Islander News Articles 3/6

Will fill in the blanks where I can tomorrow, but it may be later than usual.

Newsday: Greg Logan's early recap (without quotes) notes the Islanders outplayed the Rangers for most of the game but their inexperience caught up with them combined with a few mistakes. Head coach Scott Gordon praised his teams effort, Jack Hillen comments.


NYI Fan Central Comments:
Only game all sesson I can recall Mr Logan getting quotes from the other coach, considering Kate Strang and Steve Zipay's Ranger centric articles the Islanders should have had a full article.

NY Post: May have Dan Martin's coverage but likely will go all Larry Brooks Ranger-centric with salesman Jay Greenberg's Ranger centric article.

Dan Martin was not dispatched the home team which is disgraceful if part time at best writer Greenberg was around who has been selling Msg teams more recently.

Daily News: Peter Botte's game coverage of the Rangers 4-2 win includes head coach Scott Gordon crediting his team's play, Blake Comeau and Trent Hunter also comment.

Old time Ranger guy Vic Ziegel was brought in to sell Sean Avery.

NY Times: Lynn Zinser's coverage was all Rangers/Avery centric.

Journal News: May assign road coverage.

NHL.com: Reports Bill Guerin had an assist and five shots on goal in Pittsburgh's forty plus shot win against Florida.

NHL.com: Reports Chris Campoli had his first goal for Ottawa, Mike Comrie had a goal and an assist in the Senators win Thursday.

Globe & Mail/several sources: Report former Islander-Sound Tiger Jeff Hamilton was signed by the Maple Leafs.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio has comments from Jon Sim on what he can bring to the Sound Tigers along with head coach Jack Capuano as Friday's Bridgeport-Binghampton game is previewed along with the AHL notebook here.

Rangers 4, New York 2

NHL.com: Recaps the Rangers 4-2 win against the Islanders on Thursday night with sportsnetwork & AP coverage.


NYI Fan Central Comments:
Congratulations to Jack Hillen on his first career goal and Andrew MacDonald on his first NHL point.

I seem to be writing that a lot this year and that's the good news.

Bad news is Islanders did not win and cut the gap against Atlanta back down to a point so they could escape the NHL basement.

I guess for some that will be the silver lining.

Seemed like a lot like the last Islander-Ranger game at the Coliseum, Islanders fight from behind all night but for the most part out play the Rangers going into the third with a big shot advantage before experience takes over and they cannot score a big goal to tie the game or make a critical mistake as the Rangers outshoot them with the game on the line.

Okopso or Hilbert's breakaways go in or Bergenheim's post go in it's a different result, they got the chances, give credit to Lundqvist for keeping them in early.

Seems like the Islanders are the only team Chris Drury scores against.

Martinek led the Isles in shots with four through two periods.

Joel Rechlicz actually got a point? Comeau badly needed something to get him going, been way too long between goals or breakaways for him, tonight he got both and got an assist.

Hillen so far is not making me miss Chris Campoli, nice backhand and rush at the net that opened up Lundqvist between the pads. Not one of Danis best games but the mistakes in front of him were costly.

Too bad Bilbert and McAmmond collided and a bad bounce found Martinek off the boards that led to the 4-2 goal. Tambellini came close again after his goal the other night.

Hunter did not look ready or a bit slow.

Would like to see this game a year from now, the Islanders at full strength with something resembling a first line but I seem to write that after every Ranger game and a lot of other games.

Having written that the Rangers got the two points but for the most part just did not look like a very good team, it's the first game after their trades/waiver but it did not look that much different or better. A team with a first line that can finish is going to be a very tough opponent for them.

That's their problem, Islanders have a season to finish and prospects to develop.

Islanders should be able to break through against a bubble playoff team considering how well they have played Pittsburgh and the Devils last time out but not this year against the Rangers and seemingly not for way too long against Philadelphia.

Would love to see what these kids play like a year from now with a few top six forwards.

Their powerplay right now is giving them nothing, almost the reverse of earlier when most of the offense came with the powerplay.

I will give the Islanders some credit here, they had a lot of fight in them tonight with a very inexperienced team and if you did not know the names or the record you would think the Rangers at time were 30th.

As for March 2009, the New York Islanders simply are not that team.....yet.

They get another shot at the Devils on Saturday with I expect will be Mr Brodeur this time.

Not the most encouraging interview from Mr Wang before the game. I guess his personal deadline is the start of next season for approval, but the discussion was all over the place. Howie Rose had to ask too many questions in too quick an amount of time but did a solid job trying to ask what we would want to know.

That Newsday coverage sure is helping Ranger fans mock the Islanders arena problems, which is not a good thing......at all.

Rangers at New York 7pm Msg+

Newsday: Neil Best reports Islanders owner Charles Wang will appear on the Islanders pregame with Howie Rose which will be repeated during the intermission.

Point Blank: Mr Botta contradicts the Islander announcement yesterday activating Pock-Thompson, reports Nate Thompson, Richard Park and Thomas Pock skated but are not ready.

Also included Trent Hunter is in, Joe Callahan has been recalled from Bridgeport and more players will be needed.

Updated 4:00pm
Newsday: Greg Logan in the Islanders Newsday blog reports Joel Rechlicz was called up and will make his NHL debut.

Jesse Joensuu, Joe Callahan and Andy MacDonald were also recalled/paper transactions with them in the New York lineup tonight.
********************************************************
Rangers come to the Coliseum with no reported injuries and a team on paper that is about as offensively challenged (if not more) than the Islanders despite it's recent win against a brutal Colorado team that was terrible on it's road-trip.

One team plays to stay in the playoff race, for the Islanders it's the latest exhibition game on the road to the lottery and next season regardless of final score which will likely not be a memorable game for the home team unless someone is injured/suspended.

One team comes in with several new players and minus some other players with some possible new spin on a mediocre season, the Islanders come in short Bill Guerin/Jon Sim and with whoever is called up (apparently now Pock-Thompson not ready) but could remain activated.

Antropov sounded like a man who wanted to be a Leaf for life and is very disappointed.


NYI Fan Central Comments:
On paper lately the Islanders have been the better team recently and are almost even in goals per game with the Rangers (without four hundred more games lost to injury) who are a chemistry experiment that could blow up on another team or themselves with Avery back (likely for tonight) and a coach who does not trap but has a team of players who have been in that system and are an offensively challenged roster.

Kalinin was playing better in the misleading plus/minus department but had only one powerplay point all season (no goals) for a club that needed powerplay help.

The trade deadline may or may not change this but for now the Rangers are different and the Islanders are offensively weaker for tonight minus Sim and Guerin. Okposo has to watch out for Avery who threw him down a few times last season.

Henrik Lundqvist without a trap limiting his workload/quality chances could have a problem under a system he has never faced at this level with a marginal defense that has not protected him as well as they did a year ago. The workload goes up dramatically now over a sixty minute game without the trap.

Rangers got a perfect break in the schedule for John Tortorella to have a mini-camp and give his team some of his concepts. No doubt with the pressure of the trade deadline over both teams the focus should be on hockey with no distractions.

