tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78571222118675206032024-03-05T10:14:17.557-08:00Lets Go IslandersA lifelong fan blogging about the NHL's New York Islanders. Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05231108194996867004noreply@blogger.comBlogger62125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857122211867520603.post-17291998861345833252015-10-09T12:09:00.001-07:002015-10-09T12:17:36.314-07:00A New EraThe Islanders open the Brooklyn era tonight. Yet for me,<span style="color: orange;"> <a href="http://letsgonyislanders.blogspot.com/2012/10/opening-night.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Opening Night</span></a> </span>doesn't bring the same excitement it usually does. We all know it will never be the same again for the Isles.<br />
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I'm not sure I will ever fully get over the Islanders moving out of Nassau Coliseum.<br />
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I made this video over the last few weeks to have something to remember last season by. <br />
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Nearly every photo/video was taken by either me or my dad. I think it captures the Coliseum in all it's glory.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="253" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MHMiw5feZyE" width="450"></iframe><br />
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Lets Go Islanders!Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05231108194996867004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857122211867520603.post-16533890887086667812015-04-27T21:23:00.001-07:002015-04-28T11:46:43.917-07:00The EndThe old saying in sports is, "There's always next year." However, for me at least, next year doesn't have the same hope and promise that usually does. <br />
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I have been very fortunate in my life. I haven't really had to deal with death close to me. But tonight, all of us in blue and orange mourn as one.<br />
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Throughout my life, the New York Islanders at Nassau Coliseum have been one of the few constants. Whenever I wanted to watch them, with the exception of a couple lockouts, they were there. When a relative died in 2003, I was scheduled to go to a game with my dad a few days later. I went to that game with an aunt, it seemed like a normal thing to do. To cope.<br />
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Now we mourn not just a loss, not just the end of a promising season, not even the end of an era, it's the end of a lifetime.<br />
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No building, not even a renovated Coliseum, will ever be the same as what we are leaving. What other arena in professional sports is called a barn? What other arena has hosted four consecutive Stanley Cup Champion teams?<br />
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The New York Islanders were the first team ever introduced into my life, and Nassau Coliseum became a home just 15 minutes away from home for me.<br />
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It's been a tremendous journey, and one I would not change for anything.<br />
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Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum 1972-2015</div>
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While now is the time to mourn, eventually that time will pass. </div>
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The new message will be: No Sleep 'till Brooklyn. </div>
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Lets Go Islanders! </div>
Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05231108194996867004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857122211867520603.post-58099728668239329622015-04-18T20:37:00.001-07:002015-04-21T13:56:01.784-07:00The End of My Nassau Coliseum JourneyI went to my first New York Islanders game at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Sunday, October 28, 2001. Now tomorrow, Sunday, April 19, 2015, I will go to what will very likely be my last Islanders game at Nassau Coliseum. <br />
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In that time, I've went to roughly 50-75 games, I can't put an exact number on it. My first game was a memorable one, click <span style="color: orange;"><a href="http://letsgonyislanders.blogspot.com/2011/09/my-first-game.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">HERE</span></a> </span>to read more on that. But it has been a journey that has taught me many life lessons.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mike Peca</td></tr>
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When I first became an Islanders fan, I had joined the <a href="http://www.nyibooster.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">New York Islanders Booster Club</span></a>. During that time, I learned about the Islanders and their storied past. I met legends such as Bob Nystrom, Clark Gillies, and Pat LaFontaine. I also met then current Islanders such as Mike Peca, Dave Scatchard and Mariusz Czerkawski, among others. I got my first autographs, asked questions, and came to learn that my favorite team was in my backyard. I was a member of the NYIBC until I was in middle school.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mariusz Czerkawski</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigACUxiOHJSQlwFqd0TFLbI04XLe1R2AfivzRGFxP5sPdkdqznWdc-Jpmi1Z2ZXbKb319e_g2E0LLe9eaGHRG6cCvuHjDagnIENZ_EL1g0dCtlB_KA7M_YqfkPLcI7P_XEsd19CXLV36NU/s1600/Pat5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigACUxiOHJSQlwFqd0TFLbI04XLe1R2AfivzRGFxP5sPdkdqznWdc-Jpmi1Z2ZXbKb319e_g2E0LLe9eaGHRG6cCvuHjDagnIENZ_EL1g0dCtlB_KA7M_YqfkPLcI7P_XEsd19CXLV36NU/s1600/Pat5.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pat LaFontaine</td></tr>
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However, the Booster Club was only a part of my growing up. I went to games all the time, usually with my dad. There were stick days, hat days, mascot days, and many other promotions. Shortly after my first game, I had a hat, shirts, jersey, you name it. To this day, I have stack of books in my basement that has every Islanders yearbook since the 2001-02 season, with programs and media guides from all those years scattered in there.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnMQ7oRwQtvxyD3onBeUWRXkXmoBM5d9IMIiwqW-SJNJy-cJhQNLdqGWnoBw8jgI-w2frB2VaK3cweBr15s5DRYMdnSZdCSoaVBw16MZT4m9MeoczuqjIt_2cviEDJ9tC6xfGOjG5zB70f/s1600/Temple+Sinai+Islanders+Game+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnMQ7oRwQtvxyD3onBeUWRXkXmoBM5d9IMIiwqW-SJNJy-cJhQNLdqGWnoBw8jgI-w2frB2VaK3cweBr15s5DRYMdnSZdCSoaVBw16MZT4m9MeoczuqjIt_2cviEDJ9tC6xfGOjG5zB70f/s1600/Temple+Sinai+Islanders+Game+007.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>I learned the old-fashioned <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJBcJXRvCf0" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">goal song</span></a>, which I think should still be the goal song, but times change I guess. My whole life, I was known as "The Islanders Fan." For a young kid, I'm guessing I had a very good understanding of what was happening on the ice compared to many other people.<br />
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Early in my life, being an Islanders fan was pretty cool. We had <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2UDFXErFeE" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Shawn Bates' penalty shot</span></a> in 2002, which I remember watching in my bedroom with my father. The Islanders made the playoffs three years in a row when I began following the team. Two of these years, my father had purchased tickets to game six of the first round of the playoffs. Both years, the Islanders were eliminated in five games, so my dreams of going to a playoff game needed to wait.<br />
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But for me and most Islanders fans, going to the game meant going to watch a game. Nassau Coliseum has a far too small concourse, not so good food, a scoreboard that isn't big, and not too much fanfare. But what it lacks in amenities it makes up for in views of the game. In every seat in Nassau Coliseum, you can see the full ice surface, and you are usually able to hear hear the game pretty well. Here's a good example of that. One photo below was taken sometime between 2002 and 2004, sometime before the full season NHL lockout in 2004-05. One photo was taken in January 2015. Both are from the upper 300 level of the Coliseum. What changed? Pretty much nothing except the camera that took the photo of the spectacular view.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2015</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9uCJa5e_57_aTff0btvq4Dc8lreCRpCytYiF94k-gd91zrV78Rjw7Z4444zOM-rklW4-xBks6MafC57mx7omRSgSrxSVZ_AYto28iejG3IAtAMneNrTkCNCzxTj6hR201wXFO7XATF8kP/s1600/Temple+Sinai+Islanders+Game+010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9uCJa5e_57_aTff0btvq4Dc8lreCRpCytYiF94k-gd91zrV78Rjw7Z4444zOM-rklW4-xBks6MafC57mx7omRSgSrxSVZ_AYto28iejG3IAtAMneNrTkCNCzxTj6hR201wXFO7XATF8kP/s1600/Temple+Sinai+Islanders+Game+010.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2004</td></tr>
