Island Hopping

Two games in two days, four days off. Two games in two days, three days off. Lately, the schedule brings to mind island hopping. With the most recent two games anchored in the middle of a nine-day ocean, I think it's a good time to reset.

So put on your seatbelts as we take this puddle jumper on a three-hour tour of the Islanders archipelago.

Greg Logan reports that Kurtis McLean's footy foot injury is a dastardly ruptured Achilles tendon. Saying that this type of injury is a major impediment to the career prospects of a 28-year-old career minor leaguer may be an understatement. All the best to Kurtis for a quick and successful recovery.

A lot of people want to get on him for the way in which he injured himself. These types of cross-training warmups are fairly common throughout sports. A pitcher loosening his arm by throwing a football (or in El Duque's case, a softball) is probably the most common example. I'm not going to get on McLean because I'm in no position to say whether the injury was directly caused by the activity. It's entirely possible that the tendon was already vulnerable and regular hockey activity would have brought the same result. That being said, I think it's worth it for trainers and physicians to explore further whether it's risky for even highly conditioned athletes to engage in activities that use the body in ways that aren't required by their normal training. But, again, sometimes you just get hurt.

Also in Newsday, Tim Jackman is satisfied with his role but still looking to improve his game, and Joey MacDonald is ready to return. This is an important stretch for MacDonald as he's lost some ground to Yann Danis. On the other hand, perceptions being what they are (hard to shake), MacDonald might do better on the open market than Danis.

In the most recent Islanders Insider, Brendan Witt and Kyle Okposo do not have a problem with Alexander Ovechkin's 50th goal celebration, and Garth Snow compares Okposo's stickhandling ability to a lizard's tongue. The column also makes us relive the horror of Teemu Selanne breaking Mike Bossy's record for goals by a rookie. (For me, the horror was not the celebration, but the fact that the record was broken.)

The Ovechkin question is a weird one for me because I usually can't stand this type of scripted celebration. Generally speaking, if you hit a home run, and that's your job, round the bases and get off the field in a dignified manner. If you're a wide receiver and you catch a touchdown pass, you have similarly merely done your job.

Of course, there are times when circumstances call for, and intrinsically create, displays of enthusiasm. Such displays often endure as a classic moments, whereas their scripted counterparts run for a day and a half on SportsCenter. Ovechkin's 50th is clearly the latter. However, his hot stick routine came across more as Look how much fun I'm having! than simply Look at me! That doesn't mean that Rick Tocchet won't have someone take a run at him next time. In this game, that's okay too.

In the Post, Dan Martin confirms what many of us having been saying all year: the current players aren't at all focused on who might be joining them from the 2009 NHL Draft class.

Point Blank shows that time heals by throwing some love to this space's actual lease holder (I'm the sub-tenant), BD, and also speculates that Thursday night's Meet Me at the Marriott event will be more interesting than you might have anticipated. Messrs. Wang, Rechler, and Suozzi have something up their sleeves?

Lighthouse Hockey gives careful and well-thought-out consideration to re-signing Doug Weight. It's a complicated equation, and Dominik does a terrific job of breaking down the contribution factors.

Following the recent no-point weekend(!), the Isles stand six points clear of Tampa Bay and eight points clear of Colorado for 30th place in the overall standings.

Starting Wednesday night, the Isles play three games in four days (Minnesota at home on Wed., at Detroit on Friday, and back home for Philadelphia on Saturday). The Wild come into town with a disappointing 34-30-8 record (4th in the Northwest division, right on the playoff bubble in the Western Conference). The holders of one of the best looking home jerseys in the NHL finally got Marian Gaborik back, but now face a stretch without leading scorer Mikko Koivu. The Wild will pay a visit to the Garden tonight before heading east to take on native Minnesotans Okposo and Jack Hillen (pending Andy Sutton's return).

By Sunday, we should be able to put much of the calculating to rest. One thing you can be sure of: St. Louis and Stamkos, Stastny and Svatos, and Mueller and Turris aren't playing for draft position either.

(This post was originally published at http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=20205.)

The Buzz on Gordon's Sandbox

For those of you who don't already know, I'm filling in for B.D. Gallof as the Islanders blogger on HockeyBuzz for at least the rest of this season. I still haven't figured out exactly how I'm going to manage the content in both places, but I don't intend to let this blog die.

