Islanders vs. Flyers Gameday: Life without Hamonic, Debuts Ness
by Dominik on Feb 7, 2012 6:15 AM EST
in New York Islanders Previews
Email
PrintBy all rights, the Philadelphia Flyers should be angry and amped for tonight. They're coming off a humiliating weekend -- both on the scoreboard, losing twice to divisional rivals, and in the intimidation department, where they resorted to slew foots, hair pulls, and rookie Brayden Schenn getting sat down by Ilya Kovalchuk.
In come the comparatively pacifist Islanders. Antidote, or...?
Islanders (21-22-8, 12th/E) @ Flyers (30-16-6, 3rd/E)
7 p.m. EST | MSG+ (sans TWC) | Audio: NHL - WRHU
[Fort Someday Win] Center
Two Losses, No Problem: Broad Street Hockey
Ironically none of this season's previous three meetings has played out like any kind of thugfest. The Flyers have dressed Zac Rinaldo once, Jody Shelley once, and neither in the middle game. (Tom Sestito, the hair puller, is their clown of the moment.) With each team winning one in regulation and the Flyers taking the first one in OT, penalties have been light and the only fight was between Claude Giroux and Dylan Reese.
Though intense, it seems these teams are intent to avoid the '80s gong shows and go at it with hockey sticks still in hand. If that changes tonight, it's likely due to humiliation hangover on the Flyers' part.
Possibly more burning issues for the Flyers:
When asked what the difference was against the Rangers, Kimmo Timonen said: "The goalie. [...] We can do a couple of things better, but when they break down, their goalie makes saves."
So there's that issue, which is as old as Ron Hextall's rookie card and as tired as a cutesy Jay Greenberg simile.
There's also the health of concussed Danny Briere, who was to decide this morning whether he was good to return to the lineup tonight. As much as Islanders fans (understandably) dislike Briere and his hook-and-dive-and-fear-the-Frans routine, he is a big part of the mix and has 35 points (17-18) in 38 career games against the Islanders.
Islanders Maladies
On the Islanders' side are their own health issues, with Travis Hamonic out for two weeks with a broken nose and P.A. Parenteau at best a sickness concern if he's even deemed fit to play today. [Note: In our zeitgeist series we entertained alternative theories.]
Hamonic's departure means the recall and likely NHL debut of Aaron Ness. The knee-jerk response is to fear Ness' small frame against preying big Flyers bodies, but of course Ness has made it this far -- and if he is to make it any farther -- in part by figuring how to use his mobility to elude and deflect big predators. No easy test, but a good test.
The bigger issue is that no matter what Ness brings, Hamonic's absence is a massive loss. Worse if Parenteau joins him in street clothes. A scenario in which Briere returns, the Flyers are refocused and the Isles are without Hamonic and Parenteau is not a pretty one. You'd have to hope for a goalie collapse.
Updates from Morning Skate: Ness will pair with Mark Eaton, Evgeni Nabokov starts, forwards (presumably including Parenteau) stay the same. Briere is indeed returning for the Flyers.
Further Reading
- Bridgeport chat: Today at 1:30 p.m. EST
- In which Kevin Poulin notices he made the top 10 saves of the week.
- Ness will never forget that Super Bowl, thanks to getting the call to the show.
- Newsday has a little more of Jack Capuano on Ness: "a guy that can move the puck; he's got quick feet, he can skate, so hopefully he can jump into the play and give us a little of a four-man attack."
- And the Isles have some happy-happy Brock Nelson action. All positive signs in Nelson's second year.
- Flyers owner and Comcast kingpin Ed Snider is part of a group interested in buying up the surviving Philly newspapers, which -- shock -- a hedge fund could not figure out how to both pillage and make profitable at the same time. It's purely out of civic altruism, I assure you.
- Interesting NHL economics post to keep in mind when dismissing Charles Wang and his low-revenue situation as cheap: "At this point, the salary cap is too high for most franchises to operate at a profit. These teams will either have to start reducing their salary cap, or increase their revenue so they’re operating at a profit."
- I'm sure all it took was a chat with dad for Sam Gagner to break out.
- Great Q&A with Howard Baldwin, once (and future?) Hartford Whalers owner.
Brooklyn Watch Party Tonight
A reminder from this site's Facebook wall:
Islanders Fans in Brooklyn wrote: “Gamewatch is set for tonight in Brooklyn – we will be on the second floor of Machavelle. Address is 602 Pacific Street, right across from Barclay’s Center.”
FIG Picks
Leave your First Islanders Goal picks for tonight in this thread.
