ISLANDERS at LOS ANGELES, 10:30 pm
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Losers of nine straight, the Islanders face the 11-3-0 Kings tonight in Los Angeles. The Kings will attempt to set a franchise record by winning their eighth consecutive home game. The Islanders will complete a stretch of 12 of 15 games on the road, and look to make the long flight home a pleasant one.
Check Katie Strang’s Twitter feed later this afternoon after the NYI morning skate (2:30 pm ET) to see who is in and out tonight. Since Scott Gordon seemed to be pleased with the Islanders’ efforts in Anaheim and San Jose, perhaps he will stick with the same lineup. With the Islanders so badly needing a win, there is no case to start anyone other than Dwayne Roloson in goal tonight. However, that’s a lot different than knowing whom Gordon actually will decide to start.
Naturally, the stats are pretty for Los Angeles. Anze Kopitar has 13 points in his last 13 games while defenseman Jack Johnson has ten points in eight games. For the Islanders, Josh Bailey is pointless in nine games, Tavares goal-less in seven games. Doug Weight has just one point in his last seven games, Michael Grabner one in his last six, Blake Comeau one in his last eight. This is what happens when a team has scored a total of five goals in its last five games.
Here’s a telling stat. Of the 16 hat tricks scored in the NHL this season, 15 were scored by members of the winning team. The exception, of course, was when John Tavares scored three goals in Florida in an Islanders loss three weeks ago today. Still hard to believe the Islanders haven’t won a game since 200 of us on Point Blank Night waited out the ruling for Matt Moulson’s overtime goal in Tampa 23 days ago.
NOTES
Since his return to Portland (WHL), 2010 fifth overall draft pick Nino Niederreiter has just one goal and three assists in seven games for the Winterhawks. Defenseman Calvin de Haan is averaging a point a game in Oshawa (OHL).
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers fell to 5-9 on the season after a 6-5 loss in Charlotte last night. Kevin Poulin had his first subpar outing of the season.
Miroslav Satan is signing with an NHL club this week. Doesn’t look like it will be the Islanders, who continue to talk playoffs and no excuses this season.
Congratulations all around to the family of Daily News writer Peter Botte. Peter’s son Tyler, a freshman, scored his first collegiate goal Friday night as Hofstra beat Virginia Commonwealth to come within one win of advancing to the NCAA men’s soccer tournament. Tyler’s goal came with four minutes left in regulation to tie the game. Hofstra won on penalty kicks.
Comments on this post and tonight’s game are welcomed. I’ll see you in Comments starting around 10:00 pm ET. Puck-drop is 10:30.
65 Responses to ISLANDERS at LOS ANGELES, 10:30 pm
Join CB in Comments throughout the evening
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Isles fan in Fla says:
The Kings, oh yeah I remember them. Weren’t they a team who was lower than us only a few years ago but thru good draft picks (Doughty as one) good management and good young properly developed talent, seemed to have surpassed us. We’re still waiting. It’s only been about 25 years, we’ll get there.
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JD says:
We obviously need the 2 points but 1 might even be acceptable tonight. Our guys can’t score and the Kings have the best GAA in the league. LA has the right mix of draft picks, free agents, and players acquired through trades. Should be the model we follow.
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Chris M says:
Tonight will do nothing more than secure our spot in the basement. Optimism —> Window.
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PotvinRocks says:
So despite the millions going to Yashin, no one is scoring on this team. Shocking. 1 goal is 120 minutes of hockey, yeah this line-up should be changed.
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Danbury Islanders Fan says:
If we were going after Satan we might as well bring Yashin back, since we are already paying him lol.
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Mike from Sarasota says:
Isles/Sound Tigers are an astonishing 4-18 in regulation. 5-3 in OT/SO.
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Staten Islander says:
#3, JD,
Thats exactly what I think. Alot of us have been trying to compare, favorably or not with the rebuilds of the Hawks, Pens and Caps. The Kings took a little longer than there’s did, I think that THIER rebuild is what ours is going to be comparable to, Arena situation aside.
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The Kings have drafted well, and brought in quality vets such as forwards Jarret Stoll, Justin Williams, Ryan Smyth, Michal Handzus and defenseman Matt Greene, Willie Mitchell and Rob Scuderi.
Dean Lombardi, who I thought was a great fit for the Isles, has done an excellent job. He was hired by the Kings April 2006. Garth Snow took over the Isles July of 2006.
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Jim Clark says: Islanders tied with Oilers for fewest points. New York has played one more game so we can call our team the worst in the league one-fifth into the season. Congratulations Charles, Garth and Scott.
