Stars 5*, Islanders 4 (*SO): Tavares concussed, Doug Weight reborn
by Dominik on Oct 9, 2010 11:03 PM EDT
in New York Islanders Game Recaps
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For a Home Opener, the Islanders and their Stars guests did not disappoint. The Isles even built in some drama by coughing up two goals in the first due to turnovers and disorganization, creating anxiety among the faithful (more faithful anxiety came later, in the skills competition).
Game Sum | Event Sum | H2H | Corsi | Recaps: nhl.com - Isles - DBD
An up-and-down game followed, with the Islanders reversing form by erasing someone else's 2-goal third-period lead rather than squandering their own. The OT that followed included a successful Isles PK. The shootout produced only one conversion, that by Mike Ribeiro, which gave the Stars the extra point.
About that shootout: Did the Danish Backhand of Judgment really get denied? No...he merely showed mercy upon Kari Lehtonen's injury-prone soul. Though the Coliseum crowd gasped in horror when Frans Automatic was denied -- like natives watching in horror as their idol was toppled by this newfangled "gunpowder" -- it was nothing. Just move along.
Game Highlights
Special Teams Lead Special Comeback
The stats favored the home side -- 47-22 in shots, 57% on faceoffs (thank you Mr. Weight and Mr. Konopka), and 42-21 on hits. But part of that was due to the Islanders chasing most of the game trying to comeback. Mind you, comeback they did. Though each team had plenty of powerplay opportunities, it was critical that the Islanders converted on three of theirs (including a 5-on-3) while the Stars fell short on all of theirs (including an OT 4-on-3). Thank you, Stephane Robidas, for flipping the puck not once but twice directly over the glass in the third period.
One game is nothing to read anything on, but if the Islanders powerplay is going to move the puck like that -- even overcoming the bumpy Coliseum ice -- then that unit won't be at the trough of the league again.
Concerns
The defense looked like it could use a few more get-to-know you sessions. That should come with time, as the pairs adjust and communicate. No one looked like a red flag based on purely individual play.
John Tavares suffered a "minor" concussion, on a fluke hit at the blueline, where Adam Burish was skating regular speed hoping to stay onside while breaking into the zone with speed. Tavares, skating backwards, didn't see him coming. Knowing Burish, he may have thrown a little more oomph into the collision, but only enough to ensure he wasn't the one going down. The contact was with JT's upper back. Apparently Zenon Konopka was about to engage Burish later when the Stars scored their third goal after a Parenteau turnover.
Rick DiPietro's movements looked better than last year to my eye, but his side-to-side still gave you pause. A few times when a glove was used where a leg would do (like the first rebound goal). A few bad angle reads where he stayed standing when you expect a butterfly guy to crouch low to be safe. It bears watching. That said: He looked good in the shootout, and I don't know what kind of drill tests a goalie's mobile health more than a shootout.
Player Reports
Doug Weight -- The 2-0 deficit called for someone to take charge, and the captain answered. Three points, including a goal on the 5-on-3 (it came off a lucky carom, but it came after lots of great puck movement engineered by him). He looked night-and-day from last year: He wasn't playing to protect the shoulder, but rather to lead this team. Great to see.
P.A. Parenteau -- Had bad luck in the shootout, beating Lehtonen but ringing the iron. He was perimeter-ish and tentative. Made some poor decisions, including a soft backhand pass at center ice that was intercepted and led to a Stars goal. He didn't look like a guy motivated to seize this golden chance, but it's one game.
Nino Niederreiter -- The big rookie is BIG. He was perimeter-ish for several stretches, but he hit people and initiated contact, and by the third period he was crashing the net with regularity. Even if this is only nine games, he's going to be fun to watch grow. ... Did I mention he was big?
Matt Moulson -- Picked up right where he left off, scoring the huge tying goal with poise from his Office in front of the net. Just 2:39 left in the game, that was a massive lift for this team. #mightymattmoulson!
Andrew MacDonald -- Talk about picking up where you left off. His game was filled with smart decisions and -- maybe better yet -- lots of great communication during stress situations (turnover rushes, odd-man rushes, situations where a forward was the second man back). I remember noticing this side of his game when I first watched him in person last year in St. Louis, but he appears even better than last year. Six minutes of PK time alone without a goal against. (He was on for an EV goal against.)
Radek Martinek -- So glad the quiet Czech is back. Looked like the Martinek of old -- calm, smooth and smart, with a couple of goal-saving pokes for good measure.
Josh Bailey -- The Kid enters his third year, but Tavares's injury opened up a spot at center, where he did well and logged a team-high (forwards) 22:09, including five minutes on the PK alone. He was part of multiple shifts that sustained pressure in the second half of the game. His sneaky-smart play fueled Blake Comeau's powerplay goal: Lehtonen's dropped stick was in his way, so he cleared it to the corner, where the distracted Lehtonen wasn't getting it back.
Zenon Konopka -- Exactly what he was brought in for: Team-high seven hits, 9-6 on faceoffs, and a visible and vocal guy on the bench and in skirmishes.
James Wisniewski was as advertised: Booming shot for the powerplay goal, a huge hit to the solar plexus that destroyed Jamie Benn, and a few positional decisions that made you go "hmmmm." He is going to be fun, and sometimes he's going to be a guy who is overused at times. He led the team with 24 minutes TOI.
Witness here his destruction of Benn for your enjoyment (or stomach-turning, as Benn was left woozy). On further review, it was a clean hit to the chest, but their heads collided -- probably Benn's face/chin/cheek to Wiz's helmet, which is why Wiz survived unharmed):
Also: Eight different Islanders were credited with three or more hits.
Attendance: 13,351
* * *
Overall, that was a blast. Cheers to everyone in the game thread, and if you were at the Coliseum we'll be expecting your thoughts as soon as you've come down.
Battle of New York resumes Monday afternoon. Tune in later for WebBard's Sunday post on that rivalry.
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First of all, scratching Hillen for Jurcina, ugh.
Second of all, I do not understand why this team needs a goon. We have plenty of guys who can deliver big hits. Gillies is a waste of a roster spot. You should not waste an active player on a guy who’ll be on the ice for less than 2 minutes.
Go with 7 D men there if this is the case. But Gillies is a freaking waste.
Hopefully JT will be okay.
