Islanders 3, Rangers 1: That rather rocked.
by Dominik on Oct 28, 2009 10:32 PM EDT
in Game Recaps
31 comments
Pardon me while I do a little dance. {hip swivel} This is a quick instant-recap of the Islanders' first regulation win, with more to come tomorrow.
Symbolically speaking, the first Islanders-Rangers battle of the season could not have gone better: Future Isles stars Kyle Okposo and John Tavares keyed a 3-1 win, while the Rangers offense managed just one goal without their $7.5-million/year injury-prone superstar. In the parlance of our times, "the optics don't look good" for the Rangers, because healthy or not, Playoff Gaborik doesn't always resemble October Gaborik. He'll need some support.
Game Summary | Event Summary | nhl.com Recap | Isles Recap
The Islanders benefited from an unshakable performance by Dwayne Roloson (and his posts), a much stronger game from Mark Streit -- whose minutes were far more humane -- the now-typically tireless hustle of Kyle Okposo, and a tone-setting opening goal when Matt Moulson pokechecked Matt Gilroy, allowing Jack Hillen to spring Moulson for a sweet breakaway shot past Henrik Lundqvist's stick side.
The Islanders' opening forecheck was the best we've seen from them all season. Fortunately, it also resulted in the Moulson goal as the Isles poked a hole in John Tortorella's aggressive system. (Isn't it nice to turn the table on someone else's pinch for a change?)
Ironically Gaborik's replacement, some kid named Public Address Parenteau, scored the Rangers goal on a nifty backhand to tie it. Actually, despite their control of play, a fortunate post saved the Islanders from going to the first intermission down a goal. The Rangers then came out in the 2nd hitting everything in sight.
What I liked about that? The Islanders didn't wilt from that big physical push, leveled the play in the 2nd, and withstood some Rangers powerplays. And then: They scored a powerplay goal themselves (sweet passing among Tavares, Weight and company throughout the PP, which was thanks to a Sean Avery penalty) to take a 2-1 lead into the third. Second-period shots were 12-12.
They still didn't assert themselves for much of the third -- they were outshot 15-7. But it was a better performance with the lead than they've shown thus far, and it's fair to say they were due some of the luck that came with it. A strong Tavares forecheck led to him banking a cross-crease pass to Weight off of Lundqvist and in. Game sealed, baby.
Otherwise, it was another tense, nail-biting, fights-in-the-stands Isles-Rangers game, just as nature intended.
I'll have more tomorrow -- incorporating more of your thoughts, too -- but now I gotta run to play some late-night hockey myself.
In the meantime, sleep well (or wake happily) on that one. 'Cause it rocked.
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Just one goal for Tavares?
BUST!
Fire Garth Snow!
by AP77 on Oct 29, 2009 12:02 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
They should probably trade the whole first line. Is Linden still available?
Lighthouse Hockey: Side effects may include Weight gain and frequent game loss.
by Dominik on Oct 29, 2009 3:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
No, but I knew we should have drafted Ryan O'Reilly...see my FanShot
by BCISLEMAN on Oct 29, 2009 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
*sticks tongue out*
I thought you knew that algebra was all razzamatazz. A Globetrotter always saves the good algebra for the final minutes.
by SlamDunkTheFunk on Oct 30, 2009 12:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Great game
-Goaltending – last two games is what I expected from R&B. Great to see.
-The forecheck and breakouts were best all year. Isles came to skate, and this really helped the breakouts. Takes a lot of pressure off our non physical D
-Thought Bergenheim and 4th line esp Nate played well
-Moulsons goal was impressive, hesitation leaned like going far side but didnt
-Tavares is extremely impressive in tight space down low
-KO is the man
-Josh Bailey – can’t put him in the pack n play, so let him play, covers in the defensive zone well, not nearly aggressive enough on the puck offensively. Developing more slowly than I would like this year
-Witt played ok, big step up, good for him.
Feel pretty good after the last 2 efforts.
by 7:11_OT on Oct 29, 2009 8:40 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Moulsons goal was impressive, hesitation leaned like going far side but didnt
It really was. Beating Lundqvist on the fly, accelerating after the turnover, placing that shot just inside the post. Man, Moulson is one of those bonus “accidental” finds you need for your rebuild to work.
Lighthouse Hockey: Side effects may include Weight gain and frequent game loss.
by Dominik on Oct 29, 2009 11:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Don't know about the "accidental" part
I am sure that JT put in a good word
by BCISLEMAN on Oct 29, 2009 12:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
… and all due respect to JT, I’m sure they scouted him, too. I mean “accidental” in that they took a flyer on someone who wasn’t exactly putting other teams into bidding wars for his services. You need to get lucky, you need to have a couple of guys to come out of nowhere to make it.
On a much different scale, even Streit fits this category for me, in that if people knew he’d be this good, the Islanders wouldn’t have gotten him that “cheap,” and probably wouldn’t have gotten him at all.