136 comments
|
Add comment
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
little nervous of Hamonic injury and its effect onthe chemistry
Any task BIG or small, Do it well or not at all
little nervous of Hamonic injury and its effect of REMOVING THE BEST D-MAN FROM OUR ROSTER
Fixed.
Writer at Beyond the Box Score and The Hardball Times
Pitchf/x enthusiast.
http://twitter.com/#!/garik16
The Flyers were embarrassed
this weekend which makes me think we are in for one hell of a battle. The flyers play a physical game anyway but I think they will be amped up & looking fo blood tonight, I just hope our guys taking the ice can match them where they need to, if the flyers get over angst, try & get penalties out of them smart hockey & if there intent on trying to rough up JT or anyone else who can give us an edge we need to drop gloves & just go for it. I think we can beat them & add to there humiliating weekend even with the absentees this team still has heart.
3 Teams 3 Different Sports Same Torture!!!
by Kung Fu Panda 48 on Feb 7, 2012 7:04 AM EST via mobile reply actions
I'm sorry in advance
I know these type of discussion have waned with the teams better play but I have to ask, with all of the converging situations on this game, should this have been a game where we utilize Haley? At the very least he could have been used to get a cheapshotter off the ice for 10 mins.
My hope is the first line starts clicking again against struggling goaltending.
Balance
You’d like to see the team maintain some balance throughout the lineup. Ness more than makes up for the finesse part of Hamonic’s game. Losing Parentau might be remedied by placing Nino in a spot of higher responsibility (for now). The biggest loss in this scenario is Hamonic’s physicality. Take into account that 9 pregnant women can’t have a baby in a month, but maybe they can try this to help spread their needs over the whole team.
Moulson-Tavares-Okposo <-drought ends tonight
Grabner-Nielsen-Niederreiter <- temp solution
Martin-Bailey-Rakhshani <-let them gain continuity
Rolston-Pandolfo-Haley <-limited minutes
(I’d rather see Ullstrom with Bailey and Martin replacing Rolston… but it doesn’t look like they are going to call up Ullstrom for a while)
Macdonald-Eaton <- Wouldn’t it be nice if Eaton surprises and this pair is PLUS tonight.
Streit-Staios <- No changes, except they may be pressed into even more minutes.
Ness-Jurcina <- I really couldn’t think of Ness on the ice with anybody else. In D-zone clearing situations Jurcina will have a good outlet in Ness, and Jurcina may be asked to step it up in crease coverage.
I believe in ELI! Go Blue!
@JPinVA
Considering Rolston was skating with Grabner-Nielsen yesterday in the practice skate, I don’t see Nino getting 2nd line minutes in this game. Looks like we have the return of the ol’ slapshot around the boards. Let’s hope that PAP is feeling better by game time.
Official choice of Lighthouse Dog #1.
Fie upon thee, what with your logical deductions
That just sounds horrible. I’d rather stand in front of a Rolston slapshot and soil my shorts (you know, since he will have missed the target, but you’d be scared nonetheless) than actually watch it on screen.
Success was survival and, kid, it still is
by IslesFanInNJ on Feb 7, 2012 10:19 AM EST up reply actions
Why Jurcina/Eaton/Staios instead of Reese?
Writer at Beyond the Box Score and The Hardball Times
Pitchf/x enthusiast.
http://twitter.com/#!/garik16
Reese v Jurcina
With Hamonic out you’d have to think that Jurcina is a better size option against a bigger opponent. If they go with Reese over Staios, you lose some of TEH GRITZ, but I’d be okay with that. Eaton is a better option that Reese…especially if you have one question mark (Ness) in the lineup already.
I believe in ELI! Go Blue!
@JPinVA
I would like to see Staois hit Talbot again though.
by Les Beaver on Feb 7, 2012 1:25 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Except Jurcina sucks at using his size.
His best move is hitting opponents into our own goalie.
Writer at Beyond the Box Score and The Hardball Times
Pitchf/x enthusiast.
http://twitter.com/#!/garik16
He's had some good checks along the boards in recent games.
But yeah, he seems to think it’s a good idea to check opponents into the goalie…. It is not a good idea.
"The reader of this sentence exists only while reading me."
by North Dakota Red Eagle on Feb 7, 2012 3:34 PM EST up reply actions
I see Eaton, Reese and Staios largely in the same boat
They would be somewhere between 5th-8th defensemen on the depth chart on a typical team. Personally, I’d put Reese slightly ahead of the other two, from what we’ve seen this season. But both Staios and Eaton have had very good games. And when any of the three are off their games, they are liabilities…. But for the Flyers, I’d take Staios ahead of the other two.