I imagine there will be many times when the content will be mirrored from one place to the other. I respect that some people may prefer to read here, so this arrangement will work out well for you. On these occasions, I will probably post there first, and then re-run the content here on a delay. We'll see how that works out. Thanks so much to all that have supported this blog, and I hope you stay with me one way or another.

Here's the latest (and first), originally published at http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Celebrity-Guests/Introducing-Our-New-Islanders-Blogger-Kenneth-Rosenblatt/33/19250...


During the first period of the Islanders' 3-2 loss to Florida, I expressed both my disagreement with Scott Gordon's decision to start Joey MacDonald and my ambivalence over how much the decision really mattered. To sum up, I don't see how you deny Yann Danis the opportunity to keep rolling and to test how long he can maintain a streak of solid/winning play. The ambivalence comes from the idea that at this stage of this season, the winning doesn't matter, and Gordon is going to use MacDonald down the stretch anyway. So why not last night?

The overriding issue is that Gordon is free to play around (tinker toys?) with no fear of significant consequences. He isn't going to blow a playoff run, and he isn't going to lose his job.

The only possible dangers I see are Gordon hindering a young player's development or alienating the veteran players to the extent that the club atmosphere suffers. Let's look at these two dangers a little more closely.

Perhaps the prime example of Gordon being able to see what he has without worrying about consequences is his use of Kyle Okposo on the point during power plays. Did anyone imagine at any point until the coach put him there that Okposo would play the point? I certainly didn't.

But more to the point, what is the point of him being there? Does anyone envision that being his long-term role? I certainly don't. Which begs the question, Why put him there now? Wouldn't Okposo be better served, in this, a year of organizational development, by gaining experience down low where we all assume he will eventually be?

Maybe Gordon sees something and Okposo will be a fixture on the point for years to come. The coach has also explained that he views Streit as the sole point man, while Okposo and Doug Weight are really positioned more along the half wall. But it seems to me that both forwards spend plenty of time just inside the blue line with the man advantage.

We've seen Okposo blast a well placed one-timer home while playing point. We've also seen him rip a trio of one-timers wide of the net. Gordon is playing a delicate game of balancing what's good for the team right now and what's good for its future. Right now, he doesn't have many options to put alongside Streit on the power play. There's really no one else. So maybe Okposo is there only out of necessity. But if Gordon isn't intent on Okposo being in that spot next year, I'd rather see Chris Campoli (when Streit returns), Radek Martinek, Jack Hillen, or even a playmaker like Frans Nielsen on the point.

That being said, Okposo is showing himself to be every bit the professional both physically and mentally. He will not be ruined by playing out of place for a while.

As for the idea that the clubhouse could be poisoned by vets made unhappy by reduced roles, that's only a concern if the poison trickles down from the vets to the kids. That's not going to happen with Bill Guerin and Doug Weight around. And if they're not around? Then there's no problem to be had.

But those two have done everything the team has asked them to do, and been everything they've been asked to be. This team can continue to develop with Guerin and Weight in the fold for the rest of this year and next year.

By letting Okposo, Josh Bailey, Blake Comeau, Nielsen, and Trent Hunter feed off each other, Gordon has created a level of enthusiasm that his older players are forced to match.

Just as Gordon challenged Okposo not to be content with simply being there, the coach has challenged the rest of the young players to make it their team as much as it is Guerin's and Weight's. That is a significant step in the development of the team. Don't forget it.

I imagine that Gordon will continue to make the occasional small decision that leaves us scratching our heads. But let him have his sandbox for the rest of the year. That's where kids learn to play.

Gordon Calls MacDonald's Number—What Would You Have Done?

I suppose I can allow for the idea that if the remainder of this season is to be about seeing what you have, then there's no reason to stick with axioms like riding the hot goalie.

Scott Gordon faces few consequences for the decisions he makes the rest of the way. If his feeling was that it's time to get Joey MacDonald back in the action, I can accept that reasoning. Gordon will obviously be using MacDonald the rest of the way, so why not start now?

Yet, I can't completely convince myself that the coach made the correct decision tonight. If it were me, and I say this without the benefit of having a dynamic with either player, I would have sent Yann Danis out there again. Let him complete his run, as far as it goes.

