Lightning 5, Islanders 2: Everything's gone Seguin
"It seems like I've been here before / It seems like I've been here before..."
>>Everything's Gone Green, New Order
So four full days between games was not the answer. After almost a week in Florida, the Islanders opened with a very alarming first period but responded well in the second -- getting the first 11 shots and taking a 2-1 lead -- to force a Lightning timeout. Then a hard but bad-angle Martin St. Louis shot beat Dwayne Roloson to tie it, and shortly afterward a shocking two-on-oh gave the Lightning the lead.
After that, the Islanders reeled. They pinched randomly and carelessly, as if they had one minute instead of 20-plus to get a tying goal. This looks like a fragile, gassed team. Or: A team on a six-game losing streak, that just went 0-4 on the road. It seems I will be paying more attention to Tyler Seguin, Cam Fowler or that hot young "WE NEED TO DRAFT THIS KID NOW!!!1" of the Polynesian League.
Game Sum. | Event Sum. | Corsi | Recaps: nhl.com | Isles
Ah well. This team provided some fun times this year -- certainly more than last. I'm grateful for those. But Garth Snow's deadline decisions are quickly becoming easier, from both a hockey ops, PR and rebuild standpoint.
Ministry of Ironic Juxtaposition: Topic du jour Jeff Tambellini received under 10 minutes of ice time, about two less than Jon Sim (11:46). Sim scored the (momentary) go-ahead goal in typical Sim style, six feet from the goal, while Tambellini drew one of two first-period Islanders powerplays by pressuring Victor Hedman.
Ministry of Ironic Juxtaposition, II: Dustin Kohn received a little more ice time (12:19) and also received a dubious penalty for hitting -- get this -- Steve Downie, the king of careless hits. It was ruled interference, and naturally Downie was offended someone would hit him in a way that might cause bodily harm.
Game Video
- I have no goats for this game: Everyone looked unremarkable. Except Mark Streit, who made multiple outstanding defensive plays to cover up for teammates who had wandered off the ranch. He looks like he's in Olympic form.
- Matt Moulson's first-period goal was a lucky bounce, but it was karmic return from the hockey gods for the Lightning scoring on Kohn's shady penalty. Not lucky, and in fact quite good: Steven Stamkos. Wow.
- For what it's worth, the Corsi figures flattered Rob Schremp, Matt Moulson, Bruno Gervais and Kohn, but I suspect all positive figures were due to the excellent shifts the Islanders put together for the first half of the second.
- Nate Thompson's line against his former mates: minus-1, 14:14 TOI (4:22 on PK), 3 shots, 3 hits, 1 giveaway, 5-4 on faceoffs. So, a Nate Thompson game.
Meanwhile, Columbus won last night under their new coach. Here are your revised overall standings:
I do declare, it feels like I've been here before.
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It IS different, kind of like an ALT season:)
Sorry – still in LOST mode! But seriously, this year, we’ve a got a lot to build upon, certainly more than last year – MM, JT, Hillen, AMac, Kohn…..
Dont forget Schremp...
I think since getting playing time he has shown as much as anyone (well aside from MM maybe). I think the points will come when he clicks with the right line mates, but he gives it his all every shift, and has a much better all around game than advertised.
Or, to put it another way.....
…..we’ve had turbulence to be sure, but the Islanders won’t have broken into so many pieces by April – Islanders 2009-2010 will have made it to the LA X of NHL credibility (if not the playoffs) …..OK, no more LOST allegories – for the rest of the week:)
You’re saying Matty Moulson is the smoke monster, aren’t you.
Yeah, no matter what (well, barring complete collapse), this season is an improvement, a step forward, another necessary step in the process.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
1-That penalty on Dustin Kohn was ridiculously stupid.
2-I now think the Isles will finish the season with 80 points.
3- I no longer think the Isles will make the playoffs… not like I Was all that sure of it even before this losing streak. If the Isles are gonna get creamed in regulation by teams behind them, theres no point in worrying about that. The Isles will wind up better than they did last season, and I just hope that trend continues.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
I think the Isles can still make the playoffs. They’ve been streaky all year, and the last time we made the playoffs showed us you just have to be streaky at the right time.