One thing of note: This team will be massively better for the lack of Nate Thompson and Tim Jackman, especially on the PK. So that’s positive.
I have fought this battle many times, so I’ll let others weigh in. Interconference games are funny: Even for the theoretical role of enforcers, no Stars were interested.
I can buy where they are useful in divisional games and games with intimidation history though, based on how the Isles’ spine was steeled at certain times last year by Gillies’ presence. I don’t like to waste a lineup spot, but I do like the idea of someone else sitting out five minutes instead of Konopka, who looks like he will be important for faceoffs alone.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo were important to this team.
Eh.
As a big baseball person who believes in that sport that the motivational factor of leadership skills is way overrated, i have a hard time believing in the huge impact of enforcers on other players’ motivation and willingness to take risks. Especially given that “fights” these days, the use of most enforcers, tend to be mutually agreed-upon rather than actually the result of bad blood.
But even if true, I would suspect that the impact of the enforcer is far less when you have a number of big guys laying out making hits. And between Konopka, Wisniewski and others, i don’t think we need a guy to spend 2 minutes threatening hits for the team to feel secure.
Everyone needs a heavyweight to play some games on the 4th line.
He won’t start all of them, he’ll get his 2-3min/gm when he’s in and let some other top 9 forwards get the spread of the other 7mins/gm our usual 4th liner would get. I don’t really see any problem with this. Little more mintues for our top 9 guys, less time for a 4th line player, a heavyweight enforcer/protector on the team, and a guy that boosts some energy for our players. He does talk a lot on the bench and try and rile up the team when he can. I don’t see how anyone can honestly hurt a team playing 2-3min/gm of ice time.
Go isles or Go home.
By taking a spot from another player? By having an ineffective player on the ice for any time of the game?
“Everyone needs a heavyweight to play some games on the 4th line” incidentally is one of those hockey truisms that gets thrown around a lot. But is it really true? Does it really DO anything?
I tend to believe that hockey players, like players of other sports, don’t need guys to pump them up…they’re pros, they give their all all the time. Now maybe they might feel more confident and be more effective in taking risks if they know someone will hit the other guys hard in retaliation, but we HAVE those guys….and those guys are actually useful on the ice.
Having watched some of the “team toughness” editions of the Oilers from the past few seasons I politely disagree with your conclusion. Not that I had any hard facts to back that up with, just a series of subjective observations.
Understood
Mind you, I love hockey, but i know the most about baseball (granted the sport is the easiest for researchers to understand due to its individualized nature). And it’s been found to be the case really that a lot of things that have been baseball truisms (for example a pitcher pitches to the score, justifying a higher era) just don’t seem to be true.
Or for example that a player is a great defender cause he looks great…but it turns out he’s not really…it’s just his weak range makes him have to dive more for baseballs, making his plays made (that others would make easier) look flashy and good.
I like this analogy a lot and it’s why I don’t think teams need enforcers as a general rule. (I always advocate for players who can both actually play hockey AND fight when needed.) Teams quite clearly can win without enforcers, and in fact the better teams more often do.
But some teams appear to need them (maybe it’s a sign of a weak team? Interesting…) and during the stretch last season with Gillies around and some of the comments from players I started to think (despite my protests), “Dear god, this team apparently DOES need someone like this for them to have a spine.”
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo were important to this team.
slight difference though
baseball is an individual sport masquerading as a team sport. Hockey is team sport in the true sense of the word. All the guys are out there at the same time, flying around, hitting people, getting hit, passing the puck, trying to intercept passes, etc. If another team is beating the crap out of you physically, I can completely understand it being a little bit uplifting to see your goon come off the bench with the knowledge that he’s out there solely to try to beat the crap out of the other team for a few minutes and maybe take some of the pressure off of you and your teammates.
2009 Did Not Happen
Agreed.
Baseball and hockey are very different sports. I think (until I see evidence otherwise, like I have in baseball) that hockey players can definitely affect each other’s play, and I can see how an enforcer-type would help the rest of the team. That said, versatility is obviously always a plus, so a tough guy who can actually do something other than fight would definitely be preferred.
Long story short, I don’t feel like this is a “Derek Jeter is a good fielder” situation, where we’re all being fooled.
Are you watching, Tottenham?
by Thomas Wachtel on Oct 11, 2010 12:31 AM EDT up reply actions
Who do you think he is holding back?
He’s a spot starter and will be mainly a reserve. Most of the minutes lost to another 4th liner from him starting get spread out to BETTER players in our top 9, being put to better use then a regular 4th liner would use. I’d prefer Martin getting the spot, when healthy, but Gillies isn’t hurting anyway playing 2-3min/gm. If we needed help on the PP or PK or some other task, then sure, I’m pissed Gillies is there, but we don’t need help there and he’s not holding anyone back by being a spot starting heavyweight enforcer. HE’S NOT FULL TIME. Not to mention, WE ARE STILL A VERY YOUNG AND SMALL TEAM. WE NEED ALL THE MUSCLE AND PROTECTION WE CAN GET FOR OUR YOUNG GUNS.
Go isles or Go home.
by OzzyFan on Oct 10, 2010 12:21 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I'd rather have started a 7th D Man
Hillen obviously in this case…I have no idea why he was scratched instead of Jurcina, but I’d rather them both play than him sit out given he was one our top 3 D men last year and our D is currently not set….I don’t think this would hurt the team (I think his play could only help) here.
When Okposo and Schremp get back (or just Schremp if Nino stays), I’d like for Gillies to get the bench in favor of him.
As for “we are a small team who needs muscle and protection for our young guns,” once again you are simply reciting a supposed truism. I would suspect heavily that having an enforcer DOES NOT impact the amount of hits on other players, particularly the skill players. Now, there might be value there in having the skill players BELIEVE that this is the case (helping confidence, etc.). But there’s no objective proof of this. You’re simply assuming something is true.
I would suspect heavily that having an enforcer DOES NOT impact the amount of hits on other players, particularly the skill players. Now, there might be value there in having the skill players BELIEVE that this is the case (helping confidence, etc.). But there’s no objective proof of this. You’re simply assuming something is true.
I agree with the first, but the second part is what I believe to be true (in varying instances, depending on the players in unknowable ways) because players actually say so themselves. And while there’s no objective proof of this, there’s no proof of the converse either (that players are autobots who, despite what they tell us, do not actually go more bravely into puck battles and that good night when they think their back is covered).
