Daily Double

It's rare that I get to watch my two favorite hockey teams play simultaneously. So tonight was a pretty good way to spend an evening. In the right sight line, I had Islanders-Devils on the TV. In the left sight line, Cornell-Harvard in the semifinals of the ECAC Hockey Championship live via B2TV.com ($8.00 for the single game pass). The results were a mixed bag.

Cornell was the visiting team in the ECAC tournament game contested at the Times Union Center in Albany. I clicked on the "visitors" link hoping to hear a Big Red broadcast. Instead, I got the Crimson announcers. Thinking the site had possibly reversed the links, I fired off a quick e-mail to customer service asking if it were possible to access the Cornell broadcast without having to purchase another pass. B2TV Networks impressed me with an almost immediate reply that consisted solely of a link. The fact that the link included "harvard" in its address wasn't promising, however. Indeed, I was once again fed the broadcast in a darker shade of red. At that point, it wasn't worth pursuing anymore as I had two hockey games to watch and only two eyes!

The webcast, while not superclear, was high enough quality to be enjoyable to watch. The audio was often a second or two ahead of the video. I'm only pointing all of this out because B2TV also webcasts minor league hockey games, including those of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. So, if the Sound Tigers find themselves involved in critical games over the next few weeks (a likely event), you may have the option of watching the game in the comfort of your own home.

As for the game, Cornell fell victim to a couple of lapses in discipline and was unable to contain the Harvard power play. The Crimson scored two quick goals with the man advantage on consecutive opportunities in the second period. Cornell responded quickly after the second goal to cut the lead in half with a power-play marker of its own.

In the third period, Cornell really took the play to its arch rival. The Big Red dominated possession and fired 16 shots on goal. Unfortunately, tonight's version of the Big Red looked a little like the Islanders in that it struggled mightily to finish its scoring chances. Still trailing 2-1 with just under three minutes left, Cornell took its sixth minor of the game. Harvard scored its third power-play goal in six chances to put the game away. Cornell was unable to cut into the margin with a 6-on-4 advantage in the waning minutes.

Harvard's Doug Rogers, a fourth-round draft choice of the Islanders in 2006, picked up an assist on the second Crimson goal and took five shots. Rogers stands second on the team in scoring with 13 goals and 20 assists in 34 games. He is a +15.

Cornell's season ends at 18-14-3 with no chance for an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. [Note: Cornell defeated Colgate 4-2 in Saturday's consolation game.] The Big Red can be optimistic about the years to come. This year's top two scorers, Colin Greening (Ottawa) and Riley Nash (Edmonton), are a sophomore and a freshman, respectively. Assuming they don't leave early, they should be fun to watch for a few more years. Starting goaltender Ben Scrivens is also a sophomore. The team will lose only four seniors.

Fortunately, the Cornell game ended just in time for me to focus on a helmetless Kyle Okposo ripping an off-balance one-timer past Martin Brodeur to give the Isles a 2-1 lead over the Devils with 2:35 remaining. The power play goal, off a Richard Park feed, was Okposo's first in the NHL and his second point, after an assist on a Blake Comeau tally earlier in the evening. Wade Dubielewicz stood, well, tall in the face of a strong Devils attack. Dubie continues to state his case for being a legitimate NHL netminder who can be relied upon in any situation.

Bryan Berard recorded two assists, including the secondary on Okposo's goal. Trent Hunter sealed the fight-filled game with a rare Islanders empty-net goal. Bill Guerin, Matt Spiller, and Josef Vasicek all took fighting majors, as Ted Nolan got his wish for a more spirited performance. Spiller was the unfortunate recipient of an Arron Asham knockout punch to the cheek that drew blood.

The win by the Islanders and the performance by Okposo were a nice salve to the wound that was the Cornell loss. A double-victory would have been nice. But, for a hockey fan, it was still a pretty good way to spend an evening.

Isles Execute Perfect Dive at the Deadline

That is to say, no splash. Greg Louganis would be impressed. I can't say that I'm too disappointed at the way in which the day unfolded, especially considering my recent call for stability and continuity. My only concern is whether Garth Snow will be able to add a top-tier talent or two over the summer to boost this club out of the middle of the pack. That would have been a concern regardless of what happened today, barring an aberrant inflation in the value of Fedotenko, Vasicek, or Satan. I certainly wasn't expecting anything splashy.

It's good to see that Jeff Tambellini will continue to get a look, and I hope that when the season is over there's no doubt that it was a fair look. When Tambellini was sent down recently to accommodate Chris Simon's return, it didn't bother me that much simply because it was obvious that Tambellini wouldn't be receiving worthwhile minutes. He was better off back at Bridgeport getting first-line minutes than playing 6-8 minutes a night on the Island.

Here are some quick thoughts on the deals that were made...

Rob Davison from San Jose for a 7th-round pick. Here, Garth Snow simply filled a need. In his fifth season in the NHL, Davison has yet to establish himself as a no-brainer for a spot in the lineup every night, partially due to being injured frequently. However, his reputation as a tough customer and a tough, reliable defender should make him a welcome addition to the Islanders' depleted defensive corps. For now, Davison slots nicely into the role vacated by Andy Sutton. Brendan Witt's pending return will create job competition between Davison and Aaron Johnson for the last spot on the blue line--unless Ted Nolan becomes dissatisfied with Bryan Berard.

