Lighthouse Hockey: FanPosts

So now that we're relevant again...

2013-05-14T13:54:11Z

Can we please, for the love of God, get a new goal song. Seriously, our goal song has been so lame ever since they got rid of that "Hey!" song because people wouldn't stop saying "YOU SUCK!" But if anyone tries to tell me that they like the song Crowd Chant then they are a liar because I never hear a single person singing that song and it sounds pretty freaking stupid in my opinion. If anyone has any suggestions feel free too chime in, not sure if I do right now but I'd rather opera than that Crowd Chant BS.

A New Beginning or False Hope Again?

2013-05-13T02:01:59Z

As disappointed and angry as I was in the outcome of Game 6 and our golden chance to win a very, very winable series, my attention quickly focused to fall 2013 and where this team will be a year from now.

I will give an indepth account of what will make this team into a contender for 2013 and the years to come in a later article, but I pray that Game 6 is not the last home playoff game we will see for a while.

With all the rumors of what will happen in the final 2 years at NVMC, I deeply doubt their owners abilty to make the moves neccessary to get over the hump.

If the FO is finally ready to commit to winning, this team has the foundation to be a contender for at least the next decade. However, are they?

With all the rumors of what will happen in the final 2 years at NVMC, I deeply doubt their owners abilty to make the moves neccessary to get over the hump.

If the FO is finally ready to commit to winning, this team has the foundation to be a contender for at least the next decade. However, are they?

What a Season, But Does this Change the Culture of Isles Nation?

2013-05-12T09:37:15Z

Wow, what a brutal end to such an emotional season. Thinking back to that early February 5 game losing streak, how it was just supposed to be another one of those seasons. Every media outlet predicted we'd be bottom 5 for sure, and we were right on track to proving them right. And then John Tavares happened. Put the team on his back at the age of 22, the same freaking age as me. (ouch...) He scored 28 goals and just keeps getting better every year. No doubt that a Maurice Richard award or two await this kid. When JT came back to Earth it was the heart of the core that picked us back up. What a second half for Kyle Okposo, Josh Bailey, and Frans Neilsen. John Tavares gets a lot of the media play for being the Heart Trophy Candidate, and deservedly so, but without the emergence of the second line the Islanders do not make the playoffs. Fact.

Right from the start of the year I was immediately impressed with the level of effort, determination, and sacrifice from Matt Martin, Casey Cizikas, and Colin McDonald. Tip of the cap to them this year. On a nightly basis these guys left it all on the ice. The three of them have turned into huge fan favorites, and fact that they totaled 43 pts between them is a sweet bonus. I feel like it doesn't get talked about enough that Matt Martin just lead the league in hits for the second year in a row. Last year he amassed 374 hits, winning the title by a margin of 81 hits to Dustin Brown's 2nd place effort (Martin also played 2 less games). I already own a JT jersey (like everyone else), but you can bet on the fact that the next sweater I buy will be #17's. What an animal, and he's a stoolie.

The only unsatisfying part of the offense this year was the role of Michael Grabner. He scored 16 goals, but I think along with myself Isles fans expected more out of him. Why is Frans Neilsen not giving him endless amounts of penalty shot/breakaway training? Seriously, if Grabner scored on 50% of his breakaways he could have had 25+ goals. Seriously though, every single game this season there was that one (sometimes two or three) moment(s) where you were just absolutely astonished at how much faster he is than virtually everyone else in the game (and by the game I mean the whole freaking NHL). Watching the defense scramble to catch him was like Wile E. Coyote chasing Road Runner. Not a shot.

Also to quickly address the defense, the defensive effort of Hamonic and A-Mac. Two studs on the blue line, tough to see MacDonald's season end like that, the top defensive duo was incredibly impressive this year. I see an assistant captaincy in the future of Travis Hamonic for sure. Excited to have Lubo locked up for 2 more, never really knew how good this guy was till he came to the Eastern Conference, and now it's easy to understand why they loved him so much back in Europe. As for Streit, while he's still an effective offensive defenseman and solid power-play quarterback, I'm not so sure I want him back if he's asking to get paid more than $3.5M or if he's looking for more than 3 years. He's 35 and has been somewhat of a defensive liability at times. He finished the year with a team worst +/- coming in at -14. If he goes, Tavares gets the C, it's a no brainer. I was also real impressed Thomas Hickey. While I think it was the right call to keep Carkner in the lineup against Pittsburgh, Hickey had an impressive year, and the 24 year old once 4th overall pick of the LA Kings is playing the best hockey of his career. He moves the puck very well. Him and Lubo finished with a +9 and a +12 respectively, the two highest plus-minuses on the team.

I think the biggest concern going into the offseason is the goaltending situation. So here we've got a 37 year old free agent that came up big for us down the stretch but really didn't do much to help us win in the playoffs. I also won't hesitate to point out that he developed a reputation in San Jose for playing well in the regular season but not being reliable in the playoffs. I think we need to seriously explore other options, considering Kevin Poulin is an young, unproven NHL starter. Roberto Luongo would be awesome to get back to Long Island, but at the right price. It's definitely not worth taking on the full brunt of that contract. Oh yea, and there's Rick DiPietro. Just in case you're curious he finished the season in Bridgeport starting 18 games, going 9-9 rocking a 2.93GAA and a .893 SV%. That'll be all, Rickity DiPietroll.

I know there ~~were~~ are a lot of Garth Snow haters, but you have no choice but to salute this guy for his efforts. Great call by the GM not rushing up any of the young guys and allowing them to at least have a training camp before entering their first NHL seasons. Also, nobody talks about the fact that we just paid Brad Boyes $1M to score 35 pts. Sure, he played with Tavares and we can probably find a better winger for the cornerstone of the franchise, but talk about bang for your buck. Boyes wasn't a stiff either, he may have had a bad stretch in Buffalo but the guy's got a wicked wrist shot and can finish. It's definitely going to be fun to get a look at the young guys next year wiith Brock Nelson, Ryan Strome and Nino Niederreiter all looking to make the squad. And there's David Ullstrom, Anders Lee. Don't expect to see Keith Aucoin, Marty Reasoner, or Eric Boulton back. Not really losing too much there.

So I guess I should address the question in the title right about now, huh? Now that we've proven that we are, and will continue to be relevant in the NHL, what's the deal with Isles Nation? Unfortunately still being at school in PA I couldn't get to any of the playoff games (I've only been to 1 in my life), but watching on TV you could tell how long Isles fans have been waiting for this. Starting with the "We Want Playoffs!" chants toward the end of the season and the raucous atmosphere for the 3 playoff games, I guess it leaves me wondering about the fanbase moving forward. Are we fully committed to the boys in blue or are the only sellout games going to be against the smurfs and our playoff games? After seeing what this team is capable of, and how much fun they are to watch, to see the old barn get hyped up a lot more often during the regular season would satisfying. Being a lot of people's "token" Islander fan, I can't tell you how many times someone came up to me or texted me saying just how entertaining this team is, specifically how much heart they play with. You can't help but root for them.

