EX-Isles, Heroes In Tampa

So, yesterday I'm speaking with my good friend, Dr. David Lubin from Tampa. He was the 7th Man Award winner in 2004 for the Lightning and is a Bolts season ticket holder. He is also a family doctor, humanitarian and accomplished photographer with his own website. David and I have discussed the ups and downs of his team and mine for years now. (Some times the debates have been heated.)

But this season, he wanted to let me know how thankful the Tampa fans are for the two ex-NY Islanders who seem to have made the difference in the Bolts line-up.

Sure, they already had Vinny and Marty and that kid named Stamkos. They also have the kid I actually wanted instead of JT named Hedman, but until this season they never got very far.

That all changed with the arrival of Stevie Yzerman and Guy Boucher and a deal made in January for a 40-year-old goaltender named Dwayne Roloson.

Yep. Roloson's Tampa debut was a shut-out and he's been stellar for them ever since. I can't help but think that Yzerman and Roloson should send Garth Snow fruit baskets thanking him for the deal.

You add 1st round draft pick Sean Bergenheim and his seven playoff goals to the mix and you have a team that has now made it to the Eastern Conference finals. Not bad.


Now, Dr. David's seats are WAY up there in the nosebleed section of the St. Pete Times Forum. But then again, if I told you how much he pays for his playoff tickets (as an Islander fan) you'd puke. Let's put it this way -- his seat for a playoff game cost him less than it costs me to put two gallons of gas in my car. You do the math and then get sick.

David sent me these photos of "my boy Sean" yesterday. My my.... he's all grown up. No wonder they keep talking about him on all the hockey shows. He HAS finally arrived!

So thanks for the photos David. Maybe you can send me some when he lifts the Stanley Cup too. ;o)

Bergenheim: One Goal Away From MY Prediction

It's not proofed but I had to do it. Here on HockeyBuzz.com is my entry on the now productive ex-Islander Sean Bergenheim.

You all know how I've felt about Sean, but even I knew it was time for him to move on or he would never turn into the player I knew he could be. Well, he's found that home on the third line of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

And I couldn't be happier for him!

Christmas Is Coming & So are the Bolts

Is that a little overkill? You think?

Today is the office Christmas luncheon and then it's off to the Coliseum where the Islanders face the Tampa Bay Lightning -- again. This time they are without Matt Martin as he sits serving his two game suspension.

Thanks Rick, I now owe my husband $10 because he had you on IR before Christmas. He won.

I was shocked to see Mike Mottau's season end yesterday with a hip injury. Apparently he was nursing an injury for a month before getting hit in the eye. Again, didn't see that coming at all. Evil voo doo curse continues.

I would assume that Dwayne Roloson will be in net and Nate Lawson will be on the bench as back-up while RDP watches from on high with Matt Martin. Of course, we know what happens when you assume.

Ex-Islanders Sean Bergenheim has been doing very well for Tampa and they are currently at 42 points to the Islanders 18. They have played three more games though, as if that matters. The Bolts have Steven Stamkos and Marty St. Louis while the Islanders have problems.

One of my least favorite NHLers, Steve Downie, is out indefinitely and the Bolts will not have Mike Smith in net as he is out 2 - 3 weeks with a sprained knee. Maybe we can see if the Islanders can add to #DanEllisProblems tonight if they can remember to play for 60 minutes and actually shoot the puck in the third period.

Winning this game against Tampa would do wonders for every one's morale. Losing it will just dig them deeper into the abyss.

Ex-Isles: Where are they Now?

The signing of Mike Comrie to a league minimum deal with Pittsburgh made me think about the game in my head I like to play once the season starts. But as I really don't have anything going on until I meed with the team's PR people next week, let's play it now.

"Ex-Isles: Where are they Now" game now on HockeyBuzz.

Maybe some of the names will conjur up some pleasant Islander memories -- or not so pleasant ones. But it was something to do while I sat drinking coffee on my back deck in the cool of a September morning before my Sunday of Softball begins and my netbook battery dies.

Have a wonderful Sunday.

A New Home for Bergie

I had a sick feeling Sean Bergenheim would not be returning to the Islanders the last time I spoke with him in April. I could tell by the way head coach Scott Gordon had talked about him in the post game interviews that as much as the 1st round draft pick was considered "home grown," there were issues.