I think it’s absurd and probably a mental or intestinal weakness, but if the kid says he’s not going to jump without daddy there, then he’s not going to do it and all my saying “But you’re perfectly capable with or without him!” doesn’t change what’s in his head.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo were important to this team.
I tend to believe that hockey players, like players of other sports, don’t need guys to pump them up…they’re pros, they give their all all the time.
Like employees in any profession though, they really don’t give their all all the time. We know this and we see it and they tell us so. I’ve followed baseball and enjoyed its stat evolution, but this is where hockey just doesn’t quite mimic baseball. Baseball is easy to isolate with its one-on-one battles and 162 games that create very clear values on aggregate, not to mention its opportunity for the performer to reflect and strategize between Every.Single.Pitch. The major athletic decisions in baseball are instant, but the time to think about them beforehand is very long compared to hockey. Hockey flows with a constant mixture of react-think-react-think-fear-fear-react.
I am fairly skeptical of the enforcer role and have whined about it quite a bit here, but one area where I can’t refute it is an area stats in any sport can’t reflect (and consequently, an area some stat people declare irrelevant or non-existent): Psychology. When players are literally telling you, “oh yeah, I feel better with him in the lineup. I don’t feel like I might have my head taken off. I can play my game.” How can we ignore that?
I scoffed when Comeau and Schremp described how much better they feel with a Gillies in the lineup, but on some mental level if a player believes it and is behaving accordingly, then it is so. There simply isn’t that intimidation factor in baseball, except in the rare “back him off the plate” instances, but those are so few and far between and have immediate negative consequences for the intimidator (baserunner, etc.). I do believe there is something to it, and frustratingly it can’t really be defined or measured.
But even if true, I would suspect that the impact of the enforcer is far less when you have a number of big guys laying out making hits. And between Konopka, Wisniewski and others, i don’t think we need a guy to spend 2 minutes threatening hits for the team to feel secure.
I do agree there. Maybe last year’s lineup needed a dose of someone (Gillies is not a very good player, so I much preferred it be someone else at the time), whereas this year that is covered by Konopka and Wiz.
Regardless, I don’t think Gillies will get more than spot duty this year. Between Grabner and Martin and then the two injured forwards, there will start to be occasions where they really do feel he’s taking away a needed slot. (Since teams rarely “roll four lines” though, even when he’s there he’s not necessarily disrupting flow.)
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo were important to this team.
Obviously there's a difference between baseball and hockey.
And i admit it colors my perceptions. You’re correct, the confidence reasons of carrying an enforcer may very well be true. Though I would suspect that good coaching could overcome this.
This is probably nitpicking of course; there’s a lot wrong with this team aside from enforcers. But I’d rather until the D was set have a 7th D man on the team. Especially if Gordon wants to scratch Hillen.
Agreed
I’d hope good coaching could overcome this. At first the Isles and Snow tried to avoid it or go with the Rechlicz-Fitz option (who were even worse hockey players). I suspect Snow shared the idea that come on, you don’t really need these guys but for the occasional call-up when guys are putting on the foil.
Then something changed a bit, and all the pro-enforcer people started saying, “I told you so!” But i still think a truly good team shouldn’t need an enforcer who you can’t even trust to play more than 5 minutes a night. (And playoffs usually prove that.) For now, like you said, they might have other pressing problems.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo were important to this team.
Just to continue in the line,
I’d probably want Hillen as a 7th man over Gillies, but you have to realize that this starting D line will not stay as is. Gordon’t going to rotate d-men till he finds his top 6 guys, so no worries there. But if Gordon somehow decided to keep it as is, then play with 11 forwards and 7 d-men sitting Gillies.
As stated above, I’m not sure you can directly prove a heavyweight enforcer’s impact on a team, but it at minimum has a good psychological impact. Don’t forget that the Brain/“the power of suggestion” is a very powerful thing, VERY powerfuk.
Go isles or Go home.
Yeah I agree, the D alignment is sure to change and one game or a few games with 11 forwards shouldn’t kill anyone. I imagine they’re giving the newcomers a chance to make their own bed. (::cough:: Jurcina).
This topic has made me think though. Is it possible that better players and older players are not affected by enforcers, but younger and/or weaker ones are? As in, I don’t see Weight or Streit or Hunter’s game being changed by an enforcer in the lineup, but I could see how Schremp, Comeau or maybe even Tavares’s would.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo were important to this team.
What was the record
For the team once Gillies was inserted to the lineup last year? Didn’t we go on a run despite the fact that we were decimated with injuries? Or was it just that the team played better?
by Keith Quinn on Oct 10, 2010 12:40 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I don't remember
But it was such a small sample that it probably wouldn’t truly reveal anything real. I do remember Comeau — I think I even shamed him for saying it in a preview — talking about liking having Gillies around, and of course that was the stretch Comeau started going to the net again. (Or is that his annual spring rite? Who knows.)
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo were important to this team.
Wow- the old enforcer debate
And Dominick arguing pro Gillis!!?? (more or less.) It boils down to we would all like our enforcer to be Clark Gillies- Skill and intimidation. But until we find one, (and Zeke and Wiz are not big enough) when Pronger or some other idiot tries to hurt one our young players- I want MAJOR CRAZY on the bench to respond. It’s all about deterent.
Nearly enough defensemen to last through the injury bug
major crazy
Hahahaha reporting for duty, avec foil!
by IamJacksSplitSave on Oct 10, 2010 9:52 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Konopka's not big enough, but he'll fight almost anybody,
and after seeing wiz play, I don’t want him taking more then a couple of fights this year. He’s too important to break his hand in a fight or spend 5min in the box on usual occassions. Right now we undoubtedly need gillies as a reserve in my mind. A year or 2 down the road, maybe not. But right now it’s a no question for me.
Go isles or Go home.
And Dominik arguing pro Gillies!!?? (more or less.)
I know! It feels weird…
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo and Schremp and Tavares were important.
It's the biggest problem with enforcement
It kills your hands. You risk concussions, broken facial bones, etc. As a result, you don’t want a big skill guy using his hands on other people’s skulls. As a result, it’s very rare to get a guy with a lot of other skill, like Bob Probert or Tiger Williams, who are also big fighters. Unless you have a deep team, you can’t afford having a guy like that stuck in the box all the time.