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Bob Bassen says:
4-3 Islander win.
Hoping to see everyone *leaving it all out on the ice* tonight.
Like it or not, gonna be a few teams dangling some fruit to the Isles so as to help themselves out with cap issues as season progresses.
Go Isles! -
Steve 74 says:
I’m glad that was Poulin’s first subpar game of the season because he looked awful. Having moved to Charlotte recently, I made it to the awesome Time Warner Cable Arena for last nights game. Poulin must have misplayed at least 5 pucks with his glove, including the first goal of the game.
I really didn’t see anyone on this team that impressed me too much. Kohn looked to be a step ahead of much of the other players on the ice; Marcinko is quick, figured he’d have more offensive numbers than he has; Hamonic made some really nice plays, but looked like he only gave it his all every other shiftLet’s go Isles tonight – break out of it!
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Colin M. says:
I will be here. Gonna try out the new PlayStation 3 functionality for streaming NHL Game Center games straight to your TV. Should be awesome.
Go Isles!
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Garth and Wang did not do enough, to put a strong team on the ice,at the start of the season…So here we are,in the basement as usual,waiting for some pipe dream to happen…Charles,lets be honest your Lighthouse vision is not happening…Sell the team to someone who is going to move the Islanders to Queens,next to Citifield….Do us all a favor!!!
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Isles need to pound em then pound em some more with hits, finally pound em for good measure. This ain’t figure skating! Hit em till they hear foot steps when they touch the puck. Send Martin ,Hunter heck any able body who’s got the stuff hockey players are made of, looking forward to some nasty man hockey!
I feel better now! lol
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rb says:
Watching at home, it looked to me that Gordon had the Isles clogging up the neutral zone against Ducks and Sharks. That worked pretty well in minimizing the chances against and kept Isles in the game. My only question is why it took him so long to do that given the thin personnel.
Isles were going nowhere this year once Streit, Okposo and MacDonald went down and Petrov, Nino, de Haan, Hamonic, et al. weren’t ready. I still think the team is on course for big things next year once the kids push out our below average vets. I hope fans have the stomach to hold on one more year. I don’t want to see a return to the Mad Mike chaos of dumping good young players for vets on the downside.
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JJ says:
I live in LA, and will be at the game tonight.
I plan on wearing my Isles hat, and I thought I might make a sign that says, “I need a hug – I’m an Islanders fan.”
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AJAX says:
I got $10 that says Gordon starts DP
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Albuquerque Mike says:
The drive for 12 continues tonight against the Kings. Records are made to be broken, so maybe these Islanders can break that losing streak of 12 set by the 72-73 team. Why is it always “wait ’till next year.” Gordon must go and Weight, Gervais, and Hunter should go somewhere, but not on this team. You are not going to be any worse than you are now with a new coach and these three gone. Being two hours behind NY time, the game starts here at 8:30 and ends around 11:00,so I’ll be able to watch the whole game and suffer. Sign Satan!
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znatokhokkeya says:
at this point Satan wouldn’t hurt. it couldn’t be any worse. 5 games – 5 goals scored. Ouch!
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Jeff says:
What comes after 9?
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Ant says:
Snow will keep signing other peoples garbage and never make a significant move.I guess hes waiting to lose 15 in a row to do something.We are the worst team in the league and we stand pat with our team.This rebuild will never get better,I don’t care who we have in the system.You need to mix in some proven players with kids in order to compete.
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ed says:
Anybody know what the franchise record losing streak is? It is almost like we didn’t get top picks the past few drafts. We are going backwards
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Strummmer's Army says:
Gillies needs in.
Isles have nerve to ever talk playoffs with the roster they assembled. It is really false adverstisment.
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Islanders Hopeful says:
I am by far not defending Garth Snow by any stretch of the imagination but those who blame him and Gordon for that matter clearly are misguided. It Charles pulling the final strings. Do you really think Snow or Gordon are going to hang’em out to dry? I think not.
This is evident in the moves made over the summer. Wang is trying to make this an unwatchable team so no one will come as a free agent. No one worth anything.
Gordon and Snow are not skating. The players have to want it. Subpar or not. Some of these guys need to realize that if they can’t make it with this squad then the chances of NHL careers lasting are slim. -
Ethan K says:
Awesome. The Hurricanes get a player who is averaging a point a game already on the NHL level, and we get a player struggling to score on the Junior level again. With exception to Tavares, every first round pick that Snow has made has been the wrong one.
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Swan says:
Like #17(JJ), I also live in LA and will be at the game tonight.
