Isle Be There: Kevin Judge & Bleed Orange And Blue

In a series of articles, called Isle Be There, my intention is to focus on the different social groups that support your New York Islanders team & its players. This will also include current events, situations and personalities in and around the team as it relates to its fan base and community.

If you are active on Isles social media, you probably know who Kevin Judge is.  If you aren’t familiar with him, I can tell you that his fandom is boundless and he makes it his mission to be sure his followers are kept up to date on anything and everything that is New York Islanders related.  While he is opinionated, you will never catch Judge harping on the negative.  He is a good mediator who isn’t afraid to weigh in on a controversy, and if you follow Isles Twitter, you can find controversy at every turn.  Kevin runs a group called, Bleed Orange & Blue along with his group of admins.  They include; Adam Corbett, Andrew Goldchain, Brian R Stepnowski, Frank Catalano, Kenny Johnson, Lenny Rosello, Mario Gazzaneo, Michael D'Andrea, Mike Pacheco, Mike Sitler, Raymond Gartkowski, Terry Sommer & Theresa Maria.  In addition, he is a regular contributor to NYIHC, Real Islander Fans & New York Islanders Hockey Club Fans.

As a kid from Brentwood, Kevin remembers going to Isles games with his Dad to see Mike Bossy and his native team battle the rest of the NHL.  But some of his favorite team memories are from a less successful time in Isles history.  Like me, Kevin can relate to the Islanders of the mid 90’s very well.  “I was a kid when they won their cups, so I have some good memories from the 90’s as well.”  Steve Thomas was the player he followed then and Kevin remembers a particular game of the 93 playoffs in which a very likeable Isles team upset and dethroned the two time Stanley Cup Champion, Pittsburgh Penguins, in the second round in an amazing game 7 O.T. performance.  He can also recall another Islanders team and a particular penalty shot goal by Shawn Bates during the 2002 playoffs against Toronto.

When he spoke about this year’s team, Kevin called the Isles performance incredible.  “They have a nice run going.  They will make the playoffs and who knows how far they can go from there,” Judge said.  “The conference finals are definitely a possibility.  They may even contend for the cup.”  While John Tavares & Frans Nielsen are his favorites on the present team, he finds it very easy to cheer for everybody. “I can’t wait until the Islanders get into the playoffs with Cal Clutterbuck this season.  He plays hard, can draw penalties and score goals along with Martin & Cizikas.”  When I asked him about what prospects he has an eye on, he mentioned guys like Pulock & Dal Colle, but stressed how interested he is on seeing Scott Mayfield get his chance with the Islanders.  “Living away from the area, I don’t get to see the Sound Tigers that much.  Mayfield is a guy I am excited about.”  I would have to agree.  Another large defensemen who can move the puck and clear the crease is always a good thing.

So in closing, you should definitely check out Bleed Orange & Blue on Facebook and get to know the members of the group.  They are insightful, passionate and love to talk Islanders hockey.  And next time you are on Twitter, give Kevin Judge (@Judge_Kevin) a shout. 

You will be glad you did.

NHL Notes:

The 2016 Winter Classic will be played at Gillette Stadium between the Boston Bruins & Montreal Canadiens.  The first of the Stadium Series games will be played at TCF Bank Stadium between the Minnesota Wild & Chicago Blackhawks while the second will be played at Coors Field between the Colorado Avalanche & Detroit Red Wings.

See the full release on The 2016 World Cup of Hockey here.