Monday Morning Mish-Mosh

What a weekend! It's amazing how much you can cram in a 48 hour time frame.

A Saturday day game in Boston that I expected to be another Bruins blow out against the Islanders turned into a well fought 2-1 loss. Kudos to Yann Danis for an amazing effort.

Also notable for me in that game was Jack Hillen doing exactly what Scott Gordon expects of his squad. "Don't you ever give up on the play!" Jack didn't. Even flat out on the ice protecting the puck and having the where-with-all to clear it with a backhand poke while he was being mugged. I liked him when he first skated in an Islanders sweater. I'm liking him more and more.

Sunday's win just proves that the Islander boys haven't gotten the memo from the fans. "Excuse me, guys! You're supposed to be losing."

They will have none of that. So Peter Mannino called up from Jack Capuano's Bridgeport squad has his first NHL win in front of his parents in Chicago. It must have been a great day for him.

Mark Streit (whom I can't seem to find a picture of on my computer) has a three point afternoon as my husband yelled at me asking who was the last Islanders defenseman to score a hat trick. It's obvious Streit will be the NEXT one. He was on fire.

My Sunday was capped off by attending a surprise party for one of my favorite PR people and new found friends. Yes, "Lighthouse Katrina" is now officially in her "adult" years. Her mother Linda staged a party for friends and family to celebrate the occasion complete with balloons, DJ and goody bags. Oh, and Mickey Mouse ears. No adult gets through life without having their own set of ears.

This was one heck of a week for Katrina as she vacationed in Canada, attended three hockey games (two of which were Isles games), did a guest blog for a Habs site and STILL managed to have her finger on the pulse of everything Lighthouse. Yep, multi-tasking mayhem Katrina!

Finally, I was awakened at 5:30 am by a very vivid dream that included ex-head coach Ted Nolan. So, if my Moncton readers could let me know if there is anything wrong with Teddy, I'd appreciate it.

That's the morning's mish-mosh. I guess I should start heading to work.

Goodbye Teddy 7-14-05

11:43 pm: Okay, everyone backed off the ledge now? The message boards are buzzing and all my Blog Box buddies have weighed in. We certainly have differences of opinion. But that's what makes us a good group.

I guess I should say some parting words before heading off to be... now that I watched every news show to see how they'd cover the subject. Simple. The big 3 took the first two lines of Corey Witt's press release and only CJ Papa had more lines about it. Guess it was by design to announce it today with so much All-Star hoopla taking up editorial space. Who knows.

I'll miss Ted's ability to go from stone cold in front of the cameras to warm and smiling in a matter of seconds. I'll miss the brilliant assortment of ties that look like my grandmother's wallpaper. I'll miss that little boy look he could have, even at 50, like when I caught him at Ice works smoking behind my car. He is easy to talk to and very accessible. He has a good heart, but maybe a thick skull. I personally thought he was sometimes "out of the loop" by design, or he was an excellent actor. Maybe just not academy award caliber to make it seem as if he could manage another year coaching under conditions he wasn't happy with.

Let's not play the blame game. Let's just move forward. We have prospects at camp to take a look at and coaching possibilities to ponder. It's never dull in Islander Country.

3:30 pm:

I have to make this quick, so please excuse the typos.
Just got back from the barn where Garth Snow was giving his statement to the press regarding this morning's events.

He was perfectly fine. I, on the other hand, was a complete and total mess. Not because of the situation. Actually, I am not surprised nor dismayed with the release of Ted Nolan as head coach. I was a mess because I usually get my "unique perspective" from standing behind others who are asking questions and taking notes and reading body language.

I was ambushed. First I was told it would be one-on-one (which was FINE by me) but then I was plopped at a conference table with a front row seat. (No WONDER Garth doesn't like cameras!) If not for Inside Hockey's Brad Kurtzberg, I don't know what I would have done. Probably hide in a closet, but enough about me.

Okay people... everyone relax. Yes, we all know there has been tension for months, and while some have thought it was just journalists trying to stir up stories, this was never the case. There was a serious difference of direction and no compromise could be found. Although this may be a sad day for some in Islander Country, it should not be looked at as devastating.

The search for a new coach could take ".... two days or two weeks. It WILL BE the right coach for this team." And Garth is actually looking forward to the process.

Of course the timing may be odd with prospect camp starting today. But what the heck. It's only prospect camp and there are plenty of coaches there to handle the work that was scheduled to be done. This in no way hinders the schedule.

Actually... if I recall... if you check my posts from way back the last two prospect camps, Ted actually spent quite a bit of time sitting on the bleachers and talking with others. So, the current assistants and the Bridgeport coaches will all be there to evaluate the prospects and keep detailed accounts. Besides, this is supposed to be a fun thing any way.

As I said, Garth is comfortable with this. I'm surprised that the statement release came as early today as it did. But that leads me to believe that communication had been going on all along and not getting anywhere. (which is basically what I said after the last two open houses. but does anyone listen to me? No.)

There are many GOOD NHL coaches out there looking for work. Garth did mention he will be looking for 'communication skills.' As hard as it is for me to say this, but that is certainly something that Ted, while a fine human being, lacked considerably.

More later. The story will be everywhere I'm sure. And Bill Jaffe was even there so perhaps we can get his take on this as well.

So, every one take a deep breath and relax. There were no circus tents in the parking lot when I left. We're still cool and I really, really REALLY have to get back to work.

Islanders Business Club - Built for SUCCESS

Call me jaded. I’ve come to the conclusion that I am, and I shouldn’t be. But I’m used to seeing Mike Bossy, Clark Gillies, Bobby Nystrom and Garth Snow 4 ft. away from me. I no longer get that star struck look that I saw on so many faces last night at the Islanders Business Club networking event. I may no longer get it, but it’s one of the greatest things to see on others. It’s a smile from ear to ear and a sparkle in the eyes that says “Wow! I’m talking to one of Hockey’s greatest legends!” And I saw it in hundreds and hundreds of faces.

When we arrived and made our way down to the event hall, we rode the escalator with Ted Nolan. That’s where it started. As soon as we were at the main hall floor there was a line, actually two lines of people signing in and picking up their Business Club passes. There was also a security guard putting red bracelets on anyone who wanted to go into the locker room to meet Mike Sillinger and Kyle Okposo. Fellow blogger Tom Liodice laughed when the guard tried to tell me where the locker room is. I found it humorous too, but I’m too nice to laugh.

I immediately struck up a conversation with a woman who had never been to the coliseum before, but had received the email from Isles master organizer Catie Bennett. We chatted and chatted and exchanged business cards as we tried to figure out what line to get on.

IslanderQueen, Tom and I decided to see what would happen if we just walked through the doors. Of course, they let me go FIRST. Other than getting hit in the eyes with a blinding spot light that was shining on a 10 foot ice sculpture at the front of the hall, we were not stopped.

The area was absolutely PACKED decked out in blue, orange and white balloons, bistro tables, bar stools, leather chairs and black drapes. I stopped dead in my tracks and people almost fell over me. There was, much to my surprise, a Hockey star I never thought I’d see in person. It was a HANSON! YES! A Hanson! Not a look-a-like, but the real thing, Chiefs jersey and all. I had to explain to my new friend, Susan, who he was but that was okay. She’ll learn soon enough. IslanderQueen and I stopped for photos.

There were carving stations and chafing dishes set up on the perimeter of the room along with two bars that were giving out flashing Islander logo glasses. They made the room look like a disco. I stopped at the desert cart to take a photo of my next birthday cake. I was in heaven. But so was everyone else. There was wild chatter, laughter and nothing but smiles.

