Monthly Archives: December 2010
CB at FanHouse: On Rangers 6, Islanders 5
FanHouse Video: Boogaard vs. Gillies
Lighthouse Hockey Islanders blog
SNY’s Rangers blog (by Adam Rotter)
Jack Capuano, who came into the job saying he would not name his starting goaltenders in advance, has been doing it almost ever since. The head coach announced Rick DiPietro was starting at the NVMC more than 24 hours before gametime. In his postgame presser after the 6-5 loss last night, Capuano said Dwayne Roloson would get the start in Madision Square Garden.
That said, we’re not going to make any of these losses about the coach again…right?
Without question, the defense was weak in the 6-5 loss last night. But this is what happens when a No. 4 defenseman is asked to be a No. 1, when a sixth defenseman is asked to play first-pair minutes. Mike Mottau is out, and the Islanders did not even attempt to replace some of the offense and minutes of the great Mark Streit. As a result, there are going to be nights like last night at the Coliseum, like in Carolina, like in Philadelphia. Sometimes, it’s not always about the goaltending.
Give credit to youngster John Tavares for being appropriately mad as heck. “There are no excuses,” Tavares told reporters after last night’s game, the Islanders’ 15th loss in 16. “There are too many lapses and it’s costing us.”
The Islanders have just three wins in regulation through 23 games this season, five in total. With just 15 points on Dec. 3, they are 14 points behind eighth-place Atlanta for eighth place in the East (the Islanders have three games in hand). Now it’s on the veteran Roloson to settle things down tonight, when the Islanders have their pride on the line.
NYC Viewing Party Tonight: Yahoo! Puck Daddy blog is hosting a viewing party in Manhattan tonight at Irish Times, across the street from the Garden. The event starts at 6:30 and goes into the night. I’ll be there from about 6:45 through the end of the first period before returning to the MSG press room to cover for FanHouse. I’m told Dominik from LightHouse Hockey, the best Islanders blog out there, will be in attendance at Irish Times. I hope to see other representatives from the Country there as well.
Point Blank Night on Dec. 23: We are tentatively working on plans to host a Point Blank Holiday Party on Dec. 23 at SOCIAL when the Islanders play in New Jersey. I’ve heard over the last two years from several college students requesting we do one of these when they’re home from school. It would be wonderful to try and get everyone together one more time. All ages welcomed.
I’m well aware Dec. 23 may not be ideal, but it’s the only date available during that period. Hopefully, many of you can drop by at least for an hour. Please let me know in Comments if that works for you. If we host it, I guarantee we’ll make it special – the best one yet. At the last PB Night, the Islanders picked up a rare two points. Will finalize one way or the other next week, so stay tuned.
Comments on this post. Lots of good stuff planned for next week, so I hope you’ll continue to check in. Thanks.
CB at FanHouse: On Rangers 6, Islanders 5
FanHouse Video: Boogaard vs. Gillies
9:50 pm: Random thoughts while watching tonight’s 6-5 victory over the Islanders in an old barn-burner…
The Islanders’ performance could sum up a lot of the losses in the first quarter of this season. They looked out of their league – out-sized and out-manned – in the first period, but played their tails off until the final buzzer. The combination of Marian Gaborik and Sean Avery was the difference.
While the Islanders may not have an answer for Gaborik, the positive from tonight’s game is that they should have picked up a major jolt of confidence in the offensive zone that should give them a lift going into the rematch Friday at Madison Square Garden. Martin Biron helped, but the Islanders did put two past Henrik Lundqvist, too.
Blake Comeau and P.A. Parenteau – among others – must find a way to play with more consistent energy, passion and focus. One period, maybe a period and a half, against the crosstown rival after producing little for weeks should be unacceptable to the coaching staff.
The Columbus Day matinee, with many people working, was one thing. Arthur Staple of Newsday tweeted early in the game that the crowd appeared to be less than 11,000 tonight. If that’s true, it’s devastating. For the record, the announced attendance was 13,742.
As Brian Compton of nhl.com pointed out in our “Islanders Interactive” segment the other day, Jack Capuano’s Islanders are flirting with something that resembles a trap.
Trevor Gillies has guts. Standing in there with Derek Boogaard, who has a size advantage over anyone, is not fun. That was a strong display of courage and selflessness by Gillies, as impressive as any victorious bouts he has engaged in. The video is up at FanHouse.
On the shift before the Rangers made it 1-0, the Islanders were pinned in their own zone – and it wasn’t by the Rangers’ bigger names. On the ice were Mike Sauer and Steve Eminger on defense, Brian Boyle, Ruslan Fedotenko and Brandon Prust up front.
If the Islanders continue to do the right things for his long-term development, Travis Hamonic will be a top-four defenseman for the franchise for at least the next decade. You can see how good he is, how dedicated he is. Hamonic just needs more time, more coaching, more experience.
No matter whom he’s playing with, Matt Martin almost always is the best forward on his line. Or at the very least, the most noticeable, which is a good thing for such a young player.
It will be fun to have a pair of talented and passionate wings like Ryan Callahan and Kyle Okposo in these parts for a while, and together on the U.S. Olympic team in a few years.
