*sigh*


XxNYIxX

The good news, insofar as the goaltender is concerned, is that he moved far better both laterally and vertically than he has in five years. In fairness, the guy HAS TO BE rusty, so I'll give him that. His glove hand was cr*p, but it always has been, so I'm not too worried about that- he's managed OK in the past, using it as a blocker. What I won't give him are these two things, as they are a recurring theme, and they are his doing, exclusively:

1. What the he*l is with the blind, backhand passes behind the net? I keep waiting for the day that he realizes that HE is behind the net and HE is the goalie, therefore it's best that he does not give the puck away. It's nice that the other team doesn't know what you're going to do. When your own team has no idea, it is a disaster waiting to happen.

2. On the third Boston goal- it's bad enough that all of those big bodies are in front of the net. When you drop down in a low butterfly BEFORE the shot is taken, you go from a situation where "it's hard" for you to see the puck to a situation where the only thing you see is the Boston player's a*s in front of your face, and nothing else. You could actually see Chara lean to his left and say, "hmmm....looks like they must have pulled the goalie," before shooting it into the empty upper corner of the net.....and there's the goalie, on his knees, with that look on his face like someone just hit him over the head with a frying pan, as the puck comes rolling out from the other side of the net...wait, what just happened?

At any rate, if he can figure that out, and shake the rust, he might be an adequate backup, albeit an expensive one.

Now....all of that being said....a couple of things- they have too many big bodies, and they just wore the Isles down. Completely ran out of gas in the third period, and against a team like that....well, that's pretty much what they wait for. We just don't have enough size ANYWHERE to compete with them, especially in the second half of a back to back. This is why I've been saying we need a couple of big defensemen for a long time now- I'll take my chances that my speed will get you at the other end of the ice, but in my own end, I need some people who can stop the onslaught.

PS- For once I agree with you who beat on Okposo every game. I thought he'd played pretty well thus far, but he was useless last night- a kid his age shouldn't be seemingly out of gas in the second period of the second game of a back to back. On one shift, he was literally running around in circles trying to play defense....basically doing a whole lot of nothing. DiPietro also sent him a perfect lead pass that should have made for a two on one, and he was asleep at the wheel. Very bad game for him.....he was one of the absentees Capuano was talking about in the post game, I have no doubt of that one.

The Isles should have signed Gomez and Redden.

Mr. Black you are an idiot!

Now....all of that being said....a couple of things- they have too many big bodies, and they just wore the Isles down. Completely ran out of gas in the third period, and against a team like that....well, that's pretty much what they wait for. We just don't have enough size ANYWHERE to compete with them, especially in the second half of a back to back. This is why I've been saying we need a couple of big defensemen for a long time now- I'll take my chances that my speed will get you at the other end of the ice, but in my own end, I need some people who can stop the onslaught.

PS- For once I agree with you who beat on Okposo every game. I thought he'd played pretty well thus far, but he was useless last night- a kid his age shouldn't be seemingly out of gas in the second period of the second game of a back to back. On one shift, he was literally running around in circles trying to play defense....basically doing a whole lot of nothing. DiPietro also sent him a perfect lead pass that should have made for a two on one, and he was asleep at the wheel. Very bad game for him.....he was one of the absentees Capuano was talking about in the post game, I have no doubt of that one.
- dcb1

Spot on my good man! Any and all talk of DP will go away by the time he has 3-4 games under his belt his glass hip will shatter.

I thought we going to sneak away with at least a point last night. That unfortunate bounce then the guy left completely open by Finley cost is the game. I say it's time to give hickey a shot.

As for dp. I can't say we lost because of him but he most certainly didn't steal the game for us either. He looks alittle shakey early on and looked better as game went on. I still have a problem with him overplaying the puck. I know the dmen don't like it. It ruins the isles system. Use it occasionally but no need for him to go play every puck.

Let's regroup and get 2 points in Winnipeg

Interesting tweet by Dreger..

Darren Dreger @DarrenDreger 44m
Little or no progress made in PK Subban contract negotiations. Habs firm on 2 year deal, roughly $5 mil total. Offer sheet? Trade? Options.

Snow needs to be aggressive on this...Subban and a trade for Stephen Weiss could mean playoffs for Islanders... ...Only Boston, Philly, Rag$, Pitt and maybe NJ (because of Brodeur) are better...the rest of teams in the east, the Islanders can play with...

1 hour to train, plus drive to train station, plus you have to hope to be able to catch a certain train to make it there in time. Plus waiting for a train at Jamaica to and from. Don't get me wrong, I'll still go to games but not nearly at the rate I go now. It's less than one hour round trip for me from Suffolk now. In Brooklyn it will be between 2:30-3 hours round trip
- Isles316

Nope, Ive done it before to see concerts... 1hr each way.

I live 5mins from 2 train stations... They have said that they will make more trains available when games are scheduled, so there wont be that long a wait plus I waited no more then 5-10 mins at Jamaica for the train. I went to the home opener this year and it took me over 20mins to get out of the parking lot and over an hour to get home and I live in Huntington. (took me 20mins to get there, left a little early to ahave a few beers of course)

It will vbe a lot easier then you think.

It's nice to have hope
- Cptmjl

If you dont have hope... then why watch and root for this team.

I dont care if you and I were on this team... Im a diehardand will always have hope.

Nope, Ive done it before to see concerts... 1hr each way.