We found another one of our fellow bloggers, B.D. Gallof sampling the fine fare and enjoying the company of strangers. At the front of the room was a stage and someone, we don’t know who, in full goalie gear with a net. I guess the idea was to shoot on him. But the room stopped as Bossy took the stage to welcome everyone and introduce his fellow Alumni. He’s a wonderful Master of Ceremonies and the presentations were surprisingly brief from Garth and Mr. Wang.
I also had the opportunity to spend some time with arena hostess Dina who told me a great story about her night in Detroit at game 5 of the playoffs.

“I’m sitting there in this sea of red, and what’s two rows in front of me??? A guy in a RANGERS T-shirt! So my friend said to me ‘Oh, no. You’re not going to SAY something are you?’ and I told him; ‘Of course I am!’ Hey! Your team's on the golf course!” That’s our Dina. Islanders through and through, even in Detroit wearing a Red Wings T-shirt. But it was an Osgood shirt because, as she told me “I figured that would be fine if anyone saw me in it. After all… he WAS an Islander!”
IslanderQueen and the Blog Box crew finally made our way to the locker room to see Sillinger and Okposo. Mike is a pretty funny guy, but not a very observant one it seems. With B.D. and Tom behind me I asked him if he knew who we were. He answered with an absolute “No.” and shook his head. I told him we were the bloggers and tried to refresh his memory of seeing us in the locker room when ONE of my buddies, and I won’t name names said “Of course he doesn’t remember us from the locker room. He wasn’t there that much.” DOH!! Kyle got a real kick out of that. Yeah, we're nothing but trouble together.

So, once again, I’ll say the Business Club is definitely the way to go for anyone with a business or a product to sell on Long Island. Fourteen club events before Islander games, a network of potential clients and Islander tickets too! Throw in Mike Bossy as the chairman, who can beat that? And all in our own backyard. Pretty special indeed!

Oh! And the Red Wings take home the cup. The 2007-2008 season is official over. Now... when's the NEW schedule coming out???

Blogging is Tough when there is TOO much going on!

Hey! This is MAY in Islander Country! I’m supposed to be day dreaming and looking for things to write about. Instead, I can’t keep up. If blogging is supposed to be short, quick personal thoughts, then this is truly going to be a blog tonight.

Islanders Open House Part 2: Wish more people were there. CJ Papa did a great job on the big stage, but he always does. The Blue & Orange silk tie was a nice touch too. There was a great video presentation on the draft prospects narrated by ESPN’s EJ Hradek. I kept an eye on both Garth and Ted as they watched the video looking for some sort of reaction at certain players. Nada. They just watched it on the jumbotron like everyone else. Good work though from the ITV crew.

Chris Dey talked about the new Islanders Community incentives to get kids to play hockey. “A Goal in every driveway.” Not a bad idea, they are planning on giving out street hockey sticks and goal nets. Great, they are arming our youth. Just kidding. It’s a interesting concept in growing the game from the ground up.

In July the Islanders will start making appearances at local hockey rinks to help better prepare kids for both on and off the ice. They’ll then host a “Hockey Night on Long Island” (hey! Where have I heard THAT before?) where they will invite entire teams to a game to celebrate their local rink.

They are also going to see if they can arrange for an Islanders team practice at any facility that can actually house them. Oh Great! They thought the Coliseum locker room was awful? Wait till they see the one in the Dix Hills Rink. (Don’t get pissy at me people, I’ve never actually seen it, but I have skated there and wondered if it was built sometime during the 40s. It just looks that old.)

Expect the Islanders to draft the best possible player available at the time this year in the draft. And since they have some good picks available, Garth is pretty confident it’ll be a good year for the NY Islanders. He’s hoping for young, home grown talent to grace the ice at the Coliseum. They are working very hard with the revamped scouting staff to go over all possible scenarios for Draft Day.

There are so many events planned, you’re just going to have to check the website and print out the calendar… like I did…. Because I can’t retain it all.

After Garth and Ted did their little Q&A thing, Bruno and Jon Sim were invited up on stage. Thanks to Inside Hockey’s Brad Kurtberg for making me laugh for the first time in 9 days. As Bruno and Sim walked up the stairs to the stage, Brad leaned over to me and said “Jon, this is the Coliseum, incase you don’t remember it.” For some reason, that just struck me funny. Hopefully ITV didn't get the maniacal laughter coming from the second row.

Even funnier…. Ted Nolan signed more autographs than Sim did. Our coach has rock-star like appeal.

Equally appealing, Garth Snow met with every fan that wanted to talk… and talk… and talk…and never once walked away from them or cut them short. Two gentlemen, armed with a prospect report newsletter tried to pin him down to an answer as to who he will take with the first round pick. That wasn’t happening, but Snow was grinning ear to ear when they said they loved the Ryan Smith deal even though it didn’t work out as planned in the end.

“Did you get that Dee?” He asked me as I waited with my Blog Box buddies waiting to speak with him.

“Yes, Garth. I got it.”

So the truth is, Garth made that historic trade, and would do it again today if it presented itself. He gave away one Swedish brat boy and one disgruntled Russian and came away with Capt. Canada. Other than having to buy stock in Kleenex, it was a good move. Had Ricky not taken a knock to the noggin', who knows where the team would have ultimately ended up.

Let’s see what sort of history making moves he makes this summer. We know he’s always good for a surprise or two, as well as a laugh. I don’t know where else you’re going to be able to get up close and personal with a major sports team’s GM.

Let’s see Lou Lamoriello stand for 2 ½ hours getting grilled on contracts and trades by the average Joe. Uh… yeah… right.

More in the next few days. Keep checking back.
B4

Charity Begins at Home, but knows no Boundaries

Pat LaFontaine is a genuinely busy man. He was even busier last week as he unveiled the latest initiative of his Companions in Courage foundation with the help of the NHL media outlets. The announcement of new technology Microsoft XBOX 360 portable kiosks came on Wednesday of last week. On Thursday LaFontaine was a guest on just about every show NHL.com had to offer. This man does not tire when he is trying to get his message out. What he has done for ill children since 1997 is just beyond admirable, it’s remarkable.

Having personally dealt with the death of a young sibling long before the video game era, I can relate to how much these Lion’s Den rooms mean to desperately ill children and their families. There is hardly anything you can do to get a young child’s mind off what is happening to them in a hospital. But with the power of the internet and the new technology that abounds, they can at least have a few hours when they don’t have to think about it.

My stepbrother was confined to a hospital bed for the last months of his life, just waiting -- waiting for a miracle cure or his last breath. There was not much he or anyone could do to take his mind away from the moment. If there had been something like these new game kiosks that could have been brought into his room, perhaps his last weeks would have been a little easier. They cannot take away the pain, but they can take a mind to another place. Check the NHL.com article for all the details of this new technology and how LaFontaine is bringing a little comfort to so many families. http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=361564

Also notice that both Rick DiPietro and Ted Nolan spent a little time last week on this project too. I haven’t been able to get any details on their experiences, but I’ll keep trying. This seemed like a no-brainer for Rick to be involved since he has always been great with the kids. But I thought Ted Nolan more as the Charity GOLF type than the Video Game type. But I think that’s just because he’s closer to my age than to Ricky’s.

Ted is no stranger to charity foundations, as he has his own Ted Nolan Foundation to benefit Canadian aboriginal youth and will be busy this off season with various Canadian community charities as a keynote speaker on May 29th and manager of his own annual charity golf event.
Meanwhile, Mike Sillinger, and his new hip back home in Regina, with his partner Jamie Heward have their Shooting Stars Foundation and are getting ready for their June 12th and 13th events.
Check their website at http://www.shootingstarsfoundation.ca

In February, Bruno Gervais teamed up with the Red Cross in Nassau County as a celebrity spokesman, and he also heads up another Red Cross based charity in Canada. Also, we all know how much work Mr. & Mrs. Brendan Witt have put into their Witters Hitters, also a children’s based charity to bring children with cancer, and their families, to enjoy a hockey game they wouldn’t normally get to see.

