Monthly Archives: December 2011
For the second time in a week, the Islanders and Blackhawks played a close game that came down to an overtime finish. It wasn’t quite the 60-minute atmosphere that there was last Friday in Chicago, as the Blackhawks played a lot of shutdown hockey in their own zone for the first 30 minutes, but it was again an entertaining finish even if the Islanders were on the losing end.
The Isles had their chances through the first 28 minutes — a Grabner-esque pass break up and breakaway from Brian Rolston in the second sticks in my mind the most as well as big power play slappers — but at even strength the Hawks did a solid job of not letting the Islanders get anything going offensively. Matt Martin did a lot of dirty work against the boards, only to have the puck scoot around the wall and find a defender’s stick on multiple occasions.
Al Montoya wasn’t lightning in a crease as he has been but that will be all the complaining you’ll hear from me when the starting goaltender only lets two in through regulation. The first wasn’t pretty and the second was partially screened — should Jurcina have picked up Sharp there? I’m not entirely sure. The third goal has enough blame to go around for the next week and a half. He did enough to get this team to overtime and stop 25 of the first 27 he faced. The “well DP would be getting roasted for those goals” argument doesn’t really fly for me and is getting old. Goalies with .930 save percentages have earned the right to let a bad one in on occasion.
But just as it looked like the Islanders may head to the third with a chance for yet another home shutout, PA Parenteau somehow found a wide open Travis Hamonic from a scrum along the boards and Hamonic buried it. With new-found energy and two minutes left, the Islanders got a gift of a 5-on-3 that they couldn’t convert.
The third was as entertaining as periods come and showed that this team isn’t the one that we knew pre-Thanksgiving. The Islanders rallied back from a 2-0 deficit to force overtime and, for the second time this week, gave one of the best teams in the standings a run for their money. This one felt like it could turn into a 4-0 home shutout but credit to the Islanders for working their way back. Michael Grabner would even the score at two in his first game back, with a deflection off a shot from Steve Staios (the goal was credited to Staios until after the game was over).
In overtime, Patrick Sharp scored his second of the game to win it for the Hawks, off a rebound from a Marian Hossa shot. It started with a hard pass back to Staios in the high slot that he couldn’t handle. Hossa picked up the fumble and broke out 2-on-1 as Staios lost his footing and was left behind the play. Hossa would get a clean shot off at Montoya, as Okposo hustled back and dove to thwart any pass. Milan Jurcina, the Isle back as the one in the 2-on-1, got caught in no man’s land, not going after either Hossa, the passing lane or the ensuing rebound.
The Islanders defense isn’t particularly fleet of foot and with Andy MacDonald out, Capuano has paired the two best defenders together (Streit and Hamonic). That leaves a very responsible pairing, a sufficient but slow pairing (which was on the ice for the OT goal) and a surprisingly decent pairing. The slowest pairing was on the ice in overtime and got caught in a breakout situation after a turnover. You’d have to think it would have turned out a bit differently with a healthy Andy MacDonald in the lineup, which would change up the lines and put some amount of quickness in each pairing. Instead, in the 4-on-4 drill of NHL overtime, the Islanders got caught with the line out that was least able to recover in the event of a poor turnover.
PLUS/MINUS
EVEN: The powerplay’s failure to not convert the 5-on-3 and goose egg on the game cost the team in this one, certainly a minus. However, they had 12 shots on the man advantage and had very solid shifts. In the span of one game, may be more bad luck than poor play. Although Brian Rolston does need to hit the net at the end of the second.
PLUS: Dylan Reese’s play. He’s been responsible in his own end, done a great job when he’s stepped up into the play or pinched and seemed to be the third-best defender on the ice since he’s been on the roster.
MINUS: I’m not sure why Montoya’s been taking classes at the Rick DiPietro School of How to Come Out of the Net, but it wasn’t good. Montoya’s spill at the end of the second and near-giveaway in the middle of the period were not pretty.
PLUS: Daniel Carcillo is a tough guy and every team needs their ‘gritty’ guys, or whatever you want to call them. Some are more calculated and collected than others. Be glad this one’s not on your team. Punching an opponent (Kyle Okposo) in the face right in front of the refs late in the third of a tie game? Yeesh. This one’s a plus since it resulted in an Islanders power play.