In 2005 Bergenheim had expressed to me a feeling that he was not appreciated as much as he would have liked. I agreed with him. However, what he may have been feeling about how he was used on the Coliseum ice, I was talking about how he was promoted.

Sean Bergenheim was drafted 22nd overall in 2002, yet he was never really marketed as that coveted "first round draft pick" in ads or merchandising. I can't tell you how many times I had a conversation with the merchandise department asking "Uh, where are the Bergenheim T-shirts?"


He was a fan favorite in Bridgeport and put up some decent numbers there, posting 25 goals and 22 assists for the Sound Tigers in 2005 - 2006. That year he also played 28 games with the Islanders posting 4 goals and 5 assists. Sean also represented his country at many international tournaments.

However the performance of 2005-2006 wasn't enough for the Islanders to give Bergenheim and his agent the contract they were looking for and when an impasse in negotiations arose, he left for Russia. He played only nine games with Lokomotiv before he found a way to break his contract and move on to the Swedish Elite League where he played 36 games for Frolunda HC. In 36 games he earned 16 goals and 17 assists.

A change in representation, and a little humility, earned him a new contract with the Islanders beginning with the 2006-2007 season. In 78 games he scored 10 goals and 12 assists for a total of only 22 points. And then there were the injuries: shoulder, groin, ribs, that kept him out of the line up. It came as no surprise that he was not offered a QA this season after making $925,000 and scoring only ten goals this past season.

There is talent in Sean Bergenheim that needs to be polished. I believe he can be a 20 goal scorer. I have always believed that. Maybe in Tampa, it will actually happen. Good Luck Sean. Glad you found another NHL home.

End of the Line for Bergie & Tamby?

Today, the Islanders have tendered qualifying offers to Matt Moulson, Rob Schremp, Dustin Kohn, Dylan Reese and Nathan Lawson.

As of Thursday, July 1, those players who have received qualifying offers will have until Thursday, July 15 to accept. The deadline for players to elect to go to salary arbitration is Monday, July 5. If a player rejects the qualifying offer, but does not elect to go to salary arbitration, the Islanders will still retain their rights until and agreement is made or they become eligible for unrestricted free-agency.

That leaves Sean Bergenheim and Jeff Tambellini to become free agents. Is anyone surprised?

Tambellini spent a lot of time out of the line up and being a spectator. When he was inserted into Scott Gordon's line-up, it was out of sheer necessity. But the success never came. Jeff Tambellini, with Dynasty bloodlines, could never recreate the success of his AHL career on the NHL ice.

The 5'11" winger from Calgary has been in the NHL for five seasons. Jeff played 36 games this season and had 7 goals and 7 assists for his $625,000. In the 2008-2009 season he earned 15 points in 65 NHL games and in 2007-2008 he played 31 NHL games and scored once and had three assists. Scott Gordon seemed to have lost all confidence in Jeff. Perhaps a change of scenery will help him.


Sean Bergenheim has always been one of my favorites. He will remain so. However, he has never quite accomplished what everyone expected he should. I saw him as a 20 goal scorer from the first time I saw him in an Islanders sweater when he was only 18.

Bergenhiem was drafted 22nd overall in 2002 and this is also his fifth year in the NHL. In 63 games Sean scored 10 goals and tallied 13 assists. The only time Bergenheim got close to the 20 goals I expected of him was in the 2005-2006 season in Bridgeport when he played 55 games and scored 25 goals and 22 assists.

His biggest drawback is inconsistency. It wasn't long ago that Scott Gordon told reporters in a post-game interview But Scott did continue. "With Bergie it's always consistency. He can skate, he can protect the puck, he can finish hits, he's got a good shot, but if he's not doing those things, he's just an average player. And 'average' isn't good enough for Bergie. Bergie has to excel in the areas that are his strengths and when he does -- that's when he has success."

It was then I knew that his days with the NY Islanders were numbered. And don't think that Garth Snow didn't attempt to get something for the high-energy kid from Finland who never quite received the same 1st round hype as those that came after him. This is the same young man that Scott Bowman praised. Hopefully he'll find a new home where he can feel appreciated.

Hopefully, it's in the NHL. If not -- well, there's always the Swedish Elite League. He had some success there with 33 points and 80 PIMs in 2006, and their season is much shorter.

As sad as I am to see "My Boy Sean" leave the Island, in my heart I know, it will probably be the best thing for him.