There are currently 904 players in the NHL, I’m sure there must be about 500 NHL based charity foundations too. It’s endless. Maybe over the summer, when I’m bored out of my mind without hockey, I’ll go looking for all of them on the net. But it is nice to know that the guys, who put so much of themselves out on the ice, put so much of themselves off it as well.

For something the nay sayers tell us is such a violent sport, it’s got some of the greatest guys on the planet.

Islanders Town Hall meeting take 1 - 4/16/08

Having been to a few of these Islander events in the past six years, I was curious to see how this would be different from the past “sales” events. This one had a decidedly different feel. This one came while the wound of not making the playoffs is still fresh in rabid Islanders fans’ heads. This one was designed to bolster confidence in the organization as well as the team for next season and show how badly they want exactly what the fans want… A WINNER!

While the Q&A period with Snow & Nolan may have seemed like an exercise in stating the obvious, you need to see it as only part of the bigger picture of what they were trying to convey. This is why Chris Dey and Charles Wang addressed the audience themselves. This is why prior to the presentation, Dey could be found introducing himself, shaking hands and asking questions of the attendees. Gone are the days when the management of this club would hide for fear of a mob lynching.

Before I get too deep into my details, as I may lose some of you quickly, I would like to share with you a few things that I found out that you wouldn’t see anywhere else.

1) Yes, there are six more of these fan events scheduled for the “off-season” as there will be NO more off-season where the Islanders are concerned.
2) They are taking the show on the Road! Expect to see a brand new Islander RV out and about on Long Island spreading the word. However, this time, the new twist will be…. Players. Yep, this summer expect to see not just Sparky and the Icegirls in your neighborhood, but also some of your favorite players. Now THIS is an unprecedented move. Hope the NHLPA doesn’t get wind of it.

Ok… back to how I saw Wednesday night.

When I first arrived, I was very happy to see a lovely spread of food and drinks and even a coffee station set up in the lower lobby. Someone call Mike Milbury and tell him for all the years I complained to him that I couldn’t get a cup of coffee at these things, I actually opted for the Diet Coke this time. He’ll enjoy it. Trust me.

Upon walking through the door, each attendee was given a goodie bag with the best item in it being a $10 off certificate to Borelli’s, my personal favorite I-Tral-ian restaurant. There was also a sticker, a new keyring and a copy of the Islanders Illustrated season ending issue.

I was having a problem navigating the padded Astroturf that the Dragons play on. I hope that I wasn’t poking holes through it with my heels. The kids were having a great time on the bounce around and the other play items that were set up for them to enjoy, and there were tables of reduced price merchandise. At a table filled with used equipment, I noticed there were two player stall plaques on the table. One was Johnson; I was okay with that one. The other was… was… BERGENHEIM! My Blog Box buddy Tiger Track Tom had to calm me down as I started to stutter and panic.

“It’s just a plaque, Dee. They make them all the time. It doesn’t mean anything. Relax.”

“Where’s Garth! I want to see Garth!” I was hyperventilating.

“Just breathe Dee. It’ll be alright.” Tom reassured me as we went around saying our hellos and then grabbed seats in the first two rows. Fellow blogger Frank Trovato made his way there as well as Mike Carey and Islesblogger.com Mike Schuerlein (sans camera). Tom took his usual place between Frank and me to minimize the chaos between us. We waited patiently for the presentation to begin, which did, exactly on time. You can see the entire presentation on ITV with even better audio then we endured on the floor. Since the presentation is on line, I won’t reiterate the entire thing. However, just hear me out as I tell you what I came away with from the night.

First, Chris Dey did not get up onto the stage. He addressed the crowd from the floor as to better connect with the audience. He wanted everyone to see in his eyes his own desire and dedication to “getting it done.” Moreover, if there is someone who can get it done, it is Chris Dey. Dey has an understanding of the passion and dedication that fans put into their “home team” and he wants everyone to know that the Islanders are indeed, Long Island’s “Home Team.” Interesting point, they are the only team named after their fans and who have the map of “home” on their jersey. Of course, this was all in place before he was, but I never really thought of it that way. He knows that we are fans 365 days a year. For us, there is no “off-season.”

It made me very proud to hear about the over $1 million they have collected for non-profit organizations this season alone. I came away with a better understanding of the Islanders Inspire program, which hosted over 12,017 children to attend Islander games using the player’s own money. These local kids would never normally be able to get to a live game. They are looking to double that number for next season. This is growing the game from the ground floor.

While there are those that constantly condemn the Islanders and their fans for the attendance record, two numbers hold hope for the franchise. They are the third in the NHL for percentage of increase in attendance, and third in their group sales effort. So while others are mocking the attendance number, they are not thinking of the attendance percentage, which has increased. Hockey is NOT dead on Long Island. Its just a little cash strapped right now by our cost of living.

As I drove passed a gas station on Sunrise Hwy this morning, I noticed that regular gas is now $3.79 a gallon. I thought about the Islanders goal of 10,000 season tickets sold this season and I couldn’t help by swallow hard. This is going to be a difficult task this summer. Unless we get a little relief from skyrocketing costs here, the entertainment budget will be minimal, no matter how good the team is.

Next up was the Lighthouse presentation video followed by Mr. Wang’s segment of the program. He started off stating his disappointment that they didn’t make it to the post season and “….until we get the Stanley Cup I won’t be happy and neither should you.” This of course received applause from the crowd.

However, what I found most prophetic about his speech was this: “Failure is not fatal, Failure to Change is Fatal.” Does that tell you anything? It did to me. He discussed the headway the Lighthouse project has made so far and his hope and belief that it can be done. If all goes as planned, the Coliseum renovation would be the first thing to start in July of ‘09, and it will take two seasons to complete, but the thinking is, just like the Devils this season, the team would just start out on the road and return to the Coliseum by the end of October.

Mr. Wang’s tag line for the project: “Coming to a parking lot near you -- The Lighthouse.” Think that is a dig at Nassau County? Yeah… I would say so.

Garth took the microphone and started out with a self-deprecating joke, which went over well. However, what he said after, told more about him than his stoic demeanor conveys. “Average is as close to the bottom as it is to the top. I’m sick of being average.” He meant it.

He talked about retooling the scouting staff in 2006. It seems to have paid quick dividends with five players in the World Juniors. The future is already taking shape; it’s the present that needs a little work.

Snow talked about the upcoming draft and showed a video that ITV had about 24 hours to put together on the prospects that may be available to the Islanders in June. There is great promise in this year’s draft. We should all cross our fingers.

Ted Nolan was introduced and chants of “Three more years!” rose from a group in the crowd. Of all the speakers for the evening, Ted looked the least comfortable. But I think that has a lot to do with his experience with the media. I am a witness to how quickly he will lose all expression when faced with a camera and a microphone. I think he was just unsure how to deal with not only the cameras and the microphones but also a 60-foot screen behind him and a live audience in front of him.

The audio quality made it difficult to understand some of what he said, as he discussed the known and unknown injuries this year’s team faced. Again, this is a man who has to choose his words with the media very carefully, trying to answer but not revealing everything. He did the same to the audience.

The Q&A period was short, but they were running on a timetable they were determined to keep. Of course, the two biggest questions were signing Sean Bergenheim whom both Ted and Garth had praised up and down during the program. But Snow would not reveal anything relating to his contract. This leaves me to believe that Sean has NOT changed his agent yet, and we all know how THAT turned out the last time. For all those who were disappointed that they came away without the answer, think of it as watching the 6 o’clock news talking about a legal scandal and think about how much information you get out of that. Zippo.