Scott Gordon has his team playing good, competitive hockey. With three games in four days, how does he set up his goaltending by feel? Last time the situation merited MacDonald start based on his last game, Danis started and played well but let in a soft goal that decided the game.

This time Danis has two straight wins and momentum, coaching by feel from here says
Danis starts, but Scott Gordon makes that decision and has the pulse of his roster.

No Brendan Witt for this kind of game is a tough thing.

Islanders are not a good comeback team, Rangers under Renney did not give up the lead often and played for the extra point/shootout win which is really the only reason they are in a playoff spot at this time.

Fair to say Islanders are going to have to create a few early goals and see if the Rangers can handle the pressure by forcing them into some mistakes. Only pressure Islanders have is to work for roster spots next season, it's a good statement game but the chemistry of the recent strong play has been slightly altered again.

The powerplay has to start giving them some goals.

With changes for both sides, anything is possible.

I'm going to wait until this game is played before updating injury list, too many different stories.

Islander News Articles 2/19

I will try and fill in the blanks when/if I can on Thursday.

Newsday: Greg Logan/Steve Zipay combined game coverage articles of the Islanders 3-1 loss where Andy Hilbert talks about the dirty hit on Bergenheim who also comment here while head coach Scott Gordon credited his young players for standing up to a bigger team with the injuries the Islanders had.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Kind of games you really miss a Trent Hunter, Mike Sillinger and Doug Weight with the play very physical as it was on Monday against Pittsburgh too.

Another area this team presently is outmatched although in the previous Coliseum game the Islanders outhit the Rangers which Mr Logan did not note.

Newsday: Mark Herrmann compared Wade Redden with Mark Streit and the strategy behind the signings with Streit's comments.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
What Mr Herrmann failed to note is there is not a lot of pressure in this market playing for the Islanders or Rangers, one look at the back page of his own paper says it all for where the focus is because it's not on hockey.

Islanders could just have easily had Redden but there is the front-loaded contract issue which if was offered by Garth Snow had never been reported. All I do know is he did his homework on Streit and Doug Weight and regardless of the record made some wise choices.

NY Post & Daily News: Their editors did not send a writer from either paper to cover the Islanders story or produce a single quote, the Post even sent a writer to Hartford while Jay Greenberg and Larry Brooks waved the Ranger pom poms.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Usual disgraceful decision at both papers or too bad the editors do not demand quotes from both teams. I guess we'll see multiple Islander articles on Friday's off day from the Post.

NY Times: Dave Caldwell was dispatched to cover the game and the article for this one was Ranger-centric. Times send AP for prior Islander-Ranger Msg games.

I'm not sure if Journal News covers every game but the coverage is no longer Islander-centric when Andrew Gross used to update. Sam Borden or Rick Carpiniello who recently returned to this beat usually has a lot of bite against the Islanders
here if anything to contribute at all.

The News and Observer: Chip Alexander previews Thursday's game against Carolina with the following from old/new coach Paul Maurice:

Defenseman Joni Pitkanen is out, Tim Gleason will be back in.
Cam Ward will start in goal against New York.

News Observer: Mr Alexander also has blog updates for the paper.

AHL.com: Recaps Bridgeport 1-0 win against Hartford.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio's game coverage for Bridgeport at Hartford on Wednesday with blog entries here had Nate Lawson on his shutout, head coach Jack Capuano on the road win.

Hartford Coutant: Has Wolfpack coverage of Wednesday's game against Bridgeport.

Rangers 3, New York 1

Fox Sports &SportsNetwork: Recaps New York's 3-1 loss to the Rangers in Manhattan on Wednesday night.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Islanders did not create enough second chances in this one which is the same story as most games or get the bounces and Danis did not hold a rebound but he played well enough to win. The knee on Bergenheim did not look good but highest marks to Andy Hilbert for going after Reitz for a garbage play.

Bergenheim did return but no place for that on either side. Will be interesting if Prucha and Bergenheim do become teammates soon. Voros played like his job is on the line if Avery does clear recall waivers for a return to the Rangers.

Bailey drove the net for a great chance, he had one late he did not get enough on and the Islanders missed a few.

Lets see if Cablevision goes after this like they did Peca-Lundmark long ago when they showed it from ten different angles.

Too bad the powerplay did not finish one, Streit's goal came off a very nice setup by Okposo and pass from Comeau.

Not enough from the veteran line, everything seems to be coming from the work of the younger players.

Witt and the defense had a good game, they faced a team struggling on offense and really allowed the one goal.

We'll see if they can finish a few more plays tomorrow.

New York at Rangers 7pm Msg+

Updated Player Pos Injury Expected Return
02/15/09 Paul Mara D Shoulder Out indefinitely

NYI Fan Central Comments:
The final home away from home game at Nassau Coliseum west this season.

The Islanders have a shootout win to build off, the Rangers have their strategy to play the low-scoring defensive system or the trap which their fans in the media will never write. Obviously Tom Renney is under some pressure but his club is eight games over five hundred (via shootout) and in a playoff spot with a five point cushion over the team in ninth while this is the latest exhibition game for Islanders.

Needless to write the Islanders could win or lose 10-0 and in the end it will not be memorable in terms of the final season standings.

Scott Gordon's team plays it's fourth straight against the Atlantic.

The Islanders come in scoring more goals per game even with the huge disparity between teams for man game lost to injury which tells the Ranger story best. They also actually have to play a third game in four days but this is not back to back for them.

Islander veteran line is not giving them much these days, Guerin had his spin-around goal but four in almost thirty games. Who knows where Sim plays day by day and Comrie has not been as involved as he was earlier. Ranger top players are not consistent scorers with Drury on a team not currently built to his best abilities.

Lundqvist is either giving up his four goals on twenty shots or giving his team a chance, his play has been spotty for a few months but that's his trend every year.

Home ice as usual has not been kind in this series with the pressure from the visiting fans seemingly putting the home team off their game. Last time in Islanders did not play well at Msg but still led into the third period and kind of gave it back themselves in a 5-4 loss.

If Scott Gordon is coaching by feel as he says my bet is he plays MacDonald who started the two Msg games and starts Danis against Carolina on Thursday.

Updated-Danis apparently starts.

What goalie is going to give up the big early goal, in most Islander and Ranger games falling behind is very tough to overcome.

Overall, it's just another game for the Islanders in a season that will be a losing one regardless. No one win changes anything but we'll hope for some good signs against another very fragile team at this time.

And the beat goes on tomorrow with another important game for the playoff race tomorrow against Carolina.

Just not the Islanders playoff race.

Islander News Articles 1/14

Newsday: Greg Logan's article reports Islander general manager Garth Snow has held exploratory talks with the agent for former goaltender Wade Dubielewicz. Mr Logan speculates a decision is believed to be imminent to shut down Rick DiPietro as he recaps his season with the goaltenders comments from a few days ago.

Also reported the league did give the Islanders permission to sign Mike Dunham during the game if he was needed as a spare goalie in the event of an injury to Yann Danis.

