NYI at FLYERS: Q & A/Commentary Tonight at 6:45!
Snow on DP, Jurcina out, Schremp rehab done
Interactive Q & A and chat with Chris Botta begins tonight at 6:45 in the Comments space.
Noon: The Islanders have won four of their ten games this season – two of them in regulation, two on the strength of full 4-on-3 power plays in overtime. When I pointed out on Twitter that the hysteria was a bit over-ripe when the team was 3-1-2 – posting screen shots of the Eastern Conference standings…REALLY?! – I wasn’t being negative. Just trying to keep both feet on the ground. Others inside and outside the organization might be wise to do the same when the next winning streak comes around.
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In an interview with Hockey Night in Canada radio yesterday, Garth Snow told co-hosts Jeff Marek and former teammate Brad May that he cannot predict what this season has in store for Rick DiPietro, but the early signs of good health for the comebacking goaltender have been enouraging.
“We haven’t put a number on it,” Snow said about a projected amount of starts for DiPietro. “This is a situation that’s different from the past two seasons where Rick has been able to come in from day one of training camp and participate in full practices. From that standpoint, it’s been an encouraging sign for Rick and our organization that he’s been part of the group on a full-time basis.
“As it’s played out, it’s been pretty even in terms of games played for both goalies. We view it that we have two No. 1 goalies that on any given night give us a great opportunity to win a hockey game.”
Notes: The Islanders are 0-9-1 in their last ten games in Philadelphia. DiPietro is 1-5 with a 3.37 GAA in his last six starts against the Flyers.
Milan Jurcina is sidelined tonight with a hamstring injury. The big defenseman, who did not play well in the team’s three-game losing streak, will be re-evaluated on Monday. Bruno Gervais is likely to move back to the blueline in Jurcina’s absence.
The AHL conditioning stint of Rob Schremp is apparently over after one strong game with the Sound Tigers. Mike Fornabaio of the Connecticut Post reports that Schremp was returning to New York today.
Bridgeport won in Manchester on Friday, 3-2, on an overtime goal by Travis Hamonic. Kevin Poulin made 25 saves for the victory. Poulin to Fornabaio on the three-goalie rotation: “It’s the first time I’ve experienced it in my career. You have to deal with it. When you play, you have to play your best.”
John Tavares on Matt Martin‘s first NHL goal, scored on Friday: “That’s his game. He gets in those dirty areas, plays hard, and he’s a real strong guy. It was great to see him get his first one. He deserves it.”
I’ll take any Islanders questions you may have and talk about tonight’s game beginning at 6:45 in a new Comments thread. See you then.
29 Responses to NYI at FLYERS: Q & A/Commentary Tonight at 6:45!
Snow on DP, Jurcina out, Schremp rehab done
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Steve says:
We still suck. We just suck a little less every year.
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Madchef says:
soooo do we see schremp tonight? Gillies is a must for tonight even with little to no minutes right? Need to stop the losing streak tonight. Flyers goalies are soft, lets go isles. Even though Philly usually destroys us.
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Donna says:
I was at the game last night with my son. the Islanders did not play well enough to win IMO, if you can’t score in 5 on 3, something is quite wrong. Habs fans were generally well behaved from my vantage point. Only real low light was the drunken lout in Loudville who puked all over before the game even started. Kudos for security for making him leave, but I will never buy seats anywhere near that section again. The Islanders group sales should have thought twice before seating a group of kids from a local elementary school near such a rowdy bunch. Also Isles fans booing during Canadian national anthem is childish. Ok enough rant, hope they win in Phila but they won’t if they play like they did last night. Really missing A. MacDonald seems the losing streak started with his injury
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Tony F. says:
Hopefully we can win a majority of the faceoffs tonight, that hurt us last night. A big factor for the game is our physical play, we still need a defenceman that just dishes out punishing body checks on a consistent basis. I’d be real surprised if we pull it out tonight, just being realistic, it’s a tough building to play in. Note to Islanders top brass, if you have a competitive team fans will come, watch the fans in Philly.
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Bart says:
Yet another game tonight with no HD….this is getting old!
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LIT says:
Hamonic and poulin are the future stars on this team.. Would much rather see hamonic on the island than gervais… Soon enough…
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peter debenedetto says:
Thanks CB….i was getting sick of Carlin saying “First Place Islanders” on every pre game.
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Jim Clark says: Will Gervais be in the lineup tonight?
When on the power play, heed the Big Whistle: shoot the puck!
Matt Martin is the man! -
Dominik says:
Alternatively, you post screenshots of the standings in October precisely *because* you know it won’t last, so might as well enjoy and joke about “first place” while it does.
Plus, it’s totally worth it to poke any Flyers fan who takes it seriously.
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jeff says:
Seemed like Doug Weight would not shoot the puck during the PPs last night. My guess is that he’s hurt again.
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Strummer's Army says:
Freakin’ Bruno.
I’ve said during the summer Snow did not fix the defense and it’s playing out. It is a shame because it wouldn’t have been that hard we need more Wizes and less Wusses!
Gillies better be in tonight. I am guessing Schremp is in tonight, so perhaps Sim sits. No way you can play the Flyers without your heavy.
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Patrick says:
I agree that everyone(Myself included) started to get a bit over hyped about this team. Last year if this team fell behind in the early part of the game you could just turn it off. Now you honestly think they have a chance to win every game. I think this team has a chance to be a solid fun team to watch. I also think with the way the east is playing now if they can hold the fort until Kyle comes back this could be a playoff team.