"The reader of this sentence exists only while reading me."
by North Dakota Red Eagle on Feb 7, 2012 3:33 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I Wouldn't mind it for this game certainly
Shelley isn’t playing, but Rinaldo and Sestito have been grade a D-bags lately. However, since they’ve been fined and exposed, I expect there’d be limited tolerance for their nonsense.
Giving Haley 9 minutes in Wallace’s spot wouldn’t be so bad I don’t think, but what I’ve been wondering lately is
Maybe, they are reluctant to put TEH GRITZ on that line because Niño is there. I suppose they could move him around, but they probably don’t want him targeted for dropping the gloves…and having a Gillies or a Haley on that wing make other teams a little more likely to dress an enforcer on their 4th.
Neil Smith @bigdealneil94 @KeithLHHockey @craigjbutton hey keith GFY
Website:Lighthouse HockeyTwitter: @KeithLHHockey
by Keith Quinn on Feb 7, 2012 11:42 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
After tonight, maybe Ness will become one of...
(Yes, I’m sure Ness has never heard an Eliot Ness/Untouchables joke in his life)
"He's depriving some small village of a pretty good idiot" - Mike Milbury on Ziggy Palffy's agent. On Twitter: @Dan_of_Science
by PGI on Feb 7, 2012 9:47 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
Briere In
Tim Panaccio @tpanotchCSN
Flyers confirm Briere is in
Retweeted by Greg Wyshynski
"He's depriving some small village of a pretty good idiot" - Mike Milbury on Ziggy Palffy's agent. On Twitter: @Dan_of_Science
Good
Now Frans can thug it up again and knock him out for the season.
by afrosupreme on Feb 7, 2012 10:52 AM EST up reply actions 3 recs
Knew it.
Its apparently in vogue for injred players to have their comeback game when they play the Isles, especially if they play for an annoying Pennsylvania team.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Feb 7, 2012 10:54 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Also
to skip games against us when they have been nursing something. We’re the medical reprieve opponent.
by afrosupreme on Feb 7, 2012 10:59 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
i feel for one guy tonight -
matt martin. because the flyers will be out for blood and martin is the only guy with any balls to do anything about it.
its a pathetic joke that this kid is left out on an island all by himself like that.
Hey look kids
There’s Big Ben, and there’s Parliament.
Success was survival and, kid, it still is
by IslesFanInNJ on Feb 7, 2012 11:21 AM EST up reply actions 6 recs
Quality.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
I guarantee if the Islanders dressed these 18 guys
Thornton-Konopka-Boll
Prust-Rinaldo-Dorsett
McLeod-Hendricks-Jackman
Martin-Rupp-Gillies
Stuart-Brookbank
Bickel-Engelland
Sutton-Stoner
you’d STILL complain that the team was lacking toughness.
The New York Islanders: saving their best for the wrong conference since '05
by Chris McNally on Feb 7, 2012 12:48 PM EST up reply actions 4 recs
You know why?
NO HALEY!
"He's depriving some small village of a pretty good idiot" - Mike Milbury on Ziggy Palffy's agent. On Twitter: @Dan_of_Science
by PGI on Feb 7, 2012 12:50 PM EST up reply actions 4 recs
haha true
I shoulve pencilled him in and scratched The’ Stache
The New York Islanders: saving their best for the wrong conference since '05
by Chris McNally on Feb 7, 2012 12:52 PM EST up reply actions
Can Torgo run this potential Isles squad through his simulator-thingy?
I’ll take even a 10-game chunk. Just to see how a team full of GRITZ would fare.
Success was survival and, kid, it still is
by IslesFanInNJ on Feb 7, 2012 12:59 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Their CORSI-WTG would be through the roof
That, of course, is a measure of Cowering Opponents Really Scared and Intimidated with THERE GRITTTrating
"He's depriving some small village of a pretty good idiot" - Mike Milbury on Ziggy Palffy's agent. On Twitter: @Dan_of_Science
by PGI on Feb 7, 2012 1:04 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I can do that
after work today. Who would you like to see as an opposing squad?
Amateurs practice til they get it right. Professionals practice til they can't get it wrong.
I was only kidding
But if you’re not, why not match up this team against the current New York Siss – er, I mean – Islanders?
Success was survival and, kid, it still is
The limitation I have is that the data is for players last year. Because Streit didn’t play, he’s not available. It also doesn’t have any of the rookies that didn’t get a taste last year. I’ll set something up, though, and publish it in the game thread tonight.
