Bits: Wednesday night was why NHL playoff hockey is fantastic
by Dominik on Apr 21, 2011 6:30 AM EDT
in Bits o' Islanders News
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I don't know what was cooler about Wednesday night's slate of five games -- the fact that two games went to double OT, the fact that the unheralded Nashville-Anaheim series saw its fourth exciting game (and another episode of "Teemu Selanne: Life after 40 Ain't Bad"), or the fact that our Rangers fan brethren came up with an impressive, English-soccer-style chant to do their part...but their team still let them down by blowing a 3-0 third-period lead.
Suffice to say, the value of the NHL Center Ice package declines with each year of Versus' "no really, we can cover three games in overlapping time slots," but regardless of that, Wednesday was why I'm an NHL fan.
And now, a bevy of links from Keith after the jump:
First, in-network back-scratching: NHL Playoff reactions from last night's SBN components -- Die by the Blade on the Sabres' win | Broad Street Hockey on the Flyers' loss | Blueshirt Banter on the Rangers' collapse (please gawk, but do not troll) | JJapers' Rink on the Caps' win | On the Forecheck on the Preds' third-period collapse against Anaheim
Oh, one more: I happen to sympathize with Mike Richards here. Patrick Kaleta is a predatory player, period. I classify him as dirty, among the lower form who try to find situational loopholes to get away with d-bag plays. Just because he often gets away with it doesn't change that. If Kaleta's Cooke-ishness were disciplined more, maybe his opponents wouldn't be tempted to protect themselves with elbows high. As it is, too often they have to take matters into their own hands.
On to Keith's links...
Isles News
2010-11 Islanders End Of Season Media Guide.pdf (application/pdf Object) (Skates on a Plane)
Many interesting and useful stats inside. I have not yet begun to scratch the surface. Matt Moulson on the cover.
The real Mike Bossy(?) is on twitter (@Bossy5050)
Jack Capuano on Hockey Night Live
Prospect News
New York Islanders possess offensive firepower at CHL level - Hockey's Future
Write-ups on Niederreiter, Cizikas, Kabanov, deHaan, DeHart and Toews.
ISLANDERS AGREE TO TERMS WITH MCNEELY - SoundTigers.com
Since a space was open anyway due to Figren leaving...It is a two-way contract by the way.
LHH on the McNeely signing
Leonard Cohen on Alexandra Leaving (From Dom: You don't really need to click that. It just fit the theme, you know?)
Portland Winterhawks (Niederreiter playoff schedule and audio/video info)
LewistonHockey.com (Kabanov playoff schedule and audio/video info)
Mississauga St. Michael's Majors (Cizikas playoff schedule and audio/video info)
Blake Kessel named Alternate Captain for UNH 2011-2012 Season
I guess he's staying in school.
Around the NHL
Broad Street Hockey
Something we have all talked about being a problem for the Islanders, Broad Street Hockey starts to track their zone entries. Nice job here.
Quisp from Jewels from the Crown on the NHL's ambiguous approach to headshots (from Dominik: This is why Quisp is a must-read.)
New NHL/NBC TV contract a big deal for Nashville - On the Forecheck
Explains some of how the salary cap and revenue sharing work in relation to television deals.
NHL - History vs. History
Vote on the best "History Will be Made" commercials in "March Madness" style bracketology.
First Annual Fanpost Contest - Behind The Net
For the statistically inclined, you could win prizes and the respect of your fellow man.
* * *
Keep sharing links in FanShots and such. And posting your thought-provoking FanPosts. But also feel free to use posts like this one to add links in comments. It's a long summer. We'll help each other get through it.
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I’m really looking forward to DeHart and Cizikas arriving in the bigs.
And Leonard Cohen is God.
There's a mountain of buoyant nostalgia under this team and it's going to erupt like Vesuvius when the Islanders are back in playoff contention.... Count on it.
by Nova Scotia Isles Fan on Apr 21, 2011 9:07 AM EDT reply actions
I figured we had to have a Cohen fan among us…
Lighthouse Hockey: Send us your cold, your poor, your healthy goalies.
Soon
We will have enough for a Leonard Cohen cover band!
“Democracy is coming…to Nassau County.”
Lighthouse Hockey: Send us your cold, your poor, your healthy goalies.
Bossy Twitter?
Are you asking if it’s real Dom? It’s been Verified by Grabs and a few other sources.
"had to take a Campbell and wipe my Bettman" Skeeterman
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
He went from 6 followers
To 396 in about 10 seconds yesterday. It’s the real deal. Hornick and 7th Woman also confirmed.
"Gervais...he looks danger in the fist with his face!" JPinVA
Website: Lighthousehockey.com Twitter: @KeithLHHockey
by Keith Quinn on Apr 21, 2011 9:14 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Anyone?
Anyone else feeling really good about the way the Rags/Caps game went last night? I’ve been smiling all morning.
by SchneiderDiricov on Apr 21, 2011 9:17 AM EDT reply actions
Yep.