Lighthouse Hockey: Side effects may include Weight gain and frequent game loss.
by Dominik on Oct 29, 2009 3:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
yes, of course, but
JT may have had something to do with them taking a closer look at him.
by BCISLEMAN on Oct 29, 2009 4:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Weight
Maybe its too much credit and looking at some of the other 3rd perido collapses this year, I`m sure he was present for a few. But, I `d love to say that his vet presence had to help in holding the 2-1 lead and he was on the ice and down low with JT for the insurance goal.
Anyway, even if that is too much credit, I`ve read some responses to these blogs that list Weight as a tradeabel asset. I don`t agree with that. Every team needs leadership and the Isles are no different. We can`t keep trading captains either. Trading Biron, Witt, etc won`t hurt the team, while trading Weight might. I don`t see why having him on a third on fourth line (he played 3rd line in Carolina for the Cup) is such a detriment. I would advocate for keeping him around beyond this year. Same goes for Roloson. Unlike Biron he is on a 2 yr deal and no one can say for sure how DiPietro is going to turn out.
As for the game, great intensity. Need to find a way to play every game like it is an Isles-Rangers game.
by Moneybag on Oct 29, 2009 8:52 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I’m not really worried about Goaltending. Not only do we have the two goalies we drafted in rounds 2 and 3 this year, but Lawson has been impressive last year and this year for Bridgeport. I still think he should get a chance to start sometime during the year.
Plus Weight is a UFA after the season. I’m sure the kids aren’t going to be shocked when he is traded. Streit and Okposo can probably do a good job as captain next year.
I think the bigger thing was that Streit was only at 14 minutes of ice time by the 2nd intermission. They can’t expect him to get nearly 29 minutes a night and play perfectly the whole game.
by WebBard on Oct 29, 2009 10:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’m sure Weight had an effect — he’s well respected by teammates and management alike. And his passing gave the powerplay a boost, freeing up Mark Streit.
As for trading him: I actually argued last year for keeping him around for just this role. But this year, we’ll have to see how things develop between now and March. If you’re rebuilding and you have a UFA in good form who someone’s willing to pay for, you have to pursue it. Whether he’ll be in good form, whether anyone offers even a 2nd, we’ll just have to see. History says his body gets banged up from time to time, so that may make the decision for them.
Keeping him as a skilled third-liner and powerplay specialist (and leader)? It wouldn’t kill me. But we also have to realize (and expect) his inevitable decline to continue, and there may be upgrade options in the summer.
Lighthouse Hockey: Side effects may include Weight gain and frequent game loss.
by Dominik on Oct 29, 2009 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think that...
Roly, Dougie, and Andy will have an ENORMOUS value for the Hawks in particular. A trade sending them to the Hawks could net some pretty valuable assets. Hawks have Calgary’s second round pick in addition to their own. Those three for Chicago’s first and second rounders and their Calgary pick might be possible if those three have great seasons.
by BCISLEMAN on Oct 29, 2009 12:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
except that Chicago has no cap room, and many more long term plans for their young guns. I don’t mean to shoot you down BC, but that trade would be next to them moving to the Flyers sadly.
by albeezle on Oct 29, 2009 1:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Exactly, they can’t take on three of our biggest salaries without sending (or buying out) salary the other way, and they’d be crazy to burn all those picks.
Lighthouse Hockey: Side effects may include Weight gain and frequent game loss.
by Dominik on Oct 29, 2009 3:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
but Doug and Andy are UFAs
I thought that very little of their cap hit would count against a team that traded for them…and this would free them to put Huet through waivers and trade Sopel. Giving up these picks would fix their three biggest problems going into the playoffs:
Goal
PP
physical defender with scoring punch
by BCISLEMAN on Oct 29, 2009 4:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think you’re right. I was thinking that even UFA’s full-season salary is included in the “averaged” figure, but after looking at the CBA again only someone signed beyond this season would count that way. (So Roloson would be nearly impossible, because they would need room for his whole average salary — not just what’s left on this year.)
But looking at Chicago’s cap projection now, well yeah — they’d have to bury Huet or dump an active guy.
Lighthouse Hockey: Side effects may include Weight gain and frequent game loss.
by Dominik on Oct 29, 2009 6:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
and they should do that anyway. This is how I figure it.
From what I can see, if they keep Huet and Sopel, they will have to get rid of probably two of their top guys. If they replace Huet with Roly and Sopel with Andy, they will easily be able to hold onto all of their guys. I don’t know what happens to Huet’s salary and cap hit if they wanted to trade him after sending him down. If they cannot find a buyer for Sopel, we might consider a Sopel for Martinek trade to facilitate things.
As to value, let’s say that Chicago meets Calgary in the Conference Finals, wins, and wins the Cup (a not unrealistic scenario). Then Chicago’s first rounder is #30, it’s second rounder is #60, and Calgary’s second is maybe 57 or 58. Given what Chicago is getting—quality players who meet specific needs and significant cap relief—I don’t think that is an unreasonable compensation package.
by BCISLEMAN on Oct 29, 2009 7:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The media in Chicago is blowing this out of propotion. Chicago is leading their division. Not only that but they have the 4th lowest Goals Against in the league. That’s not exactly a team that’s struggling goalie wise. If they were closer to the basement and had more goals against you’d have an argument. But I don’t think Chicago is going to pull the gun on a goalie anytime soon.
by WebBard on Oct 30, 2009 12:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I notice Huet has allowed just 2 GA in his last 3 games.