RIP 2013 season. All you diehards and bandwagoners out there can consider this though. Next season, we enter with expectations. Goosebumps.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=RubBzkZzpUA

-DoubleG

RIP 2013 season. All you diehards and bandwagoners out there can consider this though. Next season, we enter with expectations. Goosebumps.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=RubBzkZzpUA

-DoubleG

Islanders Offseason Guide 2013-14

2013-05-12T09:12:28Z

The playoffs are over for us, but for the first time in years the Islanders are entering the offseason as a team that does not need to find a way to reinvent itself. There are certainly key questions that will need to be answered in the coming months – Who will play on Tavares’ wing? Will Mark Streit be back? Who will play goal next season? – but these are questions asked in the context of a broader trend in a positive direction. That’s pretty cool.

If you couldn’t tell, I’m feeling excited. So instead of working on my dissertation tonight, I decided to work through the Islanders roster to see what our team should be looking for in the offseason. I’ve broken the discussion down into rough units: top-six forwards, bottom-six forwards, top-four defensemen, depth defensemen, a starting goaltender, and a backup goaltender. For each category, I’ve listed the Islanders players who fit into that category, emerging prospects who might be able to step into the category next season, current Islanders free agents who would fit into the category if they were re-signed, and a few unrestricted free agents from other teams whom I think fill some needs that the Islanders may find themselves having this summer. I’ve also included some discussion of what those needs may be and how the team might go about filling them.

If anyone actually reads this, I hope you enjoy it!

Top-Six Forwards:

Established and under contract: Kyle Okposo, Matt Moulson, Frans Nielsen, and John Tavares

Emerging prospects: Brock Nelson, Nino Niederreiter, and Ryan Strome

Key free agents: Josh Bailey (RFA), Brad Boyes (UFA)

Potential UFA targets: David Clarkson (29 years old), Pascal Dupuis (34), and Michael Ryder (33)

The Islanders’ top six is establishing an identity for itself as a fast, creative, and dangerous unit. John Tavares is a dominant force on the ice, and in this year’s playoffs Matt Moulson demonstrated that he can be effective even without his Hart candidate linemate. Frans Nielsen continues to be one of the most reliable two-way forwards in the league, and Kyle Okposo has finally started to show the dominating physical dimension that fans have been waiting to see for half a decade. Restricted free-agent Josh Bailey has also finally begun to emerge as a dangerous player, with a midseason transformation into a confident, shifty playmaker that has been almost as bewildering as it has been exciting.

Though the Islanders certainly have good reason for optimism about this part of their lineup, they will also have some difficult choices to make during this offseason. First line winger Brad Boyes is an unrestricted free agent and will likely be looking to cash in after the one-year trial contract he signed last summer. If the Islanders repeat last summer’s P.A. Parenteau decision and choose not to meet Boyes’ contract demands, this will leave an important void in their line-up that they may be hard-pressed to fill solely from within their organization. Promising young forwards like Brock Nelson, Nino Niederreiter, and Ryan Strome all will be looking to step into roles with the big club in the fall, to be sure, but it would be a mistake to expect them to be able to replace Boyes’ 0.73 points per game right from the get-go.

If the Islanders let Boyes get away from them, they will have a number of options on the open market for his replacement. The Penguins’ Pascal Dupuis has proven himself to be an effective and defensively-sound complement to Sidney Crosby, and he may be a good choice for Tavares’ wing if he could be lured away from Pittsburgh. Michael Ryder is another dangerous right-winger who could potentially be signed to fill Boyes’ spot on Tavares’ line. Both players would bring a great deal of experience to the young team, though they would likely come with a substantial price tag as well. Alternatively, if the Islanders wanted to introduce more physicality to their first line, the Devils’ David Clarkson might be an attractive fit, with his 15 goals this season coming from a shooting percentage that was somewhat below his career average.

Bottom-Six Forwards

Established and under contract: Casey Cizikas, Michael Grabner, Matt Martin, and Colin McDonald

Emerging prospects: Anders Lee and Johan Sundstrom

Key free agents: Keith Aucoin (UFA), Eric Boulton (UFA), Jesse Joensuu (RFA), Marty Reasoner (UFA), and David Ullstrom (RFA)

Potential UFA targets: Boyd Gordon (29 years old), Maxim Lapierre (28), Kyle Wellwood (29)

The Islanders’ bottom six has been an excellent source of secondary scoring, energy, and physicality for the Islanders on a nightly basis. Michael Grabner has thrived in his role as a two-way speedster and penalty killer since his demotion from the second line, and Matt Martin led the league in hits for the second year in a row. The thankfully-still-alive Casey Cizikas has solidified his spot on the roster with his high energy play, and Colin McDonald has proven himself as a gritty, defensively-responsible player who can be leaned upon in key situations. Restricted free-agent David Ullstrom also showed promise this year, and if the Islanders decide to bring him back he will hope to secure a more reliable place for himself in the upcoming season.

It seems likely that the Islanders will part ways with unrestricted free-agents Eric Boulton and Marty Reasoner this summer, and the same may be true of restricted free-agent Jesse Joensuu. A bigger question mark hangs over the status of 34-year-old Keith Aucoin, who was a very useful player all season long in spite of his advancing age and small size. If the Islanders decide to walk away from all of these players, they may look to emerging prospects like Anders Lee and Johan Sundstrom to fill in the gaps. But it seems somewhat more likely that they would at least seek out an established face-off man to replace Aucoin in the line-up. Fortunately, this summer’s crop of unrestricted free agents contains several attractive options for filling this role, including Boyd Gordon, Maxim Lapierre, and Kyle Wellwood, each of whom has proven to be effective in the faceoff circle over the course of his career while also playing a responsible game at both ends of the ice.

Top-Four Defensemen

Established and under contract: Andrew MacDonald and Lubomir Visnovsky

Emerging prospects: none to fill this role in 2013-14

Key free agents: Travis Hamonic (RFA) and Mark Streit (UFA)

Potential UFA targets: Andrew Ference (34 years old), Ron Hainsey (32), Rob Scuderi (34), and Ryan Whitney (30)

Defense has long been an issue for the Islanders, and this season seemed like the first time in recent memory where this weakness was at least tolerable for fans to bear. Another year will hopefully bring another step forward in the development of Andrew MacDonald and restricted free-agent Travis Hamonic, and Lubomir Visnovsky will also be back to provide a steady veteran presence along with his smooth skating and excellent puck-moving abilities.