Currently a good luck charm for the Canucks.... whether I like it or not.
by ICanSeeForIslesAndIsles on Apr 21, 2011 1:01 PM EDT up reply actions
Was at three different bars in DC last night
But I have to say I know it was a Wed but it was a little subdued. The first bar didn’t even have the game on until I asked. I thought people here would be much more hyped. The wildest bar I went to was the hotel bar at the end of the night where all the Rags fans saw my Isles hat and said “at least were not the Islanders” or my favorite "islanders? My condolences ". Hahaha. Comedians until the bartender did two shots with me. One for a game five blowout. (wash if course) and one for mike bossy. Nice guy. The Rags fans then did one fir the KC Inlanders. (I told ya they were funny ). And then I told then I couldn’t hear then. We must be at MSG. Then I heard the wife texting me WTF!!!! Where are U???? And made a quick retreat. Yelling 4 in a row as I left. Haha great night in DC
by Torch7 on Apr 21, 2011 9:17 AM EDT via mobile reply actions 8 recs
This is a great story...
…as long as you weren’t shooting woo-woo’s!
10 year contract with NBC means the NHL will need Islanders vs Rangers as much as they need TOR v MON, WAS v PIT or DET v COL… So I’m pretty sure drinking to the “KC” Islanders is like drinking to Jennifer Aniston for those guys.
Here’s to 80, 81, 82, 83…(txt from wife… txt back “I’ll be about 18 years honey… don’t wait up”) I’ll take one for 84, 93… and 2011!
Lighthouse Hockey: where "you better check yourself before you rec yourself" -bobl
If your life isn't pathetic enough already, follow me on twitter @JPinVA
lol, funny story. There's that many ranger fans in DC?
Proud Islanders fan, the organization that iced the greatest team to ever play the game, whom won 4 consecutive cups. I'm bleeding Blue and Orange.
Let's go Islanders! Beep...Beep...Beep.Beep.Beep.
Datsyuk IS the best player in the nhl
Is David Toews allowed to play in Bridgeport next year?
Even if he is not able to yet, we are going to have a lot of prospects playing there. Really looking forward to the Islanders and Sound Tigers seasons next year
He was an overager for the Wheat Kings this year
So he could have played in BP this year, of course after his so-so showing at UND, not surprised they had him play in Juniors.
"had to take a Campbell and wipe my Bettman" Skeeterman
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
true story
As I’m watching the overtime yesterday, every time Bryan McCabe touched the puck, I started chanting “Gonna SCORE IN MY OWN NET!” And then Gaborik pulled it off. (“Not even a defenseman and I *scored in my own net!”*)
Although Chimera annoyed me. Just skate to your teammates, what’s with the “skate past everyone and do my own thing” thing? Gaborik did all the work, smacked the puck right off your fat gut, and you’re gonna act like you Ovechkin’d it?
(PS – what a beast. You see him go through Staal and get that shot off? WOW.)
We may be in the box, but you get the penalty.
Lighthouse Hockey - a beacon of greatness on the rocky coast of sports blog mediocrity
Non-hockey scribblings at nightflyblog
lol, voodoo magic.
Proud Islanders fan, the organization that iced the greatest team to ever play the game, whom won 4 consecutive cups. I'm bleeding Blue and Orange.
Let's go Islanders! Beep...Beep...Beep.Beep.Beep.
Datsyuk IS the best player in the nhl
Japer's Rink found the Tortorella facepalm
"Gervais...he looks danger in the fist with his face!" JPinVA
Website: Lighthousehockey.com Twitter: @KeithLHHockey
by Keith Quinn on Apr 21, 2011 10:13 AM EDT reply actions 8 recs
d'oh!
We may be in the box, but you get the penalty.
Lighthouse Hockey - a beacon of greatness on the rocky coast of sports blog mediocrity
Non-hockey scribblings at nightflyblog
nice, what perfect game to watch
I love a good NY crowd. Gives me chills. And the 2nd period last night really was the goods.
Then for the Caps to come all the way back, then for the Rags to have hope after the Ovie missed breakaway, THEN to lose the game on that bullshit play. Well, that gave me chills too.
For a minute I was jealous of the Rags fans. I miss the playoffs. I want the Isles in sooooo bad.
But the Rags losing an excruciating game for them and effectively ending their season? About as good as it can get.
"It don't make you a bad person" - Ron Bennington
About as good as it can get
And also a reminder that that desperate desire for the playoffs comes with one hell of a deflating hangover.
I mean, I didn’t think I could see a more brutal loss than LA’s to San Jose on Tuesday, and then I see one the very next night. Incredible. This game, I swear…
Lighthouse Hockey: Send us your cold, your poor, your healthy goalies.
I can almost hear the slapping sound.
Currently a good luck charm for the Canucks.... whether I like it or not.
by ICanSeeForIslesAndIsles on Apr 21, 2011 1:07 PM EDT up reply actions
Nice
Lundqvist’s reaction to Gaborik poking the puck away from him was so awesome. “You idiot! You just PAP-celebrated our season.”
