Monthly Archives: March 2011
You decide: a heartbreaker or not?
Leading 2-1 in the third period, the Islanders allowed Devils goals at 5:43 of the third (David Clarkson) and 3:09 into overtime (Anssi Salmela) for a 3-2 loss. The Devils out-shot the Islanders, 35-15, and dominated most of the third and overtime after both teams played last night.
You can make the case for heartbreak because a win in regulation would have sent the Islanders to the Garden on Tuesday and Carolina on Friday in the role of hunter much more than spoiler. Letting the Devils take both points tonight, after doing the same on Sunday, keeps the Devils ahead of them.
So are the Panthers, who always seem to win in March after they fall down the standings (yup, again tonight against the Lightning). So are the Thrashers, miraculous winners in Philadelphia tonight. So are the Maple Leafs, who grabbed both points tonight in regulation.
But the Sabres lost in Toronto. The Hurricanes, grabbing those sticks a little tighter, lost at home to Columbus. The Rangers are in San Jose late.
Still, with the Islanders up 2-1 after such an outstanding second period, it was reasonable to start wondering about what could be.
The Islanders would have gone ultra-legitimate with a pair of down-and-dirty victories over the Bruins and Devils. Two weeks ago, it would have felt natural to call them surprising wins, but not any more. It’s especially funny to think of all the talk of the Devils being in the playoff race when the Islanders have been at their heels since the trade deadline.
The simple fact is, you can throw out all the statistics about how the Islanders are first since this date and have this many goals since that date. The Islanders are playing as well as any team in the NHL right now.
With Al Montoya making big stops after a softie by Josef Josefson and Blake Comeau scoring a brilliant shorthanded goal for his 20th of the season and John Tavares giving his team the lead with his 25th, the Islanders were in position to make the upcoming week special. Instead, they remain spoilers more than hunters. To be clear, it is still not too late.
Tonight, a 3-2 loss in New Jersey in overtime, out-shot and out-played for large stretches, was a setback for this impressive collection of young players. Heartbreak? Perhaps it’s the ultimate compliment to Garth Snow, Jack Capuano and their players about how far they’ve come that this one hurts at all.
9:30 pm: The Interactive Post-Game Plus/Minus after the Islanders defeated the Boston Bruins, 4-2, on Friday night at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum…
Minus: The season started on Oct. 9 and could end April 9.
Plus: Per Eric Hornick – With their win tonight, the Islanders have tied the Bruins with the most standings points in the Eastern Conference since Dec. 16.
(See what I did there? I flipped it into a positive).
Plus: The Bruins had not lost a game all year in which they had a 2-0 lead in the second period.
Plus: The Islanders’ comeback was as impressive as it was inspiring.
Plus: Kyle Okposo.
Plus: We can debate what’s real and what isn’t in this comeback, but there’s little argument about Al Montoya establishing himself as a quality NHL goaltender.
Plus: Matt Moulson scored his 29th goal, one of his biggest of this season because it was scored with two seconds left in the second period. Michael Grabner scored his 28th.
Plus: Islanders finish the homestand 4-0-1.
Plus: Jack Hillen, who could use a break, scored the game-winner.
Plus: Once the Islanders got the lead early in the third, they didn’t give up a lot of scoring chances.
Plus: Kyle Okposo, Michael Grabner, Frans Nielsen and Andrew MacDonald will take part in a Q & A at the NHL Store in Manhattan on Monday at 4:00 pm. The event is open to the public, but get their early because the place is not large.
Plus: Did I mention Billy Jaffe is moderating the Q & A? Since The Jaff is clearly one of the league’s lead voices at the Network, NHL.com and the Blackberry shows, good work by the NHL in making that happen. Wouldn’t be surprised if the Islanders also record a roundtable segment for NHL.com and “On The Fly.”
Plus: Although Rangers season ticket prices have been raised for next season – MSG is citing the “transformation” of the Garden as the primary reason – Islanders season subscribers have reason to believe their price points are safe after more than a half-season of $20 ticket deals. For fans in the Country, there’s also the good news of a much-improved team that will make a serious challenge for a playoff berth in 2011-12.
Plus: Are they challenging for one this season?
12:15 pm: Since the trade deadline passed ten days ago with no takers for a second round pick for Zenon Konopka, there has been some speculation in the press – not reporting, but educated guesswork – that the Islanders will soon give the fourth-line center a contract extension. This would be happy news for Konopka’s legion of supporters, his teammates and the player himself, who has been very public with his desire to stay part of what he calls the Islanders “family.”
According to his agent, however, there have never been any substantive discussions with the Islanders about keeping Konopka in New York – before or since the trade deadline.