I say this halfway through the first period with the Islanders trailing Florida 1-0. MacDonald may stone them the rest of the way. Again, it doesn't really matter. The Islanders are not in desperate need of a win—or a loss, if that's what you're looking for.

But sometimes you just have to go with a feeling. Tonight, mine would have been to go with Danis.

Fantasy Update Continued: Prospects

As we get ready to watch fantasy stud Mark Streit represent the Islanders at the All-Star Game in Montreal, let's continue our review of the Islanders roster as it pertains to fantasy hockey.

In the previous post, we took a look at players who are viable contenders for your fantasy roster right now. In part two of this update, we examine prospects.

When we last did a fantasy roster review, the prospects list consisted of Andy Hilbert and Rick DiPietro. Kyle Okposo, Josh Bailey, and Joey MacDonald had fallen off the list since the previous evaluation. Without further adieu...

Prospects
Kyle Okposo—The rookie right wing has been one of the team's most productive players in the second half, putting him back on this list. He seems to have decided not to struggle through his rookie season and is instead looking like the player that some were touting for the Calder before the year began. Since the Christmas break, Okposo has 5 goals and 5 assists in 13 games. His last two goals have come on the power play where he is playing the point on the first unit. The return of Doug Weight may shake things up a bit, but you can count on Scott Gordon continuing to give Okposo ample oppotunity with the man advantage and plenty of ice time overall. Okposo ranks 17th in rookie scoring, but should move up the table as the second half progresses. He is 8th among rookies in shots on goal despite missing 13 games to injury.

Andy Hilbert—Hilbert made this list last time and was enjoying somewhat of an offensive renaissance playing under his former AHL coach. Hilbert was leading NHL forwards in blocked shots before he got injured. It remains to be seen where Gordon will slot him in when he returns next week, but expect him to get plenty of time on the penalty kill and possibly time on the 2nd power play unit.

Joey MacDonald—Still on the injured list but making progress, MacDonald is unlikely to replicate his great November. However, when he returns he may face some competition for starts from Yann Danis as they battle for the #2 job next year. Perhaps the competition will elevate his performance and make him an option for those in need of a depth goalie.

In the first part of this update, I teased Danis as a fantasy prospect. I'm not seriously recommending that you pick him up, but his statistics over the recent stretch do deserve a mention. In fact, on the season Danis actually has the best GAA and SV% of all Islanders goalies. Of course, it's close enough and he's played few enough games that it could change very quickly. However, in his last five games, Danis has a GAA of just over 2.00 with a SV% of .940. Unfortunately, there's only one win in there.

In the third part of this All-Star Break update, we'll take a look at fantasy specialists.


DiPietro in the Man Cave

I saw a commercial today for the DIY Network's Man Caves show, which stars Jason Cameron and Tony Siragusa. This looks like a typical home makeover show that focuses on converting areas of homes into sports and entertainment paradises that put the local sports bar or clubhouse to shame. What's notable is that in one clip from the commercial, you could clearly see a framed DiPietro jersey hanging in the background.

3-Point Weekend: The Good News/Bad News Report

"We had some pretty good energy," Gordon said. "We spent almost the entire game in their zone. Maybe they had one forecheck at the beginning of the first period. Our guys, from my standpoint, played with a lot of effort. There was a missed coverage on three goals where we had people in place but didn't pick up the man. That was a breakdown, and we didn't get the save. But from a defensive standpoint in our zone, we didn't give up anything and we spent little time there, so we must have been doing something very well in the offensive zone on the forecheck."

That was Scott Gordon's assessment of his team's 5-1 loss at home to the Atlanta Thrashers on December 6th. At the time, I noted that Gordon seemed to go a little too far to paint the loss as a good loss when the circumstances didn't call for it. You certainly couldn't blame Gordon if he wanted to accentuate the positive after last night's 4-3 shootout loss at Buffalo.

For the first time in a long time, there were plenty of positives in the play of the Islanders as they downed the Maple Leafs 4-1 Friday to end a ten-game losing streak, and extended the Sabres to a skills competition Saturday. Only those who wish to see the Isles lose at all costs could have come away from this weekend disappointed (granted, this team desperately needs John Tavares). Here are some of the good news highlights...

