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Islanders Gameday: Let's not turn into a pumpkin just yet

Last night, the Capitals were the team traveling at the end of a back-to-back. Tonight, it's the Islanders -- and Sabres -- who get that task. (By the way, every Western Conference player laughs at this loose use of the word "travel." Essentially, if you could get there by train without losing two days of your life, it's not a "road trip," it's a commuter flight.)

While the Islanders were taking what the Caps wouldn't to grab an OT win, in Buffalo Ryan Miller took everything the Leafs threw at him to steal an OT win for his team. Will the Sabres bounce back from a lethargic performance? Not likely, actually; they're sick -- literally -- and just need to play a smart road game. Will the Islanders have a let down? They better not -- this is a chance to take advantage of an ill opponent in front of home fans, turn a daunting weekend into a memorable one, and get back to quasi-.500.

Buf-halloween_medium                    Nyi-hallow_medium
Buffalo Sabres (8-1-1, 1st NE) at New York Islanders (3-4-5, t-4th/Atl)
7 p.m. EDT (daylight, precious daylight)  |  Nassau Coliseum  |  MSG+, audio
Observers of the Buffaslug's Final Year: Die by the Blade

Thanks to the NHL's "the people demand a winner" points-a-plenty regime, ".500" has become a misleading term. When you "win" in extra time, you didn't totally win -- you just took 66% of the points, which is a bummer if you were playing a conference rival. When you "lose" in OT or shootout, you didn't really lose (nor tie) -- you just took 33% of the points.

We say the Islanders are 3-4-5 not because that's what they are, but because we sure love our three-column standings. And 1-2-4-5 just doesn't feel right (W-OTW-L-OTL).

That said, a win tonight -- in regulation or OT -- puts the Islanders at the NHL's bastardized quasi-".500" for the first time since Oct. 16, 2008, four games into last season. (That night was an OT win over Tampa Bay, so ... in a way they were 1-1-2-0.) Know what's great about the NHL's inflationary system? The Isles can lose tonight -- in OT or shootout, mind you -- and a win Monday would still bring them back to ".500." 'Cause in the post-lockout NHL, everybody* gets a smiley face on their paper! (*More on this at the end of the post.)

Star-divide

Given the progress of this team and the quality of the opponent, normally I wouldn't hold demanding expectations for this one. But the Sabres really are diminished by sickness, and last night's win in Washington created the opportunity to make a double-statement tonight. All the more so if the Sabres dress La-La-La-not-worth-a-lot Lalime (I wouldn't, given how badly the team might need to lean on Ryan Miller again).

So: The Isles are at home. They're feeling good about themselves after last night. It's a Saturday night crowd. Martin Biron versus his old friends. The Isles should be chomping at the bit to make sure the Sabres wish they never got out of bed.

I want to see Okposo being a force all over the ice (Please ... you don't even have to ask for that anymore -- it just happens). I want to see Sean Bergenheim checking Sabres in the lymph nodes. I want to see powerplay magic from Mark Streit, Doug Weight and John Tavares. I want to see a bonus goal from Josh Bailey or Jeff Tambellini. And more faceoff domination, please; it's quite becoming.

In short: I want to see last night's effort and smarts continued, because this is a great chance to knock an illness-weary team around. Don't let this "streak" end yet. Don't turn back into a pumpkin before midnight.

Series History

Lately these teams often have high-scoring affairs against each other -- usually to the Islanders' detriment. It was a 6-3 loss earlier this month, but last year the Islanders actually went 2-1-1, with the only regulation loss being that ugly 7-1 bludgeoning. All time, each team is 30-29-9-1. (Each team has a loser-point OTL/SO loss.)

Links of Interest

The Rest of the Shootout/Points Diatribe

* This is not an original thought. The phenomenon has bothered me and at least a few other curmudgeons since the shootout was introduced. But it bears mentioning from time to time because if the shootout is here to stay (and it is), I for one hope the NHL will one day take the plunge by expanding the standings and putting the breakaway contest in its place: Don't let the shootout equal half a regulation win. If the "loser point" must stay -- and it must, lest its absence really expose the absurdity of the shootout (65 minutes of level play and hard work erased by a breakaway drill?) -- then make regulation wins 3 points, OT wins 2, and OT losses 1. It makes for ugly standings (W-OTW-L-OTL) and more math, but at least then the standings would mean what they say.

And those mythical tie-allergic North Americans would still get their "winner."

