New Jersey 3, New York 2

New York Islander Fan Central | 3/30/2011 10:14:00 PM | |


NYIFC: Recap of New Jersey 3, New York 2..

Only things to add to game review is fight Martin had in his game, still not playing going to net that he was a year ago when he went right at crease. I though Konopka was hurt before his fight.

This game likely decides fourth place in Atlantic with Devils now opening up a five point lead. It would have been nice not to finish last again this season, but the injuries are tough to ignore now on the backline.

Trevor Gillies played five minutes in Grabner's absence.

Tons of prospects/ATO contracts, Brian Day's second professional goal helps Bridgeport win 2-1 at Portland Wednesday behind Mikko Koskinen here.

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Matt Donovan Signed By New York

New York Islander Fan Central | 3/30/2011 03:23:00 PM | |


Denver Post:: Reports Islander draft pick, Matt Donovan has decided to leave school and signed an entry level contract with the Islanders.

"We wish Matt continued success in professional hockey," DU head coach George Gwozdecky said in a statement. "Matt was a very dynamic defenseman who helped us win a lot of games in two seasons."

NYIFC Comments:
Garth Snow keeps locking up his prospects leaving school, his biggest and most likely toughest signings that must be made this summer will be Casey Cizikas, out with a serious hand injury here and goaltender Anders Nilsson, along with other college players graduating.

I don't belive Snow is done yet, the ATO's are going to be flying just for Bridgeport to finish the season. As for the Islanders if the injuries continue anyone signed could be called into service for a game or two including Calvin deHaan.

Some twitter issues today, Rick DiPietro vs Martin Brodeur, Zach Parise will not be in Devils lineup.

Eagle Tribune: Reports Chris Barton signed an amateur tryout contract with the American Hockey League's Bridgeport Sound Tigers Wednesday morning and could be in the lineup for tonight's game in Portland.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio reports Matt Donovan will not play tonight for Bridgeport but Matt Campanale, from the Philly area via the University of New Hampshire, and forward Chris Barton will along with the all the ATO's Bridgeport has in lineup.

Islanders website: Report Rhett Rakhshani has been named to the 2010-11 AHL All-Rookie Team.

NYIFC Comments:
I really see this as the breakthrough forward coming to New York in the near future even ahead of Kirill Petrov or Kabanov. Everywhere he has played he has progressed quickly, he's setting Bridgeport rookie records on a team that has frankly been a disaster with injuries and so much turnover. At age twenty three he should get a great shot in camp, but with Niederreiter, Hunter, Okposo and Parenteau as the right wings he's facing a lot of competition ahead of him.

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Montoya resigned, Weight and More Injuries/Callups

New York Islander Fan Central | 3/29/2011 07:39:00 PM | | |


Islanders website: Report goaltender Al Montoya has signed a one year/one way contract with the Islanders for the 2011-12 season along with his comments here.

NYIFC Comments:
Congratulations to Al Montoya, he earned a contract based on his strong/consistent play over an extended period. To go to Bridgeport he would now have to clear waivers.

Kevin Poulin, Mikko Koskinen are both signed for next season. Anders Nilsson has to be signed this summer (22nd birthday) or like Stefan Ridderwall will be out of the organization. In short there seems to be no immediate place for advancement and that says nothing over lingering Nabokov waiver claim being tolled or any possible change in Rick DiPietro's status.

Unless a goalie under contract decides to go home next season I do not see any spot for UFA Nate Lawson.

Islanders Website: Report Doug Weight will not play this season with his comments on possible retirement.

“I would lean more towards retirement than I would playing (again), but by no means have I made that decision,” Weight said. “I don’t want to hang on. I just want to make sure my mind’s right. I feel like that’s my right. I’ve earned it over time, to make sure that’s what I want.”

Weight continued, “When I’m on the ice, I don’t feel out of place. I owe it to my family and myself to make the right decision.”