Nice.
Was this after the Gaborik GW goal?
I bet there’s some Ranger fans wishing Gabby got a 10 game and first suspension for his hit on Neilsen right about now, eh? EH?
Yeah, right after
I think this is from the MSG feed…I couldn’t find anything on youtube that wasn’t versus and showed this. I wanted to gif it up. I’ll keep looking though.
"Gervais...he looks danger in the fist with his face!" JPinVA
Website: Lighthousehockey.com Twitter: @KeithLHHockey
You guys might like this as well
http://gaborikoopsie.ytmnd.com/
"Playin hurt, baby that don't faze me. I don't got time for pain. The only pain I've got time for is the pain I put on fools who don't know what time it is!"
"You can't come in my kitchen, kick my dog, and take a box full of ballpoints! Your ass must be crazy!"
by Semi_Colon on Apr 21, 2011 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
lololol
Everything’s better with the sad Price is Right trumpets.
And remember to help control the pest populatoin – have your Avery spayed or neutered!
We may be in the box, but you get the penalty.
Lighthouse Hockey - a beacon of greatness on the rocky coast of sports blog mediocrity
Non-hockey scribblings at nightflyblog
by mikb on Apr 22, 2011 1:36 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
It really wasn't even Gaborik's fault
The puck deflected off of Caber’s shin pads and was rolling on edge through the slot area … Gaborik did what 99% of hockey players would do … pursue the loose puck and clear it into the corner … He had Chimera also in full pursuit … Henrik took a step … hesitated … and then decided he wanted to cover up the puck … If Gaborik didn’t get to the puck then Chimera would of poked it passed Henrik anyway and then had the easy tap in… That is why Henrik decided to get to the puck… he was concerned Chimera might win that race.
It was just one of those freak plays. If Henrick had stayed in his crease he’d of had a fighting chance. Keep in mind 5 games into the series and two thirds into the 2nd OT the mind relexes begin to soften.
by 19 Isle in NJ 22 on Apr 21, 2011 7:40 PM EDT up reply actions
Freak play indeed
But it’s the Rangers — no reason to bring reason into this!
It also struck me as a fat rebound, if memory serves.
Lighthouse Hockey: Send us your cold, your poor, your healthy goalies.
Figren Farewell...
The last pre-snow draft class has come to judgement day 1.
Kyle… still have high hopes for Kyle… let’s see what his contract offer looks like.
Jesse… made a case for himself this year, but he’ll have to do much better in a shorter audition next year because the folks on line behind him may be getting a little impatient.
Robin… I thought this was a damn good pick one year in… but hindsight sees Marchand and Clusterfutz(yeah, I said it) being the choices there.
Rhett… I may be way too high on Rhett… but he’s earned every bit of it. I really expect him to push his way through at some point this year.
Jase… you might have to check the little box in the back of the lost and found for this guy.
tomas Marcinko… still has a shot at being an AHL contributor somewhere… but his time is running out in BPT.
Doug Rogers took his Harvard education to Wheeling WV… I bet he enjoys his trips to the local Piggly Wiggly
Shane Sims…. look like he’ll get a look next year… RH Defenseman… WHO KNOWS
Andy Mac… Definitely the BEST VALUE of the Smith/Nolan Draft class…. no offense to Kyle, but Amac was the #1 defender this year as a 6th rounder who still has the smell of ECHL on his luggage.
Brian Day… another in a series of RH talent that will get a look next year.
Ridderwall… looks like he still has a SEL career…. we were pretty igh on him two years ago… who knows?
Mattila…. I think it’s safe to say he’s on the same career path as Cody Rosen.
Lighthouse Hockey: where "you better check yourself before you rec yourself" -bobl
If your life isn't pathetic enough already, follow me on twitter @JPinVA
Ridderwall… looks like he still has a SEL career…. we were pretty igh on him two years ago… who knows?
Had an awful playoffs combined with a poor 2nd half in the SEL, his SEL team isn’t renewing his contract.
"had to take a Campbell and wipe my Bettman" Skeeterman
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
thanks Webby
amazing how far he’s fallen as an NHL prospect.
Lighthouse Hockey: where "you better check yourself before you rec yourself" -bobl
If your life isn't pathetic enough already, follow me on twitter @JPinVA
Kessel Mess Hell
I Blake stays to be an alternate and then captain he could possibly join an Islander team with a defense that looks like this:
Andrew Macdonald-Travis Hamonic
Matt Donovan-Ty Wishart
Calvin deHaan-Tony Dehart/Mark Katic/Anton Klementyev
He is RH, but these kids will have the benefit of playing with each other in the system for two years… and if the Isles shoud get Larsson or Hamilton in this year’s draft maybe the Isles can make Burke’s dream come true… but instead of it beaing the Schenn’s he’ll have to settle for the Kessel’s.