The most telling gesture came when the question of Ted and Garth’s working relationship was posed. They knew it was coming, so here was the moment of truth. Although they were both smiling, Ted gestured to turn his back to Garth as if to say, “Are you going to stab me?” On the other hand, it could have been a “Do you want me not to know?” Either way, this was Ted being TED. They are complete opposites of each other. Garth answered, “We have a great working relationship and we communicate on a daily basis.” Note the words “working” and “communicate”. I don’t think they do lunch and go tie shopping. But all they need to do is work together. I have a number of people in my office that I absolutely cannot stand. But it does not mean I don’t work with them effectively. That is what business is. Working effectively.

So... if you want to hear the pre-screened question and answer period as well as all the other items, tune into ITV and spend 58 minutes watching. Make your own assessment of what you hear and what you see. Just know they are trying. This is a lot more than we used to get.
But I can’t wait to see that RV!!!

4-16-08 Chalk Talk with Garth & Ted

ACCCKKK!!!! I wish I could write for a living. If I did, when you arrived here this morning, there would be an entire entry covering last night's event. But since I am perpetually playing "Beat The Clock," there isn't.

Unlike Katie Strang, who spent her night writing about the event on the Islanders Blog (in Greg's absence), I had to come home and take care of the 22 household chores that I had ignored.

I wanted to write this morning, but the six pages of notes I have are more than I can handle in the 45 minutes of free time I have. I'm already late for work, and didn't even have time to make an appropriate wardrobe choice today. (Hopefully no one notices that I'm wearing a cocktail dress at 8 am. It didn't need to be ironed. It won the draw in the closet lottery.)

Here is the BEST shot from the night. Stop back tomorrow and I should have all MY details, which will INDEED be from a unique perspective.

Later all.

Contract Extensions? Or Voting Snow & Nolan OFF the Island?

As the Islanders play out their last few games of the season, the talk of the town seems to have turned to the men in charge. Losing seasons always make all eyes turn to the easiest target: the Coach. Personally, I don’t really understand that philosophy, but it is the one that rules the sport.
However, if you look at what Ted Nolan had to work with, I don’t see how anyone can seriously blame him for the Islanders early playoff elimination this season. Certainly playoffs and a chance at the cup is EVERY team’s greatest goal, as that is where the ‘real’ money is, but you need to have to tools to get there. Some of Ted’s ‘tools’ never made it out of the shed, and too many others made early trips to the shop for repair. Yet, he stayed calm and did his best. If hockey is a game of chemistry, how do you blame a coach for losing with a team that hardly knew each others names?
When Nolan came to the Island he was immediately accepted by the fan base. That was obvious by the length of his line at the STH event at the park. One by one the subscribers shook his hand, talked to him about the team, and took pictures. One by one, they walked away happy. Ted Nolan brought a certain amount of respect back to the Island even while the media was making us out to be a laughing stock. Ted was a beacon of legitimacy. He still is.
The two years he has coached this team, the media has talked of his ability to take teams that everyone believed would finish at the bottom and somehow make them rise above their own abilities. That’s what Ted does. He gets the most out of what he has. Can you imagine what he’d do if he actually had something to work with? Had this team stayed healthy, and continued the way they started the season, I think they would have been at least 6th in the East and that would have been a monumental accomplishment. But the injuries this team endued this season was like a plague of locusts that just swept over the Coliseum. During the last few games, you just have to cross your fingers no one else is taken off the ice on a stretcher. (I held my breath last night as Kyle Okposo went down like a rock when he was hit in the back of the leg on an early shift.)
I think Mr. Wang should give Ted at LEAST two more years, three if he sees fit. Give him not just his ‘bionic’ goalie with two new hips, but some legitimate goal scorer to work with. Then I believe he’ll show you talk of him winning the Jack Adams trophy once again isn’t just talk, it’s a real possibility.
Now, onto Garth Snow, our ‘rookie’ GM. I had a dream last night that there was snow INSIDE the Coliseum. I woke up at 5:30 am thinking that was a sign that I should write this. I’m going to lobby for HIS contract extension as well. Why, you ask?
I think Garth Snow has proved himself worthy in his short time. He is young enough and close enough to his playing days to know what the teams, and the game in general, need. I believe (I have to check) that he’s the youngest GM in the league which brings a different perspective to the table. He’s learned a lot in his short time as GM, and he can only get better. He spoke of his first few days on the job when the other GM’s were licking their chops thinking they could ‘pick his pockets’ because he was an easy mark. They were wrong. He’s very intelligent and engaging, but he’s also strong willed. I may not have always agreed with his decisions, but I respect them and I know what he does, he does in the best interest of the team.
IF Garth Snow is NOT given another term as GM of the Islanders it will only lead the talk of the town to be “See? Wang was WRONG!” NO! I don’t want to hear that. Please! Mike Milbury, the most ineffective GM in the entire NHL (but a really nice guy) seemed to have a job for life until HE actually said “I quit.” He couldn’t even walk the halls of the coliseum without a security contingent; he was so hated by the Islander faithful.
And PLEASE, no Neil Smith argument. If he was such a great GM, how come the only job he could get is as TV analyst? Or is that were all the bad General Managers find work? Hell, both Milbury and Ferguson found work in front of the cameras. I guess that’s the proper progression of events.
I say GIVE GARTH A CHANCE! One stint as GM is not enough to determine true effectiveness. We have something very special brewing on Long Island, but it will take time. I think Snow should be given the time to reap the rewards after having to live through the agony of that first year. He deserves it.
Contract extensions for both of them, I say! But that’s just my opinion. I’m sure this is something that we’ll all be talking about untill we’re blue in the face all summer long until we actually hear from the man at the top. But if he’s listening, even though this year wasn’t what everyone wanted, I hope he’s got enough faith in these two ‘members of the committee’ to keep them around.
After all… shouldn’t they be here when the Lighthouse opens? Wouldn’t they deserve that? I think so. How about you?

"You win with what you have" -- But can Nolan win at all?

Considering the abysmal power play unit, and the inconsistent play of the NY Islanders veterans, can anyone really pin-point what’s gone terribly wrong with this team? The season started so bright, and then the light kept getting further and further away until it is now only a flicker in the tunnel as the train speeds toward the golf course.
Today I had a pointed exchange with one of my favorite hockey writers on this very subject. The email exchanges are always brief, but always leave me thinking. Considering this particular hockey pen-pal has been in the business longer than I’ve been a fan, I tend to defer to his wisdom, even when I don’t agree with it. I’ll admit; I’ve been accused of wearing rose colored glasses (or are they orange?) on more than one occasion and told that I don’t look at things objectively or as “uniquely” as I should. I hate to say it, but that is true. But those orange glasses seem to match my orange high tops, and they‘re pretty comfy.
Ok, but if I am indeed challenged to look at things from a different angle, what would I see?
At first glance I see a roster that looks quite different from the one they started out with back in September. Injury has plagued this team -- a team that prided itself on chemistry. They have chemistry now on a line or two, but it was cultivated in Bridgeport.
If I keep looking sideways I can see the game summaries I kept as I charted the amount of ice time certain players received during the course of the season. Yes, yes….. I remember being disappointed about certain players not getting the opportunity to adequately prove themselves. At the time, I said nothing. Now when the chips are down, Nolan has no choice but to let them play, and still there are inequities. For the longest time, Jeff Tambellini seemed to be Ted’s personal yo-yo as he rode the ferry back and forth, sometimes without even unpacking his gear. Was that the right way to handle him? Maybe, considering Tamby was angry enough to prove himself at the AHL level for sure.
Nolan is always cool under fire, sometimes emotionless. It truly takes a lot to get him going. He has blown up at officials, but only on rare occasions. I’ve never seen him take anything out on his underachieving players. The league certainly doesn’t need another John Tortorella, but a little fear might be a good thing on the bench. The entire organization respects Nolan, but maybe the players need to fear him almost as much as they respect him.
If I turn my head the other way to look from yet another angle, maybe it’s a trust issue. Does Ted trust the players he has on that bench? Do the players trust the coaching staff? What’s the real issue here?
Perhaps Ted was too easy on them after some glaringly lackluster performances this year. There were nights that I walked away from a horrible defeat saying “I hope Ted skates them till they puke tomorrow!” only to find out that he canceled practice. I assume he felt they needed a mental health day or something. But maybe they needed more structured discipline. Check the press conferences from this week on ITV. Ted talked quite a bit about discipline; and discipline is something that CAN be taught, talent is not.
Could Herb Brooks coach this year’s Islander roster to a playoff spot? Uh, um…. Maybe, maybe not. Perhaps the veterans don’t have anything left in the tank, and the young guns don’t have the experience to get them where they would need to be. We’ve heard time and again this season, the Islanders are a team of peripheral players with no superstars, no superb talent, and no-edge-of-your-seat boy wonder. They are just GOOD, solid hockey players with a star-caliber goalie who can’t seem to find a way to be consistent… or healthy.
So while Garth Snow is looking at what the team needs in the off-season -- which is going to start the second week of April this year -- maybe Ted needs to do a little reading, a little soul searching and perhaps try a few exercises in mind control. Because although he can “….love them for who and what they are” he needs to be able to LEAD them too. No matter whom “they” end up being.
Ted: You have a tough road ahead of you and I wish you luck. The good thing is… there aren’t that many more games left this season for everyone to analyze your every move. Wait… maybe that was the BAD thing. I can’t be sure.