Marc-Andre Bergeron to Anaheim for a 3rd-round pick. This one is puzzling mostly because you have to wonder what Anaheim wants with Bergeron. He's not going to take power-play time away from Pronger, Niedermayer, or Schneider. Perhaps Brian Burke is sending a message to Francois Beauchemin, whose play has slipped this year. I have to think that Bergeron will be spending most of the next 20 games in the press box (Burke knows how to get tickets there). From an Islander perspective, it's not as though Bergeron's relative success on the power play was raising the level of the team's overall man-advantage play. The Islanders entered tonight's game succeeding with the extra man at a rate of only 16.2%, ranked 24th in the league. Given the choice, I might have kept Bergeron over Berard. There's little chance that choice was available because I doubt Berard had much trade value, let alone a third-rounder. Call this one moving on now, rather than sooner or later.

Chris Simon to the Wild for a 6th-round pick. I understood Ted Nolan's reasoning for wanting a player like Simon in the lineup. You don't necessarily need a guy who's going to beat the stuffing out of someone every game. But it helps when the other team knows that there's a guy around who can do that. That being said, my biggest concern about the trade of Simon is not the loss of his protection services but how it affects the relationship between Nolan and the front office. Mike Schuerlein of IslesBlogger.com reported today that Nolan was "clearly unhappy" that Simon was sent packing. I don't think Nolan will punish Tambellini because he's taking Simon's spot in the lineup. I hope the coach doesn't take the deal as a personal slight, and I have no reason to believe that he will. The bottom line is that Simon would have had a diminished role with the Islanders and his roster spot is better spent on a player who is up and coming. I'd like to put a smiley face on the trade by telling you that moving on and getting a fresh start is the best thing for Simon, and that Nolan endorsed the idea for that reason. Of course, I don't know if that's really the case. I imagine that, like Brian Campbell, Colby Armstrong, and others, he would have been happier to stay where he was.

With only a few hours of perspective, I feel that the net result is that it became harder for the Islanders to make the playoffs today. The team obviously didn't improve its talent level and I have this fear that the power play is going to go 0-for-80 the rest of the way (0-for-7 so far tonight). The unusual thing is that if they do miss the playoffs, I'm already excited about next year. The Kid Line is looking more and more comfortable, and the biggest kid isn't even here yet. The GM has a plan, and so far he's sticking to it.

Some may think that the best thing now is to fade into a lottery pick. That just goes against all of my instincts. Maybe I still haven't recovered from seven straight years of being on the outside looking in (and 22-win seasons). With only 18 more games left after tonight, I still want the Islanders to be in the thick of things come April.

Two-Minute Minors

In an effort to get the writing juices flowing again, here are a few things that have been bouncing around in my head without compelling me to dedicate entire posts to them:

Ted Nolan committed to a full-time pairing of Bryan Berard and Marc-Andre Bergeron to start last night's game against Philadelphia. He had previewed this twinning of offensive-minded defensemen for a shift or two at a time in a couple of games over the past few weeks, so I wasn't entirely surprised to see it resurface. Still, it was impossible not to question the sanity of the move even considering the absences of Chris Campoli and Bruno Gervais. But maybe there was method to the madness. Maybe Berard and Bergeron, fully recognizing the perception (and reality) of them as a pair, are working that much harder to tighten up their game for each other. Against the Flyers, they each finished +2. Is Nolan on to something? Well, it's a theory. But it's only been one game. Now that Witt is down, we may have a chance to witness study carried out to its conclusion.

The buzz surrounding the return of Chris Simon is in full crescendo. The official Web site is full of pictures of Simon smiling. I've said all I care to about the issue for now, and thanks to Islander Frontier for recapping the generous amount of blogger coverage. Instead, the pictures of Simon provoked a funny thought in my head. What if Simon returns a changed man? I mean totally changed. What if he returns to the lineup with that smile fixed permanently on his face offering only pleasantries to opponents before politely skating around them? He could be like the hockey version of Pedro Cerrano in Major League II.

We often gripe about the lack of media coverage the Islanders receive. So I feel it is responsible to recognize when that trend is pushed back, even if only briefly. The New York Times recently featured a Dave Caldwell piece on the AHL rivalry in Connecticut between the Sound Tigers and Wolfpack, as well as a Tal Pinchevsky profile of Mike Sillinger. I read the latter in an actual print copy of the Times, and you can imagine my shock when I turned the page and saw Mike Sillinger's name in a headline. Anyway, good work Times. Keep it up.

Of course, not all of the Times's recent coverage was flattering to the Isles. But I never imagined that Lynn Zinser's Slap Shot post on the Pat LaFontaine/Brian Burke incident would give these guys another chance to take a swipe at the Blog Box. I had a long post on the subject of LaFontaine prepared, but various circumstances have conspired to confine it to my inner blog.

Just a Matter of Time

It's just a matter of time. Not until the Islanders break out of this funk and win a game. Not until they manage to score a goal. It's just a matter of time is how I feel while watching them play any game lately. They can play any opponent close through the first period. They can kill off a bunch of penalties and be in position to force a change in momentum. But it's just a matter of time. It's just a matter of time before Scott Niedermayer threads one through on the power play. Just a matter of time before Todd Marchant and Doug Weight find enough room to put the game out of reach. Just a matter of time before the weaknesses in the structure are exposed and the inner wall is breached. It's not a fun way to watch a hockey game.