Lighthouse Hockey: where "you better check yourself before you rec yourself" -bobl
If your life isn't pathetic enough already, follow me on twitter @JPinVA
I just read in the Wash Post
That Rags fans replaced the Potvin S**ks chants with Bordeau Sucks. Is this true?
by Torch7 on Apr 21, 2011 11:14 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
Technically
I’d say the cadence and measure I heard made it a very different chant. (more “Boooooodreau…SUCKS”) but I may have missed some that were done in the traditional “Pot-vin-sucks” style.
Lighthouse Hockey: Send us your cold, your poor, your healthy goalies.
Yeah, I heard a short Bodreau Sucks chant
In the same measure and tone as the Potvin one.
Currently a good luck charm for the Canucks.... whether I like it or not.
by ICanSeeForIslesAndIsles on Apr 21, 2011 1:11 PM EDT up reply actions
What a game last night!
- Marc Staal is pretty awesome, and they used him to high heaven, and boyyy did he look tired near the game’s end.
- Besides a Gaborik shot here and there, the Rags in OT were just hangin on for dear life (onto Queen Henrietta’s coattails). They need what we got, and we need what they got, but that’s where it will stay.
- Washington implemented Operation Chimera on poor tired Caber. Perhaps not seeing the unrestrained Caps forward, Henrietta waited for the puck to roll to him. Perhaps SEEING the oncoming Chimera, Gaborik freaked out and made a desperate swat at the rolling puck, IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. Classic.
- No Callahan = no comeback. See you on the links Boyes! What’s that, John Tavares would look good in red n blue? Nah, we’re good bro, but thanks for askin’…oh and thanks for giving us a 20G, 50P winger and a #1 goalie. Wouldya like a 5 iron for this one?
"Seriously that's the last time you guys f#@%ing won?" -RSH (about beating the Penguins in '93)
They need what we got (scoring forwards, playmakers) and we need what they got (good big young D)
"Seriously that's the last time you guys f#@%ing won?" -RSH (about beating the Penguins in '93)
Poetic, really
The use of Staal reminds me of what Quenneville used to do with Pronger in St. Louis when they’d face Detroit. They were overmatched, so the only choice was to rely heavily on Pronger as an equalizer, but in the end he would get overused, tired, and overexposed.
Oh, and one difference between Pronger at that age and Staal now: Staal can handle it without taking stupid penalties. Pronger, alas, could not.
Lighthouse Hockey: Send us your cold, your poor, your healthy goalies.
Their D will be great in a year or 2
Staal, Girardi, Sauer, McDonagh, Del Zotto, Gilroy, McIlrath…maybe we can pry McIlrath from them for one of our forward prospects. Who would you give up?
/shudders in fear of getting short end of stick
"Seriously that's the last time you guys f#@%ing won?" -RSH (about beating the Penguins in '93)
In two years...
Ranger Islander games should be classic again… and worthy of NBC (SUNDAY) and VS SHOWCASE GAMES.
We are a 220 lb mobile right hander away from having an even better defense in the works. Doug Hamilton may solve that, but we’d be looking ahead 3-4 years before we could expect that kind of contribution.
“RIGHT” now this is why signing Marty is important… and why Snow needs to look for a veteran defender in that mold for two-three years.
Lighthouse Hockey: where "you better check yourself before you rec yourself" -bobl
If your life isn't pathetic enough already, follow me on twitter @JPinVA
I feel like for 3 years Snow’s been lookin for a needle in a stack of needles…He’s got a better chance of saving Private Ryan than finding 6’4" 220lbs. of mobile right-handed defense.
Dammit, we don’t need all these bishops: Donovan, de Haan, Hillen, Ness. Let’s trade a couple for a knight.
"Seriously that's the last time you guys f#@%ing won?" -RSH (about beating the Penguins in '93)
Agreed
One problem is that we annually go through all 8 pawns within 15 moves. One of the guys mentioned((add Katic), a 2-3rd pick and a huge amount of cap space need to be mentioned one every call during draft day:
Riiiiiiing
“Hello, you have reached the NY Islanders draft table. The Islanders would like to remind you that the current list of defensemen, Calvin deHaan….Mark Katic are available if you have a big mobile crease clearer available…with cap/budget concerns…draft choices/swaps are also available… if you need to speak to an Islander representative please hold”
/holds
“Hi, this is Lil’ Wang, how can I help you?”
“Hey i Wanglet, this is Brian Burke over at the next table… (waves),.. I just wanted to see if that Kaberle endless loop answerer is working for you guys. Looks like it’s working fine… see ya later”
Lighthouse Hockey: where "you better check yourself before you rec yourself" -bobl
If your life isn't pathetic enough already, follow me on twitter @JPinVA
That's the trouble
I think for a trade like that to ever be possible, the Isles need to develop more of their bishops to the point that they actually look like bishops.
I’m all for dealing from surplus, but right now they’d be dealing from a pledge of a surplus:
“Yeah, we got nifty, mobile puckmovers. Come look.”
