“To me, it’s not a surprise that Mike Comrie is one of the leaders in goals and points and that Bill Guerin and Fedotenko and Vasicek are playing the way they are,” “We knew what we were getting. Maybe it’s an eye-opener to our fans and the hockey community, but we’re not surprised at the way our players are producing.”
“There was one point in the second period against the Devils when they looked like the Central Red Army team,” Snow said. “They were really dominating. Sean’s an energy-type player who can do the work along the walls, much like Fedotenko can. And like Fedotenko, he’s got the ability to put the puck in the net when he gets the chance. There’s a reason why we like him so much and made a spot for him on our team.”
On Rick DiPietro:
“He’s been our best player on a night-to-night basis for sure,” Snow said. “This league is about goaltending. It’s like pitching in baseball or quarterback in football. Goaltending is everything, and when you don’t get it, you realize how much you miss it. He’s taken it to the next level where he’s making difficult saves look easy. That’s what’s fun for me to watch. He’s done it for a couple years now. To me, he’s one of the top goalies in the league.
“The things he does, we take for granted. It’s not easy to handle the puck the way he does or to move laterally to make second and third saves. There’s only a few goalies in the league that can do what he does. Last year was more of a breakout year in terms of people recognizing him outside this market. Ricky should start getting the credit he deserves as a top goalie in the league.”
On the Atlantic Division:
“It’s one of the best divisions, if not the best and most competitive in the league, especially when you get three teams from the New York metropolitan area,” Snow said. “They’re like playoff games with the higher intensity.” At the same time, Snow emphasized his belief that the Islanders have improved enough to contend for the playoffs again, saying, “We’re faster, and we have more energy. We’re a better, more well-rounded team.”
NYI Fan Central Comments:
Of course this could not appear in the newspaper where it belongs when the gm speaks, even though no other paper is covering the Islanders.