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Game 11: Islanders vs. Sabres

Oct 2009 from Die By The Blade - 24 comments

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I totally agree about the Shootout/Ties and the points. But hey, as long as the format is working in our favor, no complaints at the moment.

2 Points at the very least keeps us in a tie for 8th. I don’t care which period they win, as long as they win! Plus it would be the first three game winning streak in a while.

BTW Nice Isles logo for tonight.

by WebBard on Oct 31, 2009 3:53 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

But hey, as long as the format is working in our favor, no complaints at the moment.

Ooh yeah, it’s certainly helping us now. Which, I guess, is why the NHL doesn’t want to change it. The current setup definitely infuses a little artificial parity into the system.

I want a win, if for nothing else to hear “the Flyers are even below the Islanders” to enter the MSM tales of Flyers woe.

On the logo: Thanks. I don’t use Photoshop enough — mostly because it’s been 10 years since I had even a small clue what I was doing. I’m like a Model T mechanic working on a Ferrari. I really shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near the thing.

Lighthouse Hockey: Side effects may include Weight gain and frequent game loss.

by Dominik on Oct 31, 2009 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Photoshop=Awesome. It’s worth checking out again sir I promise. You still win with only knowing the jist of it. No need for mastery. All the newer additions only really give you other ways of doing the same ol things.

But also I didn’t realize we were at .500. Woo Hoo!

by LI2Brnx on Oct 31, 2009 4:54 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions   0 recs

Yes, I’ve still got a basic version; fun when I have the time.

But also I didn’t realize we were at .500. Woo Hoo!

Not yet — only with a win!

Lighthouse Hockey: Side effects may include Weight gain and frequent game loss.

by Dominik on Oct 31, 2009 5:07 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Photoshop=Awesome. It’s worth checking out again sir I promise. You still win with only knowing the jist of it. No need for mastery. All the newer additions only really give you other ways of doing the same ol things.

But also I didn’t realize we were at .500. Woo Hoo! I guess it is because like you guys refer to it this “Basterized” Neo NHL has strange rules. But hey! It’s in our favor right now.

by LI2Brnx on Oct 31, 2009 5:20 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions   0 recs

Sorry for the double post. Didn’t know it went thru the first time.

by LI2Brnx on Oct 31, 2009 7:42 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions   0 recs

I hate those final forty minutes before a game

Tough to fill that time with something to do.

by Chickendirt on Oct 31, 2009 6:21 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

agreed. I just got done watching the Dawn Of The Dead remake on Telemundo. Not too surprisingly, you don’t need it to be in English to understand whats going on.

by WebBard on Oct 31, 2009 6:34 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

I LOVE that remake!

by LI2Brnx on Oct 31, 2009 7:43 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions   0 recs

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Atlantic Standings

GP W L OTL PT
New Jersey 58 36 20 2 74
Pittsburgh 59 35 22 2 72
Philadelphia 57 29 25 3 61
New York Rangers 59 26 26 7 59
New York Islanders 58 23 27 8 54

(updated 2.9.2010 at 9:00 AM EST)

New York Islanders Roster

# Pos. DOB W H
Sean Bergenheim 20 LW 2/8/1984 205 5-10
Blake Comeau 57 RW 2/18/1986 207 6-1
Rick DiPietro 39 G 9/19/1981 210 6-1
Bruno Gervais 8 D 10/3/1984 205 6-1
Trent Hunter 7 RW 7/5/1980 210 6-3
Dustin Kohn 56 D 2/2/1987 200 6-2
Andrew MacDonald 47 D 9/7/1986 188 6-1
Freddy Meyer 44 D 1/4/1981 192 5-10
Matt Moulson 26 LW 11/1/1983 206 6-1
Frans Nielsen 51 C 4/24/1984 172 5-11
Kyle Okposo 21 RW 4/16/1988 200 6-1
Richard Park 10 RW 5/27/1976 190 5-11
Dwayne Roloson 30 G 10/12/1969 180 6-1
Rob Schremp 13 C 7/1/1986 200 5-11
Jon Sim 16 LW 9/29/1977 195 5-10
Mark Streit 2 D 12/11/1977 197 6-0
Andy Sutton 25 D 3/10/1975 245 6-6
Jeff Tambellini 15 LW 4/13/1984 186 5-11
John Tavares 91 C 9/20/1990 195 6-0
Doug Weight 93 C 1/21/1971 196 5-11

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