The result is that if you do have an enforcer, it’s a skating tackling dummy whose skills won’t otherwise be missed… but playing someone like that more than 6 or so minutes a game is bad for the bottom line, so they become little-used specialists who get the bad rap of “goon.” The other choice is to not have a player like that on your roster at all, in which case you get heavy hitters targeting your skill players, and if they just happen to get an elbow or a stick up… oooooooopsie!
I have no doubt that there are plenty of power forward types who could protect themselves, taking the “goon” out of the game. I also have no doubt that few people really want that to happen that way – including the “goons” themselves, who love hockey and love being able to contribute in some way to the success of their team while playing on the highest level. Nobody grows up wanting to be Tony Twist – it means fighting guys like Tony Twist all the time, hurting all the time, getting little playing time otherwise, and being derided by a lot of mainstream hockey writers (and fans) for “lowering the game.”
I played roller hockey in a local league with a guy like that… a good player on our level, who moved to one of the short-lived pro roller leagues as an enforcer. Every once in a while he would remind the other teams on our level that he was a BIG guy… we had an arch-rival who would run me almost every game. Since it was a no-contact league and automatic ejection for fighting, he never had to worry about really getting called to account for it… until Rob lined him up and played Wisniewski to his Benn. He never touched me again.
There’s definitely a value to guys like that. In the NHL, where hitting is permitted, that’s not as deterring (though it helps). A feared fighter does help the team play more confidently, does create a little more space on the ice to play in.
Quickly moving up the depth chart
6-7
Not counting his single Janurary game.
There were a few OT games in that stretch too.
After the 2nd Period of Opening Night "Best Period of the year" DevonPSU
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
So 6-7
After we traded Sutton, lost Amac, got a fragile Hillen back, no Weight, no Schremp? Playing Reese, Kohn, Klementyev? Not bad… not to make too much work for you, but what was the record for the stretch prior to Gillies?
by Keith Quinn on Oct 10, 2010 11:12 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Attendance
The attendance was listed at 13,351
Not a great sign for an opening night
If they keep on playing like this, more people will come
I was at the game did not feel like 13,000+
It was loud and energentic especialy at the end of the 3rd and on. Nino’s already got his own fan base with “Nino’s Storm tropers” in the back of I think 339.
Did the Danish Backhand of Judgment really get denied? No...he merely showed mercy upon Kari Lehtonen's injury-prone soul.
That’s pretty much what happened. I could see the faintest glimmer of a tear in Frans’s eye when Lehtinon said, “Please, sir, I have children to feed…” It was quite moving, really.
by Les Beaver on Oct 9, 2010 11:38 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
Putting some game video clips here:
Tavares concussion hit, looked really small. Not sure how they call it a concussion, maybe a scare/shock, but how that is a concussion I have no idea:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVEHhJSbwE
And Wiz’s big hit on Benn:
ZNdvWKA" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUI_ZNdvWKA
Go isles or Go home.
I think it must've been the jarring
Like his brain literally went one way a moment longer than his skull. He was holding his head right away and seemed woozy, so despite no head contact I guess that’s what happened.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo were important to this team.
Judging whether it's a concussion by how hard the hit looks is a bad way to do it.
I’ve heard that concussions (a subject that needs a lot more study incidentally) can occur from plenty of small things (for example, it’s been said that lineman in football who repeatedly hit and hold during practices can get concussions despite the absence of a hard hit.
They better be super careful with JT and not let him play till he’s ready. Don’t mess with concussions.
Concussions are weird.
They go undiagnosed all the time and until you have a couple days to monitor the person you really don’t know how bad it is. My wife had something fall on her head at work the other day. She was so out of it I had to pick her up. The next day no symptoms. It’s going to be a ‘just wait and see’ kind of deal.
The New York Islanders- Give us your scraps and we'll give you a scrappy team.
sorry to hear about your wife
It’s scary. I hope both she and JT are recovered soon.
For JT, the concussion may have happened earlier, and the bump with Burish was enough to trigger symptoms. Concussions can be cumulative. Twenty tiny bumps can add up to one big event, without a notable impact.
Thankfully the technology for helmets is improving so the skull is better-cushioned, but there’s no way to improve the cushioning INSIDE the skull. There’s always going to be that risk.
Quickly moving up the depth chart
Thankfully the technology for helmets is improving so the skull is better-cushioned, but there’s no way to improve the cushioning INSIDE the skull.
You can almost picture 2050 when the NFL starts injecting a cranial cushion into all draft-eligible athletes.
Not that the NFL would EVER do something like that…no never.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo and Schremp and Tavares were important.
Yikes. Hope there are no complications, Anarcurt. Concussions seem to be quite a mystery and each person is different.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo and Schremp and Tavares were important.
Fun game even though I only caught the first two periods. A bit of a fire drill in their own zone during the first at times. Ricky looks a little shaky still, but that’s to be expected I suppose. He was plenty athletic on a few saves (that diving save off his mask springs to mind). Only saw Nino take a couple of shifts in the first, so coaches are either easing him in so he can adjust or he wasn’t comfortable enough to get in the play. Looked better in the second. Can’t wait for more games if they improve some of the rough patches soon.
Fire drill is right
Hope they can shave some seconds off their time in future drills.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo were important to this team.
Nino played 11mins, so it's not a big sample, but maybe a let's work step by step process with gordon.
Probably see a little more time each game he’s here. Not a bad way to go at. Nino surely looked like he belonged though, even without making the stat sheet or doing some big things.
Go isles or Go home.
Lots of compliments for Bailey all around
From multiple corners. Excellent sign (and a surprise for me).
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo were important to this team.
Let me second that (or third that or whatever)
Bailey looked fantastic. I can’t overstate. He is just a really good hockey player. Especially with the puck but he also threw a few checks (didn’t hurt anyone though). I’m just really excited about watching him play the rest of the year.
Reaction
I went to the game, and was surprised by the amount of tailgating going on in the parking lot. Anyway, 13,500 or so isn’t too bad, given that the Yankees were in a playoff game the same night. The sides were pretty much full, with most of the empty seats behind each net. I’m guessing the Isles simply overpriced those tickets, so get used to seeing those seats empty more often than not. It’s somewhat comical, the number of different price points throughout the building.
