GAME DAY: ISLANDERS AT PANTHERS
Can the Isles avenge opening night?
After a disappointing loss on Thursday night in Tampa Bay, we’re yet again wondering exactly who this Islander team is. There have now been a couple of disappointing efforts so far this season and a few really excellent performances. But this is the modus operandi of teams projected to finish in the middle of the pack, especially one so young and inexperienced. There are nights when they put on a show, inspiring lucid dreams of what could be. And then there are nights such as Thursday night with snow angels of disappointment on the Internet in .gif form summarizing the effort. For now, we’ll have to take the good with the bad. Eventually, we’ll have a clearer picture of who these Islanders are. A win over the team that embarrassed them on opening night would certainly be a step in the right direction.
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF BLAKE COMEAU
The biggest small story of the season, Blake Comeau, will be back in the lineup tonight after a two-game hiatus. Brian Rolston has gone home to be with his wife who is expecting (congrats), so Comeau and Trevor Gillies will both have a lineup spot tonight. All of the above reported by Newsday’s Staple, with the extra note that Comeau will be playing LW.
It remains to be seen how Capuano will juggle the lineup, potentially mixing lines that have yet to be mixed this year. Having to plan around Gillies’ 3-ish minutes of ice time — a serious liability against teams without enforcers — may be more of a wrench in the lineup than help tonight. All remains to be seen but I would suspect we’ll see another rotation on the bottom two lines as we did on Thursday.
THE OPPOSING VIEW
Prior to opening night, I talked with Donny from the excellent Panthers blog Litter Box Cats.
About Kevin Schultz
Kevin was formerly an NHL blogger for the now defunct AOL Fanhouse and was the creator of the hockey comedy blog Barry Melrose Rocks. He now covers the Isles for Islanders Point Blank. You can follow him for instant updates on the team and talk hockey with him on Twitter @schultz88. View all posts by Kevin Schultz →28 Responses to GAME DAY: ISLANDERS AT PANTHERS
Can the Isles avenge opening night?
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MarioGazz says:
Lets win tonight and everyone came come off the ledge and be happy again.
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Strummer's Army says:
Hopefully Comeau has a good game tonight and increases his trade value. Don’t assume the fetal position again vs. the Panthers Blake like a couple years ago.
Glad Gillies is in because you saw FL intentionally running Montoya and not afraid to rough up any Isle.
Be interesting when Nino comes back but sorry a guy or two has to go to improve the roster.
It would be a big sign if the Isles beat FL tonight and avenge the opener. GO ISLES!
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Claude says:
If they can’t bounce back and beat a mediocre Panther team, then nothings changed
I say tandem shop Comeau and Bailey
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Staten Islander says:
This week Tampa got payback for thier 1st meeting with the Isles. Tonight, let the Isles do the same to the Panthers.
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Duff says:
Litter Box Cats….dude needs to get a new blog name.
Isles 5-2, Nielson, Bailey, Comeau, Okoso and Tavares light the lamp.
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Bob E says:
Stop with the trade value garbage. Let’s get the win. Let’s hope comeau, bailey and ko contribute.
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Winning says:
I see blake getting traded. He is making multi million dollars, not poster boylike bailey was at 1 point, blake was probably drafted by milbury. The isles do have depth on offense if bailey and blake have any trade value. It could be a chance to get a young #3 defensman, and unload mottau.
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MadChef says:
nobody is getting traded people please pipe dream somewhere else. Isles get back on top tonight, Comeau lighting the lamp? Tampa was not gonna lay down the other night after getting embarassed and the Isles were of way too many days, imo. Nino comes back Rolston sits, Pandolfo is good PK, and Defender. Gillies continues to spot start, and Mottau can go wherever when Jurcina comes back. Too bad it wont last but its nice not having to get emotional about who is in net with DP out.Trust both guys in the pipes right now.Ok people game 6 lets try and watch a little hockey before we coin the entire season!
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Numbers65 in Ohio says:
We need a win tonight. PERIOD!
LET’S GO ISLANDERS!!!!! -
The Isles should be motivated tonight to avenge their opening night loss against Florida. The question is will they?
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nyi fan 16 says:
Glad Comeau is back, I hope he can spark some life into Bailey. The Tampa game was brutal, let’s show some emotion and get 2. Go Isles!!
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Frans Dish says:
is anyone else unable to view tn’s game with center ice?
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Mike says:
Flat AGAIN!!!!!!! Amazing!!!!
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Will says:
im calling it right now we wont win another game untill dec 3rd against Dallas it will be a 4-1 win
we will go 0-17-3 untill then cappy will get fired and we will get another top 5 draft pick -
Vlad from Brooklyn says:
Can somebody explain to me: why for so many seasons in almost all games our netminder has to be the besr player on the ice? Please.
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Dom says:
What the hell is with getting outshot 3 to 1 every freaking game???????? Also, starting the losing crap early this season, can’t beat a pathetic Panther team? Same old Islanders.
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ernie says:
same old isles.
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2 losses in a row down….18 more to go. False hopes once again this season. Can’t break double digits for shots on goal in a period either. Panthers again?…you’ve got to be kidding. Sad.
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This team is a joke. So over it
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NYISLES001 says:
Again, Baily and Okposso are KILLING THE ISLANDERS.
Taveras can’t be the loan guy on this team.
Again, Snow and scouts reached for these two clowns in the draft. Same as he does with every friggin pick.
Baily needs a dam dress. Send both of the losers to Bridgeport and bring up some guys with grit.
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Same old crap year after year. Now we will slide into a 10 game losing steak.
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Hello Draft Lottery 2012.
Hey how is next years lotter. May Snow can F up that one also, reaching for a guy ranked 40th by Central Scounting with the 4th pick.
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I felt like I was watching paint dry. They were merely bystanders today. Poor, poor, effort until the last 5 minutes…then it was too late. Let’s get out of the Florida sun already! Only one good thing to say…much to my surprise, Nabakov had a solid game. It would have been really nice had the team showed up in front of him. I think for the next game they should be forced to drink a few cups of espresso! Really, I don’t go nuts when they play hard and lose, but this kind of performance makes me angry!
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Comeau is a girl. He and Baily need balerina dresses. How many times do these guys shy away from contact to battle for the puck.
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Florida got shut twice at home and what the gm do? Pulled a trade . Because I quote “he was going to stand for losing ”
What to we do. Cross our fingers and hope ko,bailey and comeau can consistently perform at this level while the losses mountPress box my butt! Start giving some these under performing clowns a one way to Bridgeport
Wake up Garth! and send a effing message before it’s too late
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MESSAGE TIME….I totally agree. Ship Bailey and Comeau out, shake things up before the losing gets out of hand again.
Big game tonight and next weeks games are even bigger. They can do serious damage here in the next 3 games beating 3 east coast teams while many teams are on their west coast trips. The Islanders have to show signs of life. Doesn’t matter if Nabokov or Montoya is in net tonight. The Islanders have to play with a lil more urgency and tenacity. They have to play like Tampa just wiped the floor with them. If they finish out the month strong, starting with tonights game….I think they will carry a certain groove to their game that will negate any slips that could lead to a losing streak. Coach Jack must do what he does best by matching Tavares line vs. Florida’s 3rd line while Neilson shuts down Florida’s 1st line. The Powerplay must produce tonight and the hits must be finished. Do that, these Isles should have no problem walking away from Florida with their heads up coming home to play the Penguins. Let’s finish this trip right. Go Isles.