"So basically, the Stats make no sense whatsoever."
Even if the Islanders win 15 of their next 25 games, they would still have less than a 50% chance of making the playoffs.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Feb 5, 2010 9:15 AM EST up reply actions
forget percentages
It all hinges on JT. Unless he starts scoring and soon, there is virtually NO chance this team will make the playoffs.
If we could have our pick...
I’d rather have Cam Fowler than Taylor Hall. To make a baseball analogy, I think teams like the isles go at their approach to winning slightly backwards. In baseball, if you stock yourself with young pitching, and bring up 5 #1-3 starters, and have more in the minors, you can always trade the extras for batters, and you’ll still succeed.
Similarly, you’ll always need forwards in hockey, given that you tend to play 11-12 of them. But you only need 6 D men, and if you have 6 star D men, well you can always make the playoffs with that, while any other good D prospects you can trade for forwards (or sign em).
If the Isles draft Fowler (god willing), and re-sign sutton for two years, you end up with the following D corp:
Streit-Fowler
Hamonic-De Haan
Hillen-Sutton.
That D Corp gets you into the playoffs at the very least. And it makes you able to go for the Cup with only 4-6 Star Forwards (like say, Okposo, Bailey, Tavares….).
Use the draft to load up on D prospects. Focus on forwards last. That’s how i’d build my team. (ignoring the goal situation)
I’m from the build back-end out school, but in the post-lockout era I’m not as wed to that: Now I think you need a solid D corps but also must have some flat-out star forwards. If there is a known D stud in the draft (sounds like Fowler qualifies), I’m all for it, but otherwise defensemen are hard to project and long to develop, so I wouldn’t weight my drafting in either direction, other than not picking goalies in the first round.
A wild card here is whether they can supplement that with a big-ticket free agent. If so, who, and how, and with how much? Free agents are costly/risky way to do it, but if they’re willing to spend I feel like they need at least one more Streit-type of score.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
Fowler will go either #1 or #2 and I do not see us falling that low
In fact, #4 is probably the lowest we’ll go. In that position, Nino is the only way to go. We can then use whatever picks we acquire at the deadline to move our second rounder up for a talented big physical defenseman and maybe another with our third rounder.
don't forget about all the posts lately
seems like we are a little snake bitten by the posts and croosbar lately, with Taveras hitting another. I know there was a 2nd one but can’t remember who hit it
I think Streit hit two. And point taken. These bounces and the “momentum” flows they seem to feed, they just happen, particularly with a team holding such a thin margin. The Isles weren’t as good as their Dec. 23 through mid January run, and they’re not as bad as a six-game losing streak. And here, even after all this, they’re still just a few wins away from bubble fever.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
it all hinges on JT
If he suddenly reacquires his scoring touch, this team could go on a tear and then who knows. There is no reason to hold anybody back. If Garth gets decent offers for any of our UFAs, he needs to deal. The sole question mark would be Andy. He could probably get a second rounder for him, but we would be hard-pressed to replace what he gives us now or next year.
JTs post made me so sad
What a great move last night, and to sere him so close to being rewarded for it and have it not happen breaks my heart.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Feb 5, 2010 9:16 AM EST up reply actions
The PostMan
Thats the movie I went to and wound up talking and hanging out with Bryan McCabe & his GF.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Feb 5, 2010 4:58 PM EST up reply actions
Ha, noowww I know why you can forgive the can-openers in ’02!
Was that Kevin Costner or Il Postino? As I recall, I … well I wasn’t going to go to either without it being mandated by a hot date. :P
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
HA!
It was the Costner movie! :D It was Christmas night… and my friend Savafan1 and I kept trying to inconspicuously turn around because the Isles Captain was sitting right behind us lol! At the end of the movie I turned around because I didnt want him to leave before I could say hi. He saw me do it, smiled at me, and said hi to us. We sat thre BSing as the credits ended and they cleaned the theater, then we all walked out together and talked some more. Oh, Caber.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Feb 5, 2010 5:42 PM EST up reply actions
LOL!!!!!
