 pm/Commentary Night
NYI wisely play it safe by holding out Bailey
12:25 pm: The 4-1-2 Islanders try to keep the good vibrations humming tonight when they face the Florida Panthers at whatever they call their arena. The Islanders have won three straight, including their last two on the road.
PA Parenteau (2-5-7) leads the Islanders in scoring through seven games, while five players are tied for second place with six points: Josh Bailey, Doug Weight, James Wisniewski, Matt Moulson and Blake Comeau.
Jack Hillen will take Andrew MacDonald’s place on defense (credit: Katie Strang). Once Hillen gets his legs under him with a little icetime, he’ll no doubt do just fine. He is one of the most intelligent players the Islanders have had over the last decade.
Bailey sits for the second and likely last game with his injured hip. Sounds like the training staff wants to be cautious with Bailey, which makes a lot of sense. They don’t play again until Wednesday in Montreal. If they’re winning most nights no matter who Scott Gordon writes on the lineup card, what’s the rush?
No surprise: No. 1 goaltender Rick DiPietro gets another start. Dwayne Roloson isn’t just the best No. 2 in the league, he’s better than half of the No. 1s.
Notes: The Panthers are honoring Bill Torrey before the game for his role as team President since the franchise’s first season. Hard to believe anyone is questioning the integrity of the ceremony. Mr. Torrey has been a mentor of mine since 1987, so I can understand the impact he’s had in Florida on and off the ice the last 17 years. He’s still a Governor and consultant for the Panthers – or as Torrey likes to say, an “insultant.” Through a Stanley Cup Final appearance, seasons with little funding, changes in ownership and the successful deal to land a new arena, Torrey has held that place together. Jiggs McDonald will serve as Master of Ceremonies.
He may have just one assist in five games as a freshmen, but the buzz of Islanders 2010 30th overall pick Brock Nelson in North Dakota has been good. For a freshman playing at a high level, he has looked like he belongs. UND suffered its first loss of the season last night to Maine, Garth Snow’s alma mater.
Bridgeport fell behind 3-0 to Manchester before losing 6-3 last night. The Sound Tigers are now 2-4-0-0 on the season. Rob Hisey, Justin DiBenedetto and David Ullstrom scored for the visitors. Nathan Lawson was the goaltender. Ullstrom (2-2-4) and Jesse Joensuu (1-3-4) lead the team in scoring through six games. Travis Hamonic has one goal, 18 penalty minutes and is -1 through six. For the development of their goalies, one – Lawson, Kevin Poulin and the least likely candidate, Mikko Koskinen – will eventually have to be sent to the ECHL for regular play.
Commentary Tonight: Saturday nights are often slow in the blog business, but if you’d like to talk about the game in Comments tonight and ask a few questions, I’ll be there from start to finish of the game.
Heck, the game should be over around 9:30, so there will be plenty of time for all of us to go out after.
Comments and your predictions for tonight’s game are welcomed.
52 Responses to ISLANDERS AT FLORIDA, 7:00 pm/Commentary Night
NYI wisely play it safe by holding out Bailey
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Themass says:
No surprise in goal? I’m surprised! Roli looks better than he did last year. He gives us the BEST chance to win right now (because) DP is not all the way back yet. He’s getting there but what’s the rush? Doent he have like 11yrs on that contract? I guess we can’t complain because so far it doesn’t matter who’s in goal…which is freakin’ awesome!!! LETS KEEP THE STREAK ALIVE BOYS!!!
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Greg says:
In all respect, the panthers are not a powerhouse. No doubt we have been had by them in the past countless occasions. Starting DP gives him a game where he will not be put in against an allstar team, ala Washington.
Give Rolie the start for the MTL games since they run a fast punchy offensive that likes to shoot. He will be a rock.
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Lorne says:
Smart move, give Bailey extra rest. We do not play again till Wednesday.
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kurvers28 says:
Not many teams would cool off their hot goalie in Roloson. Islanders would.
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Greg65 says:
Sink or swim, Dipietro will allways be #1. The smart thing to do is stop drafting goalies cause Patrick Roy in his prime would sit behing Dipietro as long as Wang is the GM.