EVEN: Steve Staios. He had a huge shot to help tie the game but a fumble ended up costing the team in OT. And there was that penalty towards the end of the third (although that should have also been a boarding penalty on Frolik — blatant check from behind — see Nate Thompson’s penalty on Tuesday night).
PLUS: The Bridgeport Kids. David Ullstrom looks like he belongs, doesn’t he? And by being moved to a regular recall, Tim Wallace has been given a spot on the team for now. Both were effective tonight.
UPDATE: Wallace in the lineup, Haley is scratched to make room for Grabs.
Your goalies tonight are Al Montoya and Ray Emery.
Both Katie Strang and the Isles official twitter feed are reporting that Michael Grabner will be in the lineup tonight, however they’re slightly conflicting about Tim Wallace‘s status. The Islanders are saying he has been changed from an emergency recall to a regular call up, while Strang reports he was sent back to Bridgeport.
Nino Niederreiter, Rick DiPietro and Andy MacDonald are all still out of the lineup. Expect the Islanders to be very patient with Nino.
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Rundown
News and Notes
Michael Sauer
Travis Zajac
Mark Fistric Suspension
Billy Jaffe of NHL Network and MSG
Chris and Billy talk NHL Schedule, Lightning, and Islanders
Adam Rotter of SNYRangersBlog joins in
Sauer injury
Gaborik and Richards
Defense Call Ups
The Forecast
Early Playoff Position
Tonight’s Local Predictions
FISTRIC SUSPENSION IS… JEEZ… FAIR AND JUST?
If you had “because Fistric left his feet” in the suspension pool at your office, congratulations you’re a winner. In Brendan Shanahan’s analysis, his main focus was on Fistric’s leaving his feet as well as charging.
Three games is about the norm for suspensions in the Shanahan era and this hit was certainly right in the wheelhouse. Islanders fans should be satisfied with this, or at least can put away the tin foil hats that the league is out to get them.
Probably the most interesting part of this news is that Fistric is now set to return to action next Thursday in a game that is, wouldn’t ya know, at the Coliseum against the Islanders. If the Stars choose to skate him that night, I’d bet a lot of money that he gets challenged as soon as possible. If only because of this, I’m kind of surprised it wasn’t a four game suspension just to avoid this situation.
THIS WEEK’S RICK DIPIETRO FOOTNOTE EVERYONE READS WAY TOO MUCH INTO
In the post-game report on Tuesday night, Staple had a passing blurb at the end of the story:
“The goaltender stalls are so full in the dressing room that DiPietro’s nameplate was removed.”
It’s easy to see why this would spin the internet into a tizzy but the answer is in the sentence provided. The goalie stalls are really, really full. For the bulk of the season carrying three netminders already pushed Evgeni Nabokov over into the area where the defensemen sit. With a fourth on the roster when Kevin Poulin was called up, there was simply no room at the inn. So quit typing those ‘he got traded/cut/whatever’ tweets, you guys.
OH THAT LITTLE GUY? I WOULDN’T WORRY ABOUT THAT LITTLE GUY.
Tell the media circus it doesn’t need to come to town on Saturday when the Peguins visit — Sidney Crosby will not be in the lineup. He won’t even be in the building, as he isn’t traveling with the Penguins on their road trip to Philly and Long Island this week. So there’s one Isles opponent this weekend that won’t be playing their best lineup. What about that other one? Glad you asked…
RAY EMERY TO START IN GOAL THURSDAY NIGHT
If you thought Corey Crawford was a bit shaky last week in Chicago (even if you don’t think he was, his numbers this year certainly are), then get ready to meet the new and improved Ray Emery. Emery is the Hawks’ Rick DiPietro Statistical Equivalent with a .890 save percentage and 2.93 GAA. Take those numbers with the consideration that he played 43 minutes of shutout hockey in relief of Crawford on Monday night against Phoenix. Emery’s allowed 20 goals in six starts this year, including seven(!) against in Edmonton on 27 shots November 19th which subsequently put him into witness protection. He does have 58 minutes of scoreless hockey in two relief appearances, so it’s been feast or famine this year with Emery. You never know which Emery is going to show up.