With the 2010 Entry Draft done, there are still so many questions leading up to Thursday's Free Agency Frenzy. It may be an exciting time for fans, but it has to be a nerve wracking time for those making the decisions.

Sean Bergenheim: Home Grown Talent

While I await something else that I've written this morning to be proofed, here is the final entry on my interviews from 4/12/10 during Break-Down day. This is the one I had a hard time writing, but being left alone for a few hours this morning, I finally sat down and gave it my full attention.

This is for "My Boy Sean" The kid who always entertained me while sometimes frustrating the life out of me. Who always gave me a smile and a hello and thanked me repeatedly for my support. And lastly, for being the one player who risked the coach's ire to skate over to the glass and wave hello to me at pre-game skate during the "work stoppage" year in Bridgeport. For being the first NHL player to recognize me as part fan, part mother, part writer and appreciating it. For letting me be comfortable enough with him to tell him the truth -- that he seemed to score more often when I was in the bathroom. For him being able to joke about that with me a few games later as he asked me if I had seen that night's goal or if I was indesposed once again. For smiling when he saw me, even with fresh stitches in his upper lip.

For all that -- I thank him.

Hearts & flowers here, actual article at link at Hockeybuzz. :o) Now, it's time for Saturday chores.

Devils Downed in 5

I didn't expect it. I thought for sure the Devils would be able to out finesse the Flyers. Instead, they out muscled them and embarrass them.

Was it really Brodeur's fault? I don't really think so. Has he slowed down somewhat? I didn't really see that either. Some of the saves were brilliant. No, I'm thinking that the Devils lost because they just couldn't score enough to win.

So much for getting a Parise Jersey this spring. Okay, back to "Let's Go Bruins!"

On another note, I have the final interview I did on 4/12 with Sean Bergenheim still pending. This one is hard for me to do. I am reluctant to write it because I know when I do, it may very well be the last time I get to interview or cover him as an Islander.

This has been a long, strange trip for both of us. I want to make sure I give it the time it deserves. I will try to get it done by Saturday.

I also have something that is unusual for me -- I'm doing an entry on the Flat Bottom V technology of skate sharpening. Yeah. I'm channeling Islesblogger for that one. But I figured I'd give it a shot. Then I've got to hunker down and start working on that book in my head. Yep.

Isles vs. Devils 2nd to Last

7:29 pm the Devils scored their first goal on Marty Biron. The play was reviewed, but Zach Parise was celebrating the goal as he was sitting in Biron's Crease with Bruno Gervais on top of him and Marty Biron pinned at the post. It was Zubrus' goal.

The Devils were tied with the Penguins at 99 points so they wanted to win this one. The Islanders role was purely spoiler.

Sean Bergenheim uses his speed to get some excellent chances on Broduer. Mark Streit has played in all 81 of the Islanders games

7:33 pm: Gillies comes out for a shift and chases down Leblond and yaps and yaps at him. 7:35 pm Haley makes his NHL debut. Let's see who gets the most amount of ice time from Scott Gordon off the two.

With MacDonald in front of Biron and Marty out of position, Zach Parise makes it two - 0 from his knees. It was a pretty goal for sure. His 17th against the Isles and 38th of the year. Not bad for JP's kid.

MacDonald gloves down a puck in the neutral zone and Dean McAmmond takes off with it and scores on Biron to make it 3 - 0 at 4:06. MacDonald is not having a very good game so far. I'm not expecting to see Biron for the second period. Although, does it really matter.

John Tavares draws the first penalty of the game from Niedermeyer at 16:30 of the first. JT had one good chance that was deflected over the net and then too many passes didn't connect. There were no shots on goal.

Just as the penalty expired, the Devils almost made it 3 - 0 but Biron made a good sliding save on McAmmond. The Isles went to the room down by four in only 20 minutes.

Second period begins with Marty Biron in net. I am surprised. The Devils go on the power play within the first minute of the period but cannot score their fourth in the two minutes.

8:10 pm, I had my head down when Sean Bergenheim lost an edge and went down awkwardly into the boards and immediately left the ice in pain. He is one more kid that just can't seem to catch a break. Just as he was getting his chances, he has to leave the ice.

8;13 pm Haley and Pelley decide it's time to dance. Pelley pulls Haley's jersey up over his eyes, but it doesn't stop him from pound away at his face. They both go to the box bleeding to sit out for five. On the bench, Trevor Gillies watched a fight he wasn't in and becomes a wild dog telling the team to get going. It was an expression I think I will never forget seeing. I scared me.