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D in BIG D says:
I just think the trainers and medical staff have told Isles management that there is nothing else for them to do w/ Ricky as far as rehab or surgery so its basically time to play or retire.Isles are just seeing what he can handle right now.A lot of his problems may be mental more than anything so the only way for him to overcome them is to play on a regular basis.He is looking better but Roli is still the better option in my opinion but we are stuck w/ DP for a long time.I see Roli being moved by x-mas or sooner IF DP can stay healthy.I still say the caps w/ Roli could win it all.
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Isle Be Damned says:
Parenteau is 2-5-7, not 5-2-7
I can’t argue going with DiPietro because he did just have his strongest game of the year last time out.
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Pete says:
I think PA Parenteau is 2-5-7, not 5-2-7. No biggie. You can erase this anal post after you change it. I’m not a “gotcha” guy.
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Islesfan in Vancouver says:
Did no one watch dp in the third period against Tampa? We won that game because of Rick, he was rock solid. Seriously people, he is not a downgrade in net. He looks better every game and that is extremely good news for this franchise
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Blizzard says: ….as much as I would like to I can not disagree with starting DP. He has been steadily getting better. If we can get him to form in the long run it will be better for the Islanders.
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Robert P says:
Oh no!… Bruno Gervais is one injury away from getting back i the lineup.. yikes!!
I have a great feeling about Brock Nelson.. 4 years from now, after college.. this kid will be a rock solid center for us…
Four years from now, a core of Tavares, Okposo, Bailey, Neiderreiter, Petrov and Nelson… awesome!! not to mention Comeau will only be 27 at that point, plus one or two of the other kids such as Anders Lee, Kabanov, Cizikas, Matin, Ullstom will pan out… what a future.
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tommy says:
I think the goalie situation is as simple as this. The Isles are not going to win the cup this year or next. Possibly and hopefully compete in the next 3 or 4 years for the cup as the youngins are all grown up. Roli will not be around then and the only way to find out if Ricky will be is to play him fairly hard for the next year or two to see if his body will hold up. If so, wonderful as that means he’s back to being an elite goalie in the league. If not, perhaps he’ll realize it and retire thereby lessening the cap burden for the team. Then, by the time the team IS ready to compete for the cup, we’ll have had our new goalie for a couple of years.
On another note. The team is playing great and the guys all seem extremely comfortable in this system. Major kudos to Gordon for teaching, his tough love at times with certain players and Garth for believing in Gordon and adding great pieces to the club. This is a system for young guys with fresh, strong legs as they are nonstop when on their game. I absolutely love it and it can and will win consistently.
Go Isles!
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Micjhael Pastore says:
The problem with DiPietro is he is horrible position goalie. He always was and he also makes too many stupid decisions with the puck because he IS A VERY GOOD PUCK HANDLER. He will often make very bad decisions with the puck and give up many what I would call stupid goals. What saves him is his great reflexes which over the next 2 to 3 years will erode. Very good position goalies last much longer in the league as there reflexes erode because they know where they have to be and anticipate the play. Add to that point he has knee and hip problems. IMHO he will not play at a high level for more than 2 years even if his knees are fine.
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Steve says:
Go Islanders. Panthers may have done poorly so far, but they could be due for a good game. It is unfortunate that Roli is not getting much work despite his performances.
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Pat says:
everyone needs to stop bashing DP we’ve gotten at least a point in every 1 of his starts
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I am not bashing DP. I stated he is great puck handler with great reflexes. That has hip and knee problems. I also stated his biggest problems are he takes too many chances with the puck and is often out of position so he has to make acrobatic saves. As he gets older his reflexes. will erode and will not be able to rely on HIS GREAT REFLEXES and he will no longer be able to play at a high level like other good position goalies. That is not a bash it is a very good assessment of DPs goal tending and future with the team.
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justin says:
Chris,
I saw UND playa few weeks ago and anothe islander draftee was stellar….his name is jason gregoire and he was excellent. By far the best player on the ice the night I saw them. -
IslanderFAN says:
@Greg you give to much credit to a mediocre team that MTL are, they are not that offensive and they are amongst the worst teams in PP they are 1/21 on PP.
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AOH says:
PA Parenteau (2-5-7)…..
