Monthly Archives: November 2010
In the Islanders’ 30th-place season of 2008-09 there were fractures in the locker room created, in large part, by breakdowns in relationships with captain Bill Guerin, Chris Campoli, Mike Comrie and Jon Sim. The first three were traded, two of them later than they should have. Sim later humbly admitted to Point Blank that he struggled after a season sidelined by a serious knee injury and was happy to heal any miscommunication with Scott Gordon. The grinder and the head coach continue to work together well now, and Sim was recalled today for the West Coast trip.
Last season, a dedicated and happy lineup may have been short on talent, but for the most part worked together and battled all the way through a season-ending, comeback, overtime loss at home to Pittsburgh. Only the strange and unfortunate ending to the career of Brendan Witt – publicly critical of the team’s style of play, while struggling so much himself on the ice that he is retired today – marred a professional atmosphere.
Needless to say, it’s way too early to know if this year’s squad – already challenged with the adversity of a bizarre training camp schedule and injuries to frontmen Mark Streit and Kyle Okposo – will make it through the season Gong Show-free. But as someone who personally witnessed about a half-dozen team breakdowns over the years, including the Whinefest of 2008-09, it’s worth noting that this coaching staff and this lineup may have headed south in the standings the last seven games, but at least they are all pushing in the same direction.
“We would go through a wall for each other and the coaching staff,” veteran goaltender Dwayne Roloson told Point Blank after practice today. “There are peaks and valleys in every season when you have such a young team, but nobody should think we’re anything other than completely focused on the task at hand. We’re going to come out of it and be better for it. The team I was on in Edmonton that made it to the Stanley Cup Final – this team has the same comraderie, the same positive attitude, the same belief in the coaches. We just have to learn from this and put some wins together.”
The last two weeks have been challenging. Josh Bailey hasn’t registered a point in seven games. After a hot start, Blake Comeau has not played well. Jack Hillen was buried on the defensive depth chart, only revived when the injuries piled up on the blue line. Bruno Gervais was scratched for the first month of the season, making his debut for a game against Montreal as a fourth-line forward. The goaltending rotation has been questioned by fans and writers. They have lost some important players to injuries.
And yet I haven’t witnessed any excuse-making, in-fighting or disrespect towards the coaching staff, like 2008-09. I haven’t detected any tension, like Steve Stirling’s shortened second season when a handful of so-called “leaders” pouted their way on to other teams, to the minors or out of hockey. (As a veteran NHL head coach said to me recently, “It’s always the players who can’t get a contract the next year that try to send a coach out on his ass.”)
For the faithful who pour their hearts and wallets into the hockey team, there is little consolation in knowing the Islanders’ locker room has not become the Titanic. But it is important to know that the players and coaches are torn up, not torn apart, by the pain of a seven-game losing streak. There’s a huge difference.
“When things aren’t going well, your true character comes out,” defenseman Mike Mottau said at Iceworks after practice today. “You find out how good of a teammate guys are. You learn a lot about yourself. This is a young team that is impressionable. The players take direction and appreciate all the work Scott and the coaching staff puts in. There is a lot of frustration these last seven games, but not with each other. The last game against the Flyers, there was enough to give us something to build on. We have to go out West and start winning hockey games.”
It has to start Wednesday in Anaheim. The Islanders may be flying across the country today, but the medicore Ducks are playing in San Jose tonight. We may know by the end of the first period on Wednesday if the Islanders are ready to turn the corner. After what he witnessed in his rookie NHL season, the third-year head coach has a deeper belief in his current squad.
Said Gordon, “The difference between my first year and this year is that now, everyone is playing for the team.”
Notes: Jon Sim has been recalled for the West Coast trip because he played well in Bridgeport (five goals), the status of Zenon Konopka (foot injury) is still up in the air and Sim will give the coaches some lineup options for the three games. Konopka practiced today. The lines stayed the same.
Stay tuned for details on the debut of our Islanders Point Blank fan call-in show, scheduled to shoot Wednesday at 11:30 am at the SNY studio.
Comments.