That's All Folks...

The deadline came and went, and I spent a lot of time being an owl, "Who? Who?" Only 24 deals total this deadline and nothing as earth shattering as last year. Which is a good thing I suppose. Unless of course, Marian Hossa will be the one that hosts the tearful airport press conference of '08.

I arrived at the Coliseum later than everyone else because I didn't have the best excuse to get out of work. "But it's Trade Day! I have to leave early!" wasn't going to cut it at 11 am. But by 2:45 pm, I just said "Gotta go!" and bolted out the door not stopping to say anything else to anyone.

I heard about the Hossa to Pittsburgh deal in the car on XM. Pittsburgh is going to be very scarey for sure. But the shock came as I walked into the arena and stepped up to the blog box table and OkposoNet Ken said "They traded Simon."

"What?" I thought they were just kidding me, they've pulled these stunts before. "No, no joke. He's traded to the Wild for a draft pick." Tiger Track Tom confirmed what the others were saying. I was just stunned. I would have never expected it. But I didn't even have time for it to sink in before the word came that Bergeron was gone as well. I stopped putting my computer together in order to text Dan about the trade as he really liked MAB and feel that he will continue to get better. He wasn't exactly happy, and he let me know it.

Again, I didn't have time to get my act together up here before we were all called into the press room to wait for Garth's official press conference. We waitd in room 6 with everyone else while we watched the TSN coverage continue on a big screen TV they had set up for the "real media." We listened to TSN announce that the Islanders were done for the day even before anyone here alerted us. We also found out that some of the trades weren't announced here in order for the players to be told first, but that the Canadian media had beat them to the punch, as usual. I'm certain it's a devasting thing to find out you have a new job by the likes of Mike Milbury sitting on camera with Darren Pang.

Garth entered the room in jeans and a polo shirt. "I dressed down for you guys. It's only been two days in these clothes." It could have just been a joke, but it didn't look that way. He seemed a little weary with a 5 o'clock shadow, but he smiled non-the-less as he addressed everyone crowded around him. Everyone stands close because once again, WE CAN'T HEAR HIM! To make matters worse, the air conditioner decided to start running full blast overhead. As Josh said, "The most soft spoken man in the world, in the noisiest room in the world." The camera crews drew closer to him. I stayed in the back as usual and just read his lips.

I did a terrible job of it. So, all I know is he wasn't unhappy, he answered the questions with a smile and didn't answer the ones he didn't want to. I did hear him say that moving Simon was to the benefit of Jeff Tambellini as it opened up a spot for him. He was happy to reunite the "kid" line.

Once Garth was done with the media, he was gracious enough to meet exclusively with the Blog Box crew on the other side of the room. I was busy on the other side of the room and had to be summoned to join them. The crew had a chance to ask their own questions which you can find on all their Blogs. Check out OkposoNet, Islesblogger.com (with photos) and Tiger Track for his always amusing play by play, and B.D.s' Bouncing Puck on Hockeybuzz. Again, I just listened. Garth asked me where my recorder was, I told him I didn't need one. But I'll remind him that when he discussed the up-and-coming "kids" that would be benefiting the line-up he didn't mention..... BERGENHEIM. I don't forget these things Mr. Snow.

I'm sure he's glad this is over and they can concentrate on making the team better in order to make the playoffs. He reiterated that their main goal is always keeping their eye on vying for the Stanley Cup. Some day, maybe they'll actually get close enough to it. Considering tight standings this year and the parity of the league, '08 is NOT the year for the Islanders.

At 5 pm Ted did his pre-game press conference in the corridor outside his office. We were late, but it wasn't my fault. We came in on the tail end of it, but I can tell you, he seemed fine. I was curious, just as everyone else was, 'How is Ted going to handle the Simon trade?' Easy. Like the consumate professional he is and with that warm, loving smile that he always shows when he speaks of things that are close to him.

Now everyone to work! No more worrying about getting up today and finding out you need your butt on a plane halfway across the country. Everyone relax, hit the ice, and please ..... Start a new winning streak. WE need the points!

CHRIS SIMON - On the Bench and Ready to Work.

It was no surprise to me that Chris Simon would be back in the line up for the Islanders the very first day his suspension would end. My friend Kevin Gibson from TSN emailed me yesterday morning that it was confirmed Simon had a roster spot.

“Ha! I knew it two days ago.” I wrote back. It wasn’t a fact I had heard from a reliable source, it was purely “woman’s intuition“, knowing Ted and reading between the lines of every press conference he had given in recent days. There was no way he was going to let Simon wait to get back to work. I told Gibby “He’ll give him 6 shifts to get him started.” I was off a little. Ted gave him 9 shifts and 6:17 of ice time.

I didn’t expect Jeff Tambellini to be sent back to Bridgeport, but someone had to go and Jeff drew the short straw. Well, not really since Tamby has a huge impact for the Sound Tigers who are also doing very well right now. That full moon is working magic for both clubs right now.

I personally didn’t hear the fan reaction when Chris Simon stepped out onto the ice for his first shift back. I don’t know if I was preoccupied with my laptop, or on the phone getting great news about the birth of a friend’s new baby boy, but I didn’t hear any reaction from the crowd. I watched his next few shifts carefully to see how he reacted and how others reacted to him. He seemed only slightly uncomfortable, but more rust than fear. Later he said that his timing is off, but his wind is good. He had been skating all along.

I took notice of the size difference between Chris and St. Louis when they were on the ice. Yes, he is a massive man, even among other massive men. He isn’t exceptionally fast, but he certainly is intimidating, and you can see that he thinks on the ice, not just reacts. I say that because it’s a sharp contrast to Sean Bergenheim who, just like my original favorite Jason Blake, plays with wild abandon and excessive energy. He is a joy to watch but it will take Sean’s hands a little while to catch up to his feet, the same way it did with Blake. I’ll be sure to be there to see it when they do.

After the 1 -0 Islander win over Tampa, the press conference had that same giddy feeling as it has the last few days now that it is SIX wins and definitely classified as a “streak.” When they win, the room is more crowded than usual. Greg Logan, our exceptionally hard working Newsday beat writer, came in chuckling and shaking his head. I knew the feeling. “Who ARE these guys?” I waited toward the back of the media gaggle so that I could see Nolan walk through the door. As soon as he did, he flashed that smile that I so enjoy seeing. That “winning” smile of his, and then he quickly recovered his composure and took his place at the podium.