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dirtydirtyMikeT says:
OK. so i’m officially ON the DP kool-aid/bandwagon. if he can stay healthy and PLAY WELL i’m all for him as #1. but seriously, as already stated, he handles the puck too often. 90% of the time he handles the puck, he turns it over. my idea is/was to turn him into a Dman. and he must stay healthy. if he goes down yet again with an injury related to a PAST INJURY, you gotta reconsider DPs status to the team/franchise/organization. youve got Roloson, at 41 yes, but he stays healthy and PLAYS VERY WELL when he starts consistently, Isles fans witnessed this JUST LAST YEAR. but in the meantime, Go Ricky and go Isles! they look great and Gordons system looks impressive 7 games out of 82 so far.
Lets go Islanders! -
jaymz27 says:
The Panthers play at the Bank Atlantic Center. P. A. has 2 goals and 5 assists.
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Swan says:
The argument that DP has to start this year, even if he does not give the Team the best chance to win, because the Isles have to get his rust off and find out if he can become a quality #1 goalie again this season strikes me as a bit bogus.
The Islanders have over 10 years to shake Ricky’s rust off and get him in game shape.
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2Bit says:
I like how a lot of people pretend like they know what DP is feeling and thinking. I’ll play pretend time with you guys, but for all you people thinking he still looks hurt because he takes his time getting up and what not, you ever think just maybe he’s being overly cautious? The guy is trying to stay healthy, so perhaps a lot of it is mental right now and the more we play him the more at ease he will become. Of course it’s all mental with us fans as well. WE don’t know what is truly going on with Ricky. All we can do is hope and pray that he is returning to form and as the rust wears of we can all start feeling comfortable that his injuries are behind him. As much as Rolli has proven to be a number one goalie I think it’s fair to let DP take some these games. I don’t see Dwayne cooling off so much with the little time off. He’ll be ready to play against the true powerhouses.
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Jared says:
I live in Boca Raton and continue to be a huge isles fan. If you want to go out after the game my recommendation is the Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood. Maybe grab some dinner at Cheesecake factory in the Oasis before/after the game at the Sawgrass mall right across from the arena, then head to Hollywood and go to the Hard Rock
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Justin says:
PA Parenteau 2-5-7 cb not 5-2-7
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Bryan says:
I hope that we dont just play upto the level of our competition, we should win this game…our offense hasn’t been clicking the last two games like it was earlier, we need to forecheck more
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Sab says:
I hope the coverage I get has some of the Torrey ceremony…..with the recent interview CB had with Ferraro it makes you wonder what would have happened if Bow Tie wouldn’t have been pushed away in ’92….the team would not have been blown up….Al would have stuck around until at least ’95…the team would have made the playoffs at least another 3 seasons…..
Ah…gotta love playing “What If..” once in a while hehe…..
Regardless…a toast to Bill tonight! I hope they got Al & Claire to be in the building during this evening’s celebration…I predict DP guarantees another point in his pink pads tonight
SAB
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Dadi says:
DP is doing fine,but…I’m more comfortable with Rollie in the net
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25yearfan says:
Hey, Chris – since you’re showing some prospect love, how about Anders Lee at Notre Dame – scores a hat trick in his first game (first in Notre Dame history?), tied for team scoring lead as a freshman with 4G/2A in 4 games. Only 4 games into the season, of course, but I’ll be keeping tabs on this kid, sounds like another good piece of drafting….
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Strummer's Army says:
Great to hear about Nelson, I have tremendous excitement about his future potential. He plays physical, has a ton of skill, high battle level, great on face offs, skating etc. Brock is 6’3″ and growing, exactly the type of center Isles need.
I am praying Mr. Bill Torrey is interviewed on the Isles broadcast.
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Ethan K says:
A lot of people are really enjoying keeping tabs on some of our prospects. How about Casey Cisikas in the OHL? He’s got 9 pts in 7 games, with 6 goals, and is plus 4. He’s known for his ability to win face-off, finish checks, kill penalties well, and fight occasionally. He is 19, but if he finishes this year over a point a game in the OHL and spends a year or two in bridge, he could become a solid 2 way center on the nhl level. How’s that for a 4th rd pick?
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chrism says:
#14 i completely agree..when DP starts and we get at least a point from the game he starts, it usually feels like we stole that point..
with rollie starting..as a fan i just have more confidence.
its as if they are just starting DP to prove a point now..they cant worry bout ricks feelings..
we as fans have had our hearts broken over and over..they need to get it right..
if anything we owe rollie more starts after he stood in there night after night last year taking the abuse and still playing awesome -
Original Rob says:
Sorry can a few more people please post what P.A.’s correct point total is? I need at least 4 more verifications
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Dwayne should be in goal…Why ? Because his play has been superb…Plain and simple,he deserves the start.