If you snap your head around very quickly, I swear you can still see the headline stating that the Islanders are going for six games over .500. It was that recent. Now, that team sits right at that delicate balancing point between unlikely and a lot of we-told-you-so's. And that's only if you discount the NHL's consolation-prize standings (just for appearing on our show today, you've won this valuable 1-point jar of Turtle Wax). Otherwise, they're really 24-30. But even at 24-24-6, they're looking at having to play at a clip they haven't achieved all season in order to qualify for the playoffs. This, at a time when winning with any kind of consistency seems unlikely. Right now, it feels like disaster. It feels like this team could struggle to win 30 games. And that's the doom and gloom report for February 6, 2008.

Let's look at the situation from a more practical perspective. There was a time when the lack of goal scoring was an annoyance, a mere impediment to the eventual playoff appearance that this team seemed likely to make. Now, it is the fatal flaw. How envious are you of Anaheim's lineup, despite their own recent slump? That lineup is stacked in comparison. Getzlaf, Perry, Kunitz, Selanne, Bertuzzi, Weight. I'm jealous of Ducks fans for just those six, and two of them are nowhere near what they once were. Weight is a complementary player on the Ducks at this point, but I see that he has nine goals and wonder, why can't we have a Doug Weight? I guess the algae is always greener on the other side of the pond.

The Islanders displayed an utter lack of discipline in this game. In what has become a trend, they took three more minors in the first period, which prevented them from getting their forward lines any kind of consistent flow. With new faces in the lineup and new combinations, this was especially damaging. Jeff Tambellini hopped over the boards for his first shift, but then had to circle right back to the bench because the Islanders had been whistled for another too-many-men bench minor. Fortunately for the Isles, through twenty minutes the Ducks were as off kilter as the Isles were undisciplined.

The management of the lineup is surely open to debate. I wanted to see Frans Nielsen center the third line in place of Andy Hilbert instead of starting on the fourth line. Hilbert hasn't done anything to distinguish himself as deserving of those minutes. He'll still get plenty of minutes on the penalty kill (seriously, plenty) where he really has distinguished himself and plays a key role. Why not give Nielsen, who has been every bit the impact setup man at Bridgeport, the opportunity to make something happen?

Then there is Tambellini. Early on, Howie Rose (along with Islanders fans everywhere) basically implored Ted Nolan to give Tambellini at least 15 minutes of ice time on one of the top two lines. It didn't happen. The AHL's leading goal scorer finished with 17 shifts covering 13:56. Nielsen was sent out 13 times for 9:01. Sean Bergenheim, who started on the fourth line with Nielsen, was entrusted with 7 shifts and 4:56 of ice time for his night's work. So much for the injection of youth. I don't want to ignore the fact that the Islanders were shorthanded six times, which obviously cuts into the ice time available to young players who do not have PK duties. But there was no concerted effort to see what these kids could do.

Finally, I'm not sure that the power play is being done any favors by scratching Bergeron AND Berard. You could argue that the power play hasn't been any good with them. I don't want to see both of them out there. However, the power play isn't going anywhere with Witt, Martinek, and Meyer as point men. Having one of Bergeron or Berard out there at least gives the opposing PK something to worry about. Perhaps we've reached the point where neither player is in the team's plans for next year, and so it's time to see what Aaron Johnson can do. If that's the case, the same could be said for some forwards who aren't pulling their weight. Did you catch the graphic on FSN before the game that detailed the scoring drought player by player? I'll have to see if I can reproduce it. It's truly sad to see how many players have scored 0, 1, or 2 goals over stretches ranging from two weeks to two months.

1/31/08: Kings 3, Islanders 1

It really was as awful as they're saying it was. Instead of piling on one more heaping spoonful of disgust, which last night's performance undoubtedly deserves, I'm going to focus on the positive. What's that you say? I'm letting them off the hook? I'm looking at things through blue-and-orange-and-blue-and-white-and-
orange-colored glasses (that's some sleeve)? Well, the following is a list of things from last night that encouraged me. The list is not many, nor is it much.

Wade Dubielewicz: I now have complete confidence in Dubie when he's out there. He doesn't make me worry at all. He may not appear to swallow the puck up like the Death Star's tractor beam the way an elite goalie does, but he manages to get some body part in front of most pucks and keep them out of the net. Perhaps with more playing time, he'd demonstrate that degree of sharpness. He will not get that playing time, so this version of Dubielewicz is more than satisfactory.

Bryan Berard: The defenseman I called out last game looked different last night. He looked like he wanted to lead. Perhaps the first-period goal infused him with confidence. Whatever it was, Berard, more than anyone else, played with an I-want-to-be-the-one-who-gets-this-done attitude. In the locker room after the game, Berard's demeanor suggested the same. He seemed relaxed, poised, and quietly confident. Again, maybe he was simply happy about scoring. But with Campoli gone, it would be nice to see Berard step forward and stay forward (not literally). Berard also offered what I thought was the most candid comment of the night when he admitted that yes, he's kind of glad to be getting out of town for a few days considering how dismal things have become at home. He did qualify that statement by echoing what the other players said about the importance of being a strong home team. So, no, he's not looking to run away from the problems.