Newsday: Greg Logan in the pregame (before Joey MacDonald's injury) reports in the Islanders Newday blog the Islanders are one of three clubs speaking to Wade Dubielewicz about a possible return with his agents comments which include no bridges were burned.

Mr Logan indicates Dubie would have to be signed to a one-way deal which would mean (pre-MacDonald injury) that Rick DiPietro's season is likely over.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
One thing for sure, with only four more games until February (given long break) it's starting to look like it's over for DiPietro if he is visiting more doctors.

Dubie did what Garth Snow and a lot of players have done, gone to Russia and left during the season. He was bought out while a home grown product (Stanislav Galimov) beat him out for a spot with prospect Kirill Petrov's Russian team. His numbers were not good in the KHL and it looks like the prospect goaltender outplayed him given the stats for the team here with both goaltenders playing twenty one games. If he has options with three other teams would he sign here to showcase himself for a few months knowing it's DiPietro's job when he is finally ready?

One thing for sure is with the injury to MacDonald he would see his share of work but I'm not sure Yann Danis is going to be moved out so easily. Bottom line is Garth Snow needs some depth at the goaltenders spot unless the gm wants to bring up Nate Lawson or Peter Mannino.

Either way Dubie is a short-term option here unless his agents receives two years from Garth Snow (doubtful) which could mean the end for MacDonald and a reversal of what happened when MacDonald received a one way contract. If Dubie signs he may need a conditioning stint of his own.

In my estimation this is about familiarity for both sides where both seem to need the other. Two NHL teams besides the Islanders are interested in Dubie playing at this level?

I'm not buying that so quickly given how did not sign with an NHL team last summer.

Having written all this exploratory talks are just that.

Newsday: Steve Zipay had Ranger centric game coverage or a combined game summary which included nothing from the New York Islanders in terms of comments which is a terrible job by Newsday considering how the Islander prospects outworked the Rangers for big parts of this game and there should be equal quotes from both sides in a combined article.

Newsday: Mark Herrmann's article gives a lot of fair reasons why the team should shut down Rick DiPietro for the season and has head coach Scott Gordon's comments on what would have happened if Yann Danis did not finish in goal while Bill Guerin comments on what Mike Dumham was doing to get ready.


NYI Fan Central Comments:
Not for anything but I did hear Richard Park mentioned as the emergency goaltender a few times. It's something that is so rare with both goaltenders getting injured that it virtually never enters the radar.

Given some or Mr Herrmann's recent work he was very fair with this aritcle and did not look to beat on a player who has only tried to return to help his team even if it has not worked out.

Point Blank: Mr Botta for his part had more information about how the Islanders played and the game than all of the writers which indicates a terrible job by the media telling the Islanders game story which should never be secondary to off-ice events.

Mr Logan for his part is making his pre-game blog his second story for the print edition more and more. Sometimes that's necessary like with a story like Dubie & DiPietro, others not so much. This is why more blog entries are required but he was honest enough with the readers to question himself on whether he did enough for Weight, Bailey recently so we'll see how things go in that department.

NY Post: Dan Martin's game coverage was mostly on the injury to Joey MacDonald and the litany of injuries to the Islanders with comments from Bill Guerin and head coach Scott Gordon.

NY Post: Larry Brooks did not credit the Islanders for basically outplaying the Rangers in his article, instead telling us what we already know about the Rangers trap and their defensive system.

Daily News: Michael Obernauer who is the Ranger beatwriter had head coach Scott Gordon's comments in what is somewhat of a combined article that did not receive much space but points out the Islanders took 18 of the last 19 shots of the first period.

Daily News: Peter Botte's article was on the ramifications of Mike Dunham dressing with head coach Scott Gordon's comments along with more on DiPietro. A few words on Dubielewicz are also are included.

The NY Times did not send a writer to either Msg game to report on Islanders-Rangers but Lynn Zinser does a Ranger centric story for tonight's game here.

Journal News: Had Sam Weinman's Ranger centric coverage.


NYI Fan Central Comments:
NY Times is very strange in their coverage of New York hockey. No other word can be applied for a paper that puts more time and space in the KHL and Europe than all three local teams.

Their Islander feeder pulls out three week old game results and is useless, where have you gone George Vecsey? Former beatwriter Dave Caldwell comes out to do a rip job on the club and nothing else since camp?

The Canadians go to Msg and one paragraph is done on the game so a feature can be done on a Habs player? This SI format they keep forcing has been an abject failure and is the MsgNY of hockey reporting which deserves the sack like that program.

Calgary Herald: John Garrett has a few words on the all-star selection process praising the selection of Mark Sreit.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio has head coach Jack Capuano's comments on the acquisition of right winger Junior Lessard who the beatwriter describes as a player with a reputation for a scoring touch to go with an all-around game and what this adds to a mix with fifteen healthy forwards?

The Sound Tiger coach also praised Brett Skinner for his play and described his final words with the defenseman upon learning of the trade.

Bridgeport travels to Hartford for a Wednesday game at 7pm.

Note-The Chicago Sun Times and the other publication that covers the Wolves did not have anything beyond AP regarding the trade.

Rangers 2, New York 1

AP: Recaps the Rangers 2-1 win against the Islanders Tuesday night.


NYI Fan Central Comments:
AP notes the Islanders are 1-9-2 against the Rangers which is a mistake with the spin depending on where you set a starting point at worst can now be only 1-6-2.

Regarding the game for the 2008-09 New York Islanders it just goes from bad to worse in the injury department. The fun now really begins if Joey MacDonald is out for any length of time with a groin injury.

Yann Danis gave them a excellent game coming in cold and had no chance on the second goal. The Islanders for their part did a good job but you cannot give up those kinds of goals to a team that is not much better at finishing than the Islanders. How many times does Tom Renney do his Ted Nolan imitation and tell everyone we cannot beat teams playing for high scoring games, it's all about defense.

I would like to see this game a year from now with another season under these kids belts and with a few veterans who can finish. I think the Islander prospects would have broken through the Ranger trap and scored a few goals and forced the Rangers to change their strategy. Bailey was great on the faceoffs, the Islanders worked hard to generate chances but like many games against the Ranger trap they cannot break through with that big chance.

Scrambles, angle shots, too many missed shots but not enough bounces on this day for another goal were the difference. Refs let both teams play and the Islanders for a team with few bangers got in their hits. Jackman did has part well, so did Hunter.

Campoli gives with his goal and gives right back with his play up the wall for the tying goal against. Credit the Ranger for picking a high attempt off the wall but it was obvious he read what Campoli was going to do. Witt for his part tried to play a little offense at times tonight but his spacing on the 2-1 goal considering the distance between players and the angle was not good. It's been that kind of season for Witt.

Considering how many shorthanded goals the Rangers allow the Islanders went for it, Gervais was the defender caught but there was a lot of time for the Islanders to make a play for another goal.

After the first few minutes the Islanders settled in and not only carried play but dominated. The Rangers are simply not that good a team themselves these days and unless they are playing defense like this they will struggle. Too bad the Islanders did not force a mistake from their defense or take a high shot on Lundqvist who is prone to soft goals at times and was sloppy in this one with his rebounds.