The biggest remaining question for the Islanders on defense has to do with their aging captain, Mark Streit. Streit has been an effective minute-muncher and power-play quarterback for four of the last five seasons, though his defensive numbers have plummeted ever since his preseason shoulder injury in 2010. And although Visnovsky and Hamonic have both been regular contributors to the team’s power play, the Islanders do not currently have a defender who can match Streit’s offensive talent level in their organization. Thus losing him without replacement would be a considerable blow to the team’s already mercurial power play. However, Streit will likely be looking for a long-term commitment on what may be his last major contract, and the Islanders may be hesitant to make such a commitment to a player of Streit’s age.

Unfortunately, the only unrestricted free agents with a similar level of offensive talent to Streit are similarly old and/or defensively suspect. Sergei Gonchar is the most effective in the group, but at 39 years old he is unlikely to appeal to most Islanders fans. Joe Corvo and Marek Zidlicky are 35 and 36, respectively, and are certainly no better on defense than Streit. Another intriguing possibility would be to give Edmonton’s Ryan Whitney a chance to regain the offensive form he displayed with Pittsburgh earlier in his career – at 30 years old, Whitney certainly has more years left to play than Streit does. But all told, the Islanders will likely face a choice between re-signing their captain, giving up on having an effective power-play quarterback in 2013-14, and signing or promoting a power play specialist to the ranks of their depth defensemen.

If they choose the latter option, they may seek to fill Streit’s key role on the blueline with a defensively sound player like Andrew Ference, Ron Hainsey, or Rob Scuderi. All have played major minutes for their respective teams and all are at least marginally younger than Streit, though not by much. Any of them would likely be better for the Islanders than trying to force one of their less prominent defensemen into bigger even-strength roles next season.

Depth Defensemen

Established and under contract: Matt Carkner and Brian Strait

Emerging prospects: Matt Donovan and Aaron Ness

Key free agents: Thomas Hickey (RFA) and Radek Martinek (UFA)

The Islanders are in a pretty good position when it comes to depth defensemen. Over the course of this season, Brian Strait emerged as a very solid defensive player, while Matt Carkner added the valuable option of infusing toughness and size into the lineup when needed without being too much of a liability on the ice. The Islanders have the option of re-signing restricted free agent Thomas Hickey, who I think played well enough as the season wore on to potentially warrant another chance in an Islanders uniform. Matt Donovan is also coming off of an all-star season in the AHL and will compete for a job with the big club this fall, as will the smaller and fleeter Aaron Ness. Both have demonstrated good skill on the power play at the AHL level, so they may end up being relied upon in a similar role for the Islanders if Mark Streit is not retained in the off-season. Alas, I suspect that all of these names imply that Radek Martinek’s days as an Islander may finally be over, though I have certainly been wrong about that before.

Starting Goaltender

Established and under contract: none

Emerging prospects: none to fill this role in 2013-14

Key free agents: Evgeni Nabokov (UFA)

Potential UFA targets: Niklas Backstrom (35 years old), Ray Emery (30), Mike Smith (31)

Potential trade targets: Jonathan Bernier (RFA, 24), Ryan Miller (32), and Cory Schneider (27)

Perhaps the most important question about the Islanders roster this summer will revolve around the goaltending position. Evgeni Nabokov has been solid during his tenure on the Island, but he is not getting any younger and the Islanders do not seem to be close to developing a solid replacement for him from within their organization. I would not be surprised to see the team give Nabokov one more shot for next year, but I also would not be surprised if they decided to go in another direction instead.

The unrestricted free-agent market in goaltenders contains some recognizable names this year, and the Islanders would be competing with only a few other teams for those players if they chose to make an offer. Chicago’s Ray Emery has played well alongside Carey Crawford and may be worth taking a chance on, and Phoenix’s Mike Smith has established himself as a solid number-one goaltender in past years, though he battled a groin injury all year and was only somewhat effective for the Coyotes this season. Minnesota’s Niklas Backstrom has also had a good career, though at 37 that career appears to be winding down now. The Islanders’ main competitors for any of these players would appear to be Chicago and Edmonton, who might each want to bring on a second goaltender to complement their current starters, as well as the Phoenix Coyotes, who will presumably be seeking to sign or replace Mike Smith. I suspect that the opportunity to start for the Islanders would be relatively attractive by comparison to all of those jobs, so landing one of this year’s UFA goaltenders would seem possible if that were what the Islanders wanted to do.

Another option would be to test the trade market, with a number of excellent goaltenders appearing available for the right price. Jonathan Bernier is a restricted free agent this summer, and given that he appears to have taken up a secondary role to Jonathan Quick, it seems likely that the Kings will be open to moving him rather than trying to force him into a permanent backup position. Meanwhile, Buffalo may be interested in trading Ryan Miller for future assets as they begin to recover from what was a dismal season this year. Somewhat less likely would be an acquisition of Cory Schneider from Vancouver, who have been relatively unsuccessful in their efforts to move Roberto Luongo and may be willing to listen to offers for Schneider if the Islanders can put together an attractive offer. Each of these goaltenders would likely come with a substantial price tag, but they also strike me as much more appealing players than any of the names available through free agency.

Backup Goaltender

Established and under contract: none

Emerging prospects: Anders Nilsson

Key free agents: Kevin Poulin (RFA)

Potential UFA targets: Jason LaBarbera (33 years old), Thomas Greiss (27), and Anton Khudobin (27)

With the long-anticipated demotion of Rick DiPietro to the AHL in February, the job of backing up Evgeni Nabokov fell to Kevin Poulin, who was not able to deliver a victory in that role this season. For his part, Poulin played relatively well in his few appearances, and I suspect that the Islanders will bring him back. If they do not (or if they re-sign him and demote him back to the minors), another option would be to give the job to Anders Nilsson, who has been developing slowly in the AHL. Neither Poulin nor Nilsson, however, has demonstrated an ability to steal games for their team after riding the bench for weeks at a time. Thus the Islanders may ultimately decide to recruit a veteran backup on the open market this summer. As usual, there are a number of serviceable options for accomplishing this, with a variety of players available this offseason for a team looking to fill a backup goaltending role. Jason LaBarbera and Thomas Greiss have distinguished themselves as solid candidates through several years of effective relief efforts, and Boston’s Anton Khudobin has emerged as another promising backup this year in Boston.

Conclusion

That about does it, doesn't it? Basically, I'm thinking that the Islanders need a productive top-six winger, a bottom-six center who can win faceoffs, a top-four defenseman who can eat a lot of minutes, a defenseman who can contribute on the power play, a starting goaltender, and a legitimate backup goaltender. The top-six winger can be Boyes if we re-sign him; the bottom-six center can be Aucoin; the top-four defenseman and power-play contributor can be Streit, the starting goaltender can be Nabokov; and the backup can be Poulin or Nilsson. Or we could get some other guys entirely to fill those roles and still have a great hockey team to watch in the fall. I'm excited to see what happens, and I'm guessing that if you've read this far then you are too. So let's go Islanders!

The end!

If anyone actually reads this, I hope you enjoy it!