NHL FanHouse: Plays and performances of the Week
CB at FanHouse on the 9-1-2 St. Louis Blues
OPEN TO FANS OF ALL AGES
For reservations, call 917.848.8984
Or email max.feinberg@socialsportskitchen.com
Mention Point Blank for 33% discount
You don’t question the sincerity of Rob Schremp when he says he’s looking forward to hanging out with Islanders fans at the event at SOCIAL on November 30. This is a young player who – as a reader recently related on the blog – scoured his own car for five minutes in search of a pen in a shopping center parking lot because a young boy begged him for an autograph, but didn’t have anything to write with.
So with Schremp and the equally friendly Andrew McDonald, you know you’re not just getting a steal by paying $50 for a three-course dinner and a ticket to an Islanders game of your choice (mention Point Blank for the $50 deal). You’re also not just going to get an autograph.
“I like this event AMac and I are doing at SOCIAL,” said Schremp. “I’m up for anything, but some events are just one long autograph line. You want to take care of everyone on the line, but you don’t really get to meet them. I love interacting with fans. I guess I’m the opposite of an introvert. I like getting to meet people.
“The way I understand it, the fans are getting a great dinner and a ticket to a game. AMac and I will hang out at the tables or the bar with them and sign everything they bring, but we’ll have time to talk about hockey and everything else. It’s going to be a comfortable setting, real casual and fun. They’ll probably have to kick me out of there when it’s over.”
THE DETAILS
On Tuesday, November 30th, SOCIAL (across the street from the Coliseum) is hosting a special event for hockey fans. Included is a three-course meal from Danny Gagnon of “Top Chef” and personal visits to your table by center Rob Schremp and defenseman Andrew MacDonald.
Autograph requests and the taking of photographs are highly encouraged.
The restaurant is offering a significant discount exclusively to Point Blank readers. Each fan will also receive from Schremp and MacDonald a voucher for one complimentary ticket to the Islanders 2010-11 home game of his or her choice. Sparky and the Dragon and Islanders Ice Girls will be in attendance.
The inclusion of the free ticket makes the $75 price for the dinner and Schremp/MacDonald meet-and-greet a terrrific deal. But for Point Blank readers, it’s even better. SOCIAL is offering the event for just $50 each.
So for 50 bucks, you get a ticket to a game – face value: um, more than $50 – a visit with a pair of current Islanders and a great meal. Not a bad way to spend a night.
Seating is very limited by SOCIAL, so that every fan can have enough time to meet with Schremp and MacDonald. Act now.
For reservations call 917.848.8984 and ask for Max.
Or email max.feinberg@socialsportskitchen.com
Mention Point Blank for 33% discount
Since this is NOT a Point Blank event, please contact SOCIAL directly for details on the night with Schremp and MacDonald.
12:45 pm, Iceworks: Garth Snow declined an interview request made Saturday night by me for AOL FanHouse and Point Blank after his team’s seventh consecutive loss in regulation.
However, Snow conducted an interview (subscription required) on Sunday afternoon with Katie Strang of Newsday, saying he has confidence in his team, they “will get out of it” and he felt the last two games – a 4-1 loss in Ottawa and 2-1 loss at home to the Flyers – “have shown our resilience.” The Islanders also coughed up a source saying Scott Gordon’s job was safe, going the source route because they have a policy to not publicly discuss the job status of head coaches.
More on this another time.
NOTES
Breaking news: Josh Bailey, the 2008 ninth overall pick who has played a lot of wing over the last year, is back at his natural position of center. The new lines at practice:
Moulson - Tavares – Grabner
Comeau – Bailey – Parenteau
Martin – Nielsen – Hunter
Weight - Schremp – Gillies
After having days off Friday and Sunday, the Islanders went through a 90-minute practice today that was not exhausting, but exhaustive in reviewing how they want to play the game. “Stern and to the point,” Scott Gordon called it.
At 11:00 am – 30 minutes after practice began – Gordon conducted a quiet, calm, instructional session in front of the dry-erase board at center ice that went on for more than ten minutes. In practice with any NHL team, this is rare.
At around 11:30, Gordon momentarily got pissed off. Basic premise was that he really wanted a certain player to get to that darn net.
Zenon Konopka (foot injury, more evaluation to come) and Radek Martinek (day off) did not practice.