I live 5mins from 2 train stations... They have said that they will make more trains available when games are scheduled, so there wont be that long a wait plus I waited no more then 5-10 mins at Jamaica for the train. I went to the home opener this year and it took me over 20mins to get out of the parking lot and over an hour to get home and I live in Huntington. (took me 20mins to get there, left a little early to ahave a few beers of course)

It will vbe a lot easier then you think.
- Bags502

My girlfriend works at LIU Brooklyn, we can walk to northport train station or drive to Huntington. It's 1.5 hours door to door for her. It's not that it isn't easy. Its just a lot longer travel time. As I said, I'll go to plenty of games in Brooklyn, but not the 30+ I go to now

Interesting tweet by Dreger..

Darren Dreger @DarrenDreger 44m
Little or no progress made in PK Subban contract negotiations. Habs firm on 2 year deal, roughly $5 mil total. Offer sheet? Trade? Options.

Snow needs to be aggressive on this...Subban and a trade for Stephen Weiss could mean playoffs for Islanders... ...Only Boston, Philly, Rag$, Pitt and maybe NJ (because of Brodeur) are better...the rest of teams in the east, the Islanders can play with...
- kear20

Mr. Black you are an idiot!
- Oglethorpe72

ok...

so the St. Louis Blues, one of the best teams in the league signed Redden and the Sharks with loads of talent signed Gomez. Signing those guys can only make your team better.

Good day sir.

ok...

so the St. Louis Blues, one of the best teams in the league signed Redden and the Sharks with loads of talent signed Gomez. Signing those guys can only make your team better.

Good day sir.
- Mr.Black

you realize that the players get to choose which the team they want to play for

Interesting tweet by Dreger..

Darren Dreger @DarrenDreger 44m
Little or no progress made in PK Subban contract negotiations. Habs firm on 2 year deal, roughly $5 mil total. Offer sheet? Trade? Options.

Snow needs to be aggressive on this...Subban and a trade for Stephen Weiss could mean playoffs for Islanders... ...Only Boston, Philly, Rag$, Pitt and maybe NJ (because of Brodeur) are better...the rest of teams in the east, the Islanders can play with...
- kear20

Montreal can have KO. This guy continues to come up small. The needed him especially against Boston. I think KO was one of the guys Jack was talking about. Boyes is another guy who needs to be willing to go to the tough spots like Matt Moulson and not jsut once in a while. Streit is another guy I would not mind seeing gone.

Montreal can have KO. This guy continues to come up small. The needed him especially against Boston. I think KO was one of the guys Jack was talking about. Boyes is another guy who needs to be willing to go to the tough spots like Matt Moulson. Streit is another guy I would not mind seeing gone.
- ses111

I would think Streit, Visnovski (if he shows up), Boyes, Nabokov and maybe Bailey will all be available at the trade deadline if the Isles are out of it...

you realize that the players get to choose which the team they want to play for
- NYI78

I'm guessing that being an Islanders fan he has got that down already?

I would think Streit, Visnovski (if he shows up), Boyes, Nabokov and maybe Bailey will all be available at the trade deadline if the Isles are out of it...
- kear20

I would add KO to that list. I would like to see how Bailey does on his return. If it is the same up and down Bailey he can go to.

Okposo is going to hurt JTs stats this year. JT needs someone who can set up the puck for him. He cant be the only one setting everything up while being surrounded by 3 defenders.

Montreal can have KO. This guy continues to come up small. The needed him especially against Boston. I think KO was one of the guys Jack was talking about. Boyes is another guy who needs to be willing to go to the tough spots like Matt Moulson and not jsut once in a while. Streit is another guy I would not mind seeing gone.
- ses111

tavares hasn't exaclty been dominant so far this season...why is okposo the scapegoat for all this teams issues??? don't get me wrong i'm not part of his fan club..if a deal was there i would consider it..i just don't understand the beating he takes...was ko great last night?? no..but most of the team wasnt good

I would add KO to that list. I would like to see how Bailey does on his return. If it is the same up and down Bailey he can go to.
- ses111

give bailey a shot on the top line..put okposo with aucoin and ullstrom

if we are out of it.. streit..viz..bailey and okposo could all be expendable especially if it could land a quality defensman

Interesting tweet by Dreger..

Darren Dreger @DarrenDreger 44m
Little or no progress made in PK Subban contract negotiations. Habs firm on 2 year deal, roughly $5 mil total. Offer sheet? Trade? Options.

Snow needs to be aggressive on this...Subban and a trade for Stephen Weiss could mean playoffs for Islanders... ...Only Boston, Philly, Rag$, Pitt and maybe NJ (because of Brodeur) are better...the rest of teams in the east, the Islanders can play with...
- kear20

Philly is already talking to Montreal about Subban. Holmgren won't let this guy go by if he wants him, especially to a team like the NYI. He is dumb enough to throw a a huge offer sheet at him or throw more then what is needed in a trade to get him.
Also, LA has also been looking for defense and might not let this guy go by without a fight. Snow does not have the experience or credibility to compete with those two or make a deal with a team like Montreal for one of their best players.
Hope I'm wrong but enough already, the Isles are not getting him.

give bailey a shot on the top line..put okposo with aucoin and ullstrom
- NYI78

I wonder what Bailey's playing shape will be when he reutrns in almost a month from now.

Vis also keeps delaying his grand debut here. Supposed to be another week tacked on to his delay

tavares hasn't exaclty been dominant so far this season...why is okposo the scapegoat for all this teams issues??? don't get me wrong i'm not part of his fan club..if a deal was there i would consider it..i just don't understand the beating he takes...was ko great last night?? no..but most of the team wasnt good
- NYI78

Being sorrounded by 3 and 4 defenders at a time with no help gets difficult. He needs a puck distributor. PA??

give bailey a shot on the top line..put okposo with aucoin and ullstrom
- NYI78

I agree. I've seen enough from KO on the top line unless he is willing to bring it each game. Jack really needs to be willing to sit guys. He seemed unhappy with some guys last nigt so do not put out the same lineup Sunday.