Top-Six Forwards:

Established and under contract: Kyle Okposo, Matt Moulson, Frans Nielsen, and John Tavares

Emerging prospects: Brock Nelson, Nino Niederreiter, and Ryan Strome

Key free agents: Josh Bailey (RFA), Brad Boyes (UFA)

Potential UFA targets: David Clarkson (29 years old), Pascal Dupuis (34), and Michael Ryder (33)

Bottom-Six Forwards

Established and under contract: Casey Cizikas, Michael Grabner, Matt Martin, and Colin McDonald

Emerging prospects: Anders Lee and Johan Sundstrom

Key free agents: Keith Aucoin (UFA), Eric Boulton (UFA), Jesse Joensuu (RFA), Marty Reasoner (UFA), and David Ullstrom (RFA)

Potential UFA targets: Boyd Gordon (29 years old), Maxim Lapierre (28), Kyle Wellwood (29)

Top-Four Defensemen

Established and under contract: Andrew MacDonald and Lubomir Visnovsky

Emerging prospects: none to fill this role in 2013-14

Key free agents: Travis Hamonic (RFA) and Mark Streit (UFA)

Potential UFA targets: Andrew Ference (34 years old), Ron Hainsey (32), Rob Scuderi (34), and Ryan Whitney (30)

Depth Defensemen

Established and under contract: Matt Carkner and Brian Strait

Emerging prospects: Matt Donovan and Aaron Ness

Key free agents: Thomas Hickey (RFA) and Radek Martinek (UFA)

Starting Goaltender

Established and under contract: none

Emerging prospects: none to fill this role in 2013-14

Key free agents: Evgeni Nabokov (UFA)

Potential UFA targets: Niklas Backstrom (35 years old), Ray Emery (30), Mike Smith (31)

Potential trade targets: Jonathan Bernier (RFA, 24), Ryan Miller (32), and Cory Schneider (27)

Backup Goaltender

Established and under contract: none

Emerging prospects: Anders Nilsson

Key free agents: Kevin Poulin (RFA)

Potential UFA targets: Jason LaBarbera (33 years old), Thomas Greiss (27), and Anton Khudobin (27)

Conclusion

The end!

JT's Right Wing

2013-05-11T00:57:32Z

As most Islanders fans, i have not been very impressed with brad boys. he has good hands but doesn't play much d or throw the body around. i believe somebody will overpay for him because he had a nice bounce back season and he's only 30. but leaves an open spot on the wing. Nathan Horton is a free agent and i think he would be a tremendous signing. Plus the bruins have only $6 million in cap space to sign him and tuukka rask. If garth decides to stay within the system it could be strome on the first line and brock nelson replacing aucoin as the 3rd line center. I think that's a lot of pressure to put on 2 rookies and we definately have enough cap space to sign horton. So what do u think?

Poll

What should garth do?

No matter what happens...

2013-05-10T18:57:14Z

Yeah that's the corny line you hear in so many movies. "No matter what happens...I'll always love you" or "I'm proud of you" or some other lameness. But thats the title here.

No matter what happens tomorrow night, I gotta say this team has had such a great season. A season that almost wasn't.

And I was a fan that almost wasn't. So I'm glad I swallowed my pride after shoving my foot in my mouth thinking I was never gonna watch an NHL game again.

But I did. And this team really showed up this year. Things started to come together. Game 2 was definite proof of that. So if game 6 is the end to our season, thats ok. No regrets here. No complaints about goaltending or decision making.

I'll be anxious to see what next season brings and I'll expect more progress. I won't be hoping, I'll be expecting it. And if we happen to even up the series tomorrow, well, I'm gonna root for my team just like I've been doing. I can't even remember the last time I had that feeling of despair only this team can give.

So we'll see. Cheers

Yeah that's the corny line you hear in so many movies. "No matter what happens...I'll always love you" or "I'm proud of you" or some other lameness. But thats the title here.

No matter what happens tomorrow night, I gotta say this team has had such a great season. A season that almost wasn't.

And I was a fan that almost wasn't. So I'm glad I swallowed my pride after shoving my foot in my mouth thinking I was never gonna watch an NHL game again.

So we'll see. Cheers

Morrow and Cizikas

2013-05-10T14:43:18Z

The best angle of this "incident" between Brendan Morrow and Casey Cizikas:

I think this clearly shows that Cizikas was holding Morrow's arm the entire time, specifically, CC's left arm was not letting go of Morrow's right arm. And Cizikas's head is never "shoved" into the ice because Morrow's arm (that he's holding onto) is cushioning it.

I think the general reaction to this was wildly overblown, but I'd like to hear what you guys have to say.

The best angle of this "incident" between Brendan Morrow and Casey Cizikas:

I think the general reaction to this was wildly overblown, but I'd like to hear what you guys have to say.

America's Hockey Team

2013-05-09T06:33:17Z

Every generation or two in most every sports fan’s life, there comes along a team for which time, circumstance, and place meets together and forms an ethos that is bigger than the team or even the sport itself.

Think the 2004 Boston Red Sox “Idiots” and the 1979 “We Are Family” Pittsburgh Pirates in baseball. Or the 2007 New York Giants in football or the 1985 Villanova Wildcats in college hoops. Then there was the grand-daddy of all: The 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey team.

They all had that “it” factor, a two-letter word that spoke to the universal appeal of a mighty underdog story. The “it” factor that attracted fans who otherwise might not give a fig about your team. The “it” factor that turns arenas and parks into deafening pandemonium. The “it” factor that causes fathers to pass the lore of what it was like to experience those long-shot runs to future generations.

We might have a new entry on this list.

The 2013 New York Islanders.

Anyone who’s been lucky enough to watch Games 3 and 4 of their playoff series with the classic overdog Pittsburgh Penguins knows they are witnessing something special. The decibel level of the Nassau Memorial Coliseum has been approaching that of a space shuttle launch at Cape Canaveral. The pent-up frustration of a moribund franchise’s fan base has been released. It’s threatening to blow the roof into outer space and the Penguins into the realm where Goliath licked his wounds from David’s slingshot.

To attain the heights of classic underdog status, a team must spring from the depths of either obscurity or possibly near-hopelessness. The Isles are doing both. To say this franchise and its fans have suffered is like saying politicians have agendas. It’s accurate enough, but unless you’re around it, you have no idea of the magnitude.

The last twenty years of the Islanders history has been as sympathy-inducing as its first twenty were glorious. Ever since the days of Denis Potvin, Mike Bossy, Bryan Trottier, Bobby Nystrom, Pat LaFontaine and Pierre Turgeon, the franchise has found innovative ways to embarrass and drive away its fans.

The last Islander playoff victory was 1993. In the interim, the team has been sold to crooked businessmen and seen scads of future All-Stars, like Zdeno Chara and Roberto Luongo, traded away for pennies on the dollar. They employed Mike Milbury. They’ve been rudderless and gone through head coaches like George Steinbrenner at his vein-popping best. They drafted a goalie as fragile as a Faberge Egg first overall and later signed him to a 15-year contract. Neil Smith ran away from the dysfunction after a week on the job. Ryan Smyth cried at the prospect of playing for the blue and orange. They endured the Gorton’s Fisherman logo.