Kyle Okposo had an open lane and guess what happened? He broke his stick... again.

Trevor Gillies gets a unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for slashing while waiting for a face off. He didn't even get to skate for a second before being told to go sit in the box.

Howie Rose called it Zach Parise's personal party against the NY Islanders ad he lifts a puck over Biron's shoulder to make it 4 - 0. Every game, Zach reminds us what we lost as Islanders fans. Later the goal would be changed to Patrick Elias.

At 15:06 of the 2nd, Trevor Gillies tries to make it up to Scott Gordon by drawing a penalty on Patrick Elias. Gillies hit Elias with a clean hit and Elias chased him down and cross checked Trevor who promptly chided Elias with a "Waaa Waaa" gesture.

Well Tim Jackman gave the Devils a power play by taking a few extra whacks on one of the Devils after he already knew he was being called for a penalty. Brian Rolston makes it 5 - 0 with a power play goal.

With the 3rd period underway, Sean Bergenheim has not returned and said to have an "upper body injury." Considering how long it took him to recover from the rib injury, I'm wondering if this is shoulder or other "upper body."

The camera goes on Scott Gordon and once again, he's wearing a different suit and a tie I haven't seen before. Our very GQ coach with a shorter bench.



With Leblond and Gillies constant yapping, the refs are on them like white on rice trying to keep things cool. But try as they might, Gillies chased down Clarkson but Leblond took the challenge, reluctantly. Gillies helmet never came off as they exchanged punch for punch for what seemed like forever. It was so long that Leblond had to ASK the refs to please stop the fight. He was exhausted and Gillies was a junkyard dog not giving up.

Gillies ended up with an extra penalty which gave the Devils another power play opportunity. They don't score on the power play, but it doesn't take long before Kovalchuk tips one over Biron to make it a frightening 6 - 0. With this game out of reach, I am guessing that Scott Gordon will leave Biron in net for as many goals as he wants to let up. If it's ten, it will be ten. Roloson for certain will get the start against the Penguins.

With Zubrus in the box, Kyle Okposo doesn't give up. Keeping the puck in the Devils zone, he gets it to JT who shoots at Brodeur with Matt Moulson right where he likes to be, on the goalie's doorstep. Just a little tap off Brodeur and in it went -- along with Brodeur's shut-out.

Remember I said Andy MacDonald wasn't having a very good game? Well, credit him with Patrick "watch me pull a goal out of my ass" Elias's goal that made it 7 - 1.

Game over.

Isles over Devils 4 - 2

It's now time to push the clocks ahead, so it's actually 2;14 am. Time for the Mother blogger to hit the pillows. But of course I managed to get something written. Here's the postgame report and an unusual question asked of Sean Bergenheim.

Happy Birthday Sean

So on Sean Bergenheim's 26th Birthday, what do I decide to do? One of the toughest entries I've had to write.

Partially because no one thought I'd actually ask him the question. Partially because I know he can be so much more than he is right now.

Just consider it a motherly nudge Sean.

So, Sean Bergenheim, A Question of Confidence at Hockeybuzz.com

Isles fall to Flyers

"Are you driving back? It's snowing!" That's what PR Director Seth Sylvan yelled to me in the locker room hallways. No I am not driving. We're walking. God Almighty we walked from the Wachovia Center to the Holiday Inn in the snow. Only found one patch of ice.... at the same time... @Katrina_Doell and I both almost hit the deck.

It didn't matter. What an afternoon. The Press Box here in PA is magnificient, even without the cinnanuts and the cold coffee. It was a still amazing.

The Elevator ride down to the locker rooms was packed. I tried not to panic. I had no one there to protect me. I lived.

Scott Gordon was interviewed by Rob Carlin who thought the Islanders were a much better team in the second and third period. Andy MacDonald is developing nicely and Gordon said he is resembling Hillen's career path. Well, we'll see about but yes he's getting better.

I asked to talk to Sean Bergenheim who seemed to have a little problem with Pronger all afternoon. He said he was just part of the game. Also, as Sean has had some excellent breakaways that he hasn't been able to capitalize on, he said "it's all part of the confidence right now. Offensively, I can do a lot better and I should be able to help the team much more than I have."