It was then, when the reporters asked him about Simon’s first shift that I was surprised to hear there was a negative reaction from the fans. “What?” I looked over at my fellow Blog Boxer Tom Liodice; he nodded to me indicating that there were some negative reactions. Ted’s take was that if the fans pay their hard earned money, they are entitled to their opinions, but that Simon is a professional and he’ll deal with it. What he didn’t say was that you’re only as good as your last shift, and the fans have a very short attention span. The minute Simon does something positive for the team; he will be a hero again.

In the locker room, Simon was the last one to speak with the press. Unfortunately, this morning is the first time that ITV’s post game coverage has a problem! The morning that I NEED it, I can’t get the video. I won’t be able to quote Simon, but I will be able to tell you that I watched his eyes and his reaction to the pointed and often painful questions.

There is no smoldering fire in his eyes, no hatred, and no evil within. He spoke softly, he nodded in agreement and he looked the inquisition in the eye while responding thoughtfully. He is there to work toward the betterment of the team. He knows his role, what he needs to do, and what is expected of him. He is grateful, sincerely grateful, for his teammate’s reaction to his return and does not begrudge the fans their reactions.

The callers on Thursday’s NHLLive’s XM radio show sounded off about his return. Some irate fans called for a boycott of the Islanders for putting him back in the line-up. There were angry posts on our message boards when it was revealed that Tambellini would be the sacrificial lamb to offer Chris a bench seat. But I, personally, would like to implore the fans to at least give Simon a fair chance. Give Ted the credit he is due for making the decisions he feels are necessary.

In other words… PLEASE… ISLANDER FAITHFUL: BE PATIENT! BE FORGIVING, and most importantly, non-judgmental. For who of us is without sin? Let him cast the first puck.

2-18-08: The Smile came with a Hefty Price Tag

That’s FOUR in a row now for the Islanders. That’s a winning streak which matches the one the Sound Tigers managed to pull off last night. I asked for Ted to come into the room smiling, which he did. But it was a strained smile. The satisfaction of winning another game, against a team they have lost too for the past 12 years, was soured by the untimely injuries to both Comeau and Sutton, both of whom had to be helped from the ice.
The kids got their win for the day, even though it didn’t look like it would happen all the way up to a few minutes into the third. It was a great gift for a packed house, the 9th sell out crowd this season. Of course, once again, the weather could have cooperated a little more. It was raining with a terrible low fog when I drove my daughter and her friend to the Coliseum. There were mascots everywhere for the little ones, and Sparky descended to the ice from the rafters. Even my very sophisticated 13-year-old found that slightly amusing.
And where the heck did all these teal jerseys come from? They can’t all possibly live on Long Island. There must have been some sort of group rate for the holiday. I’m sitting in my own seats this time, for a change. I love my view here, but the arm of my chair is sticking to my jersey. I had to go get something to wash the goop off because it was just grossing me out.
After all the talk on the message board this morning, I was surprised to see Ricky in net instead of Dubie. As it is a celebration of youth today, rosy cheeked Vinny Lopez did his best American Idol version of the Star Spangled Banner and got a huge round of applause. There were kid commentators with CJ Pappa and little ice girls who were cute as a button.
I had forgotten that my section 211 seats are next to “the wives section,” because that’s the only reason I can see for there to be so many well dressed women toting little kids and no men to be seen. I won’t stare, especially since I have no idea who any of them are.
The first period starts and at 17:56 Mike Comrie takes 2 for slashing and ends up in the box. I was hoping they weren’t going to start this already. The endless parade to the penalty box is always annoying and puts undue pressure on Ricky. The penalty was killed off with no shots on goal. The kid line, or as I see it, the “5” line was out when there was a delayed penalty on Aaron Johnson for holding. At the end of that power play, the Sharks had only 3 shots on goal and no goals. Bonus.
ITV’s new kids commercial were just too cute. Witt’s oldest daughter definitely has her father’s fire.
Sean Bergenheim did some great work in the corners, and the goal light went on as he was mugged against the glass. But something was wrong, they waived the goal off and I figured “Here we go again!” Surprisingly the Sharks end up with double minors that put the Islanders up two men.
The Islanders spent what most of the fans felt was much too long trying to tee up the perfect shot. The guys above me are really vocal in their displeasure with Mike Comrie’s performance.
As if by wizardry both Meyer and Johnson are called for penalties to put them two men down. Somehow they manage to kill off the penalty again with the Shots on Goal at only 5 - 6 in favor of the Sharks.
With only 1:05 left in the first Hunter is called for interference, and I wonder if Ricky can manage to hold on. The period ends with :55 left of Hunter’s penalty to carry over to the second, and a fresh sheet of ice.
I head to gate 1 for the daytime version of the NYIC Meet & Greet and of course, get side tracked once again and come back to my seat as the 2nd is already under way. I missed the San Jose goal, but I caught a glimpse of it on one of the screens on the concourse. I did watch Ricky make some pretty nice saves, snatching the puck out of the air. I must have missed the problem in the net for the Sharks. It seems that Martinek’s slap shot broke Nabokov’s mask and one of the bars cut into his nose requiring numerous stitches. They replaced Nabokov while he was being stitched up.
At the start of the third, Nabokov was back in net and the SOGs were 9 -19 Sharks, and it was still only 1-0. I was hoping they’d be able to give these kids a win. Before I could blink, the Sharks had their second goal on only 21 shots. I started to think there was no way in hell they were going to be able to come back. But surprisingly Hilbert managed to get the puck over Nabokov and into the net.
I wish these people would stop with the “You S**K” chant after a goal. Especially considering, we were STILL losing! At 16:38 of the 3rd, the SOGs were now 10 -21 and the crowd erupted trying to will them to tie it up. As I’m writing, Comrie makes some sort of miraculous move that lets him waltz in, get by a defenseman and right through Nabokov’s pads. The guys above me, who were screaming for his head a few minutes ago, are now in disbelief, along with everyone else.
I headed to the Blog Box to watch the end of the game with the group. The Islanders were on a power play, but DiPietro has to make some petty impressive saves. Just as I was writing them off, they managed this come back. The crowd was into the game in full force. Even Big Angry Man was sending me text messages.
The Blog Box table was covered in silly string. Five bucks says it’s still there on Thursday. At 8:41 of the third, Freddy Meyer makes it 3 - 2 and we now have a second batch of Free Wendy’s Chili. The crowd goes nuts, but all joy is shattered as Comeau gets taken into the boards hard and doesn’t get up. Personally… I hate this part of the movie. I don’t like watching a player get helped off the ice, it gives me flashbacks of seeing Blake on that stretcher looking like he was dead. The incident draws a five minute major and a game misconduct for # 3. But the pressure is not off Ricky who decides to grab the puck out of the air and literally run up ice with it before the whistle sounds.
With 41 seconds left to the Sharks penalty, there’s a huge scuffle in front of the San Jose net and Comrie takes a punch. It looked as if every Islander was in the crease with Nabokov and the Sharks were taking offense. You couldn’t even tell who was doing what to whom because there was just too much going on. We waited to hear the outcome of the penalties. Satan and Comrie go off for the Islanders, and Ehroff and Shelley go off for the Sharks. They pull Nabokov for the extra skater, and we’re all on the edge of our seats now. Sutton is hurt on a play, Tank loses his stick and the puck hit’s the post past DiPietro and hit’s Sutton who is sprawled face down on the ice. He wasn’t getting up and it took quite a few men to help him down the tunnel as he wasn’t putting pressure on his leg. The Islanders really can’t afford to lose more players.
With only 6.4 seconds left of the third, there is almost no one left on the bench. I’ve never seen so much room on it before. This just doesn’t bode well for the game on Wednesday. Tom wants to get Drew Fata on the phone. There going to need call ups.
So, as I said, the smile on Ted’s face came with a huge price tag. The wins are good, but the injuries are killer. The press room was packed with reporters I had never seen before. CJ was a one man video equipment juggling show and there was even someone from XM’s Home Ice that looked more like an extra for the Sopranos than someone who should be in the media pack. Yep. There’s a full moon coming.
So, as this team is stepping up and surprising everyone, I have to wonder how long they can do it. Hopefully, long enough to cement a playoff spot…. If the cost isn’t too high.
As I was leaving the coliseum, there was a line that stretched and snaked around the downstairs lobby all waiting for a chance to shoot a puck on the Coliseum ice. The security guards had never seen this kind of turn out for an event. Neither had I. It was great to see. And so was the win.