Anyway, with the Isles now responsible for (and reaping the profits from) the concessions, there ended up being more food and drink choices. I’m pretty sure they already had a fully stocked bar or two last year, and this year is no different. They also had quite a few types of beers available, both imported and domestic. Unfortunately, I’m on allergy medication and could not partake, but I look forward to having a Czechvar while watching the Isles some time soon.
As for the food, I wasn’t really hungry, but I noticed a few types of wraps, and other items available via push-carts that now line the outer, windowed walls. Yeah, a wrap will run you nine bucks, so it isn’t perfect, but it’s better than the relatively few choices we’ve had in the near-past.
That’s all I got for now.
Warning: This post may cause Yashin Rashes, Spano Spasms, and Dingle Milburys.
by ICanSeeForIslesAndIsles on Oct 10, 2010 1:38 AM EDT reply actions
Did they really have Czechvar?!?!
If so, my travel budget just increased.
I do remember the selection being weaker than Sather’s judgment last year.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo were important to this team.
Yep. At least that’s what the front of the cart said. Since I’m hopped up on Zyrtec D, I can’t partake in such fun, so I didn’t want to tempt myself by going over to view the other options, but I remember Czechvar and Stella, plus there’s one or two others that I don’t remember specifically, but do remember thinking that they were never there before.
Warning: This post may cause Yashin Rashes, Spano Spasms, and Dingle Milburys.
by ICanSeeForIslesAndIsles on Oct 11, 2010 12:01 AM EDT up reply actions
OH MY FUCKING GOD
Didn’t see this game b/c I was at the Yankees game but I was following on my phone. I was totally prepared to pipe in with a: “No goals for Tavares – BUST!!!” But then I saw he was injured on a freak play. OMG.
Nice hit by Wiz.
Also: am I the only one who thought DP looked awful?
I actually thought of you and a "No-goals? Bust!" line
I thought DP looked unready early on but got better (and more flexible, with more joint-stressing movements) as the game went on. I don’t know what to make of it. He conceded the second goal was awful. Then he moved much better later on and in the made-to-break-goalies shootout. Morrow’s goal from Ribeiro was a crazy cross-ice pass and he did everything but stop it moving a long way side to side.
So: Jury is still out, and probably going to milk the free lunch for several more sessions.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo were important to this team.
Early DP=unsteady, Later DP=more relaxed and better.
Still a bit rusty and expected in my mind though. How many games do you guys think it wil ltake before DP should reach his peak level of play(whatever it is now)? 5games? 10games? I’d be guessing ~10gms should do it, but it could be longer given him only having spot duty the last couple of years.
Go isles or Go home.
No idea
I really can’t even hazard a guess because I don’t know how much is rearing back into game shape and how much is adapting his game to a new reality. For example, if he was unsteady or less square on rebounds etc. early on, was it because he actually felt limited or because he was tentative? Etc.
Whenever I step away from it for a moment and ignore the Islanders franchise implications, I realize what a fascinating comeback this is.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo and Schremp and Tavares were important.
subconscious, I think
Adapting to reality is a great way to put it – right now, even if his body is perfectly healthy, he’s going to have to forget himself a few times (such as going across on the Morrow goal) before his body trusts itself to move explosively, at the limit of its capabilities. Then he’ll stop looking tentative. It’s not a wanting or a thinking thing at all, which is why a lot of guys getting back from a long rehab will talk about “feeling good out there” and “rust” and “game shape.” A lot of the time (not always) it’s the subconscious and the muscle memory that are still retraining. That takes game reps, and nothing else. Not everyone can immediately forget themselves and go right back to flinging themselves recklessly into the play. I think he’ll get it, it will take a bit, but he’ll get it.
Quickly moving up the depth chart
going to have to forget himself a few times (such as going across on the Morrow goal)
That’s EXACTLY what I was thinking on that goal! Bummed by the goal but my first thought was, “Wow, he got over without hesitation.”
Yeah, when you’ve been nursing and avoiding stressing something for that long, it’s gotta be a while before you untrain that hesitation.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo and Schremp and Tavares were important.
He was cautious
Looked like he didn’t want to overwork his legs and hips…relying more on his stick and glove (and head). The defense really didn’t help him. If I was to grade his night it would be a C-.
The New York Islanders- Give us your scraps and we'll give you a scrappy team.
PA, Nino & Co.
I’m a little more hopeful regarding PA Parenteau. I certainly agree he made mistakes and he didn’t look all that sharp on some stuff he did out there, but he was not perimeter-ish in my opinion. True that he could have had even much more of an impact if his game had been real sharp – probably we’d look at a 3+ point night, but that might somehow tell more about his potential than about his actual performance last night. Anyway, I thought he contributed nicely and had some impact indeed. Once the league will go over it again, he should certainly get a 2nd assist (on the first goal, instead of Bailey) and though his two assists were not really particular plays, I thought he was a big part of that good-working PP. You could see that he knows how to move the puck.
Nino’s game was ok, a good start into this 9-game tryout, but he didn’t show anything to get too excited about. Though getting into the game better towards the end, he still was probably the least impactful forward on the team (besides Gillies obviously). But the skating was better than expected and he’s certainly improved over the last few weeks. And he’ll learn quickly, but well, with Grabner, Martin, Schremp and Okposo in the waiting, I’m still struggling to see how he can get a role that makes sense to keep him.
I anyway have difficulties in seeing who exactly fills what kind of a role at the moment. 7 forwards got significant ice-time on the PK, including 3:50 for Jon Sim, that’s, well, surprising. I thought the PK looked horrible early on, but at the end had a decent night indeed, though that might have had to do with Dallas tiring quite a bit in the 2nd part of the game. I’m however concerend about the defensive play, also 5-on-5, whenever the Stars were able to pressure just a little more, they very quickly had very good chances indeed. The Isles won’t dominate the play every time as much as they did towards the end of this game, meaning much more work in the own zone and I’m still missing a couple of defensively sound forwards there.
Great points. I always look forward to your takes on things. They are usual expert/Dom-esque right ups.
And this one was exactly on that level.
So if we had to address any needs, you would say another 2-way forward? Another shutdown d-man? All of the above? Aside the possibility of needing a true top 6(with KO gone), what do you think the major holes are?
Go isles or Go home.
