Your (Former) New York Islanders

Watching the NHL playoffs is always exciting. If your team is playing, it only increases the intensity. When your team isn't playing, watching the hockey playoffs seems like watching a multi-act Broadway show at some points. The drama, intensity, excitement, and thrill all seem to increase because as many athletes have said before, "The playoffs are when the real season starts." The first round of this year's playoffs have been spectacular, unless your team has been eliminated. Game 7's, many overtimes, and great goals have been the story. There has been one team that has stood out to me the most so far, and it is the Tampa Bay Lightning.

You are probably thinking, "Why Tampa Bay?"

Well, first of all they came back from a 3-1 deficit to the Penguins, winning 3 in a row, including a game 7 epic in Pittsburgh, in which their goalie, former Islander Dwayne "Rollie the Goalie" Roloson, stopped every shot faced and another former Islander, Sean Bergenheim got the only goal, which you can see below. Roloson's biggest save came when another former Islander, Nate Thompson, was sitting in the penalty box for a late penalty.



Remember Dwayne Roloson? The Islanders had him for all of last season and for most of this season until a New Year's day trade to the Lightning for D-Man Ty Wishart. With all due respect to Wishart, I think Tampa Bay got the better end of that trade.

This seems to be so typical of former Islanders, leave LI and succeed, just ask these guys.
Best of Luck to Rollie the Goalie and the rest of the former Islanders in this year's playoffs. Congrats to the Lightning on their epic win. Keep enjoying the game everyone.

Lets Go Islanders!!

Unbelievable

Reading the capitals website's preview about last night's game got me sick. See for yourself and then you will know what I mean.

C'mon man. The Isles have not worn a fisherman logo for about 15 years now. Hopefully we will never have to see it again, ever. The Caps need to get with the program.

Lets Go Islanders

The Real 3 Stars of Friday's Game

We all know what happened between the Islanders and Penguins on Friday night at Nassau Coliseum.
The 3 stars of the game were listed as:
     1. John Tavares
     2. Matt Moulson
     3. Michael Grabner

These three players are deserving of the three stars. If I had my picks, they would be a little different.

Third Star: Mikko Koskinen
A day after going through an emotional up and down and earning his first NHL victory, Mikko Koskinen was thrown back into the fire against the Penguins. He stepped up big time and made 35 saves on 38 shots for his second NHL win in 2 days. One of those 35 saves is this one, which may possibly be the save of the year.



Second Star: Travis Hamonic
Kudos to Travis. The rookie d-man showed that he could compete with the best of them on Friday night when he got a Gordie Howe Hat Trick. (For those of you that don't know, that is when a player gets a goal, assist, and gets in a fight in the same game.) He started off with a blast of a shot for the first Isles goal. An assist on a great pass to PA Parenteau, who simply redirected it home for the Islanders 3rd goal. To cap off the Gordie Howe trick, Hamonic got into a nice tussle with Michael Rupp during the second period. Congrats Travis, you deserve second star of the game.

























First Star: Micheal Haley
Micheal Haley, what is there to say about him? Friday night's was his first game of the season, and to leave with the fans chanting your name, that is something. In the first period, Haley got into a fight with Craig Adams, one of Pittsburgh's better fighters, and he clearly won that fight no contest. In the second period, he scored his first NHL goal, and it was a beauty, as you can see below.



Then, to finish off his day, he got into a fight with Islander enemy Maxime Talbot, won, and then skated down to the other end of the ice and took punches at Islanders enemy #1, Brent Johnson. And, he wanted to take on the whole Penguins team, or what was left of it, as he was being escorted out by the referee.
















Micheal Haley, great statement in your first game of the season. You are the First star.

Now, for your viewing pleasure, because I can't seem to get enough of it.
A Hockey Game.   Friday Night Fights Featuring The Isles and Penguins.
Lets Go Islanders!

Knock, Knock, Anybody Home?

I have absolutely no idea what is happening. But the Islanders have just won 2 of their last 3 games and recording at least a point in each one. And the best part about this is that they were all close games. When earlier it seemed that the Islanders could not figure out a way to win, they are figuring out ways to win now. Yes, it is only 2 wins, but they are 2 hard earned wins and 5 hard earned points. Let us take a look at these last 3 games because there may not be too many more bright spots soon.

Game 1: Ducks @ Islanders. (photos from sports.yahoo.com)


The Islanders score 3 goals in under 2 minutes, and cling to a 1 goal victory. Great goaltending by Rick DiPietro and solid defense kept the Ducks out of the net when it mattered most.

Former Islander Jason Blake is smashed by Milan Jurcina
Thanks for leaving Jason. We don't miss you. 

P.A. Parenteau Celebrates his goal.


Game 2: Coyotes @ Islanders

To see a video of this fight, click HERE.

Michael Grabner celebrates a goal. Yeah,
he scored while falling down. This is the first luck
I have seen the Isles get in a while. 

Gillies connects.

Although the Islanders didn't win this game, as a matter of fact, they blew the lead with 1:28 left. (See video.) They played hard for the full 60 minutes and overtime, and rookie goalie Nathan Lawson showed some promise. They may need that promise if DP can't suit up again soon. The Isles didn't lose the game, they just got unlucky in the shootout. No big deal.

Game 3: Lightning @ Islanders

The red-hot Tampa Bay Lightning just came into town today. They took an early lead, and thanks to another P.A. Parenteau goal, the Islanders tied the game late in the 2nd period. Dwayne Roloson, at age 41, had a spectacular game in net. The big finish would be when John Tavares, breaking out of his recent slide, scores the winner past Lightning goalie Dan Ellis in overtime and sends the few fans at Nassau Coliseum into a frenzy. This is the win I personally was looking for, a grind-it-out defensive game where a play in front of the net decides the game. John Tavares parked in front of the net, and didn't leave until the puck was in the net. He was like a basketball player boxing out for a rebound. The now hot Islanders cooled off the Lightning.

3 games. 2 wins. 5 points. That's all is in the standings. But in reality, it is a huge victory for Jack Capuano, who can possibly have 3 great goaltenders, if they are all healthy. The young team is starting to gel. Hopefully it keeps on happening, because I am liking what I am seeing for once. 

Happy Holidays!

Lets Go Islanders!!!!