It was worth it to hang out with the Caber lol
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Feb 5, 2010 7:00 PM EST up reply actions
I think it may be a bit too early to write the postmortems, but tonights game was so exhausting to watch that I can’t expound on that statement right now. I’ll just say that the misery was encapsulated by the fact the defenseless goal took place during the
Arbour interview, and he seriously looked so distant from the franchise he was watching implode in front of him he might as well been watching a KHL game.
Claude LaPointe didn't make as good a pun, sadly.
by LaChance at Glory on Feb 5, 2010 1:32 AM EST via mobile reply actions
That is some sad stuff right there. The symbolism gives me the heebie-jeebies.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
.. Although if you look at that goal from the opposite standpoint, while the isles D collapsed in too early, what are tanguay
and lecavalier doom eating a Cuban
sandwich in the neutral zone? They got a
once a year lucky one there, and unfortunately it was against us.
Claude LaPointe didn't make as good a pun, sadly.
by LaChance at Glory on Feb 5, 2010 1:36 AM EST via mobile reply actions
Yeah, it really was a mutual cluster of hilarity. Lecavalier got high sticked and stayed down, so he was essentially floating behind the play. Tanguay? Not sure what his excuse was.. But the Islanders completely lost track of two rather significant bodies behind them, which at best is puppy-like enthusiasm.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
That almost reminds me of that game in either Boston or Toronto. Someone from the other team lost their stick and decided to go get it from behind the Isles net. It just so happened to put him in position to make a perfect play, since no one was expecting him to be there when they threw the puck in that direction.
"So basically, the Stats make no sense whatsoever."
Ugh. Yeah, I think that was Toronto.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
hey it just shows what a few games either way can do
look we streaked into a playoff spot, Hillen got hurt, Thompson was let go and Roloson is now splitting time. All these factors have interfered with our cohesiveness(I can’t spell).
That said like many have stated here, a few bounces and a little streak puts us right back in the middle of the pack, but also losing to teams we are fighting with for that spot sucks, not even grabbing a point for an OTL duringthese games
This is not going to be popular but......
I believe Gordon has to go.
This system cannot be sustained for most games, long road trips or long seasons + playoff runs.
Gordon has been succesful in the past with this system with mostly younger kids in a shorter minor league season. As the years go on and our young players turn into older players and may want to add an older veteran, here or there, is he really going to change his style? Changes are eventually going to happen either with a new coach or the coach himself will have to change (this doesnt happen often).
Not enough data
I can’t judge Gordon’s abilities as an NHL coach until he has a deeper roster at his disposal. Right now, three of his four best players are 21 or younger and physically are mere pups. The “shorter minor league season” bit doesn’t really fly: There are 80 games in the AHL, and they’re frankly harder because there are so many three-in-three weekends combined with arduous bus travel.
The hardest task for him is keeping the team — and players thus far say they like him — long enough so that he gets to be around for the payoff when they’re actually good. Will he be the coach who takes this team over the top? Honestly, the odds don’t favor that for any coach. But we’ve got a long while before we could even make an informed decision on the matter.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
Kind of glad we’re moving away from the “bubble”. Gave us too much hope and Garth might of made some unnecessary moves in order to make the playoffs. It now seems like we’re seeing the real team. A team in it’s 2nd year of a rebuild, and I don’t have a problem with that. There’s been some exciting times so far and it’s enough to keep me pumped for the future. I just can’t face more 1st round ousters. I remember before the season started a lot of people were calling for us to sign Alex Tanguay. You know what? He’s got 9 goals. 1 one than Jon Sim! Sometimes I think Garth really knows what he’s doing! ; )
Tom
It now seems like we’re seeing the real team. A team in it’s 2nd year of a rebuild, and I don’t have a problem with that. There’s been some exciting times so far and it’s enough to keep me pumped for the future.
Yeah, me too. I’m fine with all this. I’m actually trying to relish this period where there is little “pressure” to win, too — where we can just watch the kids develop in almost a laboratory setting.
My game recaps may have a bit of bipolarity to them depending on wins and losses, but I find through 82 games I have to do more than repeat “stay the course, thousand points of light, stay the course” after each game or I’ll go crazy.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
The Isles sure are on board with Tanking for Taylor Hall
Nice move by JT in the first period, but you could see how much this slump has got to him by his reaction to hitting the pipe.
