Welcome to the NHL Hillen!

What a way to kick off your NHL career, landing skates first into one of the largest Hockey rivalries there is. Other 22 year-olds may have been scared to death, but this young man had fewer butterflies than I did before last night’s game. Personally, I don’t like the rivalry. But that’s because I’m in the stands. It seems harder for the fans to deal with than the players on the ice. To them, it is their job. To the fans, it is their pride. And Pride always comes before a fall. The falling came in the concourse and in 301 where there were numerous fights requiring larger than usual security contingents to get them under control. I try to shy away from the battles, while IslanderQueen seems to relish them, insisting we stay to watch as three men were trying to be controlled by a flurry of guards in yellow and black jackets. They were having a hard time with it. We were chased from our safe distance three times before I couldn’t watch anymore.

I’ve become familiar with many of these security guards over the years. I didn’t like watching them having to protect themselves while trying to protect the rest of us. These displays of fan violence are exactly what I fear before every Islander/Ranger game. This behavior is not reserved for hockey games, it’s everywhere. But it’s what caused me to dress in black yesterday, to not show any team affiliation and be a potential target. But I also felt like it was going to be a funeral anyway. In stark contrast to my mourning clothes was the ever upbeat CJ Papa who donned Islander colors along with his classic Islander jacket. Blue shirt and a great orange tie that I might have to borrow one night next season.

The season’s last home game, last time at the glass for warm-ups with friends, last Gate 1 NYIC Meet & Greet, last night in the Blog Box for season. A night of “lasts” that made REM’s “End of the World as We Know It” run through my head on a perpetual loop. To be safe, I packed tissues, but I didn’t need them. Even with the barn filled with Ranger fans, the Islanders scoring inadequacy, and the beer dumped from 301 onto one of my fellow bloggers, the tissues never came out once. (Until I crawled into bed at 12:05 am.)

Brad Kurtzberg from InsideHockey spent his first night with the Blog Box crew, and I think I kept him from working. “Wow! You’re allowed to cheer here?” he asked me as I was applauding as the team was announced on the ice. “They never told us we couldn’t.” He seemed happy to be in a new environment, until I warned him. “Brad, I’m a little loud and a little excitable. Just be aware.”

It was fun to have him there, as it kept me from concentrating on the finality of the night. Brad showed all of us his book about the Golden Seals that took him five years to write and includes countless interviews. It was very impressive. But there was a game being played on the ice, and that was not.

Without Brendan Witt to drape on Jagr like an Albatross, he became a force that couldn’t be contained. Davison tried, but he’s no Witt and no match for a future Hall-of-famer. I watched Hillen hit the ice and was very impressed with the way the kid skates. He’s another Islander that seems a little small for the NHL (I think they take the measurements with their skates on.) because he is certainly not the 5’11” he’s listed as. I know what 5’11” looks like. That’s not it.

I had hoped Ted would have unleashed Brennan, but he kept him in reserve giving him limited ice time. I did watch him through three huge hits in a matter of about six seconds at the 10:50 mark of the third. But it was too late. Chants of “Season Over” rained down on the ice confirming what we already knew.
Earlier in the day, I had sent an email to one of my friends at the club: “Winning isn’t everything, but it would be today.” It would have been for the fans in the Blue & Orange in attendance. It would have been for the season lost to injury. But you can only do so much, and some days you just fall short.

More tomorrow. There’s plenty to say, and you know I’m never short on words, but never long on time.

“Great Wine for a Great Cause”

That’s what the little six-panel brochure says about the NHL Alumni Signature Wine Series. “Great” may be a bit much, but “really good” doesn’t exactly sell. What sells is greatness, and there were two of the greatest sitting side by side late this afternoon at Stew Leonard’s in Farmingdale.

It was a very busy day for the two Islander greats as well as their Ranger counterparts. It was wine promo day in NY. Both Clark Gillies and Pat LaFontaine made various live and phone appearances on NY radio stations before heading out to Farmingdale to greet the media by 2 pm. I listened to their NHLLive on XM 204 segment. That’s when I heard that today was also the Ranger bottle signing with Mike Richter and Rod Gilbert. So if there was a hockey fan in New York that didn’t know about this new NHL Alumni initiative, they’re just not listening.

I stopped by the store yesterday to check out the bottles and take a few photos. I left with a bottle of each to test out with the blog box panel last night. It was interesting to find out that most of us prefer red wine in general. But we did try both to compare them. We all agreed the red was very good. Not over powering, and pretty smooth. Basically, what I’d call “a good drinking wine.” As Chardonnays go, this Ironstone one is very pleasant. Lighter than most, and not too oak-y. I can see this as a great laying in the backyard soaking-up-the-sun sort of vintage. As in…. These will never last around my house, they will be consumed quickly.

Today I arrived at the store by 5:15pm and found my new friend and fellow Islander fan Maria Baiardi behind the counter in her prized DiPietro jersey. She had told me that she was an Islander fan all her life and that she was really looking forward to meeting these Islander legends. Her boss Lou had told the employees they could wear Islander jerseys if they wished, and Maria was happy to loan some of hers to any of her coworkers who didn’t have their own. She couldn’t have been happier to be part of this event. I love meeting other passionate female hockey fans. It just proves there are so many of us out there.

The back counter was filled with glasses and bottles ready for the taste test, and a table with gold and black balloons was set up for the guests of honor. I wanted to get there a little early because I knew that once people left from work, the store would be difficult to navigate. I brought my six bottles to the table for Clark and Pat to sign. No one has a better smile than Clark Gillies, and no one can be more sincere in their gratitude than Pat LaFontaine. We chatted briefly, as they were more than willing to talk, and Pat thanked me twice for my purchase. Seeing the look in his eyes, I would have bought a case of each if I could have. I hope they had to sign hundreds of these bottles with their silver sharpies, so many...their hands cramped up.
Then we’d know it was a good day for them.