Josef Vasicek: On two occasions last night, Vasicek skated right up the gut of the offensive zone, strong on the puck, and looking like a player you don't want to see coming your way. His combination of size, skill, and mobility creates space, something that the Islanders just don't do with the kind of frequency that gets a defense worried and running around (another topic of conversation from last night's parking-lot postgame). I made an effort to get to the Coliseum last night specifically because I wanted to take advantage of the rare opportunity to watch western talents like Anze Kopitar, Alexander Frolov, and Dustin Brown. No skater for either team really stood out last night (maybe Matt Moulson and Blake Comeau), but Kopitar and Frolov did each have a couple of moments where they showed why they are always a threat. They can singlehandedly create scoring opportunities using only their puckhandling skills. The Islanders don't have anyone who does this. When this season is over, Vasicek will have been exposed again as a player who doesn't produce consistently over the course of a season. But maybe he can have another 20-game stretch like the one that had him leading the team in goals for a time.

See, not much there. And that last one is a bit of a stretch.

By the way, if I were Neil Best, I would point out that Matt Moulson went to Cornell. But I'm not, so I won't.


Please join me Saturday at 4:30 PM EST as I fill in for Alex on Hockey Night on Long Island. Steve and I will host a special edition of the show following the 2:00 PM game between the Islanders and the Montreal Canadiens. Click the button at the top of the sidebar to go to the show page.

1/29/08: Senators 5, Islanders 2

I want to give them credit. I want to give them credit for not letting the floodgates open and not getting hammered the way the Lightning did right before the All-Star break. You know, the night Daniel Alfredsson's linescore looked more like an NFL defense. And I guess I can do that--give them credit for holding it together at 3-0, at least long enough to make a game of it. In fact, at about the 3-minute mark of the third, with the score 3-1 thanks to Sean Bergenheim's second-period tally, I actually thought that the Islanders had a chance to go for the steal. The Senators were being uncharacteristically sloppy with the puck, and the Isles were responding with spurts of sustained pressure in the offensive zone.

That's the reward you get for not completely collapsing against a powerhouse: the chance to grab points that you don't necessarily deserve. Before long, the score was 3-2 and that chance was a ripe piece of fruit on a low-hanging vine. Apparently, the Islanders are picky eaters and generous hosts. "Here," they said to the Senators, "have this fruit, which is neither ripe enough for our taste nor low enough for our reach." That is why I can only give the team credit where it is due begrudgingly. If I start giving things away, and they keep giving things away, we'll all be giving things away, it'll be anarchy. That is to say that the deficits the Islanders found themselves in during this game were the direct result of physical and mental lapses. It's one thing to be outclassed by world-class talent. It's another to provide the opportunities for that talent to stage its show.

I also want to feel positive about the power play producing the second Islander goal on a nice combination play by Miro Satan and Bryan Berard, two players whose offensive contributions have fallen well short of expectations. In actuality, my reaction was more along the lines of net half-empty than net half-full. The goal served more to magnify the frequent absences of these two players from the scoresheet, as well as the overall impotence of the power play. Yes, Berard has spent a good amount of time in the press box lately and it's really hard to score from there. But being scratched isn't exactly the kind of excuse you want to have in your back pocket.

Now for the good news (that's not to say that there isn't more bad news--five-game losing streak at home?). There was a time in this franchise's recent history when it seemed like every mistake, physical or mental, led directly to a goal by the opposition. These days, this collection of players seems more able to recover from such mistakes. They don't all end up in the back of the net. You can attribute that to greater composure in the defensive end and the instincts and reflexes of the goaltender. Against most teams, a number of lapses accompanied by a good number of recoveries may be good enough. Of course, just don't make those mistakes against Ottawa, because then they do all end up in the back of the net.

We don't want Rick lighting himself on fire.

The Winter Classic

In addition to the accolades I gave out earlier this week, kudos also go to the NHL, NBC, and the people of Buffalo for putting on a great event New Year's Day. The Winter Classic was enjoyable to watch in so many ways. I don't think that snowfall during these games should always be desired, but for this inaugural game, it certainly added the Wonderland aspect to the Winter. The classic uniforms looked terrific. The players showed contagious enthusiasm for the event. And the crowd was second to none in its hearty spirit. My appreciation for the outdoor display was such that I started thinking some crazy thoughts...Every team should play an outdoor game every year! Wait! Every team should have a designated outdoor arena and play multiple outdoor games every year! They can have an indoor home schedule and an outdoor home schedule! What if the NHL became a mostly outdoor league? I told you they were crazy ideas.

All that being said, it struck me that the Winter Classic was really programming for the hockey fan. I'm not sure that it accomplished much in the way of conversions. After the initial appeal of the spectacle wore off, it was easy to see how the slower pace and the numerous interruptions to clean and repair the ice could have caused the non hockey fan to lose interest. For all the Sidney Crosby hype, he wasn't that noticeable for long stretches between the first goal and the shootout clincher.

In contrast, it may have been the slower pace that added something special to this game for me. The game seemed more pure, maybe because the playing surface, while literally bumpy, was figuratively more even. With everyone competing against the elements, it was all about giving the extra effort, staying focused, and persevering. Maybe watching the Islanders having to grind it out for so long has changed my perception of the game. Plus, it was nice to actually see the puck wind around the end boards and have the goalies be able to play it without looking like they were trying to hurdle the net to get there in time.