NYIFC Comments:
Time will tell regarding what Weight decides, but the center spot here is locked up. He has not proven he can hold up and frankly his resigning was for a second year a mistake that cost the club on the ice.

Mark Katic and Dylan Reese have been recalled from loan from Bridgeport for Jurcia and Gervais both out with injury.

NYIFC Comments:
Fair to write it's going to be very tough for Jack Capuano to build anything with this many injuries mounting up on the blueline in terms of any questions about his future status. To lose MacDonald is a game changer as it was in October, as we go deeper it gets even harder to play at high level the club was for so long.

Fair to write the club could end the season as it did when it fell out of contention. Kovalchuk will play against New York on Wednesday, Parise is still a question mark but practicing.

Defense: Hamonic, Reese, Wishart, Martinek, Katic & Jack Hillen.
Defense injured: Streit, Mottau, Eaton, Jurcina, MacDonald, Gervais.

Islanders website: Had interim head coach Jack Capuano's NHL interview today.

Islanders website: Also released another prospect report which recently has been a week occurrence.



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Philadelphia 4, New York 1: New York Eliminated

New York Islander Fan Central | 3/26/2011 10:19:00 PM |


New York was eliminated from playoff contention Saturday night with Buffalo win combined with Islanders loss.

I can repeat some of the blog entry from Atlanta game, even though effort was better, with shot disparity, this team keeps fading for big portions of games.

A few different players had good individual games (Comeau beyond his goal) but you can see New York is a team that simply is out of sync.

The chemistry the pp had going is just gone, the opposition usually waits for mistakes and gets quality chances, and you can see them pressing with five forwards or Jurcina-Hillen.

The Flyers did not even play very well. A bounce off end-boards, the redirection on fourth goal, and mostly on cruise control in third. DiPietro cannot be faulted on second goal with rebound chances, he was a little out of control, but for time he has been off, was solid enough.

It's not happening for Okposo with Nielsen as his center, Moulson did everything but finish, still overall the level of skating, passing has dropped.

Sometimes it's hard to explain, the Devils are now going through the same thing once the bubble broke for them, but they have more veterans. I saw Jacques Lemaire's press conference and he was all over his team for their play.

Jack Capuano should feel the same about his team.

Bottom line this is what the gm is going to remember last when deciding to bring back the interim coach/players.
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Aaron Ness has his first professional goal in Bridgeport's 5-1 win Saturday with Nate Lawson in goal.

NYIFC Comments:
Bridgeport is finishing up as you would want the Islanders to do. Ullstrom, Colliton, Rakhshani and others have been very good with many ATO players.

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Atlanta 2, New York 1: Not liking this teams effort for six straight games

New York Islander Fan Central | 3/24/2011 10:13:00 PM |


Atlanta Journal Constitution: Has game recap of New York's 2-1 loss to Thrashers.
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The New York Islanders are not mathematically eliminated, they had a lot of days off in Florida before coming home to play tonight.

They have not come close to a sixty minute effort or an A game for a while.

I know over eighty two games, teams have clunkers, what happened against Atlanta tonight goes back to previous five games where you could see the skating, passing and play drop significantly, despite the wins/shootout/overtime games.

I also understand they had a few pp goals on the road, they also showed a lot of the poor trends with the man advantage Atlanta handily exploited tonight, dominating the puck and pinning the Islanders in their own end.

Only Atlanta being frankly a struggling team themselves, with Montoya's goaltending kept this from being 5-1 or worse. Sure Montoya turned his pad into the net on Schremp's goal which was brutal and the same goal he allowed in his Buffalo debut.

There is winning ugly, and playing to build something that's a formula for long term success. Beating the struggling Lightning, Panthers with sporadic good moments is not the team we were watching earlier.

If the Islanders played like the team that defeated Boston, St Louis, took forty shots and had pressure all over Atlanta and lost 2-1, credit the other goalie.

In the context of one game, tonight is no problem.