Before I left the locker room I caught up to Marty Biron, who was pretty funny. I love talking to him because he really is a very special man. He told me a funny story about how when they were leaving Carolina he pulled up HockeyBuzz on his cell and told the guys that Trevor Gillies was being called up to the big club. They all said they had heard nothing about it. But Marty told him he read it on my HockeyBuzz site.

Mind if I gloat just a tad. :o)

Ran into GM Garth Snow on the way out. Tried to beat him up for trade rumors. No dice. He did tell me there was a great sports bar in my hotel ... in 1997.

Sadly, this was a game they COULD have won. They didn't. Maybe they will in Florida.
Please.

A Huge thank you to EKLUND and ERIC from HockeyBuzz for taking such good care of me in the press box tonight. This was really special. No, really. It is.

White Receives Fine Only

When I saw this tonight on Twitter, I thought it was a joke. I have not seen the NHL press release (if there is one.) There is also nothing on the Devil's website either. But the news on the net is that White did have a hearing and received no suspension, only the standard $200 fine.

To this I say -- I'M NOT HAPPY.

If indeed the league wanted to set examples for hits from behind, why must be it based on how much blood is spilled in the aftermath?

It was horrible to see Dupuis's gash over his eye leave a large pool of blood on the ice behind Roloson's crease. It took 37 stitches to close. Yes, it was brutal to watch. Andy Sutton felt horrible and didn't hide from the media or anyone else. He faced the music with dignity and remorse.

When Colin White drove Sean Bergenheim's face into the boards, there was a much smaller puddle of blood. He did receive a 5 minute major on the play and played less than 9 minutes in that game.

Sean Bergenheim also played less than 9 minutes in Saturday's game as he spent a good amount of time having his face put back together and being fitted for a full face shield.

White should have received at least a one game suspension. But that's just me. And that's why I'm not very happy right now.

Race Horses & Hockey Players --

They'll break your heart.

I heard that line on a radio program a few years ago and I never forgot it. I think it had to do with betting, but I can't be sure. All I know is... I shouldn't make bets. I'm really not a gambler. But I made the deal, I'll stick by the deal. I'll also stick by my beliefs.

Matt Moulson is at LEAST a 20 goal scorer. I'm sure of it. And while he sits at 16 goals half way through the season, barring any unforeseen injury, he'll exceed my expectation. Maybe I just shouldn't have been as over zealous (Or over served) to say it would only take him until January 1st to get there. But it's okay. He's still one hell of a hockey player.

I'm very happy to see Robbie Schremp getting his chances too. He's been called my newest "charity case" since I do seem to spend time coddling the underdogs in this business. But I'll tell you that Schremp has a great gift coupled with a great personality. He won't be an underdog for long.

The man with the smallest fan-club has been doing quite well too. That would be Jon Sim. Sorry people, I can't help but be happy for him after seeing him so miserable when he was out for the season.

Speaking of someone being miserable while out -- Ricky D! Making his presence known back at practice. Woo hoo! This poor guy can't sneeze without someone tweeting about it. Everyone has to know his every move or all hell breaks loose.

Rick! Rick!! What did you have for breakfast?? But then again, I guess Rick will ALWAYS be big news. For me, the biggest news of the day was seeing Rick getting pointers from Scott Gordon and seeing "Flash" flash that winning smile of his.

"Did you get that on camera Dee? Because no one would believe it!" I don't know why so many think that Scott Gordon has no personality. He has a wonderful sense of humor. Maybe they're just not used to someone who carries himself with such decorum.

But there he was in net, giving Rick pointers. And there I was, at the glass. It's blurry, but it's not photo shopped!

Okay, so the big news is Ricky being recalled from Bridgeport and making the trip with the team. Okay, so we've got three goalies on the trip. It's good for him to get back with the team. After all, he still is, and always was, a huge part of it.

Does that mean that somewhere on this trip #39 may be between the pipes for a period or two? Maaaaaayyyyyyybbeeee. We'll just have to wait and see. We've had plenty of spare parts all season. Having a spare goalie won't kill them.

On the injury front, I feel very bad for tough-guy (but really, really GOOD-guy) Tim Jackman. That guy can't catch a break. I hope you all read the recount of New Year's Eve at the ER on the Islanders Authorized blog on their main website. It's well worth the read. http://islanders.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=59682&navid=DLNYIhome

Sean Bergenheim will play at some point over the next three games. (Yeah!!!) But Bruno Gervais took a puck to the face today and walked off the ice bleeding. I'm sure he'll be alright, but still, there's always a risk.