Thanks, I liked your assessment of Nino in the game thread, too.
Well, that’s tough to tell. I’d say an additional two-way forward capable of taking on toughest competition would definitely help. But when talking about major holes and needs everything depends on the perspective and on what you’d like to achieve. Although the players don’t want to hear the word rebuild anymore, that’s of course what the Isles (still) are doing. So, by defintion, you’ll have holes in this situation. But yeah, from the perspective of the guys and their goal to make the playoffs or come close at least, a bit of defense is missing on this team in my opinion. At the same, it’s tough to estimate at this point with a numbers of (key-)players out of the lineup. If everyone was fit, some roles would be different/clearer and that would change the dynamics of the team.
However, I don’t think an addtional shutdown d-man would be a priority right now. It would have been great to get one through free agency (Michalek, Volchenkov), but it didn’t happen and that’s that. I’m not fully convinced of the current D, but ultimately there should be enough solid defensemen around. But as I said in a comment earlier this week, though the depth has improved, the guys first need to perform better than the D did in the 2nd part of the last season. Surprisingly few individual mistakes by defensemen led to opposing goals back then. Just the usual stuff and that stuff still happens. Eaton could have done better on the 1st goal, then took a rather unncessary penalty, Wiz could have done better on the 3rd goal, etc. That’s nothing too worrying, but it (still) happens.
I’ll anyway need some more games to be able to say something about the D because I need to learn the numbers first… 10 and 20 are forwards in my head and 27 is Scott Niedermayer, so by the time I realized those were the defenders on a given shift, it was already over…
My biggest concern right now would be that the forward corps is not very well rounded, less so than last season in my opinion. I love the JT’s and Nino’s and Parenteau’s and Grabner’s and given the situation the Isles are in, it’s necessary to play them as much as possible or take a chance on them respectively. That’s fun to watch, but let’s face it – though that hopefully won’t happen every night – turnovers of JT and PA each led to a goal last night. Maybe it will be Nino tomorrow, or Grabner will miss an assignment or Sim/Konopka will struggle on the PK, etc. I just miss the reliable guys who are guaranteed to be solid with this stuff. I’m really glad Bailey and Weight are looking so well. Besides, I like the completeness of Moulson’s and Comeau’s game, but well, they’re supposed to do all the scoring, too, so that’s tough. After that, you have only Nielsen and Hunter left.
As said, we’ll see what the team will look like when guys will come back from injuries, but right now, I miss something. Nino, PA, Grabner, Sim, Gillies and Konopka are many one-dimensional players… Gordon talked about getting the GAA down and having worked on it during camp and seeing some improvement, but well, that would be cool, but I’m really not sure how you can do that with this group.
I hope it's an indication of PA's potential too
I just expected a little more grab-the-chance-by-the-reins play. I like what I saw from him on the PP in terms of ability and movement, but (early on especially) I didn’t feel his decisions were quick enough. There were moments for immediate one-timers or immediate passes and he seemed tentative then, and the lane would close. Maybe it was the ice, and I guess you can afford a bit of that when you’re feeling out the PK early on though. (I felt like it was almost bad luck for them to get those powerplays so early anyway.).
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo and Schremp and Tavares were important.
Last Night's Game
First of all, I have been reading this site on a daily basis for over a year. You all do a TREMENDOUS job, and this is only the second time I’ve ever posted here.
My brother and I are huge fans, bought a divisional ticket package a day before the injuries struck….bad luck.
Anyway, we were at the game last night, and here are our observations:
1. Bailey looked INCREDIBLE. Seemed like he was always on the ice. Played aggressive. Wouldn’t be surprised to see him as captain one day.
2. Trent Hunter hustled every shift he was out there. Glad to see him with an “A” on his chest after all these years. Say what you want about him, but when he turns it on, he’s a heat seeking missle. Laid some bombs on the opposition.
3. Comeau also seemed to be hustling every time he was out there. Wouldn’t be surprised to see him net 25 this year.
4. Although not sold out, as another poster said, place was rocking after they tied it up. I’ve been to 30+ games in my life (including games that fall into “playoff” category, whatever that is), last night’s was in top 5 of vocal fans, believe it or not.
5. Place went silent after Tavares went down and team trailed 2-0. My brother and I looked at the schedule and predicted a 1-9 start. I lamented the purchase of the tickets and the new jersey I bought before the game (my first since 1992, which looked exactly the same as that one did – funny)
6. There is a LOT to be excited about. They are young, and raw, and looked lost in first period and a half, but they fought like crazy and when they tied it, it was incredible.
7. First “DP Sucks” chant after 6 minutes in the first. Fans don’t seem to like him. He definetly played better later on, but too many rebounds.
8. Nino did not look lost out there. He was aggressive at times, drew a penalty, and seemed to skate well. He had at least two chances we counted where he pressured the net.
Thats it for now. Thanks to all of you for the great job that you do each and every day!
Lets go Islanders!
Good points,
I was extremely surprised with comeau and hunter’s fire too, they hit anything that moved HARD, specifically hunter. Hunter was playing like a man on a mission, definitely earned his A with last night’s performance and if he plays like that everygame, the other team is going to have a lot of sore d-men/forwards after the game. Bailey too but he wasn’t as big of a phsyical force(which is fine).
And the big things beside that I just can’t get out of my mind are:
-Wiz looks like a great all-around d-man to me
-Tavares fell to that hit? I don’t know how serious this “concussion” was, but I have some trouble seeing that hit as being a concussion over a scare for him because of the unexpectedness. Who knows though.
-We are the comback kids so far. Hopefully we play this hard everynight.
Go isles or Go home.
you have to look at the head very carefully and see if it accelerated or
declerated suddenly. The hit wasn’t hard but his neck muscles weren’t tensed because he didn’t see it coming. With concussions its about the brain getting bounced inside the skull. Sometimes the severity of the hit is not in proportion to the movement of the brain inside the skull.
by TMS on Oct 10, 2010 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Rec'd for truthiness
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo and Schremp and Tavares were important.
CharlieIsles
Thanks, and welcome! Really appreciate the kind words and your insights from the game.