Amateurs practice til they get it right. Professionals practice til they can't get it wrong.
if you dont think
this team lacks toughness and is full of soft players, your completely clueless
Walk a step back with the tone, please
You’re not really giving anyone any evidence… just a statement with no support and a lot of attitude when people disagree. It would be good to see what you’re measuring this by. Is it fighting majors? Is it PIM? Hits thrown?
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 Feb 7, 2012 1:28 PM EST up reply actions 4 recs
Ed Mangano!?
Official choice of Lighthouse Dog #1.
by Fabtraption on Feb 7, 2012 1:57 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
I don't have a problem with subjective assessments
But I just don’t see it. I think they are playing teams pretty tough lately.
They are 5-2-3 in their last 10, I believe.
Certainly some of those games they could have been “tougher”. Perhaps against the Sabres (though they lost their legs by the end of the game due to fatigue — not, you know, due to being wusses) and definitely against the Leafs (though I am sure the Isles were not so much trying to give you the evidence you crave but trying to force penalties that were inexplicably, unfathomably, un-f&*^ing-believably never called).
But I’ll take a 5-2-3 pace any day of the week and happily call this team a bunch of pussies (sorry to the 3? 4? lady readers here) if that’s the case.
Success was survival and, kid, it still is
by IslesFanInNJ on Feb 7, 2012 2:16 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
5-2-3 pace
is good for 106/107 points or so over a full tilt
so yeah, ANYONE would take that pace happily…
These comments crawl up from the depths of the deepest Chasm of Saar
Interestingly...
…that is just about the same pace Isles need to make the playoffs (or at least be in the running the final week). About 13-14 points every 10 games.
"The reader of this sentence exists only while reading me."
by North Dakota Red Eagle on Feb 7, 2012 3:38 PM EST up reply actions
if you think that your continued whining and complaining day after day about this team's lack of toughness
isn’t annoying, then you sir are the clueless one
The Rangers have Jeff Bloemberg in the lineup tonight, why are we not dressing Mick Vukota?!?! This team is unbelievable.
by Chris McNally on Feb 7, 2012 1:28 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
I wanna do one!
Thornton-Dorsett-Prust
Gillies-Konopka-Haley (it’s back!)
Martin-Hendricks-Asham
Lucic-Parros-Ott
Boll/Rupp
Sutton-Phaneuf
Volchenkov-Kronwall
Weber(shea)-Subban
Billy Smith
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
"John Tavares(a top 10 forward in the NHL)"-Neil Greenberg
i dont care
that sestito pulled prusts hair
i just care that sestiti kicked the crap out of prust before he did it!
You thought he won that?
I didn’t. Especially considering the size advantage. At this point, I think Sestito looks like a big punching bag given his size. Pretty soon he’s gonna have to start answering to some real heavyweights…then he’s gonna be concussion city.
Neil Smith @bigdealneil94 @KeithLHHockey @craigjbutton hey keith GFY
Website:Lighthouse HockeyTwitter: @KeithLHHockey
by Keith Quinn on Feb 7, 2012 11:45 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
definately,
have it dvr’d and watched in slow mo. landed good shots, split prust open. and he hammered dubinski too
Tyson-Holyfield looked good in slow mo too
Until Tyson got a mouthful of ear
The Rangers have Jeff Bloemberg in the lineup tonight, why are we not dressing Mick Vukota?!?! This team is unbelievable.
by Chris McNally on Feb 7, 2012 1:40 PM EST up reply actions
EVERYTHING is better in slow motion
These comments crawl up from the depths of the deepest Chasm of Saar
by bob l on Feb 7, 2012 3:17 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
tis a shame
they couldn’t work out a deal to keep it running
These comments crawl up from the depths of the deepest Chasm of Saar
I think the problem was more Chappelle was out of ideas
Than they couldnt work out a deal. But they also didnt always see eye-to-eye on some of his sketches so who knows. It is rather unfortunate, it was one of the funniest tv shows ive ever seen
"Mario Lemiuex… I used to respect you."- Turgeon1992
Bright side
We don’t have to deal with the “Namath with the Rams” stage of Chappelle’s Show.
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 Feb 7, 2012 3:46 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Is that kind of like when Brett Hull played for the Coyotes? lol
Then yeah, lets be glad that didnt happen
"Mario Lemiuex… I used to respect you."- Turgeon1992
Dave could have gotten anything he wanted from Comedy Central... he just couldnt bring himself to do it.