Crazy as it sounds, Rick DiPietro deserves another start Friday at MSG. Other than possibly Erik Christensen’s roofer to open the scoring, DiPietro was offered little help and had no chance on the Rangers’ other five goals. If he’s feeling good, DiPietro – who relishes playing in the Garden – should get the shot.
With franchises struggling and under pressure in hockey-mad Toronto, Ottawa and Calgary, Islanders GM Garth Snow should get on the horn and try to make a deal. If he isn’t already.
Of course, there’s plenty more to talk about when it comes to this game. You’re welcome to take it from here.
CB’s weekly NHL column: Embrace the Winter Classic hype
CB at FanHouse: on Pat LaFontaine
TSN’s Bob McKenzie on the Islanders’ ban
NY Times on the Islanders’ “Crumble”
7:00 pm: Let’s start off our collection of news, notes, interview and plugs from Mom’s basement with this interview with Rangers defenseman Mike Sauer. Sauer previews the home-and-home with Brian Compton and I at SNY studios and also sheds some light on the development he received in Portland (WHL), where Nino Niederreiter plays now.
Thank you to Brendan McIntyre from Rangers PR for the hook-up.
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Yahoo! Puck Daddy Party on Friday: Wysh, Leahy and the gang from Puck Daddy are hosting a viewing party for the Islanders-Rangers game on Friday in Manhattan. The establishment is The Irish Times, right across the street from MSG at 254 West 31st Street. If you get lose the number is 212.216.9355.
The event starts at 6:30 and ends, I’m told, “whenever.” There will be raffle prizes between periods. The first 150 hockey fans through the door will get a “pretty darn cool” door prize.
I have a press credential for Friday’s game, but may also stop by The Irish Times for a pint or two. I mean, a period or two. RSVP in Comments if you plan to stop by.
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Next up: the Islanders’ forward lines from Wednesday’s practice, as reported by Compton of NHL.com:
Moulson – Tavares – Parenteau
Grabner – Nielsen – Sim
Comeau – Schremp – Joensuu
Martin – Konopka – Gillies
Blake Comeau, this is your two-day chance to turn your season around. Comeau, a very good third-line forward whom the Islanders have often asked to be a top-liner, has just two assists in his last 15 games. Comeau has no goals in his last 20 games. His last goals came in the win at home over the Rangers on Oct. 11. Comeau always plays well against the Rangers, so cheat if you have to get him in your goal pool.
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Rick DiPietro will start Thursday at the Coliseum. If he plays well and holds up well physically, DiPietro will earn the start Friday at Madison Square Garden, the site of many spectacular performances from the Islanders’ comebacking goaltender. As we mentioned a few weeks ago, the potential Masterton nominee is in position to be the hero and save the Islanders’ season.
Andrew MacDonald returns to the lineup. Should he ever go to arbitration, his agent could always politely point out the Islanders’ record this season in AMac’s absence. You don’t need the great Eric Hornick to figure that one out.
Teams always say they’re going to ignore the antics of agitators like Sean Avery, and the next thing they know, they’re suspended for two games for what the NHL views as a lurid taunt. The words means nothing. The way these games usually turn out, it’s not about the antics – it’s about skill, courage, work ethic and execution.
The hard-hitting, always-hilarious Zenon Konopka will be signing autographs at the Islanders’ Team Store in the Broadway Mall in Hicksville on Monday, Dec. 6 from 6:30 – 7:30 pm. Make sure to stop by if you’re in the area. Konopka is good people. Speaking of which, Pat LaFontaine is working the Rangers broadcast on MSG Plus on Friday.
SNY “ISLANDERS INTERACTIVE” CALL-IN SHOW
includes our predictions for the home-and-home
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Here’s an interview I shot in the Rangers’ locker room earlier this week with Martin Biron. In his career against the Islanders, Biron is 20-4-1 with a 1.93 GAA. The goalie discusses the home-and-home, the play of former netmates DiPietro and Dwayne Roloson and his view of the rivalry from both sides.
As some of you may have noticed, my brief interview with Brandon “Two Home Games” Dubinsky fell off the site last night. No, it had nothing to do with Big Brother. Just a technical glitch concerning the faulty time clock on the blog. Here it is:
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Finally, on a personal note – there I go again! – I just want to thank all of you who are still checking out Point Blank from time to time over the last two weeks. This has been a bit of a wild time for me, but thanks in large part to you, the support has been amazing and doors continue to open up.
Although I hope to return to the Coliseum for my FanHouse work on the other 29 teams, my optimism is waning about getting the access from the Islanders to go back and present a blog Islanders fans deserve. But all I can do is keep the faith that a professional resolution can be found.
Right now, all I can promise is a pair of pretty darn interesting SNY interviews are planned for early next week. One even shocked me a bit.
More important than all of that, I hope you enjoy the home-and-home with the Rangers. See you around.
Your comments on this post and the two tilts against the NYR are welcomed.
Please check out my story on Pat LaFontaine at FanHouse. Thank you. More later today.
