Honoring the great "6"

This afternoon, the New York Islanders are playing the Edmonton Oilers. It seems fitting that this game was chosen to honor defenseman, Ken Morrow, inducting him into the team’s hall of fame. His banner will be raised to the rafters and bronzed plaque will be mounted on the wall outside the team’s locker room.


Selected by New York Islanders in the 4^th round, #68 overall in the 1976 NHL Amateur Draft, Ken Morrow had 17 and 88 for 105 points and a +149 career tally.

As a Stanley Cup Champion with the Islanders, Morrow played from 1980-89, spending his entire career from on Long Island.  That included 4 consecutive stanley cup victories, 19 consecutive playoff series and 5 consecutive finals appearances.  He is the only player in history to win an olympic gold medal and a stanley cup in the same season.  Morrow was an assistant coach with the Islanders during the 1991-92 season and is the currently the director of pro scouting for New York.  Also a member of the famed Gold Medal team in 1980, Morrow is a member of the United States Hockey hall of fame.

Flame On!

I said something has got to give, didn’t I? 

After three more aggravating losses, terrible officiating, and injuries, your New York Islanders defeat the Calgary Flames 3-1 at the Nassau Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum tonight.

The shake-up in lines may have worked, at least for now in motivating and refocusing the Islanders.  More flagrant infractions by the opposition on Isles players seemed to spark the much-needed fire in the team's play.  I was pleased to see Matt Moulson, yes Matt Moulson react to a dangerous and disrespectful hit with the spirit that would make Trevor Gillies proud.  Moulson answered Stempniak’s shoulder to K.O.’s face with the authority it deserved.  Somehow, the Isles went man down as a result, but it needed to be done.  It is just another example of horrible officiating against the Isles.  And getting back to Gillies, I differ from some of my colleagues on his role with the Islanders organization.  Aside from all the intimadation and enforcer stuff, the team just doesn’t have the same swagger or fellowship without him in the line up.  Some guys are the soul of their teams and Trevor Gillies is that for the New York Islanders.

Andrew MacDonald, John Tavares and Brian Rolston scored for the Isles.  The offensive pressure increased as the game went on and really came to bear in the second period when A-Mac scored the equalizer.  From there, the Islanders seemed to find their groove and make better decisions.  Their momentum helped their confidence and when that happens, they are a dangerous team to play against.  Defensively, they played well.  What more could be said about Andrew MacDonald and Travis Hamonic?  They are so solid and do all the little things needed by key defensemen.  At +2 and +3 in the game respectively, they are key players in the Isles success.  Evgeni Nabokov played well in net making 29 saves on 30 shots and posting a .967 Sv%.

After 35 games played, the Islanders are 12-17-6.  And although they have gone 3-6-1 in their last 10 games, tonight’s effort could be something to build on.  The Moulson-Tavares-Okposo line was definitely exciting to watch.  They generated some exciting chances and were a problem for Calgary from the start of the first period.  The Rolston-Nielsen-Parenteau line made some noise as well.  Rolston came back from injury and helped the team with his play tonight.    P.A. Parenteau has definitely figured into the Isles offense in a big way all season long.  He came close a couple of times tonight.  The most interesting combination to me was Grabner-Bailey-Martin.  This line could be so explosive, it's scarey.  Grabner needs to fire on all cylinders and finish his rushes, and that will mean goals in bunches for the Isles.  With Bailey’s improved playmaking and Martins grit, I am looking forward to what might happen with familiarity.  I have enjoyed watching Martin’s game improve as the season goes on.  The fourth line of Wallace-Reasoner-Niederreiter has more grit, tenaciousness and offensive upside than most "fourth" lines.  Wallace has proven he is here to work and Niederreiter will overcome all the hurdles that have impacted him this season.  His improvement will follow his hard work and opportunities.

My biggest goats are Marty Reasoner and Mike Mottau.  These guys seem to be invisible for the most part until they turn the puck over or make a mistake.  Reasoner tries to make plays from time to time, but with a –15 rating, his 5 assists are hardly worth it.  I thought he would be an upgrade after free agency, but I was wrong.  The amount of young forwards I would rather see in his place are many.  Journeyman Center, Jeremy Collinton and forwards Casey Cizikas and Justin DiBenedetto could be given an opportunity to make an impact like Tim Wallace and David Ullstrom did.

Mike Mottau’s –9 rating and 2 assists on the year are also something to watch.  His sloppy play makes me wonder why a player like Dylan Reese cant get the real shot he deserves to make the team.  Reese would be an improvement over Mottau based on his play this season.  Matt Donovan would be another defensemen who has shown flashes of what could be.

I am hopeful that a top Defensemen or two can be acquired and perhaps another seroius offensive talent that would even out the roster.  I know the talent the organization has in Bridgeport, but the team on Long Island needs something to take the next step now without rushing any prospects.  Will someone rise up or come in and make an impact? 

We shall see.

Isles Notes:


David Ullstrom has been placed on the IR (retro to 12/20).

