Islander News Articles 12/27:

New York Islander Fan Central | 12/26/2007 11:44:00 PM | | | | | | |
Newsday: Greg Logan's has Ted Nolan's comments on the Islanders win and Rick DiPietro, who will not travel to Ottawa and undergo an MRI Thursday. Joey MacDonald has been recalled from the Sound Tigers. Wade Dubielewicz comments on his infrequent play and credits his defense, especially Brendan Witt. Richard Park talks about the game winning play and praises Jason Blake.

"I twisted it funny in warm-ups," DiPietro said on his way out of the arena, declining further comment. "We don't think it's serious," coach Ted Nolan said. "DiPietro pulled himself. Give him full marks for attempting to try it."

"I noticed Ricky tweaked something in warm-ups," Dubielewicz said. "I stay on high alert. I saw him go down once in the first period and wince, and I knew I was going in."

"Blakey is a heck of a hockey player, and he was just trying to make something happen, Park said. "It's not about knowing him ... It's just instinct out there. I didn't even know we had 10 seconds left. To win those kinds of games is good for our hockey team right now."


NYI Fan Central Comments:
Did Greg Logan actually watch this game? How was Rick DiPietro shaky on a perfect two on one goal and two players alone in front of him How about some credit for an assist?

No comments from Mike Comrie, who had two goals and the game winning goal, nothing from Gervais on his game or Guerin, Hilbert with big goals?

Newsday: Greg Logan's second article was about the Islanders tough upcoming schedule for the most part while noting Radek Martinek is day to day with a bruised right leg.

Newsday: Mark Herrmann of course shows up to make sure the booing and indifference about Jason Blake is what the Islander fan and his time here were all about after making sure we read his mantra about Eddie Giaconmin and Mark Messier returns to New York.

Ted Nolan praised Blake and of course Mr Herrmann makes sure we know about the club's financial losses even though both teams spend near the cap and the Islanders made big offers to other players this summer because that's what Greg Logan reported.

"This was my home for 6½ years. I had the time of my life." "At least they did something," Blake said after the game. "It's just a game. It's nice to be back, even though you get booed a little."


NYI Fan Central Comments:
It's sad but many Islander fans do not get it about a player like Jason Blake with such a young fanbase these days, but the players stories are not told in Newsday which is why the fans do not connect with them or feel any real loyalty beyond the sweater they wear. That's why Kenny Jonsson who was here forever left as if it he meant nothing to the fans or we go months in between articles on Radek Martinek.

It's just a job for Newsday and they make it just a job telling the players story which is too bad because Jason Blake loved being a New York Islander. Not enough people knew that going into tonight which is where the media failed Blake and the fans.

That's why anyone who does a good job here gets an under-rated label or we read if he played in another market.................

Of course when Blake complained about his contract negotiations last year, Newsday was front and center which helped turn the fans against him. After his hat-trick against Philadelphia at the trade deadline passed he told the fans he wanted to stay here, but it was not a big story for Newsday.

Where was Newsday when he showed up for game two against Tampa in the 03-04 playoffs with an injury that was supposed to keep him out for a month and won the game with two goals?

We sure heard from Newsday when Blake got into it with Steve Stirling, however.

I felt bad for Jason Blake, he deserved a long-loud ovation from the fans because he gave this club all he had and more.

When it comes to marketing players in the local media, folks like Mr Herrmann are not interested in the New York Islanders, this is the end result.

NY Post:Brett Cyrgalis throws together a limited space article that opens by talking about the Islanders scoring problems even though they have been better in that deparrment lately with a few words from Dubielewicz, Nolan and Comrie.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Brett Cyrgalis is the person the Post assigns up for occasional off-day Ranger coverage so of course what we get here is information that's Ranger background centric in some manner.

Daily News: Jesse Spector is the latest newbie assigned to cover the Islanders this year, who in his limited space has comments from Ted Nolan about Rick DiPietro and a few words from Wade Dubielewicz.

"If a couple of pucks would have gone past Witt, they would have gone in if they didn't hit me," Dubielewicz said. "You've got to give that guy credit - he's a warrior. ... I don't know what his quote is, it's something like: 'Pain lets you know you're alive.' He's crazy, man, but he does his job really well."

Toronto Star &
Toronto Sun & Globe & Mail : Has the Maple Leaf centric coverage with a few words on Jason Blake.

"We've only got so many seconds left in overtime," he said of his extended bout of stick-handling. "I was trying to make a play. [Park] made a great play by poke-checking it."

"He turned the puck over an awful lot tonight," Maurice said. "You can't turn it over there at any point in a game."


Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio has reaction on the Sound Tigers 5-4 win against Hershey from Sean Bentivoglio, Frans Nielsen and Jack Capuano.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio's notebook reports ECHL All-Star, Trevor Smith has been reassigned to Bridgeport along with Jason Pitton. Keith Johnson and Olivier Labelle were sent down to Utah.

"Smitty's back for good," Sound Tigers president Howard Saffan said. "Smitty achieved down in the ECHL just as we thought he would. He was a unanimous choice for the ECHL All-Star Game. He earned his stripes. He deserves to be here."

"You'll see him on the power play," Saffan said, adding Smith will probably play on the second line. "Pitts has been playing outstanding at Utah," Saffan said. "Again, like Smitty, he's earned his stripes. He's deserving of coming back."

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio also has the Sound Tigers weekly with the upcoming games and notes around the team and the league.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Usual excellent work from the Ct Post beatwriter.

York Daily Record & Patriot News: Has Bears coverage.