He felt like everything he came up with couldnt match what he already did. Honestly, I can respect him for it- it takes real guts to walk away from boatloads of money and a huge hit TV show just because youre concerned about its quality and your own integrity as an entertainer.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Feb 7, 2012 10:26 PM EST up reply actions
i dont care
that sestito pulled prusts hair
Thats all I needed to know about you
The New York Islanders: saving their best for the wrong conference since '05
by Chris McNally on Feb 7, 2012 12:38 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I like Prust. Tough as nails and will throw with almost anybody it seems.
Also a good fighter. Sesito is just a useless goon, not even a real nhl player.
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
"John Tavares(a top 10 forward in the NHL)"-Neil Greenberg
NYIslanders: Capuano goes with Nabokov in goal. Ness will be paired with Eaton and MacDonald with Reese. Forwards stay the same. #isles
Forwards stay the same? Same as Saturday night or same as yesterday’s practice?
"If you have what you say you have, I’ll make you rich. If you don’t, I’ll make you into shoes" Jim Moriarty 1/1/2012
I asked Staple the same question
I’m sure we’ll get a response soon. Or
OMG PAP HAZ BEEN TRADED!?!?!?!?!?!
Official choice of Lighthouse Dog #1.
So still no Juice.
Writer at Beyond the Box Score and The Hardball Times
Pitchf/x enthusiast.
http://twitter.com/#!/garik16
That's one helluva an elbow laceration.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Perhaps it's a laceration cutting his elbow in half.
Writer at Beyond the Box Score and The Hardball Times
Pitchf/x enthusiast.
http://twitter.com/#!/garik16
My guess is either some bone damage or a different injury altogether.
Can we have a post tomorrow for top 5 reasons Juice may be out?
"The reader of this sentence exists only while reading me."
by North Dakota Red Eagle on Feb 7, 2012 3:45 PM EST up reply actions
Sounds like a plan
Now soliciting ideas…
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Ideas
1) the Juice is loose.
2) it’s not a laceration, he threw it out waving opposin wingers by.
3) Strained it keeping his gloves on too hard.
4) carpel-tunnel from autographs
5) happened in bed because when he hit the sack, he was softer.
Neil Smith @bigdealneil94 @KeithLHHockey @craigjbutton hey keith GFY
Website:Lighthouse HockeyTwitter: @KeithLHHockey
by Keith Quinn on Feb 7, 2012 4:52 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
YYYYYYYYEEEEEEESSSSSS
NYIslanders @NYIslanders Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
Parenteau is in. Same lines as Saturday. #isles
Why yes, I do have a man crush on Bailey and Martin, and no, I don't care what you think about it
by DarthDoyle on Feb 7, 2012 11:56 AM EST reply actions 2 recs
Oh good! :)
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Feb 7, 2012 12:46 PM EST up reply actions
We need him to sneeze at the Flyers bench.
No Sleep 'til....We Find Some Secondary Scoring
by Anarcurt on Feb 7, 2012 12:49 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Also: Brooklyn Watch Party
I forgot to add this again, from the Facebook:
Islanders Fans in Brooklyn wrote: “Gamewatch is set for tonight in Brooklyn – we will be on the second floor of Machavelle. Address is 602 Pacific Street, right across from Barclay’s Center.”
P.S. You too can do the Facebook! We’re at http://www.facebook.com/islesLHH and we don’t know what the hell we’re doing. (Well, I don’t. The other guys try to teach me.)
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Just because he's in
Doesn’t mean Hoppy is okay.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
The New York Islanders: saving their best for the wrong conference since '05
by Chris McNally on Feb 7, 2012 1:12 PM EST up reply actions 6 recs
I don't think Ness gets enough credit
It’s easy to look past him with Donovan & CDH playing so good but he’s been solid in BPT.
No Sleep 'til....We Find Some Secondary Scoring
by Anarcurt on Feb 7, 2012 12:54 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
I agree, CDH has been a ton of hype so far.
Ness is out ppg’ing him and I believe that’s with DeHaan getting ample PP time. And not that I can find corsi numbers for these guys, but Ness is a lot better +//- player. I’d even argue Ness is a better 2-way player then CDH at the moment it seems. Size not being a factor(although CDH is a rail still and got overpowered bad in the preseason when he was up).
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
"John Tavares(a top 10 forward in the NHL)"-Neil Greenberg
keep in mind
DeHaan got injuried right at the start of the winning streak, everyone’s stats on the team have improved considerably since the winning (January). The trio were pretty close before that, with Dehaan taking on more defensive roles and Ness and Donovan paired together.
by CanadianIsleslifer on Feb 7, 2012 2:07 PM EST up reply actions
Someone asked Fornabaio about "hype" and what is seen in CDH
His response today: “Just what you said. He hasn’t made mistakes. Very steady. The numbers can follow that.”