2-16-08 live blog! I'm Tom AGAIN!!!

As Tom has business elsewhere, he told me I better do a good job. Um.... I highly doubt I can duplicate what he does. But I'm here.

Ok. Saturday night, good crowd, Loudville packed, should be a loud game for sure.
Starting line up: 13, 11, 2, 44, 89 and Ricky who didn't make the open practice this morning. Actually, there were only 11 team members at the Subscriber event this morning, so no line combos were revealed. BTW... I know absolutely nothing about line combos, so don't expect any from me.

19:10 Hilbert takes a holding penalty. 50 seconds in Andy? Gee. Thanks.

Park clears the puck as usual... Ok, while I wait for the Islanders to kill off this penalty, CJ Papa seems to be taking Deb Kaufmans' place tonight as he is doing his brodcast duty from her usual spots with full lights and cameras and on FSN. I'm sure Webb20 will be dissapointed.
17:12 They've killed off the first penalty. Let's not get too many more gentlemen. Thank you.

I thought for sure Aaron had the puck at the blue line, but they called it out. IF it was out, it was out by a thread. BS for sure.

15:17: face off with big Joe. he loses it. and takes a tumble behind the net, and into the Islanders zone and into the netting. Ok... does anyone realize how freakin' hard this is to do. To watch the game and type with the damn times and what's going on. How the heck does Tom do it?
14:35 Tank loses the puck and the rush is back towards Ricky. Vasicheck and Martinek are keeping him safe until they can control it. Whistle. Don't ask me why. I have no idea.

Ice girls out, so Ricky takes a little stretch at the bench. Did I mention he wasn't at practice this morning? I did didn't I?

Like to mention that NY Hockey Talk's Rob Kowal is here taking in the game with great seats behind the penalty box. Make sure you check out the show tomorrow night, or pod cast it as Tom Liodice will be a special guest. Actually now it's NEXT week because Tom is still doing Sound Tiger duty today. (Shameless plug... shameless plug... I know)

Rockit HC is also in attendance with a friend who basically looks like every Irishman you've ever met. Always good to see him in the building.

13:36: Ricky takes a delay of game penalty and Bergie is sitting in the box.

11:59: so far so good, no goals yet.

11:42: Penalty over, Bergy out of the box and into the play, Satan couldn't tee it up. Back into the netting it goes

9:58 SOG 7 - 2 Islanders.

9:31 Hunter can't get it past the Thrashers. But he keeps trying. And then there's another freakin' whistle. Something tells me this game is going to take a REALLY long time.

Hello Yolanda Vega! NY Lotto Celebrity.

By the way... We have a PAIR of Kens tonight at the table. Islanders Outsider and Okposo Net. (Don't forget to check out their blogs on tonight's game too!)

9:14: Face off in Atlanta zone, and back towards center Ice. Tank to the net, but no goal. and yet a very quick whistle. Are we actually going to PLAY this game. Or is it going to be like freakin' football.

Ok... obviously, I'm cranky. I don't know why.

Bergy just hit the boards with a huge thud, but is still skating, so that's good.

A "let's go Islanders" chant erupts for his efforts.

7:38: Tamby gets mugged in the paint. Someone give this boy a cheeseburger. He's got to bulk up. But then he wouldn't be as fast as he is rushing back up ice to 31.
6:47: Glove save on a Sutton shot, but no one there for a rebound anyway.

6:36, shot bounced off Ricky. I woudln't call it a save, but it didn't go in so I guess it counts.

6:08, Sutton to hunter who throws a hit and keeps the puck in Atlanta's zone. but out it goes. He then brings it back in on sides. Hunter shoots, save, rebound to big Joe and In. But no freakin' light. Are we doing this again???? Joe gets mugged in front of the net, but no one seems to be reviewing the play. Crap!!

The Islanders raised $6700 for the Stephen Siller foundation this evening. It would have been nice if it was more, but I don't know how many other organizations are doing as much for local charity as the Islanders. Thank you Chris Dey.

5:37: No goal for Joe. Phooey on them!!! SOG are now 16 - 4. At least the action is in the right zone for the first. Let's get that goal back boys.

5:22: Sean throws a nice hit and they keep the puck in the zone, He's actually staying in front of the net.

5:08 Islander goal by Satan. They got it back. So this line combo DOES seem to work.

4:51: The chants and the cowbell start up again. Richard Park and Hilbert get the assists.

4:14: Comrie does a nice litte dance to keep the puck. He almost tripped himself doing it though.

3:42: Hey! Guess What? Another Whistle. I better get coffee. This is going to be a long night.

Ken wants to know how fast I type. It's 110 wpm. Not quite as fast as Tamby skates though!

2:18: That dreaded time that Ricky usually lets up a weak goal. Almost ... Can we get into the locker room up by 1 gentlemen? Please?

1:39: Rick leaves the net to play the puck, and the people behind me go balistic. Satan again, nice SOG. And ... we stop.

1:20, almost another Islander goal, Berard with Park and Bergie and Satan. Bergeron waiting at the blue line.

1 minute remaining... tick tock... tick tock. Oh look, rush ito the Islanders zone... A little nerve wracking play there, but Guerin get's it out and Johnson clears it.

Horn sounds!!! Ok.. THAT'S ONE!!.

Sorry: I was yapping. Did the NYIC meet & greet at Gate 1. Introduced Rob Kowal to everyone and gave him a tour of the Blog Box. So.. I missed Miro's goal, but I was here for the Delay of Game penalty on Rick again. Satan's reward... go sit in the box.

The SOG are so unbalanced, I'm going to remain hopeful for tonight.

There are way more Thrashers jeseys than I would have expected. But then again, LI does have a lot of transients too. I'll have to check out a game against Florida and see if it's the same thing.

12:33 Comeau lays a nice hit against the boards that rattles the glass.

SOG 26 - 6 and another whistle. Maybe I should go get something to eat. Ok... I'll wait.

Oh yes... Rangers song breaks out.

There's a kid in front of me in 201 that is either taping the game to his MP3 player or watching it on his camera phone. I can't tell. But it just seems bizarre to me.
11:40. Two guesses... A whistle.

11:37: Um... a whistle. Someone swallow those damn things.

10:49: Park with a little dipsy doodle move gets the puck deflected and up into the netting it goes.

9:40 Thrashers penalty on #22.

Hey!! The Wendy's Chili promo is back!! One more goal, and it's Chili time!

They're on a Nynex power play, and the Thrashers take another penalty. Bench minor. Woo hoo... 5 on 3. Let's get loud and get some chili baby!

8:41 Islanders take a time out. I guess they're trying to figure out how to make SURE they get the chili. (Ok... now I'm really hungry.)

8:37 A botched play and no goal. Bergeron takes it back into the Atlanta zone and they try to tee it up. Guerin misses a pass and almost loses it at the blue line, but Bergeron saves the day and the Wendy's Chili by getting it past Lehtonen. Assists by 13 & 89. The crowd goes wild and sadly, continue the "you suck" tradition. Sorry guys.