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Now, I'm not saying that Nassau Coliseum isn't an outdated facility. It is. Compared to newer arenas, it could be considered a minor league facility. When you walk up the stairs at the 300 level at the Coliseum, your feet stick to the floor and unstick with each step, something you would more likely see at a bar than an NHL arena . That's probably the result of 43 years of beer and soda spilling all over them, but it's one of the small things that make the Coliseum great.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqCssUCWLR0Wrkib3wMHYlKexYMGQKZ6BH18NQd_UfoMpXv8LXVIz5fJDtlM20pMNNIuX1fbH1yosnZz_KkeEbhxV3Py-9KTk0qtOd6eA6WaV6ccWAD_n0_TwmdKEr7cTMTOVzABXAof5A/s1600/IMG_4736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqCssUCWLR0Wrkib3wMHYlKexYMGQKZ6BH18NQd_UfoMpXv8LXVIz5fJDtlM20pMNNIuX1fbH1yosnZz_KkeEbhxV3Py-9KTk0qtOd6eA6WaV6ccWAD_n0_TwmdKEr7cTMTOVzABXAof5A/s1600/IMG_4736.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a>The roof at Nassau Coliseum isn't that high. The arena is built specifically for hockey, so the noise goes straight down on the ice, it doesn't leave. When you look up at the ceiling, you see dozens of banners commemorating the Islanders glory years of the 1980s. Four Stanley Cup Championship banners await company while others in blue and orange symbolize the Islanders 19 consecutive playoff series wins, a record that I doubt will ever be broken.<br />
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But for now, back to my journey. The NHL lockout of 2004-05 hurt. I was only 11 years old at the time, and all that free time let me start watching football. With the exception of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRMu9N34ncs" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Wade Dubielewicz poke check</span></a> in 2007 that sent the Isles to the playoffs, the Islanders were just terrible from the moment I entered middle school. However, I was Al Arbour's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y73J_e9ngDU" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">1500th game</span></a> coached in 2007, and that moment was the first time I've ever seen a banner get raised to the rafters. It was a brief moment of glory in an otherwise forgettable time to be an Islanders fan.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_U-rm7i5ezUCZnqBjd3k_JaeiQq9kyzkn8rlbGRXXFF1FHpqxKcfW1_axvru_7RW_ZEfcvJeuiFFjAdgOjiP6_xr5IioOYS2yTHv8p1g-k4DwsTO9YDTemKaJWxug3vPKR1BdDibYx53O/s1600/IMG_0812.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_U-rm7i5ezUCZnqBjd3k_JaeiQq9kyzkn8rlbGRXXFF1FHpqxKcfW1_axvru_7RW_ZEfcvJeuiFFjAdgOjiP6_xr5IioOYS2yTHv8p1g-k4DwsTO9YDTemKaJWxug3vPKR1BdDibYx53O/s1600/IMG_0812.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2005-06</td></tr>
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Eventually, I started going to games by myself and with friends, not necessarily with my parents like I used to. In 2009, the wheels fell off the train. The Islanders finished with 61 points, by far worst in the NHL. I learned how to deal with losing, there is always tomorrow. Tickets for games were cheap and I went often with a friend who had season tickets. I had <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpaYA4FIUfA" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">fun</span></a> at those games, getting a bunch of cool autographs and other pieces of memorabilia. I remember seeing Sean Bergenheim score a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KORY-RIoFZw" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">hat trick</span></a> with 0.7 seconds left in the game, which was probably the best moment I'd seen in person to that point.<br />
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But then, things stared to change. John Tavares was drafted. I was at his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bx-cuRZl824" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">NHL debut</span></a>. I remember screaming 'John Ta-va-res' after his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-v4QL_C0aro" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">first NHL goal</span></a>. For seemingly every season, I was at opening night. The one night of the season when everyone starts the same. In my head, the Islanders just weren't was good of a team, but they were MY team. They weren't New York's team, they weren't Long Island's team, they were MY team. Yet, all through my high school years, they continually let me down, time after time after time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHpw-TKX-uI7xQFko2cz7KHMm9AWRt53mO1WIguXrZx5Zpb11A9GiIDeuzbYgQumKzWWu4-X42zkDXjMiLlkA6H1V7K5t10gQrBoY0vW0JgoObsWDU5vlKy8O3YEPm-CwnmFdkRzzBObyc/s1600/IMG_8099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHpw-TKX-uI7xQFko2cz7KHMm9AWRt53mO1WIguXrZx5Zpb11A9GiIDeuzbYgQumKzWWu4-X42zkDXjMiLlkA6H1V7K5t10gQrBoY0vW0JgoObsWDU5vlKy8O3YEPm-CwnmFdkRzzBObyc/s1600/IMG_8099.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Opening Night 2010</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyacNU75a8ZgX5i_VkZhLCIRh5Ijn6CmOdhU_Q94gFuVPKeCd21GtJ4xtRXT0t7lx1xtt3sjRfk5IDTguWGRxnT_NmHC-A5ml9bT6qLlIwNQpwGgok4LQxcXLBcxuSRm-ZCKKxYOQhT6cJ/s1600/IMG_2864.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyacNU75a8ZgX5i_VkZhLCIRh5Ijn6CmOdhU_Q94gFuVPKeCd21GtJ4xtRXT0t7lx1xtt3sjRfk5IDTguWGRxnT_NmHC-A5ml9bT6qLlIwNQpwGgok4LQxcXLBcxuSRm-ZCKKxYOQhT6cJ/s1600/IMG_2864.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Opening Night 2011</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXzwWz5JRCLg0eDNtP-CeyBQdnSgZD5ISd2ahW2tWnV4ZG0JRaJSHKJJ14u83iPbJqy2U7YGSogOz3y3GlMLEBmBhlMtlIXpnkfhT-Jj5UZuy49dk4OAnb4KasMQx7M5yqT3DkZbQk-1s2/s1600/IMG_0779.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXzwWz5JRCLg0eDNtP-CeyBQdnSgZD5ISd2ahW2tWnV4ZG0JRaJSHKJJ14u83iPbJqy2U7YGSogOz3y3GlMLEBmBhlMtlIXpnkfhT-Jj5UZuy49dk4OAnb4KasMQx7M5yqT3DkZbQk-1s2/s1600/IMG_0779.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><br />
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One night in 2011, right after the Islanders made Jack Capuano head coach, my frustration with losing reached a high point. I wore a bag on my head to one of the games that season. It said "Last 11 games: Wins: 0 Coaches: 2." The team lost consistently, and I learned how to deal with it. During the 2010-11 season, I went to 14 games, the most I've ever been to in an Islanders season. That day, Sparky jokingly ate my head. People asked to take photos with me and of me, and I figured out that being last place can be fun. However, being the lovable loser gets quite old after a while.<br />
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Enter the lockout of 2012-13. I spent countless hours watching TV and looking at Twitter to see how the negotiations were going. It wasn't fun. That was my first semester in college, and the Islanders weren't there. But, I think they were just waiting for me to come home.<br />
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I'd been to pretty much every home opener since 2005, and I couldn't make the original 2012 one due to school. During the lockout, it was announced the Islanders were moving to Brooklyn, but that seemed like an afterthought at at the time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtNJHi_20Ng2PTX1h5Egb63r5kU9d6o_zFS6K7YiqkW_FRt1Ypowv9lZITp3MFCYV63utVA355mwtigXlr7TAcEPh7o7flZdVTHIhYWX9ggWB05sNBWMbgBOQWfnMKUTXkNmOgP2qzJMNH/s1600/DSC09518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtNJHi_20Ng2PTX1h5Egb63r5kU9d6o_zFS6K7YiqkW_FRt1Ypowv9lZITp3MFCYV63utVA355mwtigXlr7TAcEPh7o7flZdVTHIhYWX9ggWB05sNBWMbgBOQWfnMKUTXkNmOgP2qzJMNH/s1600/DSC09518.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Opening Night January 2013</td></tr>
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However, the lockout finally ended in January 2013 and I was home to go to game one of the shortened 48 game season. Heck, I even went to the Coliseum at 9 a.m. on a Wednesday to watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYsmOBxuAHs" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">training camp</span></a>. The Islanders lost that home opener to the Devils, but there was no better feeling than watching the Islanders back where they belonged. That season was magical, as the Islanders made the playoffs for the first time since I was in middle school.<br />
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That series against Pittsburgh in 2013 was an amazing one although I couldn't get to one of the games. Just the thought that the Islanders were once again a legitimate NHL team competing in the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVB_Y3w2Bzc" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Stanley Cup Playoffs</span></a> was a new one in my head.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpv5-2zaEuD1Fk-6WpyDRnYMaPwLywDA280PRQ9hRjx9NCCCxegAisLE4SQ7Bk-YJ2QWAnpXLIse8xl-Dc8uzw3p9wvI5Qf-c1tAZc9pl-9RPP62WNYvPpVwD-755BOXgbSX-oh0B8i5q5/s1600/DSC08098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpv5-2zaEuD1Fk-6WpyDRnYMaPwLywDA280PRQ9hRjx9NCCCxegAisLE4SQ7Bk-YJ2QWAnpXLIse8xl-Dc8uzw3p9wvI5Qf-c1tAZc9pl-9RPP62WNYvPpVwD-755BOXgbSX-oh0B8i5q5/s1600/DSC08098.JPG" height="156" width="200" /></a>In 2013-14, I got to go to a few games over Thanksgiving and other school breaks. I also got lucky and videotaped some memorable Islanders moments such as <a href="https://youtu.be/XPXd-C_VN4Q" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Ryan Strome's First NHL Goal</span></a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxQHYeFp9KA" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">John Tavares' Hat Trick Goal</span></a>, both on the same night. Although the season wasn't good, it was something to build on for this season and I got some cool memorabilia out of it, my favorite of which you can see on the right.<br />
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But finally came this current season, the final on at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. It started off with the<span style="color: orange;"> <a href="http://www.longislandweekly.com/islanders-begin-coliseums-final-chapter/" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Draft Party</span></a></span> and <a href="http://www.longislandweekly.com/islanders-prospects-dazzle-at-scrimmage/" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Rookie Scrimmage</span></a>, and at those events I could tell this was going to be a fun season.<br />