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Frans Dish says:
Was looking forward to see Bailey play tonight but, extra 4 days off can’t hurt.
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AJAX says:
The +/- for the players is pretty interesting right now.
I’m not drawing conclusions from it, its just interesting to check out. -
Mike says:
DP is not starting his INSANE contract is.
What a JOKE! -
Oye Comeau Va says:
While I feel more confident with Roloson between the pipes, I understand DP getting the start. He alone stole the 2 points from Tampa with his 3rd period performance. The team in front of him looked slow, tired, and over matched. Let Rolli play Wednesday and his game will determine who plays at the NVMC against those same Habs the following game.
I mean lighten up everyone, he’s 2-0-2. Not 0-2-2, or worse. Then gripes would be more than warranted.
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Steven says:
As long as the team keps winning I can care less who is in goal. If DP is not getting it done I’m sure Roli will get most of the starts.
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The Real JD says:
Roloson is better than the Isles #1.
What a joke.
Can’t wait to watch DiPi flop around like a fish out of water.I love DiPi’s heart and will to battle back from injuries but the proof is in his play and right now Roloson is clearly the better goalie. -
I agree 40. Things are going good for the Isles for a change. I’m not going to waste time going on about who is playing goal.
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Paul says:
DP had his best game of the year, saving the Isles’ bacon in the third against Tampa and people are still upset that he gets this start in Miami? Get real, everybody. It is not like we are a sure-fire lottery pick team with Rick in net and a sure-fire conference championship contender with Rollie in net. We are still en route to the team Garth has envisioned, and seeing if Rick can be a full-time goalie is a huge part of that. Plus, every indication is that Rick being the number one means he is on the high side of a 60-40 split in playing time, which makes for 49 DP starts and 33 Rolli starts. Some people just need something to complain about, and for once, the Isles’ record isn’t filling that role. Don’t bring your negativity down on Ricky.
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Dipietro hasn’t been BAD, he’s been a decent goaltender, and we have gotten points in every game he’s been in. And in reality, that is what matters. Him in net is a totally different mentality for the players in front of him. They know how important he is to the franchise, and his presence gives them a boost. Sure, at this point in time, Roloson might be the best at stopping pucks on the team. But let Ricky get back to his true form first. He’s been out of it for years, let’s give him more than 4 games to judge.
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dose says:
who’s “questioning the integrity” of the bill torrey ceremony?
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joe says:
ISLES 4-KATS 0
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Eric Cup says:
Too much concern here with the goaltending! Has goaltending been as issue in any game yet? Just let Gordon make his moves here and have some faith.
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Billy the Kid says:
No one is hating on Ricky……..or shouldn’t be. Shouldn’t hate on any player who wears the crest, Bates, Yashin et al.
What people feel is that Rick has serious flaws as a goalie that were evident even before his injuries. These flaws are mainly caused by his insistence on wandering and over playing the puck because of being a show off.
At this point, the teams best chance to win games/get points is with their most reliable goalie in net as much as possible.
That ain’t Ricky. -
Bishopville Red says:
If DP needs starts to find his game again, SEND HIM TO BRIDGEPORT. All of this “Roli isn’t here in 5 years” stuff is BS. He’s on the roster. He’s the better of the two goalies He’s playing better. Why wouldn’t you use him?
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#49-thank you! even before DP’s injuries he was one of the more overrated players in league..im just saying before and after injuries he was never all that..i would never question his heart or work ethic
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Madchef says:
DP is getting better with each game. Glad to have him healthy and hope he can stay that way. The isles have always had a tandem in net when they were successful no? I honestly dont care who starts as long as 2 points are obtained, now go get them panthers. Grabner hat trick!
Obviously the decision to start DP will be debated. I just think the handling of these two guys have been a little off. Roli steals the Isles a win on Monday and doesn’t get another start til perhaps next Wednesday?!? DP is playing well, no doubt, but do you really want to ride this guy this early?
Glad to see they’re doing right with Bailey, just wish they would do the same with their “franchise” netminder