7:44 still on the powerplay, Tank takes a beating in front of the net. And a quick whistle.
Meyer at the blue line, but it skips out . The kids behind me keep saying "We got chili!!"

SOG now 34 to 6. Yes, the Thrashers are tired.

5:56 Another Thrashers penalty for taking down Mike Comrie.

You know... I'm so secure right now about this period, I could probably head downstairs to get something to eat. would you mind? 'Cause, like I'm really starving. And besides... the fire dancers are on, and that takes a few minutes anyway for them to shake their pom poms and get the guys drooling... Ok... see you at the third.

Ok... I'm late again.. 17:13 of the first, Thrashers take another penalty.

shots now 39 - 6. Is this the islanders? Are they playing a pee wee team or something.
12:42 and sog now 41 - 6.
12:10 of the third, and Bergy makes it 4 - 0! THAT'S 7!!! Woo hoo!

Ricky get's an assist

The game has been delayed as Comeau gets sucker punched. There's a 5 minute Atlanta penalty, but we still haven't resumed play. Don't know what else is going on here.

Penalties and game misconducts even things out. But then Atlanta takes yet another penalty. They like the box tonight. There must be free beer in there or something.

Ok... now that 's 4:44 left of the third, I have to pack up. I have too many things to carry and can't get it all down the stairs myself. But I do have gentlemen here in the blog box. I'm sure they'll help me out.

Be back later to finalize it.

It will be so nice to see teddy smiling again in the press room.
VERY VERY NICE.

And it was. It's always wonderful when that man walks into the room, and lights up a smile even before he hits the podium. Things are coming together, it was a good game with the right outcome. Two points. It would have been nice if Ricky could manage the shut out, but we've all seen this before.

In the locker room, Sean Bergenheim was the first one in. I was in the back of the room again, but I didn't need to hear him. His smile said it all. He is finally coming into his own and playing the way I knew he would be able to play. Now, he's being productive and he's finding his place on this team.

Blake Comeau was also brought in to talk to the media. Certainly everyone wanted to know about the scuffle and the sucker punch he endured. He took it as all part of the physical game that it is, and thanked Berard for stepping in. Thankfully, he didn't look any worse for the wear.

Now, the last game, my blog box buddy Frank was calling Tank's line the "Trade Bait Line." But now that they are clicking so well, could it possibly be? Chemistry was so important to this team, and for so long, they just couldn't find it. Now.... things are happening. Did you think we'd ever see 49 shots on goal this season? Did you think they'd set a record for only 10 shots against?

Just an amazing night. One the sell out, weekend crowd is sure to talk about tomorrow when they're getting their free Wendy's chili.

Post Game.

By the beginning of the third period, the entire night just got weird on the ice and off. There must have been some sort of strained energy around tonight, because it just seemed to effect everything.

So, yes they lost, as I almost knew they would when I first drove there tonight. I had no high hopes for the game as they never have a very good showing after a few days off. I suppose this is a team that needs to find a grove and work till they drop. Too long lounging and they can't find each other on the ice.

As Sybo said, it may have been the purple tie. I can't be sure, but maybe he should retire that one till August.

I suppose then the highlight of my evening was being interviewed by CJ Papa. Would have been nice if I knew about it before hand, but that's how these things go. You just have to roll with it. Thanks Mike for taking pictures for me. CJ looks great, I look like a giant orange Yoko Ono.
(I really should have brought my hair straightener with me.) He's a very nice man, and was actually watching the game pretty intently while trying to formulate what we were going to talk about. Did you know that he DOESN't work for the Islanders? I didn't. Now I do.

And here's something interesting: CJ handed me a card about something called (are you ready?) Hockey: The musical! by Rick Wilson and Justin DeMarco. There's a preview in Long Beach on March 15th, but you can get all sorts of information on http://www.hockeythemusical.com/.

As the game ended, as miserably as it did, Mike didn't really want to go downstairs to the postgame interview. I must have looked at him like a hurt puppy, because he changed his mind and we both went downstairs. Ted must have been delayed because we were all waiting for a few minutes longer than usual. It was eerily quiet, and again Greg Logan was not there to lead the exchange. There were long pauses of silence. What could be said? Not much. I did want to blurt out "Dump the Tie!" But I didn't. I also didn't blurt out "Sean's got THREE!" I think he already knew that.... (That I was wrong and it's FOUR in 47 games!)

Ted stayed for his standard 4 minutes and then left. Everyone scurried into the locker room, I stayed back. "Are you going in?" Mike asked me. "No. I think I'll pass tonight. You go. You haven't been here in weeks." Mike left the room, and before I even had time to put my coat on, he was back. "I changed my mind. I have nothing to ask. I'll walk you to your car."

That sounded like a good deal to me, so we left without being noticed. At least it hadn't started to rain, but it did get somewhat colder. It had been so mild when I first got to the barn, but it felt like winter again, which really didn't bother me too much. I even had a chance to listen to Steve Mears and Chris King for about 5 minutes before their post game show was over. Then I listened to Home Ice on XM.

Karma. As the stars would have it, Blake also scored tonight for Toronto. He now has 10. Sean will catch up to him in no time. But there are only 31 games left to the regular season for the Islanders. They better start making it count.

2 Points, a New Tie & a few Bones to Pick!

Good Morning World! Wow! 3-1 last night? Who'da thought that would be possible when the Islanders were LEAVING for that road trip? But that's why they play the game -- you never know what will happen. Okay, so they ended up beating the Senators "light", but still, 2 points is 2 points and they'll take them. Hopefully his efforts last night will keep Bergeron out of Ted's Dog House for a few games, and Mike Comrie will continue to remember what he's here for.

Ted's Blue & Green stripe tie was NOT part of my statistical analysis in yesterday's post. It will have to be added in the "W" column.

Now the bones to pick.

I've never been one to question Ted's decisions. I have full confidence in him and respect him enough to come to his defence against any and all detractors. But that is for his hockey decisions. But my mother's heart is a little disappointed with him right now. Tamby: the young man who is currently playing yo-yo between Bridgeport and the big club. A young man who NEEDS to prove himself, but can't unless he is given the opportunity.

Yesterday the entire fan base was abuzz when we heard he had been recalled and had travelled to Ottawa. "Jeff gets another shot!" It was good news to supplant the bad news of the injuries that had occurred. But my heart broke for the boy when they announced he participated in the morning skate but wouldn't be in the game. "Thanks, but no thanks." and "Back on the bus, Jeff." I couldn't help but think how he must feel. Certainly, Logan's article showed him being a "good soldier" and taking the decision with grace, but this mother is saying "HEY! You could have given the boy a shot!" Would it really have hurt to let Miro rest one more day? Would it not have been in the kid's best interest MENTALLY to let him play last night? He must have agonized over it the entire flight to Ottawa. Don't break the kid's spirit Ted.

OK, next bone to pick: The weathermen. Can someone please tell me why the Long Island weathermen have to try to scare the living daylights out of us with weather reports of impending doom that they are not 100% sure of??? Yep, I know why. RATINGS! Fear equates to ratings and longer lines at the Supermarket. You would have thought we were headed for a blizzard yesterday the way they reported "Storm Watch!" every hour. There were lines down the aisles in every supermarket as basic needs became scarce. But as I awoke this morning at 6 am, what was I greeted with? A silent blanket of snow? A wind-blown blizzard? No, a wet newspaper, some drizzle and a disappointed 13 year-old pouting "What do you MEAN School's open????"

But to the North there is Snow, where it should be. And according to Logan, the weather DID delay the Islanders flight home. But I'll be getting to work on time..... if I stop writing.