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I got to go to the Islanders preseason game in Brooklyn in September. Don't get me wrong, Barclays Center is a state of the art facility and the Islanders will be happy to call it home. It has great food, huge concourses, a giant video board, and is the type of 21st Century Arena the Islanders haven't had. But the arena isn't quite a hockey arena yet. The sight lines are off, and it just didn't feel like home to me. But ready or not, Brooklyn we come.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZR6lT7-4mdS-dJc87gJbQu2kZP-rBvNlzrhukYykyiBQeSm3nsvhtu-UncWGWtdvDMakl8-K0VSPzJCHK1k7rhEZqDIKDXzGB_eynslB5CKw5441ttja31SXiLOsPUS_48ea3c2XPY9Ne/s1600/DSC09710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZR6lT7-4mdS-dJc87gJbQu2kZP-rBvNlzrhukYykyiBQeSm3nsvhtu-UncWGWtdvDMakl8-K0VSPzJCHK1k7rhEZqDIKDXzGB_eynslB5CKw5441ttja31SXiLOsPUS_48ea3c2XPY9Ne/s1600/DSC09710.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimR2-bT6zlwBk6RfdNJw4fZaDhUf08MmIrGl_Xb8iCd5Sc58Z5-d9ZF0TNzxK5PjRQYDMQmTPkqpm9g9v3JSKxNWSuJgr80RGKlWZ-s9Ta70AKc84rLK-tPHvKuI8A8HC9Y0kVZitMpK_E/s1600/DSC09712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimR2-bT6zlwBk6RfdNJw4fZaDhUf08MmIrGl_Xb8iCd5Sc58Z5-d9ZF0TNzxK5PjRQYDMQmTPkqpm9g9v3JSKxNWSuJgr80RGKlWZ-s9Ta70AKc84rLK-tPHvKuI8A8HC9Y0kVZitMpK_E/s1600/DSC09712.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><br />
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Once the regular season started, the Islanders were spectacular. Winning was followed by more winning at a pace I haven't seen in my lifetime. At my first game of the year, I heard the Coliseum louder than I've ever heard it before. That's what winning does. Take a look for yourself:<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="244" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/R4Nk6uDlWBg" width="433"></iframe><br />
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This season has been amazing. I have made more of an effort to go to games, knowing that I probably won't be able to go as much once the team is in Brooklyn for good. The barn has rocked, and it is a big difference from the 8,889 that attended the Islanders game on Halloween night in 2009. I was one of those few who saw Jeff Tambellini score a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXNmqjrFjyE" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">hat trick</span></a>. That game has always stuck with me because of the attendance, but 16,000+ make a heck of a lot more noise than that. Example number two of the noise, see below:<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="244" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bj3tv4Td4aA" width="433"></iframe><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5HGJ6cWU2m3G-uxDPTBpZGLH_4xlz3rZTVJ-zVIpjUxNtkU_e_FO2f2rxmTRwtwDCr23-S0QDCiNQhyphenhyphen4x6RE9gI00XlK2AlXewQmL4Df7NgAfaBD6OQo_ENiIBjURvnNUEGvrYA_tXNq/s1600/DSC01229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5HGJ6cWU2m3G-uxDPTBpZGLH_4xlz3rZTVJ-zVIpjUxNtkU_e_FO2f2rxmTRwtwDCr23-S0QDCiNQhyphenhyphen4x6RE9gI00XlK2AlXewQmL4Df7NgAfaBD6OQo_ENiIBjURvnNUEGvrYA_tXNq/s1600/DSC01229.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a>I've seen other <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag52H1RsJpo" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">great</span></a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0sDcuAStnA" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">moments</span></a> at the Coliseum this season, but it's not over yet. Like many other Long Islanders, I have grown up going to the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. At my first game at Nassau Coliseum, I was a seven years old and in second grade. At what may be my last, I am 20 years old and a junior in college.<br />
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But for my whole life, I've waited to say this sentence. Now that it's past midnight on Long Island, I can say this proudly for the first time:<br />
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<b><i>Today, I'm going to a Stanley Cup Playoffs game at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.</i></b><br />
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Lets Go Islanders! </div>
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<br />Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05231108194996867004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857122211867520603.post-19748715113681776462015-04-07T08:14:00.001-07:002015-04-07T08:14:48.527-07:00Nassau Coliseum: The Final CountdownWe have nearly reached the end of our time at Nassau Coliseum. As the end gets closer, I will be posting my photos of some of my favorite times at the Coliseum and relating to my life as an Islanders fan. This team has been a big part of me growing up, and now I feel like it is going to be taken away from me.<br />
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<u><b>Part 1</b></u></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBchoLb7N_B_rlnuAKjM9n4FxN3a4ZZo_rDZvRDho7rpCQiSn9xCPuSJAL677tShBdUTo60K8RVi0xn59rnoZ61MFO8cHGHG0reoy3Z5odDTwjkRWL9kg-VyOIwQhgjPUckBzxReIABtz/s1600/Aaron_Peca.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBchoLb7N_B_rlnuAKjM9n4FxN3a4ZZo_rDZvRDho7rpCQiSn9xCPuSJAL677tShBdUTo60K8RVi0xn59rnoZ61MFO8cHGHG0reoy3Z5odDTwjkRWL9kg-VyOIwQhgjPUckBzxReIABtz/s1600/Aaron_Peca.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
When I was younger, I was a member of the New York Islanders Booster Club. They had meetings with players a few times over the course of the season. This is the first player I've ever met and the first autograph I've ever gotten, former Islanders captain Mike Peca.<br />
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Both the hat and jersey I am wearing in that photo are now adorned with signatures from Islanders legends and hang in my bedroom. This was just the beginning of my lifelong love for the Islanders.<br />
<br />Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05231108194996867004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857122211867520603.post-43955198343084699002015-01-27T19:25:00.000-08:002015-01-27T19:25:03.892-08:00Bye KO<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="244" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ag52H1RsJpo" width="433"></iframe><br />
Hopefully we won't be without this for too long.Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05231108194996867004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857122211867520603.post-78817682005170306922014-11-30T17:07:00.000-08:002014-11-30T17:07:24.870-08:00Rock the BarnI went to a couple games over the past week, and I've never heard the old barn rock like it has so far. The Isles are 17-7-0 and show no signs of slowing down. If these videos don't show you, then I don't know what will.
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Lets Go Islanders! Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05231108194996867004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857122211867520603.post-12301423034874128192014-09-30T08:25:00.004-07:002014-09-30T08:25:45.297-07:00Brooklyn ExperienceI went to the Isles/Devils game in Brooklyn. In all honesty, this place isn't a hockey rink, but at least I got a good video of Ryan Pulock's goal with my new GoPro.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="239" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/hnc1A2ZQbMo" width="425"></iframe>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05231108194996867004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857122211867520603.post-31318382274395723122014-08-31T15:11:00.000-07:002014-08-31T15:11:15.219-07:00Tradition on Ice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJBxGZEVSOUoqjG1etCyzk-8p_KXMepV0xnY2a6Eibd0uO_CzzsUuCCIxYJqsr6owUqJstYcjuQqbqxy17DpHESJ4yasRNFkJL8y08i7t5AYabR8eXiozfaIX0pkBbwZXobZzNnvW8ws3w/s1600/995608_10154495268895263_4253767113368068106_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJBxGZEVSOUoqjG1etCyzk-8p_KXMepV0xnY2a6Eibd0uO_CzzsUuCCIxYJqsr6owUqJstYcjuQqbqxy17DpHESJ4yasRNFkJL8y08i7t5AYabR8eXiozfaIX0pkBbwZXobZzNnvW8ws3w/s1600/995608_10154495268895263_4253767113368068106_n.jpg" height="303" width="320" /></a></div>
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One month from now, the preseason will nearly be done.</div>
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One year from now, who knows what will be happening?</div>
<br />Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05231108194996867004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857122211867520603.post-42678718877004062542014-07-31T14:33:00.000-07:002014-07-31T14:33:55.501-07:00Rookie ScrimmageI recently wrote an article about the Blue and White scrimmage for Long Island Weekly. See it <a href="http://www.longislandweekly.com/islanders-prospects-dazzle-at-scrimmage/" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">HERE</span></a>. Also, here are a few photos I took at the scrimmage that didn't get posted yet.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM8G-qyjGGIdFZDao4NTGNm9pSbrV123qvSbiQyBwgse2b-bNcuu9yd8AB89odrrG7UC96ogTtP1eKGI787WDYAbxjU3PqPuF_FFd2h0SIvJwya94G3p0ZF1m10XhHQL0MK1PrInRA0AsD/s1600/DSC09131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM8G-qyjGGIdFZDao4NTGNm9pSbrV123qvSbiQyBwgse2b-bNcuu9yd8AB89odrrG7UC96ogTtP1eKGI787WDYAbxjU3PqPuF_FFd2h0SIvJwya94G3p0ZF1m10XhHQL0MK1PrInRA0AsD/s1600/DSC09131.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05231108194996867004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857122211867520603.post-47408193165228842332014-06-30T17:39:00.001-07:002014-06-30T17:39:40.846-07:00Draft PartyI recently wrote an article on the Draft Party from last Friday for Long Island Weekly, see it <a href="http://www.longislandweekly.com/author/aaron-cheris/" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">HERE</span></a>:<br />