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Set says:
time to stop the three game losing streak tonight. if this team is serious about making the playoffs, avoiding long winless streks is key.
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Ice Girl Dad says:
MM,MM,MM! though he played well last night, his backcheck (OR LACK OF) directly contributed to the 2nd habs goal!
wish him success going forward but please..let’s not anoint MM and Schremp as the saviors
Need to continue the physical play tonight!!!! -
Michael Delman says:
This slide seemed to begin in the third period aainst Tampa Bay. The Isles let up a bit then, and that seemed to carry over the next few games. Their effort throughout the first 2 periods in Montreal was subpar. Last night we seemed to have more jump, but the execution wasn’t there….it might help if the guys stepped up their forechecking a bit….only Martin hits with any type of consistency.
Other than the first couple of games, Weight has not only been a liability on the power play, but one has to question his decsion making out there 5-5 as well. He has made several poor passes in each of the last five games. Other than Hunter, Weight is (in my opinion), the biggest liability on the team.
Hunter ought to be scratched, traded (good luck), or outright released. He brings almost nothing to the table. Last night he laid a good hit on one of the Montreal players and I swear it was the first I’d seen from him in a year. Although he hadn’t been the scorer he was in his first season, Hunter was one of the league’s leading hitters for a few years back when Nolan was coach. What happened? He is ineffective in most capacities now. He shoots from the outside almost exclusively. Is he afraid to take it to the net?
The Bruno Gervais experiment is also an exercise in futility. He’s soft on D….do we really think he’ll be any better as a forward? Put him on the shelf and bring back Jesse J instead. -
1since40 says:
Bruno is baaaaaaack! And so continues the loooooooooooooosing streak. Not sure were this current team goes from her as it is still quite early in the season.
Play Gilles a tad more, no??
Thanks CB for IPB..
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purfy says:
boy do I miss A-Mac…. bailey,blake, and moulson please show up tonight.
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Eric Cup says:
Hey #16 – M.Delman – Hunter had a very strong game last night. 3 hits, blocked shot and assisted on our only goal. This hate for Hunter seems to be in vogue lately and I just don’t get it. He’s a role player on the 3rd line playing hard every shift. Find another target for your wrath.
And I find it funny that the 1st time this team does not score on a power play in 7 games and everyone is in a panic. The power play is not the problem, believe me. The chances were there last night – they just didn’t finish.
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Brian in VA says:
We will lose again… Enough said! I am part of the dwindling fan base eventhough I will never give up on the Isles just won’t drive up to games like I used to.
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chrism says:
i love matt martin..and his hitting..but it just goes to show that none of our other forwards besides zenon take the body on a regular nite to nite basis..thats why we are so excited with martins hitting-because he DOES IT!
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Steve says:
Go Isles! Hopefully tonight is the night to break that 0 for streak in Philly. Also hope that Schremp is back in the lineup ASAP even though he probably needs more conditioning at BP
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Ethan K says:
We need a legitimate 5 on 5 performance tonight. We’ve been relying on our powerplay to give us point, but that’s worn off the past 3 games, which is why we’re losing now.
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Mike from Sarasota says:
Thirteen 5 on 5 goals in ten games is not enough. Generating offense at even strength without elite talent is difficult and will only be fixed with the development of the teams top prospects and/or the influx of talent through trade/free agency. The latter of which will require a payroll above the cap-floor.
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cjcb says:
Play Gilles and play him more than 2 freaking min please, 3/4 of the teams in the league find a way to play their less than stellar skating Enforcers 5-7min. Isles should do the same!! As far as Gervais goes, he has one of the weakest shots in hockey is super frail and weak, what is the love affair here? Its getting kinda strange and i could really care less if he is a nice kid or not, nothing personal here. He stinks!!!!!
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Bryan says:
When we force the puck to the front of the net, we score. We were starting to think that we’re better than we really are, we aren’t going to score many pretty goals. We need to drive to the net hard and pick up the garbage. The defense needs to converge on the puck faster and make stronger outlet passes. DP needs to stay in the damn net and just stop the puck, He isn’t going to stop everything, but he needs to start making those key saves.
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Blizzard says: GO ISLANDERS!!!!!!!
Ok lets bring Hamonic up now please kthanx
I hope DP gets it done tonight. Go Ricky!!!!
Martin is gonna be fun to watch tonight.
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Jethro From Finland says:
So strange that the Isles ended up with Live Is Life as their goal song, since over here (in Finland) it has been the goal song of Tappara for over 20 years and they happen to be only team who wears blue, white and orange in the local league. Weirdly Tappara and the Islanders have been my favorites since day one, although to me the similar colours are just a coincidence. Put Tappara and live is life in youtube and you´ll see that the song has history on ice already. Damn good goal song, coming from someone who grew up going nuts every time it was played.
Jyri Niemi was interviewed here and although he said everything you’re supposed to when you change organizations, but it still bothered me when he said that the difference between the Rags and Isles was like “night and day” in terms of dealing with their prospects. Niemi wasn’t a top prospect on Long Island, but just wondering if the limited budget the Islanders have just makes it impossible to really keep in touch with every prospect they have? We just can’t afford to lose any talent, although I don’t think we lost anything by giving up Niemi.
Go Travis!
Good thing we kept 8 defensemen I guess?
I hope this treak Finally ends tonight…
Wonder if Trevor will be in the mnix…