>>Wait, are they NHL puckmovers?
“Yeah, well I mean maybe, I mean one for sure, maybe two, three if we’re lucky.”
Lighthouse Hockey: Send us your cold, your poor, your healthy goalies.
I've never been told, "Hey Bry, you are soooo patient."
I mean, I get it(?) The huge D prospects out there, tho they may not develop NHL skills ‘n’ smarts, ALREADY look like NHL knights, whereas our Katics and Donovans def have skills, but haven’t proven they can handle being on the NHL chessboard(?).
Garth, I guess, focused on skilled, puckmoving Dmen over “SIZE for size’s sake” in the hopes, I guess, that when they blossomed they would be a more valuable asset, whether retained or relinquished. Let’s see what he actually drafted on D:
2007 62nd pick Mark Katic
2007 166th pick Blake Kessel
Okay he got one big guy, one small guy. Only Dmen of note in that range who I’ve heard of is the Habs’ Yannick Weber, a small PP specialist, and LA’s Alec Martinez, a big mobile D. Neither project as top 4, so I guess Garth did ok here.
I’ll try and do the same for Garth’s 2008-2010 drafts when I have time.
"Seriously that's the last time you guys f#@%ing won?" -RSH (about beating the Penguins in '93)
It'd be an interesting risk to take
Swapping a maybe small skill guy for a maybe big oaf type.
Also, everyone needs a first time, so: “Bry, you are sooooo patient.”
Lighthouse Hockey: Send us your cold, your poor, your healthy goalies.
I can't imagine a trade like that happening
Purely because it’s the Rangers. I think both sides would be so averse to the possibility of making a bad deal that it wouldn’t happen. Plus there have been so few trades between the two franchises (Jyri Niemi for a draft pick last year was the first trade between the teams since 1972) that I don’t see us making a swap of upper-end prospects where there is so much uncertainty and risk of having it backfire.
True...
It’s more likely that we release a guy like Comeau when he becomes a UFA and he winds up a Ranger after a stop over in Western Canada for a few years.
In return they might trade one of those “D” to a budget concerned sun belter for an over-priced and even more over-rated wing… That team won’t be able to sign the defenseman either and we’ll pick him up to try to win our third cup in four years.
Lighthouse Hockey: where "you better check yourself before you rec yourself" -bobl
If your life isn't pathetic enough already, follow me on twitter @JPinVA
the only problem they have with their defense
Sauer, Mcdonagh, Mcllrath, even staal and girardi to a certain extent
none of these guys are exactly offensive puck moving defensemen
with the exception of del zotto theyre all shut down defensmen, i mean Staal and girardi have decent points production but theyre no PP QBs, and its too early to tell what Del Zotto will turn out like
"Mario Lemiuex… I used to respect you."- Turgeon1992
McIlrath will suck. You guys want nothing to do with him, at least not right now. Wait until his stock plummets and sign him in the off-season as an Andy Sutton type. They will regret that pick, hard.
First Round Exit! (Clap Clap ClapClapClap) First Round Exit!
Physical gritty defensemen are very easy to come by
Really dont know wtf sather was thinking, at the very least he should have tried to trade down or something and still couldnt picked up Mcllrath
"Mario Lemiuex… I used to respect you."- Turgeon1992
I think they heard whispers that other guys were looking at McIlrath, they may not have been wrong. I just think in this day and age it’s silly to take a guy who dominated by being more physically mature than his competition, but has questions on his skating and puck skills. That physical edge won’t last forever, and if you can’t skate and think you can’t play.
Team Canada invited 20 D to their WJC camp at the end of the summer. None of them were named “Dylan McIlrath.” A few of them were undrafted or not yet eligible to be drafted. Normally a first round pick is a lock for at least an invite, and you know Team Canada loves them some mean, physical, SOBs. That sets of flags for me.
First Round Exit! (Clap Clap ClapClapClap) First Round Exit!
Didnt know he wasnt invited to World juniors camp
that makes that pick look even more ridiculous. As if the rangers didnt have enough shutdown defensemen
"Mario Lemiuex… I used to respect you."- Turgeon1992
The mythical Big Crease Clearing Defenseman is the most overrated commodity in all of hockey.
First Round Exit! (Clap Clap ClapClapClap) First Round Exit!
Sometimes
Another team beats you to your guy and you live to praise the day. It sounds like Sather just got so locked into “OG NEED BIG DEFENDER, TAKE SIZE” that he missed the warning signs. Meanwhile, Anaheim shrugs and takes Cam Fowler two spots later. High fives all around!
We may be in the box, but you get the penalty.
Lighthouse Hockey - a beacon of greatness on the rocky coast of sports blog mediocrity
Non-hockey scribblings at nightflyblog
This should be on a banner on draft day
I just think in this day and age it’s silly to take a guy who dominated by being more physically mature than his competition, but has questions on his skating and puck skills.
Posted at every corner, like a 1984 motto.