Free agency begins in just a few hours, and wait for Garth Snow to throw lots of money around to build a contender.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyrtNxuRudQV_wwpjzaUSLaXeUsLxU_iip6KEaWkyNwtCtKFwKyDBOyuyNmUFrYMWFeVoQShpIl46OogrnYJgTDFWDva6wcX96LVvkFl_zOsDv4GXonjyQqFBXSBkbQ0RdK4gmZRap-vkz/s1600/DSC08778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyrtNxuRudQV_wwpjzaUSLaXeUsLxU_iip6KEaWkyNwtCtKFwKyDBOyuyNmUFrYMWFeVoQShpIl46OogrnYJgTDFWDva6wcX96LVvkFl_zOsDv4GXonjyQqFBXSBkbQ0RdK4gmZRap-vkz/s1600/DSC08778.JPG" height="112" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05231108194996867004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857122211867520603.post-72972352217374273552014-05-29T09:49:00.001-07:002014-05-29T09:51:26.665-07:00Halakdown<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bo0FQAcCAAAYoqX.jpg:large" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="122" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bo0FQAcCAAAYoqX.jpg:large" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: @NYIslanders Twitter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Credit Garth Snow: He can check goaltending off his summer checklist. Now all he needs is a decent backup, and Evgeni Nabokov should be able to do just that come next season for the Islanders. <a href="http://video.islanders.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=620099" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Halak</span></a> should be able to carry the load for the Islanders next season as the sure-fire number one goalie. The Isles haven't had a goalie of this caliber in a long time. Now, is it time to buy a Halak jersey? Take the poll on the right and let me know what you think.Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05231108194996867004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857122211867520603.post-16150027972966283032014-04-15T12:25:00.002-07:002014-04-15T16:58:04.888-07:00End of Season Grades<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now that the season's over, it's time for some end of the year grades. I won't be posting all of my grades here, but here are a few of them. To check out all of the grades, be sure to check out <a href="http://nyislesblog.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">IslesBlog</span></a> soon. Both of these grades are listed out of 100 possible points. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://video.islanders.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=603354" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Anders Lee</span></a>: 80<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5nW_5Row1dTeTrhMAifn9UlbqutQF4o8GW3A1sjvWG_n_FbmGaKOfE2LtaFB2R6ddanPt1-azoLUAGXCl4QnXkonqS5cuFq1mEIkvwPQgpOoTaEH3AYnfQvQu6S4TOfMENgFeuNWaR4S/s1600/477040699_slide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5nW_5Row1dTeTrhMAifn9UlbqutQF4o8GW3A1sjvWG_n_FbmGaKOfE2LtaFB2R6ddanPt1-azoLUAGXCl4QnXkonqS5cuFq1mEIkvwPQgpOoTaEH3AYnfQvQu6S4TOfMENgFeuNWaR4S/s1600/477040699_slide.jpg" height="200" width="160" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Photo Credit: NHLcom</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">By the time the Islanders called up
Anders Lee after the Olympics, their season was already in desperation mode. In
the 22 games since his call up, Lee proved he belongs in the NHL, registering 9
goals and 5 assists for 14 points. During that time, Lee also was a +3, a rare
stat for an Islander. Although Lee’s numbers are good, he went through an 11
game slump in the middle of his call up, getting just one point between March
18 and April 10. Lee could end up playing with John Tavares next season, which
would vastly help his game, but we saw flashes of it late in this season. The former
6<sup>th</sup> round draft pick earned his spot on the NHL team next season by
his solid play this season. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLPj1EhlIzo" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Frans Nielsen</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">: 86</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsEg5NLGbt8qlmHwQawXZmDhKMgGva_y-866d7wshoyRvZzX1eLdq3WG1qvF5QhD_UXDnqMCuM9BpNhyphenhyphenKK_j4E2GnMz9yT9NB9qngD3nKuYaccueHuhEIDGzALHijScixp6SgpyOWVPIz5/s1600/478767511_std.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsEg5NLGbt8qlmHwQawXZmDhKMgGva_y-866d7wshoyRvZzX1eLdq3WG1qvF5QhD_UXDnqMCuM9BpNhyphenhyphenKK_j4E2GnMz9yT9NB9qngD3nKuYaccueHuhEIDGzALHijScixp6SgpyOWVPIz5/s1600/478767511_std.jpg" height="184" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: NHL.com</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Stats wise, Frans Nieslen had a
career year, raking up 25 goals and 33 assists for 58 points, all career highs.
Nielsen scored on 15 percent of the shots he took this season, which is the
highest percentage of any Islander. His -11 is no cause for concern because he
was healthy all season, and it’s hard to be positive while on the Islanders. When
talking about Nielsen, it’s hard to forget about his shootout abilities. The
Great Dane took a shot in all 15 Islanders shootouts this season, scoring on
eight of them. That put him second in the NHL behind TJ Oshie in shootout
goals. With Lubomir Visnovsky out for most of the early season and John Tavares
out in the end, Nielsen stepped up and became a first line center and power
play point man, roles that he filled admirably. However, Nielsen shouldn’t be
in either of those roles come next season with everyone healthy. </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">That's all I will give you for now. Be sure to check out <a href="http://nyislesblog.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">IslesBlog</span></a> in a few days. Lets Go Islanders! </span></div>
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Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05231108194996867004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857122211867520603.post-1328258250126648152014-04-14T11:46:00.002-07:002014-04-14T11:46:24.118-07:00Cleaning Out and Looking ForwardI went to Isles cleanup day today to try and get a few autographs and talk to the guys. I did that, as you can see on my <a href="http://aaronautos.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">other blog</span></a>.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigcz-37oFCmzzE57MaNxOc4XU9HXBjHtN9j1QJJpMyOTu0MZ3EqKgLzSzhkDvZ0kBAZ7C5tSIBLYFi5ulYaNYexOUmDAgLso5LGpseV8WoieJeakicNzVedpruJWX5neK-_HhKIk6TdCm5/s1600/DSC08052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigcz-37oFCmzzE57MaNxOc4XU9HXBjHtN9j1QJJpMyOTu0MZ3EqKgLzSzhkDvZ0kBAZ7C5tSIBLYFi5ulYaNYexOUmDAgLso5LGpseV8WoieJeakicNzVedpruJWX5neK-_HhKIk6TdCm5/s1600/DSC08052.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><br />
When Lubomir Visnovsky walked out, I asked if he would be ready for next year. "I hope so," he said. Johan Sundstrom is all healed from his concussion. Brian Strait (right) will be getting his cast off tomorrow. Everything is looking up for the 2014-15 Islanders, who will be playing for the last time at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Try not to cry when watching below.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="236" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/q9pQ0GqAKMk" width="420"></iframe>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05231108194996867004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857122211867520603.post-9717619874104888832014-03-31T17:16:00.004-07:002014-03-31T17:16:56.390-07:00Never Say DieIf you are sick and tired of watching this year's team like I am, then you should enjoy the following documentary on the Islanders. Never Say Die...until you are eliminated from playoff contention.<br />
Lets Go Islanders!<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/IKoOdODKVZI" width="400"></iframe>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05231108194996867004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857122211867520603.post-85681772443364473062014-02-14T19:13:00.000-08:002014-02-19T14:37:26.372-08:00Where Are They Now? After my <a href="http://letsgonyislanders.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-ryan-strome-injury-saga.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">last blog entry</span></a>, many things happened. My <a href="https://twitter.com/AaronHowie" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">twitter account</span></a> gained over 30 new followers, and people tweeted at me with both support and criticism. Most importantly, the people over at <a href="http://nyislesblog.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">IslesBlog</span></a> took notice. They offered me a writing position at the blog, and I accepted it. Don't worry, I'll still be updating this blog as often as I can. With that, I will give you a brief preview of my first blog entry for them. It's a where are they now edition with some of your favorite former Islanders of years past.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.cdn.nhle.com/islanders/images/upload/2010/12/107499936_slide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.cdn.nhle.com/islanders/images/upload/2010/12/107499936_slide.jpg" height="127" style="-webkit-user-select: none;" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: nhl.com</td></tr>
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<u><span style="color: orange;">Rob Schremp:</span></u><span style="color: blue;"> </span>Most Islander fans remember
Rob Schremp for the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_816880&feature=iv&src_vid=_bK72l2uwTI&v=VBcKHrTyG0I" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">baseball swing goal</span></a> he scored in Colorado in 2010. Over his parts of two
seasons on Long Island, Schremp played in 89 games, netting 47 points. In
February 2011, the Islanders placed Schremp on waivers, where the Atlanta
Thrashers claimed him. He was a fan favorite during his time on Long Island, and one of the best shootout shooters since Frans Nielsen. He finished out that season with the Thrashes. That
turned out to be the last season in Thrashers history, and the last time
Schremp played in the NHL. He played a year in the Swedish Elite league, and
then went to Russia. He played or Dynamo Riga in the KHL, but left mid-season.
