The Islanders play their second matinee in as many days today, a 3 p.m. start against the Panthers. Hopefully today they remember it's on the schedule.
The Panthers coach Peter Horacheck sounds a bit like Jack Capuano or any number of other coaches:
"Special teams stink," interim coach Peter Horachek said. "Those guys aren't taking responsibility for the penalty-killing. It was not very good.
"There's got to be more desperate play. There's got to be some approach to the game that has more fortitude to it. We were relaxed, sloppy."
Islanders Reads
- NEW: Frans Nielsen has been taken off IR, meaning Mike Halmo is returned to Bridgeport.
-
Travis Hamonic won't be playing today, because the NHL enforces its rulebook, usually. [LHH]
- The Islanders' defensive problems seem just a prospect away. Here is some high praise for Griffin Reinhart, with a chart on how much better his WHL team is with him, as well as some more text here. Reinhart has missed a few weeks with an "illness," and he is close but did not return yesterday.
- Arthur Staple discusses how many teams have been inquiring about Thomas Vanek and Andrew MacDonald. [Newsday]
- Kerry Fraser addressed Anders Lee's (second) tying goal against the Leafs, and concludes the officials got the call right. [TSN]
- SEE WHAT YOU DID, GARTH? TAKE ANDERS NILSSON OUT OF BRIDGEPORT, AND SOUND TIGERS LOSE. But seriously, Bridgeport's win streak ended as Worcester stopped their losing streak. [Soundin' Off] [CT Post] [BST]
- Via IslesEnforcer, Matt Donovan set off a bit of a brawl:
Elsewhere
- Pat LaFontaine has done it again. [LHH satire, based on real events]
- It sounds like LaFontaine thought this whole thing was, like, a committee. [Puck Daddy]
- Was it a power struggle, or just a change of heart? Signs point strongly to the former. [Sabres Edge]
- This is just downright awesome: The guy who was emergency backup after the Sabres traded Ryan Miller. [Buffalo News]
- So is this: Alan May, the most deadline-traded man in the world. [Sportsnet]
- The Vancouver Canucks aren't starting Roberto Luongo in their Heritage Classic game. Which is, you know, kind of a dick move. "Luongo feels this is somewhat of a slap in the face," said TSN's Darren Dreger.
- Martin Brodeur has been a bit of a tool while denying his quite-evident decline, hasn't he? [NHL]
FIG Picks
Go here to leave your First Islanders Goal picks.