On Dec. 31, the Islanders will induct Ken Morrow him into the team’s hall of fame. 

Isles Notes for 12/28 and FHZ9!

Isles lines today:

Moulson-Tavares-Okposo; Rolston-Nielsen-Parenteau; Grabner-Bailey-Martin; (Wallace) Pandolfo-Reasoner-Niederreiter.

Arthur Staple reports Rolston, DiPietro, Staios, Pandolfo practicing today with Haley skating in a yellow jersey.

 

Blake Comeau and the Calgary Flames are in town on Thursday.

And don’t forget:

Check out Fake Henrik Zetterberg, episode 9 called "Yeah, it's Like Sweats." A lot like that Tom Hanks movie Big:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFMxmeWG3oM

ESPN's Snub and Isles Notes

Since ESPN walked away from NHL hockey after they lost the bid to Versus, they have limited their coverage and almost pretend it doesn’t exist.  Greg Wyshynski of Puck Daddy (http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Disgrace-ESPN-SportsCenter-Year-in-Review-snubs?urn=nhl-wp20822) points out that ESPN’s year in review failed to mention those lost (or anyone else associated with the sport) to the hockey world this year in their retrospective sports tribute.

The Deaths of Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien and Wade Belak (http://knightofcups-bondi.blogspot.com/2011/08/bonded-by-blood.html) this summer in addition to the Locomotiv tragedy (http://knightofcups-bondi.blogspot.com/2011/09/summer-to-forget.html) were great loses in the world of professional sports and to all of us as human beings and certainly deserved remembering.

Having worked at ESPN for a few years in the past, I encountered several great people, both from in front of and behind the camera. I found them to be passionate about their love of hockey.  I am in no way painting this “situational blame” with a broad brush, just agreeing with those who feel ESPN showed little class in this latest oversight in their piece.

Isles Notes:

David Ullstrom continue to follow concussion protocol; Jay Pandolfo is practicing and is close to return.  Michael Haley didn't practice today due to a contusion on his hand.

There were new lines at practice today.  (Remember, I still say something has to give.)

Moulson-Tavares-Okposo; Rolston-Nielsen-Parenteau; Grabner-Bailey-Niederreiter, Pandolfo; Martin-Reasoner-Wallace.

Arthur Staple reports Steve Staios and Rick DiPietro were on the ice as well prior to practice.

Diving You Say?

The Islanders got behind early against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday and despite a strong comeback attempt, weren’t able to even the score.

The real shocker came late in the game when Joffrey Lupul and John Tavares were fighting for a loose puck.  Lupul ended up sending Tavares crashing to the ice after a crosscheck to his face.  Tavares was angry at the play, but not as angry as he would be after the officials, (David Banfield and Don VanMassenhoven) called him for diving.  The diving penalty would also negate a warranted man up advantage for the Islanders.  I would say it’s a stretch for a player to be truly crosschecked in the face, to then decide to sell the infraction by embellishing it with a dive.  Tavares’ mentor and Isles assistant coach, Doug Weight showed his displeasure with the call.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCcMnG84-O0&feature=share

It seems that the Islanders have had penalties called against them on a sliding scale by NHL referees, seemingly not able to catch a break on most nights.  The infractions committed against them on some nights that end up being not called seem far too numerous as well.  The reaction by the team might be that they disagreed with the call at the time and that the officials have a tough job while others have the benefit of replay.  That may be true, but you only have to watch some of these repeatedly blown calls and wonder when these officials will be held accountable.  You would never want to blame a penalty for a loss, but the wrong type of call can change momentum and result in an unfair advantage to the opponent and possibly result in a loss of manpower (Game Misconduct).  When they happen frequently, a player’s or a team’s patience would tend to wear out.

The Islanders need to refocus when the face their rival New York Rangers tomorrow at MSG for the second time in five days. 

Something has got to give.

More Of The Same?

In last nights game vs the Rangers, the Islanders were guilty of a few defensive breakdowns and mental mistakes.  Those misqueues undid any good things they were able to muster.

Nabokov played pretty well and I thought the team looked pretty good at times. What wasn’t very good was the defense and the "Jekyl and Hyde" type confidence that the team seems to have. Their in game confidence completely dictates their style of play and their opponents know this.

At certain times, they dominate and several players are able to contribute to the attack. They seem relentless and refuse to give up. Other times, they look unorganized and clueless. The bad passes through the slot and the lazy, robotic, no-look passing to a teammate in double coverage type incidents have been adding up lately. Towards the end of the game against the Rangers, Isles play by play man, Howie Rose remarked that the Islanders had gone seventeen minutes without registering a shot. That cannot be if they expect to contend in must win games.

Captain Streit looked a little out of sorts and I question some of his confidence in leading the team. While I have witnessed good things from him as a leader at certain times this season, he doesn’t seem to lead by example regularly and needs to be more vocal on the ice and during games.