Either a jersey or a hat, no sign. I have a funny feeling the Isles win this game.
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2Bit says:
I agree Wang is the problem. I get that he puts a lot in to this team & loses a lot. So for that I am grateful as a fan. However, he tries to control a little to much with this team. His ego is too big & he doesn’t know when to let the professionals take care of the hockey ops. The telling sign came to me when we drafted Nino. While I was happy with the pick it disturbed me a little when Wang had that grin on his face saying “Just think of it as El Nino coming to long island”. That broke the straw for me and made it evident he is in way over his head. It was okay when Tampa had their “Got Stamkos?” campaign because he was the number one pick & they new they were getting a superstar. Wang really needs to not try so hard anymore and let the people who know what they’re doing in the hockey world handle it.
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I agree Wang is the problem and he controls this team,but to say leave it to the people who are the hockey people is funny.What hockey people do we have?Snow was a backup goalie and handed the G.M position with no experience whatsoever in management.We let go Janks and Trotts people with hockey sense and experience.Do you think Wang is the guy scouting these players we draft.It starts with Wang and right to Snow and trickles all the way down to our coach and even our AHL team the franchise is a joke right now.
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CM says:
Win or lose. Isles management needs to do something. Changes must be made. 9-10 game losing losing is enough time to strategize what needs to be done, nothing would be knee jerking at this point. I’d start with coaching.
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jimisles says:
At this point why not sign Satan!!!!! Like he’s going to cost a lot of $$$$$?
Hey “CM”? So it’s time to fire Gordon who’s been given zippo to work with here. Obviously the other NHL teams have watched film and figured how to contain the 1 1/2 lines the Islanders have.
Rebuilding is one thing, but crap you need other top players on your roster. Also, watching this team they look so small compared to the rest of the NHL….
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ronbuzz69 says:
garth do something !!!!! enough already wang has the cash dude!!!!!
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Walt says:
New arena = Free agents = Veteran leadership = Success = Case closed.
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So true a new building will get it done. No question there.
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Tony F. says:
A new owner would be nice. One that gives a damn about the game of hockey and it’s fans.
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Reading the past 20 comments makes me look forward to reading the comments at game time. CB, bless you, you got your hands full.
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Jim says:
Tavares has looked awful? Please tell me that wasn’t a serious statement. He deserves to be on that ballot. Don’t blame him for Garth Snow’s inability to surround him with decent players.
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John in Oregon says:
Let the cou/lar/nug-hop watch begin
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sean says:
Wang must go!!! I think That should be a new chant at islanders game. We won’t win anything with Wang running this team. All he cares about is developing the property around the coliseum which will not happen, there won’t be a lighthouse lets be realistic here. I am a die hard fan and I am tired of the BS with the team. We should have had an arena built ten years ago. I blame wang for everything he has to sell or do something.
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anthony c says:
It’s times like these I wish I was rich. I’d get an ownership group together, buy the team from wang, and build a new arena in queens next to citi field. And when that’s done, I’d give the finger to SMG, the TOH, and all those other corrupt politicians that have stood in the way of this team getting a new arena.
I’d do what rocky wirtz did when he took over as the owner of the blackhawks (except the salary cap issues).
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Steve M says: The Kings have 22 points. Their team is pretty stacked. If the Isles got the win tonight I would be very surprised, but also happy.
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Steve M says:
Also, why are the Islanders still talking about playoffs? If Garth thinks this is a playoff team, then he is a complete jackass.
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bossjones15 says:
walt you forgot the $$$ in your equation, so did Wang apparently
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Michael A. says:
At what point is this unacceptable? We are at 9 losses in a row. Do I hear 10 losses in a row? 10 Anyone?
At what point will this team realize a major change needs to be made?
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mb says:
at the next home game, what kind of reaciton do you think I would get (or we would get) if we tried chanting “Wang must go!”?
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Doug F. says:
CB,
If the Islanders drafted so well as Garth Snow has said, why is Bridgeport doing lousy so far?
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44 – (Doug) Excellent question!
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I am sick of hearing that it is not Scott Gordon’s fault. It is Scott Gordon’s fault. He has coached this team to 64 wins ans 106 losses. He is not an NHL caliber head coach.
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#44 Dough F. because much like the Isles they have a crap undersized, under skilled defense, other then Hamonic.
I expect Martin vs Simmonds round 2 tonight.
