Friday Islander, Sound Tiger/NHL Notables

Newsday: Greg Logan does a blog update on the club having to concentrate on defense because of it's struggling offense, Mike Comrie comments on Rick DiPietro getting involved maybe too big a risk which the coach intends to talk with his goaltender about while the Islanders goaltender talks about the Pittsburgh Penguins.

You’ve seen it with so many teams that are successful,” DiPietro said. “They play a smart defensive game and capitalize on their chances. We have to play that same way. We’re not going to be a team that goes out and scores five or six goals a game and plays run-and-gun. We have to keep it simple and do a good job of eliminating other teams’ opportunities.”

“We were all holding our breath,” forward Mike Comrie said of that brief scuffle. “It’s who he is, though. When you see Ricky in practice, he tries to go an entire practice without letting in a goal. That’s the reason he’s so good is his competitiveness. You don’t want to see your goaltender involved [in a fight], but you realize he wants to win.”

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio blogs and reports Comeau, Bootland and Fraser are all scratched for tonight's game against Providence with Haskins, Ford and Labelle all in the lineup.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Likely some benchings to follow the recent shakeup, but could also be signs of a possible trade.

ECHL.com: Confirms the callups of Scott Ford, Oilver Labelle and Tyler Haskins, with the demotion of Andy MacDonald.

Fox Sports: Lyle Richardson of course if far more tempered with his comments on Mike Richards's signing than he was when the Islanders signed Rick DiPietro.

THN.com: Ken Campbell, who's been taking his share of shots at the Islanders recently apparently now is also revisiting long term contracts and notes that owners who supposedly won the lockout are paying more now than ever. Mr Campbell also acknowledges Rick DiPietro and that Mike Richards may never have the on-ice impact that DiPietro might have someday.

Of course this all appears after Campbell calls on Edmonton's current management to sell the team.

ESPN.com: Reported Andy McDonald, was traded Friday to the St. Louis Blues for Doug Weight, Michal Birner and a seventh-round pick in next year's NHL entry draft.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
That's the center I wanted the Islanders to try and add because he could score and was signed for the next two years. Anaheim get's their cap space for next summer when Weight becomes an UFA.

Islander News Articles 12/14:

Newsday: Greg Logan's early game recap without quotes is about how the Islanders played enough defense to win with Bill Guerin breaking through with two goals.

Newsday: Greg Logan reports Ted Nolan had a talk with Mike Comrie while Bill Guerin comments how the teams passing was better while Rick DiPietro talks about the Coyotes crowding his crease and what it means with Brendan Witt on his side.

He brought me in and talked to me," Comrie said. "When you're playing a lot of minutes, you need to play responsible and play hard every night. We got some goals, we generated some chances, and most importantly, we were working hard. It had been missing for too long now."

"They had a lot of traffic throughout the game," DiPietro said of the Coyotes. "There's only so many times you can get hacked and whacked without feeling the need to retaliate. When you've got guys like Witter around you, you feel a little bit better about venturing out."

NY Post: Dan Martin covered the game and had comments from Bill Guerin, Ted Nolan, Mike Comrie, Rick DiPietro and Wayne Gretzky. Of course Martin used Islander space to talk about Gretzky returning to Msg.

Apparently the Daily News did not even bother sending Peter Botte or Brian Bohl to cover an Islander home game. NY Times did not show as always. John Dellapina's of course made it to Ranger practice to file his full off-day story.

Arizona Republic: Jim Gintonio has a few words from Shane Doan about Rick DiPietro holding the puck outside the crease in the final minute.

"It's hard to understand. As a player you go to the net. He catches it, you're not allowed to touch him, and you don't touch him, and he skates across the net and tries to go over and whack it down the ice. If he's going to throw it out of his glove and whack at it, we're gonna whack at the puck when it's in his glove. It's just common sense if they're not gonna blow the whistle."

Arizona Republic: Mr Gintonio reported in his Wednesday blog The Coyotes got serenaded by an ambulance driver at the Islip airport upon landing Wednesday night, as he crooned incessantly over his loudspeaker: "Let's go, Islanders!"

East Valley Tribune: Has an early AP article on the Islanders win.

Globe & Mail: Eric Duhatschek begins the long list of hockey writers who owe Charles Wang an engraved apology now that other clubs are following his standard for long-term contracts. Mike Richard's of the Flyers signed a 12-year, $69-million agreement through the 2019-20 season.

Media blog: Chris Botta correctly jumps all over the media double-standard yesterday writing when they do not know how to react - or don't have the guts to take a
stand - they resort to bad jokes as they did with DiPietro's contract.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Mike Richards is a good young talent having a very good start this year, but this is not a first overall pick like Rick DiPietro or a franchise talent like a Crosby or Ovechkin. Richard's is a late first rounder from 2003, who had thirty points each of the last two seasons.

Of course Philadelphia Daily News : Ed Moran & Philadelphia Inquirer: Tim Panaccio buried themselves in owner Ed Snider's pocket and did not write one word of criticism.