He went to Austria for the rest of that season, recording 36 points in 26 games
for Salzburg EC. Now, Schremp is playing for EV Zug in the Swiss league. If you
have heard of any of these European teams, I envy you. Schremp was once a first
round pick, but now he is trying to recapture the dream he achieved briefly
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Bonus Photos: Here are some former Islanders at the Sochi Olympics. I won't mention Michael Grabner's hat trick. (Oops.) </div>
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Slovakian Defenseman<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlSpkjZ_yNc" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;"> Milan Jurcina</span></a> knocking Team USA's Patrick Kane into the boards. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://voices.suntimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/SOCHI_OLYMPICS_ICE_HOCKEY_MEN_44346115.jpg" height="213" style="-webkit-user-select: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
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That's all for this entry. Make sure you check out my IslesBlog entry once it comes out for more! Thanks for reading! Lets Go Islanders!<br />
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UPDATE: 2/19/14 <a href="http://nyislesblog.com/where-they-are-now-a-look-at-former-islanders-upon-leaving-the-team/" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">HERE</span></a> is the full entry on IslesBlog! Enjoy! </div>
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Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05231108194996867004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857122211867520603.post-33564989434046624462014-01-07T15:04:00.000-08:002014-01-12T11:25:42.918-08:00A Night on the IsleWhen rooting for the New York Islanders, one might become bipolar with the sudden lows and highs fluctuating on pretty much a nightly basis. However, this team can be a teaching point for life in general, from loyalty to passion and never giving up. MSG's Alan Hahn sums it up after last night's game.<br />
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It's dwindled to minuscule numbers, but there is no more passion and loyalty than what lies within those hardy souls at Nassau Coliseum.<br />
— Alan Hahn (@alanhahn) <a href="https://twitter.com/alanhahn/statuses/420385921197158400">January 7, 2014</a></blockquote>
The seating capacity at Nassau Coliseum is currently listed as 16,170. Last night's attendance of 11,111 was well below the average attendance of 13,461, but it is an all too common sight these days. The Islanders inevitably taking a lead before a not too packed house, only to painstakingly <span style="color: orange;"><a href="http://video.islanders.nhl.com/videocenter/console?hlg=20132014,2,397&lang=en" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">let</span></a> <a href="http://video.islanders.nhl.com/videocenter/console?hlg=20132014,2,411&lang=en" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">them</span></a> <a href="http://video.islanders.nhl.com/videocenter/console?hlg=20132014,2,512&lang=en" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">all</span></a> <a href="http://video.islanders.nhl.com/videocenter/console?hlg=20132014,2,544&lang=en" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">down</span></a></span>, and send the crowd home angry and empty handed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifuskCEWAVLfa-OiMmm3SbnOzW8NAp7sqjKPbhc2vgHk1uxmNlcxFC-HTKeNZeNkNHYOJ_DH3hmgmef8lykaGePIgzneYbTWETin95OEJaiWFpwR0cEAcJbpxDbMmTPNaVGgq_dLui0gyc/s1600/DSC07457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifuskCEWAVLfa-OiMmm3SbnOzW8NAp7sqjKPbhc2vgHk1uxmNlcxFC-HTKeNZeNkNHYOJ_DH3hmgmef8lykaGePIgzneYbTWETin95OEJaiWFpwR0cEAcJbpxDbMmTPNaVGgq_dLui0gyc/s1600/DSC07457.JPG" height="111" width="200" /></a>However, last night was a fun exception. I was lucky enough to be in attendance. I bought tickets on a website for at least $90 below face value and they were great seats. Evgeni Nabokov got hurt in the first period, which usually is an ominous sign of things to come. After the first period, it felt like it was going to be another one of those nights where the Isles go through the motions in line for a loss, after which Jack Capuano will say the team's "battle level" wasn't there. Like we haven't heard that one before.<br />
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In the second period, that quickly changed. On the power play, the Isles got a break, and I got my camera out for what you see below.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQGcwwfE8s29EOdeFcMRMRpaJPQluGZ6HRnAHj9bNdZbqk8eQu9YNTxXneZFnpTY1DcKxrS0jE8XFF0GY2il_j5MNIYBS4vkAoTCwD6vCpnH7gXMd6GTyYMjOz8sKbyEf6aUucePSaglWy/s1600/DSC07476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQGcwwfE8s29EOdeFcMRMRpaJPQluGZ6HRnAHj9bNdZbqk8eQu9YNTxXneZFnpTY1DcKxrS0jE8XFF0GY2il_j5MNIYBS4vkAoTCwD6vCpnH7gXMd6GTyYMjOz8sKbyEf6aUucePSaglWy/s1600/DSC07476.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>Shortly after that, the die-hards in section 329 broke out into a 'Yes' chant that has to be seen live to believe and love.<br />
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For once, the Isles were the team getting the breaks, putting the puck in the net with regularity. The crowd at the Coliseum could sense it, as the Stars were held without a shot for almost 10 minutes in the second period. After John Tavares tied it off an <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob7jud9au6o" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">amazing pass </span></a>from Thomas Vanek. After that, Dallas called timeout to try and regain their composure. It didn't work.<br />
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If Peter Regin scores, Isles win. It's that simple. They won when he scored in the preseason, and now they have won both times he scored in the regular season. His tap in of a Josh Bailey pass gave the Islanders a lead.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTyKKqkizI4NS3FqY_yFbEzPontLiMk4JqknFpGbj_PPu9yXJOKU_hbT5LyDPZsisPTQvq0RWtMKmIa86Hh8nzKRMOuEuFNdNFDCIc0ZqZT11tE1uN6UhUcISSsu3mJ5g8ZLG2bo7Yrx0D/s1600/DSC07496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTyKKqkizI4NS3FqY_yFbEzPontLiMk4JqknFpGbj_PPu9yXJOKU_hbT5LyDPZsisPTQvq0RWtMKmIa86Hh8nzKRMOuEuFNdNFDCIc0ZqZT11tE1uN6UhUcISSsu3mJ5g8ZLG2bo7Yrx0D/s1600/DSC07496.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a>Then Dallas tied it. At this point, I started thinking, "Here we go again." However, Brock Nelson <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDrryNfZ_o4" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">singlehandedly</span></a> brought the Isles the lead going into the second intermission.<br />
In the third period, it was the John Tavares show. First, he set up Brian Strait during a 4 on 4 to make it 5-3. Then, he came out of the corner untouched and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmeRe319CUA&feature=youtu.be&t=22s" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">knocked</span></a> the puck past Kari Lehtonen to make it 6-3. While all of this was going on, Kevin Poulin faced only 15 shots in relief of Evgeni Nabokov, stopping 13 of them en route to the win. With under 4 minutes left in the game, the Islanders had nearly two minutes of 5 on 3 time to try and set up the captain for his hat trick. Here's what happened.<br />
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Maybe this game was a distraction from the fact that this is not where the Islanders thought they would be at this point in the season. Maybe it will be a turning point for them to build on in hopes of making the playoffs. But for one night, all is well on Long Island.<br />
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All the loyal supporters will just have to keep watching and hoping that something will happen.<br />
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Thanks for reading! Lets Go Islanders!Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05231108194996867004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857122211867520603.post-64120521760599298492013-12-25T07:58:00.002-08:002013-12-25T07:58:43.251-08:00The Good, The Bad, and The TerribleHappy Holidays! The Islanders currently sit in 14th out of 15 in the Eastern Conference with 29 points. That is an all to familiar spot in the standings for the Isles. While this year was supposed to be a year that the Islanders would prove that they are a playoff team and potential Stanley Cup contender, this year has gone down the drain early. Here is some of what's up with this team.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: Getty Images</td></tr>
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<b>The Good</b>: Since returning from a groin injury, veteran goaltender <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMLC0DKal2Q" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Evgeni Nabokov</span></a> has been great. In the five games since returning, Nabby is 2-1-2. First, he shutout the Montreal Canadiens for a full three periods. But since the Isles didn't score either, the game went to OT where Nabby couldn't make a save on a Max Pacioretty stop. In his last game in Detroit, Nabby was barely tested by a beat-up Red Wings team and got his 56th career shutout, first of the season. In five games since returning, Nabokov has a 1.96 Goals Against Average and a .928 Save Percentage, both great numbers that should help his team win if he keeps them up.<br />
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<b>The Bad:</b> These photos from the end of the third period of the game against Tampa Bay don't need much explaining.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGLq4HxohjFfG_nTzqJdNAePZPOJsmziTTiTjk7QNfEf1__M-G6mAJJpcB1yFitIEFB5jhyd03SRuB121gJAXkE1FYixExtRdQQCwYo4thBF9DnbD1_QpSC56_RavA9Mw6F-0AqXqu2fJ6/s1600/BbvUOhVIUAAc_m2.jpg-large.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGLq4HxohjFfG_nTzqJdNAePZPOJsmziTTiTjk7QNfEf1__M-G6mAJJpcB1yFitIEFB5jhyd03SRuB121gJAXkE1FYixExtRdQQCwYo4thBF9DnbD1_QpSC56_RavA9Mw6F-0AqXqu2fJ6/s200/BbvUOhVIUAAc_m2.jpg-large.jpeg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQccOxMaa5DHhAL0KQUCn5ZjRuL3XdV-orX77qvi12SugaQH7J7fjpnIITdya2uBIPNj3XAobHcGuIr6l0RwHaH79fO1Ar0t36I2Q0igyNrvuKgSDK4Fk_C7sn6yQyWncqp71UZouv7U-Y/s1600/1466250_566222626791491_1032358205_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQccOxMaa5DHhAL0KQUCn5ZjRuL3XdV-orX77qvi12SugaQH7J7fjpnIITdya2uBIPNj3XAobHcGuIr6l0RwHaH79fO1Ar0t36I2Q0igyNrvuKgSDK4Fk_C7sn6yQyWncqp71UZouv7U-Y/s200/1466250_566222626791491_1032358205_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: Getty Images</td></tr>
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<b>The Terrible:</b> Third Period Leads. What is it with the New York Islanders and third period leads? In 38 games this season, the Islanders have blown a third period TEN times. If the Islanders had won all 10 of those games, they would be right in the middle of the playoff teams. In five of those 10 games, the Isles have blown a two goal lead. In those five games, the Isles are 0-2-3 after taking a two goal lead into the third period. Simply, the Islanders will need to be mentally tough and physically tougher in the third period if they want to have any chance at making the playoffs. </div>
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At least Ryan Strome is here to save everybody. </div>
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Happy Holidays to all and Lets Go Islanders! </div>
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Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05231108194996867004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857122211867520603.post-15697005805904665192013-11-14T10:06:00.000-08:002013-11-14T10:06:34.579-08:00Have We Found Him? <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Islanders Canadiens Kevin Poulin" class="size-full wp-image-43517" height="177" src="http://www.rantsports.com/nhl/files/2013/03/uspw_7161596.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: USA Today</td></tr>
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The New York Islanders have long been looking for a goaltender to establish himself as the #1 option.<br />
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Kevin Poulin will make his third straight start for the Islanders tonight vs. the Los Angeles Kings.<br />
