Category Archives: News
Full recap to come.
LINEUP NOTES
Evgeni Nabokov gets the start in net tonight with Milan Jurcina taking Dylan Reese’s spot. The forward lines are the same as usual. (more…)
With 30 games to go in the regular season, the Islanders play host to the Montreal Canadiens at the Coliseum tonight. Both teams are part of the ‘Basement 5′ of teams that are all hogtied to the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Along with Tampa, Carolina and Buffalo there are five teams clinging to playoff hopes, all between 9-11 points off of the 8th place Senators. So, tonight is another big game for the Islanders against another conference opponent. But of course, if you’re still trying to make any kind of a playoff push, every game is big.
To put in numerical terms what the Islanders need to do, they need 40 points in their last 30 games. That would require being somewhere in the neighborhood of 20-10, excluding OTL for the sake of simplicity. Given that the Islanders are 11-5-2 in their last 18, they’re being asked to play over .500 hockey for nearly 50 games. Is it possible? Absolutely. And the Blue Jackets could go 82-0 next year. Is it reasonable to expect this team with significant blue line injuries to be able to carry that pace over a 50 game margin? Hard to believe.
The Islanders stole a game in Philadelphia the other night thanks in large part to Evgeni Nabokov. They took a game in Ottawa last Friday with secondary scoring from Matt Martin and even tertiary scoring from Mark Eaton. They’re getting some bounces and stealing some games, things Islander Country is not used to. They’re going to need a whole lot more of that to keep things close, if the team as a whole doesn’t step up. More food for thought; 10 of the last 30 games are against the Atlantic Division.
Here’s an interesting stat from my former FanHouse colleague Adam Gretz:
Since start of ’05 season only 2 teams overcame a deficit of 5 points or more on Feb. 8 to make the playoffs.
— Adam Gretz (@AGretz) February 9, 2012
Those teams were the Blues in ’09 and the Rangers in ’07. Islanders in ’12? Start the campaign. Vote Tavares/Nabokov in ’12!
THIS IS WHAT FIRST OVERALL STICK HANDLING LOOKS LIKE
I’ll be back with a full game preview soon, but for the time being here’s some video from the Islanders’ trip to Ottawa last Friday. If you’ve ever wondered how it feels to have world class talent, look no further.
After the jump, Evgeni Nabokov’s tour of the NHL media from yesterday… (more…)
Many Islanders fans questioned head coach Jack Capuano’s decision to sit goaltender Evgeni Nabokov in favor of back-up Al Montoya during Saturday evening’s 4-3 shootout loss to the Buffalo Sabres. The 36-year-old net-minder made those die-hards look like geniuses on Tuesday evening as he singlehandedly delivered his hockey club two crucial points in a 1-0 shootout victory over the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center.
Nabokov, who stymied the Flyers from pillar to post through the game’s first 65 minutes of play, was finally given that much-needed lead during the shootout as Frans Nielsen’s patented backhand beat Ilya Bryzgalov glove side. John Tavares would snap a wrister stick-side for an insurance tally, as Nabokov would stop both Daniel Briere and Wayne Simmonds to secure the victory.
With the NHL trading deadline just 20 shopping days away, Nabokov not only made his case to rival organizations in need of a playoff-caliber goaltender, he also gave Islanders general manager Garth Snow much to think about with the team hoping to surge for one of the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spots.
Stopping all 45 Flyers shots, Nabokov provided his brittle blue-line – who for a third consecutive game suffered an injury – that last line of defense. Dylan Reese, who has played sparingly, filling in for both Steve Staios and Milan Jurcina (currently out with a knee laceration), was lost late in the second period with an apparent knee injury. (more…)
Four years at $11 million per Bob McKenzie.
Once upon a time I interviewed for a job with the Flyers at the CoreStates First Union Wachovia Wells Fargo Center. Nothing came of it but at the time the arena was still fairly new and certainly seemed like Madison Square Garden of Philadelphia. Owned by a large cable company, the Flyers built a huge monument in the city across the street from the Spectrum, which I am too young to really understand the significance of. The insides of the new palace were shiny and corporate, all paid for with cable money with the Flyers recently having moved across the parking lot from the Spectrum.