Friday

• Kyle Okposo hit the scoresheet with a goal and an assist for his first career multi-point game this season. [Corrected because Okposo had a goal and an assist in his second NHL game, a 3-1 win at New Jersey on March 21, 2008.] Okposo kicked off the scoring just 3:47 into the first period to get the Islanders going. The play was started by a clean breakout pass from Rick DiPietro, who recorded the only assist on the play and in the process set a team record for career points by a goalie (14, all assists).
  
  
• After playing only 2+ games this season, DiPietro made a surprise return to the lineup and recorded his first win of the season. He stopped 28 of 29 shots in a solid, controlled performance that seemed to give his teammates a shot in the arm.
  
  
• Bill Guerin lit the lamp twice to notch his 399th and 400th career goals. Guerin is the 8th American player to hit the 400 mark.
  
  
• In addition to Okposo's efforts, the youth brigade was all over the box score. Blake Comeau picked up two assists while Chris Campoli, Jeff Tambellini, and Josh Bailey registered one helper each.

Saturday

• Tambellini finally broke through for his first goal of the season (I—okay, Garth—told you he'd score) by converting a return pass from behind the net by Mark Streit. Tambellini started the exchange by finding a cutting Streit with a sharp pass across the front of the goal. Streit took the puck behind the net and found Tambellini open on the other side. Half the net may have been open, but it looked like a goal scorer's goal.
  
  
• Joey MacDonald stepped back into the starter's role just one day after the return of DiPietro and played solidly, stopping 34 of 37 shots. Odds are that the Isles will need to count on MacDonald more this season and it's important that he remains sharp and confident.
  
  
• Comeau, Okposo, and Bailey all got in on the scoring for the second consecutive game with an assist each. This was in addition to goals by Tambellini and Campoli.
  
  
• The Isles used a late power play and an extra attacker to score twice in the final 1:34, stunning the Sabres and sending the game into overtime. It was nice to see them force an opponent into a third-period collapse, especially after the Sabres extended their one-goal lead to two with only 5:23 remaining.
  
  
• Mike Comrie's goal, which brought the Isles to within one at 18:26 of the third, was the kind of prototypical two-man advantage goal that this team has not scored often enough in the last few years. With MacDonald pulled and the Isles skating 6-on-4, Guerin took a pass down low from Comeau and fed the puck across the crease to Comrie who was waiting on the doorstep with an open net to hit.
  
  
• On the game-tying goal, Okposo refused to be knocked off the puck. His toughness and determination enabled him to feed Campoli, whose perfectly placed shot from the slot tied the game with two seconds remaining in regulation.
  
  
• It looks like Brendan Witt is starting to round back into shape.
  

The Bad News?

• Andy Hilbert is out with a hairline fracture in his foot. Blocking so many shots has its consequences. As annoying as it is to lose another player, and as well as Hilbert has played this season, the Isles can survive without him.
  
  
• DiPietro did not travel to Buffalo and Howie Rose reported that the goalie has a strained groin. Monday should be very interesting. At this point, I feel like it's 50/50 whether DiPietro starts against the Rangers or we hear something about 7-10 days.
  
  
• Unnecessary penalties continue to plague this team. Four consecutive minors in the second period Saturday night and a momentum killer by Sean Bergenheim in overtime were too much to overcome.
  
  
• A 4-point weekend would have been really sweet. The shootout in Buffalo was no contest. MacDonald got toasted by Kotalik and Stafford while Park and Okposo did not fool Ryan Miller in the least.

All in all, a very enjoyable weekend of hockey.

Quickly, Before Another Game Hits the Ledger

I was as surprised as many others at the praise and optimism in the Islanders' locker room following Saturday night's loss to the Thrashers. Under certain circumstances, you may accept that a loss was a good loss. This was not one of those times.

It is true that the Islanders controlled the flow of play for the most part. But the attack was fruitless, and the puck ended up behind Joey MacDonald five times. If Weight, Hunter, Streit, and Guerin aren't scoring, no one is. Frans Nielsen and Kyle Okposo can't come back fast enough. Opposing defenses simply don't have enough to worry about right now. Josh Bailey is pointless in his last five games and is getting killed on faceoffs.

But Scott Gordon was willing to focus on "some pretty good energy" and declared that the power play was also "pretty good." MacDonald thought "the team played pretty well." Andy Sutton opened with, "Sometimes you play really well and lose."