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Let's not get too down on de Haan, though.
CDH’s debut was at the very top of my expectations for how he would play. I know it is only one NHL game, but his outlet passes looked close to as good as Streit’s and he didn’t look overmatched physically, didn’t make any glaring mistakes. (I know, it was only about 13 minutes.)
We’ll see how Ness does tonight. The guy isn’t afraid to get involved in the transition game. I’m excited to see him.
"The reader of this sentence exists only while reading me."
by North Dakota Red Eagle on Feb 7, 2012 3:51 PM EST up reply actions
Of course not
Someone scoring 20 points in 20 games is not usually playing as well as someone with 20 points in 10 games.
Neil Smith @bigdealneil94 @KeithLHHockey @craigjbutton hey keith GFY
Website:Lighthouse HockeyTwitter: @KeithLHHockey
by Keith Quinn on Feb 7, 2012 4:54 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
He gets no credit
because people assume that just because he’s small and mobile means that he’s a crappy defenseman. I hope Ness proves them wrong.
Official choice of Lighthouse Dog #1.
by Fabtraption on Feb 7, 2012 1:12 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
I never understood why people look at a guys height and assume he can't play
Brian Rafalski played 16 years as a steady NHL D-man and he was only 5’ 10". I know the odds are against him but that doesn’t mean he automatically is no good.
The Rangers have Jeff Bloemberg in the lineup tonight, why are we not dressing Mick Vukota?!?! This team is unbelievable.
by Chris McNally on Feb 7, 2012 1:36 PM EST up reply actions
I agree
Two words: Theo Fluery. About a million goals scored and was 4’ 1 1/2" tall.
"He's depriving some small village of a pretty good idiot" - Mike Milbury on Ziggy Palffy's agent. On Twitter: @Dan_of_Science
by PGI on Feb 7, 2012 2:06 PM EST up reply actions
Marty St Louis is still gettin' it done
He is getting to the fringes of a legit Hall of Fame case 5’ 6" at a time.
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
A good friend of mine is 5'5" and he insists that St Louis was not taller than him.
He met him in street clothes (at the mall, actually) and stood right in front of him.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Feb 7, 2012 3:34 PM EST up reply actions
The two guys on Buffalo are pretty effective too.
Ryan Shannon is about 5’8", 170 in real life…. Lately there have been more players able to compete in the NHL.
But the problem right now is that Isles’ defense is so small that the biggest defenseman they can pair Ness with is Eaton, it seems. That’s a VERY small pairing. It seems Isles need to have puck possession tonight in order to be effective. (And that’s not easy against the Flyers.)
"The reader of this sentence exists only while reading me."
by North Dakota Red Eagle on Feb 7, 2012 3:57 PM EST up reply actions
guys
if you dont think size is evrything your defanitely completely clueless, its obvious
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
by Dominik on Feb 7, 2012 3:51 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
Guess my girlfriend is clueless...
Wait…
by sayvillelax94 on Feb 7, 2012 4:34 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
Im not sure anyone else thoroughly enjoyed this
but being the completely clueless soul I am, I sure did
The Rangers have Jeff Bloemberg in the lineup tonight, why are we not dressing Mick Vukota?!?! This team is unbelievable.
by Chris McNally on Feb 7, 2012 8:03 PM EST up reply actions
I liked
what I saw in the preseason games from Ness. Very Fluid skater and positional player. Obviously he is not going to blanket somebody into the boards, but he certainly will out skate many players to the puck. He will bring a much needed offensive element to this line up as well. When I mean offensive element, I mean being able to make solid plays out of the defensive zone into the neutral zone, then joining the rush. I remember him leading the rush and blasting down the ice for support many times during the preseason.
How big is Jared Spurgeon?5’9 185lbs. We shall see what happens. I will root for all our prospects and be happy to see any of them in line up when their time comes. You think Donovan would have been the call up, but giving Ness a chance must say that he has been overall better down in BPT compared to the rest of them. This is where we miss Katic.
Yeah I'd think Donovan has been better
I’m not sure why Ness get’s the call up. They are the same age so that’s not a factor. He was close to making the team out of camp so maybe that has something to do with it.
No Sleep 'til....We Find Some Secondary Scoring
I really think
Theyre trying to keep the most important pieces of BPT in BPT, especially on defense. I really think if Rolston’s wasn’t so bad, you’d see Rakh back in BPT as well.
They’re putting together a pretty incredible run. They may have a championship caliber team there. I think that the powers that be find that to be an important milestone and accomplishment for the players and organization as a whole.
