Quick hits for Thursday morning

New York Islander Fan Central | 1/17/2008 10:39:00 AM | | | | |
NHL.com: Brian Compton has an NHL feature where he feels Rick DiPietro should be a MVP candidate for the Hart Trophy for how he's kept his team in the playoff race as his lead story.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Agree completely and Mr Compton even included Campoli's injury so he is paying attention to the games, solid work.

* About a week ago we were reading the Isles were win less in five games, today we read the Islanders have points in eleven of fourteen. That's why the name of the game is getting points and why you have to avoid long losing streaks in regulation.

I guess if Buffalo wins five in a row someone will write they have points in ten of fifteen games and forget the ten losses in a row?

* I went to the Sound Tigers website today looking for quotes on the game and found them only on the Islanders website?

Islanders last night had the Bridgeport game coverage on their NHL website with Jack Capuano's comments. I know this is a bit of a new concept since it started with Kyle Okposo's arrival. Having written that the Sound Tigers website today does not have the head coaches comments or the same article or any quotes at all begging the question I'm sure Sound Tigers fans who visit their site only want to know what the coach said about the win?

I personally loved Kimer Auerbach's updates from Moncton but it does not seem like most of the Sound Tigers website work is credited and they do a lot of excellent features on the team to go with Sound Tigers TV which is outstanding.

No big deal in the end but when someone like myself starts with the Sound Tigers website to look for game quotes and finds them on the Isles site perhaps it's something I thought should me mentioned. I'm sure some Sound Tiger fans who maybe are not Isles fans do the same thing.

* Anyone else think Josef Vasicek was heading for a bad angle when he had the puck dead center in front of Martin Brodeur with time to shoot? I know he's talented and struggling and the best of players talk about a goal getting back some confidence, Isles need him to finish one so he can get back to where he was earlier this season.

* For those scoring at home Petteri Nokelainen is up to thirty two games. According to the Boston Globe's Fluto Shinzawa back in September among several writers here if Nokelainen plays in 50 or more NHL games in 2007-08
the Isles receive a second round pick in the 2009 draft.

No doubt the Bruins want to develop Nokelainen and are not interested in the pick and will keep him in the NHL barring injury.

* Every game I see Blake Comeau play he does something that tells me he's an NHL player. His composure and skills along with knowing when to make a play and when to hold the puck are clear indications he should not be heading back to Bridgeport. His
work led to an Islander power play which became a five on three which created the opening goal against the Devils.

Of course he likely will be leaving when Chris Simon's suspension ends because there is simply no spot unless a trade is made. I think Bill Jaffe said something during the Montreal game about Chris Simon returning to practice, I'm not sure.

* Have not written much about Sean Bergenheim recently. No doubt he will get hot and start contributing, part of it has been the line he has been on not scoring, he works when he is out there.

* Can you imagine if Chris Simon did what Brendan Shanahan did at the end of last night's game? Clearly this was trying to prevent a goal in the final seconds of a one goal game but how did that not produce a penalty?

* If Chris Campoli is out for a while I wonder if Aaron Johnson's one game is enough of a conditioning stint? First period the Devils took the angle on Berard and went at the net who did not have the lateral movement to close to distance and angle the player off. I guess Witt if ready takes Campoli's spot but maybe it's time to look at the Sound Tigers defense who have did not have captain Mark Wotton or Drew Fata in Norfolk who have had injuries.

That leaves Jamie Fraser, Dustin Kohn who has been a healthy scratch before Joe Rullier left the team after his PTO expired or Matt Spiller. Unless the staff wants Andy Sertich or Scott Ford.

Remember all that depth signed on defense and too many spots? It could be that way again when Johnson, Witt and Martinek return but for now Isles do not have it.

* Satan's knee looked like it was hurting against the Devils in the first. I guess he's going to keep playing because he never comes out of the lineup but they do have Jeff Tambellini and the all-star break.

Philadelphia Daily News: Ed Barkowitz reports Martin Biron will start Saturday against the Islanders.

* Looking the the conference standings there is a little separation between the Islanders and a few teams with two exceptions, Carolina and Boston.

These upcoming games are huge if they want to open a slight cushion on the team currently on the outside by a point or tied. Of course the fifteenth place club is only ten points out of eighth so no one is out of this.

* Finally the NHL asks us to caption this picture here.






















For myself it's see you Saturday.


Use the feeders to read the articles, injury updates on Chris Campoli/Brendan Witt and the Friday night coverage of Bridgeport at Philadelphia unless the Islanders make a big trade or a major announcement is made. This time I'm going to take a full day off.