While Michael Haley and Tim Wallace played with attitude, I felt the game was way to polite for an Isles, Ranger game. I was also a little "peaved" at the lack of physicality, even going back to the Winnipeg game when Al Montoya was run over by Kane, and no one took him to task. I think the Islanders need to come together once again and fight for each other on every shift of every game. When they do this, they seem to play better.


I read that Trevor Gillies is currently injured in Dee’s blog and I have respect for Haley and Martin, but the Islanders need to step it up now and make other teams frustrated to play against them. I feel that it starts with finishing their checks and intimidating their opponents. Players like Tim Wallace are good for the mix because their urgency to stay on the team motivates their desire to make an impact. I know the Islanders (and Bailey’s) play improved when Blake Comeau was waived, but they need to refocus their “commitment” on taking the next step as a team.


Their strong and improved play needs to last for a full game and they need more of the roster to start to contribute regularly again. John Tavares is struggling way too much. He is being battered and knocked down way too often. I am getting frustrated and want to see a steadying flow to the Islanders' rebuild. If the players on the roster wont get it done, I say the that team should continue to look to Bridgeport’s roster and the trading/waiver landscape to improve.
 

In the mean time, I’d be ok if the Islanders got a little miffed and played with an edge consistently. Maybe they could make strides if they came together like they were some sort of fellowship.  A group that bonded while battling some insurmountable task, while keeping focus on their ultimate goal.

Isles Notes:

Eric Hornick reports that Tavares-Parenteau-Molson have combined for 32 of the team's 72 goals (44.4%), and 80 of the 197 points (41%).

New York Islanders report that Coach, Jack Capuano says the same lineup will go tonight against the Leafs with Evgeni Nabokov in net.

Isles lines: Moulson-Tavares-Parenteau; Grabner-Nielsen-Okposo; Martin-Bailey-Wallace; Haley-Reasoner-Niederreiter.
 
Isles d-pairs: Streit-Jurcina; Hamonic-MacDonald; Eaton-Mottau.


Coach Capuano talks again about need for secondary scoring and he says there are things that have gone well and said the turning point was Gaborik's second period goal off the face-off the Isles watched film on before the game. He said it was a play they were warned about and should have been ready to contain it, especially with the players the Rangers had on the ice.

One Step Forward, Two Concussions Back

Your New York Islanders improved to 11-14-6 and won a hard fought game against the Winnipeg Jets on December 20, 2011.  The last time the Isles franchise was out in Winnipeg was March 9, 1996.  The Islanders won 4-2, with Eric Fichaud in net stopping 38 Jets shots.

In last night contest, the Isles scratched and clawed to out duel another team trying to carve out an identity for them selves in the NHL landscape.  Jets goaltender, Ondrej Pavelec was solid again with 31 saves, but the Islanders managed to forge scoring chance after scoring chance until they (Parenteau and Grabner) were able to score.  Al Montoya was good again, but the Jets were equally resilient and tied the game at 2-2.  PA Parenteau and Frans Nielsen scored for the Isles in the shoot out solidifying the win after the Jets couldn’t score against Evgeni Nabokov.

After my last article (http://knightofcups-bondi.blogspot.com/2011/12/impact-of-concussions-on-nhl.html) on concussions, I had no idea that the Islanders would find themselves in the middle on such a situation, so quickly.  My point was that NHL players will need to respect and understand what the result of what a violent and selfish hit on a vulnerable player could mean to that player.  I understand the need to score goals and that hockey is a very physical competitive sport.  What I don’t understand is how you can do what was done to Al Montoya last night.  Would it have happened with Trevor Gillies in the line up?

To quote Dyan LeBourdais of Islanders.nhl.com, “Nabokov entered the game with 1:20 left in the second period for his first game action since Nov. 17. Al Montoya was run over by Evander Kane, who made no effort to avoid contact with the Isles netminder after taking a hit from Milan Jurcina. Kane took a two-minute minor penalty for goaltender interference, while Montoya left the game after making saves on 17-of-19 shots.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDjlZW837WE

I am disgusted with the play of Kane and of how rather than pulling up and bump the net off its moorings or try and veer wide away from the goaltender after his scoring angle was cut off so close to the net, he chose to continue his path and in my biased opinion, leave his feet and bowl over a fellow player in a vulnerable position.

Al Montoya is out indefinitely with a concussion.

What will the league do about the hit?

Isles Notes:

Travis Hamonic had a great game in front of his hometown crowd in Winnipeg.

Eric Hornick is reporting that the Islanders’ accomplished back-2-back shoot-out wins for 1st time since 2006 thanks to Frans Nielsen.

Islanders report that David Ullstrom is out indefinitely with a concussion.  (and Montoya)

Brian Compton is reporting that Brian Rolston has been placed on IR due to concussion and that Michael Haley and Anders Nilsson have been called up from Bridgeport on emergency loan.

And don’t forget: 

Fake Henrik Zetterberg, episode 8 is now LIVE! Find out what happened after the office party last week. Featuring DOT COM from 30 ROCK!

http://fakehenrikzetterberg.com/