I asked Gordon if there was any word on if Kyle Okposo is skating soon. “I was told he’s not back until December, so I haven’t given much thought to it,” said the coach.
Gordon on his team’s play before a three-game trip to Califormia: “I’m more encouraged going on the trip knowing we showed some positive signs in our last two games.” He added, “I liked the way we responded in Ottawa, cleaning up our defenisve zone coverage. I like the way we have competed.”
Charles Wang and Garth Snow watched practice together.
Comments.
We were made aware by several readers that when we started with the SNY videos, not everyone could view them. Since we believe the issue has been corrected for most – as evidenced by the huge jump in viewership numbers over the last week – we wanted to offer these repeats. Besides, the Islanders have Sunday off.
Ray Ferraro on the 1992-93 Islanders
Ray Ferraro on current state of the franchise
Kevin Weekes on Roloson, DiPietro and Koskinen
Ed Westfall on the ’70s and life with Jiggs
10:20 pm, Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum: By virtue of how strong the Islanders played in the opening two periods tonight, their 2-1 loss in regulation to Philadelphia might have been fairly spun by the team as a noble failure. There were missed opportunities, shanked scoring chances and bad breaks galore in the opening 40 minutes, and the Islanders had the bite and the composure that had gone missing the last two weeks.
But the Islanders cannot take consolation in coming close to getting at least a point against a Flyers team they hardly ever beat. That’s because the majority of the first 15 minutes of the third period were played almost exclusively in the Islanders’ zone.
“No one’s going to care if we had bad luck or bad bounces,” the Islanders’ lone goal scorer, Matt Moulson, said in an appropriate tone. “We have to put the puck in the net.”
Just as the Islanders missed the net throughout the game, only the Flyers’ failure to connect in the third stood in the way of them blowing the game open. Andreas Nodl’s goal at 14:35 of the third, a rebound after Eric Wellwood’s shot hit Dwayne Roloson in the mask, was the game-winner.
The Islanders mounted a comeback in the final minutes, even getting a power play with Roloson already pulled, but they continued to play the role of the Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight.
Mike Richards deflected a shot from the point by Chris Pronger with just over a minute left in the first period to open the scoring. Moulson tied the game at 7:31 of the second on a power play goal.
The Islanders had their opportunities in the first two periods. Moulson thought he had an open net in the first, but his shot was deflected by the stick of Matt Carle. In the second, Trent Hunter was unable to score on the doorstep of Sergei Bobrovsky. Zenon Konopka was stopped on a breakaway.
“Very disappointed,” said James Wisniewski. “We out-played them.”
With the Islanders leaving for a West Coast trip this week, how do they plan to end the seven-game slide?
“Hard work,” said Wisniewski.
“Keep playing the way we played tonight,” said Roloson.
Except for those first 15 minutes of the third period.
TONIGHT’S FIVE BEST
1. Sergei Bobrovsky - Equal parts skill and luck, BOB stopped 31 of the 32 shots the Islanders actually placed on goal.
2. Mike Richards - A goal and an assist for the captain, who also led the charge in the third.
3. Matt Moulson - Scored one, robbed on at least one. The Islanders have a lot of problems, but Moulson is not one of them. He has played as well as his breakout season of a year ago.
4. Andreas Nodl - Rewarded the hunch of Peter Laviolette – who benched JVR for Nodl – by scoring the game-winner with 5:25 left.
5. James Wisniewski - Played a team-high 26 minutes and only the top of Bobrovsky’s shaft stopped what would have been the game-tying goal in the final minute.
(FRANS) NIELSEN RATINGS (1-10)
NYI Performance - 5: The Islanders are allowed to comfort themselves by saying their last two games were better efforts if they wish, but there are no moral victories when you’ve lost seven games in a row in regulation. The third period was disheartening.
Special Teams - 4: Islanders were 1-for-6 on the power play and killed both Flyers’ power plays.
Goaltending - 7: Dwayne Roloson was composed and sharp throughout and gave his team the chance to win. Tough break on the game-winner.
Opponent - 7: The Flyers didn’t need this game nearly as much as the Islanders, and it looked like it in the first two periods. But like the defending Eastern Conference champions they are, the Flyers found their legs in the third and made the Islanders look like amateurs.
