Bits: Cizikas shines in Game 1; Capitals on the brink; power rankings
by Dominik on May 4, 2011 6:00 AM EDT
in Bits o' Islanders News
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How quickly and cruelly a playoff series turns. Two nights ago, the Capitals were an OT bounce away from tying their series. A bad OT line change and a 24-second third-period nightmare later, they're preparing to walk the plank as soon as tonight.
Meanwhile, in Nashville the Canucks got away with too many men on the ice in OT, then saw Ryan Kesler draw Shea Weber into a weak hooking call. The Canucks scored the OT winner on the ensuing powerplay. As I watch the playoffs as a neutral, I'm reminded daily that for every high the playoffs give the partisan fan, they punch that fan in the gut. Only one fanbase survives the spring with their emotional ledger in the black. (Why do I want this experience again?)
Islanders and hockey links, plus updated power rankings after the jump. Come back later this morning for some prospect talk.
Islanders Links
In the OHL final, Game 1 goes to Casey Cizikas (1G, 2A, +2) and his Missisauga St. Michael's Majors.
Sean Bergenheim scored again last night, and stat man Eric Hornick dug up a bit he wrote for the #10 shirt back in 2003.
What life is like for Scott Boggs, Islanders equipment man. Matt Moulson likes to have fleet thighs.
Botta's top 10 Islanders prospects according to a poll of eight scouts. We'll talk more about this in the next post, where I'll add some more context.
League Links
Playoffs on SBN: Caps fans get their pre-mourning in at Japers' Rink. | Raw Charge-rs celebrate their 3-0 lead. | Nucks Misconduct nucks it up. | On the Forecheck admits the Preds were in that game longer than they should have been.
How much do special teams really matter in the playoffs? [G&M]
Good to hear small markets Winnipeg and Quebec City "might be able" to support an NHL team if given a second chance. [G&M]
Your Lyle rumor roundup includes speculation on Jagr's return, speculation on what do do with Scott Gomez, and oft-injured Hab Hockey Club from Montreal member Andrei Markov wanting a contract extension.
Very cool to hear first indications are Wayne Fleming's brain surgery went well. More on the Lightning assistant coach and PK maestro at Puck Daddy.
Fun to hear Paul Steigerwald isn't a certainty to return as Penguins TV play-by-play man. As discussed many times here, that announcing pair is among the league's worst, and you'll find Pens fans who'd say the same.
Power Rankings
I neglected to post Mike's update last week, but here is how the power rankings look through what is 91 games for some teams.
The premise here is to keep calculating the rankings based on results through the playoffs. The teams still around are by and large the ones doing the best over the long haul -- you can see Boston really rise from two weeks ago. Fun to see Dallas still above the Rangers -- the only "playoff team" out of the top 16.
| W | L | OTL | Pts | Played | Win% | % Pts. per GP | PWR | ||
| 1 | Vancouver | 59 | 21 | 11 | 129 | 91 | 0.709 | 0.3834 | 2114 |
| 2 | San Jose | 54 | 27 | 9 | 117 | 90 | 0.650 | 0.3662 | 2019 |
| 3 | Washington | 52 | 25 | 12 | 116 | 89 | 0.652 | 0.3558 | 1955 |
| 4 | Detroit | 51 | 26 | 11 | 113 | 88 | 0.642 | 0.3507 | 1934 |
| 5 | Tampa Bay | 52 | 27 | 12 | 116 | 91 | 0.637 | 0.3524 | 1934 |
| 6 | Philadelphia | 51 | 26 | 13 | 115 | 90 | 0.639 | 0.3474 | 1911 |
| 7 | Boston | 51 | 28 | 11 | 113 | 90 | 0.628 | 0.3432 | 1885 |
| 8 | Pittsburgh | 52 | 29 | 8 | 112 | 89 | 0.629 | 0.3405 | 1873 |