It was hard to tell where Comcast ended and the Philadelphia Flyers began. That’s no knock, as the Flyers have built themselves quite a brand in the local area and have been successful on their own. But there are the teams that are corporations — if not directly owned by them — in this league and they have a distinctive mark and look about them. There are many teams that market and spend in similar fashion but are not quite in the same echelon. When the Islanders find their way to Brooklyn in October, if only for a day, it’ll be a peek at what this team would look like in a brand new building that’s (not totally) funded by big corporate money and will look like it all the same. Sort of a possible look into the future at the Islanders circa 2017.
One other point that gets lost in the Islanders Arena saga, although I know you’re well aware, is that the Coliseum is virtually worthless without the Islanders. (more…)
As he’s known to do from time to time, Point Blank founder Chris Botta hosted some impromptu dialogue with Islanders and NHL fans last night on Twitter. In case you missed it or are not on Twitter, here’s a review of most of his answers. Keep in mind that all tweets have to be in 140 characters or less, hence the brevity.
RT @jimmywellington Think Nabakov ends up in Det?
CB: G not a priority in Det. Unless someone gets hurt long-term, won’t give up much for a Nabby type.
RT @ikcotol what can the Winnipeg Jets do to get on track?
CB: Need more beef and commitment on D. Lots of skill, but softish. C’mon, Chevy!
RT @Official_kjt Isles chances of playoffs this season?
CB: I’m in the minority, but I feel teams 10 back with 30 left should not feel outta it.
RT @scottymac228 why the hell arent you watching the beanpot?
CB: Cause Cronin’s in Toronto. (Actually, working on a Kreider story).
RT @Gus_Savage Hawks have scouts sniffing around Isles dmen?
Yes. But I don’t think they’ll trade Streit. Eaton could help as a 6.
RT @JdaxxTweets Will Snow try to pass off Strome as 2nd line C next yr, deHaan as top 4 dman?
CB: I’m sure he knows that would be a mistake.
RT @DomLongo22 Chance u do point blank again or something like it for fans who miss u?
CB: Very kind. Not anytime soon. Break is healthy for all.
RT @Islanders411 Do you know if Snow is working the phones?
CB: Of course he is. Every day until Feb. 27.
RT @rochambou will the Islanders pull a Baltimore Colts (middle of the night) or Cleveland Browns (lame duck year)?
CB: Neither
RT @daenmaster There are rumours #isles shopping PAP and nielsen. Do you see garth doing this?
CB: It’s his job to gauge value.
RT @domlongo Who is NYI #1 goalie next season?
CB: Should give @KevinPoulin60 a legit chance to run with it. Oh, you mean who WILL it be?…
RT @billwhitehead NYI’s untouchables as deadline approaches?
CB: No such thing, but Tavares, Moulson, KO, Poulin and Hamonic are sticking.
RT @theJ94 how far do you see Van going in the playoffs this year? Boston?
CB: Canucks – WCF. Bruins – SCF.
RT @LJ_Tsunis what do you make of new developments re hub?
CB: sorry, LJ, but I don’t think about it much. I will when @edmangano gets real
RT @kaner911 How will the Habs handle the Gomez situation?
CB: Cry a little more, and then consider a buyout
RT @Turnstone1969 simple question: Sabres – what’s going on?
CB: Learning $ doesn’t buy happiness or success. Will get fixed by next year
RT @t2ma Who were the most difficult Isles to work with?
CB: All gentlemen. On both sides of the biz, privilege for me to be part of it
RT @scholder99 #NYR going after goal scorers?
CB: For a forward, Sather aiming high. If he doesn’t like price, no problem standing pat
RT @justwalden How long before #Isles actually make the playoffs? This is getting embarrassing.
CB: Next season, if it doesn’t work out this season.
***CB: Again, my saying ANY team 10 pts back, Isles or otherwise, still alive is not being “optimistic.” It’s being fair. Up to teams if they want to quit or not.
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