Islanders just a wee bit better than last year
by Dominik on Jan 11, 2010 6:30 AM EST
in This, That & What-Not
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PrintOn Jan. 19, 2009, the Islanders had just lost in OT at home to the Capitals, 2-1, giving them their 29th point of the season after 46 games (12-29-5). That put them in dead last, 8 points behind Ottawa and Atlanta, 11 points behind Tampa Bay. Today, in the compressed schedule before the 2010 Olympic break, they have played 46 games and kept the pace of NHL-style quasi-.500 (19-19-8). They're in 10th place, two points out of the playoff seed.
Um, what a difference a year makes?
WebBard pointed out that with the shootout "win" in Phoenix, the Islanders have now equaled the number of [edit: ROAD wins. Sorry for the typo earlier.] road wins (nine) they amassed all of last season. Several of you have mentioned that the balance of scoring isn't all that different than last year. Many know the goaltending has been superb (well, this guy's has in particular) and the blueline -- flawed as it is -- has been far less injury-ravaged. Instead of Thomas Pock as our go-to fill in, we've had the refreshing Andrew MacDonald.
Here's a quick glance at last year at this stage, compared to this year:
After the 46th game of 2008-09, with Joey MacDonald on IR:
Record: 12-29-5, 15th/30th
Leading Scorers: Bill Guerin, 14 goals; Mark Streit, 26 assists, 34 points; Tim Jackman, 76 PIM
Goalies of record: Yann Danis (0-5-1, 3.53 GAA, .887 SV%); Peter Mannino (0-0-0, 13.81, .625);
Power play: 17.3%; Penalty kill: 81.4%
And today:
Record: 19-19-8, 10th/21st
Leading Scorers: John Tavares/Matt Moulson, 16 goals; Kyle Okposo, 21 assists, 30 points; Jackman, 72 PIM
Goalies of Record: Dwayne Roloson (17-7-6, 2.79 GAA, .911 SV%); Martin Biron (2-11-3, 3.22, .900); Rick DiPietro (0-1-0, 4.07, .857)
Power play: 16.0%; Penalty kill: 75.74%
Fun stuff. Any surprises? How much is just "goaltending, period"? For the first half of the season, I've told people "goaltending plus John Tavares," but JT has been quiet lately, while the other youngsters have picked up the slack.
Meanwhile, for dicussion's sake, don't forget SBN sites have reader contributions via FanPosts and FanShots. In the last day, Fitz has added his version of "enough is enough" regarding making other teams pay for cheapshots against Tavares. BC has added his "state of the Isles" reflection about the choices facing Garth Snow, as well as a priceless quote from a Calgary Flames defenseman complaining about another team's player running around hitting people but not fighting. Pot, meet kettle.
And if you've got a theory/essay (FanPosts) or a link/photo/video (FanShot) to share, have at it.
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Dominik, I’m not sure LighthouseHockey is the place for something like this so I’ll ask here instead of wasting space with FanPosts nobody wants to read.
The short version is I had a dream about attending a hockey game in Las Vegas and I subsequently spent the morning thinking about how the NHL could accommodate more teams (though admittedly I’m just operating on the biased assumption that of course we want more teams).
Is there room here for ramblings like that or should we be playing it a little more straight-laced and Islanders-centric around here?
Have at it
Well, a funny dream is always welcome — though I can’t share mine from last night. :) Hockey-related in particular, but as more people “get to know” other commenters, that stuff comes up naturally anyway.
Seriously, FanPosts are good spots for a hockey topic of the moment, if it’s flushed out. (i.e. FanPosts are intended to be longer, (minimum 75 words I think, so ideally you want more than: “Hey, what do you guys think will happen in Boston?”) Expansion/relocation is an evergreen topic. I’ll give you my short view: I’m not convinced Vegas will work and don’t think the league should expand until it has clarity with existing franchises. Phoenix comes to mind of course, but the other Southern teams are in different phases of fragile development, too.
The toughest issue may be that the way the league’s economics work (very top-heavy, about five very profitable teams at the top and many teams scraping by), there aren’t enough profitable markets and a shortage of viable owners willing to take the loss.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
P.S.