May also ramp up trade value a bit for some guys.
Neil Smith @bigdealneil94 @KeithLHHockey @craigjbutton hey keith GFY
Website:Lighthouse HockeyTwitter: @KeithLHHockey
by Keith Quinn on Feb 7, 2012 4:58 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Isn't it Ty Webb's measuring tool?
At least that’s what Judge Smails told me, and he’s no slouch.
Don't sell him short
He’s a tremendous slouch!
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
It's not that I don't think he can do good, he's one of our best BP d-men.
It’s just that I worry about his size against physical teams. 5’10’’ 170lbs isn’t just small for a d-man, it’s tiny. Hillen had a couple concussions in the NHL and he’s 20lbs bigger then Ness. I hear good things though: great positional defense, mobile, a solid puckmover and producer in the ahl, but I just am cautious about his future. Would I mind having him as a depth d-man in BP? I wouldn’t mind. Would I mind him being in the starting lineup everyday? Yep. I just read him and think MAB defensively with obviously a lot less offense. You know he’s gonna be overpowered by a lot of forwards, you know he’s gonna have difficulty in board battles, you know he’s gonna have a thin margin of error positionally because of his size/strength. I’m not saying he can’t be good, I’m just saying the odds are against him being a successful bottom pair d-man and being a regular nhler. I do hope for the best though.
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
"John Tavares(a top 10 forward in the NHL)"-Neil Greenberg
But it is very possible...
…that Ness develops into a smarter defenseman than MAB in his defensive zone. A small defenseman can do well in the NHL so long as he is smart and has a bigger, more physical partner.
"The reader of this sentence exists only while reading me."
by North Dakota Red Eagle on Feb 7, 2012 4:02 PM EST up reply actions
These next 10 are the key.
Either we begin a stretch of remarkable hockey or we continue to be inconsistent which is the more likely scenario. Regardless, the team should still shoot to improve upon last years mark, and it starts tonight against a rival.
Go Ness! Glad they called him up.
Upcoming milestone
The Islanders are four goals shy of 10,000 as a franchise. We may want to include Isles 10K in the FIG thread for the next couple of games.
http://www.nyiskinny.com/2012/02/isles-looking-for-10000th-goal-tonight.html
Neil Smith @bigdealneil94 @KeithLHHockey @craigjbutton hey keith GFY
Website:Lighthouse HockeyTwitter: @KeithLHHockey
Also
JT is one assist short of 100 on his NHL career. That’d be a nice double, especially if he scored the other goals.
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
What would be very cool is
Ness (1st NHL goal) From (JT/Nielsen- Both 100tth assist) 4-3 in overtime. Milestones everywhere.
Neil Smith @bigdealneil94 @KeithLHHockey @craigjbutton hey keith GFY
Website:Lighthouse HockeyTwitter: @KeithLHHockey
ha- that would be a great problem to have.
But Id say Ness… goal trumps assist.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Feb 7, 2012 3:35 PM EST up reply actions
agreed
JT can have a puck next season when he gets to 200 assists.
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 Feb 7, 2012 3:38 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
Ness can have the pucks from his first two goals of the game.
I want the 10,000 goal puck!
"The reader of this sentence exists only while reading me."
by North Dakota Red Eagle on Feb 7, 2012 4:05 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
...especially since the puck was headed 20 feet wide of the goal...
…and bounces off the backchecking forward’s skate.
"The reader of this sentence exists only while reading me."
by North Dakota Red Eagle on Feb 7, 2012 4:07 PM EST up reply actions
10,000th goal Picks
And there shall be a thread for that.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
by Dominik on Feb 7, 2012 4:19 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
They're going with Bryz instead of The Bob???
Fine with me, let them try to restore Bryz’s confidence. The Bob has owned us for 2 years now.
by 4PeatSake on Feb 7, 2012 3:05 PM EST reply actions 2 recs
feels like longer
but you’re right, total pwnage
These comments crawl up from the depths of the deepest Chasm of Saar
Endangered Tiger, Hidden Goalie
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
Set phasers to stun. For now...
Neil Greenberg @ngreenberg
@jtbourne I will have some Islander love in tomorrow’s ESPN post. Make room on the podcast! Alert Howie!
Hmmm…
"He's depriving some small village of a pretty good idiot" - Mike Milbury on Ziggy Palffy's agent. On Twitter: @Dan_of_Science
by PGI on Feb 7, 2012 3:37 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Heh
I’ve never seen someone tweet a giant white flag before.
