Yep, Anthony and I got together once again to discuss this week in Islanders hockey. This time in one of my all time favorite places, TRs in Willison Park, NY on Hillside Avenue. Home of great wings and Irish Coffee. Yum...
Oh... I digress.
Okay, our Lightening Round style discussion of 2 points missed and the benefit of Richard Park.
Puck drop at 8 pm, but I may not be near a TV. If I'm not, I will check in later.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
"Wildly" Disappointing in MN
The Excel Energy Center is one a great building. With so many family members and friends of Okposo, Hillen and Jackman, there were plenty of Islanders jerseys to be seen last night. But while the homecoming for the Minnesota boys may have been pleasant, the outcome for the Islanders last night left their coach almost speechless.
"I'm not going to talk to them right now." Gordon glared at MSG's Rob Carlin when he asked him immediately after the game what he said to the team after losing 3 - 2 with only 1:07 left of the third on a bad turnover that left Owen Nolan all alone with Marty Biron.
Nolan, the man drafted the same year that John Tavares was born, was even more surprised than Biron that he was given that gift of a goal by the Islanders. It was his second for the game. Actually, I think the FIRST goal of the game was a gift by Marty Biron too.
According to NHL statistics, the team that scores first has the upper hand in winning the game. It proved true last night as the Wild were the first on the scoreboard at 11:44 in the first on a wrist shot by Nolan for his fifth goal of the season. So the first and the last both belonged to the 37 year old veteran from Belfast.
The Minnesota Wild haven't been doing as well as their sold out crowds would like, but the NY Islanders, who lost their seventh game in that building, gave the crowd of over 18,000 a surprise ending. Jon Sim had tied the game at one with his second goal of the season at 3:07 in the second and Josh Bailey, while on his knees, made it 2 - 1 at the 10:23 mark with a shot that went over Backstrom. Yep, for all intents and purposes, it looked like it was going to be Lucky Seven and the Islanders would win this game.
But this is the NHL and no lead is safe and you don't know who wins until the final buzzer. Bad penalties and bad turnovers plagued the Islanders and while the Penalty Kill is getting way too much practice killing off five on three scenarios, the Power Play isn't doing what it needs to. "We had great chances on the Power Play and didn't bury them." Gordon told Rob in the post game. But the loss boiled down to one thing, "Turnovers. That's all it was."
#NotoriousNateThompson night wasn't as huge a success on Twitter as #MightyMattMoulson night, but it was still interesting considering Nate started things off with a fight with Nathan Smith early in the first period. I'm sure the league will be happy to know Nate's helmet never left his head. Nate ended the night with 12:31 in ice time, one fight, three blocked shots, one Hit and a 56% win ratio in the face off circle.
Tim Jackman and Shane Hnidy decided to get into it late in the second which got the home town crowd even more excited. Jackman may not be the best fighter in the league, but he may be the most intense. By the time it was over, he had Hnidy face down on the ice and looked like he was doing everything in his power not to just keep going.
So for all the press about Tavares and Clutterbuck it seemed to be a non-factor in the game. There were no amazing Tavares moves last night, no brilliant goals. In all honesty, the game was a little on the dull side. Not to say that there weren't bright spots, there were.
I actually noticed Andrew MacDonald this game. Jon Sim has to be recognized for his hard work, no matter how disappointed Islander fans may be in his past performance. As Gordon said last night, Sim is "a guy, if we can get him on a roll, would be a huge asset to the team."
The Hillen and Okposo families shared a luxury suite last night for the game, sadly they didn't get to celebrate a win, but I'm sure they all had a good time anyway. Too bad the boys couldn't stick around as they are off to St. Louis for tonight's match up against the Blues.
No time to sulk over the loss. Time to just come out ready to play. This one is history. Let's just forget it.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Good Morning St. Paul!
The Islanders wake up this morning in St. Paul for the first of three games in four nights in three cities. Not an easy schedule, but one the young team doesn't seem to have a problem keeping.
It's a mini-holidy home-coming for Minnesota native Kyle Okposo as he will be swamped by family and friends. But the party won't last long as they head out for St. Louis immediately after.
On Tuesday, I caught up to Bruno Gervais and veteran NHLer Jon Sim to ask if these condensed road trips are a problem. Check it out on HockeyBuzz.
Puck drop tonight at 8 pm, pre-game I am assuming is 7:30 pm. Join us on Twitter for #NotoriousNateThompson night. Hopefully... he's actually playing.