Matt Moulson had his lip split when he took a stick to the mouth, but the stitches seem to be healing. The scar will match the others he has.

I saw Jiggs MacDonald at the practice today. I was glad as I thought for sure I'd miss him during this visit to the Island. What a pleasant man to be around. And such a wealth of hockey history. I should have taken a photo with him, just to make Big Angry Man a little jealous. Just like every other Dynasty Die-Hard, he loves Jiggs.

Isles practice tomorrow before heading off on their road trip. The hardest part of the West Coast stints for us fans? Staying up long enough to watch the games. The hardest part for the Islanders? Winning.

WE have it far easier than they do.

When the Islanders Came to Kirdhrey!

This entry will be some what more personal than the last few, so bear with me.

I have never been to one of the Islander school visits so when I saw that Sean Bergenheim, Richard Park and Robbie Schremp were going to be reading at a school close to my office, I thought it would be a good idea to see how they do.

I arrived at the Paul Kirdahy School in West Islip before 9 am, signed in and was directed to the gymnasium. Sean and Robbie were already there talking to Justin DeMaio, the fifth grade teacher responsible for setting up the visit. You couldn’t miss him. HE was the one in the Islanders jersey.

Considering their record at this early stage of the season, I was wondering what the reaction would be. I was pleasantly surprised. Not only was Mr. DeMaio excited to have them, but so was PTA President Tracey Daleo, who brought her new old style DiPietro jersey, and school Principal John Mullins who sported one of the best hockey ties I’ve seen in years.

“I don’t see any Ranger jerseys. I looked.” So said Richard Park as he joined his team mates at the front of the gymnasium. That is what I was there to see.

For the longest time I have been bombarded by those telling me (or yelling at me) that there aren’t any Islander fans out here in the sticks. Well, I’d like everyone to know that of the 350 students and 60 teachers that crowded into the gymnasium in West Islip about 65% of them were wearing Islanders gear or at least Islander colors. They were positively giddy with excitement.

“There they are!!” exclaimed one little boy as he filed into the gym. “How did they get them to come HERE?” one of the teachers giggled. Mr. DeMaio played his favorite tunes on a boom box while the organized chaos ensured. But within minutes all five grades were quietly sitting on the floor ready to listen.

Principal Mullins gave the students their final instructions before turning the microphone over to Mr. DeMaio who did his best imitation of the Nassau Coliseum announcer. I wish I could post the audio of the rousing applause the boys received. These kids were so excited I couldn’t help but smile from ear to ear.

Richard Park, the father of two, took the microphone to start the program. “There’s a lot of energy in this room. That’s great. You have that type of energy in class?” He seems to be a pro at this sort of thing. Actually, most of the players have done this sort of thing before. Robbie Schremp participated in a reading program in Edmonton. Matt Moulson visited schools when he was with the Manchester Monarchs and Sean Bergenheim has represented the Islanders at least four times prior.

They are all happy to reach out to the youngsters and instill the importance of reading. Sean wanted them to also think about Geography when he explained that he was from a country in Scandinavia called Finland. “Try to look for it on a map. That’s where I’m from.” Richard Park got a collective giggle out of the students when he took the microphone away and told them it was going to be hard to find because Finland is a really, really small country.

But coming from that very small Country, Sean knows the importance of education and especially reading skills. He told the kids that not only is it important for their parents to read to them, but they should in turn read to their parents. This is all part of the PARP (Parents as Ready Partners) program as Tracey Daleo discussed with me earlier and what I remember from when my own daughter was in elementary school.

So while many of the other Islanders attended schools in Nassau County, these three were out here in the sticks. You know, the little known South Shore of Long Island that they never see, and where the kids finally got to see a glimpse of three New York Islanders up close and personal. It’s a day they’ll never forget.

Like searching for the Holy Grail

...the Isles can’t find a Win

Do I seriously need to do a post game? Isles lose. Sabres win. Rookie Tyler Myers was handed the gift of his first NHL goal. It was gift wrapped so well, NHL.com had the video up on their website within minutes.

The Isles played the second period well and spent the rest of the game trying to get out of their own zone. John Tavares gained one goal and missed two open nets.

