Monthly Archives: February 2011
11:35 pm: Colin Campbell’s statement: “The actions by the Islanders’ Gillies and Martin were deliberate attempts to injure by delivering blows to the head of players who were unsuspecting and unable to defend themselves. The message should be clear to all players: targeting the head of an opponent by whatever means will be dealt with by suspension. The Islanders also must bear some responsibility for their failure to control their players.”
For the reaction from the fans, attendance they’ll get for the home season finale against the Penguins on April 8, and other reasons, the Islanders may feel they got their money’s worth. Eric Godard received an automatic ten-game suspension for leaving the bench, but coach Dan Bylsma was absolved of any blame. Neither Bylsma or the Penguins organization were fined or suspended.
Brooks Orpik on the Islanders to Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: “That was isloated with them. I don’t think other teams would stoop to that level.”
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12:35 pm: League sources tell Point Blank that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and his hockey operations staff will not be lenient with the Islanders for their actions on Friday.
Penguins enforcer Eric Godard will receive an automatic ten-game suspension for coming off the bench to intervene in the Micheal Haley/Brent Johnson scrap. Head coach Dan Bylsma is almost guaranteed to pay the price per the NHL rulebook. But that will likely be it for the Pittsburgh organization.
Bettman’s involvement in the process – first reported by Darren Dreger of TSN – all but assures that the league is furious over the Islanders’ application of pre-meditated frontier justice at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Friday night. The league will point to Matt Martin’s missed punch on Max Talbot, and will be influenced by some national columnists’ portrayal of the incident as Bertuzziesque. (My take: that’s ridiculous. Martin may have blown the moment with an ill-advised, blind-side punch to the head, but there is no evidence to suggest he was going to attempt to jump Talbot and crush his spine).
The league will also point to Trevor Gillies skating a long way to hit Eric Tangredi from behind, and will be influenced by the perception that the Islanders’ enforcer taunted Tangredi while he was concussed. (Again, an overreaction. Gillies is a quality man. It’s a real stretch to suggest that he is so inhumane that Gillies knew Tangredi’s brains were scrambled when he continued to yell at him).
The NHL does not have a lot to throw at Haley, if they want to go by the book. Haley punched opponents who were looking at him in the face. Haley did not throw any illegal body checks. My hunch is that the league will say Haley should have gone to the penalty box instead of skated down to fight Brent Johnson. The NHL will hit Haley with an unofficial “gong show participation” suspension.
Four thoughts the day after:
1. It’s unimaginable how Dan Bylsma and his staff did not have the Penguins ready to play that game. Bylsma, a good coach and a good motivator, had a rare bad night since he got the Penguins job.
2. As I wrote last night, calling up Haley for his first game of the season and the Islanders getting revenge against the Penguins does not automatically change the culture of this franchise. The Ferocious Friday Effect will not be known until next season – certainly not while the Islanders play spoiler the rest of 2010-11. Fact is, the team has not been tough and respected for the better part of three seasons. Zenon Konopka admitted as much in an interview in November with Point Blank.
3. It will be interesting to see if Garth Snow releases another statement accepting the NHL’s fines and suspensions this time, as he has in the past.
4. On a lighter note, Konopka is a genius. No one had a stronger influence on the Islanders “making it look mean” than Konopka, but he won’t be fined a dime from last night. He should, however, start a collection among his teammates for Martin, Gillies and especially Haley – who doesn’t make a lot of money to begin with.
The fines and suspensions will most likely be announced later tonight. For fear of embarrassing myself again when it comes to NHL discipline, I won’t venture a guess. If I was in charge, I would give Haley nothing, Gillies two games and Martin four and not fine the Islanders. This, of course, is not what is going to happen.
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10:05 pm: Matt Martin may have swung and missed with his free shot at Max Talbot, but otherwise the Islanders pounded and pounded and pounded the Penguins repeatedly – physically, psychologically and on the scoreboard tonight in a 9-3 humiliation over the Penguins before the deserving die-hards tonight at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
The Islanders led 4-0 after the first period, 8-2 after the second – and as they say, it wasn’t that close. The Islanders made their stand and exacted some revenge over the Penguins, as thinned out by injuries at forward as the Islanders are in defense and goal.
