Outplayed/Outshot Not A Formula For Sustained Success

New York Islander Fan Central | 1/01/2011 11:09:00 PM |


Shots against sometimes does not tell the entire story, we have seen the Islanders take fifty/sixty shots and lose the last few years.

Recently the Islanders have been piling up points, however the shots do reflect how they have been outplayed in many recent games.

I liked what I saw in the Pittsburgh game, the Islanders did not out-shoot the Pens, however they did create more than their fair share of quality chances.

Having written this many of these other games the goaltender had to be the teams best player and that's not a formula for building something successful. The Wings game easily could have been over early, the response to start the game not acceptable considering what happened against Pittsburgh. Beating the Devils 5-1 looks great on paper, but when you watch the team get outshot and pinned down for long stretches of a 35-14 shots against game that is far from a good effort.

I'll take the wins, the flash goals off faceoffs which are a credit to Konopka, the forwards driving the net. The Wings got some absurd calls and non-calls (Bertuzzi interference on Roloson) to score the 3-2 goal.

Again, wins aside, being outplayed to this degree is not how you sustain a winning team over the long-term.

Sixteen points, five teams out of eighth place.
Montreal (the team James Wisniewski was traded to) five games over, New York eight games under.

Win another nine out of ten, we can talk about getting into a playoff race.
Not before.
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The pp has been a lot better lately. Parenteau, Comeau, Schremp are producing well. Tavares has been on a nice stretch, Bailey looks like a top six forward, but needs to be a top two center.

Defense has been stretched thin, I would love to see more rushes like the one Hillen had against Pittsburgh, and Martinek back healthy.

This has been a very competitive team with Jurcina and MacDonald healthy. Hamonic looks very good.
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I'm happy for James Wisniewski that he scored the two goals in Montreal's win vs Florida, he may just be back next summer but Garth Snow's depth chart on defense has many forwards signed already.
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A little surprised no one claimed Brian Rolston at half price. Found it surprising Lamoriello/teammates are taking about his character/ability and how he can help a team, then Jacques Lemaire back for only a few days and declares Rolston was out of shape?

Good way to scare off any team interested, did not make much sense.
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Forgive me, but no interest in Winter Classic, delay/rain/snow/whatever. When the New York Islanders are involved, I will attend. As long as Comcast Flyers, NBC/Ebersol/Flood agenda dominate decision-making for hockey it will not be successful and seasonal at best in terms of being on television.

Who signs up to show hockey and does not start showing games weekly until the end of January?

My viewpoint is the concept of an outdoor game is also getting stale.
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Jiggs McDonald sounded fantastic against Pittsburgh, he was razor sharp and if he was nervous (as he mentioned other times) it did not show.

Still, as great as it is for him to do games Howie Rose should be doing his job or submitting his resignation to Cablevision. He can take his vacations during baseball season.

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