Sean Bergenheim played his best game yet and while there were no points for him, he was shooting more and screened Miller for one of the Isles goals. Moulson did add to his total with one goal and one assist. That kid has found some sort of puck magnet, I’m sure. Please clone this man.

Roloson was chased from the net after giving up four and Biron let up two more. He probably would have let up more if he knew that Howie and Billy told the world that he came home to Buffalo to be with his family, but his wife left for a horse show or something. (How long you been married, Marty?) I make the suggestion of calling up Nate Lawson. May as well, they haven’t been able to win any way.

I had asked Rechlicz to play smart tonight. He didn’t listen. He made a bad decision, took a penalty that resulted in one of the Sabres power play goals and with only four shifts for the night, Rechlicz became a spectator for the balance of the game.

For some reason, my daughter kept yelling at Martinek tonight. I told her not to worry. It won’t be long before he has an injury that will keep him out for weeks.

There are always positives to take away from these games as the team develops. But how much more can we hold out for hope when they are STILL OH-FER-October??

It was the Nathan Lawson Show

It may have been the debut of John Tavares, but it was the Nathan Lawson show last night in Edmonton. Another late night of rookie battles with a very familiar outcome. 3 - 2 Oilers.

It was forty minutes of good, fast paced hockey with an Islanders lead from courtesy of Bruno Gervais from early in the first. They held onto the lead until Dustin Penner skated in all alone and beat Lawson eight minutes into the third.

That's when I decided to call it a night. I missed the last two Edmonton goals. But if I think hard about last season, I'm sure I can conjure up the visual.

Lawson made some excellent saves and some just plain good ones. As Scott Gordon said, "I don't think I could expect him to play any better. This was a big step." With the depth in goal that he spoke of, the question looms large -- Who's going to Utah? Personally I think it should be the "kid." Unless he's too young to travel on his own. I don't know. But let him come up through the ECHL first and give Lawson to Jack and the Tigers to learn the system. But, that's just me.

While I was able to stay awake to watch the game on the computer screen (Thank you NHL.com and no thanks to the Dolans) I noticed that John Tavares is right in everything he says about what he needs to do to get better. I watched him get stripped of the puck a few times. Yes, his opponents are just stronger than he is. Doug Weight warned him about that. Actually, everyone warned him about that. Maybe this was the first time he actually realized that. It was sad that he told a reporter that he didn't even think about his first NHL game as "fun." He said he had "one" special moment, but he was keeping it to himself.

The rookie who DID have fun last night was Calvin de Haan. You can tell that in his interview tape, but then again, he DID have a big goal too. "Probably one of the best days of my life. Dream come true. First game, first goal." But he too understands his short comings and what he needs to learn. "Gap control -- I'm giving the opposition's forwards too much time and space out there. Gotta tighten it up a bit."

I'm reminded at mini-camp, I was told by someone in the know to keep an eye on de Haan. I guess I should take his advice.

So now that John Tavares' much heralded first NHL game is out of the way, he can continue his quest to get better. Hopefully the two injured players from last night will also Get Better Soon. Both Doug Weight and Sean Bergenheim had to leave the game due to groin strains.

Yep, Islanders training camp. Same old, same old. Any takers on who will go down next?

Wacky Wednesday!

It's only 7 am and I woke up with one eye feeling as if it was glued shut. Luckily, it was my good eye.

Once again, I don't know why the hell I read the paper or listen to the news when I first wake up. It just makes you want to crawl back into bed.

First, on the local political side. Did you see another developer is asking for answers from the Town of Hempstead for their Mitchell Field Project? Did any of us know there was a Mitchell Field Project going on??? Well there is! A stone's throw from the Coliseum parcel.

Now, if this project with it's 160 apartments and 44 town houses gets pushed through by the ToH, won't that be VERY telling? The development is not by a Long Island firm but by a Virginia developer. Ten percent will be "affordable housing."

Hey!!! Garden City, what do you have to say to that????

*Note: That's just a photo a random photo of buildings.

Next up, the Phoenix Coyotes file bankruptcy and look to sell the team. Enter the man who would be king in Canada, Jim Balsillie. The NHL let out a collective gasp. I'm sure they're really happy now they just pumped money into the franchise. Ouch.

As mentioned however, I'm sure the Toronto Maple Leafs are constructing their argument against another team in their market. This should be interesting.

The first face transplant in the United States is revealed, and I wish I wasn't eating breakfast at the time.

