Islander News Articles 12/7

New York Islander Fan Central | 12/06/2007 10:06:00 PM | | | | | |
Newsday: Greg Logan's article is about Bill Guerin's struggles this season and the pressure he has been feeling to contribute. Comparisons and circumstances are made to previous scoring slumps. Mr Logan also reports for the first time Bill Guerin lost his father before the season started which he will not use as an excuse for his struggles on the ice.

"Part of leadership is your production on the ice," Guerin said after practice Thursday at BankAtlantic Center, where the Islanders meet Florida Friday. "That's why, when you go through something like this, there's guilt involved. I put a lot of pressure on myself to perform for this team. When you're not doing it, it's disappointing. It's something you know guys rely on you to do."

"I'm quite sure he will find his niche again," Nolan said. "He's a proven goal scorer in this league, a proven winner, and you stick with those guys."

If anything, Guerin said, he just needs a little "me" time. "I've been thinking about too much other than hockey," Guerin said. "I really have to focus on my game."


NYI Fan Central Comments:
As fans all we know is what we see on the ice during games, the media reports and what the player/coaches are saying.

Sometimes we only get part of the story and a players private life is not the public's business. It's curious it took until now for this to be reported but maybe it's something that was kept private from the media too. Sometimes we do not even know a player was injured at all until after a season. Anything is possible in the end.

Goes without writing it making a player captain for the first time at age thirty six, switching back to the Eastern Conference where he has not played in years and being asked to be a primary offensive player after years of being surrounded by solid offensive players is asking for an awful lot. Now you add in what is going on behind the scenes and it's fair to see now why Bill Guerin has been struggling, even if he is too classy and professional to allow it to be a factor for him.

It's amazing he has carried himself so well off the ice and in the lockeroom, really says a lot about his professionalism.

All we know as fans is what we is reported and how he plays. To not be critical of his play based on what's been reported would not be fair from the vantage point of only being a fan.

The older fans remember Denis Potvin and Dave Langevin when they lost their fathers during the playoffs in 1984. Potvin talked about how the loss changed things for him because he grew up playing for his father Armand who felt great the day the Islanders won their final cup in 1983. Armand Potvin died after a two-year battle with cancer.

Would be interesting if former Captain Denis Potvin who announces for the Florida Panthers and current Captain Bill Guerin have a little talk considering they share something else besides being Islander captains with the club playing the Panthers he may be one of the few people who can relate to the circumstances.

On the ice things are not going to change until Guerin scores a few goals and contributes for an extended period so he can settle into his game and he has to do it on a club that has a lot of problems scoring. An awful lot is being asked here under the best of circumstances.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio's coverage is on the Sound Tigers penalty kill struggling recently with comments from coach Jack Capuano, Joe Rullier and tonight's game against the Springfield Falcons. Callup Micheal Haley sustained an upper body injury at practice Thursday and is questionable for tonight's game.

"You see the desperation on the penalty kill slipping a bit,"Capuano said. "It's a good evaluation of the work ethic slipping a bit," he added. "You've got to do the little things: win faceoffs, get the puck 200 feet, keep your shift-time short, get in lanes."


Bridgeport Sound Tigers at Springfield Falcons
WHEN — Tonight, 7:30
WHERE — MassMutual Center, Springfield, Mass.
ON THE AIR — Webcast and B2 Networks Internet pay-per-view at www.soundtigers.com