New York At Deadline/Rolston Clears Waivers

New York Islander Fan Central | 2/27/2012 12:13:00 PM |
Brian Rolston has cleared NHL waivers. The Islanders website is showing the NHL/Tsn trade deadline show as the club practices at the  Kettler Iceplex in Washington.

NYIFC: 
NYIFC will have blog entries for transactions related to New York if any happen, the trade deadline marker on sidebar has latest. Transactions tab links to Isles website page.

Ottawa Loss Microcosm of Season:
Sunday's loss in Ottawa was one of the most frustrating of the season. 

New York faced a tired team, with an AHL goaltender, who let up a poor first goal.

They needed to come out of that first period up two or three goals, and had plenty of chances.

The usual suspects, eating minutes, producing nothing, could not finish.

Marty Reasoner finally has to finish a play, these outside shots from Eaton, Mottau, Jurcina have to produce some goals from the defense.

Coaching:
Why play Matt Martin out of position, when Jay Pandolfo can move back to his natural position of right wing and move up Niederreiter with Cizikas and Ullstrom/Martin at left wing? Don't understand.

I completely understand the club wants to develop it's prospects, no one is going to convince us, Ty Wishart who played twenty games here last season five years into his career or Aaron Ness with two goals Sunday is going to make a mistake any worse than Mike Mottau did Sunday.

That's the theme, old, slower defenders, big mistakes, not able to produce by their career resumes, lot's of outside/low percentage shots, not physical.

Play That Defines Season:
Then comes the biggest microcosm of this season for NYIFC.

Isles cut the deficit to one, apply pressure and have momentum. Okposo lumbering to puck, with numbers, not able to create a play or move well, stops, waits forever, passes back to Mark Streit, stick breaks, transition ends up with a redirected tip-in goal to finish the club Sunday.

Okposo is skating like Trent Hunter far too many games, the one time he was moving well was after his benching, he needed to make a play there. 

Steps forward, steps backward.

Sure Nabokov needed to stop shot off Mottau turnover, that's not the point.

The weaknesses that have defined this club since day one are what beat them in Ottawa.