Going to be hard to be worse than Edmonton or Carolina, but a 28th place finish is certainly looking feasible. Put that in your pipe and smoke it, Hockey Prospectus! (projected 30th place finish)
Well, not that any team enjoys seeing their team flush a second season in a row, but it appears that having Cam Fowler on the Isles couldn’t be all that bad. Looking at the way the team has traded up for DeHaan last year perhaps if they finish in 28th there is a chance that they could make that move. Although, I cringe at the thought of what they would have to give up to move up that one spot to get him.
Will work...for playoffs.
It's not the system
I’m not sure i’d can him, but I just don’t like scott gordon’s teams. it’s not the “system” (whatever incarnation of it they are playing) that bothers me. His teams have no grit. They don’t hit hard and they seem to always shy away from the battles. I’m not talking about stupid fights by appointment, i am talking about the battles, sometimes fights, sometimes just nasty, purposeful hits, which emenate from the natural flow of a hockey game.
Sometimes those little battles and fights can fire up a team and instill passion whichcan make a difference, especially with the admittedly marginal talent they possess. it amazes me that the best teams in the league can al find a place for a guy who can fight but no one is good enough to crack this lineup of elite scorers like park, comeau, neilsen and the rest of this bunch who go calendar months between goals. Can Trevor Gillies (or anyone like him) skate enough to earn 8-10 minutes in a game? Under Gordon, we will never know.
Not having “grit” has absolutely nothing to do with Gordons system. Like, at all. Do you actually believe Gordon tells his players NOT to be “gritty”?????
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Feb 5, 2010 12:27 PM EST up reply actions
I’m hoping the right personnel will change that. If Matt Martin develops, that might be the infusion of combativeness/attitude they need.
But as far as fighters who can skate 8-10 minutes, I’m 100% certain Gordon has never had that option as Islanders coach. Reich looked like the closest, but he had the injury before training camp. Fritz, Rechlicz and Gillies are objectively detrimental at 5-on-5, much like a lot of the remaining “pure” enforcers in the league, actually (Brashear, Laraque). Someone like Konopka in TB or Rypien in Vancouver or even Rupp in Pittsburgh is the sort of model who will eventually fit, I hope. If Gordon gets that option and doesn’t use it, then I’ll know we have a problem.
Nielsen, despite his offensive slump, does not belong in your target group for this complaint because any replacement for him will bleed goals against something fierce.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
how so?
Domenik, how can you say that Gillies is “obviously detrimental” 5 on 5 when he played 3 minutes in one game? Unless he shot one into his own net on each shift, i think you need a bit more of a sample there, don’t you?
Sorry, in his case I’m going off reports of his AHL play and stats, and the admittedly biased but salient fact that he turned 31 before playing his 2nd NHL game.
You’re right I’d need a much bigger sample than the meaningless shifts he got last week (although ironically he was minus-1 — though I don’t hold that against him). But all the other factors lead me to think it’s a safe assumption. I suspect they signed him specifically because they could bring him in for one game and it was no waiver risk.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
It is still early...
It is but whatever happens it i a win for the Isles. If they make it to the playoffs then thats great. More valuable experience for the youngsters and a step in the right direction. If they dont they are in line for another top 10 pick. Which this team could really use. KO, JT, JB and another highly skilled Dman or forward to ass to the stable. This is year 2 of a rebuild. No matter wat happens i am already satisfied.
by Oleg Kvasha All Star on Feb 5, 2010 12:37 PM EST reply actions
This is year 2 of a rebuild. No matter what happens i am already satisfied.
At the risk of being assigned ot a Low Expectation Society, that is how I feel too. They’ve made progress, the youngsters are getting another year under their belts, we’re learning more about who is part of the longer picture … this is ultimately what I hoped from Year 2. I still think Snow’s biggest tests are in the years ahead.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
One of those challenges will be meeting the floor next year.
I’d like to publicly declare that I am available to be signed to a 15-year contract.