Lighthouse Hockey: Send us your cold, your poor, your healthy goalies.
Or you could just look at how PHI used him against CHI.
First Round Exit! (Clap Clap ClapClapClap) First Round Exit!
True
I was thinking more of the respective early stage of their careers though, like running a young thoroughbred into the ground. To be fair, Pronger was (finally) in excellent shape at that age, after showing up to his first camp with the Blues as the lowest performer on the VO2 test. But it still took him a while to learn how to pace himself under that heavy usage. And the douchiness, well, that was harder to shake.
Lighthouse Hockey: Send us your cold, your poor, your healthy goalies.
Besides a Gaborik shot here and there, the Rags in OT were just hangin on for dear life (onto Queen Henrietta’s coattails).
That’s been their MO for years now. If the queen ever gets hurt, the team will collapse.
"had to take a Campbell and wipe my Bettman" Skeeterman
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
Maybe in November we should have a Thanksgiving Day Post
Thank you to:
The Panthers for putting Michael Grabner on waivers…
The Kings for setting Matt Moulson adrift….
The Bruins for not giving Scott Gordon an opportunity to be your head coach… which landed us John Tavares.
The Rangers for releasing PA Parenteau, who became our defacto first line RW.
The Coyotes (can’t give the Rangers credit for everything) for letting Al Montoya stabilize our goaltending situation long term.
The Bolts for seeing the value in an aging goaltender who still had something in the tank… that value being a huge upgrade at 6/7 defender.
The Canadiens for not believing that Mark Streit was a top pair defenseman.
And possibly in the future…
29 GM’s for not thinking that Kirill Kabanov was worth the headaches… TWICE
Lighthouse Hockey: where "you better check yourself before you rec yourself" -bobl
If your life isn't pathetic enough already, follow me on twitter @JPinVA
by JPinVA on Apr 21, 2011 12:40 PM EDT up reply actions 5 recs
Let this be green!
And… done.
Currently a good luck charm for the Canucks.... whether I like it or not.
by ICanSeeForIslesAndIsles on Apr 21, 2011 1:14 PM EDT up reply actions
lol, let me see if I can add:
The Ducks for helping us turn a 3rd round pick into a 2nd rounder+(wiz)
The Wings for showing the world how much of a douche Nabokov is.
The Capitals for knocking the Rangers out of the 1st round quickly(let it be done)
The Devils for making us the 2nd worst team in the East for a while.
The Av’s for rebuilding so we no longer have to hear “Av’s are in the playoffs, so Duchene>JT” (lol)
The Thrashers taking schremp to allow JB to mature more properly and show that schremp is a mediocre bottom 6er at best.
Proud Islanders fan, the organization that iced the greatest team to ever play the game, whom won 4 consecutive cups. I'm bleeding Blue and Orange.
Let's go Islanders! Beep...Beep...Beep.Beep.Beep.
Datsyuk IS the best player in the nhl
by OzzyFan on Apr 21, 2011 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
And why not?
Currently a good luck charm for the Canucks.... whether I like it or not.
by ICanSeeForIslesAndIsles on Apr 21, 2011 7:53 PM EDT up reply actions
I know you love to beat on Gordon
But I think that’s more to blame on DP not being healthy. I don’t think Al Arbour could have coached that team out of a wet bag with MacDonald and Danis goaltending.
"had to take a Campbell and wipe my Bettman" Skeeterman
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
Honestly...
I don’t dislike Scott Gordon at all… As I pointed out in that fan Post when the transition happened… he was just the wrong guy for this team. I think somebody who would have taken what was left of the Isles carcass and and got it to play sound defensive hockey in a system that younger players could be moved in and out of without much of a learning curve and they don’t finish dead last. It was definitley evident the next year as well…. and the beginning of this year.
I knwo this isn’t plausable for other reasons, but even if Nolan signs on for the “rebuild” it would have been self-defeating in that he would have kept them playing good defensive hockey… and that would have cost them a chance for Tavares.
Mac and Danis were not NHL goaltenders… but they got Streit… and the defense often looked like unsupervised 3rd graders in the cafeteria…. not to mention the incredible amount of odd man rushes they had to defend because sir pinch-a-lot had every defensemen behind the opposing goal line at every opportunity.
look at how fast a ten game losing streak was turned into a playoff capable team…. did they suck as badly as they looked from game 6-26?
Lighthouse Hockey: where "you better check yourself before you rec yourself" -bobl
If your life isn't pathetic enough already, follow me on twitter @JPinVA
- No Callahan = no comeback.
I was talking to a couple of Rangers fans at the Symphony X Show tonight and they said the same thing. They miss him SO much. They are also pissed that Lundqvist isnt a Vezina nominee.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Apr 23, 2011 1:15 AM EDT up reply actions
lol, I went to the symphony x concert at the best buy theater tonight too with my ranger friends.