Crowd - Despite huge patches of open seats in the majority of sections in the bottom half of the arena, the Islanders announced tonight’s attendance as 13,078.
NOTES
The lines to start: Comeau – Tavares – Grabner; Moulson – Nielsen – Hunter; Martin - Schremp – Bailey; Weight – Konopka – Gillies.
PA Parenteau, with one even strength point in 13 games, was the healthy scratch.
VID
Scott Gordon on the Flyers’ dominant third period
Comments on tonight’s game are welcomed.
CB at FanHouse: Laviolette on list of top NHL coaches
11:40 am, Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum: Losers of six consecutive games in regulation, the Islanders face a division rival tonight who humiliated them a week ago. The 4-7-2 Islanders play the Flyers in a rare home game. Their next three games are in Anaheim (Wednesday), San Jose (Thursday) and Los Angeles (Saturday).
No, it is not ridiculous on Nov. 6 to call this the Islanders’ first crucial game of the year. A win or loss will not make-or-break their season, to be sure. But a loss would do damage. A win gives them something to build on at those practices before the flight out West.
A win would also likely keep the roster frozen for at least one more week. The Islanders have beaten the Flyers once in their last 17 meetings.
And for this important game, Scott Gordon has decided to start Dwayne Roloson in goal. The coach said he decided to keep Rick DiPietro “away from the scene of the crime” – last Saturday’s wipeout in Philadelphia.
NOTES
The line combinations were jumbled at today’s morning skate. Looks like there’s a chance Matt Martin could play to the left of John Tavares at some point – which would be a very good idea against the Flyers – but other than that, the skate provided little insight into the lineup. Perhaps the Islanders’ coaching staff did not want to show all their cards to the Flyers’ staff sitting in the Coliseum stands.
On D (subject to change!): Eaton-Wisniewski, Mottau-Martinek, Hillen-Gervais
Trent Hunter (foot injury) participated in the morning skate and will play tonight. Josh Bailey could see some time on right wing.
Kirill Kabanov had no points, two shots on goal and was plus-one in his debut for Lewiston last night, a 5-2 win over Val D’or.
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers dropped to 4-6-0-0 after a 6-1 embarassment at the hands of the Bruins in Providence. After keeping his team in the game by stopping all 16 shots he faced in the first period, Mikko Koskinen continued too get little help and allowed 6 goals on 22 shots the rest of the way. Rhett Rakhshani had the lone goal for Bridgeport, which hosts Hartford tonight. After the game Friday, a disgusted Jack Capuano told Mike Fornabaio, “We should have just stayed on the bus.”
READING MATERIAL
Respected Ottawa Citizen columnist Wayne Scanlon on the Islanders’ struggles.
Eric Hornick puts last Saturday’s Islanders-Flyers penaltyfest in statistical-historical perspective.
Nino Niederreiter on the Islanders’ experience to a Portland newspaper: “I was living the life there.”
Bruce Ciskie of FanHouse with his College Hockey Weekly.
Comments on tonight’s tilt and this post are welcomed.
The ugly stats, the ugly reality, the talk of job security (Garth Snow is not going anywhere for a long, long time, so understand that now) and everything else can wait, at least until the Islanders embark on another road trip next week.
For now, the Islanders need a win. Just so happens, on Saturday they host the Flyers, whom they don’t beat much. As you know, the 6-1 loss in Philadelphia last Saturday turned appropriately nasty – thanks in part to the grit of Putting on the Foil Brothers Zenon Konopka, “Triple Minor” Trevor Gillies, Matt Martin and the Grate Dane, Ferocious Frans Nielsen. But now Daniel Briere is suspended, and Daniel Carcillo might be for his head hit on Ruslan Fedotenko last night. The Flyers still have plenty of toughness without Carcillo, but the Islanders need the two points a lot more than they need any manufactured revenge.
On Tuesday, I asked Konopka for a few minutes on camera on the psychology of a grudge match. He says some pretty interesting things about the culture of toughness on Hempstead Turnpike. You’ll want to check it out.
The Islanders are not practicing today. Stay tuned to see if any news breaks. Thanks for your commitment to Point Blank…CB
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