|
Isles Shut Out by Panthers |
|
|
|
|
|
And that’s FIVE. Hopefully that will be the last loss for awhile. Maybe the entire idea of trying to make the playoffs was a bit too much pressure for them. But they have to be able to score more than one goal a game. Especially now.
The Islanders power play was 0 for four with ten shots. If you can’t score five on five, you HAVE to be able to score when you’re a man up. The Islanders could not. So this loss does not sit on Rick DiPietro’s shoulders. It sits on the entire team.
This is not the time to fall apart, as the Isles are doing. Look at what Brian Burke just did today to shake up the Hockey world. In this industry of “What have you done for me lately?”, even on this team, almost no one will be safe from trade possibilities. Sure, John Tavares will be an Islander for as long as they can keep him and Kyle Okposo won’t be in anything but an Isles sweater for a long time. But personally I can’t think of anyone else that I can say that about on this team.
Scott Gordon, trying not to give Vokoun too much credit for his shut out, explained his team’s frustration with the loss. “They are always frustrating when you don’t win. Tonight, more obviously, we had two good periods and we put 33 shots toward the net. The biggest problem is we’re missing the net trying to be too fine.”
That may be, but they are also just missing opportunities. John Tavares fanned on a shot right in front of Vokoun when he lost sight of the puck. That would have been huge had he scored.
The Panthers blocked 21 Islanders shots. Streit, Gervais and Nielsen each had 4 shots on net, but Kyle Okposo had 4 of his shots blocked and 2 got through to Vokoun, but none of them went passed him. Okposo was responsible for one goal though. The one that Leopold got by DiPietro while Kyle sat in the box for a high sticking call late in the first.
What Gordon didn’t say was something Billy Jaffe did. There was no one in front of the net a lot of the time and their positioning was off.
Scott did say that in the three games in four days they have played, the third period has been their best. So their stamina level is good, but their frustration level is growing in leaps and bounds. Hopefully, with a few days off in Florida before playing the Lightning on Thursday they can clear their heads and get back to basics.
Like basically finding the back of the net.
Also: A special tribute to a hockey dad.
Celebrating Local Hockey Heroes Day
Well, I wore my jersey to work on Friday. I dragged my friends to the rink in Philly on Saturday. Today is Celebrate Local Hockey Heroes Day for Hockey Across America weekend.
While I do not really know of any local hockey heroes, I would like to pay tribute today to someone who was responsible for giving Hockey on of it’s most recognizable monuments.
Jack Ronald Carlson passed away this week at the age of 82. While you may not know his name, if you are a hockey fan, you are familiar with his sons, the Carlson brothers from Slap Shot fame.
Jack Carlson never played hockey, but he was instrumental in his son’s careers. When Steve Carlson was born, there were five children under the age of five in the Carlson household. Jack didn’t have time to skate or play hockey, but he found the time to build a hockey rink and make his own Zamboni so his sons could play in the -22 degree Minnesota winter days. So cold were those Minnesota winters that the Carlson boys could put their skates on at home and skate up the block to the rink.
“He was a tough man.“ who had four sons playing hockey. Four AMERICAN sons playing hockey when the league was mostly Canadian. Brother Mike Carlson went on to play basketball, but Steve, Jeff and Jack all dreamt of making a living playing hockey. While they are very proud of the movie that is a staple of every hockey fan’s collection, Steve is most proud of playing with his brothers in the WHA.
When the three brothers went to the Minnesota Fighting Saints tryout, they scored 36 goals on 54 shifts. All that skating on that outdoor rink paid off.
I asked him what was the best advice his father ever gave him and he said “In high school, my senior year, I would get two or three goals and I would always look to pass it off because I didn’t want to be a selfish player. He told me ’These guys you’re playing with aren’t going anywhere, think of yourself. Be what you can be, don’t wait for anybody. Go. Play for yourself.”
While that may seem like a non-hockey, team sport, mantra it is actually the way most parents build self confidence in their children so they can fulfill their dreams. It worked.
New York Islanders Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»