By the way, for reference there was a lot of discussion about this on several of the Coyotes/Balsillie posts over at From The Rink this past summer and fall.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
So, add the #1 draft pick, and take away 12345817509 minutes lost to injuries, (I know that is not the actual # of minutes, that’s just where I stopped counting), and the team gets a little better. 7 more games won, 10 less losses, and three more tied. Not bad for the Isles.
How much is just “goaltending, period”?
There is a huge flame war going on at the Blackhawks site over the goalies, but my position is this:
I grew up playing Fullback in Soccer, and at least half of the goalies that I had were horrible, to the point that they were basically another pole in goal. I on the other hand, was very good. I made the horrible goalies look good, mainly by not letting a lot of shots get through. The good goalies on the other hand, I made look great! As the defence goes, so goes the goalie, and the Islanders have improved on the defensive side of the game.
I have no worries about JT, he is young! He will improve, but it probably won’t be until next year that we really notice.
/Note unceasing sarcastic laughter in background.
by burpchelischili on Jan 11, 2010 8:54 AM EST reply actions
As a former soccer goalie, I appreciate the efforts of a hack, frustrated striker good fullback.
But the goalie in hockey is sooo much more important. Or at least, a good defense can only do so much to cover up a sieve — and the Islanders don’t have a defense capable of doing that.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
I appreciate the efforts of ahack, frustrated strikergood fullback.
Lord, but I am still laughing at that! I agree that the goalie is more of a quarterback in Hockey than I had in Soccer. Most of my teams, the quarterback was the halfback. (That just doesn’t scan right to me) A couple of the goalies were both quarterback and goalie, were very good, and we had the wins to prove it.
a good defense can only do so much to cover up a sieve — and the Islanders don’t have a defense capable of doing that.
That’s true, but the Islanders don’t have that problem at this time, which is a happy thing to me.
/Note unceasing sarcastic laughter in background.
by burpchelischili on Jan 11, 2010 11:13 AM EST up reply actions
Well...
the sieve I mean… I think I need more coffee before I type.
/Note unceasing sarcastic laughter in background.
by burpchelischili on Jan 11, 2010 11:16 AM EST up reply actions
I can confidently tell you this place could not exist without coffee. (And as proof, I originally typed “hockey” there instead of “coffee.” Time for a refill.)
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
u make a good point, in hs we went from decent my junior year, to state playoffs senior year when my friend moved from left mid to sweeper, he fn dominated and our team rarely gave up more than 2 in a game the whole season…
why isn't #16 hanging in the rafters?
Glory days, or at least completely off topic.
I credit most of it to my older brother. He never could really play, but the man can seriously coach. I, on the other hand, couldn’t coach my way out of a wet paper bag full of soup cans. That’s why the coach moved my brother to sweeper/half back. It let the coach do his thing, (sneaking whatever watered down alcohol we left him), and my brother leading us to state, year after year. One of my proudest moments was signing to a pro team, (Tulsa Roughnecks), and the worst was having the team fold before I got to play a game. Hell, I never even got to put my name on a jersey.
Last I heard, the goalie was working at a Texaco… :P
/Note unceasing sarcastic laughter in background.
by burpchelischili on Jan 11, 2010 1:11 PM EST up reply actions
signing to a pro team, (Tulsa Roughnecks)
Awesome. I remember you mentioning this but didn’t know where. Did you try indoor at all, or was that the end?
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
I was offered a tryout for the Cosmos, but they were the bitterly hated rival of, well, everybody! At the same time, I had a judge “recommend” that I look into the Military. Other than playing in a couple of pick up leagues in Germany, I was done. My brother still coaches in a couple of leagues, and as he puts it, “Acts like he knows how to play in an over 40 league.” (His wife calls it either the WAY over 40 league, or the Old Fart Follies.) By the time I got out of the Army, I had gone through 4 knee surguries and have had 7 more since then. [I had 1 knee cap replaced at 17 (Soccer) and the other at 18. (Band)] I was one of theose people that we talked about in another post, I was naturally good, so I never took the time to learn why I was doing what I was doing. It made it hard for me to try and coach younger players. A kid would ask “Why should I do that?”, and the only thing I could say was “’CAUSE I SAID SO!”
Wow! This thread went WAY away from the begining!