Isles fans are as loyal as they come, but no one can take infinite abuse unless they have Stockholm Syndrome (guilty, myself, I suppose) and so the Old Barn slowly emptied. The team was a prime candidate for relocation to Winnepeg or Kansas City. Evgeni Nabokov and Lubomir Visnovsky balked at coming to Long Island. They have only one full-time beat writer and their flagship radio station is run by the college kids at Hofstra. In terms of laughingstocks in modern sports history, perhaps only the Los Angeles Clippers of the 80s and 90s and the Pittsburgh Pirates post-Barry Bonds could compete. Bottom seemed to have arrived when Smith was replaced as General Manager by the inexperienced and recently-retired backup goalie, Garth Snow.

But then a funny thing happened. The backup goalie, it turned out, had a plan. He stuck with it. He drafted a fledgling superstar in John Tavares. He went to the NHL’s WalMart – the waiver wire –and mixed in some cheap but talented castoffs. He stocked the farm system and sacrificed a few seasons for a better tomorrow. The jetsam and roster filler has been replaced with a team of fast and scrappy young role players. He created a huddled, family atmosphere that Nabokov and Visnovsky now embrace. Snow’s rebuild led to more losing initially, but there came a point where the Sisyphus franchise was no longer pushing a puck up a frozen hill.

Finally, a healthy dividend has accrued and you’re seeing it right now on the ice. Coach Jack Capuano and his charges have forced the Penguins to the brink with a style of play that could best be described as the hockey equivalent of Nolan Richardson’s Arkansas Razorback teams from the mid-nineties:

60 minutes of hell.

It’s a style contrasting with the Penguins’ skillful, but entitled, method of play. Few teams in any sport have as much talent, both homegrown and imported, as Pittsburgh. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are each former league MVPs in the primes of their careers. Kris Letang may soon have his name etched on a Norris Trophy. Future Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla arrived before the trading deadline and the rest of the roster, bottom six and all, is packed with above-average players. Any team that has such an embarrassment of riches as the Penguins will be hated outside the city in which it plays.

The only conceivable way a lesser team can compete is by having enough passion and will to negate their talent. The Pens are a team that prefers finesse to dirty work and it's showing. With each thundering hit Colin McDonald and Matt Martin deliver, every time Casey Cizikas beats out a Penguin to the puck on the forecheck and every time Travis Hamonic inhabits the subcutaneous regions of Malkin’s body, the Islanders are winning new fans around the country.

And why wouldn’t they? This country has been mired in hard economic times for six years now. As Americans have been forced by circumstance to live on tighter budgets and to toil longer hours in buildings that haven’t seen a fresh coat of paint in years, what sports team better embodies the working man than the New York Islanders? We’ve been through the wringer and so have they and maybe we’re both climbing out. The Penguins, to the collective fan across America, are the corporation that’s consolidated its wealth in that time.

Game 6 is in the Old Barn, a veritable hovel to the hipsters and those who spend their time on their cell phones in luxury boxes completing business deals. There are no frills. It’s just a humble, reasonably-priced pad where you can have a beer and make some noise - maybe grill some chow in the lot and have a cigarette.

It’s middle-class America in a nutshell, with a hard-working team to match.

If the New York Islanders beat the Pittsburgh Penguins they will no longer belong solely to Long Island.

They will be America’s Hockey Team.

We might have a new entry on this list.

The 2013 New York Islanders.

60 minutes of hell.

It’s middle-class America in a nutshell, with a hard-working team to match.

If the New York Islanders beat the Pittsburgh Penguins they will no longer belong solely to Long Island.

They will be America’s Hockey Team.

Isles-Pens Game 5 Gamewatch

2013-05-08T12:29:24Z

Join us again in Brooklyn for an Isles-Pens Gamewatch this Thursday with Islanders Fans in Brooklyn. We had a great crowd and a lot of fun for Game 2. Details are below:

Islanders Fans in Brooklyn will be having our second PLAYOFF Gamewatch on Thursday, May 9th for game five against the Penguins! Join us again and support the Isles as they take their first step towards winning the Cup!

Our first Playoff Gamewatch was a terrific success and we hope to see you again! Please RSVP so we can get a general head count. We will be meeting up at O'Keefe's in downtown Brooklyn, 62 Court Street. Look for us upstairs where they are going to set aside some space for us.

Please RSVP on our Facebook Event Page or in the comments below so we have a sense of numbers.

Join us again in Brooklyn for an Isles-Pens Gamewatch this Thursday with Islanders Fans in Brooklyn. We had a great crowd and a lot of fun for Game 2. Details are below:

Please RSVP on our Facebook Event Page or in the comments below so we have a sense of numbers.

Playoff Goaltending Part II - Game 3

2013-05-07T21:14:28Z

Game 3 saw the Isles jump out to an early 2 goal lead, and Nabokov made a handful of saves as the Islanders dominated possession. That all chenged, though, with 2 very bad penalties.

Game 3 - Goal 1

On a 5 on 3 penalty kill, there is bound to be someone open.

Brain Strait loses Jarome Iginal behind him at the side of the net. Nabakov needs to play the shot from the point, and once again, has gone way down exposing the top half of the net. That didn't matter, though, as Letang was able to find a wide-open Iginla at the side of the net for an easy tip-in. No goaltender is going to get that one.

In Strait's defense, he was filling in for Hamonic, who would have been there if he hadn't just taken the penalty to put us down 2 men. Streit was also in the box. If there had been time for a change, the next pair would have been Lubo/Carkner. Carkner alone on a 5 on 3 is scary enough. The thought of a Strait/Carkner pairing gives me nightmares.

There's enough blame to go around the D-corps here.

Game 3 - Goal 2

15 seconds after the last goal, Streit is now out of the box. Penguins are still ona 5 on 4. A Malkin home run pass to Kunitz catches Lubo and Strait asleep at the blue line. Kunitz breaks in all alone.

Kunitz breaks in and cuts from Nabby's left to his right. Nabby commits a little too early, exposing the net on his glove side. Kunitz is able to exploit that hole over the glove to tie the game.

I split blame evenly here between Lubo, Strait and Nabby. The D needs to be aware to prevent this, but Nabby needs to make this save.

Game 3 - Goal 3

With a minute left in the period, Sidney Crosby races down the right side to Nabby's left, leaving Lubo in his dust. Pascal Dupuis beats a backchecking John Tavares to the net front.

Crosby makes a perfect pass to the front of the net. Dupuis is able to tip it in.