| 9 | Nashville | 49 | 30 | 11 | 109 | 90 | 0.606 | 0.3376 | 1863 |
| 10 | Los Angeles | 48 | 31 | 9 | 105 | 88 | 0.597 | 0.3334 | 1835 |
| 11 | Chicago | 47 | 32 | 10 | 104 | 89 | 0.584 | 0.3321 | 1827 |
| 12 | Anaheim | 49 | 33 | 6 | 104 | 88 | 0.591 | 0.3308 | 1822 |
| 13 | Montreal | 47 | 31 | 11 | 105 | 89 | 0.590 | 0.3302 | 1810 |
| 14 | Phoenix | 43 | 30 | 13 | 99 | 86 | 0.576 | 0.3198 | 1759 |
| 15 | Buffalo | 46 | 32 | 11 | 103 | 89 | 0.579 | 0.3194 | 1754 |
| 16 | Dallas | 42 | 29 | 11 | 95 | 82 | 0.579 | 0.3171 | 1753 |
| 17 | NY Rangers | 45 | 35 | 7 | 97 | 87 | 0.557 | 0.3117 | 1708 |
| 18 | Calgary | 41 | 29 | 12 | 94 | 82 | 0.573 | 0.3046 | 1680 |
| 19 | St. Louis | 38 | 33 | 11 | 87 | 82 | 0.530 | 0.2949 | 1631 |
| 20 | Carolina | 40 | 31 | 11 | 91 | 82 | 0.555 | 0.2934 | 1617 |
| 21 | Minnesota | 39 | 35 | 8 | 86 | 82 | 0.524 | 0.2854 | 1569 |
| 22 | Toronto | 37 | 34 | 11 | 85 | 82 | 0.518 | 0.2831 | 1555 |
| 23 | Columbus | 34 | 35 | 13 | 81 | 82 | 0.494 | 0.2745 | 1514 |
| 24 | New Jersey | 38 | 39 | 5 | 81 | 82 | 0.494 | 0.2716 | 1494 |
| 25 | Atlanta | 34 | 36 | 12 | 80 | 82 | 0.488 | 0.2699 | 1486 |
| 26 | Florida | 30 | 40 | 12 | 72 | 82 | 0.439 | 0.2470 | 1360 |
| 27 | NY Islanders | 30 | 39 | 13 | 73 | 82 | 0.445 | 0.2464 | 1355 |
| 28 | Ottawa | 32 | 40 | 10 | 74 | 82 | 0.451 | 0.2425 | 1338 |
| 29 | Colorado | 30 | 44 | 8 | 68 | 82 | 0.415 | 0.2269 | 1252 |
| 30 | Edmonton | 25 | 45 | 12 | 62 | 82 | 0.378 | 0.2059 | 1137 |
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Bergie coming up big
5 goals in 10 playoff games. maybe he just needed to play in more important games to shine.
Any task BIG or small, Do it well or not at all
Or play under someone else's coaching.
Only half a year 'til Opening Night! ... *Sigh!*
by ICanSeeForIslesAndIsles on May 4, 2011 9:06 AM EDT up reply actions
....ah, well, we're merely left to muse.....
…..how famously Bergy and Cappy might’ve worked together…..
Ironically, he’s got virtually the same role and the same numbers as he had with the Isles.
Lighthouse Hockey: Send us your cold, your poor, your healthy goalies.
by Dominik on May 4, 2011 11:24 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
yeah, but you know, a good coach would have taught him to shoot at 17% instead of 7% already with the Isles…
Anyway, he’s playing outstanding hockey these days indeed, leading all Tampa forwards with 10+ EV time in Corsi relative despite playing against top lines every night and getting awfully tough zonestarts (23.9%).
and, just to be clear, playing very effective hockey is not something he didn’t do while being with the Isles. His Corsi with the score tied last season was 51.3% – a number only Kyle Okposo topped and Nielsen as well as Grabner came close to this season, but everyone else and of course the team generally (45.5%) was far away from. Bergie would have been so valueable this season, and next season as well.
I still wonder if some of the issue was the he wanted a bigger role.
(I mean, I mostly liked what he did here as well and never understood why there were issues with him and Gordon. I’d have put more of it on Gordon if Bergie hadn’t had a rocky road with the Isles ever since he first came over.)
I figure he’s the type who will accept that role in a new environment, on a better team. Still wasn’t a fan of casting him away in any case.
Lighthouse Hockey: Send us your cold, your poor, your healthy goalies.
About that OT call on Weber – yeah it was a bit chintzy, but they could have easily called Smithson for boarding on Bieksa 30 seconds earlier
"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!"