But he, and the others, also backed off the positivity the more they spoke. And when Gordon said, "We had missed coverage on 3 of the 4 goals" and "We were doing something very wrong in the offensive zone and the forecheck," it's hard to take too much good away from the pretty good.

Gordon seemed more exasperated than usual in trying to answer questions. But I'm somewhat convinced that he was at least as exasperated with the having to answer questions as he was with his team's play, perhaps way more so.

In the end, I really have no problem if the Islanders are in a let's-keep-the-energy-positive mode. I don't think the alternative would serve them very well. But pointing to the energy, the plus margin in scoring chances and puck possession, and the negative differential in bounces and breaks just rang a little hollow on this night.

What if Streit or Comeau had connected with the back of the net instead of the post with just over nine minutes remaining? Well, it would have been a 4-2 game with just over nine minutes remaining. Nothing about the game convinces me that the end result would have been any different.

Finally, I don't know if running MacDonald out there every single game is a wise move. I can see decent arguments for both sides of that issue. What I can say is that in the locker room after a 5-1 loss on Saturday night, MacDonald did not look at all burdened by fatigue.

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Game 26: Thrashers 5, Islanders 1
Fantasy Stars of the Game
1st Star: Chris Campoli (1 SOG, 2 BkS, 15 PIMs, 1 hit)
2nd Star: Tim Jackman (2 SOG, 15 PIMs, 2 hits)
3rd Star: Bill Guerin (1 G, 1 PPG, 2 SOG, 4 hits)
4th Star: Brendan Witt (5 BkS, 8 hits)
5th Star: Trent Hunter (3 SOG, 4 PIMs, 3 hits)
Faceoffs (W-L): Sillinger 6-5, Weight 7-7, Park 8-2, Thompson 6-2, Bailey 4-10

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In case you missed it, A.J. Perez has a Q&A with Doug Weight in USA Today.

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New York Islander Fan Central points to a story in Sports Business Journal that suggests the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center as a possible home for the Islanders if the USTA puts a roof on Arthur Ashe Stadium. While a move to Queens would be a boon to my game attendance, the upper level of Ashe is ridiculously far away from the playing surface. Fans will put up with watching specks on skates for the Winter Classic, but would they do so game in and game out of an NHL season?

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Unbrewing the Goalie Controversy

The news that Rick DiPietro has begun skating will likely lead to the intensifying of murmurs among fans and media members that a goaltending controversy will shortly confront the Islanders. The original prognostication of a four-to-six week absence for the All-Star goalie still seems overly optimistic, and I will stick to my initial read of the situation, which said that we are unlikely to see DiPietro return before the new year. But know that any such goaltending controversy upon his return will be purely discussion for the sake of discussion.

I love what Joey MacDonald has done for this team. His performance has been unexpectedly impressive. He has turned a position of doubt into one that inspires confidence. I only hope that he can approach the same standard of play as a backup. For that is what he will be.

As good as MacDonald has been, a healthy, conditioned DiPietro is better. If his athleticism has not been compromised by his injuries, he brings another level to the last line of defense.

And for better or worse, the Islanders have too much invested in DiPietro to undermine his stature. He's still at the point in his career where he expects to best help the team by playing every game—not by splitting time or engaging in some healthy competition for the starting gig.

So if you have climbed all the way aboard the MacDonald train and you're looking for him to get a shot at #1 engineer, I think you'll be disappointed. That being said, the Isles would do well not to immediately throw DiPietro into playing too many consecutive games. Make use of a not-yet rusty MacDonald and give DiPietro a chance to get into real game shape.

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AOL's NHL FanHouse featured Islanders prospect Rhett Rakhshani in this week's edition of Hi, My Name Is..., which focuses on NHL hopefuls currently playing college hockey.

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It's a shame to see former Islanders coach Peter Laviolette lose his job as head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes. The dismissal demonstrates exactly how much capital a coach earns by winning the Stanley Cup (2+ seasons). Of course, we also learn that five seasons from now, Laviolette will have earned the right to return as Carolina's head coach, as the man he replaced is now doing. Maybe Laviolette and Paul Maurice can invest in a house that they flip back and forth every few years.

Anyway, this looks like a clear case of an organization looking to shake things up, and finding that firing the coach is the easiest way. I tend to root a little bit for other teams in the NHL for various reasons. Any team coached by Laviolette will be one of those teams.