*Oh! Almost forgot. Fellow Blog Boxer Tiger Track Tom Liodice actually made this trip to St. Paul and I am very, very jealous. You're lucky I like you Tom.
Also... If you haven't watched the October Highlights video like 100 times, you're really missing something awesome
But I do love Linkin Park
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Matt & Frans Meet the Fans & Fend off Offers
It was the longest line I had seen for a signing at the mall. I actually couldn’t see the end of it. I was in awe. There were Islanders reps trying to manage the line and keep count. They knew it was going to be difficult, and sadly, not everyone would be able 
to get an autograph. This was a one hour signing window and people had started to line up at 4 pm for the 6:30 start. Yeah. We don’t have any fans. Right.
I recognized some familiar faces in the line, made small talk and went in the store to annoy, interview Matt Moulson for a few minutes. My interview mission got sidetracked by the new merchandise on the walls and the shelves. “Wow! Look at that!” I kept finding myself saying. “When did they get a Chip & Dip dish?” I asked out loud.
There were so many new things I started making mental notes for Christmas.
The Lightpost’s Katrina Doell showed off her skill with a microphone as she assisted the ITV cameraman interview a few fans that had waited in line. I was still shopping.
I bumped into NYIC’s Webb20 and his family. They were 148 on line. But they managed to get everything they wanted autographed and even have something so smart it kills me. They have an autograph book they use as a photo “key” to each player’s signature. Brilliant!
I also bumped into Twitter’s own @dani3boyz with only TWO of her boys. Yes, she was tweeting. When I finally got around to wandering over to Matt, I stood for awhile and watched how fans greeted him and Frans Nielsen. They were excited, they were giddy, and they were EVERYWHERE.
“Give him your stick sweetie.” A mother prodded her 4 year old son. “That you so much, that’s all he wanted.” The boy was wide eyed, but didn’t say a word. “Can I please have an autograph?” A teenage girl and her friend stood at the table. As both team mates began signing for the girls, the braver one blurted out “I want to marry you!” Both men laughed a little, smiled at the girls, handed over the autograp
hs and the line continued. I, however, was cracking up.
After we had such a good time on Monday night on Twitter with our #MightyMattMoulson hashtag, I wanted to find out how much Matt knew about Twitter. I was disappointed. “I know what it is. But I’m not on it, no.”
“Can I be a ring bearer at your wedding?” a fresh faced boy interrupted us. That made Matt laugh. “Hey, thanks bud. But I think I got one. But I’ll let you know if I need one.” Matt was so amused by the young man’s request that I couldn’t keep his attention. “Would you be willing to put it on your head?” He was chuckling over the image. The boy was confused. Matt said it again. “Would you be willing to walk in with it on your head?”
I don’t think the young man was even sure what a ring bearer was supposed to do, but Matt had this mental picture of this kid in a little tux with that satin pillow teetering on his head. The boy nodded “Sure!”
“I’ll have to take that into consideration then.” Another young woman at the table shouted out to him “How did it feel when they didn’t give you the goal for the hat trick?” Obviously, no one really cared about the mother blogger with the tape recorder.
“I didn’t touch it. So.” The table was now crowded with things to sign again. They kept going.
I told Matt about my wager that he will get 20 goals by January. “I need you to help me out, Matt.” He chuckled, “I guess I better pick up the slack.” With 10 goals already, personally, I’m not worried.
Moulson
has certainly infused some excitement into this fan base. I told him that he brought a new energy to the team as well as taking some of the attention off his friend John Tavares. “Well, I definitely have a lot of energy. That’s what he says (Tavares). I’m the more outgoing one and I can take the tension sometimes off of him. He said it makes him be a little more outgoing. So it’s good.”
In all honesty, I have to say that is true. I have noticed a considerable difference in the way JT handles himself with the media now. He is a little more relaxed knowing that he isn’t the ONLY focal point on this team. He can actually walk around the rink without having cameras and microphones in his face at all times.
“There’s just been so much stuff written about him and said that he’s very private about things, understandably.“ He said with a tone of concern for his young friend. At twenty-six, Matt can act not only as room mate and friend, but big brother. A role I think he is well suited for.
The first interview I had ever done with Matt, I had asked him how he liked Long Island. At the time, he hadn’t seen much of it other than the hotel. Now, months later, I asked him again. “Matt, so are you enjoying your time on Long Island?” This time, he was emphatic. “Are you kidding me?? Of course, I love it! I love it more day by day. I don’t know how I couldn’t."