I didn't think so
I mean I bet they would have in a regular season game (not in playoff OT), but Bieksa invited that one, too. He was responsible. You don’t just stop like that, ignore the puck, put your back to the forechecker and say “nyah nyah, you can’t hit me.” That’s weak.
To me it was either an obvious bait or obvious pick, one of those rare occurrences where it’s clear during the play that the onus is on the “victim” who’s trying to have it both ways (i.e. “I can play the puck…or I can just put my back to you and say you have to brake.”).
Regardless, the better team on the night won. I was just looking forward to an entertaining OT, and that call was a buzzkill for a neutral.
Lighthouse Hockey: Send us your cold, your poor, your healthy goalies.
Disagree Dom
I would have called Smithson for boarding. The Webbber call was a make-up for that. Im totaly OK with the wya it was called last night.
We are all Islanders, even if we are in Jersey!
by Russel Ginart on May 4, 2011 1:22 PM EDT up reply actions
Suddenly I feel like Don Cherry
I just think that Bieksa move is exactly where players take advantage of the checking from behind rule to try to draw penalties or get rulebook protection. Had he been continuing his progress to the puck that’d be one thing, but to slow to a stop right in front of the forechecker and expect him to stop pursuing the puck, I think that’s where situational calls come in.
Lighthouse Hockey: Send us your cold, your poor, your healthy goalies.
Dom Cherry??
I can see where you are coming from, IMO, Bieksa was not trying to use the rule to protect himself. OH and if you are feeling like Don Cherry, that’s OK too, just don’t be caught in one of those psychedelic he wears.
We are all Islanders, even if we are in Jersey!
by Russel Ginart on May 4, 2011 5:46 PM EDT up reply actions
I felt the same way, you just don't stop on a high speed play and expect not to be touched.
And it wasn’t even a boarding to me. Bieksa stopped at the goal line, 5 FEET from the boards. He was hit, fell forward, and then hit the boards. It literally took over a second for him to make contact with the boards.
Don’t even listen to me if you haven’t seen it, see for yourself:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YsS65Ir88s
That Weber call was really weak too, imo, should have been no call or a holding the stick on kesler, because that’s exactly what happened. Weber plays the puck around kesler, kesler jams weber’s stick into an obviously unpriable position, as seen by weber’s many many punch/arm checks to kesler. START VIDEO AT 50secs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YsS65Ir88s
Pathetic way to end a “playoff” hockey game.
Funny thing on that topic, the wings announcers said it was a suter holding tonight. Do some announcers even watch games they aren’t covering to get things right? Honestly, a number of us “hardcore” hockey fans know more about the league then some announcers. It’s sad.
One other funny question, any rule about goals being scored and the scoring team having too many men on the ice? Because easily watching that wings/sharks game, they are making a line change on the final goal, and the sharks have 6-7 players on the ice during that gamewinner by setoguchi (clowe obviously never got off, and maybe 1 more I wasn’t sure of from the camera angles). Wondering if it could have been reviewed and nullified, anybody?
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
Whoops, this is the weber "sticking" 50secs in video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb-uNmVchkk
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
First time seeing the Bieksa hit
Definitely not a boarding in my book. Its one thing to be slowing up, but he stopped and initiated the contact. If he doesn’t go flying, he stands a chance of getting am interference penalty on the play for initiating the contact with no puck within 10 feet. Crappy outcome for Bieksa, but great non-call in my book.
"Gervais...he looks danger in the fist with his face!" JPinVA
Website: Lighthousehockey.com Twitter: @KeithLHHockey
by Keith Quinn on May 5, 2011 9:06 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Thank you
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
Gallof last night
hit the nail on the head. This is a league with all sorts of officiating problems, starting with the fact that they still have Auger around, even if he doesn’t do playoff games. It’s part of an institutional problem for the league.
"And Campbell knows that if head-shots are eliminated, fighting must be eliminated too. Since fighting is, by definition, punching people in the head" - Quisp
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
Exactly
if an official can’t be trusted to perform in playoff games, why is he still allowed to work regular season games which determine overall standings and home ice advantage for the playoffs, as well as selection for various annual awards?
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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.