Six games in a row something's missing.

Some individuals had some good moments against Atlanta, especially fourth line, however shots against reflected game/skating/effort tonight. Atlanta was a team with four days rest, coming off an 8-2 still with playoff hopes, two points ahead of New York going into tonight.

Where was the Islanders playoff desperation tonight, or really for the last six games? Jack Caupauno can talk about long road trips but it was three games on road with a lot of days off.

The 6-1 losses are going to be happening soon via Flyers, Devils & Rangers if this team does not raise their game significantly. If I were deciding on players or the interim head coach status this is where I want to see if this team how hard this team is willing to compete down to game eighty two.

Clunkers? Sure, all teams have them.

Six games of ok to fair/poor efforts is not convincing me.

Easy from a keyboard to coach, tonight was the night to see Capuano do a little line juggling in my estimation to shake up some players.

Buffalo's number to eliminate New York stands at three/Sabres have games in hands and wins tie-breaker.

Streit not to return this season, draft pick Brian Day in Bridgeport on ATO, along with several other players per Ct Post.

NYIFC Comments:
Bridgeport was eliminated last Saturday, Day is a prospect who has to be signed upon graduation. From what I'm reading Anders Nilsson's team is in playoffs (Nilsson and team doing very well) so he likely will not be making a cameo on an ATO as we saw with Kevin Poulin or others.

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New York 5, Tampa Bay 2

New York Islander Fan Central | 3/22/2011 11:05:00 PM |


Last time the New York Islanders were only four games under five hundred was November 6th.

This team was twelve games under five hundred on January 26th. The season low was thirteen games under December 13th at 5-18.

Four points in the Bermuda Triangle for the New York Islanders, long time since that has happened. No, it was hardly a classic tonight.

Nice rush by Hillen, you knew he would get the puck past MA Bergeron, Martin made a perfect shot to beat Roloson, who has to stop Nielsen's short-handed slapshot.

Roloson was solid enough, he defended the 2-0 break perfect, but the Islanders made some good plays for goals. Strange game when two Jurcina shots lead to goals, but any night Okposo-Bailey score is key. Bailey a rebound, Okposo a very nice deflection.

No big complaints besides officiating which seemed to find a lot to call so Tampa had every chance to get back in the game on the pp in the third, before finally giving Bergenheim his usual offensive-zone penalty as Guy Boucher looked like many Islander coaches when Bergenheim got overzealous. A dive on Hillen for touching stick while falling? Four minutes to Martinek?

A 5-2 win almost any way you get it is a solid win and the Islanders did some very good things tonight but they are not at that high skating/crisp level they were at on the homestand when they were just dominating. Tampa has been struggling and it's easy to see the Bolts are out of sync, even with the thirty plus shots they had.

On defense, it seemed Tampa's forecheck from fourth line caught MacDonald off guard one shift, Martinek was more aggressive tonight, and overall the team played well enough on defense.

Still, if Montoya is not sharp the Islanders do not win this game, more than a few times Tampa was buzzing it seemed they did everything but finish.

I'm more impressed with Grabner's back-checking then his offense, he skates hard both ways.

Nate Thompson looks like a much faster and skilled player for Tampa. LeCavalier was getting frustrated and he brushed Montoya's crease.

Buffalo wins again, the number to be eliminated stands at five/with tie-breaker favoring Sabres so number really is four. New Jersey's historic run is over, they stand two points ahead of the Islanders after another loss.

Now we see what happens at home against Atlanta/Flyers.



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New York 4, Florida 3 Shootout/Thirty For Grabner

New York Islander Fan Central | 3/19/2011 10:37:00 PM |


Color me pessimistic about winning a skills competition in the Bermuda Triangle for the Islanders tonight, granted it's the first win of any kind back to 2006.

This team should not be that tired/sluggish considering how well they have skated with far less rest recently.

Game had the pulse of an exhibition game from both sides for long stretches, for a good week now the Islanders have not had that extra jump or speed in their game.

