It's only thirty-odd games.
Not a lot to add from the last entry, the trend for the moment is losing three goal leads after basically outworking their competition for large parts of the game with low shots against which is very important.
We will see new/different trends soon.
Bottom line is always the same-do not lose games in regulation.
It's going to take north of 95 points to qualify. My guess to finish 8th requires 97 points. 100 points for third seed in division, 105-110 for 1st place.
Halak, Johnson and Poulin all lost three goal leads.
Halak has to stop Ovechkin's soft unscreened knuckball from long distance a lot more than Poulin had a chance on deHaan getting beat on a nice give and go by the Sabres, who's record since Nov 15th has been excellent.
No such thing as an easy game in this league, any team that does not work hard does not win.
The schedule is terrible and only getting worse. Other teams do have it much easier, sometimes you catch Calgary (list team) on a losing streak, sometimes you catch a team playing well.
Given how the Caps have been playing to out-shoot them/outplay them is very impressive on the surface, anyone following had to know the Caps get one goal they would be making a very hard charge.
Do not ask me how the Pens bring in failed or average players from other organization, or a new head coach and continue to win at this level consistently with Blake Comeau, and other serious injuries despite Crosby being out for a while.
I do feel Pittsburgh is built only for regular season success, but over 82 games it works very well.
The Islanders penalty kill for the moment has been much better. Despite Boychuk's excuse-me shot the power-play has been terrible. The Caps defenders were not even forced to skate in overtime or worn down by the Islanders who were completely stagnant, and this was after the shorthanded goal against Buffalo.
Anders Lee is a very good NHL player right now.
Tavares seems to be regaining his extra step for the first time all season, with no true first line left wing he has to be able to create some space for himself.
For the moment this organization is as close to healthy as it ever will be.
That will not last long even if it forces Boulton or Strait to waivers who will go unclaimed.
Ask me where Matt Carkner fits here if he's cleared? No idea. What I do know is Donovan, Reinhart, and Pulock's agents will be screaming for roster spots and playing time next season while Boychuk will likely test UFA.
Hickey, Leddy, will want big money. If #55 is interested at all he will want huge money, and there will be a big market for Visnovsky if he's healthy.
Kevin Czuczman did not pick the New York Islanders over sixteen teams to stay in Bridgeport.
There is no top six player available in Bridgeport at this time. I would have swapped out Boulton for Heatley but the league gm's agreed with Garth Snow.
McDonald, Conacher are not the answer.
Ok. More games, more new trends, always a mixed bag.
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Only thing new I can write about the teams local professional media in newspapers (the worst of any franchise in North American sports and only getting worse) in print is this season so far has proven it never had a thing to do with winning or success or fan support.
The New York Islanders are not popular and do not deserve coverage? Funny, but they trend on goggle news and twitter a lot when they play.
No canned food drive for the cash strapped martyrs at the NY Post who cannot afford a daily writer and use AP for home games, it never had a thing to do with standings or any teams payroll, just ask the Devils after the 2012 finals along with the pay-walled NY Times.
Does Brett Cyrgalis have a vindictive streak? I believe so as it seems he's auditioning for Larry Brooks job sooner than later. Of course it's hard to take seriously a person who cannot even get the teams record correct in the newspaper.
Steven Lorenzo, the latest part-timer at Daily News at least can show a little enthusiasm when he's not at Greenberg covering Ranger practice between his mistakes in print.
On those days Arthur Staple decides to work, he is badly outworked by Steve Zipay, and most articles have a negative undercurrent to them despite being at the top of the NHL in wins.
Having Jim Baumbach, Anthony Rieber or a fitness trainer from Washington covering our games is the media equivalent of finally seeing Bart Crashley highlights with the Islanders.
No, I do not want our writers to be cheerleaders (Knicks have that beat-writer at Newsday+2), but there are some positives that deserve space in print for these teams.
I'm tired of my team being under-rated nationally only because of poor local media coverage, season ticket holders and new fans do not come from a team not getting blanket coverage.
I'm sorry if Mr Staple is offended by my writing often on twitter why Mr Zipay does a far better job with more depth and positive daily coverage for his team (and the Knicks beat-writer despite the standings), instead of being so sensitive he should look it the mirror and work as hard as Mr Zipay does with the same positive enthusiasm Mr Zipay has for his job or ask editor sports Hank Winnicki for a new assignment.
Our beatwriter from 2000 (John Valenti) did the weather report last 12/31 for Newsday+2.
Our fans deserve better, and Mr Staple should want to provide that for them. I'm not here asking for charity and Newsday+2 should want to provide that to our fans/and it's customers unless they have other business motives.
No, the other bloggers need followers, business, page-views and networking with other bloggers to link to because many think they are now professional media and selling themselves is their top priority. Mr Staple does his best work there and those folks are very happy to have him because it helps them market themselves, pod-casts.
Ok, you know the rest, has been written here forever. Only if enough fans got involved (too bad all we had were no chants in August 2011) and stopped worrying about marketing themselves our team and it's fans would be much better served.
That is supposed to be the idea, right?