Based on the early response, I imagine we will see the Winter Classic again. How soon? Assuming the right people made the right amount of money, probably next January 1. Some have suggested that only the All-Star Game should be played outdoors. That's not a terrible idea considering that playing outdoors does introduce an element of inconsistency to the schedule, let alone the game itself. But I imagine that most Islanders fans would like to see their team compete on such a stage.

The Islanders have two things working in their favor to get the nod: (1) Their own enthusiasm for making it happen; and (2) The fact that their rival happens to be a team that the networks love to put on TV. On the other hand, I think the networks have become wary of featuring New York-centric sporting events because they don't seem to garner significant interest across the rest of the country.

Despite my interest in the Winter Classic, I did wander away from the game at one point, leaving me with a dilemma for a couple of hours. FSN, in what can't be characterized as a great counterprogramming move, was airing a documentary called Ice Kings, which tells the story of the fabled Mount Saint Charles Academy hockey team. It was difficult to stay away. Mount Saint Charles won the Rhode Island Boys Division I (as it is now called) Hockey State Championship every year from 1978 though 2003. In other words, take the 26 World Series championships earned by the Yankees in their entire history and put them back to back to back to back to...you get the picture.

This was such a compelling story. I won't get into too many details but one of the most outstanding themes was the pressure these kids felt not to be the ones to break the streak once it started getting up there. You just keep asking yourself, how does one school win 26 consecutive championships? There was also a strong Islanders tie to the story. Garth Snow, Bryan Berard, and Mathieu Schneider all played for Mount Saint Charles during their run. I managed to catch interview segments with Snow and Schneider during my flipping. If you have the opportunity to catch this documentary, I definitely recommend it.

One thing I wondered about was what happened to the program after they finally lost the streak? I suspected that repairing a break in that kind of momentum wouldn't be easy. This page confirmed my suspicion...Mount Saint Charles has not won another state title since the streak ended. But take a moment to scroll through that list of champions. Seeing the streak in print is really something.

Almost time for the Islanders and Panthers to get underway...enjoy the game!

Islanders 4, Maple Leafs 3, OT

Comrie's Two Goals, Park's Three Assists, Help Isles Overcome a Depleted Back Line

While the stakes were certainly lower, tonight's victory over the Leafs rivaled last spring's playoff-clinching, shootout win over the Devils in terms of pure excitement. It's not often that a December game gets you to jump out of your chair and pump your fist in triumph. In fact, I think the last time I did that was for Dubie's now-legendary poke check. Circumstances conspired to make this an absolutely thrilling victory.

Let's start with the late news that Radek Martinek was scratched with a hip injury that is being termed day to day. Certainly, the Isles are fortunate to have two veteran d-men waiting to break back into the lineup, and Bryan Berard got the call. But Martinek's quiet, responsible defense is not easily replicated, especially not by a more offensive-minded player like Berard. As the game began to unfold, and the Leafs took an early 1-0 lead, it looked as though the Isles back line would not be able shoulder the load without the steady Martinek.

Much to the delight of Islander fans everywhere, the defense bent but didn't break. Meanwhile, the offense picked up its play to the tune of three first-period goals causing Howie Rose to invoke the spirit of opening night as well as the defunct New York Arrows of the old MISL. That brought back great memories for me, as my first trips to the Coliseum were not to see the Islanders, but to watch Steve Zungul, Branko Segota, Shep Messing, Renato Cila, et al., lead the arrows to four consecutive championships of their own. On this night, it was Andy Hilbert, Mike Comrie, and Bill Guerin filling the net, with Richard Park picking up assists on the second and third goals.

The momentum from the offensive outburst in the first was stifled at the beginning of the second with the news that a knee injury would keep Rick DiPietro from returning. DiPietro tweaked the knee during the pre-game warmup, and FSN was right on the ball with bird's-eye-view footage of the injury as it happened. DiPietro is scheduled to be re-evaluated on Thursday. With a rusty Wade Dublielewicz in net and the hulking Leafs finding more than enough room to operate, the outlook wasn't brilliant for the Long Island Locals. You could see the difference in positioning between Dubie and DP. You could also see the difference in physical skills. But Dubie pulled it together, shook off the rust, and became a key player in a scoreless second.

A boring third was just what the doctor ordered. Alex Steen would not cooperate, however, notching his second goal of the game, a shorthanded seeker to the top-left corner, to square things just 1:15 into the final (or not so final) frame. From there it was a battle of chances. When Comrie is battling people like Hal Gill for the puck and winning, despite the action looking like a deleted scene from Lord of the Rings, you know there's something to cheer about. Dubie held strong, but was matched by Andrew Raycroft, and we found ourselves in overtime.

In the extra session, a hard-to-figure hooking penalty (the Isles' fourth of the night) against Park put the home team at a 4-on-3 disadvantage. Having already missed on a couple of prime scoring opportunities, the odds of the Isles coming away with the second point looked slim. The Toronto power play put on as much pressure as you can imagine. A power-play OT game winner seemed inevitable. Brendan Witt and Andy Sutton, exhausted from being pinned in their own end and following quick passes back and forth, found the reserves to get in the way of pucks and clear them. Dubie saw the puck better and better and wouldn't let it through.