A case of very bad scheduling also had a table for tasting of Long Island vineyards, Martha Clara and Pugliese. They were taking the competition with greatness in stride, and I assured them my wine rack is filled with Long Island wine too.

I watched for a few minutes as people walked away from the table with big smiles on their faces, holding their signed bottles. I wonder how many of them will drink them, and how many will just show all their friends and family. If you can make it to Airport Plaza in Farmingdale on Rte 110, stop into Stew Leonard’s and pick up a few bottles, its well worth it.

And so … A Toast, courtesy of that little six panel brochure: “To an enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance; To a friend, your heart; To a child, a good example; To a father, deference; To a mother, conduct to make her proud; To yourself, respect; And to all… Charity.” Francis Maitland Balfour.

Try the Wine...

http://islanders.nhl.com/team/app?articleid=358839&page=NewsPage&service=page

For those of you who don't go through the Islanders main website to get to this page, I've added the link for the special event taking place today in Farmingdale.

I had heard about the NHL Alumni wines many months ago while listening to Canadian sports talk radio. You can find the most amazing, useless, information on the NHL and it's affiliate organizations by doing so, which basically turns you into the Hockey geek that I have become. But some of the info is pretty interesting.

The good thing is most of the work the affiliate organizations do is for a good cause. Some for the good of the NHLers, past and present, and some for those less fortunate. The charity golf outings, the fund raisers, the old-timers events, and even the foundations set-up by players that we rarely hear about are all little things that make the NHL and it's members very special.

Pat LaFontaine is one of the largest charity contributors from our area to have come out of the NHL. His Partners in Courage foundation is well established and flourishing and he always finds new ways of funding his efforts. Did any of us actually really even KNOW Clark Gillies had his own charity organization? Probably not.

So check out the event, or the website and order some wine and help a few good causes.

I'll check back later to tell you how the event went today, and the Blog Box review of the Chardonnay and Cab Sauv.

Joey MacDonald meets Marty Brodeur...

From across the ice. Welcome to the lastest installment of Ted Nolan Coaches the Sound Tigers. In tonight's episode Joey MacDonald gts to see the whites of Patrick Elias eyes as he tries to score on him from 4 feet away. Also Spiller plays Ironman as he plays his 8th game in 10 nights. I think he's going to sleep for days when this is done.

But Joey Mac has surprised the crowd by being brilliant in net stopping everything that has come his way while Comeau was in the box during the 5 minute mark of the first. SOG now Isles 7 and Devils 11, and 8 of those were in a period of about 45 seconds. Just BRILLIANT!

Fans are going nuts with another penalty call against the Islanders. I think they are determined to make Joey work for his money tonight.

Joe Vasicek gets the first goal, but Elias evens it up at the beginning of the second.

Matt Keith is making his big debut wearing #27 and Drew Fata is back as #49. Aaron Johnson is out of the line up today with some sort of slight injury. But truthfully... what does it matter at this point. Besides, I'm sort of tired of watching him constantly end up on his rear.

12:04 and the Devils take an unusual too many men penalty. I guess they're a little confused by all the kids on the ice. John Madden swept up past the bench and right over to MacDonald who had to make one save to his left and one to his right. But he did it.


But they're holding them off pretty well considering.

So the gate 1 crowd was a little chatty about it being the second to the last game. We're still all smiles being here, but we know it will be a long off season. Even Dina stopped to chat with me mentioning she couldn't believe it's almost over. She is truly a hockey fan and can't stand the off season "It feels like it lasts 7 years! And you'd think I have inside information. But I'm like everyone else, searching on line for when the schedule comes out so I know when it all starts over!" Puck Junkies Unite! And once again, I will tell you, the number of passionate female fans of this game will outnumber the male fans in the next decade. Mark my words. Besides..... we breed more of them.

The SOG are very lopsided, 18 - 38, and yet we're still in a 1 - 1 game. Have to say this is a great audition for the new kids, even if their minutes are limited, it's a great experience.

Even though crowd is a little sparse (even though the seats are SOLD) the fans that are here are enjoying the effort and the fast pace. Why not? Enjoy what we have, make the most of it, and look to the future.

The Blog Box is full tonight, which is a welcome change for a Tuesday night game. It's rare that we are all here like this, clicking away.

The End Is Near!

Monday, March 31st, 2008 marks the last full week of the NHL regular season, and the final week of the Islanders season. None of the faithful want it to end. But there's nothing we can do about it, except enjoy this final week and all it hands us. Win or Lose, we need to savour the moments before we pack up the memories for another year.

I noticed someone asked about practices this morning on our NYIC message board. I was there last week, just to sit and listen before it's all gone. I arrived late, so I missed the bulk of the real work out. But I didn't mind. Bruno and Franz were out there, and with just the two of them, the sounds were clearer. So there I sat, with pen in hand...

Listening to steel on ice

and pucks against the glass.
The cold on my fingers
will all be gone soon.
Softball season will soon be here
and it will take over my free time.
Gone will be florescent lights and crisp air,
replaced by sunshine and diamonds in the dirt.
I’ll put away the game clothes and the orange high tops
and take out the khaki shorts and sandals.
My Islander necklace will go back in it’s case,
only to be brought out at draft day
the Stanley Cup finals and our NYIC summer party.
It will seem lonely without my Islander friends around
but life will go on, and so will hockey.
Just without the Islanders.
XM will have to keep me company
and Yankee games will lull me to sleep.
To Sleep… Perchance to Dream
Of Steel on Ice
And cold crisp air
And the sound…
Of pucks against the glass.
What a season it’s been.

Thanks to everyone who made the past six months so very special.