1/5: New York at Colorado FSN-2

New York Islander Fan Central | 1/05/2008 08:08:00 AM | |


Islanders website: Has the preview of tonight's game against the Colorado Avalanche which will be called by Jiggs McDonald.

Canadian Press: Has the final words on from Chris Botta on Rick DiPietro's pads.

"I can confirm the pads have been cleared," Islanders spokesman Chris Botta said in an e-mail Friday. "They are being returned to Rick in Colorado and he will not be suspended.

"I don't know if he'll get the pads in time for Saturday's game or if he will be wearing them."


Denver Post: Adrian Dater provides a state of the Avalanche with Ryan Smyth out for eight weeks combined with Joe Sakic's hernia surgery and a team struggling to score.

Rocky Mountain News: Jim Benton has more on the struggling Avalanche and a few words on Denver University product, Wade Dubielewicz.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
This is a lot of fun seeing the Islanders get out on a real roadtrip for the first time in well over a year. To have Jiggs McDonald back for the trip even makes it more fun for me.

When teams go on the road and play another conference it's tough to match up a game because the style of game is different, in the Islanders case they have not played a road game in the Western Conference since November 2006.

I cannot remember the last Islander-Avalanche in Denver unless it's the one where DiPietro played what I thought was his best game ever. Either way both teams are far different.

Even with the injuries to the Colorado lineup and their recent struggles on paper they are a better offensive club than the Isles which means New York has to get Colorado to play their game which is to win the game in the trenches and score some dirty goals. Against Florida Islanders got a lot of good chances, not just low percentage shots, this has to continue. Hopefully the rest keeps Sillinger scoring because the club needs it along with the usual suspects.

What I do know is there is no time for anything but hard work and building on the point total. This a a club that the Islanders should be able to compete with.

I guess with Smyth out the hype for playing the Islanders is officially a non-story.

Updated 4:45pm:
Media blog: Cory Witt updates his blog with game day notables with the Denver altitude being a factor.

A possible blog from Greg Logan on Ryan Smyth is also expected but Colorado's team policy prohibits injured players from talking with the media but he did speak with Garth Snow and Ted Nolanhere.