Florida looked like a team playing out the string and still the Islanders did not have many sustained shifts in Florida's end of the ice.

I was far more impressed with Grabner's back-check that led to a goal then his effort (from Nielsen) to score his 30th short-handed. Some good individual efforts, not many good teams plays. Seemed both teams picked it up when Comeau got his first career fighting major and Gervais stood up for DiPietro.

As for DiPietro, it seemed like the defense needed him to get involved stick-handling/diving for pucks. He played well and bailed the Islanders out early, BUT the third goal is the one Montoya has not been allowing, and on paper (sure final minutes may have gone different with Florida trailing) it's one he cannot allow.

Yes, DiPietro bailed them out stopping the penalty shot, and was quick/fast in shootout.

On the individual front, Parenteau had a nice shot for his goal, Haley made a great rush. (same as Pittsburgh goal) Tavares had a nice rush at the net, Joensuu went right at the Panther net for a quality chance.

Hillen got beat bad on second Dadonov goal, first goal he just made a nice deflection. Hillen also setup Parenteau.

Last time New York won at Florida. Mike Dunham had to make forty plus saves to win a 4-1 game where nothing could have been more misleading than the final score, in terms of how well Dunham played. I remember the interview with his father after the game.

DiPietro's has had a few comeback games in Florida, none with wins, even in preseason.

Miami Herald: George Richard's blog has Peter DeBoer's comments on the Panthers shootout loss.

Playoff race, Buffalo knocks another two points off the elimination number to eight for unofficial elimination (ROW favors Buffalo by five) as tie-breaker.

Ok, now we see if Tampa gives Dwayne Roloson a start against his former team, New York has a win with DiPietro in Tampa this season.

Bridgeport: A rare comeback win 2-1 in overtime. Lawson had thirty eight saves, Ness plus one, DiBenedetto had the ot game winner.

Second game in two days Bridgeport rallied to force a game to overtime.



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A Very Different New York Team Returns To Florida

New York Islander Fan Central | 3/19/2011 02:02:00 PM |


Last time New York played in Florida, they came in 4-1-2 on 10/23 as a first place club with Scott Gordon already concerned about even strength play. Tavares had a hat-trick, the Panthers played pin-ball with a pass along the walls by DiPietro that helped Florida setup a pp goal and the game turned into a 4-3 regulation loss.

It was the beginning of the end.

Next time New York won a game was 11/26 with the next win after that 12/16, only two overtime losses/one shootout losses in-between. Eight skaters from that game for New York are injured, off the team or back in juniors. (Niederreiter)

MacDonald, Hamonic and some current players were not in the lineup due to injury or on the team.

So here we are in far different circumstances.

Montoya a nice bounce-back game in Carolina, with several days of rest before/after Canes/Panthers game and DiPietro gets the start after Lawson has been sitting for weeks?

I'm not seeing this for same reason you don't start Lawson here because he was well past point of rust anyway.

Granted the number to be eliminated is six combined points or nine counting Buffalo and not their games in hand.

Is it a huge deal DiPietro or another goalie is starting? Not really, but the choice should be ride Montoya until the club is eliminated or until the Atlanta home game where the schedule picks up. There are two more days off in Florida after tonight before facing Tampa Bay.

Also have to expect if Streit and Weight are on the trip skating they have to be getting very close to participating in a game if that is part of their plan for this season.
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As for the teams play, sure Cam Ward kept Carolina in the game, but where was the team before the Devils game that put clubs away in the third? The Canes outworked and out-skated them, Moulson's pp shot was only quality chance in third and may have given Islanders the 3-1 goal, but the team should expect more from itself besides hanging on if it's about building something.

Nice sign is Nielsen is scoring a few at even strength. Okposo has to give them something in terms of goals. Did not like Jurcina on Canes first goal where he was badly out of position.