Lighthouse Hockey: Side effects may include Weight gain and frequent game loss.
by Dominik on Oct 30, 2009 12:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
a lot of that has been with Niemi in net
Huet has blown several big games and has been held out of several others. He has yet to beat a serious opponent. Also, he has had three cracks at a playoff win in his career, including last year, and has yet to win one.
It isn’t just a matter of Huet’s performance either. His contract, reached with the previous GM, is far too generous and keeping him on the payroll will likely mean having to dump one or even two of their stars this summer.
by BCISLEMAN on Oct 30, 2009 3:30 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
What do you mean we won in regulation time? Where was the shootout or extra 5 minutes. My fiance walked away around the time the Isles took a 2-1 lead and when she came back out the game was over. I told her that the Isles won and she laughed at me until I did not laugh back. Then she asked,“really?” I had to convince her that I was not kidding.
That opening goal from Moulson was a thing of beauty. You just knew Gordon was smiling for that one.
The second period was a little scary until they took Rollie’s mask off.
by metalcoconut on Oct 29, 2009 9:28 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
My fiance walked away around the time the Isles took a 2-1 lead and when she came back out the game was over. I told her that the Isles won and she laughed at me until I did not laugh back. Then she asked,"really?"
Oh man, I swear you just scripted the events at my house.
My better half came home half-way through the 3rd period, was giving me the “daily download” — when she just needs to share … stuff … about the day — and finally looked over at the screen to see what was up with about two minutes left: “Oh! They’re up 3-1 this late? So they might actually win this one for real. Wow!”
Lighthouse Hockey: Side effects may include Weight gain and frequent game loss.
by Dominik on Oct 29, 2009 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’s funny how that becomes a conditioned response after 10 games.
by metalcoconut on Oct 29, 2009 12:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Similar thing at my house. The whole 3rd period I’m a nervous wreck. After JT scored, my girlfriend said “Why are you so tense? The Islanders are winning, and by 2!” And as I shot her a look, she said " Oh, I forgot…"
by DanNOLA on Oct 29, 2009 12:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Why did Rollie leave his mask on during the interview? The only things that made sense were that he suspected that something might get thrown at him or he was trying to stay with the team principle by displaying the logo on the mask rather than take it off for the camera.
Perhaps it was a little of both.
Either way, it is good to see Rollie find his stride. Especially when he baseball slapped the puck into the stands. That is twice now that I have seen him do that and I have a feeling it is never going to get old. LOL! Perhaps they will leave him in to gain some momentum in D.C. As much as I would like to see Biron get hot so that we can possibly trade him for higher level prospects, it would be nice to see the team gain some momentum. Especially with a Ranger hangover looming.
by metalcoconut on Oct 29, 2009 12:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
He was cracking me up with that. His mask has come off multiple times during games, and now suddenly he’s the goalie who’s gonnao sleep in his mask or something. Felt like an old Bud Light commercial.
Lighthouse Hockey: Side effects may include Weight gain and frequent game loss.
by Dominik on Oct 29, 2009 3:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Caught a video on youtube this morning of some fan getting beat down in the upper row. Vid said he was a Rags fan, but it looked like he was gripping a Tavares jersey, dunno. Don’t get me wrong, I’m as passionate as they come with all the teams I support, but that’s a lot of unnecessary right there. Especially given the fact that it was inside the building, and there are children and whatnot about. Overshadows a great game in some ways, one that should be celebrated by the Isles fans and maybe give a pat on the back and say good effort to the Rags guys. I’m probably in the minority on this one, but sometimes exercising a little common sense and decency can go a long way for everyone involved.
Beyond that, It was excellent to get the win that not only the players wanted, but ALL of the Isles fans wanted. Saw a lot of good play out there again (seems like it has been so since the first loss to MTL). Not only chipping in the goals either, but some nice clean passes and some hard work on the PK. Can’t recall which penalty it was in the second, but we spent over half the PK in the Rangers zone, with Park gunning up the boards and beating the defenders, that’s what is nice to see. When the team begins to see and trust each other and their effort, they’ll relax and we’ll start seeing some more points put up, and less of any one player trying to do “too much”. We’re getting there guys, we’re getting there :)
by albeezle on Oct 29, 2009 1:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I’m probably in the minority on this one, but sometimes exercising a little common sense and decency can go a long way for everyone involved.
Damn, I hope you’re not in the minority. It really is insane, just ridiculous.
I don’t know if it’s people who can’t hold their alcohol or people who simply have no perspective, but come on: It’s a fucking hockey game. You’re rooting for your preferred selection of millionaires. Does it seriously have to come to blows? I guess part is, with the above factors, some people can’t hear lip without getting violent; a “save face” thing that, really, doesn’t have any purpose at a spectator event.
Lighthouse Hockey: Side effects may include Weight gain and frequent game loss.
by Dominik on Oct 29, 2009 3:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
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