Park returned to the ice with 43 seconds left, and a chance at a shootout win suddenly seemed more realistic. Except Park wasn't interested in waiting that long. He stripped Jason Blake of the puck at the Isles' own blue line and tore down the ice toward Raycroft on a two-on-one with Comrie. Park didn't get all of his slapper, but Raycroft left a rebound after stopping the puck with his left pad. Comrie swooped in and knocked the loose puck under the Toronto goalie for the game winner, setting off a jubilant celebration on the ice and in the stands. Park recorded his career-best third assist on the play. The Islanders deserve a lot of credit for overcoming some key losses, sticking together, and entertaining their fans with an exhilarating victory.

Catching Up on a Busy Day

The Simon Suspension
I suppose thirty games is just about right. It had to be more than the previous, record-setting 25 games that Simon received last year. That punishment obviously did not serve its purpose, which should have been for Simon to examine his actions and take responsibility for his self-control. In reality, it's not the 30-game suspension that will do that either. It will take an honest effort at getting to the source of the loss of emotional control. Still, Colin Campbell had to raise the stakes. I wouldn't have been surprised or bothered if he had suspended Simon for the balance of the season.

I'm not thrilled to hear that Simon is appealing the decision. And at face value, I don't agree with Ted Nolan's assessment of the penalty as excessive. However, I think it's only fair to view things from other people's perspectives. So let's look at it like this: By NHL standards, Simon is not making a mint this year. NHLSCAP.com lists his 2007-2008 compensation at $800,000. I know, nothing to sneeze at, and Simon has cashed in many a sizable paycheck over his career. But although these guys make way more than most of us, often their expenses are in proportion to their income. So imagine what it would be like if someone took away 37% of your salary. You'd fight to get as much back as you could. Anyway, I'm just trying to see the other side of it, and this is one line of reasoning I came up with. Who knows? The motivation for the appeal may not be financial at all.

Okposo Leaves Minnesota to Turn Pro After WJC
Despite hearing rumblings about this yesterday, I was really surprised to see it come to fruition so quickly. I didn't expect to see Okposo playing for the Islanders this year (still not a given he'll be with the big club), but I could have envisioned a jump to Bridgeport after Minnesota's season ended. The move certainly puts a damper on the theory that playing another year at the NCAA level was good for Okposo's development. But things change. Maybe Okposo, the Islanders, or both determined that the situation in Minnesota was no longer his best option for making progress as a player.

I'm still very uncomfortable with the idea of Okposo coming to the Isles as a savior. But with Buffalo having just gone ahead 2-1 with a little over 2 minutes left, it's time to add a skill player by any means possible. What remains to be seen is whether he can elevate the skills he's demonstrated up to this point for competition at the highest level. It's long past time for an Islanders forward prospect to do so.

New Twist on Defense
Tonight, Berard and Bergeron both sat and Freddy Meyer entered the lineup for only the second time since rejoining the team. Why not? I had this notion that Ted Nolan might go back to Bergeron even after his poor performance against Pittsburgh. You know, a reverse shakeup. Silly me. Throw Freddy in there, see what he can do. Apparently it didn't make much of a difference tonight as the power play was blanked in five chances. If Nolan continues to bench Berard and Bergeron, what I'd really like to see is Chris Campoli take ownership of the power play.

Opening Night II?

We had Opening Night and Kids' Opening Day. After a week with no hockey, tonight's tilt with Carolina almost feels like a second beginning to the season. You have to wonder how the team will respond to seeing game action for the first time since last Saturday's win over the Devils. My hope is that the week off won't be nearly as big a deal as we've all been making it out to be (hey, we needed something to talk about). Certainly, I'd expect to see the team come out flying and then skating hard for a full sixty minutes. With four full days off before the next game on Thursday, there's no reason to be conserving energy. Tonight will see Marc-Andre Bergeron back on the blue line and replacing the injured Bryan Berard at the helm of the power play. We may also see the return of Shawn Bates to the lineup. All in all, it feels like we're rebooting the season. And doing so with a 5-3 record means that the reboot feels like it was necessitated by a software upgrade rather than a fatal error. Let's hope the updated version runs as smoothly as its predecessor.

I finally had a chance to read Michael Farber's profile of Chris Simon on SI.com. It was interesting to digest it having already read Chris Botta's strong reaction to the piece. From an outsider's perspective, I thought it was a reasonably balanced piece. Yes, there were some cheap shots taken:

But Simon's apparent haze sounded like a hockey variation of the Twinkie Defense; instead of sugar, a concussion had made him behave aberrantly. Judging by his record, however, the concussion just made him more like himself.

Farber did, however, show that Simon is multifaceted and highly respected by many in the NHL brotherhood. You cannot tell his story without revisiting his previous transgressions, just as you can't tell it without quoting multiple players on how there's no better teammate with whom to go to battle. Of course, I don't work with Chris Simon and I don't know him, let alone consider him a friend. I completely understand how, in his position, Botta feels like he got burned after providing generous access for the story. I also understand how Botta and Nolan want to be protective of a guy who has made such strides in turning his life in the right direction.