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Aaron Ness Signed by New York, DiPietro Activated

New York Islander Fan Central | 3/16/2011 05:10:00 PM | |


Updated:
Pioneer Press: John Shipley has comments from Aaron Ness and Gophers coach, Don Lucia on Ness signing with New York and concluding his college career.

Islanders website: Announced Wednesday 3/16 that they have signed defenseman Aaron Ness to a three-year, entry-level contract. Ness will report to the Islanders’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and play out the remainder of the 2010-11 season on an Amateur Tryout Contract (ATO).

NYIFC Comments:
Do not be shocked to see a few more moves like this with players reporting to Bridgeport on ATO contracts. I believe Brian Day (College), Casey Cizikas (CHL) and Anders Nilsson (SEL) are the three prospects who must be signed by 6/1/11 or 22nd birthday this summer.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio has more on fallout in Bridgeport on a team that has been decimated by injury and a losing streak on par/worse than the Islanders earlier.

Islanders website: Has Rick DiPietro's comments on returning to the lineup which included Nathan Lawson being sent to Bridgeport, along with Justin DiBenedetto.

NYIFC Comments:
Not much to write on DiPietro, the report was 4-6 weeks when he was injured, it's within the time frame and he likely will get a game by the weekend or he will start in a place he had one of his worst games against Carolina. New York with all the home games has not had an actual road win since 2/15 in Ottawa shootout win with Lawson in net, but several one-goal/overtime road losses.

Another forward could be called up for DiBenedetto or it could be a paper transaction before the club goes on likely it's last extended road trip.

Bridgeport has a game at home on Wednesday. Mikko Koskinen was injured last weekend and could not dress for one game, so it's possible Lawson could start against Charlotte.

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Islander Notables

New York Islander Fan Central | 3/15/2011 11:34:00 AM |


As long as this team works hard down to the final game, I'm satisfied with what I have seen to bring back virtually the entire team for next season, along with the head coach.

But were not down to the final game or have any idea what Garth Snow thinks of his interim head coach.

Having written this hard to remember the last time this team had a bad night or were out of a game early so it's not just about wins and losses but maintaining a high level of performance, which they have demonstrated better than any Eastern Conference team besides Boston since middle of December.

That's more than a hot week or two.

The team is loose, and have nothing to play for is the latest spin from outside media that cannot name more than five players without a scoresheet? Non-sense, many of these players are working for their future in this league. Last year they went 9-8-3 in March/April and were much closer to a playoff spot.

A lot of fun to watch these games as they took the play at Boston, Toronto and they have a speed factor that goes beyond Grabner. If only Nielsen got hot at even strength and Okposo got on an overdue scoring run.

New York keeps working hard/playing very competitive hockey (not so much at Newark vs trapping Devils style) but not gaining the kind of ground it will take to leap over all the teams in front of them to qualify for a playoff spot, plus they don't have the games in hand.

Nassau Coliseum West against the Rangers (hopefully the Islander fans help Msg announce a legit weeknight sellout for a change) or in Carolina, who cares? For this segment it's about making the playoffs with every game now virtually a must-win before they become elimination games with the number tonight starting at thirteen.

The Dolan's shifted the Islander coverage to Msg2 tonight for first time all season so the Garden's franchise team (Knicks) could have Msg and Cablevision's hockey team can have Msg+. The minimal newspaper for hockey coverage will be brutal win or lose because the Islanders don't have professional media covering them exclusively not owned by Cablevision.
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As for our interim head coach and respect factor, his team has won some games.

Nielsen getting a misconduct was a joke, along with no powerplays vs Devils. You let both teams play/hit or neither. If an official has a problem with some teams or has obvious trends where he pads his numbers vs one team, he should be out of a job or have good explanation why those games produce an imbalance of calls.