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 Feb 7, 2012 3:40 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
Ness will be the 8th 2008 Draft pick to play in the NHL
7th as an Islander. Donovan will soon be #9. 3 are already full time Islanders, one is a full time Wild(er), 3 are near locks on some kind of NHL career and two that have a good shot at it. You are lucky to get one or two NHLers in a draft. 3 of next year’s starting D could be from that one draft. That is just insane.
No Sleep 'til....We Find Some Secondary Scoring
by Anarcurt on Feb 7, 2012 3:59 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Yeah, 2008 class is looking ever-brighter.
Even when you consider Isles had a few extra picks, that is still an excellent draft.
Players who look to be outperforming their draft position:
Hamonic 53rd overall
Donovan 96th overall (to find any NHL-quality player 4th round or later is unexpected)
Ullstrom 102nd overall
Poulin 126th overall
Martin 148th overall
Spurgeon 156th overall
Dibo 175th overall
And those who definitely have a good shot at it:
Ness 40th
Petrov 73rd
Duds:
Trivino 36th
Niemi 72nd
Disappointing, but may still be solid NHLer (I’d bet on it.)
Bailey 9th overall
So basically 7 good picks, 2 duds, and 3 undecided. (I know, many of the “good picks” are still very much undecided, but they’re certainly headed in the right direction.)
And the 2009 class is looking pretty good:
Tavares 1st
de Haan 12th
Koskinen 31st
Nilsson 62nd
Cizikas 92nd
Klementyev 122nd
Lee 152nd
"The reader of this sentence exists only while reading me."
by North Dakota Red Eagle on Feb 7, 2012 4:25 PM EST up reply actions
i wonder if it'd be a good idea...
to sign McCabe for the rest of the season?
it really couldn’t hurt too bad could it?
"Redemption? Sure. But in the end, he's just another dead rat in a garbage pail behind a Chinese restaurant."
Couldn't possibly be worse than what we have now
Or could he…
by sayvillelax94 on Feb 7, 2012 4:50 PM EST up reply actions
worse than staios and eaton?
…..nahhhhh….
"Redemption? Sure. But in the end, he's just another dead rat in a garbage pail behind a Chinese restaurant."
At the very least
We’d have a new passenger on the scapewagon if he didn’t help.
by sayvillelax94 on Feb 7, 2012 5:01 PM EST up reply actions
After sitting on the beach eating fritos all winter?
Taking his kids to practice, drinking rink coffee? I think that ship has sailed.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Kind of drives me nuts
I mean, could he be worse than Staios. Standing next to Streit? And he brings (or used to) some offense.
Maddening.
Neil Smith @bigdealneil94 @KeithLHHockey @craigjbutton hey keith GFY
Website:Lighthouse HockeyTwitter: @KeithLHHockey
by Keith Quinn on Feb 7, 2012 5:01 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Odds are
he has no interest though, right? Sure it’s impossible for you and I to imagine turning down half a million bucks to play hockey, but these guys can be pretty well set if they were smart, and playing for the Isles can’t have a ton of appeal for a guy with one foot in retirement.
We need a low scoring game to win........
Isle’s 3 Flyers 1 we get late EN goal.
With our D.........
You could argue the opposite! If we win then I win either way [I should be banned for such a dumb response]
We need a low scoring game to win……..
Well in retrospect we certainly got that didnt we lol.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Feb 7, 2012 10:29 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Something to say? Choose one of these options to log in.
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Lighthouse Hockey
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
Featured Stories
Islanders Schedule
In Association With
Latest Puck Daddy - NHL from Yahoo! Sports
- Who are the Non-Smythe candidates for the Devils, Kings?
- End is near for Rick Nash, Blue Jackets as trade discussions set to resume
- Why the Devils and the Kings are evidence the Capitals shouldn’t trade Alex Ovechkin
- Eulogy: Remembering the 2011-12 New York Rangers
- Stanley Cup Final: 5 keys for New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings
Latest stories and headlines from NHL.com
- Shawinigan wins Memorial Cup in OT
- Cataractes forward Chaput wins Memorial Cup MVP award after putting up 12 points
- Knights' impressive run comes up just short in Memorial Cup final
- Zlobin's overtime goal lifts Cataractes over Knights in Memorial Cup final
- Zlobin's overtime goal lifts Cataractes over Knights in Memorial Cup final
SBNation.com Recent Stories
1979-80
Source: Uploaded by user via NYIslanders on Pinterest
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
Source: Uploaded by user via NYIslanders on Pinterest
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
Source: Uploaded by user via NYIslanders on Pinterest
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
Source: Uploaded by user via NYIslanders on Pinterest
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.