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LouD says:
Still talking playoffs!!!? They can’t even score goals let alone win games. I’m sorry but I am finally completely fed up with Charles Wang. I don’t care how much money he’s lost, part of that problem is his fault. They could put a better product on the ice. If you want to rebuild through the draft that’s fine but shouldn’t you at least hire a GM that has experience? How did this guy make so much money making decisions like this? Playoffs? Bwahahahahaha good luck Charlie. One more season of this and the Isles are going to force fans to root for another team and be the biggest Isles haters in the country.
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Sorry but I just read one line of a post and basically spit my drink out. All I read was ‘this is all Gordons fault’ and I nearly passed out from utter disbelief.
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Scott Gordon has a 37% winning percentage as an NHL head coach in 2+ seasons.
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Although I believe Wang has learned to love this team, he insists on having complete control over something he knows so little about—-he hires Snow as the yes man, uh, I mean the G.M. With his 0 amount of experience and chains around his ankles with everything he does, he has not done a bad job, I do however wish he was less arrogant considering none of his goals were accomplished yet, oh, and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to not shut out your biggest and most loyal fan base (pb readers).—-Snow hires Gordon, I am not quite sure why, I have not seen much passion or personality except when he is walking out of interviews like a dissed little girl! All this=a confused, disorganized team. The season is young, and anything can still happen, but if we do nothing—we will see nothing! Wang, Garth, Gordon, someone, please–will you just address your fans, the few that are left after your treatment of them. Anyone?
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Hi jimisles. Tell where the top players available are? Right now Gordon is not getting the most out of his players. Is a 10+ game losing streak going to make that more obvious for you?
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okpososcores21 says:
The islanders got lucky the past couple years of guys they picked up panning out. Last year wasnt a total bust. If they keep gambling on players to overachieve eventually they are going to strike out and it appears this season they have. 2 players that have been sucessfull gambles are streit and moulson. We still dont know what type of player moulson is. yet again they gambled this year with hopeing moulson could sustain his 30 goal perofrmance and tavares would improve. Meanwhile the rest of the eastern conference bolstered there teams see Atl and florida. Another thing the isles tried replacing streit with mautau and eaton but these guys are both stay at home deffenseman streit was a major part of the offense. This teams problem is not on D its offense and has been since the beginning of the season a lucky pp has masked our true offensive talent on this team. Which is 2 players tavares and moulson. If they dont get points every game we arent going to win. Main point is they lost 2 of there offensive producers and did nothing to fix the issue hopeing tavares moulson and parentau could pick up the slack. Its not happening and wont happen. Tavares may have a bad year, (sophmore slump) Than what? Its Garths responibility or wang whoever makes hockey decesions to make a move to fix the offensive problem. If it continues and nothing is done after kyle comes back. We will know the org has deserted us and so we shall desert the organization until change comes.
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Jon in Chicago says:
I wonder how many coaches in NHL history will have a worse winning percentage than Gordon after this season. Can’t be too many that were worse for 3 full seasons.
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jfnisles says:
let’s see, ’72-’73,Isles won 12 games….go forward to year 3 of that “rebuild” and not only did they make the playoffs, they went to game 7 of the semifinals.Year 3 of this “rebuild”…maybe they win 12 games….
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I am glad to see everyone ripping Snow and Wang. They are the problem, no doubt. They are as about as incompetent as you can get. I hope CB gets his interview with Bettman so he can ask him how he let a complete moron run this team into the ground and essentially begin the move off of the island. I wouldn’t let Wang run a lemonade stand unless I wanted my kids to go to jail.
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They should write a book about this team and call it ”Once a proud franchise, now a joke.
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we’ve become a small market team in one of the most affluent counties in the U.S…..
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#56?? The Islanders were always a small market team, arguably the smallest in the NHL. Even when they were winning Stanley Cups.
Per capita household income doesn’t necessarily translate to size of fanbase, especially on LI.
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Mikey says:
I predict this one is a heart breaker. Isles pull off the almost-miracle win before LA ties it and than scores another. The team is looking slightly better but this is just one of those no-chance wins. LA has entered the elite echelon of teams.
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LI has 2 million people, how is that a small market??
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Leaving for the game now. Let’s go Islanders!!!!!!!! Please turn it around tonight & go back to begin a winning home stand. The season isn’t over. Just get back to hitting & shooting from all angles. The rest will fall in to place if you can push the play.
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It takes some courage to show up as an Islanders fan at a road game. I’ll be at the United Center in January but I’m getting closer and closer to selling my ticket. Hopefully, we don’t have a 24-game losing streak by then.
Tonight is going to be very tough to win. However, picking up 3 out of 6 points on this west coast swing would be a plus coming back home.