See, you’re going about it all wrong. You need to declare your candidacy to take a one-year, multi-million-dollar salary, do your time without pining about ice time, then agree to go away after the year is up to make room for the next veteran floor warmer.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
hence the caption
i agree, it’s not the system, which is why i captioned my post “not the system”. It is obvious that he does not prefer players who play the physical game, since when he gets one, they never play. No, i don’t think he tells his players not to have grit, but I see no signs that he encourages that style. just watch his press conferences, the guy is very mild. There is no question that attribute transfers itself to the way this team plays, which is, well, mostly, mild when it comes to physical play. i still retch when i recall a game last year when comeau was challenged in Atlanta and basically took 2-3 punches in the face without even sticking up for himself. He won’t stand up for himself, so why would we expect him to come to the aid of a teammate? We don’t and he doesn’t. Ask JT if he would appreciate a little cover once in a while, instead of having to make jokes about what Pronger said before he crushed him. The lack of defense for that kid by his teammates this year is shameful.
It doesnt work like that
Teams are NOT as mild or in-your-face as their coach’s press conferences, come on. This kind of correlation simply does not exist in real life. If they did, the Rangers would be the toughest team in the NHL instead of the pillow-soft group we all know and hate.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
While I agree that Snow and Gordon are a little too vanilla for my liking, I don’t think they have a bearing on how tough the team is. Garth didn’t take any crap when he was playing, but I don’t think he’ll go to the locker room and give the troops and speeches to inspire them to go out and fight. I can’t remember a Islander team that has gone out and kept up hit for hit or outhit an opponent in a game in many, many years. I’d also like the guys to stick up for themselves and not take crap from the other teams. Are they just trying to have the other team take a stupid penalty?
I can’t remember a Islander team that has gone out and kept up hit for hit or outhit an opponent in a game in many, many years.
OK I am scratching my head on this one. We are all watching the NY Islanders, right? The Isles outhit the opposing team in probably at least 60 of their games last season. Hitting has NOT been a problem for this team, scoring (and preventing) goals HAS.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Feb 5, 2010 3:38 PM EST up reply actions
Really? Maybe I’m watching a different Islanders, but as long as I can remember we’ve never seemed as aggressive (hitting wise, not forechecking) as the other team.
Hunter was a hitting machine for this team for a pretty long while. They seem to have had him reduce the hitting this season significantly… I think they thought it would lead to him producing more. Honestly, I think he has gone to far in the other directiona nd would be better off hitting more than he is presently hitting once again.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Feb 5, 2010 4:16 PM EST up reply actions
I’ve been wondering if he’s chosen to dial it back because of his frequent injuries. Be interesting to see how he approaches next year after a summer of relative rest.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
Yup, I have wondered the exact same thing.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Feb 5, 2010 4:30 PM EST up reply actions
Just to make sure Im not imagining hits here, I looked at the Isles stats since the lockout in terms of hitting:
09-10: Isles are #10 overall in hits
08-09: Isles were #10 overall in hits
07-08: Isles were #12 overall in hits
06-07: Isles were #4 overall in hits
05-06: Isles were #7 overall in hits
You can check the numbers right here: http://www.nhl.com/ice/app
(look under real time, and you will see hits, blocked shots, etc.) Speaking of which, blocked shots is another category where I believe the Isles have been consistently in the top portion of the league.
The Isles are not the soft team people imagine. They are hitting more and blocking more shots than most teams. They just arent winning because they need to score some more damn goals.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Feb 5, 2010 4:29 PM EST up reply actions
OK, Chick, good research. Maybe I’m just frustrated at the lack of wins and I’m seeing something else. Maybe I’m imagining this, but it seems we get a lot of our shots blocked. Can you look that one up? I swear, I watch the games. It might be that I’m gonna be 45 and the memory isn’t what it used to be. ; )
Oh you arent the only one fruustrated with that believe me! For me this season, I feel like the Isles are shooting WWWIIIIDDDEEE or over the net or hitting the damn post more than ever. It drives me crazy, I just notice it ALL the time I guess. When youre thinking of something, I guess you notice it more.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Feb 5, 2010 4:56 PM EST up reply actions
I think it is a factor, but irrespective of the cause, the currently constituted Islanders are Norweigan down compared to the standard foam pillow softness of the Rag$.
by randyboyd on Feb 5, 2010 3:34 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
I must commend this simply for the careful attention to fine sleep products.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.

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