But when Simon admits that he's a different person when he plays than he is in everyday life, you have to set limits for what is acceptable conduct by that on-ice persona. Simon has operated outside those boundaries on more than one occasion. His handling of the consequences of this incident has been right on target. He has been appropriately contrite, paid his penance, and is moving on with his career. We know that Simon can be a tough, effective NHL player and a great teammate without over-the-top acts of aggression. The future of his career depends on him continuing to do that.

By the way, I also think that the insertion of Simon into the lineup for the preseason game against the Rangers served to diffuse the bad blood more quickly. That's not to say that the two teams won't scrap again during the regular season. But at least the enmity between the teams hasn't been simmering all this time. Letting off some steam out of the glare of the regular season may have been the best of circumstances in this situation.

For those of you who are prospect watchers, note that Ryan O'Marra has been sent to Stockton of the ECHL. Thanks to bjoelson on the HF Boards for first bringing this to my attention. Read about the move here and here. O'Marra scored two power play goals in his first game for Stockton.

10/10/07: Islanders 2, Rangers 1

Last night's win was the kind of game that makes a fan giddy and stokes the belief that his or her team may really have something to be excited about. The power play put a big goal on the board thanks to the free agent who was brought in for that specific purpose; the PK kept a clean sheet, killing off six man-down (or two) situations; the young franchise goalie was outstanding; and the team that historically has trouble protecting leads closed out a 2-1 win in regulation against its biggest rival despite a 6-on-4 disadvantage to end the game.

The Isles work the power play

I wanted to try something a little different for the post-game portion of the evening. Instead of taking stills during our player interview, I tried grabbing some low-quality video clips. Unfortunately, my camera kept cutting the clips short, so I have mostly questions with truncated answers. However, in the name of giving you a peak at what it's like in the press room, here's a brief clip of Bruno Gervais answering my question about managing ice time with seven defensemen in the lineup:

In case you're not sure what he was getting at, Gervais said that he really doesn't feel extra pressure with a seventh d-man available. He just waits for his name to be called, jumps over the boards, and goes at it as best he can.

The Blog Box had a great experience talking to Bruno. Hockey players have long had the reputation of being down to earth and more cooperative with the media than most athletes. Bruno Gervais epitomizes the good-guy label. He started by introducing himself to each of the bloggers and shaking their hands. He then answered every question thoughtfully, insightfully and with a sense of humor. If you're looking for a guy on this roster to throw your support behind, you probably can't do better than Gervais. I haven't really had a favorite Islander since Kenny Jonsson left, but I can see Bruno filling that void. He also had the following things to say:

• On playing against a superstar like Jagr: the team always has to be aware of him, but maintains focus on its own game.
• On playing back-to-back games: the Isles' strength and conditioning coach, Chris Schwarz, keeps the players in phenomenal condition.
• On the team's atmosphere: the team is close and always has fun together whether in the locker room or at a team event.
• On reading the blogs: coming from the hockey hotbed that is Montreal, he learned early on to focus on his game and what's going on inside the locker room instead of what's going on in the press.

During the game, I wondered whether Berard would have trouble getting into the flow on the power play without taking a regular shift on defense. I guess he answered that question. Still, it's something to watch as long as the team keeps dressing an extra defensemen. In his post-game press conference, Ted Nolan answered a number of Berard questions, so I chose not to pose this one. Nolan did admit to having a connection with Berard as another guy who was away from the NHL for a while and felt fortunate to be given the opportunity to get back in the league. Nolan also reiterated how impressed he was with Berard's desire to be on the team.

I was in the car for most of the game in Toronto tonight. As I listened on the radio, my mind traveled back to when the Islanders signed Dubie to his one-way contract and annointed him the backup goalie. I had two thoughts at the time: 1) He really deserves this shot. 2) Despite his heroics in the last week of the season, I question how effective he can be at the NHL level playing as sporadically as he will. Playing backup to a stalwart like Rick DiPietro wouldn't be easy for anyone. Maybe tonight was just a really bad night.

10/6/07: Islanders 3, Sabres 2

It was a tremendous night at the Coliseum. We were treated to inspired play by the Islanders, a solid win, a home-and-home sweep against the Sabres, and an evening that those of us in the Blog Box will never forget. I have a lot to say about what transpired tonight on and off the ice. Unfortunately, it is past 1:00 AM and I'll never get it all out right now. So this post is a little tease. I will provide full coverage of the evening as soon as possible. For now, I'll just leave you with a picture that speaks volumes about what the team is thinking with regard to Bryan Berard.

Yes, that is a Berard nameplate in the Islanders locker room

My apologies for the quality of the picture. We were on the move and I had to snap it quickly. After the game, I also had a chance to ask Chris Campoli if the Berard situation is having any impact on the team, particularly the defensemen whose jobs could be in jeopardy if and when Berard signs. Campoli, who was very gracious in answering questions from the bloggers, basically said that he can't be worried about a player who isn't signed right now, and in the end, it's up to him to work hard and remain in the lineup on his own merits regardless of who else is around. The consensus among the bloggers is that Chris doesn't have anything to worry about.

Chris Campoli fields questions from members of the Blog Box

The Final 23

My immediate reaction to the release of the final roster was shock. Eight defensemen, none named Berard. Thirteen forwards, no Tambellini. I really think this team needs another dynamic element on the blue line, and giving up on Berard at this point just looked shortsighted. Fortunately, we may not have all of the relevant information yet.