Bailey practically WAS always on the ice. (Led the forwards in TOI.) I agree he and Hunter had really nice games.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo and Schremp and Tavares were important.
quick drop-in - jurcina and nino
Have a quick few minutes on crappy free wifi, just a couple notes before running-
I spent a lot of time spying Nino – he had his moments, and after the first period where he looked like an 18 year old rookie (nervous and tentative) he started to throw his big bad self around quite well. Did a lot of work in the offensive corners in the 2nd that I liked, and almost had his 1st NHL game 1st NHL goal on a shot that managed to trickle through Kari’s 5. I look forward to seeing more from him – the one clear ice shot he took off a rush, he got the shot off quite quickly, and didn’t really telegraph that it was coming.
Jurcina…has a hell of a lot of size, but it seems like he sometimes got lost on knowledge of his relative position on the ice. He made a couple nice plays in the offensive zone, but was getting further forward at times than you like to see. Protecting him with Andy Mac seems to be a good idea, A-Mac was [as Dom noted] quite vocal about communication, and on a few plays seemed to be the main reason Jurcina was in proper position a few times. Jurcina DID make a couple of nice defensive plays, but at LEAST one of them was after he misplayed the rush and had to get back after getting turned.
Whenever I find myself with good wifi (or make it back upstate later today) I’ll get back in the conversation. Fingers crossed for JT’s concussion being of the minor/dazed variety – with all the attention concussions are getting of late, even if he felt fine once he had a moment to sit and settle, he was destined for precautionary hold-out and a set of scans in the morning. =/
I’m thinking the same thing about JT i have a feeling (a hope) that they’re just being overly cautious. anxious to get an update.
Good stuff,
Nino was surprisingly solid.
And Jurcina was as expected. Thank god for a-mac though or we might not have had an overtime period because of a couple of Jurcina’s mistakes, but he did do a couple nice things.
Go isles or Go home.
Agree
The coaching staff is going to have to tell him to stop being so soft in the crease or he’ll be feeling even softer watching the game from above with the press- even with Streit out, we still have better choices.
Jurcina made a couple nice plays in the offensive zone, but was getting further forward at times than you like to see.
Yes! That perfectly captures the anxiety I was feeling.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo and Schremp and Tavares were important.
Wish I could have seen this
I went to a bar last night, figuring they’d have the Center Ice package, but b/c of all the college football & baseball playoffs going on, the only game they were showing down here was the Caps-Devils game.
Any word on how serious Tavares’ concussion is? I’m going to the Isles-Caps game Wednesday night, and I’m selfishly hoping he’ll be fine by them. I’ve been telling my fiancee for months how the Isles have a good young core of talent, I’m gonna look like a fool if we go and Okposo AND Tavares are out haha.
2009 Did Not Happen
it was called a mild concussion, he's supposed to be evaluated by monday.
The hit was posted somewhere on here for you to see, or search youtube tavares concussion if you want to see it. Not much of a hit, just an unexpected slight clip. Praying he’s ok.
Go isles or Go home.
Some game thoughts
I was there, so you obviously get to see some things away from the play…
Although Parenteau struggled a bit, he was far more physical than I thought he would be. Laid some nice hits and looks to be trying to be a complete player.
On a whole, this team was far more physical than it’s been in years! (terrible assumption for one game!) others who were notably physical: Hunter (outstanding), Mottau (didn’t see that coming), obviously Wiz, Comeau was all over the opposing D and got in their heads and I think that forecheck helped to create those two delay of game penalties.
Amac is here to stay. This kid is sound positionally and smart with the puck. Broke up that 2 on 1 and was more physical than last year.
Weight looked like Jagr on a play in the third where he skated around every Dallas player in the offensive zone. My cousin and I jokes that he was definitely going to be tested for PEDs immediately after the game!
Jurcina looked like a pylon a couple of times…hopefully he’s on a short leash. The way Mottau and Wiz were playing, we don’t need him for size/hitting (which works out good because he didn’t do too much of that either). Bruno and Hillen would have been upgrades last night.
DP…we were in his corner twice, and you can see the internal struggle in this man whenever a puck looks remotely “playable” his body language becomes completely intense! The funniest thing…it was kind of like that part of Forrest Gump where the crowd had to tell him to stop running during the football game. He hears the crowd sometimes and looks over when they collectively yell “don’t” or “stop”. Seemed to notice the “we want roll-e” chant too. I wonder how distracted he actually gets???
The team was exciting and scratched and clawed it’s way back. The initiated contact and gave the other team something to think about. They look ready to stand up for each other (despite not really doing it), and created some open ice with their aggressiveness. If they can continue that trend and avoid injuries, they could do something good when the others return. The product just looked like it had some long absent swagger.
by Keith Quinn on Oct 10, 2010 11:06 AM EDT via mobile reply actions 1 recs
lol, yeah. Before DP got hurt I went to a number of games watching him play.
And he was pretty good, but he stared at the crowd and seemed to hear anything people would yell at him. I hope it doesn’t mess up his psychy. Someone said he was nervous before tonight’s game from an interview he said. Give him time. He’s been hurt a while and has some rust.
Go isles or Go home.
DP is human
of course he hears the ‘we want Roll-E’ chant. After all he has been through he knows that he has a lot to prove at this point. He was a little tight – definitely – but I think he’ll be ok after 5 or 6 starts.
BTW
I was there in sec 219 ($56 on Stub Hub yesterday at 3pm). Yes he heard the chants and I agree his body language was conflicted on playing pucks outside the crease.
I was in 218
Ticket from random scalping guy in the 10$ parking lot. He looked over there a lot right? Far more than I would have expected. He hears everything. Maybe he has ADD! Is Ritalin a performance enhancing drug???
by Keith Quinn on Oct 10, 2010 3:02 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
lol,
Yeah, he’s a competitor that takes in everything. Hopefully the fans aren’t hard on him because he could possibly be somewhat mentally fragile. We know he takes it in, but how he deals with it is the big thing in this equation.
Go isles or Go home.
Things I liked:
Trent Hunter playing the body – he was hitting dudes and playing physical all night, I hope he can keep that up all season.
Nino made a few heady plays to keep possession of the puck and really laid into a few guys – needs to work on keeping his feet when he does it, though.
Matty Mo & Blake seemed to pick up right where they left off, although I was a little miffed at Moulson because he kinda shit the bed during his shootout attempt.
The Wiz delivers, wow I am glad he’s here.
