Islanders Anxiety - Episode 227 - Still 41 Games Left

With half the season done, Mike and Dan discuss the many ups and downs that have left the Islanders on the playoff bubble.

They recap the disappointing Western Canada trip that saw the team look generally awful picking up just two of a possible eight points. They also discuss the early season successes and the cushion the Islanders had built that’s now all but used up, and how injuries to major players and extended slumps have started to cost them. They also lament the often surface-level coverage the team gets and how writers near and far often don’t understand the Islanders true reality.

In the second half, they praise Brock Nelson on his first All Star Game selection and explain why they don’t want Ilya Sorokin to get voted into the game. Finally, they look ahead at a schedule of daunting games against very different opponents.

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REFERENCES

• If you haven’t yet, you need to hear Jordan Eberle’s interview with Elliotte Friedman from this week. Lots of Islanders memories from the bubble and elsewhere. Plus a new song for everyone to learn.

• Mike’s thread on the Islanders at mid-season neatly summarizes where they are.

• Ethan Sears on Lou’s quiet summer costing the team eight months later.
• Kevin Kurz airs the grievances. Wrong? Not necessarily. Lacking in context and nuance? Definitely.
• These are both straight trash. Why am I paying for this again? I should probably re-think that.

PLUGS!

• Vintage Ice Hockey.com has t-shirts, hoodies, jerseys and more featuring over 100 classic hockey logos. Vintage Ice Hockey also carries our Al Arbour and “The Island” merch, and our portion of the sales are donated directly to the Center for Dementia Research in the name of the coach. Use the code ANXIETY at checkout to save 15% on your order.
• Try wines from The Pinot Project. Delicious Rosé, Pinot Grigio and a Pinot Noir that was named a 2022 Top 100 Best Buy by Wine Enthusiast Magazine. All are under $15 a bottle and are available at local wine shops and at UBS Arena. Learn more at The Pinot Project.com. Please drink responsibly

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Theme song: "Sports" by Josh Spacek.

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