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Happy, but Guarded Update 10:53 am

April 24, 2013, 10:57 PM ET [217 Comments]
Dee Karl
New York Islanders Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Thurs, 10:53 am: Kevin Poulin gets the start tonight for the Isles in Philly. Now this should REALLY be interesting.

Wed., 10 pm: The Islanders have clinched a playoff spot for the first time since April of 2007. I am happy for them. Very. But I remain guardedly optimistic as I have been through this before. Five games in 2007 and in 2004, when I was positive I would be heading to Tampa to see a playoff game, I watched the Isles playoff dream and my own come crashing to the ground in Overtime on April 16, 2004.

I think I cried for days. I don’t want that to happen again. But then, I’m pretty sure neither do any of the players.

This team is different. Perhaps it’s the new found maturity of Josh Bailey. He has grown up on this team. Perhaps planted on it too early and having his share of troubles and doubters. Kyle Okposo has done the same. The stocky kid with the winning smile has had his good and bad moments during the past five years. But he’s never had a moment where he stood on the door step of the playoffs.

Yes, ’the kids are alright.’ So many on this current roster have come through the Bridgeport system, ten of the 20 that were on the bench during Tuesday’s game. Yes, born in Bridgeport.

Just the way that Garth Snow had planned it. Patience is a virtue. That man seems to have an abundance of it. But it’s not just the patience to let players grow into their prime. It’s also knowing his team well enough to pluck the right guys off the waiver wire or in a trade.

The same man who told me his first year as GM that so many other general managers looked to ’pick his pockets’ during that year’s trade deadline has turned into a shrewd shopper. But it’s not just the smart pick-ups that have made this version of the NY Islanders so special. Certainly a case can be made for the improved home grown defense and the beneficial addition of Lubomir Visnovsky, but the key element to the team is of course John Tavares.

The Canadian super-star that landed in the Islanders lap because of misfortune has turned that fortune around -- just like it was planned.

Patience is indeed a virtue. Isles fans have been patient enough, and next week as the NHL lottery is televised, they can rejoice for a change. For this time, the Isles won’t be in it.

Isles vs. Flyers on Thursday and this won’t be a ‘gimme’ for either team. The Isles won’t let up, and while the Flyers can’t play spoiler to them, they can make their lives a little more difficult. The Isles have won the last two games against the Flyers which has basically shocked them. They have a staggering amount of injuries while the Isles roster is healthy.

While this game may not have the same panic factor as the game against Carolina, it should still be interesting, especially for those at the Paramount in Huntington.








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