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Fantasy Stars Update

Game 21: Islanders 4, Canadiens 3, SO (The O'Byrne Own Goal)
1st Star: Bill Guerin (1 G, 1 A, 1 PPA, +1, 4 SOG, 1 BS)
2nd Star: Doug Weight (2 A, 2 PPA, +1, 1 SOG)
3rd Star: Trent Hunter (1 G, 1 PPG, 3 SOG, 1 BkS, 1 hit)
4th Star: Richard Park (1 G, 1 PPG, 3 SOG, 1 BkS)
5th Star: Josh Bailey (1 A, 1 PPA, 2 SOG, 2 BkS)
Faceoffs (W-L): Weight 4-8, Park 7-10, Hilbert 1-3, Colliton 5-1, Bailey 3-12

Game 22: Penguins 5, Islanders 3 (The Five Unanswered Against)
1st Star: Trent Hunter (1 G, 1 A, 1 PPA, +1, 1 SOG, 1 hit)
2nd Star: Doug Weight (1 G, 1 PPG, 3 SOG, 2 BkS, 2 PIMs)
3rd Star: Bill Guerin (1 G, 1 PPG, 5 SOG, 1 BkS, 2 PIMs, 1 hit)
4th Star: Mark Streit (2 A, 2 PPA, 2 SOG)
5th Star: Josh Bailey (2 A, 1 PPA, 1 SOG, 1 BkS)
Faceoffs (W-L): Weight 8-7, Park 11-13, Colliton 13-5, Bailey 7-3
Notes: Guerin demoted for being a -4; Hunter was the Isles' only plus player.

Game 23: Bruins 7, Islanders 2 (No Reminder Necessary—Or Desired)
1st Star: Nate Thompson (1 G, +1, 3 SOG, 1 BkS, 3 hits)
2nd Star: Mark Streit (1 A, 1 PPA, 1 SOG, 1 BkS, 5 hits)
3rd Star: Andy Hilbert (1 A, 1 PPA, 3 SOG, 1 BkS, 1 hit)
4th Star: Richard Park (1 G, 1 PPG, 2 SOG)
5th Star: Brendan Witt (1 A, 5 PIMs, 3 hits)
Faceoffs (W-L): Weight 6-10, Park 9-5, Thompson 1-3, Colliton 7-3, Bailey 6-8

Game 24: Islanders 4, Senators 2 (IV the Win)
1st Star: Andy Sutton (2 A, +2, 3 SOG, 2 BkS, 2 PIMs, 4 hits)
2nd Star: Freddy Meyer (2 G, 1 A, +2, 3 SOG, 2 BkS, 1 hit)
3rd Star: Andy Hilbert (1 G, 1 A, +2, 4 SOG, 1 hit)
4th Star: Trent Hunter (1 G, 1 A, +2, 3 SOG)
5th Star: Jon Sim (1 A, +2, 4 SOG, 10 PIMs, 1 hit)
Faceoffs (W-L): Weight 7-4, Park 6-6, Colliton 4-5, Bailey 4-8

The Fantasy Star Points Top Ten rankings are now posted at the bottom of the sidebar. Trent Hunter has edged in front of Mark Streit for the lead through 24 games.

MacDonald Leads Islanders Over Rangers 2-1 at MSG

Joey MacDonald standing on his head + offense from Richard Park and Nate Thompson = win. This is not the formula on which the Islanders are counting for success.

Or is it? Outstanding goaltending + tenacious defense + opportunistic, aggressive offense = too much for the opponent to overcome.

MacDonald was the difference. And just a few days after a frustrated Marty Turco called out the skaters in front of him for trying to play goalie and not letting him see the puck, MacDonald was buoyed by 32 blocked shots from his support staff. The Isles also scored 27 hits.

It was important for Nate Thompson to get on the scoresheet, even if he did so with a put-the-pizza-in-the-oven goal. Clearly, Garth Snow and Scott Gordon did not bring Thompson here for organizational depth, but to play a meaty role. It's reasonable to hope that breaking through for his first goal will boost his confidence and get him on track to being the complete player he was in the AHL. Can you imagine Thompson developing into a Michael Peca type player? That's a lofty expectation, but it's fun to think about the ceiling for some of these young guys.