All the time I was trying to ask these questions of Matt, Frans Nielsen was taking questions about homeland and quietly signing pucks and photos. He has such a quiet elegance about him; you’d never take him for a hockey player. While Matt could play along with the young women asking to marr
y him, Frans almost blushed when another young lady yelled out “You’re my favorite, Frans! Will you take a picture with me?” He paused before he walked over to accommodate her. But she got what she wanted; a great photo of her and her favorite hockey player.
It took some assistance getting the two Islanders out of the store when it was close to 8 pm. On my way out I bumped into Season Ticket Holder Larry who had given Kyle Okposo and Marty Biron those wild Islanders caps. It really looks good on Kyle!
to get an autograph. This was a one hour signing window and people had started to line up at 4 pm for the 6:30 start. Yeah. We don’t have any fans. Right.I recognized some familiar faces in the line, made small talk and went in the store to annoy, interview Matt Moulson for a few minutes. My interview mission got sidetracked by the new merchandise on the walls and the shelves. “Wow! Look at that!” I kept finding myself saying. “When did they get a Chip & Dip dish?” I asked out loud.
There were so many new things I started making mental notes for Christmas.The Lightpost’s Katrina Doell showed off her skill with a microphone as she assisted the ITV cameraman interview a few fans that had waited in line. I was still shopping.
I bumped into NYIC’s Webb20 and his family. They were 148 on line. But they managed to get everything they wanted autographed and even have something so smart it kills me. They have an autograph book they use as a photo “key” to each player’s signature. Brilliant!
I also bumped into Twitter’s own @dani3boyz with only TWO of her boys. Yes, she was tweeting. When I finally got around to wandering over to Matt, I stood for awhile and watched how fans greeted him and Frans Nielsen. They were excited, they were giddy, and they were EVERYWHERE.
“Give him your stick sweetie.” A mother prodded her 4 year old son. “That you so much, that’s all he wanted.” The boy was wide eyed, but didn’t say a word. “Can I please have an autograph?” A teenage girl and her friend stood at the table. As both team mates began signing for the girls, the braver one blurted out “I want to marry you!” Both men laughed a little, smiled at the girls, handed over the autograp
hs and the line continued. I, however, was cracking up.After we had such a good time on Monday night on Twitter with our #MightyMattMoulson hashtag, I wanted to find out how much Matt knew about Twitter. I was disappointed. “I know what it is. But I’m not on it, no.”
“Can I be a ring bearer at your wedding?” a fresh faced boy interrupted us. That made Matt laugh. “Hey, thanks bud. But I think I got one. But I’ll let you know if I need one.” Matt was so amused by the young man’s request that I couldn’t keep his attention. “Would you be willing to put it on your head?” He was chuckling over the image. The boy was confused. Matt said it again. “Would you be willing to walk in with it on your head?”
I don’t think the young man was even sure what a ring bearer was supposed to do, but Matt had this mental picture of this kid in a little tux with that satin pillow teetering on his head. The boy nodded “Sure!”
“I’ll have to take that into consideration then.” Another young woman at the table shouted out to him “How did it feel when they didn’t give you the goal for the hat trick?” Obviously, no one really cared about the mother blogger with the tape recorder.
“I didn’t touch it. So.” The table was now crowded with things to sign again. They kept going.
I told Matt about my wager that he will get 20 goals by January. “I need you to help me out, Matt.” He chuckled, “I guess I better pick up the slack.” With 10 goals already, personally, I’m not worried.
Moulson
has certainly infused some excitement into this fan base. I told him that he brought a new energy to the team as well as taking some of the attention off his friend John Tavares. “Well, I definitely have a lot of energy. That’s what he says (Tavares). I’m the more outgoing one and I can take the tension sometimes off of him. He said it makes him be a little more outgoing. So it’s good.”In all honesty, I have to say that is true. I have noticed a considerable difference in the way JT handles himself with the media now. He is a little more relaxed knowing that he isn’t the ONLY focal point on this team. He can actually walk around the rink without having cameras and microphones in his face at all times.
“There’s just been so much stuff written about him and said that he’s very private about things, understandably.“ He said with a tone of concern for his young friend. At twenty-six, Matt can act not only as room mate and friend, but big brother. A role I think he is well suited for.