I would like to see what this effort does to the scoreboard a year from now as more of these kids find the confidence to finish. I think if the man-games lost to injury were even we absolutely would have seen a different result here.

Given all that's working against this team, they gave all they had tonight. Now they have to do it every game which was saw signs of on the road trip against at times.

Unless they carry it into the Boston game on Thursday it means nothing.

Rangers at New York 7pm Msg+

I found it kind of interesting Jim Cerney who used to call games for the Islanders now writes pregame articles on the Ranger website so I posted their preview here.

They had no problem getting the coaches comments/players available for the fans on video.

No excuse for the Islanders not doing the same for our fans.

Outside of Naslund missing practice the Rangers come in with no reported injuries which tells most of the story of this season for both teams. One team has less than ten man games lost to injury, the other two hundred sixty plus.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
A lot of things working against the Islanders tonight.

Injuries, disparity in records against the opposition, the recent losing streak and a team that lives and dies by it's trap with the home ice disadvantage a big factor against with bypartisin crowds in both buildings. The breakdowns by the Islanders on defense have been damaging and show no sign of letting up.

Islanders whenever they get a few days off come out and have played with a lot of rust and are coming off a long trip.

Can Scott Gordon's skaters create quality chances and force the Ranger defense and goaltender to make mistakes or will it be an early Ranger lead followed by lockdown mode with shots but few quality chances? Lundqvist despite his two recent shutouts has given up a lot of goals when Tom Renney's trap fails in front of him and lets up more than his share of softies. For the Islanders defense that has Martinek back but lost Meyer can they tighten up, cut down the turnover and protect Joey MacDonald better?

The Ranger powerplay looks a lot like last year's Islander powerplay in how many shorthanded goals they surrender, no doubt Richard Park and the Islanders will be going for it shorthanded.

Chess-hockey against Tom Renney is not very entertaining and demands a lot of patience but this is how he demands his club plays. They take few shortcuts and give the younger players their minutes and have strong survival skills in games to secure that regulation point.

For me this is just another game and will not be memorable in a lost season when it's over regardless of what happens unless one of the kids delivers a hat-trick or something along those lines.

All the Islanders are working toward is the lottery, no one game can change the standings.

Updated:
Not game related but Mr Logan in the Islanders Newday blog reports Rick DiPietro is seeking second opinions with the recent swelling in his kneehere.

Andy Sutton has to have additional surgery and is expected to miss an additional eight-ten weeks.

Atlanta Thrashers.com: Reports the Islanders traded defenseman Brett Skinner to the Atlanta Thrashers in exchange forward Junior Lessard.

Lessard (leh-SAHR) has played in 41 games with the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League this season, recording six goals and five assists for 11 points. The 28-year-old Quebec native has played in 27 career NHL games with Dallas and Tampa Bay, scoring three goals and adding one assist for four points during parts of three seasons. Lessard has also played in 298 career AHL games, recording 86 goals and 92 assists for 178 points in five seasons.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Don't read a lot into this an a possible NHL trade, Okposo, Hunter and Jackman seemed locked in on right wing and Guerin has a NTC. At best Iggulden gets a callup for Jackman for a few games at some point. Skinner did a nice job here earlier at a time the Islanders were winning/competitive but with the competitive part of the playoff chase out of reach if someone is recalled there is a big mix of veterans and prospects.

Best of luck to Brett Skinner.

AHL.com reported Yann Danis was recalled to backup Joey MacDonald.

ITV finally had some comments from the coach and players today which I put on the sidebar. Scott Gordon had a little fun when Howie Rose asked a question by saying who's the new guy which cracked up everyone.

Islander News Articles 12/30

Newsday: Arthur Staple's Ranger centric article includes head coach Scott Gordon's comments his club did not do well in a lot of areas and waited until the last minute to get pucks. Trent Hunter discussed his sore back that prevented him from returning after getting the wind knocked out of him.

Newsday: Mr Logan has comments from head coach Scott Gordon on Rick DiPietro's injury, the decision to play him against the Toronto and goaltender Joey MacDonald's comments on what this means for him as he talked about his communication with the teams number one goaltender.


NYI Fan Central Comments:
The coach defended the decision to play him and said if he had three weeks of practice the same thing could have happened who described it as a training camp injury. Mr Logan for his part questioned why he played while the coach talked about the doctors giving him clearance.

Scott Gordon goes by what the doctors tell him and so does the player. If it's a temporary thing or not DiPietro has to work his way back.

And the beat goes on.

Newsday: Mr Logan in the Islanders Newsday blog had a late entry on the status of Trent Hunter with his comments. He did not blame the Rangers Ryan Callahan for what happened and aside from being sore apparently had the wind knocked out of him.

Newsday: Mark Herrmann did his Ranger centric dance and spike article after Scott Gomez admitted it's always a big game against the Islanders, Mr Herrmann decided to describe at length why the Islanders beating the Rangers, who he described as a team with a big-city payroll and fancy reputation, is always is a nice step for the Islanders?

Mr Herrmann then writes this leaves the Rangers as the only hope that hockey season can be relevant in New York with the Jets eliminated and projects the Islanders as a club chasing the top overall pick.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Mr Herrmann, big city payrolls and fancy reputations do not describe the Rangers who for all their health and urgency tonight earned a win but hardly looked great giving up four goals to a club that has been injured all season.

If not for some bounces and a poor goal by MacDonald the Islanders likely are the club that get the two points.

The Yankees have a big fancy reputation and a big city payroll, so do the Mets, Giants, Jets and Knicks.

Not the New York hockey teams.

Good news is Mr Herrmann did not do his Islanders are moving article #.... I guess he is saving the next one for January 13th.

NY Post: Dan Martin writes it was a wreckless move to play DiPietro so soon despite the coaches comments that he he practiced for two weeks. Game content was less than a paragraph with nothing on Comeau or Okposo.

Scott Gordon also said it was nothing major.

NY Post: Larry Brooks Ranger centric article only had room for a DiPietro cheap shot calling him hockey's American Idle.


NYI Fan Central Comments:
Funny we never saw Mr Brooks pull that on Mike Richter despite all the injuries and rushed attempts to return at the end of his career. As for Dan Martin there was a game for the Islanders to be written about, this is why the Post needs the writer to do an Islander blog.

Why do they bother sending Mr Martin to practices with the club on the road to interview DiPietro? This is not very fair coverage in return.

Daily News: Peter Botte looked like he wrote his article before the game where he took his shot at DiPietro referring to him as Carl Pavano and pointing out his contract as Scott Gordon again defended the decision to start him.

No game content at all with the full Ranger centric article here providing nothing for Islander fans.

Journal News had Sam Weinman's Ranger centric blog and coverage here.

Last time the Islanders played in the city the AP covered the game only for the Times here and it appears to have happened again.


NYI Fan Central Comments:
Don't fret folks, we can read updates from games all over Europe.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
With the Islanders hitting the road we may not see much of Dan Martin and especially Peter Botte when they return on 1/13. The Daily news tends to drift away as baseball comes closer and Giant coverage picks up.