Sim looked good! My “date” for the evening was talking about how much she really likes his work ethic and I’ve got to agree. He generated some decent pressure.
I was a little miffed at Moulson because he kinda shit the bed during his shootout attempt.
I’ll cut him some slack since he got Dubied by Lehtonen. NO ONE expects the Spanish Inquisition suicidal pokecheck!
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo and Schremp and Tavares were important.
Fun Comment from Big D's game recap
Since when did Jon Sim become such an annoying gnat of a player?
After the 2nd Period of Opening Night "Best Period of the year" DevonPSU
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
more mem comments
-Nino, I love that kid
-Wisniewski, I really loathe him
-That better be a ******* headshot: it wasn’t, Benn’s face hit the top of the boards,
-Wiz dirty, Weight shoved Benn into wiz, yadda yadda, I lol on an obvious CLEAN hit. Every replay shows it clean from every angle. They compare the benn hit to the wiz seabrook hit, lol. Wow.
-I like Tavares(that’s all he likes about us, lol)
Go isles or Go home.
My impressions of the game :
I was at the game and had pretty good seats too. I’ll give my impressions :
1) Bailey looked great. He has great puck handling skills and great hockey sense. He also seemed to be a bit faster than last year.
2) Doug Weight is still a very good hockey player. Both at even strength and especially on the power play, Weight was in control. He just commands the game when he carries the puck.
3) Wisniewksi looks like a find.
4) Moulson is a really good defensive forward. He blocks shots, harasses the points and doesn’t make anything easy for them.
5) Niedereitter’s d-zone play was much much better than I expected. The kid has reach and he uses it. He puts a lot of pressure on the point men when they have the puck and with that reach guys can’t just skate around him or pass through his area very easily.
6) Mottau seemed solid so I feel pretty good about him.
7) Franz is just as great as everyone says he is.
Hallelujah to all this
Weight really does control play. He has that extra something that causes the opposition to respect him and not pursue him as hard for fear of being made foolish. A big part of what the powerplay was missing last year.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo and Schremp and Tavares were important.
Everybody who was at the game
Thanks for telling everyone else what you saw. All these observations together are really helpful in painting the picture.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo and Schremp and Tavares were important.
Kosy is koming
Of course its very early, and DP is still recovering, but the regular season can’t be treated as preseason, meaning we don’t have the luxury of being super patient with DP’s rust. In fact let’s hope its just rust and not detierioration of his game. If I were a betting man I think we will see Kosy this season. Even if DP pulls his game together, Rollie would probably not be able to perform in 60+ gams required to rest DP. Its early and only one game but 5 goals is 5 goals.
Pluses and minuses (+,-)
Pluses:
+ vets: Weight looked better last night than he looked any game he managed to play last season. I was wrong, it was a good idea to bring him back. Hunter also impressed with taking the body the way he used to and some smart puck moving decisions.
+ 3rd period: The Isles seemed to improve as the game went on and aside from that 5 second play where DP went down too soon to let in that Morrow tip, the Isles were in the drivers seat for the whole 3rd period.
+furious forecheck: The Isles really seemed to have a tenacious forcheck going and it wasn’t letting up!! If they can be consistent in this they will be a dangerous team no matter how many players wind up on the IR!!
Minuses
- DiPietro: IMO he had no business being in this game. He looked terrible…He gave up too many juicy rebounds, seemed slow (or just too relaxed) and played the puck worse than Bruno in the defensive zone (Someone should really keep track of the ratio of times he touches the puck and if the Isles or their opponent gains possession afterwards) Goals#1 and #3 he had no chance but #2 and 4 for Dallas should not have found the net. #2 was the juiciest of rebounds and #4 he was going down when he had no reason to. The Isles deserved to not only win this game but dominate it unfortunately they had the better goalie in net.
-NHL Center Ice: Anyone know why the Isles broadcast team wasn’t shown? I’m down in Florida wishing I was at NVMC but I had to watch this game while listening to the moronic homers from the Dallas network. I could go on for an hour complaining about their broadcast but…Butchie and Howie have got to be better than them…while unconscious!!
Call your system/provider maybe?
It was available to me on Center Ice.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo and Schremp and Tavares were important.
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1979-80
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May 24, 1980: Tonelli to Nystrom. At long last, the steady build of the New York Islanders from expansion doormat to surprise semifinalist to annual contender reaches the promised land: Buoyed by a late season trade for Butch Goring that gave the team the depth up the middle GM Bill Torrey had been seeking, the Islanders knock off the Philadelphia Flyers in six games.
The victory justified the faith in coach Al Arbour who guided them from their second season to their first Stanley Cup seven seasons later. The Islanders would not be the first expansion team to win the Stanley Cup, but they would be the only one capable of a dynasty.
1980-81
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May 21, 1981: This time it was much easier. After falling to "only" 91 points in the 1979-80 season, the Islanders returned to their division title tradition, piling up 110 points -- a whole 13 points over second-place Philadelphia.
Between the quarterfinals (where they beat the upstart Oilers in six games) and the finals, the Islanders reeled off eight consecutive wins -- with a four-game sweep of archrival Rangers in between. As they defeated the Minnesota North Stars in five games for their second Cup, their goal difference in the final was a combined +10.
1981-82
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May 16, 1982: Another year, another landslide title. The Islanders won the Patrick Division by a whopping 26 points over the second-place Rangers, and were seven points clear of their nearest competition for the President's Trophy, the still-not-quite-ripe Edmonton Oilers.
A first-round scare against the Pittsburgh Penguins turned in the Isles' favor thanks to John Tonelli's heroics, and a true dynasty was on its way: Past the Rangers in six games, then an eight-game sweep of the Quebec Nordiques and Vancouver Canucks to run away with the Stanley Cup.
1982-83
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May 17, 1983: Not so fast, whipper-snappers. The Edmonton Oilers' steadily rising challenge for league supremacy took them all the way to the finals for the first time, where the New York Islanders summarily dispatched them in a four-game sweep. For the Islanders, the Dynasty was secured. For the Oilers, it was a powerful lesson in where talent ends and the demands of playoff hockey begin.
Four years, four Cups, 16 consecutive playoff series wins (a record that would grow to 19 until the rematch with the Oilers the following year). Mike Bossy scored 60 goals yet again, and Wayne Gretzky became acquainted with Billy Smith's crease.