I can't fault Nabby at all on this one. Lubo can't get beaten like that. Tavares probably can't do much more to Dupuis other than take a penalty hauling him down before he gets to the net, but he got beat from the red line when he was watching Kunitz and ignoring Dupuis behind him. Bailey and Boyes were changing behind the play.

As Kunitz makes the pass up to Crosby, Streit is pinching up while Lubo is coming over to cover Crosby.

Kunitz banks a pass off the boards to Crosby. Dupuis knows that Tavares hasn't noticed him, and had begun a full sprint to the net from the red line. Lubo continues towards Crosby, but gets beaten.

I place the blame on this one on everyone but Nabby. Boyes and Bailey for a slow, sloppy change (Bailey has just gotten to the bench at this point, Boyes was still a ways away), Tavares for not being aware of the player behind him (the video shows he doesn't pick him up until below the hashmarks), and the defense for not being in position. I can't fault Lubo too much for getting beaten by Crosby, but he did have a chance to ride him away from the net by using his body, and instead tried to make a stick check and missed badly.

Game 3 - Goal 4

This one makes me physically ill to look at.

Nabby has not come out to challenge the shooter, he's already crouched down, and his glove hand is in front of his body, not at the side ready. Again, the scouting report is to shoot high glove, and Doug Murray does just that. This is just a horrible, horrible goal to give up.

Game 3 - Goal 5

In Overtime, killing a penalty, Crosby has the puck behind the net.

As a Malkin pass went back to Paul Martin on the point, both grabner and Nielsen race out to challenge the shot. MacDonald is covering the front of the net. Hamonic is off to the side. As Martin makes the pass to a wide open Crosby on the goal line almost 15 feet from the net, MacDonald went diving to block a possiblt shot, taking him out of the play. Hamonic was slow to get to the front of the net to cover. and Kunitz raced over. Nielsen realized Kunitz was open and tried to get back to cover him.

All the while, Nabby was already down on his knees in net. Instead of sliding out and over to follow the Crosby pass, he slid right along the goal line, leaving the top of the net wide open over his glove. Kunitz put the shot over his glove to win the game.

There is some blame to be placed on the horrible coverage in front, but this is still a shot that needs to be stopped via better positioning and mechanics.

Playoff Goaltending - Why the Islanders are down 2-1 (Games 1 and 2)

2013-05-06T22:53:11Z

There has been plenty of heated discussion in the pre-game, game and post-game threads about the quality of goaltending the Islanders have received from Evgeny Nabokov in the first 3 games.

His numbers have been very bad.

Game 1 - 21 Minutes played, 4 goals allowed on 15 shots (73.3%)

Game 2 - 60 Minutes played, 3 goals allowed on 33 shots (90.9%)

Game 3 -

After the jump, a look, goal by goal, at what went wrong.

There has been plenty of heated discussion in the pre-game, game and post-game threads about the quality of goaltending the Islanders have received from Evgeny Nabokov in the first 3 games.

His numbers have been very bad.

Game 1 - 21 Minutes played, 4 goals allowed on 15 shots (73.3%)

Game 2 - 60 Minutes played, 3 goals allowed on 33 shots (90.9%)

Game 3 -

After the jump, a look, goal by goal, at what went wrong.

Game 1 - Goal 1

Pittsburgh is on the power play. Beau Bennet skates down the right side and take a shot from a deep angle that beats Nabokov over the shoulder.

Nabby is hugging the post, sealing off any low shot, but leaving a 6 inch gap over his shoulder. Bennett finds that hole. 100% on the goaltender for letting that one by.

Game 1 - Goal 2

Nabby is facing a flurry of shots, he comes way out of his crease to challenge the shot, and is run over by Craig Adams.

This one is NOT on Nabby. The play should have been a penalty for goaltender interference.

1/2 on bad goals.

Game 1 - Goal 3

On the power play, shot is taken from the faceoff dot. MacDonald may be partially screeneing Nabby, but look how low he is. Letang puts the shot up over his shoulder, so even without a screen, Nabby doesn't get it.

This one is on Nabby. He's set up low, and back in the crease, giving away the top of the net.

2/3 on bad goals.

Game 1 - Goal 4

The pass comes down from the point to the slot. Dupuis is left alone to receive the pass by MacDonald. Nabby, who had been challenging the point shot, is slow to get over to defend the slot shot.

I'm putting this one 50% on AMac, 50% on Nabby. Again, hwe is down on his knees, inable to get over to defend the side of the net he left open.

2.5/4 on Bad Goals

Game 2 - Goal 1

The rebound is laying in front of the net. MacDonald and Cizikas are in a poisiton to be able to clear it. Nabby goes for the poke check and misses, leaving Malkin about 20 square feet of net to hit as he shovels it over a prone goaltender.

Hamonic has Malkin engaged, but Malkin is able to reach the puck with his stick. Had Nabby not gone down, he can make the stop.

3.5/5 on bad goals

Game 2 - Goal 2

Penguin PP. Nabby has gone down early yet again, but this one is also on the defense.

Crosby is left alone behind the D. Nabby is on the ice out of position. The D and the G are sharing the blame on this one.

4/6 on bad goals

Game 2 - Goal 3

As bad as an angle as this one was, this goal is on Travis Hamonic. Hammer had Crosby marked as they skated down the left side, but as Crosby went behind the net, Hammer let him go to cover the front. MacDonald was already engaged. Nabby was actually upright, and had been challenging the shot from the point which never came.

Crosby was wide open for the pass down, and I don't think any goaltender was going to get back to stop that shot. Hamonic needs to read the situation and realize that he can't hand Crosby off to MacDonald as he normally would.

This is really a well drawn up play by the Pens. They took advantage of Hamonic being a 'good' D-man. Ned Stark was good, too.

4/7 on bad goals.

In part 2, coming tomorrow, I'll look at all 5 goals allowed. 3 of them were up over Nabby's shoulders.

Behind Penemy Lines: An Islander Freak Inside Penguin Land

2013-05-06T21:05:28Z

"Oh boy."

When I found out I had the opportunity to go to Games 1 and 2 of our heroes' first playoff series in a kindergartener's lifetime, that's all I could muster up the wherewithal to say.

All I had to do was take three vacation days, drive to and from Pittsburgh, and pay for lodging. I mean, most people would look at that and say "you're out of your mind." But those who matter knew this was a "can't pass up moment" for me, so I took it.

I woke up Wednesday around 5:30 a.m. and got my proverbial spit together to make this trip. Pretty simple, but I'm all over the place as a person and am void of any sort of routine, so I wanted to give myself ample time.

The trip was actually quite pleasant. The Belt was its cranky self, but the rest of the trip was smooth and sunny. Great driving weather.

I am a big WFUV fan, so I spent the first hour or so of the trip with them, before having to switch over to my iPod.

When I got closer to Pittsburgh, I tuned into some Pittsburgh sports talk. I realized about eight minutes in it was a bad record. The message: We are the Jolly Green Giants of the East and we are going to stomp all over our opponents.