NHL.com: Adam Kimmelman in his Atlantic Divison recaps has more on Rick DiPietro with Scott Gordon's comments.

NHL.com: Chuck Gormley compares Islander Prospect Jyri Niemi with former Islander Bryan Berard while NHL director of central scouting E.J McGuire talks about the offensive flair to his game and that he's entertaining to watch in a recap of Eastern Conference prospects at the WJC.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio has the Sound Tigers weekly which includes some questions for Tyler Haskins and some hard work from Jeremy Colliton after rejoining the Sound Tigers with the upcoming schedule.

Rangers 5, New York 4

Sports Network: Recaps the Islanders 5-4 loss to the Rangers on Monday along with the Associated Press.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
That's another two points given away to another club that simply is not a high scoring team.

Given Brendan Witt & Scott Gordon's comments this morning neither are going to be pleased with that third period and some of the defensive lapses which began with a very unfortunate bad break on Hunter who fed Sillinger to open the scoring but got checked with the door open and stayed down a long time.

Classy cheers from fans of both teams when Hunter got up and skated off on his own, seemed ok but who knows?

Nine seconds later the game is tied as two Rangers got to a puck with Witt caught between both.

Prucha's goal was a gift rebound and the goal by Rozsival has to be stopped by Joey MacDonald who played very well over two periods but for a fragile Islander team he cannot give up the goal he did there. Naslund's goal was more his momentum as it hit his chest and went to the top corner over MacDonald.

I know folks do not like to keep reading this but Radek Martinek's loss is huge for this defense along with Andy Sutton. Mark Streit is just a world class talent and for all everyone is giving the breakdowns/poor goals keep adding up. Meyer and Witt gave all they had, Gervais lost his man on a goal but did not have a terrible game.

Give the Rangers their due, they controlled a good part of the second period and kept the puck scoring on a delayed penalty, Islanders in the second kept going to the box but despite all that were in position to win.

Having written that.

A lot of good signs by the Islanders who again lost a game scoring four goals and put up a good effort and were in position to win or at least earn points entering the third. Okposo, Comeau are only getting better and it finally seems like they are both where they were at the end of last season. Comrie is starting to get his game back now that he has played for a week and hat his Gordie Howe hat-trick. (goal, assist, fight)

Was Dawes fighting with his shield on? Comrie at the end landed some bombs.

I think Comeau led the forwards in minutes played.

Mike Sillinger is getting his game going also.

Okposo and Weight both saw some powerplay time on the point.

I understand Bergenheim sitting out given his penalties but Fritz if he cannot win his fights by appointment will not giving the Islanders anything for his minute plus. It seemed Bailey could have used a scoring wing tonight next to him and that is not Tim Jackman or Jon Sim.

To me the Rangers are just another game these days win or lose, there is no rivalry when you are 30th and the playoffs are off the radar and even a win is not memorable when all is said and done.

Not a lot of energy in the stands beyond the goals/fights for either side.

Somehow the Islanders website reported Henrik Lundqvist made thirty three saves when in fact he made twenty.

We'll see what they can do against Florida who has had their number for a good year plus now.

New York at Rangers 7pm Versus: Danis recalled

AP: Has a preview of Monday's game against the Rangers at Msg.

Ranger players out:
None

AHL.com: Reports Yann Danis was recalled to the Islanders Monday, Rob Hennigar was sent to Utah which leads me to speculate unless it's paperwork related DiPietro is not ready to play tonight.

Newsday: Mr Logan in the Islanders Newsday blog confirms DiPietro is out for tonight's game.


NYI Fan Central Comments:
Tough to tell what will happen here. DiPietro if he even plays (he's out) would have been in early training camp mode, the Islanders are one of the leaders in man games lost to injury, the Rangers among the clubs that losses the least man games.

It's a big part of both clubs seasons.

This game features two of the lowest scoring in the NHL with the Ranger powerplay giving up goals like last year's Islanders with the man advantage. The Ranger trap is tough to beat at times while at others their defense and goaltending is spotty but this is Tom Renney's game and how they are expected to play.

Lundqvist is in his usual December slump but this team has strong survival skills and kept getting games to overtime/shootouts where both Ranger goaltenders are very tough to beat.

Islanders should come into a building where they have dominated with some confidence off the last two games but records do not lie for either side. One team is in first with the pressure on, the other in last.

Tom Renney is under some pressure here with the recent games, regardless of his clubs record which many feel is a shootout record combined with a 4-0 record against Tampa.

Seems both clubs struggle on home ice in this rivalry with bipartisan crowds in both buildings. Islanders won 2-1 earlier this year.

I will update depending on how much information comes out on Sillinger/DiPietro or Colliton/Fritz/Sim status.

Mr Botta at Point Blank here reported Weight would play with a lot of speculation on Fritz/Bergenheim but did not have Danis Monday recall.

Bridgeport is off until Friday.

Islander News Articles 11/5

Newsday: Greg Logan's recap has comments from head coach Scott Gordon, Richard Park who spoke of how this team has been coming together over the last five-six games along with how frustrated the Rangers were and Nate Thompson on his first NHL goal.

Newsday: Mark Herrmann was so bitter about the Islanders winning he opened with a dig that the backup goalie on the Islanders can become the gm before Joey MacDonald's comments along with Richard Park and Scott Gordon on his play in an article that was also about Brodeur and DiPietro now being out for extended periods.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Of course Mr Herrmann makes it sound like the Islanders came into this game completely healthy up front/on the backline and were not playing a fourth game in six days against a team off since Saturday. Islanders recently lost a game they took sixty shots and I did not read from Mr Herrmann how badly the club outplayed Carolina.

Islanders have had the Rangers number at Msg for a while now and the record does not lie. It's no longer coincidence or a mismatch no matter how much Mr Herrmann does not want to write about it. DiPietro, Dubielewicz and now MacDonald have had the better of the Rangers at Msg.

I guess now it's time for Newsday to bring up the Ranger hangover for the next few days, this win means nothing without some goals and a win against Atlanta tomorrow because they have to get on a serious unbeaten streak here to get back in the playoff mix.

NY Post: Jay Greenberg makes his bi-yearly appearance to tell everyone the Islanders have been losing for fifteen years, have no people in the stands, that Charles Wang will have to threaten Nassau County to get his Lighthouse and that Scott Gordon's club will not be tanking. Sprinkled in were comments from Bill Guerin after the Blue Jacket game and about there being few systems like Scott Gordon's in the NHL.

Not much was written about the game.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
You can almost see it play out at the Sports department at the Post. Dan Martin is the semi-regular writer but the former St Louis-Philadelphia hockey writer turned shock jock of all trades at the Post decided he wanted to step in and do a good rip job on the Islanders as he does once or twice a year because they are playing in the city.

With Jay Greenberg as a friend the Islanders need no enemies.

I don't want to pop Mr Greenberg's balloon but one billion, three hundred twenty million Chinese also could care less about the Rangers too and unfortunately a lot of Manhattan no longer cares as well. All he needs to do is pick up his own paper to see how far the hockey team at Msg has fallen in media circles in this town against the major market sports as that one Ranger article is buried deeper and deeper.