The first interview I had ever done with Matt, I had asked him how he liked Long Island. At the time, he hadn’t seen much of it other than the hotel. Now, months later, I asked him again. “Matt, so are you enjoying your time on Long Island?” This time, he was emphatic. “Are you kidding me?? Of course, I love it! I love it more day by day. I don’t know how I couldn’t."
All the time I was trying to ask these questions of Matt, Frans Nielsen was taking questions about homeland and quietly signing pucks and photos. He has such a quiet elegance about him; you’d never take him for a hockey player. While Matt could play along with the young women asking to marr
y him, Frans almost blushed when another young lady yelled out “You’re my favorite, Frans! Will you take a picture with me?” He paused before he walked over to accommodate her. But she got what she wanted; a great photo of her and her favorite hockey player.It took some assistance getting the two Islanders out of the store when it was close to 8 pm. On my way out I bumped into Season Ticket Holder Larry who had given Kyle Okposo and Marty Biron those wild Islanders caps. It really looks good on Kyle!
While it is a shame that a lot of fans didn’t get into the store for the signing, I am hopeful they understand that this is how it is when the team is winning and we have great young talent. But there will be other signings at both locations. Keep an eye on the website for information.
But check out the store for Christmas shopping. And if anyone would like my wish list, I’ll be happy to send it to you!
Newsday Falls Flat on Islanders "Slippery Surface"!
Once again, I have to stop writing about what I should be writing about (Yesterday's Team Store Meet & Greet) in order to vent about an article in this morning's paper. Please excuse the possible profanity laced rant as well as the grammatical errors.
I am not quite sure if James Bernstein (james.bernstein@newsday.com) wrote the article on the LI Business page, as his is the only by-line on the page, but there are three features on pg A44. All I know is that while it may be accurate in it's regurgitation of the recent Forbes "Business of Hockey" report, it failed dismally to explore the reasons for the financial downturn. It also ignored the recent on-ice GOOD fortune of the Islanders.
Hmmmm... Could that be because the "bottom dwellers in the NHL standings for years" as the article states at the very beginning, is currently tied for points with the Mighty Cablevision (who owns Newsday, who owns the Rangers, News12, MSG, MSGPlus, MSG Varsity and anything else they can) owned Rangers?
According to Forbes, the Islanders net value dropped 3 percent from last year. Really? Three percent? You mean in the year the American economy TANKED and the American public had to bail out the banks and the auto industry? A sports-entertainment company's value dropped a WHOPPING THREE PERCENT?
You know, I'm in accounting, three percent is a small percentage, however $5.6 million is not. But in the scheme of things, it could have been far worse.
The article goes on to mention the attendance rates. However, it failed to mention 10,000 patrons showing up on a night in June to witness the NHL Entry Draft. It also fails to mention the "buzz" around the team during their rebuild with the likes of John Tavares, Matt Moulson and Kyle Okposo.
I'd also like to have a word with one Mr. John Meindl, president of Sporsbrandedmedia Inc. Who the hell are you to have a comment published in Newsday, the paper that the NY Islanders spend all their advertising budget in, stating "....if the Islanders left, there wouldn't be a lot of sleepless nights." Do you have data to back that statement up Mr. Meindl? Because I can certainly find you a good test group to prove you wrong.
He also goes on to say that he met with an NHL official after an Islanders game at the Marriott and there was "no one there." To that I would like to say, WELCOME TO THE NEW ECONOMY MR. MEINDL!!! Those who went to the Coliseum have already spent their entertainment dollars for the evening and can no longer afford to spend $9 a drink at the Marriott.
The days of $2 Buds are over. That sad fact has nothing to do with whether or not the Islanders have been able to make the playoffs or bring the Stanley Cup back to Long Island. It is simply a dismal state of our economic life in the year 2009.
The "Love affair with the Islanders" did NOT end "years ago" as you have stated. You obviously have not read the trades, been on the Internet or have listened to the NHL's Commissioner Gary Bettman talk about the team and their fan base.
The only thing wrong with the NY Islanders right now is their facility and their unstable situation within Nassau County. A County that can't even get an election right. Do we even KNOW who the County Executive is yet???? Great job guys!
Epic Fail reporting Newsday. Epic!
