The Live Q&A with Garth Snow and Chris King took place on time today and is now available on the website.
While some interesting information surfaced, such as training camp for 2011 will again be on Long Island and Kevin Poulin's name seems to be pronounced "POOL-LAN" there was no major news. But you do get to hear in the GM's own words what he feels about certain players and where the Islanders stand today.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Isles 5 - Sens 2/5/11
And I freakin' MISSED IT!!!
I couldn't believe the Tweets that were coming over my phone while I was at a Fire Dept. Installation dinner. The goals, the fights, the penalties.
The Islanders chased Sens goalie Brian Elliot from the net early. Matt Moulson scored the first goal of the period at 4:10 of the first, something the Islanders haven't been able to do recently.
But it didn't last long, 13 seconds to be exact, and the Senators tied it at one. Then Grabner put the Isles on the board for two and less than three minutes later, Mike Fischer tied it again. Before the end of the first, Kovalev and Schremp had tied the game at three.
There were nine penalties called in the second period. Two on John Tavares and one ,and one ten minute game misconduct call on Andy MacDonald. Yep, the game was frustrating.
But the one penalty that everyone was talking about was the one that Robin Lehner took for knocking Kevin Poulin on his butt. I have a post over at HockeyBuzz.com trying to determine who was telling the truth.
The 19-year-old goalie took a swipe at the 20-year-old goalie because he got angry. Rob Schremp made a remark about not seeing anything like that since Pee Wee hockey. Considering the ages, these guys aren't that far removed.
Sidenote: Garth Snow will be answering questions on the second installment of The GM Show tomorrow at 1 pm on the Islanders website.
I couldn't believe the Tweets that were coming over my phone while I was at a Fire Dept. Installation dinner. The goals, the fights, the penalties.
The Islanders chased Sens goalie Brian Elliot from the net early. Matt Moulson scored the first goal of the period at 4:10 of the first, something the Islanders haven't been able to do recently.
But it didn't last long, 13 seconds to be exact, and the Senators tied it at one. Then Grabner put the Isles on the board for two and less than three minutes later, Mike Fischer tied it again. Before the end of the first, Kovalev and Schremp had tied the game at three.
There were nine penalties called in the second period. Two on John Tavares and one ,and one ten minute game misconduct call on Andy MacDonald. Yep, the game was frustrating.
But the one penalty that everyone was talking about was the one that Robin Lehner took for knocking Kevin Poulin on his butt. I have a post over at HockeyBuzz.com trying to determine who was telling the truth.
The 19-year-old goalie took a swipe at the 20-year-old goalie because he got angry. Rob Schremp made a remark about not seeing anything like that since Pee Wee hockey. Considering the ages, these guys aren't that far removed.
Sidenote: Garth Snow will be answering questions on the second installment of The GM Show tomorrow at 1 pm on the Islanders website.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Kevin Poulin, Islanders #1 Goalie
As luck would have it, and as we all expected, it has been announced that Rick DiPietro will miss 4 - 6 weeks with factial fractures and knee swelling.
Complete audio from today's interviews with Rick DiPietro. #Isles http://ow.ly/3Qu1K
Nate Lawson was already put on the IR as of 1/22 for 2 - 4 weeks.
Here is the audio of Jack Capuano from today's media availability. I am not certain, but I think he said he hadn't even spoken with Garth yet. I hope that is not what he really meant.
Will Nabokov report NOW that he knows he'd be the starter? Or will he sit on his out of shap rump at home and wonder if he'll play in the NHL next season too?
Kevin Poulin owns the Isles net for now. Does Mike Dunham still have pads?
Complete audio from today's interviews with Rick DiPietro. #Isles http://ow.ly/3Qu1K
Nate Lawson was already put on the IR as of 1/22 for 2 - 4 weeks.
Here is the audio of Jack Capuano from today's media availability. I am not certain, but I think he said he hadn't even spoken with Garth yet. I hope that is not what he really meant.
Will Nabokov report NOW that he knows he'd be the starter? Or will he sit on his out of shap rump at home and wonder if he'll play in the NHL next season too?
Kevin Poulin owns the Isles net for now. Does Mike Dunham still have pads?
Thursday, February 3, 2011
The Highs & Lows of being An Isles Fan
12:08 pm: Ah crap, just when I think I have it all figured out, I get a phone call from someone who has a different opinion. Someone who sees the ice and the game a hell of a lot differently than I do.
Steve Carlson gave me a call to explain a DIFFERENT view of the "incident."
"He had to go, Dee. He had no choice. Did you REALLY see what happened?"
Uh.... I saw what was on TV. Was there something else? Yes, it seems there was. The underlying fact that there is that "code of the game" thing. According to Mr. Carlson, it wasn't Rick's invite at all, it was Brent's. Seems Brent had enough with what was going on at the other end of the ice and he had already left his crease. Steve said Rick had no choice (as dumb of a move as it was) but to defend himself and fight.