That's why Mr Greenberg no longer covers hockey with any regularity for the Post and the Rangers will not be seeing any Post back pages during the regular season.

Hint-That loud cheering after the Islanders scored was not coming from Knick fans or the political crowd as a state turned blue or red last night. Apparently the team that cannot draw at home as usual had a solid road turnout in the city.

Of course if the Post did not have a coverage double-standard sending Mark Everson to cover every Devils game while the Post never replaced Evan Grossman more people would be interested in New York Islander hockey which Mr Greenberg wanted no part of writing about. Not even an Islander blog at the Post.

Phil Mushnick told me last season Islander hockey was a luxury the Post could not afford. I guess this was their idea of splurging to cover a game for us to show up and put down the club?

I think this is more space than the Islanders have gotten in the Post all season for an article? Nothing like Jay Greenberg to make everyone feel awful about the team after a win. I guess that was the idea.

At least he pointed out the Islanders should have been the more tired club.

NY Post: Larry Brooks article beat up the Rangers for their loss.

Daily News: Peter Botte's limited space article had Scott Gordon's praise for his club, along with Richard Park and Joey MacDonald.

Daily News: Michael Obernauer had the Ranger-centric coverage of the Islanders win.

Journal News a brief Ranger-centric article.

Newsday: Steve Zipay's article has comments from head coach Scott Gordon and Joey MacDonald.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Seems the Islanders receive more coverage from Cablevision/Newsday when they play another team. No second article from Mr Logan and one article fits all from Mr Herrmann?

NY Times went AP only at least in terms of the web (at this time) did not to have an article for last night's game which is kind of shocking. As a rule their articles hit the website by midnight after games.

Edmonton Sun: Derek Van Diest reports the United States lost 5-2 against Germany Tuesday in this year's World Junior A Challenge with Islander prospect D Matt Donovan part of the team. Wednesday they'll face Canada East in the final game of the round robin before moving on to the quarter-finals regardless.


Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio has comments from head coach Jack Capuano on the loss of Mark Parrish and what it means for his prospects as Mr Fornabaio previews Wednesday's 11am game at Harbor Yard with a few words from Tim Jackman.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at Bridgeport Sound Tigers
WHEN -- Today, 11 a.m.
WHERE -- Arena at Harbor Yard
ON THE AIR -- No radio; Webcast and Internet pay-per-view at www.soundtigers.com

New York 2, Rangers 1

Islanders website: Has comments from head coach Scott Gordon, Joey MacDonald and Nate Thompson on New York's 2-1 win at the Garden.

AP: Has the recap of New York's 2-1 win on Tuesday night.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
That's one heck of a gutty effort by the Islanders shorthanded on defense and in goal that did not even have Bergenheim. MacDonald did what NHL goaltenders are supposed to do and that's outplay his competition. Sutton five blocked shots, Gervais twenty five minutes and four blocked shots and that pass to Sim.

This was four games in six nights too with a few players like Campoli and Sutton who are still in training camp mode.

A little temper by Comrie in pregame? Who was that masked man fighting in Jeff Tambellini's uniform and throwing the body? Looked very good.

Streit twenty four minutes and Nielsen an assist and a plus two.

Should have been a shutout, this should give the team defense the confidence it needs.

Welcome to New York, Scott Gordon.

Typical Lundqvist game where he has a shot big advantage and struggled with a key critical soft goal. Park did what he does best and you love those games he comes up big like this.

Tom Renney's reactions are always priceless.

Nice hands by Thompson on his first goal as a New York Islander.

A lot more postgame tomorrow. Good turnout by the Islander fans as usual at Msg, Garden did not look sold out.

New York at Rangers 7pm Msg+

AP: Has the preview for tonights game against the Rangers in Manhattan.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Normally I would write four games in six days is asking a lot but this group needs to play games and build some momentum/chemistry as they have been holding back or limited since camp began with all the injuries just trying to survive.

This is the perfect time to improve it's chemistry and survival skills in games and you do that best by playing with whatever the roster is. For what it's worth the Islanders have been competitive against Philadelphia, Montreal and Columbus the last three games.

No reason not to go into a building they have been dominating in and do it again, then go down to Atlanta and win again.

Rangers seem to get flustered in these Msg games with all the Islander fans in the Garden trying to put on the show and make more mistakes off of it as the Isles do at the Coliseum.

But of course this is not Ted Nolan's team who owned Tom Renney at Msg for two seasons and outcoached him almost all of those Msg games, the one he did lose was a game the Islanders did come in tired last November.

Can Scott Gordon force Tom Renney players out of their trap early with a few goals or will it turn into another low-scoring chess match which is what the Rangers play for most nights so they can wisely keep piling up the points? Toronto broke the trap and changed the momentum late in the last game so obviously both clubs are a bit fragile.

Make no mistake, the Rangers allowed the least shots per game in the East last year and are right back on the same pace.

Of course this is another game Martinek, Witt, DiPietro's loss is huge which has to be written before every game.

I guess we'll see if Sean Bergenheim is ready to go or Scott Gordon does what most coaches do and not break up a lineup after a win. I'm not worried about Voros or if Orr dresses nor would I dress Fritz for another fight by appointment if that means Bergenheim does not go.

Islanders need Bergenheim and Tambellini in their lineup every single game. Scott Gordon wants to get creative and dress Fritz for his two minutes there is always Skinner's minutes and going with five defenders but he did play eleven plus minutes last night.

Islander News Articles 10/28

Newsday: Greg Logan begins his coverage where he left off the last few days with his DiPietro speculation game as Bill Guerin and head coach Scott Gordon talked about his teams penalties and the opportunities for Joey MacDonald and Yann Danis.

MacDonald was disappointed his club did not get the bounces.

Greg Logan unfortunately struck again in the middle of the night on early Tuesday with another long blog in the Islanders Newsday space essentially complaining about the injury policy and Monday's release on DiPietro as we got more on his injury speculation game here even going back to how the goaltenders concussions were announced in 06-07.

Afterward our fans finally got a few words about the game with Scott Gordon's comments.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
That's kind of funny Mr Logan writes with all the focus on DiPietro’s injury there was no room in today’s newspaper for a few other interesting comments.

Doesn't he mean all of his focus on DiPietro's injury?

Considering how well some of the young players performed they deserved a few words in the paper but Mr Logan is very upset with the injury policy and our fans pay for that. I thought this was about the fans need to know but it's clearly about his need to know along with issues he has with DiPietro.

I guess our beat writer will not even let us know about the game very much as part of his next policy change, all in the name of our fans.

Sorry folks. I absolutely would like to take the coverage in another direction but this is where the articles go and I am not writing them.

It's absolutely not where I wish they would go either.

I'm as tired of Mr Logan's act with this as everyone else is by now and as I have written the Islanders are doing what a lot of pro teams do with the policy, there is nothing ground breaking with what the club is doing here.

At this point Mr Logan should have his editor talk for him and keep our fans out of the middle.

Days like this I would not mind one bit if Newsday went paid subscription only.