THIS IS THE BEST STARTING GOALTENDER WEBSITE IN EVEERRRR, JOHN. IN EVER.
So how did I know Emery was starting? This website. It’s amazing. Seriously for you fantasy hockey folks wondering whom to start in net, this will save you an unbelievable amount of time.
INJURY REPORT
Michael Grabner skated at practice yesterday and will be re-evaluated. Evgeni Nabokov skated as well. All of the other infirmary members did not.
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Islanders Lightning
Devils / Maple Leafs
Chris Botta talks goalies with Kevin Weekes of Hockey Night in Canada
Chris talks the locals with Brian Compton of NHL.com
Chris answers fan tweets
The Forecast
Re-alignment
Derek Boogaard
UPDATE, 1:00pm – Mark Fistric has been suspended three games by the NHL for his hit Saturday on Nino. Suspension video is here.
A NEW VERSION OF JOSH BAILEY? PLEASE SIR, DO STAY A WHILE
With Andy MacDonald and Michael Grabner out, the rest of the Islanders’ roster needed to step up and last night, they certainly did. At the top of that list was Josh Bailey, who has been playing better as of late. But last night was Bailey’s best game of the season by a mile. He was only credited with one takeaway on the scoresheet but broke up a ton of passes and got Howie Rose saying his name more than Rose has said it all season.
In the first period, Bailey looked like a graduate of the Michael Grabner School for Penalty Killers breaking up numerous passes and even getting a fast break chance before it was broken up by the Bolts’ last man back. He spent 4:30 on the PK last night, in addition to 3:25 on the man advantage and a grand total ice time of 17:24, his most ice time in any game this season by nearly two minutes. Bailey had 21 shifts in each of the last four games, three of which were also season highs in minutes logged at the time — all indications that the coach’s confidence in Bailey has increased as Bailey’s confidence in himself has. He can be a streaky player, so hopefully this is a corner turned and not a mirage.
#TIEGATE IS SOLVED
Peter Ruttgaizer brought up #tiegate to Coach Capuano during yesterday’s pre-game. Video, for your viewing pleasure:
During the game, Capuano did indeed have a different tie on. Now it’s time to put this meme on hold until the next superstition is revealed. Remember you heard it here first. NYI Point Blank; we’re not just analyzing the game, we’re also obsessing over the coaching staff’s wardrobe quirks.
TIME FOR A COUPLE OF STATEMENT WINS
The Islanders are 4-0-1 in their last five games, a nice run to be sure. It looks like things are turning around the team is starting to back up all the talk about how this year is, indeed, different than last. Now it’s time to kick it up a notch. BAM!
With Chicago and Pittsburgh coming to town, the Islanders have two 36-point teams visiting. Based on point totals, these are the second and third best teams in the league behind only Minnesota (yeah, I had to do a double take on that too). The Islanders took the Blackhawks to a shootout last week. If we forget about what happened last time they met the Penguins, there was a hard fought OT loss in Pittsburgh all the way back in October. The Isles can be competitive against these two teams but now it’s time to make a statement. They’ve got solid goaltending, a top line that is on fire and all four lines clicking well. There’s no better time to extend the streak with some statement wins. What a statement three or four points in the next two games would be.
WHA…WHAT ARE YOU DOING THAT DOESN’T LOOK RIGHT
Believe me, I like Alice Cooper and appreciate the music but there may be no single thing a person can do to make me cringe more than slap on a Flyers jersey. OK… There is ONE thing.
CLENCH KNEES TO CHEST AND ROCK BACK AND FORTH
LightHouse acknowledges dissects what we’re all tugging our shirt collars about — how will this team make the playoffs in a super conference?
LET’S REALIGN THE WORLD
We’ve got realignment fever and the only prescription is more realignment posts. Here is CB’s take at the NYT.
SAD
And lastly, if you haven’t read the Derek Boogaard Project at the Times, well you must not read things about hockey online.
This is more like it.
The Islanders put together a 60 minute game of dominance and had the 5-1 score to show for it. They got contributions from 12 different players and all four lines (although Okposo’s point came while he was out with Tavares and Moulson). The defense was rock solid, and The Big Cubano was again a brick wall in net. (Not that he was tremendously challenged)
This was a night of firsts, milestones and streaks continued.