This will only be the third time in Poulin's career that he will start in three straight NHL games. It happened in both the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons, but both of those times, Poulin was the #1 goalie by default because the Islanders had numerous goaltender injuries.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Matt+Martin+Boston+Bruins+v+New+York+Islanders+EkgJjIAaldql.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Matt Martin Matt Martin #17 and Kevin Poulin #60 of the New York Islanders celebrate their 3-1 victory over the Boston Bruins at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on November 2, 2013 in Uniondale, New York." border="0" height="200" id="currentPic" src="http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Matt+Martin+Boston+Bruins+v+New+York+Islanders+EkgJjIAaldql.jpg" title="Boston Bruins v New York Islanders" width="184" /></a></td></tr>
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This is the first time Poulin has played well enough to earn three straight starts, relegating Evgeni Nabokov to the bench. Looking at the numbers, it's simple to see why he will start. He is playing well. In six games this year, he is 2-4-0. One of those four losses was a 1-0 decision at Carolina last week. You can't expect him to be perfect. In his last four starts, Poulin has a 1.75 GAA and a .939 save percentage, both outstanding numbers. For comparison, in Nabokov's last four starts, he has allowed 17 goals and hasn't had a save percentage above .875 in any of those games. The coaching staff had no choice but to start Poulin and keep playing him as he played well.<br />
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Whoever is in net will still need more help, as both Lubomir Visnovsky and Brian Strait aren't near returning from their injuries quite yet. With or without them, the question remains:<br />
How long can the Poulin wall keep backstopping the Islanders?<br />
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Lets Go Islanders!<br />
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Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05231108194996867004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857122211867520603.post-48213117120907016502013-11-05T10:11:00.000-08:002013-11-05T10:11:01.145-08:00How it All StartedWhen I was just seven years old, I attended my <a href="http://letsgonyislanders.blogspot.com/2011/09/my-first-game.html" target="_blank">first Islanders game</a>. That day was one to remember. I remember an usher gave me a souvenir puck as we were leaving the game. I remember thinking that the team in the green jerseys, the Dallas Stars, were the good team. I don't remember the video below too well, but I remember the Islanders winning. Take a look.<br />
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After that, I was hooked. Later that winter, I wrote a letter to the Islanders with a bunch of questions. Surprisingly, I got a response a few weeks later, as you can see below.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9hVa3lRw9yhcWrKENm59zXEITUKrU5LQEjxWzxkkb-V-6FgxJDIoDQlc3anmnH9DpOCFz_pwY7f0WMRLrPswomv65u7L_n1S4PHBLO3MxQe1kp67BZNc1R_DjG-zHYq4XbyHxXm-Ud3Gi/s1600/MilburyLetter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9hVa3lRw9yhcWrKENm59zXEITUKrU5LQEjxWzxkkb-V-6FgxJDIoDQlc3anmnH9DpOCFz_pwY7f0WMRLrPswomv65u7L_n1S4PHBLO3MxQe1kp67BZNc1R_DjG-zHYq4XbyHxXm-Ud3Gi/s400/MilburyLetter.JPG" width="332" /></a></div>
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The signature on the bottom of the letter belongs to <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/517862-nhl-5-examples-of-why-mike-milbury-was-the-worst-gm-in-league-history" target="_blank">Mike Milbury</a>, who was the Islanders general manager at the time of the letter, which was late in 2001. Getting a letter on official Islanders stationary from their GM was something I always treasured. I've kept that letter for almost 12 years, and although the stuff Milbury writes about might be random answers to questions I have, the letter has a much greater meaning to me. </div>
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I am a New York Islanders fan. From all the bad to all the good that hopefully will come soon, I'll be rooting for the blue and orange. This letter helped start it all. </div>
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Lets Go Islanders! </div>
Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05231108194996867004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857122211867520603.post-9824904761292238322013-06-18T19:39:00.001-07:002013-06-18T19:39:16.926-07:00Off-Season Predictions<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/Rob_Scuderi_2011-02-10.JPG/618px-Rob_Scuderi_2011-02-10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="File:Rob Scuderi 2011-02-10.JPG" border="0" height="193" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/Rob_Scuderi_2011-02-10.JPG/618px-Rob_Scuderi_2011-02-10.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rob Scuderi (Credit: Wikipedia)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.letsgokings.com/gallery/files/1/img_4389.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Jonathan Bernier" border="0" class="vbgbigimg imglogo" height="200" id="vbgbigimg" src="http://www.letsgokings.com/gallery/files/1/img_4389.jpg" title="Jonathan Bernier" width="185" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bernier (Credit: Letsgokings.com)</td></tr>
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Sorry for the long delay between entries. This has been a busy time.<br />
My offseason predictions are as follow:<br />
1. John Tavares is named Captain.<br />
2. Jonathan Bernier becomes an Islander in a trade that gives up Nino Niederreiter.<br />
3. So does Rob Scuderi, via free agency.<br />
4. Brock Nelson and Matt Donovan make the team.<br />
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That's all for right now. I'll be back in August with more news and opinions!<br />
Lets Go Islanders!Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05231108194996867004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857122211867520603.post-22685408308427208832013-05-07T21:00:00.001-07:002013-05-07T21:00:44.721-07:00On the BrinkAs you probably know, the New York Islanders just evened their playoff series with the Pittsburgh Penguins with a gutsy, gritty 6-4 win on Tuesday night. If you don't know, or just want to see again, here are the highlights from the game that tied the series at 2.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: Getty Images</td></tr>
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Yes, Marc-Andre Fleury has been pretty bad in the Penguins net. However, that should not take anything away from the Islanders and what they have done to give the Penguins a test they never would have expected going into this series.<br />
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After the first period of game two, the Islanders have done a great job of getting to Crosby and Malkin, as well as many other Penguins, keeping off their game and making them stay on high alert whenever they are on the ice. Travis Hamonic has been instrumental in doing that, as he has been the Islanders best physical defenseman.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: Getty Images</td></tr>
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Another key is the Islanders have been getting secondary scoring, especially from the defensemen. Through the first four games of the series, Mark Streit is the Isles leading scorer with five points, including three in the game four win. Lubomir Visnovsky and Travis Hamonic have each added two assists. An unlikely source, former Penguin Brian Strait, opened game four's scoring with a seeing-eye wrist shot from just inside the blue line. The goal was Strait's first NHL goal, playoffs or regular season. Casey Cizikas, who barely made the team out of training camp in January, has more points in the first four games than John Tavares and Matt Moulson. Don't forget about Tavares though, as he scored the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFk4OUjMCSY" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">tying goal</span></a> in game three and got the winner in game four.Evgeni Nabokov has been a little shaky in net, but he has made the saves he has needed to with the game on the line.<br />
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Right now, the series is heading back to Pittsburgh for a pivotal game five in what has turned into a best two out of three series. The madhouse off the Meadowbrook has been rocking, and the old barn will be rocking again for Saturday's game 6. Are the Islanders for real? Can they knock off the mighty Penguins? We'll see soon.<br />
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Why not us? beLIeve<br />
Lets Go Islanders!!! <br />
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Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05231108194996867004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857122211867520603.post-46586136722436212452013-03-31T11:47:00.000-07:002013-03-31T11:47:13.990-07:00Keys to the PlayoffsEnough hoping for the future. Enough waiting for prospects. Enough complaining about the past.<br />
As I write this entry, the New York Islanders sit in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, tied with the rival Rangers in points, although the Rangers have one more game left than the Islanders. The Islanders are right on the cusp of their first playoff birth since 2007. Is this what we have been waiting six years for?<br />
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Throughout all of the third period collapses, the Islanders have been resilient. They have gotten contributions from everyone, and they will need to keep that up if they want to play in May.<br />
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Here are three keys to the Islanders success that they will need to get if they want to play in the playoffs.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: Getty Images</td></tr>
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1. Strong Goaltending<br />
Every playoff team has a great goaltender. The Islanders have one in Evgeni Nabokov. He is tied for fourth in the NHL with 16 wins. He has been in net for every single one of the Islanders wins. Out of all of the Islanders, Nabokov is the one who knows exactly what it takes to make, and win, the playoffs. He has played in 80 playoff games with the San Jose Sharks over a decade, winning half of them and recording seven shutouts. Nabokov should start every game for the Islanders down the stretch of the season, unless they are playing games on consecutive days, which only happens twice for the rest of the year. Kevin Poulin should start at least once, but no more than twice if the Isles stick around in the race.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: Newsday</td></tr>
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2. Contributions from the D<br />
The Lubomir Visnovsky saga is over, he is an Islander, and he is a very good hockey player. He, along with Mark Streit, have been in command of the Islanders powerplay from the time Visnovsky arrived on Long Island. If the Islanders are going to win, they are going to need to get the contributions from the point, especially by <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NC1wcgI30VI" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Visnovsky</span></a> and Streit. Travis Hamonic and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DZUogS_PLI" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Andrew MacDonald</span></a> have been solid as the Isles top defensive defensemen the entire year, and they will continue to go up against the other team's top lines. If the Islanders are to win, the D is going to have to be up in the rush creating offense, as well as shutting down opponents.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="New York Islanders' Colin McDonald (13); Lubomir Visnovsky (11), of Slovakia; and Thomas Hickey (14) celebrate after a goal by McDonald during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Thursday, March 28, 2013, in Philadelphia. New York won 4-3 in a shootout" height="200" id="photoMain" src="http://l.yimg.com/iu/api/res/1.2/c174wJAoU4khHcQiXbC5hw--/YXBwaWQ9eXZpZGVvO2NoPTMyNjtjcj0xO2N3PTUxMjtkeD0xO2R5PTE7Zmk9dWxjcm9wO2g9MzI2O3E9NzA7dz01MTI-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_US/Sports/AP_NHL/201303282118766823325-p2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: Associated Press</td></tr>