Newsday: Mr Logan's other article was basically a blog reprint of the situation with Doug Weight and Brandon Sutter which head coach Scott Gordon also comments on.

Newsday: Mark Herrmann does what he does best and that's play the Islanders viability game once again telling us the club could be moving without a single word on the subject from anyone who would be involved in any such decision and that the days in the Islander-Ranger rivalry could be numbered. Bill Guerin comments on the loss along with a few softballs for Ranger coach Tom Renney.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Welcome to how the Newsday staff fights back and kicks a team when it's down. Not pretty or very professional from Mr Herrmann who always has his Ranger pomp poms out.

It's sad but this is what our coverage is these days. Not another goal from Mark Streit or a defense that is scoring goals with half the backline out or Scott Gordon's system producing chances we did not see last year along with a faster Islander team.

It's only been a few weeks since Mr Herrmann did his latest Islander viability dance which is into double-digits over the last year for almost any possible reason for him to bring it up. His act has gotten very old on this subject having to take an extra kick at the club and it's fans after a tough loss or when good news happens like Al Arbour night he makes it all about the club trying to sell tickets.

It's done to upset the fans and play for the worst.

I guess the young players like Kyle Okposo and how well they played last night just was not a story if he wanted to write about the future so much.

Newsday: Mr Herrmann's other article made sure to get the word fishing in the first sentence with regard to the Islanders new retro uniforms with Bob Nystrom and Josh Bailey praising the new look.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Those jersey's look fantastic, just make them the full time uniform starting next year along with bringing back the same in white.

NY Times: Lynn Zinser has the Ranger-centric article.

NY Post: Dan Martin's very limited space article was all about DiPietro and the clubs injuries with Bill Guerin's comments, nothing on the game beyond the score here. Larry Brooks of all people to point how out the Islanders were taking the play at the Rangers for a good part of the game here.

Daily News: Peter Botte had Bill Guerin's comments about the Islanders having to stay in their system and his quotes on DiPietro's absence.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Mr Botte wins my personal pool of what writer would first mention the team in it's early seventies look could finish with a similar record.

AP: Ira Podell's recap of the game includes the Islanders announced that D Brendan Witt would miss three to four weeks with an undisclosed injury while the Canadian Press here reports Rick DiPietro incurred a lower body injury Saturday night unrelated to his previous injuries and is day to day pending additional assessment and treatment. Freddy Meyer sat out Monday due to an abdominal strain.

Rangers 4, New York 2

AP: Has the early recap of the Rangers 4-2 win against the Islanders Monday night.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Not much to write tonight, more tomorrow.

Islanders did not get the breaks or finish the ones they did, MacDonald's first goal against was not a good one and deflected off Guerin but he more than made up for it, hopefully he did not get injured himself when he got hit.

The pk gave them a good chance going into the third killing off the five on three.

Okppso finally finished one and again just showed signs he is a player with excellent potential who had some great shifts. The Ranger trap is most dangerous and waits for chances or powerplays and that's what they got when Bergenheim and Weight went off.

Just too much working against this team right now with all these defenders and the starting goaltender out but again I see a group of players looking good in this system creating chances and looking better collectively then they did for a good part of last year.

Some good signs, not enough to win a sixty minute game. The Islander powerplay has to give them more. The hitting, fights favored the home team and they did a good job again sticking up for one another.

I sure hope we see the full roster at some point because in the standings it is as bad as it can get.

New York vs Rangers 7pm Msg+

Islanders website: Released it's new/old third jersey with a 360 degree picture of Bill Guerin.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Looks very good with the white lettering and numbers.

Newsday: Apparently after Greg Logan could only manage going to Peter Botte of the Daily News to take a little dig on the club's injury policy in a blog about Doug Weight-Brandon Sutter among other things Jim Baumbach decided to help out Mr Logan here in a surprise middle of the day article that basically played doctor and ripped DiPietro's contract here and the decision behind it.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
The problem Mr Logan/Newsday has with DiPietro and the Islanders is out of hand.

Mr Baumbach is way out of line here writing DiPietro is far from the best goalie in the league that he is now just known as an injury-prone one considering where DiPietro had this team last January in the standings but it does reflect how much this beatwriter/newspaper wants to run down this player over this injury policy and for other reasons that go back to last season.

When he won or made the all-star game these same reporters were nowhere to be found which is the rub in the reporting, no one even bothered writing when he got hurt in the skills-competition.

I saw the shock-jock game from Baumbach/someone coming a mile away and I suspect we will see more of the same from the usual Newsday suspects who are going to tear down DiPietro and the club every chance they can.

This is very much about their access and it's no holds-bar, the fans get caught in the middle and the media counts on the fans using that to rip the club.

Don't buy this spin folks, there are legitimate reasons to blame the club for things they have made mistakes about but this is not one of them. It all comes down to the media playing for the worst in the fans because they do not like a policy or a player.

Islanders website: Has the preview for tonight's game against the Rangers.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
I'm sure our fans will get a look at what we hope are some version of the 1972 uniforms as the story line then becomes will this club finish where the 72 version finished in the standings?

No Martinek, Witt, Meyer or likely Sutton and DiPietro hurting or not playing.

I hate to spoil the party but no NHL team is going to play good hockey for very long with those kinds of injuries facing them. I think any game now is going to be tough for the veterans and kids who all have to be pressing and now do not have the best options on the ice in the positions they need to be in for the system to work.

We saw how tough it was to finish against Carolina and how easily they gave it back after they scored. Carolina missed some great chances too.

Tonight's game:
One team got a game to overtime on a bad goal Saturday in the final ten seconds, the other took sixty shots and missed a penalty shot in the last seconds.

One team plays a very tough trap to keep shots down for it's goaltender and comes in healthy with most of it's games scripted like chess. The other right now has no identity and fighting just to get it's bearings with injuries in a new system with it's depth stretched to the max and a lot of flaws in it's roster makeup along with a new coach just getting his first look at the league.

For the Islanders plan to have a chance, it's roster has to stay healthy. That has not happened which effects everything so no idea what to expect game by game.

We can only hope the fore checking keeps generating more chances as it has and the defense pinching keeps scoring. Tonight the Islanders have to get in the trenches and outwork the Ranger defense and play the game in their end of the ice, the kids need a big night resulting in a few goals so they get some confidence going.

Seven games is a long time without a goal from Nielsen, Tambellini, Okposo. Hopefully that line with Thompson, Park, Hilbert stay together and keep plugging so Sim and Bergenheim can play on lines more likely to score.

Anyone notice how many goals this defense has produced while in March a year ago after the Bergeron trade no defender could score?

There are signs some of this has been working, but the losses will cause a lot more frustration.

Another game, another opportunity to get something started, the point differential is already a big problem considering the early conference standings.

This comes down to what the Islanders can do here with what they have and the home ice disadvantage for both local teams is always a factor with so many opposing fans at the Coliseum and the Garden.

Sunday Islander/NHL notables

Islanders website: Report New York drafted five of the International Scouting Services' top 30 prospects which have analysis of Josh Bailey, Kirill Petrov, Corey Trivino, David Towes & Aaron Ness.