It was clear that this city's approach to this first round tilt with the team with no track record was simple, take care of business.

I got to my room at a chancy motel in the Oakland, neighborhood of Pittsburgh where the colleges reside. It was a pretty cool spot. It was a good mix of small city charm + college town.

Game 1

I got to the arena early, explored, and then began to sweat. Everyone in the building was giving off the same aura -- we're here to take care of business.

The Pens in-arena operations are all class. Vibrant and engaging. They keep the fans in the game without getting cheesy. It doesn't come off as a place that would have a Spongebob SquarePants Day because they don't have to.

The people are there to root for their Penguins.

The first goal was a big celebration. It was pretty much saying to the world, "Yeah, this is how it is supposed to be."

The next goals were treated like exclamation points on the headline, "Penguins Are For Real!!!!"

The Islanders were running around. I know it was said all over the place, but it was their first friggin' playoff game. They were handed their lunch and instead of throwing a tantrum, they learned from it.

I will say this about the city of Pittsburgh -- they LOVE their Penguins. I wasn't of age for Mario's heyday -- just caught the tail end of his career, really. So I never really saw THOSE Penguins, I really know only of the city of THESE Penguins.

I remember the dark times for the city and organization -- before Le Magnifique saved them. I remember thinking this would not be a good thing for the sport if Pittsburgh loses their team.

Now, I hold nothing but disdain for the Penguin organization. Arrogant, entitled, and sneaky -- the lot of them. I thought this was a reflection of their fanbase.

After game one I could see, this is not the case.

I went with my pal to a bar called, The Souper Bowl, right across from Consol Energy Center. Small dive, one Penguin Wearin' Patron said this place was a "Classic Pittsburgh bar."

We were welcomed into their bar. Everyone bought us a beer for coming to the game. I'm not sure this would be normal treatment for a Flyer, Ranger, or Capital. But they had no problems with the Islanders.

They wanted to know more about Tavares and Okposo. They asked me how we got Visnovsky. It was good people all around. They told me who their "Rushmore's" were (most were Lemieux, Sid, Geno, and Barrasso). They explained the Igloo was their Coliseum.

I figured the Penguin fans I hear most about are the Bandwagoneers who saw the Light post-darkness. They weren't around for Andy Chiodo, Sebastien Caron, Rico Fata, and Alain Nasreddine.

The heart of the fanbase was a concerned, but true bunch. They didn't take what was happening for granted. Just like we won't when we are where they are ~~in a few years~~ next year.

The Islanders, like me, were welcome guests to watch the Penguins entertain through round one.

I wasn't feeling confident after the 5-0 debacle, so I agreed. "Yeah, I hope we can find a way to steal one at the Coliseum. Give her an excuse to strut her stuff again."

I found my way home and slept in on Thursday. Did some work remotely, and then explored town.

Pittsburgh, to me, is a smaller version of Chicago. Wide, clean, and progressing. Everyone was nice. There was Penguins gear everywhere. Everyone who was on the street was wearing a jersey. The Penguins over time have had some pretty cool threads, so this was pretty cool to see. Plus, you never see hundreds of Islander jerseys walking around town on an off-day.

I went to Primanti. Bros. for lunch. It's a sandwich shoppe that garnered some acclaim during this food porn revolution. It was on those shows that every restaurant worth eating at on trips is on.

They do make a killer sandwich though. Fries, cole slaw, cappicola, a fried egg between some cared for bread. Spot on and not expensive. So now I must say, If you're in Pittsburgh go to Primanti Bros.

I went to "South Side" for dinner that night. I was told by a Carnegie-Mellon Alum just to pop in for a bite there. He told me Pittsburgh's Pizza should be talked about more. He was right about that. I went to a bar called The Blind Pig and watched the Smurfs lose. It made the pizza taste that much better.

Game 2

The next day I woke up and for some reason everything felt right. There was this weird feeling in my bones. The city was again laden in Penguin attire and I was wearing my Islander rebuttal.

I got some smirks and some "good luck tonight" quips, but most of all I was just ignored.

The arena also had a different sense to it.

Everyone was talking sweep.

"I am more worried about the Leafs/Bruins and Caps/Smurfs series right now," said a lot of people in one way or another.

They were still talking about taking care of business. Sid's back, we should see a crooked number. That was the theme of the night.

Game starts.

Goal. Goal. Party on.

I looked on Twitter. I saw the same tweets you did.

"Pens in three."

"Uncle."

"Throw in the towel."

"Nobody can touch us," they thought. In fact, after the Isles PP goal the crowd's reaction was an "Awwwwwwwwwwww."

Sid scores again. He's back. I heard someone say, "Bring on the Blackhawks, nobody can beat us."

They all were not watching the same game I was seeing. The Isles were winning battles. They were making smart plays and they were getting the puck deep and keeping it there. They were throwing everything at the net. This was good.

Then the Okposo-Niskanen fight.

The first thing I thought was, "Kyle's been waiting for this moment." When I saw who he was fighting I laughed a bit. Niskanen's best known fight came against Sidney Crosby, and Crosby hung in there.

Okposo did better than that. He really gave it to Niskanen. The Pens fans cheered when their rearguard was able to mercifully end the fight on his own terms, but they knew that was not a good sign. The Isles were not here to watch, they were here to play.

McDonald. Martin. Oh my.

All of a sudden they were sitting. They stopped waving their towels and shouting hyperbole. They needed to wake up. Unfortunately, the Isles were already too much into a groove for the Pens' to Power Play them to death.

The Okposo goal was lucky, but don't try and tell me they didn't deserve it. I've seen that goal hundreds of time in my lifetime, it usually ends up behind my goalie.

All of a sudden the media went from burying and forgetting about the Islanders, to praising them. They are working hard, they said. They're right, but we're also a very talented team. Nobody wanted to admit it, but the Islanders have a boatload of skill.

I didn't go to a bar after the game. I went to my hotel. I smiled.

I woke up early on Saturday to drive home. Pittsburgh was good to me. The Islanders were too.

Heading Home

The Isles are in this series. Despite the two losses to one win, this team is not going to lay down. I would even say losing Game 4 is not the end of the world. This team is not to be taken for granted. They are all out there because they have something to prove. Just like us.

The Islanders still have the deck stacked against them. Likely, the Penguins will find a way to dispatch them with a little push from the higher ups. We knew that was going to be the case coming into the series and its not an excuse to use. When you play Crosby and Co. you're not just playing the 20 talented men in the black and gold, you're playing against a lot more than that. Greater forces are at work here. We knew that coming in, we relish the fact that we don't get that special treatment and if we win, we're going to do it this the right way.

They aren't perfect and they know it. They don't pretend to be perfect, either. And despite their pretending, the Penguins are also not without flaw.

This team is fun. They are so exciting and they are committed to our cause. They may not win, but they are sure as hell worth seeing out to the end.