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3. Be the Road Warriors<br />
The Islanders are an NHL worst 6-11-2 at Nassau Coliseum. Outside of the Coliseum, the Isles are 10-5-1. Luckily, they only play five more games at the Coliseum the rest of the way, while eight games are played on the road, including a five game road trip to end the season. I really can't explain why the Islanders have been so bad at home, but the schedule is in their benefit going down the stretch. The Islanders have been <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fexflqtcuio" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">great</span></a> on the road, and if they keep that up, they not only will make the playoffs, but may have a chance to shock the NHL.<br />
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Those are the three keys to the Islanders success down the rest of the season. I don't expect the Islanders to make any big moves at the deadline. I do expect the Islanders to sign one of their top prospects, Anders Lee, and for him to play at least some NHL games by the end of the season<br />
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I fully believe this is the year the Islanders take the step into the playoffs. Will they make it? We'll find out in a month.<br />
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Lets Go Islanders!<br />
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Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05231108194996867004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857122211867520603.post-14417205872319521422013-02-10T20:27:00.001-08:002013-02-13T18:53:40.087-08:00New York Islanders: Circus or Contender? Oh what a difference a week makes.<br />
Going into last Sunday afternoon's home game against the Devils, the Islanders were 4-2-1, and atop the Atlantic Division. They were the owners of the league's top ranked penalty kill, as well as the number one ranked power-play.<br />
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Fast forward one week.<br />
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Now, the Islanders are 4-6-1, and in the Atlantic Division basement. The power-play has slipped to 14th in the NHL. The penalty kill has also slightly dipped, it is now 5th in the league.<br />
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We have all seen this happen before, the Islanders get off to a hot start then fade quickly in the middle of the season. Is it happening again? Maybe. Is there reason to believe that this year may be different?<br />
Absolutely.<br />
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The past week has been a nightmare. The Islanders constantly coming out sloppy, only to fight back and come just a little bit short. Either that or they would just not show up at all. During the Super Bowl Sunday matinee against the Devils, the Islanders played well for the first 56 minutes, then the Devils broke through for a power-play goal, and added two more for a 3-0 final. Then, they played Pittsburgh two days later. Again, the visitors opened the scoring with a power-play goal. And again, the Isles could not come back. After falling down 3-0 in the third period, the Islanders ended their goalless drought at just over 103 minutes. The next goalless drought was only 35 seconds. The two quick tallies were enough to give Islander fans hope. But, as it is with the Islanders, the defeat had to be slow and painful. They never quite got over the hump, and fell to Pittsburgh 4-2. This defeat came one week after they dominated the Penguins from start to finish for a 4-1 win in Pittsburgh.<br />
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Then something unexpected happened, this time off the ice. Garth Snow, never one to shock the hockey world, made a trade. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8XfuoWLCpI" target="_blank"><span style="color: yellow;">Tim Thomas</span></a>, former Vezina Trophy winner in Boston, would be a New York Islander, at least in theory. Thomas is taking this year off from the NHL. He is 38 years old, and not getting any younger. He hasn't played a game this season, and that isn't likely to change. The Islanders would send Boston a 2nd round draft pick, in either 2014 or 2015. That pick will only go to Boston if Thomas plays this season. So, the Islanders practically got Thomas for free. You are probably wondering why would the Islanders do this. Thomas' salary for this season is $5 million. He isn't getting paid by Boston because he is suspended, and he isn't getting paid by the Islanders either. However, his salary will count towards the Islanders this year, and they need the $5 million to reach the cap floor, or minimum salary. The Islanders pretty much traded for a phantom $5 million. The Islanders could do what they did to Evgeni Nabokov a few years ago, and toll his contract so he would have to honor it next year. That option is unlikely, but not impossible knowing the Islanders. Thomas is a free agent at the end of this season, and I'm guessing the Islanders would love to have him on the roster next season as a short term solution, and if Thomas doesn't want to be an Islander, then Garth Snow would have made a good financial move to help his team in the lockout shortened season.<br />
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Hours after that trade was announced, the Islanders took the ice at Madison Square Garden to play the rival Rangers, who were also struggling, for the first time this season. They once again came out flatfooted. The Rangers scored on Evgeni Nabokov on the first shot he faced all night. After one period, the Isles were down 2-0, and they looked out of it after that. The one bright spot throughout this whole ordeal, John Tavares, got the Islanders to within one, but they never got any closer than that. The penalty kill allowed another goal, and the Islanders left MSG without a point. They head right back there this Thursday.<br />
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The past game this Saturday was the tip of the iceberg of Islanders frustration. They finally got two players into the lineup for the first time this season. Josh Bailey made his long awaited return from an injury he got playing overseas during the lockout. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqkWCGgARK8" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Lubomir Visnovsky</span></a> made his long awaited Islanders debut after the whole fiasco he had with the KHL and his family issues in Slovakia. Both played well. Bailey registered seven shots on goal, while Visnovsky looked good with Mark Streit on the power-play and had no trouble getting the puck on net himself. The Islanders fell behind twice, but rebounded each time, as John Tavares scored in the first and Colin McDonald tallied his first as an Islander in the 2nd. After two periods, the Islanders had outshot the Sabres 29-11. The Sabres once again took the lead, but there wound be no charm for the Islanders on the third time they fell behind. Buffalo goalie Ryan Miller stood on his head, made 41 saves, not including the two that the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcRXx5vrr5w" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">post</span></a> made on John Tavares in the 3rd period, and the Islanders lost 3-2.<br />
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Tomorrow, the Islanders host the Carolina Hurricanes. For the first time, I am hoping that Rick DiPietro starts in net. Evgeni Nabokov looks tired in net, and Ricky at least deserves a chance.<br />
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Now you decide, are the Islanders a circus or a contender? I'd love to hear your opinions in the comments.<br />
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Lets go Islanders!!<br />
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Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05231108194996867004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857122211867520603.post-26937175105143974892013-01-06T20:59:00.000-08:002013-01-06T20:59:05.852-08:002013 Line Combinations<br />
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Earlier this morning, the NHL and NHLPA reached a tentative agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement. Yes, there is still work to be done. All the details need to be looked at, players need to get back to their teams from all around the world. Then, after all of that, only one week of training camp will take place before the NHL season finally gets under way. Take note, NHL rosters have 20 players including 12 forwards, 6 defensemen, and 2 goalies.<br />
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Head coach Jack Capuano is going to have many tough decisions to make. There are a few new Islanders that will need to get used to their new surroundings quickly. Players have been playing on the other side of the world, and some haven't been playing at all. After all is said and done, the season will start. Putting all of the many details aside for now, here are the lines that I think the Islanders will yield when they hit the ice in about two weeks.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Forward Line 1: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlnVgFIX-pM" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Matt Moulson</span></a>---<span style="color: orange;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCYW5aykGM8" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">John </span></a><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAh1bAPtbcQ" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Tavares</span></a>-</span>--<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYybMUGpX7E" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Brad Boyes</span></a></span><br />
Tavares and Moulson have been together since Tavares' rookie season. Since them, they have became one of the best scoring duos in the entire NHL. Tavares has been busy this season, playing on the same team as Mark Streit in the Swiss league. (Click on his name to see a highlight._ Hopefully he won't have any problems adjusting back to New York time. For the past few years, they have usually had PA Parenteau flanking them. However, Parenteau left the Islanders and went to Colorado. Now, the Islanders have Brad Boyes. In 2008-09 with the Blues, Boyes scored 43 goals. The next season, he had 72 points. Unfortunately, over the last two seasons in Buffalo, he has just a combined 13 goals. Boyes has prove he can score at an elite level in the NHL, and I think that playing with the two best offensive weapons on the team will boost Boyes back to relevance.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Forward Line 2: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0r0mH5f2lw" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Michael Grabner</span></a>---<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQdhpUkWZ4M" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Frans Nielsen</span></a>---<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Madjo04tOI" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Kyle Okposo</span></a></span><br />
This line is almost guaranteed to be together. They have been for the past few years, and I don't see anything that will separate them. Although Grabner may have had a sophomore slump, he picked it up toward the end of last season to reach the 20 goal mark. Nielsen is by far the best defensive forward on the team, and combined with his dominance in the shootout, he is the easy pick for the number two center. Kyle Okposo got off to a very slow start last season, not scoring until a month into the season, yet he finished with a career high 24 goals last season, and with a shortened season, I can't see him surpassing the mark. These three will be together, as they have one thing the Isles have lacked over the past few years, chemistry.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Forward Line 3: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q575qjtorwA" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Matt Martin</span></a>---<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr7f7gLhJ2Y" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Josh Bailey</span></a>---<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQrqtOwLAg0" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">David Ullstrom</span></a></span><br />