Moose Jaw Time Herald:
Reports Travis Hamonic is the first Moose Jaw Warrio to be picked by the four-time Stanley Cup champion Islanders since Masi Marijmaki.

Pioneer Press: John Shipley has Garth Snow, Don Lucia's comments about the situation regarding Kyle Okposo from December with Aaron Ness's comments as it applies to his future if he should decide to leave the Gophers sooner than later.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Not to come off like an Islander homer here but Don Lucia took a shot at the Islanders the day Okposo announced he would not be returning to school after the WJC. Snow defended Okposo as is he supposed to and now we hope things work out better with Aaron Ness for both sides. Obviously if the Isles did have a major problem with the Gophers program they would not be selecting from their prospect pool which speaks to what Garth Snow thinks of Mr Lucia's program.

Lets just hope Don Lucia uses Aaron Ness where he should be playing but by this prospects own words in the article he is already looking ahead to the NHL and if the Islanders want to sign him he has the right to leave according to the rules.

Edmonton Journal: Jim Matheson has a few words about the reaction from Tyler Ennis who was drafted by Buffalo in round one about his friend Jared Spurgeon being drafted by New York in the sixth round and how they have been playing hockey together since childhood. Tyler Spurgeon plays on the Oilers farm team.

Point Blank: Mr Botta gave his take on the draft picks, the clubs strategy along with telling the fans he spoke to Garth Snow Saturday as he had some advice for the Isles on how the media should have been done surrounding the picks.

In a quick recap of the weekends trades involving players:
Florida traded C Olli Jokinen to Phoenix for D Keith Ballard, D Nick Boynton and Ottawa’s second-round pick in the 2008 Entry Draft (49th overall, previously acquired).

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Olli would have been here forever at 2m per year with five cup rings by now if we kept him. Second team he unofficially had to be traded from or requested out of as he now plays for his fourth club and when his contract ends will be moving on to a fifth when he refuses to sign in Phoenix. What did Florida win again in that Islander trade besides a rebuild that never ends? I guess all those defenseman could mean Redden is not signing with Jacques Martin?

Columbus traded Colorado’s first-round pick in the 2008 Entry Draft (19th overall, previously acquired) and the Blue Jackets’ third-round pick in 2008 (67th overall) to Philadelphia for C R.J. Umberger and the Flyers’ fourth-round pick in 2008 (118th overall).

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Flyers free up cash for Jeff Carter and Eminger, Ken Hitchcock gets a former player for a pick that another club gave them. Not a bad deal for Howson to get R.J Hamburglar.

Calgary traded LW Alex Tanguay and its fifth-round pick in the 2008 Entry Draft (138th overall) to Montreal for the Canadiens’ first-round pick in 2008 (25th overall) and second-round pick in 2009.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Alex Tanguay, moves to a new conference with a lot of mileage on him. I would rather have had the picks in this quality draft if I were Montreal.

From the I'm too lazy to post the link department, the comedy club at the
NY Post that forgot day two of the NHL draft:

Larry Brooks did his usual Cablevision Rangers are the league's American Flagship Franchise dance (after John Dellapina) and that Cablevision out of Msg control would leave New York without a hockey team as he did the impossible and actually took James Dolan's side over Gary Bettman.

Mr Brooks also claimed the Rangers lead American teams in revenue generated but of course fails to mention the same overhead it cost to generate that revenue had his favorite team 25m in the red according to his own New York Post before the lockout as it keeps raising ticket prices.

This was the low-end number folks with reports claiming they a league high forty million at the time.
********************************************************
Old link no longer works:
Courtesy of Islanders-SoundTigers mailing list:

http://www.nypost.com/business/28740.htm
CABLEVISION CUTS ITS LOSSES

By PAUL THARP
September 17, 2004 -- The owners of the perennially money-losing
Rangers hockey team are going to plug up a big red-ink hole with the
National Hockey League shutdown of the season.

The Rangers haven't made the playoffs in seven years or any profits
in years.

In fact, industry sources say the team loses between $25 million and
$30 million a year with its highly paid players and steep overhead in
Madison Square Garden arena.

With the team now on ice, owner Cablevision, controlled by media
mogul Chuck Dolan, won't have to write that many big checks for
hockey players.

It'll lose revenue, of course, from the 41 home games at the Garden,
but analysts say the typical $45 per seat for Ranger games is hardly
a drop in the bucket in Cablevision's fortunes.
**************************************************
For those who will respond and correctly point out this is not 2004 and we have a new cba according to this article a month ago Msg's sports teams lost 19m for the first quarter of 2008:

Newsday no longer has this link available:
http://www.newsday.com/sports/basketball/knicks/ny-spberger0511x,0,7646249.column

Money continues to burn hole in Garden's pockets

Ken Berger
9:13 PM EDT, May 10, 2008

So James Dolan must be thrilled with the early returns on his investment in Walsh. Attaboy, Donnie, you got your guy. The Knicks always get their guy. The problem has been that they keep getting the wrong ones.

When you add up the money given to these coaches and GMs -- not to mention the $11.5-million settlement to Anucha Browne Sanders and the hundreds of millions in bad player contracts doled out by Thomas and his predecessors -- it is not hard to fathom why MSG Sports (aka Cablevision's toy department) is bleeding red ink. According to the quarterly earnings statement furnished this week by the Garden's parent company, MSG and its sports teams lost a staggering $19.7 million in the first quarter.
**********************************************************
NYI Fan Central Comments:

Wonder if the Ranger lawsuits are included in that number between the one they settled on and the one they already lost to Gary Bettman?

Flagship American franchises for leagues are not completely ignored in their own town come playoff time nor do they go without any back pages during the regular season/playoffs or lose out by a three to one ratio for out of town basketball
games in their own market when they play head to head against another sport.

Flagship American franchise for a sport do not finish 24th and 36th for a Stanley Cup Final involving real American hockey marquee markets that consistently draw impressive ratings along with Buffalo and Minnesota.

Cablevision on ice had their stage without Knicks, Nets, Islanders or Tiger Woods after they eliminated New Jersey and had problems even competing with poker repeats in New York and did marginal at best nationally even with nothing but Crosby as the opposition. The media barely gave it any additional coverage.

Even the Islanders got Newsday back pages last season. Rangers did not see a full back page all winter again for an actual game, even Brian Leetch retirement night did not generate a full backpage over big market baseball rumors and the Giants super bowl.

As for Mr Brooks, wake me when Gary Bettman pulls the same stunts James Dolan has on New York City, Jets, Giants, Yankees, Mets, Islanders, and Devils and the general public with how many clubs he pulled off the air over the years?

You could sell a lot more actual tickets for James Dolan's expulsion hearing than the attendance Cablevison for Ranger home games when that day arrives.

Cheer up Mr Brooks, New York will still have a hockey team for you to cover if Dolan is removed and refuses to let the Rangers play in his basketball arena, keeping the naming rights, uniform and territorial rights.

That would be America's Flagship Hockey Dynasty and arguably hockey's greatest
all-time dynasty.

The New York Islanders.