Teams have film sessions and break down plays, no reason officials cannot be called on carpet and shown films of their calls which no doubt happens often when a complaint is filed.
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Funny how Kenny Jonsson in the 2002 playoffs got his head smashed into rock-hard glass at Air Canada center in Toronto via Gary Roberts charge/hands to head and they did not threaten the league to withdraw sponsorship or contact the Leafs and take the name off the facility or refuse to pay for naming rights.

Even more comical to read Mike Murphy (another former Ranger in the Colin Campbell-Frank Brown-John Dellapina-ex Ranger club) make comments on Chara about his past conduct being a factor when that should have nothing to do with anything.

Yes, the league got the call correct. The Habs owner should stop complaining about an arm or push and stop writing letters to the other owners and not have a glass encased box between player benches. He had no complaints and wrote no letters when Max Pacioretti threw the exact same hit to Eaton in December with his arm/body as Chara threw.


As usual the game goes on with spin provided by sponsors, ad agencies and now the companies that have a vested stake in the product? Those sponsors need the local papers that cover the teams and in many cases the beatwriters/salesman of those teams to sell whatever the management is telling them.

What's next Comcast (Flyers owner Ed Sinder) and Little Caesar's determine league punishment. Bad enough the NBC-Comcast merger seems to put Ed Snider's team center stage as often as possible.

Of course for the New York Islanders, it's exactly the opposite as we saw against Pittsburgh. I guess Michael Haley should have been suspended because he was challenged to two fights and won them before Johnson was at his blueline as Koskinen stayed in his crease?

Mario Lemieux wants to impress everyone? He should have suspended Dan Bylmsa himself regardless of what the league decided as soon as Eric Godard left the bench.

Same old game, all about laundry and sure the Islanders are just as guilty as anyone, only with less sponsors/media spin to sell their side.
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Brendan Shanahan is now an equipment expert? Should be fun watching the NHLPA agree to protect players by having them wear less body armor for their clients which is a big part of the reason for many injuries and goes beyond any one person as technology improved to make players bigger and equipment better/stronger.

I got a nice rule, how about all these NHL employees (outside of Bettman and Bill Daly) can only serve for three years and all thirty teams must be represented in the NHL front-office in some major area on a rotating basis and the public receives a list of what teams are represented where?
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Weight, Streit and DiPietro keep practicing, at some point do they actually return or are they shut down for the season?

I don't see the final Coliseum game against Pittsburgh as a contest to dress Doug Weight and use a roster spot that may be needed for Gillies, despite the warnings that will be going out days before the contest.
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Has not been a great chance for Nate Lawson to showcase himself this year. He got called up when Roloson got traded, was quickly injured, then when he returned Montoya beat him out for the majority of the starts. Will he get another look if DiPietro does return because given depth chart (including Nilsson/Nabokov) I don't see a place for Lawson next year.

Montoya is an RFA, it may not mean anything.
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One final thing, Aaron Ness was ready to go to CHL a year ago and leave school, later on his father insisted he is going to college. He can sign with the Islanders but until the teams website/Gophers site confirm it's usual source game to be ignored.

No law Ness cannot sign and return to school, his father, Jay Ness comments a year ago said a lot here.

The Islanders have a senior or two they need to make decisions on when they graduate also.

The twitter box will return at 5pm.


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New Jersey 3, New York 2 Shootout....

New York Islander Fan Central | 3/06/2011 05:55:00 PM |


New Jersey 3, New York 2 Shootout postgame.

That dive call against MacDonald was one of the worst calls I have seen all season and that's writing quite a bit considering how bad some officiating has been.

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Statement Game For New York vs Devils? No

New York Islander Fan Central | 3/06/2011 06:13:00 AM |


Sunday is not a long-term statement game regardless of the Devils run compared to New York having the second most points in the East going back three months, depending on where you draw the line.

We can draw the line anywhere we like, but bottom line is the complete NHL standings.