Despite initial Islanders’ pressure, things looked to get off to a rocky start as it was Montoya’s turn to give up a goal on the first shot he faced. Martin St. Louis would notch his 800th career point off a beautiful deflection of a Brett Clark point shot that would find it’s way down and through Montoya’s pads. He actually had perfect positioning on the goal, and how St. Louis stood there untouched and unnoticed was baffling.
Too many times this year, the Isles would have been deflated by the early marker, but tonight, they roared back late in the period. John Tavares picked up his 9th of the year off of some excellent board work from Kyle Okposo to dig the puck out to Moulson off to Mathieu Garon’s left. Moulson found an open Tavares who sniped the puck over Garon’s glove from right in front even with the faceoff dot. It was Tavares’ first goal in 13 games.
Four minutes later, a tremendous forecheck by Tim Wallace and Matt Martin would give the Isles the lead for good. Wallace found himself behind the net and fed Martin who was crashing and tapped it home. It was Wallace’s first point in 24 NHL games but he is 1 for 1 as an Islander. He was leading Bridgeport in scoring prior to the call-up.
The third goal of the period was a power play goal and started with Josh Bailey who didn’t figure in the scoring because there was too much tic-tac-toe ness going on. Bailey cruised into the Lightning zone along the boards to Garon’s right, pulled up and dished to Mark Streit coming down the middle. Streit fed Frans Nielsen in the right circle who found Milan Jurcina streaking in from his point position at the left post for a tap in goal.
The second saw no scoring, but Tampa came out flying and generated a lot of early pressure the Isles fended off. They were able to generate three power plays in the period though as they continued to skate aggressively and give the Lightning fits in front of their net. At one point, Garon deliberately knocked the net off the moorings because he had dropped his stick. No call was made though and Tampa successfully avoided a 5 on 3 situation. The Isles power play equally looked dominant with puck movement and possession and inept on others tries. On the night though, they would finish 2 of 5 PP opportunities.
The third period however, the Islanders dominance paid off with scoring chances and goals. Early in the period, PA Parenteau was robbed by Garon who came across his crease to make a glove save off a one-timer fed to him by Mark Streit.
But at 3:19, rookie David Ullstrom would get his first NHL goal off of a great set up from Josh Bailey. Bailey picked up the puck just outside the blue line, gained the Lightning zone off to Garon’s right, put his shoulder down and faked a move to the net drawing the Lightning defense. He then dropped the puck behind him where Ullstrom had all day to tee up a slapshot that found it’s way through Garon.
Moulson would cap off the scoring with his 8th goal in his 5 game goal streak and his 14th of the season on a late power play. The broadcast team also indicated that Moulson set a career high with eight shots on goal tonight. It was surprising and I’m sure the Lightning weren’t happy about the Islanders 1st unit being on the ice with such a big lead already, but hey, there were streaks on the line.
Noticings:
- While this was a great win and a huge team effort and dominant performance, the Lightning were on the tail end of back to back games and they now find themselves mired in a five game losing streak.
- The Islanders now have points in six of seven games. (4-1-2) If they can keep that going for a while…
- Almost as importantly as what they did, is who they did it without…namely, their top penalty killer and last year’s leading goal scorer Michael Grabner and last year’s ice time leader Andrew MacDonald. The team is continuing to play well, showing some depth and carry-on in the face of injury…which is important, because there’s usually a lot of injury.
- The broadcast team also noted that the Isles have scored 4 goals in 3 straight games. They may cause a chili shortage.
- I think we’re going to need to start the AL MONTOYA all-start write in push pretty soon…like yesterday. Does he have a chance in a conference with Thomas, Lundqvist, Ward, Miller and Price?
- Josh Bailey had arguably his best night as a pro tonight. He killed penalties with reckless abandon. He went to the net, he made stickhandling moves around and through people, he hit (more than the stat count showed which bothered me terribly), he passed and he shot. If he is this good with confidence, he needs to be given heavy doses of confidence. His play over the last few weeks has been tremendous. Good for the maligned kid.
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