My Blog Box colleague B.D. Gallof, who has much better contacts than I do (I have none), tells us that the Isles may be working on a trade that will open up roster space and accommodate the signing of Berard. So there is some intrigue left before the opener at Buffalo on Friday.

As for Tambellini, he was the one player (formerly) on this roster that I was looking forward to watching this year. He was on my late-round-sleeper-pick list for my fantasy league. Mostly, I thought he was ready. I was looking forward to reading columns from around the U.S. and Canada giving different variations of, "The Islanders may really have something there in Jeff Tambellini." He certainly proved that he can be a top player in the AHL. Let's hope he goes back down to Bridgeport and does whatever is necessary to prove that he deserves a regular shift on the Island.

In other news, the Islanders have invited the twelve members of the Blog Box to attend not just the home opener, but also the Columbus Day matinee and the nationally televised Wednesday night appointment with the Rangers. Being invited to the first three home games goes well beyond my expectations for this role. Great job by the team in that regard. I will definitely be at the home opener and I should be able to work out attending one of the other two games as well. Hope to see lots of you there!

A few quick notes...

It's great to be able to watch the Isles on TV again, even if it is a preseason game and the Rangers' broadcast. I won't be able to catch the whole thing, but here are just a few notes from the first half of the game:

• Nice job by Joey McDonald surviving early pressure and keeping a clean sheet through 20 minutes in front of a lineup heavily populated with Sound Tigers.
• Berard is not one of the "regulars" in the lineup tonight. At first, I interpreted that to mean that the tryout phase of his preseason was over and he's made the roster. But when I realized that so many vets were sitting this one out, that interpretation seemed less reliable. Saturday and Sunday may still be make-or-break time for Bryan. I know a lot of you are hoping that Berard has nothing to do with this team come next Friday. I'd really like to see him make the team and carry the power play. If he proves unable to do so, let's just hope that the contract ends up signing is easily digestible.
• Any signs of life from Bergie are welcome. If he can contribute consistently on offense, this team will be at least a notch ahead of expectations. How great would it be to see him make an impact on the league and give the other teams fits? Who was the last young player to do that for the Islanders? Anyway, great to see Bergie find Lundqvist's five-hole with that backhander. Even if it hadn't found its way in, it was a good, low, hard shot that likely would have produced a rebound.
• I'm surprised that the white sweaters don't look as bad as I thought they would. Seeing the entire uniform helps them look stronger, mostly because the blue pants create a nice contrast. The numbers on the front continue to seem mostly pointless. They are too small to be visible during normal gameplay. You can see them when the camera zooms in, but then you can also see the players' faces so you know who they are anyway. The one thing the organization really got right was putting the (too narrow) horizontal stripes at the very bottom of the shirt hem. The teams that have the white shirttail hanging below their stripes look odd, at best.
• Halfway through the 3rd, it's still 4-1. Once Morrison replaced McDonald, it looked like the floodgates might open. The result of this game has negligible value, but it's never fun to get embarrassed. Let's hope the kids finish it out strong.
  

Finally, Islanders Outsider would like to extend its sincere condolences to Ted Nolan on the loss of his brother, Richard. According to this notice, Richard Nolan was a founder of the Ontario Native Firefighter Society and served as Garden River fire chief. May the Nolan family find comfort in its time of sorrow.

Isles Presence at Shea

Not much to say about the 6-1 loss to the Devils in Lowell tonight. From the looks of it, the Devils had a much better lineup out there. I guess you could say that the kids who received an opportunity to show the coaches something came up a little short. Of course, I say that only based on the brief recaps I have read. I'm not sure if this game was shown on Islanders TV, but I was unable to catch it if it was. So, the one thing I'd really like to know is how Berard looked tonight. If you can contribute anything in this area, please do so in the comments or shoot me an e-mail. After the 3-assist performance against the Rangers, I figured Berard just needed one more solid showing to solidify his spot on the roster. I have my doubts as to whether he was able to give that tonight.

So, I was at Shea tonight. I certainly don't have anything good to say about that result, so I'll leave the commentary to the Mets bloggers. However, early on in the game I noticed someone sitting a few sections away wearing the royal blue '72-'73 replica sweater. It looked really sharp. Kudos to you, Mets/Islanders fan for promoting the team in such refined hockey garb.

About midway though the game, the video board (is it still technically DiamondVision?) showed a couple of the Ice Girls and a joyful bunch of Isles fans. That's when I remembered that it was NYI365 Appreciation Night at Shea. (I was there with a friend and our wives, obviously not with the group.) Anyway, I hope that all of you full season subscribers were shown a good time by the Mets despite their daily pitching implosion. At least we had something to cheer about for 4 innings. And, if I heard the PA correctly, the t-shirts shot into the crowd by Mr. Met and the Pepsi Party Patrol during the 7th Inning Stretch were Islanders t-shirts. All in all, good night for Islanders publicity, bad night for Islanders hockey and Mets baseball.


Update: I just read on Corey Witt's blog that tonight's game was not shown live on Islanders TV due to bandwidth limitations at Tsongas Arena. That should severely limit the Berard contributions. Will we all be rushing to watch the archived broadcast tomorrow? I'll have to stick with my original plan of watching the season premiere of The Office.