“I’ve spoken with the Islanders a few times because it is Zenon’s wish to remain with the team,” his agent Kevin Epp told Point Blank in a phone conversation from his office in Vancouver. “Unfortunately to this point, there haven’t been any offers. There haven’t been any negotiations.”
Although Epp admitted to “some disappointment” over the lack of any progress, he was still hopeful of executing a new contract for Konopka with Garth Snow. “Staying with the Islanders means a lot to Zenon, so as an agent I’m dedicated to getting something done,” said Epp. “I also feel Zenon has been very good for the Islanders this season.”
Epp will get very little argument about that. But the Islanders’ demand of a second round draft pick doesn’t make it any easier to buy into the belief that management holds Konopka in the highest regard and were only investigating his worth as a rental.
Consider the case of P.A. Parenteau. Whether or not you believe the right wing is a top-six NHL forward, a player with his offensive ability would have garnered interest prior to the trade deadline. Offense is at a premium and Parenteau had a dirt-cheap contract for this season. Instead of shopping him for a second round draft pick, the Islanders rushed last month to secure his services for next season at a nice raise. The same could be said for Milan Jurcina. The Islanders moved quickly to increase the salary of the third-pair defenseman from $1 million to $1.6 million.
Still, nothing yet for Konopka, who is on a very short list of veterans keeping the team together during the almost season-long absence of Doug Weight. Nothing for a player who has stood up for his teammates on the ice and the franchise in the press with a passion the Islanders have not seen in a long time. Nothing for the center sent out for an overwhelming majority of important faceoffs this season by two head coaches.
As Darren Dreger of TSN implied in a tweet last week, if the Islanders placed Konopka’s value as a second round pick – the same price paid for more talented NHLers over the last month – “it seems likely…the Islanders will want to extend his deal.”
We’ll see about that.
Comments.
Arguments, lectures, laughs, praise, skepticism, funky questions, flubbing the word “bias” twice, what it all means and at least one poor choice of words by me. Comments on this discussion are invited.
written by Kevin Schultz
For the second time in three nights, the Islanders skated against a team making a late season playoff push at the Optimum WiFi Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The Maple Leafs didn’t have nearly the same intensity that the Devils did on Sunday, but they were as resilient as could be. Three times the Leafs came back from a one-goal deficit, the last to force overtime. Twice, those tying goals came within about a minute of an Islanders tally. That inability to hold a lead would have been the top story if the Leafs had been able to come out on top. However, the Islanders would have the last say as Blake Comeau deflected home a Radek Martinek slapper in the extra session to send the Coliseum faithful home happy.
The Islanders improved their record on this homestead to 3-0-1 and have earned seven of a possible eight points. Jack Capuano’s record as head coach has also now hit the NHL’s version of .500 at 22-22-7. Remember, he took over in the middle of an epic losing streak. It’s impressive how far in the rearview mirror that ugly streak now is.
This wasn’t the wire-to-wire solid all-around effort that we’ve seen a few times on this homestand. There were good periods and great shifts but certainly not a 64-minute performance. Let’s examine further in +/-…
Plus – The effort and impact of the fourth line tonight was excellent and apparent right from the get go…
Minus – …However, they were on the ice for two of the Leafs’ three goals.
Plus – Matt Martin hitting anything in blue and white that moved.
Plus – After the Islanders hit three posts in the first period, Al Montoya made some tough saves to keep the Leafs off the board in the opening frame.
Minus – Bruno Gervais. The second Toronto goal was downright ugly.
Minus – There was only one power play for the Isles, but in a continuation from Sunday it was a bad one.
Plus – The Islanders scoring four goals on a night when Matt Moulson and John Tavares were held scoreless (although not post-less).
Plus – Radek Martinek and his all-out effort in OT.
Minus – Not being able to hold a lead.
Plus – Josh Bailey’s moves.
——-
Prospect notes: Casey Cizikas is expected to be out “for a while” with an injured hand. Cizikas said he suffered the injury after a clean hit by Jarred Tinordi. He will have a CT scan on Monday. Casey’s team in Mississauga has already clinched an OHL playoff berth and will be in the Memorial Cup as the host team.
Comments on all of the above in this thread.
Thank you for all of your questions. Our 24-minute show will run on Wednesday and we are holding some of your questions for another edition to be recorded next week. Join Kevin Schultz after tonight’s game for Plus/Minus…CB
The agent for P.A. Parenteau and Milan Jurcina explains how their contract extensions were negotiated. He also discusses what UFAs desire most in prospective teams, what it’s like to bargain with Garth Snow and his respect for the franchise. Comments on this interview are invited.