/Note unceasing sarcastic laughter in background.
by burpchelischili on Jan 11, 2010 2:44 PM EST up reply actions
I had 1 knee cap replaced at 17 (Soccer) and the other at 18. (Band)
I almost don’t want to know about the band injury, because the many Darwin Award possibilities are fun to entertain. [Cues Spinal Tap: “You can’t really dust for vomit.”]
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
lol, Just remember that you asked...
Okay, first off let me say this:
WARNING: Painfully graphic statement below! Do not read this if you are squeamish!
I played Tuba and it started raining one night. (You would not believe the time it takes to polish a tuba!) I started to run down the stands to get to the bus, and tried to slow down to avoid a flag girl. My foot slid between the seats and I fell forward. This caused my knee to bend backwards, which in turn pushed my knee cap out the back of my leg. I rode to the hospital with part of my Tuba crushed in one hand, and my knee cap in the other.
The other knee was because a kid missed the ball and pushed my knee cap up into my thigh, not quite as bad… ish. I still believe that the two surgeries, or at least going through rehab twice, ended up helping my abilities as a soccer player. At least in the short term. Now at 40-mumble, I walk like an 80 year old man during cold and/or bad weather.
You may now continute your previously scheduled reading…
/Note unceasing sarcastic laughter in background.
by burpchelischili on Jan 11, 2010 3:30 PM EST up reply actions
I think a lot of it has to do with how awful the East is this year. There are only 4 or 5 good teams in the whole conference. So weakened competition, MUCH improved goaltending and slightly better play up front has caused the turn around.
Was thinking that's a factor too
…and then the Isles go out West and win two of three, with the two wins against two of the West’s better teams!
Still believe it’s a factor (the Isles haven’t had much Devils or Pens cooking yet), but not as big as the team upgrades and growth. I was surprised to see the Isles only had 5 OTLs at this point last year. I guess in part they’re simply in more games this year.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
Very true about them being in more games this year. Last year, it seemed they would be down one goal and unable to get that tying goal to send it to OT. This year, they have been better at being able to get that tying goal (or as in too many cases this year, blowing the lead and not giving up the go ahead goal in regulation).
Seems like such a fine line, doesn’t it? Sometimes just a crucial save here or there to keep them in, which I think Roloson has provided at bulk rate pricing. Then you go into the nebulous team psychology of believing the guy in net is going to give you a chance … well it’s these undefinable areas of hockey I really get a kick out of.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
Haven't bothered to read all of the above posts
HEY its my birthday…I’m entitled.!!! This is certainly a more interesting team to watch. Adding JT, Matt, and Mac as well as competent goaltending and improvements to Kyle, Josh, Frans and almost everybody’s game as well as fewer injuries are the reasons. More to the point, we have taken some healthy steps along the development path. Having Papa Dougie out for so long may have actually helped with the maturational process.
Hey Dom
I was saying we matched our Road wins for last year, no idea that we had matched our overall win total.
"So basically, the Stats make no sense whatsoever."
AH! Thanks.
Wow, that was an ugly typo. Fixed. I knew that but didn’t realize I left out “road.” Hopefully the confused clicked on the link to your comment. And as luck would have it, this post was linked by NHL.com, so who knows how many I misinformed previously.
They had 26 total wins last year, so we’ve got a ways to go.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
By the way,
Congrats! I just saw this link, and I have to say that I am proud of you guys!
/Note unceasing sarcastic laughter in background.
by burpchelischili on Jan 11, 2010 7:48 PM EST reply actions
Thank you, man
Proof it always helps to pay the judges. And leverage an East Coast Bias.
/actually, the Isles never benefit from East Coast Bias. Hmmm…
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
was wondering the numbers
Funny I was just wondering the numbers after the PHX game myself. I knew we had to be ahead of last year with ease but just wondered how many points. I wonder if the quick schedule is helping us or hurting us with our younger players.
I hope the break rejuvenates Taveras and Moulson. I am very pleased with teh progress of Bailey and continued similar success with Okposo.
The goal by Streit the other night, I was wondering when was the last time a D scored? was it McDonald’s goal. I haven’t looke dbut has to be only 2 or 3 D goals in the last 10-15 games
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