The league will probably issue at least one press release in the next 48 hours as a result of this tilt. Suspensions will come out of tonight’s carnage, which included some cheap shots, heavyweight and middleweight battles and line brawls. The home fans got another delicious dose of the Micheal Haley show, his first NHL appearance of the season, leading many to wonder why he doesn’t wear an Islanders uniform more often.
Michael Grabner scored the 20th and 21st goals of his rookie season. John Tavares had a goal and three assists, while Matt Moulson had two goals and one assist. Travis Hamonic got the Gordie Howe hat trick. Haley scored a goal and had three major altercations.
This was ice hockey as it oughta be when your team has been beaten down, abandoned by a Russian goalie in semi-retirement, been called “Lowly” in the headline of every game story (win or lose) and opponents like Talbot are taking liberties with your skilled players.
Now here’s the challenge. Tonight was glorious, an image boost for the locker room and a gift to the fans. But if the Islanders go to Buffalo on Sunday or to lowly Ottawa on Tuesday – or both – and lay an egg, what will Friday Night at the Fights mean? Not nearly as much. The Islanders have won two very impressive games in a row. Make it five. Use the emotion to go on a run of something like 8-2-2. Butch Goring said this win will bring the Islanders together and make them better. Prove it.
The Islanders came together as a team on Friday night in soul-stirring fashion. It will mean so much more if it sticks for the rest of the season.
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Should “wanting to be an Islander” be a factor in contract negotiations for a second-year, fourth line NHLer, even one with the pride and passion of Zenon Konopka? Coincidentally, I raised the issue in this segment. Today, Konopka had to do damage control with Newsday after he said at the morning skate in Montreal – as quoted by nhl.com – that he would “love” to play for the Canadiens and “every player wants to play for Montreal at some point in their career.” The Islanders have to decide if Konopka, who only played 8:03 tonight, is a player and leader they want to pay to keep around for a few years. Nothing else. Zenon deserves a pass for today, but he proved my point: it’s only words.
The Islanders overcame three one-goal deficits and beat the Canadiens tonight, 4-3, getting the extra point in the shootout. Mikko Koskinen made 37 saves and was a perfect 4-for-4 in the shootout to earn his first NHL victory. Kyle Okposo, the fourth shooter, scored the only goal of the shootout.
Michael Grabner, exceptional throughout, scored two more goals. He is tied for the team lead with John Tavares, who scored his 19th goal of the season to tie the game at 1-1 in the first period.
Thanks for continuing to check out Point Blank, and enjoy the weekend’s games.
Time for a break on the goalie-go-round. Thanks to Pierre, our first two-time guest at SNY, for his energy, insight and a little sunshine during the latest dreary week in the Country. Comments on his thoughts are welcomed.
7:10 pm: As expected, Garth Snow made a low-profile goaltending acquisition tonight, but it does not come without irony. Former Rangers bust first round pick Al Montoya, who was pounded in a preseason fight with Rick DiPietro, has been acquired from Phoenix for a sixth round pick. In 21 games with AHL San Antonio this season, Montoya is 11-8 with a 3.19 GAA and .891 save percentage. He turns 26 on Sunday and has played five NHL games, all with the Coyotes during the 2008-09 season.
3:00: Kevin Poulin requires surgery to repair a dislocated kneecap suffered during warmups last night. Poulin is expected to be ready for training camp. Just as the Islanders wanted Poulin in Bridgeport, they know they cannot have not-ready Mikko Koskinen here for long. Koskinen will start in Montreal on Thursday, but by Friday’s home game – Sunday in Buffalo at the latest – Garth Snow will acquire a veteran to share the goal with Nathan Lawson. Although he has passed on other goalies (beyond picking up Evgeni Nakobov on waivers), Snow has no other choice now…Comments.
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