Nate Thompson puts the pizza in the oven.

Of course, we're still staring at two scoreless periods that were rescued by two shorthanded goals in the third. Consistent five-on-five scoring is the next hurdle to overcome. But for now, let's enjoy having won two in a row.

The New York (Global) Times covered the New York Islanders vs. the New York Rangers in New York City with an Associated Press article. Stu Hackel did provide some commentary in Slap Shot.


Fantasy Report

Game 11: Islanders 4, Blue Jackets 3, OT
Fantasy Stars of the Game
1st Star: Chris Campoli (2 G, 1 SHG, +2, 4 SOG, 4 BkS, 1 hit)
2nd Star: Trent Hunter (2 A, 1 SHA, +2, 3 SOG, 1 hit)
3rd Star: Richard Park (1 G, 1 A, +1, 3 SOG,
4th Star: Mike Comrie (2 A, 1 SHA, +1, 2 BkS)
5th Star: Bill Guerin (1 G, +1, 2 SOG, 2 BkS, 2 PIMs, 5 hits)

Game 12: Islanders 2, Rangers 1
Fantasy Stars of the Game
1st Star: Joey MacDonald (W, 1.00 GAA, .972 SV%)
2nd Star: Frans Nielsen (1 A, 1 SHA, +2, 4 SOG, 3 BkS, 2 hits)
3rd Star: Nate Thompson (1 G, 1 SHG, +1, 1 SOG, 2 BkS, 4 hits)
4th Star: Richard Park (1 G, 1 SHG, +1, 3 SOG)
5th Star: Thomas Pock (1 A, 1 SHA, +1, 1 SOG, 2 BkS, 1 hit)

Fantasy Star Points Top Ten (Through 12 Games)

1. Streit 31
2. Guerin 22
3. Hunter 22
4. Weight 15
5. Park 12
6. MacDonald 9.5
7. Bergenheim 9
8. Comrie 9
9. Thompson 8
10. Meyer 7

Closing Thoughts on Columbus Day

Condolences to the family and friends of Alexei Cherepanov. I remember watching team after team pass on him during the 2007 draft. When the Rangers finally selected him, it occurred to me that he would eventually take the torch from Jaromir Jagr and become the next great source of Ranger torment for the Islanders and their fans. But I hesitate to talk about this in terms of hockey any further as the loss to his loved ones goes so far beyond that.

Locker Room Report
Despite the horrific performance by the Isles yesterday, the locker room did provide some good quotes, most of which you have probably read elsewhere by now. I will paraphrase a few of the things that were said, either because I didn't see them elsewhere or because they are worth repeating.

Scott Gordon

• Wanted Joey MacDonald to battle and figure things out
• Feels that pulling the goalie lets the team off the hook
• Was most disappointed in the failure to work as a unit of five, finish hits, and get above the puck
• Said the team wasn't even close to following the system, and didn't even change lines effectively
• Avoided answering questions about Rick DiPietro's readiness

Joey MacDonald

• Was glad that Gordon had the confidence in him to battle through the team's poor play
• Deflected attention away from the idea that DiPietro wasn't ready to start or relieve
• Noted that support between goalies goes both ways between starter and backup and he has that support

Bill Guerin

• Losing two guys in the fight shouldn't have been a problem, and the whole thing was honest
• The team used its sticks instead of its legs
• Didn't bite on the idea that DiPietro can't currently play

Nate Thompson

• Wanted to go with Mair all game to change the momentum
• Stands behind MacDonald 100% and is sure he'll shake it off come back playing unbelievably

I did get the chance to ask Thompson if, based on his familiarity with Gordon, the coach would respond to the performance by really tearing into the video and notes, or prefer to focus on a clean slate and the basics of the system. Thompson thought it would be a combination of both. He said they would come back tomorrow ready to work.

