Plus/Minus - Flyers 4, Islanders 3 (OT): Blown 3-1 lead. Again.

I watched the game at my cousin’s house, where he has a huge Siberian husky who’s just a bit overzealous. Therefore, i only saw about half the game (the other half of the time was either a wall of fur or loads of fangs). But from the part i could see, i sure am hoping Montoya comes back soon.

Rick looked devastated, for what that is worth (which, to me, is nothing). Fischer asked Okposo specifically about his own performance, and KO answered with obvious chagrin, IMO.

Rick is a tandem/backup goalie IMO- at times a good one, and at times not (like tonight) and thats how its gonna stay until the time comes when he would prove otherwise. I dont see it as likely, though.

If Montoya is not ready, I hope Poulin is called up and given the start against the Devs.

But now he’s letting in goals that no NHL goalie should ever let by, but then he makes those great saves as well.

The Islanders cannot win if Rick’s gonna let in those goals. They don’t have the defense or a consistent enough offense to compensate. Letting in a goal 18 seconds into the game is disheartening. Letting one in with 6 minutes to go is disastrous. I’ve always felt Rick’s biggest issue (besides injuries) is focus. When he’s in a scrum or the skaters are flying, he’s in the zone and focused on the puck. When the puck is dumped in off the boards, or a guy breaks in with one defenseman on him or, god forbid, off a routine face-off right in front of his own crease, I think his mind wanders and he’s not ready. That’s how (I think) other teams seem to the “breaks” or “fluky” goals the Islanders don’t.

I won’t hold my breath that this situation is going to change anytime soon.

…..their goalie always gives them a chance to win, Rick always gives them a chance to LOSE – there just isn’t any kinder way to put it…..he’s now approaching a 1 win-out-of 5 LOSS ratio, and I’m inclined to make a baseball/Red Sox analogy here but not sure which pitcher DiPietro would correspond with; only know that he’s likely to be shipped out or his MLB career ended (unless you’re John Lackey, who just needs to be exiled to Devil’s Island) – that simply CANNOT be allowed on a professional sports team which harbors any hopes of making the postseason:(

If you refresh the page, you’ll see the Rec. besides, if you’ve ever flagged a comment before as i unfortunately had to once, you’d know a window would pop up asking you to descibe the problem, or to cancel the flag.

November 23: Anders Nilsson was returned on loan to Bridgeport (AHL). Al Montoya was removed from injured reserve.

We really can’t be sure he has what it takes to make the long haul to the end of the season. I hope he does but with the way things go for this team… For some reason I think Cappy feels the same way we do with DP

But it kinda seems like you and a few others have been knocking him the past few days. Same with no Konopka and stuff. Just joking around with ya. Sorry

This board has gone bi-polar.

We need to stand united. Pretty soon we might be the only isles fans left on the planet.

I love that they brought Haley up and I love that he is a honey badger. I wasn’t laughing at him. I was laughing at the way some people feel about the way other people blow up the fighters to be the answers to the teams woes. Me included in that other people group. But it’s just me and what I like to see. I actually lost my voice tonight screaming at the flyers calling the the broad street Marys. No beefin goin on here Cheech. Just looking to have some fun

Agreed, but i’ll say this much… They seemed to slow down as the game went on. Not perhaps running out of gas, but slower nonetheless. Then again, i couldn’t keep my eyes glued to the screen the entire third, but i doubt that i managed to watch only their worst shifts.

Could be the Islanders second motto. For some games, anyway.

I think the 1st one was crazier.
Butchie said he was screened but IDK- that screen was really far out, he had time to pick up the puck visually.
You think maybe it blended with the black of the uniform?

After watching this team for 40 years, especially the last 5 years, I am sick to death of excuses, moral victories, and "we played well enough to win, but…!! Let’s try just winning a damn game for a change!!!

I’m just tired of the same old STUPID cliches used to justify defeats. IMHO, if you play well enough to win, you SHOULD win. But the Islanders have not played well enough to win lately, and so they haven’t.

basically a simplistic person. Or is that simpleton?? Unbelievably frustrated as well.

Im not seeing how this fits in here, even joking around.

that man wears a suit on tv and attempts to speak in complete sentences

I love JR. That’s funny no matter which way you look at it

If DiPietro were performing like an average goaltender, then it would not even deserve a mention; but since for three years he’s performed like an unhealthy and mostly awful NHL goaltender, I thought it did.

IMO even average would get complaints- we are talking about a fanbase where people complain when he asks for clarification during an interview and boo the guys for being a backup.
I agree that he has definitely not been an average starter over the last three- but IMO it might be better to compare him not to starters but to tandem/reserve goalies.

that is why you’re getting the interviews like you got last night. Last year, that interview would’ve been a bit bubblier (opinion)…more eye contact, a level voice with good volume.

The thing with my friend was that he never BELIEVED he WAS a good goalie. So he didn’t have all of his self-worth wrapped up in that idea. He could come to the realization that he was never very good, was doing us a favor, and had a nice little run where he got lucky for a while and hung out with his buddies.

DP has to go through the process of accepting that he was a pretty good goalie and now his skills have diminished to the point where he is a detriment on a lot of occasions. Imagine what that’s like. Imagine how that is if you apply it to any other job (on a personal level)…a teacher, a doctor, a police officer, an office worker. Imagine what you’d have to say to yourself knowing (as an office worker) that on a daily basis, you may be creating more work for your co-workers or preventing them from achieving raises or bonuses based on productivity.

It’s harder than we acknowledge it being because they are professional athletes. It’s worse because he never fulfilled his potential…it’s even further worse because a lot of it is out of his control at this point.

I’m a teacher, so I have to liken it to continuing to go to in-services and trainings and studying on my own time (after college) while working and continuing to watch my students fail out, get dumber, my school get a horrible reputation, decreased enrollment, others brought it to co-teach with me while I get my shit together etc. Could you imagine?

I suspect it may be 1) a spending issue (if they AHL him, they’re still paying that dough) and 2) an issue of their loyalty to him giving him the leash to reach that realization on his own.

Each year they diminish their dependence on him a little more, collecting goalies and this time making him one of three goalies and mostly using him as a backup. The arrow seems to be pointing away. As close as he is to the owner, you would think they’ve had some difficult “what if” conversations, but maybe they avoid the topic like Aunt Matilda’s dementia.

*merchandise revenue

Too many uniform criticisms seem grounded on a “I just didn’t like it!” or “it was just bad!” without justification.

Surprising. I would have done the sarcasm font, but I always forget the code for it.

As soon as he went to the ice, he looked up in the ref’s direction in a “did you see that?” way, then went back to milking having his head down. And of course he returned quickly.

That dude is such a spineless hockey player. Picks out the not-big Haley out of a pile and turtles. Takes runs, runs goalies and declines Martin’s invitations all last year. Takes one big hit from lightweight Parenteau and THEN he’s ready to fight.

He’s a Flyer now.

He had pretty good chemistry with Grabs. Wouldn’t mind Grabs back with him. I just feel Moulson is too slow for him and PAP now, and Moulson and JT work the same “around the net” area, so I think they should be split. Thinking out loud.

I was shocked at first. But .. there was rumors of a split divided Locker room and that Richards and Carter were not getting along with Pronger. We have not had a Stud Goalie Since Bernie and Pelle (would have been awesome if he didnt die) and Hexy was great but not a stud. Sooooo.. I am happy with the trade. Were probably not going to win this year because we are too inconsistent (signs of a young team) but Next year ? should be a good Run !

Anyhooo.. Happy Bird day ! eat some turkey and watch football and undo your pants and take a nap on the sofa !!!