This line is one that that is not even close to set in stone. Matt Martin signed a new contract minutes before the lockout got underway. He has become a fan favorite for his big hits, and last year he proved that he can score more than just one goal. Martin was never afraid to take contact, or initiate it. He proved even more valuable when he drove to the net and got good shots. Josh Bailey has been playing in the German league, where he had seven points in his first four games. It is doubtful, but if Bailey can keep up a good pace on the Island, the sky is the limit for the former 9th overall pick in the 2008 draft. David Ullstrom is as big a question mark as any on the Islanders. He has been playing with the Isles AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. He was great last year in his time on Long Island, but he may not be completely healthy. He has missed 11 games for the Sound Tigers. However, if he is healthy, he should be in the NHL. These three players, all very young, can be a good line to turn to late in games when Tavares and co. need some rest.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Forward Line 4: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJ4U0eem8xU" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Jesse Joensuu</span></a>---<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIsbtkcr6v0" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Marty Reasoner</span></a>---<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb67mRKXYAM" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Eric Boulton</span></a></span><br />
Guess how many goals the three of these players combined for in the NHL last season? One. One single goal. It was scored by Marty Reasoner. (See link on his name.) Marty Reasoner was a complete bust last season for the Islanders, but I can't see them getting rid of him until the end of his contract. Eric Boulton played in 51 games for the Devils last season, yet he didn't register a single point offensively. He did get 115 penalty minutes though. The Islanders got him because they want him to be the type of player that Zenon Konopka is. A tough, gritty forward, who isn't afraid to drop the gloves with anyone or stand up for a teammate. If you've been following the Islanders for a few years, you probably remember Jesse Joensuu, who played last season in the Swedish league. Joensuu should be on the NHL roster when the season begins, and hopefully his year in Sweden helped him become a better player. This line probably won't produce much offense, but they can change the momentum of the game, with a hit, fight, or big play.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Defense Pairing 1: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWplTgy6l9A" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Mark Streit</span></a>---<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUHBfCxbdMs" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Lubomir Visnovsky</span></a></span><br />
After missing all of the 2010-11 season due to a fluke injury during training camp, Mark Streit came back better than anyone expected him to. He was the leader of the Islanders power play, played in every game, and was by far the Islanders best d-man. Throughout last year, Streit didn't have a great defense partner, so the Islanders went out and got him one on draft day. Over the past decade, Lubomir Visnovsky has been one of the best offensive defensemen in the NHL. An All-Star back in 2007, Visnovsky spent last season with Anaheim where he got 27 points in 68 games. Shortly after he was traded in June, Lubomir filed a grievance with the NHL to have has trade to the Isles voided. Unfortunately for him, he lost that grievance. There are rumors that he may stay in the KHL this season, but if he does, don't be surprised if he gets the Evgeni Nabokov treatment. If he comes to the Island, the duo of Streit and Visnovsky could be one of the best offensively in the NHL, and they could lead the Islanders power play to the top.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Defense Pairing 2: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=oULLmCyYxQc#t=109s" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Travis Hamonic</span></a>---<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Wz81dyuXffg#t=93s" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Andy MacDonald</span></a></span><br />
More question marks with this pairing. Travis Hamonic has been with Bridgeport all season, but he has missed 15 games with an injury. He should be ready to skate next week, and if he is, that would be the best timing. Andy MacDonald has been playing in the Czech league, where he recorded five points ini 21 games. These two have been the best defensive pair for the Isles for the past two seasons. They will be on the Islanders for the next few years, and they are just starting to hit their stride. If healthy, this duo will be on the Island and doing what they've been doing for the past few years.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Defense Pairing 3: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xbfsUuULao" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Matt Carkner</span></a>---<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8ePkZ7TbnU" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Matt Donovan</span></a></span><br />
The Islanders signed Matt Carkner to a three year deal before the lockout. Matt Donovan has played in three NHL games. Unlikely pairing? Yes, they are one. After Carkner, the last defenseman spot is open for the taking, and I believe Donovan is going to take it. He should earn an invite to training camp, and work his way onto the roster. He has 17 points in Bridgeport this season, and he has been healthy for the whole season. Carkner is a very physical player, he had 190 penalty minutes a few seasons ago. Carkner, like Eric Boulton, will provide a physical presence the Islanders have lacked over the past few years. Together, the duo of Matts will be the Isles final pair of defensemen, but this is the one that could change very quickly.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Starting Goalie: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP87eIp_Vmw" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Evgeni Nabokov</span></a></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">Backup Goalie:<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmEfAe9uQog" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;"> Rick DiPietro</span></a></span><br />
Heading into this season, there is absolutely no question who is the starter and who is the backup. DiPietro is starting right bench, so Nabokov will start in goal. If there is one person who can single handedly lead the Islanders, it will be Evgeni Nabokov. He was 19-18-3 last season, ending any goalie controversies on Long Island. If Nabby plays like he did with the Sharks over the past decade, the Isles could be on their way to the playoffs. If I had anything to say about Rick DiPietro, other than a buyout would be a great idea, I would be happy to write it here. Just keep Nabby on the ice, DP on the bench, and I think the Isles should be fine in net this season if they both stay healthy.<br />
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I think such players like Nino Niederreiter, Ryan Strome, Brock Nelson, Griffen Reinhart, and Aaron Ness will not be on the NHL team to start the season. These combinations are based on what the Isles have now, if they make another move, that's out of my control.<br />
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If you are questioning any of these combinations, I'd love to hear from you in the comments. I can't wait for the season to start, and get back to the way things used to be.<br />
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Lets Go Islanders!!!Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05231108194996867004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7857122211867520603.post-17430714467862784962012-10-11T11:18:00.001-07:002012-10-11T11:19:32.183-07:00Opening Night There are two words that can make any sports fan giddy with excitement and joy.<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Opening Night</span><br />
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Tonight <strike>is</strike> was the night the NHL season <strike>will</strike> would have started. Tonight was opening night. The one night of the year when all fans, even us New York Islanders fans, can be anticipating and hoping about the season that we have waited six long months for. It is the one night where all 30 teams are equal. Everybody is 0-0-0 with 0 points.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo Credit: shop.mlb.com </span></span></h4>
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Now, imagine you are at the game. You walk to the gate, hand an usher your ticket with the phrase, "Home Game 1" on it. She gives it back to you. After walking through the turnstile, a different usher hands you a rally towel with the phrase you've waited a while to see written write across the middle, "Opening Night." There is a buzz all around the arena that there won't be for the rest of the season. It's a sell-out and everybody shows up early. You go to your seats for the pre-game warm ups, you see your team out on the ice in person for the first time. That new player they acquired over the off-season looks good in his new uniform. The superstar has his hair (or lack thereof) flowing as he skates around the ice. The goalies are looking great in their pads. They stop everything they face. The veteran skates right past you. You wonder how much he's got left in the tank, whether or not he will be back for another season. He passes a puck to the rookie making his NHL debut. He's got his whole career ahead of him, and you wonder if he will live up to the hype that has been around him. You look across the ice to see the other team. "It's going to be a good game."<br />
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After grabbing some food from the vendor that you missed, you return to your seat well before the start of the game. It's opening night, and they are going to introduce all of the players. First, the lights in the arena dim, a <a href="http://video.islanders.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=0&id=48078&cmpid=embed-share-video" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">video</span></a> is played to get you hyped up. Shortly after that, the spotlight is on as the players are introduced and come skating out of the tunnel one by one. You clap for each one, maybe throwing in a boo or two to the players that you don't like as much. At the end, it's the Captain, the man chosen to try to lead the team to the promise land. He gets the loudest ovation, you cheer loudly for him. Then the public address announcer introduces the coaches, you don't really know who the assistants are, but that doesn't really matter, does it? The visiting team takes the ice and goes to their bench. The referees take the ice, you boo them, but have they done anything wrong yet?<br />
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It's time for the national anthem, and for opening night, there is a flag that covers most of the ice. A famous singer is singing the national anthem. She sings it beautifully, the flag is put away. The starting lineups for both teams are announced. The referee blows the whistle. The centers are at the face-off circle ready for the puck drop. The referee drops the puck. All the waiting is over, the season is upon us. Game on.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Right now, we don't know when exactly will happen. We all know that the NHL is in the third work stoppage in the past 18 years. This is the first of many obstacles us hockey fans will have to overcome. Right now, all we can do is wait and hope. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Thanks for reading. Let's get hockey back!!! </span></div>
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Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05231108194996867004noreply@blogger.com0