Problem was, he didn't realize it would end the way it did. Johnson is a lefty and 6" taller than Rick. He never expected it.
So, while it wasn't the smartest thing to do, it seems it was the ONLY thing he could do.
"Hey Dee, tell Ricky next time -- put on the foil." ;o)
Thanks Steve.
I didn't realize I had been so remiss as to not post on my main site in the last two days. But between the weather, work and a general malaise, the HockeyBuzz.com site took precedence. That isn't a problem, but I do use this site to speak my mind a little more freely than I do there. And about now, I have a lot to say.
So, if you're looking for a game recap from last night, here is the post game report at 11:30 pm. But here are additional thoughts.
The win in Atlanta was uplifting. It made us feel good. Riding the high of Matt Moulson being signed for three years and wanting to be here along with Michael Grabner being named the NHL 3rd star of the week prior to the All Star break began to put the Islanders back on the NHL media map on the positive side.
While they may not be able to make the playoffs this season, they were beginning to get respect and some analysts were beginning to worry that they could play the role of spoiler for many teams they yet to face during these final games of the regular season.
Ty Wishart traveled with the team on the two-day road trip to Atlanta and Pittsburgh. Looking up some previous information about the youngster, it was clear that he was thought to have excellent potential and size. This is a good thing. So is the idea that Milan Jurcina also took part in a full team practice during the trip and should return soon.
Poulin faced Atlanta and put up a stellar performance with confidence and poise and a bit of an edge in his post-game.
Highs. We had highs, smiles and feel good moments.
Then we had that game in Pittsburgh. With both Crosby and Malkin out of the line-up, the scoring threats seemed to be removed. But what the Pens have is muscle to protect those star players. Rupp, Godard and Asham make a pretty tough crew. Throw in the nasty attitude that Jordan Staal brought after his game with the Rangers and his gloved punch to Prust's face that he got away with, and I was a little worried.
I wanted Trevor Gillies on the bench. I don't care what anyone says, that man will go through walls for his team mates and he lets the opposing bench know it. You just DON'T mess with Trevor Gillies.
This is not to say I do not believe in the toughness of Zenon Konopka. The man with the most penalty minutes in the NHL has them just as much for his mouth as his fists. But watching Z get shaken like a rag doll last night by Rupp just didn't sit well with me. Nor did seeing Blake Comeau laid out on the ice awaiting help or watching Dylan Reese's head hit the glass after a whistle on an icing call or seeing Matt Martin take another glove to the face where his fresh stitches are.
Now, the debate I received on Twitter after I made my displeasure with Capuano's decision known was that Trevor is an excellent team mate and enforcer, but his judgement on timing is questionable. In all honesty, I think last night any time would have been the right time.
But let's get to the real story of the night. The one that was replayed 1,000 times within a millisecond of when it happened. Rick DiPietro's decision to take matters into his own hands and fight the goalie that had shut out his team.
In all honesty, Rick really only gave up two goals. He had some moments where he looked like the Rick DiPietro of old and a few moments of positional problems and open nets leaving the defense to do the job. There was one play where A-Mac actually had to waive him off the puck as Rick skated out to play it.
Rick, I love ya, but you're not a forward. Your job is to STAY IN THE NET. You see that painted half circle. That's yours. Stay there.
But with a frustration level at fever pitch as the clock ticked down to the final buzzer, Rick sent an invite across ice to Johnson who had no problem accepting it. Granted, RDP is in very good shape and does not back away from a fight. "Hey, it only hurts for a second, right?" Right.
And that's about what it took -- a second as Johnson's punch landed along with his elbow to the side of Rick's head. The head that has already been kicked with a skate into concussion.
It was dumb. It was beyond dumb. It was dangerous and now it is also embarrassing. Not just for Rick, but for us long suffering fans who will have to endure watching it over and over again and hearing about it just about everywhere.
So -- um. Thanks.
Steve Carlson gave me a call to explain a DIFFERENT view of the "incident."
"He had to go, Dee. He had no choice. Did you REALLY see what happened?"
Uh.... I saw what was on TV. Was there something else? Yes, it seems there was. The underlying fact that there is that "code of the game" thing. According to Mr. Carlson, it wasn't Rick's invite at all, it was Brent's. Seems Brent had enough with what was going on at the other end of the ice and he had already left his crease. Steve said Rick had no choice (as dumb of a move as it was) but to defend himself and fight.
Problem was, he didn't realize it would end the way it did. Johnson is a lefty and 6" taller than Rick. He never expected it.
So, while it wasn't the smartest thing to do, it seems it was the ONLY thing he could do.
"Hey Dee, tell Ricky next time -- put on the foil." ;o)
Thanks Steve.
I didn't realize I had been so remiss as to not post on my main site in the last two days. But between the weather, work and a general malaise, the HockeyBuzz.com site took precedence. That isn't a problem, but I do use this site to speak my mind a little more freely than I do there. And about now, I have a lot to say.