I am not quite sure if James Bernstein (james.bernstein@newsday.com) wrote the article on the LI Business page, as his is the only by-line on the page, but there are three features on pg A44. All I know is that while it may be accurate in it's regurgitation of the recent Forbes "Business of Hockey" report, it failed dismally to explore the reasons for the financial downturn. It also ignored the recent on-ice GOOD fortune of the Islanders.
Hmmmm... Could that be because the "bottom dwellers in the NHL standings for years" as the article states at the very beginning, is currently tied for points with the Mighty Cablevision (who owns Newsday, who owns the Rangers, News12, MSG, MSGPlus, MSG Varsity and anything else they can) owned Rangers?
According to Forbes, the Islanders net value dropped 3 percent from last year. Really? Three percent? You mean in the year the American economy TANKED and the American public had to bail out the banks and the auto industry? A sports-entertainment company's value dropped a WHOPPING THREE PERCENT?
You know, I'm in accounting, three percent is a small percentage, however $5.6 million is not. But in the scheme of things, it could have been far worse.
The article goes on to mention the attendance rates. However, it failed to mention 10,000 patrons showing up on a night in June to witness the NHL Entry Draft. It also fails to mention the "buzz" around the team during their rebuild with the likes of John Tavares, Matt Moulson and Kyle Okposo.
I'd also like to have a word with one Mr. John Meindl, president of Sporsbrandedmedia Inc. Who the hell are you to have a comment published in Newsday, the paper that the NY Islanders spend all their advertising budget in, stating "....if the Islanders left, there wouldn't be a lot of sleepless nights." Do you have data to back that statement up Mr. Meindl? Because I can certainly find you a good test group to prove you wrong.
He also goes on to say that he met with an NHL official after an Islanders game at the Marriott and there was "no one there." To that I would like to say, WELCOME TO THE NEW ECONOMY MR. MEINDL!!! Those who went to the Coliseum have already spent their entertainment dollars for the evening and can no longer afford to spend $9 a drink at the Marriott.
The days of $2 Buds are over. That sad fact has nothing to do with whether or not the Islanders have been able to make the playoffs or bring the Stanley Cup back to Long Island. It is simply a dismal state of our economic life in the year 2009.
The "Love affair with the Islanders" did NOT end "years ago" as you have stated. You obviously have not read the trades, been on the Internet or have listened to the NHL's Commissioner Gary Bettman talk about the team and their fan base.
The only thing wrong with the NY Islanders right now is their facility and their unstable situation within Nassau County. A County that can't even get an election right. Do we even KNOW who the County Executive is yet???? Great job guys!
Epic Fail reporting Newsday. Epic!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Talk-Talk: Playoffs & Little Niki
Whoa! What's going on here? My Google alerts has article after article with nothing but GOOD things to say about the NY Islanders? How did that happen?
I'll tell you how it happened... Hard Work and misfortune that made them good.
As Billy Jaffe said on NHL Live a few weeks ago, sometimes a team has to get really, really BAD before they can get good. Well, last season, through a series of bad luck and injuries, the Islanders were bad enough to be last. The prize in that Cracker Jack box was JT. And what a prize he is turning out to be. How many times have the NY Islanders had players on the covers of so many trade publications? This is a novelty.
But JT isn't the only story this season. That's what makes the Islanders so interesting for the media right now. There are multiple story lines here. Some of them are turning into Hockey Fairy Tales. But let's not get ahead of ourselves.
It's only November. I shudder to think about playoff talk so early. It's not even Thanksgiving yet and this is the team that has only made it into the playoffs on the last possible day and through other team's breakdowns. LET'S NOT JINX THIS.
Other news with a slightly Islanders tie to it is that CBJ Nikita Filatov has been "loaned" to his Russian team. Or in other words, Little Niki runs home because he can't quite cut it yet in the NHL. Anyone remember the collective moan from the fan base when Garth Snow PASSED on the Russian draft favorite? Remember the look on the fresh faced Josh Bailey when he was told the fan base was angry their GM moved DOWN to snag him?
Josh Bailey knew what he wanted from day one. He wanted to be a professional hockey player in the NHL. There was never any question as to whether or not he could cut it mentally or emotionally. He knew he'd have to work on his skills and that is what he did. He was professional when he wasn't sent back to his Junior club to be with his friends, he was professional when he was kept out of the World Juniors. He was even highly professional recently when Scott Gordon sat him out for a game.
See? Everything always works out the way it's supposed to. Sometimes, you just can't see it at first.