Let's Go Islanders.

"Oh boy."

When I found out I had the opportunity to go to Games 1 and 2 of our heroes' first playoff series in a kindergartener's lifetime, that's all I could muster up the wherewithal to say.

The trip was actually quite pleasant. The Belt was its cranky self, but the rest of the trip was smooth and sunny. Great driving weather.

I am a big WFUV fan, so I spent the first hour or so of the trip with them, before having to switch over to my iPod.

It was clear that this city's approach to this first round tilt with the team with no track record was simple, take care of business.

I got to my room at a chancy motel in the Oakland, neighborhood of Pittsburgh where the colleges reside. It was a pretty cool spot. It was a good mix of small city charm + college town.

Game 1

I got to the arena early, explored, and then began to sweat. Everyone in the building was giving off the same aura -- we're here to take care of business.

The people are there to root for their Penguins.

The first goal was a big celebration. It was pretty much saying to the world, "Yeah, this is how it is supposed to be."

The next goals were treated like exclamation points on the headline, "Penguins Are For Real!!!!"

I remember the dark times for the city and organization -- before Le Magnifique saved them. I remember thinking this would not be a good thing for the sport if Pittsburgh loses their team.

Now, I hold nothing but disdain for the Penguin organization. Arrogant, entitled, and sneaky -- the lot of them. I thought this was a reflection of their fanbase.

After game one I could see, this is not the case.

I went with my pal to a bar called, The Souper Bowl, right across from Consol Energy Center. Small dive, one Penguin Wearin' Patron said this place was a "Classic Pittsburgh bar."

I figured the Penguin fans I hear most about are the Bandwagoneers who saw the Light post-darkness. They weren't around for Andy Chiodo, Sebastien Caron, Rico Fata, and Alain Nasreddine.

The heart of the fanbase was a concerned, but true bunch. They didn't take what was happening for granted. Just like we won't when we are where they are ~~in a few years~~ next year.

The Islanders, like me, were welcome guests to watch the Penguins entertain through round one.

I wasn't feeling confident after the 5-0 debacle, so I agreed. "Yeah, I hope we can find a way to steal one at the Coliseum. Give her an excuse to strut her stuff again."

I found my way home and slept in on Thursday. Did some work remotely, and then explored town.

I went to Primanti. Bros. for lunch. It's a sandwich shoppe that garnered some acclaim during this food porn revolution. It was on those shows that every restaurant worth eating at on trips is on.

Game 2

The next day I woke up and for some reason everything felt right. There was this weird feeling in my bones. The city was again laden in Penguin attire and I was wearing my Islander rebuttal.

I got some smirks and some "good luck tonight" quips, but most of all I was just ignored.

The arena also had a different sense to it.

Everyone was talking sweep.

"I am more worried about the Leafs/Bruins and Caps/Smurfs series right now," said a lot of people in one way or another.

They were still talking about taking care of business. Sid's back, we should see a crooked number. That was the theme of the night.

Game starts.

Goal. Goal. Party on.

I looked on Twitter. I saw the same tweets you did.

"Pens in three."

"Uncle."

"Throw in the towel."

"Nobody can touch us," they thought. In fact, after the Isles PP goal the crowd's reaction was an "Awwwwwwwwwwww."

Sid scores again. He's back. I heard someone say, "Bring on the Blackhawks, nobody can beat us."

Then the Okposo-Niskanen fight.

The first thing I thought was, "Kyle's been waiting for this moment." When I saw who he was fighting I laughed a bit. Niskanen's best known fight came against Sidney Crosby, and Crosby hung in there.

McDonald. Martin. Oh my.

The Okposo goal was lucky, but don't try and tell me they didn't deserve it. I've seen that goal hundreds of time in my lifetime, it usually ends up behind my goalie.

I didn't go to a bar after the game. I went to my hotel. I smiled.

I woke up early on Saturday to drive home. Pittsburgh was good to me. The Islanders were too.

Heading Home

They aren't perfect and they know it. They don't pretend to be perfect, either. And despite their pretending, the Penguins are also not without flaw.

This team is fun. They are so exciting and they are committed to our cause. They may not win, but they are sure as hell worth seeing out to the end.

Let's Go Islanders.

Where to watch in Manhattan?

2013-05-05T02:23:13Z

I'm meeting my buddy who's coming up from D.C. for work, and we're looking for a good place to watch Monday night's game in Midtown. Anyone have any suggestions? We're resigned to being surrounded by Rags fans, so we'll deal.

Still trying to decide whether to wear the Tonelli jersey or the Langway jersey. Which one will earn me the greater number of new friends in Rags Country?

IN THE NAME OF JOHN DRUCE, WE BESEECH THEE...

Still trying to decide whether to wear the Tonelli jersey or the Langway jersey. Which one will earn me the greater number of new friends in Rags Country?

IN THE NAME OF JOHN DRUCE, WE BESEECH THEE...

doc emerick smacks down eddie olczyk on NBC during rags playoff game 2

2013-05-04T20:34:49Z

i found this to be exceedingly funny... to most others it's probably nothing... but i'm watching the New York Rangers vs.the Washington Capitals in game 2... when the OT starts emrick and olczyk look at video of, and talk about, a missed call in the third period on Washington for delay of game as a puck goes over the glass... doc seems to say let's move on and they do... the OT period starts..

coincidentally the same exact thing happens again and Washington is called... but olczyk has a stick up his ass about the previous non call on Washington... perhaps his ranger days flashing in his head? so he goes on this little rant about how both plays (the just called penalty and the missed call) were the same... he breaks it down point by point with a touch of anger in his voice... it was a total homer kind of thing not something you should say during a national broadcast...

emerick is quiet for a moment... he then says in a quiet but definite manner "well now that we've MOVED ON!" sort of sarcastically nudging eddie... then he actually goes on to say how they need to be journalistic in how they are announcing, totally smacking down eddie for his nonsense... eddie to his credit apologized... and they moved on

i thought it was hysterical plus you normally don't hear that kind of tension from announcer to announcer

S-Pacific Isles Fans - breakfast playoff hockey (Vancouver)

2013-05-04T17:33:28Z

Any other Vancouver Isles fans want to watch the game Sunday morning together (or even other games I guess)? It was fun to see other Vancouverites posting on LHH.

Leave a message here or email me at jeanluc1968@hotmail.com. We can do a bar/resto downtown or what not. Feel free to suggest any particular restaurant you may like.

It's always fun to be able to watch the game with other fans.

Who says you can't have beer for breakfast?

Any other Vancouver Isles fans want to watch the game Sunday morning together (or even other games I guess)? It was fun to see other Vancouverites posting on LHH. Leave a message here or email me at jeanluc1968@hotmail.com. We can do a bar/resto downtown or what not. Feel free to suggest any particular restaurant you may like. It's always fun to be able to watch the game with other fans. Who says you can't have beer for breakfast?