I had to wear one of my friend’s ranger hat(against choice/will) so they wouldn’t lose it crowd surfing or in the mosh pit. That concert was pretty epic. I’ve seen em 3 times now, romeo is an insane guitarist and the whole band is great. Opening acts were meh.
Proud Islanders fan, the organization that iced the greatest team to ever play the game, whom won 4 consecutive cups. I'm bleeding Blue and Orange.
Let's go Islanders! Beep...Beep...Beep.Beep.Beep.
Datsyuk IS the best player in the nhl
Just checked out Symphony X
They seem pretty cool. I too was at a kick-ass concert last night. Coheed & Cambria played their first album at Starland Ballroom.
\m/ \m/
"Seriously that's the last time you guys f#@%ing won?" -RSH (about beating the Penguins in '93)
Coheed and Cambria aren't bad, they have a cool rush-like sound/type-of-music.
Proud Islanders fan, the organization that iced the greatest team to ever play the game, whom won 4 consecutive cups. I'm bleeding Blue and Orange.
Let's go Islanders! Beep...Beep...Beep.Beep.Beep.
Datsyuk IS the best player in the nhl
I saw them open for Heaven & Hell on what was the great Ronnie James Dios final tour. Good job on their part, but I Was waiting to see GODS, so- you know, I didnt enjoy it as much as I may otherwise have.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Apr 24, 2011 12:06 PM EDT up reply actions
I was standing behind the pit, near the back of the floor by the steps. Maybe you were close by lol. I usually give a bit of stink-eye to any Rags gear I see so if I saw you Im sorry lol.
It was a good show, I didnt even bother with the opening acts. I actually bought the ticket to see Nevermore more than anything else, but they came off the tour- and unfortunately look to be no more. Symphony X should have played longer- they played for an hour, then did a 20 minute 1-song encore. When 2/3 of the bill drops off a tour, IMO its your duty as the sole remaining name on the bill to play a bit more than that!
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Apr 24, 2011 12:10 PM EDT up reply actions
So No one missed the Shootout Last night?
Shocking…
"had to take a Campbell and wipe my Bettman" Skeeterman
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
by Mark D on Apr 21, 2011 11:47 AM EDT reply actions 5 recs
my girlfriend did....but she's stupid
"It don't make you a bad person" - Ron Bennington
by Pauly C on Apr 21, 2011 12:24 PM EDT up reply actions 5 recs
And apparently doesn't read this blog.
Currently a good luck charm for the Canucks.... whether I like it or not.
by ICanSeeForIslesAndIsles on Apr 21, 2011 1:15 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
hahahahahaha
Pauly’s REAL name is P -mmmphgrrrblemmmpmffff….
We may be in the box, but you get the penalty.
Lighthouse Hockey - a beacon of greatness on the rocky coast of sports blog mediocrity
Non-hockey scribblings at nightflyblog
by mikb on Apr 21, 2011 1:28 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Neither does Pauly's wife... I guess!
Here’s to our wives and girlfriends…. may they never meet!
Lighthouse Hockey: where "you better check yourself before you rec yourself" -bobl
If your life isn't pathetic enough already, follow me on twitter @JPinVA
by JPinVA on Apr 21, 2011 1:29 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
And may they never read this blog!
Although, odd trivia: Mrs. Lighthouse stumbling on a game preview where the FIG picks filled the first half of comments is what finally got me to make a decision on separate FIG threads.
(“I went to read the comments and there were just a bunch of player names and numbers.”) That’s because you don’t understand the LANGUAGE, honey.
Lighthouse Hockey: Send us your cold, your poor, your healthy goalies.
It's a Scotch-Romanian name...
Lighthouse Hockey: Send us your cold, your poor, your healthy goalies.
You should begin talking like that about everyday occurances.
“Breakfast: 6:42 (Eggs / OJ)”
“Shower 7:19 (Shampoo / Conditioner)”
“I’ll Be Home 5:42 (Parkway / Driveway)”
“Dinner 5:43 (You)”
See if she ever reads the comments again….
by Les Beaver on Apr 21, 2011 3:03 PM EDT up reply actions 5 recs
SH- Sex 12:00 (hand/lotion) (on your 2 min for unsportsmanlike conduct)
"Gervais...he looks danger in the fist with his face!" JPinVA
Website: Lighthousehockey.com Twitter: @KeithLHHockey
by Keith Quinn on Apr 21, 2011 3:29 PM EDT up reply actions 5 recs
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Apr 23, 2011 1:16 AM EDT up reply actions
Ovechkin
I don’t know if I’m way off on this, but does it seem to anyone else that he sort of fades away in really huge games. Olympics, playoffs, etc. He was an absolute monster in the first three games, but last night he was tepid at best. He was really bad the first two periods, and just seemed to struggle when they fell behind. He had the breakaway in OT (and promptly shot it directly into Lundqvist’s glove), and he did make an awesome defensive play to block a shot in the first OT, but other than that I thought it was a generally down game from him.
Am I imagining a pattern, or does anyone else see it?