Team USA takes on Team Finland today in Switzerland and it's a must win game. I wonder if Sean Bergenheim was on team Finland, if Kyle Okposo would get into a pushing match with him? We'll never know, will we. Good Luck Scott. If Jason Blake hits the post again instead of the back of the net, tell him you're going to unleash ME on him. That should motivate him.

The Islanders create a "Who's Your No. 1 Draft Pick" contest to take winners to Montreal to the draft and some fans complain about it. WTF?

The Islanders Morning Coffee email has a new, very cool look and daily information. Sign up and it will be delivered to your in box daily.

Let's see what other surprises can pop up today. I'm sure there will be some.

And So It Ends

Another Easter Sunday Islanders game to close out the end of a Hockey season that started with excitement and hope. It wasn't the Easter Epic of '07 that caused Islesblogger.com to get Islanders plates for his truck. It wasn't even a spoiler of a game as I believe the '08 game may have been. No, yesterday's game was basically pointless for more reasons than I want to count. So pointless that my Easter guests were changing my TV back and forth to the Ranger game.

Sigh, and I let them. A team with so many injuries and so many youngsters had little hope of doing anything but put up a good effort this season. This weekend the line up didn't even do that. They were just run over for 48 hours and it was hard to watch. I can't imagine this was part of Scott Gordon's plan to end the season.

IslandersPointBlank mentioned that the Islanders didn't "roughhouse" on Saturday which disappointed many of the fans. There were no battles against the glass on Sunday either. Even I was disappointed at this as I really would have loved to hear chants of "Recker! Recker!" one more time before the season ended. One last time to watch big #40, Joel Recklicz, show the opponent that the Islanders were not going to be taken lightly no matter where they were in the standings was all I wanted.

I also wanted another goal out of Sean Bergenheim. I didn't get that either. But at least I witnessed one the day before and certified good guy Doug Weight did add to his yearly total.

Yes, this season is over. On Saturday night the mood in the locker room was one of looking toward the future. Perhaps they had started looking too soon and forgot about the game they still needed to play. I'm not sure.

However, even as dismal as this season was, there were still bright spots here and there. I'm sure I will replay them in my mind and well as here from time to time during the incredible "off season" that begins for me this morning. Oh, sure there is Tuesday's lottery drawing, the draft, rookie camp and any other surprise press conference the Islanders wish to throw at us this summer as well as the "where's DiPietro" watch that has started to run rampant. (Hmmmm... OTB wanted to get into Sports betting on Long Island, maybe they'll start running odds on whether or not Ricky will play next year.)

But there are other things that I will need to explore in the next 24 hours. Most importantly the coverage that the media outlets gave Saturday morning's rain soaked press conference outside the coliseum. I am livid at the segment that News 12 aired as well as the brief article that appeared in Newsday on Sunday morning. Please check back for the TRUTH about that gathering. There is so much more to it than was presented to the public.

Isles 0 - Canes 9: And We're Not Surprised

If you have not read the recap of the Republican Roundtable meeting I attended on Saturday, please click here as it was very interesting indeed.

Okay, so that was the worst loss in Islanders history. So what? We said they needed to lose two. That's one down, one to go.

**Addendum: From the Big Angry Man: "What are the odds these guys, who have been playing with an edge, just turned around and said 'You want a loss? We'll give you a f**king loss! How's this?' THAT wasn't the team we're used to seeing." You know, considering how Internet savvy these kids are, who is to say they didn't just pull a fast one on us.


Let's just call this Islanders Wednesday morning Twitter, since I don't feel like making it coherent.

Doug Weight signs an extension, maybe Kerry Cornils & I had something to do with it?

Scott Gordon will be Ass't Coach for Team USA? Kyle would love the road trip. Thx.

Yo! Recker! 2 many game misconducts pisses the life out of Gordon. 5 4 fighting is enough.

Sean, you still owe me a goal for making me wait so long for your return to the ice.

I think I heard Jack Capuano scream when Blake Comeau broke his wrist.

Nice to see you again Mark Streit, now sit on the bench and don't get hurt.

Welcome Back Jiggs McDonald, you made the game bearable!

We're Number LAST! We're Number LAST! Right where we wanted.

Damn! Paul Maurice was hot when he was 28.... wait... that didn't belong here.

BTW: The NYI Mobile Squad Text service is excellent. Sign up for it.