Fantasy Report—Game 3
I'm putting some thought into a new system for tracking the Islanders' fantasy leaders that would score the entire roster every game instead of just awarding five stars somewhat subjectively. If it looks worthwhile, I roll it out and include all the games that have been played retroactively. But, for now, here are your five Fantasy Stars of the Game:

1st Star: Nate Thompson (2 blocked shots, 15 PIMs, 2 hits)
2nd Star: Brendan Witt (1 shot, 17 PIMs, 1 hit)
3rd Star: Sean Bergenheim (1 shot, 15 PIMs)
4th Star: Trent Hunter (1 G, 1 shot, 1 blocked shot, 2 PIMs, 7 hits)
5th Star: Thomas Pock (1 A, +1, 1 shot, 5 blocked shots, 2 PIMs)

Other notables: Faceoffs—Weight (8-5), Comrie (10-3), Park (3-1), Thompson (6-5), Nielsen (11-4)

Overall the Islanders went 40-20 on faceoffs in this game. Getting the puck surely isn't two-thirds of the battle.

10/11/08: Islanders 5, Blues 2

It was a successful home debut for Scott Gordon as the Islanders handled the St. Louis Blues with a 5-2 margin of victory tonight at Nassau Coliseum. Five different Islanders lit the lamp.

Just as they did last night, the Islanders got off to a fast start as Mike Comrie fired home a rebound at 2:18 of the first period for a 1-0 lead. Richard Park and Kyle Okposo earned assists on the play. Unlike last night, the Isles kept the pressure on and never really looked back.

Trent Hunter scored on the power play from Doug Weight at 13:47 to make it 2-0, and Sean Bergenheim followed that up at 15:20 with helpers going to Andy Hilbert and Bruno Gervais.

Brad Boyes brought the Blues to within two at 17:23 of the first, and with the Blues going to the power play shortly thereafter, it looked like the Islanders might lose their edge. But Andy Hilbert converted a Mark Streit feed from in close for a shorthanded goal and the Isles had their three-goal lead back. Gervais notched his second assist of the game on the play.

The second period was scoreless but was notable for the beginning of a malaise that endured into the third period. During this stretch, the Islanders were less crisp and intense. A team better than the Blues might have made them pay for the lapse.

Perhaps the loss of Radek Martinek to injury near the end of the first period was somewhat responsible. It is early in the season for a team still learning its system and with a few new defensemen to adjust well to playing down a blueliner—especially one as important as Martinek.

In the third, the Blues pulled to within two once again when Keith Tkachuk scored on the power play at the 7:47 mark. This is where you can give the Islanders a lot of credit. They refocused, tightened up, and kept the Blues at bay without falling back into a defensive shell. Bill Guerin put the game away with an empty-net goal with just under a minute remaining.

Meanwhile, Joey MacDonald was strong in goal once again. Filling in for a recovering Rick DiPietro for a second consecutive night, MacDonald stopped 24 of 26 shots to earn his first victory as an Islander.

Storylines

• Is everybody feeling a little better about MacDonald being a capable backup for DiPietro? Of course, MacDonald hasn't actually served as the backup yet. We'll have to see how he does after sitting for 10 or 15 straight games. But his play thus far is enough to make everyone stop worrying about Wade Dubielewicz being in Russia.
• Gervais appeared to be on the outside looking in as the season started. But he has now started the first two games and is making something of the opportunity. If Martinek is out for any length of time, Gervais could be called upon for some important assignments. Tryouts to play alongside Streit on the power play also continue.
• Bergenheim's play suggests that his development is continuing right on schedule and he has every intention of being an impact player.
• Ten different Islanders hit the scoresheet tonight.
• Jack Hillen, Josh Bailey, and Blake Comeau were scratched.

Fantasy Report—Game 2
1st Star: Bill Guerin (1 G, +1, 2 shots, 2 blocked shots, 4 PIMs, 2 hits)
2nd Star: Doug Weight (2 A, 1 PPA, +1, 1 shot, 2 blocked shots, 2 hits)
3rd Star: Mark Streit (1 A, 1 SHA, +2, 2 blocked shots, 3 hits)
4th Star: Trent Hunter (1 G, 1 PPG, 3 shots, 1 blocked shot, 3 hits)
5th Star (tie): Bruno Gervais (2 A, 1 SHA, +1, 2 blocked shots, 1 hit), Joey MacDonald (W, 24 saves on 26 shots)

The forwards on the first power play unit continue to be Guerin, Weight, and Jon Sim. The second trio is Mike Comrie, Frans Nielsen, and Hunter. Streit is the powerhorse on the point with Gervais getting the most time with him tonight. Freddy Meyer and Thomas Pock also saw signficant time at the point with the man advantage.