Oh... And Brendan Shanahan retired. Twenty-One years is a long career in the NHL. He's truly lucky. I knew it was reported he was dissapointed he couldn't find an NHL team this season, but maybe he can get a job with the NHLPA. I hear they have a few openings. ahem ahem...
I'll tell you how it happened... Hard Work and misfortune that made them good.
As Billy Jaffe said on NHL Live a few weeks ago, sometimes a team has to get really, really BAD before they can get good. Well, last season, through a series of bad luck and injuries, the Islanders were bad enough to be last. The prize in that Cracker Jack box was JT. And what a prize he is turning out to be. How many times have the NY Islanders had players on the covers of so many trade publications? This is a novelty.
But JT isn't the only story this season. That's what makes the Islanders so interesting for the media right now. There are multiple story lines here. Some of them are turning into Hockey Fairy Tales. But let's not get ahead of ourselves.
It's only November. I shudder to think about playoff talk so early. It's not even Thanksgiving yet and this is the team that has only made it into the playoffs on the last possible day and through other team's breakdowns. LET'S NOT JINX THIS.
Other news with a slightly Islanders tie to it is that CBJ Nikita Filatov has been "loaned" to his Russian team. Or in other words, Little Niki runs home because he can't quite cut it yet in the NHL. Anyone remember the collective moan from the fan base when Garth Snow PASSED on the Russian draft favorite? Remember the look on the fresh faced Josh Bailey when he was told the fan base was angry their GM moved DOWN to snag him?
Josh Bailey knew what he wanted from day one. He wanted to be a professional hockey player in the NHL. There was never any question as to whether or not he could cut it mentally or emotionally. He knew he'd have to work on his skills and that is what he did. He was professional when he wasn't sent back to his Junior club to be with his friends, he was professional when he was kept out of the World Juniors. He was even highly professional recently when Scott Gordon sat him out for a game.
See? Everything always works out the way it's supposed to. Sometimes, you just can't see it at first.
Oh... And Brendan Shanahan retired. Twenty-One years is a long career in the NHL. He's truly lucky. I knew it was reported he was dissapointed he couldn't find an NHL team this season, but maybe he can get a job with the NHLPA. I hear they have a few openings. ahem ahem...
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
WHO ARE THESE GUYS? Isles 4 - Bruins 1
When Scott Gordon said he only wanted to be "okay" on the road, did he really see this coming? The Islanders currently have 23 points and sit at 7th place, until more games are played today, of course. But STILL! That's the same number of points at the NY Rangers. Ahem, ahem.
The team that lost a handful in a row and had many of us, myself included, chanting "Taylor Hall" is now making us all question "Playoffs?" It went so far as hearing that questioned possibility on the Bill Watters show yesterday on AM640 Toronto. Don't you just LOVE when our NY Islanders shock the pants off the pundits? I certainly do.
So while everyone worried about Canadian Wunderkind John Tavares languishing on Long Island in a desert of obscurity, their fears were unfounded. JT and his side-kick #MightyMattMoulson have become an NHL fairytale in the making.
Certainly the injury fairy could come along and change all that, but right now, I'd say the NY Islanders are doing pretty damn well in gaining respect around the league. As Matt said last night to Rob Carlin, "We're going to be a tough team to stop."
Yep, I concur. More on Matt, our night of Twitter trending #MightyMattMoulson, coined by Isles fan @MattClausen, and the two big points Dwayne Roloson stole from the Bruins, here on my post game at HockeyBuzz.
The team that lost a handful in a row and had many of us, myself included, chanting "Taylor Hall" is now making us all question "Playoffs?" It went so far as hearing that questioned possibility on the Bill Watters show yesterday on AM640 Toronto. Don't you just LOVE when our NY Islanders shock the pants off the pundits? I certainly do.
So while everyone worried about Canadian Wunderkind John Tavares languishing on Long Island in a desert of obscurity, their fears were unfounded. JT and his side-kick #MightyMattMoulson have become an NHL fairytale in the making.
Certainly the injury fairy could come along and change all that, but right now, I'd say the NY Islanders are doing pretty damn well in gaining respect around the league. As Matt said last night to Rob Carlin, "We're going to be a tough team to stop."
Yep, I concur. More on Matt, our night of Twitter trending #MightyMattMoulson, coined by Isles fan @MattClausen, and the two big points Dwayne Roloson stole from the Bruins, here on my post game at HockeyBuzz.
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