Of course, I love what I'm watching on the ice. This team is skating hard every game, even when you would expect the club to be tired/sluggish or another team is waiting to play them. Pick a player and virtually all of them are working hard and progressing/effective from Parenteau's work to setup Moulson/Tavares, to Katic's skating to Wishart's strong play, with Tavares getting more confident with every game along the boards/in front of net.

Does anyone even notice anymore Travis Hamonic is a rookie and Andrew MacDonald is in his first full season playing these minutes?

Look out if Bailey, Comeau or Okposo get hot and Grabner starts finishing.

It's not just the goals, the skating, but the quality shots against. When this team was getting it's 15/18 points in December they were being outshot/outplayed badly.

Not anymore.

Remember that win against the Devils in Newark here where the Devils dominated for long stretches, and outshot the Islanders 35-14 or New Years Eve in Detroit where but the Islanders scored on their few shots, where Roloson had to make 43 saves?

This has been different with the club getting stronger instead of fading. It's been fun to watch this team play games. Sunday is a good test because it's a Devil team that virtually never losses (allows more than a goal or two) facing one of the hottest teams in the East going back to December.

This gives us a good look to see where the Islanders are, and if they can win what will likely be a low-scoring game.

Ultimately the statement will be made when next season starts, with a lot of different players that include most of the defense out and Trent Hunter.

And that will also include if Jack Capuano is back or someone else is hired, with a new coaching staff.

Extra:
As well as Al Montoya has played with his adjustments made by staff after Buffalo game, it's tough to see him keeping this up or Rick DiPietro out of the net when he's ready to play, now that he's returned to practice.

The test for Montoya will be how he bounces back after a bad game, it says a great deal about how well he has played that to this point he has not had a bad game once he got a start.

Having written this he's making a case to be qualified as a RFA next summer and force a decision regarding goaltending that includes Koskinen, Poulin, Nilsson along with Nate Lawson/Rick DiPietro.

Grabner made his best pass this season to Parenteau for that goal, might be worth considering switching Okposo to first line for a few shifts.

As for 2010-11 playoff statements if New York goes 16-0, they finish with 91 points.

New York wins Sunday they are one point behind the Devils, who many feel can pull off a miracle and qualify for the playoffs.

10-6 matches last seasons 79 points which is incredible considering how far back they were from that pace with all the injuries they have had.

We'll see, win/lose another game Tuesday.

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Trevor Gillies Suspended Another Ten Games

New York Islander Fan Central | 3/04/2011 06:09:00 PM | |


NYIFC Comments on Colin Campbell's latest suspension to Trevor Gillies.

NYIFC Comments:
Beyond my twitter update....This was entirely different from his head-shot against Pittsburgh.

From the right side view, you see Gillies hit Clutterbuck an instant after DiBenedetto got boarded as part of the play going on. Gillies it him clean with the right shoulder and he did not jump into the player.

With his left arm there is no elbow, high stick, or cross-check. Gillies does clearly raise his left hand in a punching motion and drive his gloved hand into his head in an uppercut motion, that combined with Gillies hitting him from behind drove Clutterbuck into the boards.

I have seen a lot of hits like that in this league go without penalties, much less a ten game suspension. Gillies head-shot, punching and subsequent actions against Pittsburgh/combined with taunting cannot be defended, this is something different.

Lot's of similar hits and worse not being called much less suspensions give.

For those who would like a nice team photo of the 2010-11 New York Islanders from Friday 3/4/2011 that included most of the long-term injured here.

I'm pretty sure that's Mark Eaton in the photo also with Weight, Hunter, Streit, reportedly no one got injured when photo was taken. Rick DiPietro has returned to practice which likely means he is on time-table to return of 4-6 weeks.

Nothing on any recall as of this writing. If Haley is still out, the club no longer has a Joel Rechlicz to recall and Yablonski has not played in months for Bridgeport, so they may be short an enforcer.

Schremp is in Atlanta off waivers, so it's Joensuu, Rahkshani seven defenders or someone about to make a debut.

The twitter box will return on Saturday morning.


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