I have noticed that he seems to be fully aware of his surroundings.
And I’m not sure he handles the limelight as well as he thinks.
Except that his track record in “limelight” arenas is pretty crazy. MON, TOR, NYR, he kills it when he plays there.
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I'll take your word on it. I have no idea how his stats play out in different arenas.
I don’t get to see him all that often. At times though, he simply dominates, like he just wills the game to do as he pleases. And other times, it’s not as obvious, though probably not for lack of trying. I’m sure the competition probably has a lot to do with it. I see him mostly play @ the Nassau Coliseum, which no one is going to consider limelight, or the VZ Center.
I think he’s also in the bad spot of being a superstar on a team that has yet to prove itself by taking it all, so everything he does (or doesn’t do) is magnified.
The last sentence is the crux of it.
Of course there are games he could have been better, games 5-7 v. MON specifically, but even then you’d be hard pressed to find a better Cap in those games. As a Caps fan, he’s the last guy I worry about showing up. I don’t love everything he does, but he’s not going to disappear in the tough spots. He loves them.
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Yeah, he was almost the only Cap who showed at the end of the Montreal series
I mean, when a guy stops 98% of your shots (as Halak was doing those three games), then everyone’s going to look a little worse. But he scored one of the three goals Washington had in those games, and assisted on a second… if your top guy figures in 67% of your scoring, you’re almost certainly not scoring enough.
I only saw the overtimes of the Rangers-Caps game 4, and he was a beast. He almost scored the winner himself on the play Staal shoved him off the puck, he just went through him and got the puck on the other side and got off a strong shot. He’s incredible.
We may be in the box, but you get the penalty.
Lighthouse Hockey - a beacon of greatness on the rocky coast of sports blog mediocrity
Non-hockey scribblings at nightflyblog
I'm not talking limelight spots
I’m talking actual big games when his team needs a win. If I remember last year’s Game 7 against the Habs he took a lot of shots, but nothing dangerous. Olympics last year, granted the entire Russian team was bad, but it was one of the worst games I’ve seen him play. You could say the same about Game 7 vs the Pens two years ago.
I watch the Caps a lot, and the guy really can turn it on at will. But I can’ think of a must-win type game where he has been the monster he can be and carried them to a win (which he does on a fairly regular basis in other spots).
They are playing very differently now
Of course AO has the same “no championship” knock that some other great players have now, but the Caps are winning ugly hard faught games. In previous years, they didn’t do that. Now they are getting secondary scoring, not relying on the big 3 or 4 so much and are cutting down offensive attempts against significantly. Both teams are playing very defensive styles so honestly, everyone looks like they’ve “disappeared” in this series to me.
I think you would probably have to look at total goals per team and how many he contributed to. Corsi may be a great measure in this case. In years past, he was getting about 6-7 shots per game, but I’ll bet he was giving up a lot too. This year, I would bet that the number is better.
"Gervais...he looks danger in the fist with his face!" JPinVA
Website: Lighthousehockey.com Twitter: @KeithLHHockey
Definitely way off. I don’t want to spoil it or anything, but who do you think is the league’s leading active playoff scorer?
Even when the Caps have flamed out, he’s been the guy that’s been there. He was also the best Russian in the Olympics last year, but people all point at him for the Canada game when literally every Russian looked like shit. That was all coaching. How about when he made the two biggest plays of the game against the Czechs to win the group? The hit on Jagr that turned into the GWG and then the D zone play to clear the puck and get an assist on the ENG to ice it.
That said, I’m not happy with how he’s played the last couple games. In particular last night he was killing himself with his long shifts and it was clear he had nothing left for any second efforts or battles in OT.
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Well obviously part of it is his decision, but it’s clear the coach has no intention of forcing him to cut his shift length. Both are complicit. I don’t even know who to blame more now. There’s an entire body of evidence discussing how useless it is to take a shift over a minute, yet he does it all the time. In the playoffs that number should even come down, but there he is skating a minute-plus in the third period. No wonder he had no juice in OT.
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Yeah, I phrased that clumsily, but you answered it well.
I was wondering if Boudreau has expressed his displeasure, yet OV was just indifferent to it and kept on keeping on, so to speak. or if Boudreau was like, “SCORE YOU BASTARD NOW! DON’T GET OFF THE ICE TILL YOU SCORE!!!” I noticed a few times and I was like, “He’s STILL friggin out there….why?”
Well BB gives lip service to getting his shift time down, but he’s been here 3+ years and nothing has changed. Additionally, BB routinely gives AO 90+ seconds on the PP, frequently the entire 2 minutes. If he were serious about fixing it, it’d be fixed.
First Round Exit! (Clap Clap ClapClapClap) First Round Exit!
What was so sweet about the "can you hear us" chant was that...
everyone did hear them…. one long loud sigh as Gabby accidentally assisted on the GWG.
That is what makes me happiest about Ranger fans. They’re contemptible hubris.
Hunter said he was just finishing his check.
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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.