So, if you're looking for a game recap from last night, here is the post game report at 11:30 pm. But here are additional thoughts.
The win in Atlanta was uplifting. It made us feel good. Riding the high of Matt Moulson being signed for three years and wanting to be here along with Michael Grabner being named the NHL 3rd star of the week prior to the All Star break began to put the Islanders back on the NHL media map on the positive side.
While they may not be able to make the playoffs this season, they were beginning to get respect and some analysts were beginning to worry that they could play the role of spoiler for many teams they yet to face during these final games of the regular season.
Ty Wishart traveled with the team on the two-day road trip to Atlanta and Pittsburgh. Looking up some previous information about the youngster, it was clear that he was thought to have excellent potential and size. This is a good thing. So is the idea that Milan Jurcina also took part in a full team practice during the trip and should return soon.
Poulin faced Atlanta and put up a stellar performance with confidence and poise and a bit of an edge in his post-game.
Highs. We had highs, smiles and feel good moments.
Then we had that game in Pittsburgh. With both Crosby and Malkin out of the line-up, the scoring threats seemed to be removed. But what the Pens have is muscle to protect those star players. Rupp, Godard and Asham make a pretty tough crew. Throw in the nasty attitude that Jordan Staal brought after his game with the Rangers and his gloved punch to Prust's face that he got away with, and I was a little worried.
I wanted Trevor Gillies on the bench. I don't care what anyone says, that man will go through walls for his team mates and he lets the opposing bench know it. You just DON'T mess with Trevor Gillies.
This is not to say I do not believe in the toughness of Zenon Konopka. The man with the most penalty minutes in the NHL has them just as much for his mouth as his fists. But watching Z get shaken like a rag doll last night by Rupp just didn't sit well with me. Nor did seeing Blake Comeau laid out on the ice awaiting help or watching Dylan Reese's head hit the glass after a whistle on an icing call or seeing Matt Martin take another glove to the face where his fresh stitches are.
Now, the debate I received on Twitter after I made my displeasure with Capuano's decision known was that Trevor is an excellent team mate and enforcer, but his judgement on timing is questionable. In all honesty, I think last night any time would have been the right time.
But let's get to the real story of the night. The one that was replayed 1,000 times within a millisecond of when it happened. Rick DiPietro's decision to take matters into his own hands and fight the goalie that had shut out his team.
In all honesty, Rick really only gave up two goals. He had some moments where he looked like the Rick DiPietro of old and a few moments of positional problems and open nets leaving the defense to do the job. There was one play where A-Mac actually had to waive him off the puck as Rick skated out to play it.
Rick, I love ya, but you're not a forward. Your job is to STAY IN THE NET. You see that painted half circle. That's yours. Stay there.
But with a frustration level at fever pitch as the clock ticked down to the final buzzer, Rick sent an invite across ice to Johnson who had no problem accepting it. Granted, RDP is in very good shape and does not back away from a fight. "Hey, it only hurts for a second, right?" Right.
And that's about what it took -- a second as Johnson's punch landed along with his elbow to the side of Rick's head. The head that has already been kicked with a skate into concussion.
It was dumb. It was beyond dumb. It was dangerous and now it is also embarrassing. Not just for Rick, but for us long suffering fans who will have to endure watching it over and over again and hearing about it just about everywhere.
So -- um. Thanks.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Isles in Atlanta
The Isles get back to work on a two day road trip. I'm thinking the weather is a little better in Atlanta than here, but there may not be any guarantees for Pittsburgh on Wednesday. Oh, and there is snow AGAIN on the horizon for their home game on Saturday. At this rate, I think even Travis Hamonic might be done with the winter weather we've had this year.
While I am guessing it will be Rick DiPietro in net tonight, there has been no official announcement yet and no UNOfficial announcement made on @KevinPoulin60's Twitter feed. (And you'll never see another one.)
All eyes will be on the bench to see if Ty Wishart will crack the line-up just so Jack can see what he can do. There are plenty of articles and information on this big kid around the net. He had a lot of potential when he was drafted. Perhaps, as with others, he just needs the right place to play in order to succeed. It could happen.
I'm also going to throw this out there, just because: With the weight of his new deal off his mind, look for Matt Moulson to regain his scoring touch.
More as it hits the wire, but other thoughts here at Hockeybuzz.com.
While I am guessing it will be Rick DiPietro in net tonight, there has been no official announcement yet and no UNOfficial announcement made on @KevinPoulin60's Twitter feed. (And you'll never see another one.)
All eyes will be on the bench to see if Ty Wishart will crack the line-up just so Jack can see what he can do. There are plenty of articles and information on this big kid around the net. He had a lot of potential when he was drafted. Perhaps, as with others, he just needs the right place to play in order to succeed. It could happen.
I'm also going to throw this out there, just because: With the weight of his new deal off his mind, look for Matt Moulson to regain his scoring touch.
More as it hits the wire, but other thoughts here at Hockeybuzz.com.
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