Overall, I thought it was a fun game to watch, and not a horrible outing for the Isles once they finally realized they were in a hockey game. But it did reinforce the idea that the Islanders simply need a tougher top 6...and they've needed that since about 2008. The six players combined last night managed to tie the hit total that Martin alone got in 9 minutes of ice time.

Guess I'm in the minority, or even alone, since I didn't think Okposo played bad at all last night. I thought he did a good job creating a little space for Tavares in the third. I was disappointed in Nielsen...every time the physicality picks up in a game, he disappears. Yes, he's an intelligent hockey player, and I'm not expecting him to plow though defensemen, but he has to play at least a little bit bigger. He and Boyes couldn't pass the puck away fast enough all night. Over twenty minutes of ice time and he managed zero shots, zero hits, zero takeaways...c'mon buddy...get involved a little bit -- it's an exciting hockey game out there. Be a part of it. Carkner was another who needed to step it up. You can't be brought in to be a physical presence on D and be credited with zero hits in a game like that...while being sent to the ice like twice a period yourself. It's not like he's making up for it with stellar defensive play.

Strait looked OK, but was a -2...he's just miscast as a number-two d-man. I'm actually happy with him as a player.

I wish the opposition would just wear Evander Kane masks every game, because that's the mean streak I'd love to see Hamonic play with all the time. He's always good, but I think everyone could tell he had more of an edge whenever he was out there against Kane.

I don't get the hate for Hickey either. He had a quiet night defensively (unless you really want to put all the blame on him for the last goal instead of Aucoin, who just made a really bad decision with his attempted pass when he ran out of room), which is good for a guy on the bottom pair playing his first game, and offensively, despite only getting about 12 minutes of ice time, he was tied for the most shots on net.

Ullstrom put a solid 60 minutes together. I thought AMac was OK, too. Some mistakes, but they played the guy for over 28 minutes last night. And he finished a +1. I'll take it.

Grabner looked good, but he's going to need new linemates unless Boyes and Nielsen do more to create room for him than they've done the last two games.
- UIF

Your points on Frans are right on UIF. Frans and Boyes are softies. Carkner with zero hits should never happen. I think Ullstrom needs a look at the top line. I have no complaints with Grabner. Hickey I want to see more of. I'm not ready to give up on him because of the last goal. No question Strait is miscast as a #2.[/img]

Been like this for far too long. The orginization is not committed to winning, it filters down to the players.
- Cptmjl

Agreed... when two weeks ago Snow brings in other teams cast offs...they should have been bringing up Nino, Nelson and Donovan...from their so-called great farm system Snow produced...

after 5 games i'm encouraged by the team showing the ability to come back in a game and score some goals. I'm discouraged by the number of prime scoring opportunities they've been giving up, and last night I'd blame the lack of zone coverage from the forwards rather than the defensemen. JT's line has been quite bad defensively and have put a lot of pressure on their defensemen by not covering the opposing center or defensemen at the points.

They're going to have to straighten this out quickly or one of these games they're going to get shredded for 7 or 8 goals.

Strait is a keeper. Really focused on watching him last night just to see how he was playing and right now he's as solid a defensive defenseman as we've had in a few seasons. He's going unnoticed because he doesn't make silly mistakes.

KO needs to take a step down to the second or third line.

after 5 games i'm encouraged by the team showing the ability to come back in a game and score some goals. I'm discouraged by the number of prime scoring opportunities they've been giving up, and last night I'd blame the lack of zone coverage from the forwards rather than the defensemen. JT's line has been quite bad defensively and have put a lot of pressure on their defensemen by not covering the opposing center or defensemen at the points.

They're going to have to straighten this out quickly or one of these games they're going to get shredded for 7 or 8 goals.

Strait is a keeper. Really focused on watching him last night just to see how he was playing and right now he's as solid a defensive defenseman as we've had in a few seasons. He's going unnoticed because he doesn't make silly mistakes.

KO needs to take a step down to the second or third line.
- Isles_since_6

I love the offense fom JT and Moulson but the are horrible on D. Forwards as a whole are not getting it done on D. KO needs to drop down and drop out of the team if he does not pick it up soon.

Agreed... when two weeks ago Snow brings in other teams cast offs...they should have been bringing up Nino, Nelson and Donovan...from their so-called great farm system Snow produced...
- kear20

Since it was widely agreed within the organization that guys like Nino, Nelson and Donovan needed a bit more development, I'm okay with the retreads for now. We knew we weren't going to sign guys like Nash etc this year so it was important to fill a few more empty roles and wait to bring those kids up when they were ready. Nino is showing very good signs and will be up before the seasons over. Donovan will get a look or two as well. I'd prefer we don't 'Josh Bailey' these kids. I'm not impressed by Boyes thus far but Aucoin has been pretty damn good.

after 5 games i'm encouraged by the team showing the ability to come back in a game and score some goals. I'm discouraged by the number of prime scoring opportunities they've been giving up, and last night I'd blame the lack of zone coverage from the forwards rather than the defensemen. JT's line has been quite bad defensively and have put a lot of pressure on their defensemen by not covering the opposing center or defensemen at the points.

They're going to have to straighten this out quickly or one of these games they're going to get shredded for 7 or 8 goals.

Strait is a keeper. Really focused on watching him last night just to see how he was playing and right now he's as solid a defensive defenseman as we've had in a few seasons. He's going unnoticed because he doesn't make silly mistakes.

KO needs to take a step down to the second or third line.
- Isles_since_6

The Islanders need to promote Donovan and Nino now...after tonight's AHL All Star game both should report to Pittsburgh. Finley and McDonald should be sent to Bridgeport. If Buffalo wants Finley back they can have him.

Agreed... when two weeks ago Snow brings in other teams cast offs...they should have been bringing up Nino, Nelson and Donovan...from their so-called great farm system Snow produced...
- kear20

Nelson's only in his first year as a pro...and when camp started, he was just coming back from having a broken jaw, and hasn't been lighting the world on fire since. It'll probably take him a little bit to get back on track.

Our top six going into the season was set at Moulson, Tavares, Okposo, Grabner, Nielsen, Boyes. None of the "castoff" waiver pickups are taking Nino's spot on the team. He has to take a spot from one of those top-six players...and the way Cappy's starting to sound, he may get a look sooner than later. But those six were going to get their chance to start the season. I'd rather see Nino play in all situations getting top-line minutes in the AHL than get 10 or 12 minutes in a bottom-six role on the Island.

I'm not sure what folks expect out of Donovan, but I don't think right now he's going to be a player that'll make Strait look like a minor leaguer or anything like that. I'm sure he'll get a look too once the 30 days passes and the Isles can shuffle Strait, Hickey and Finley around between BPort and the NHL. I really don't see the issue with bringing in the depth they brought in. It'll be good having Donovan fight it out with those guys for time in the NHL. Nothing wrong with some competition.

We did the tough task of coming back and taken a 2 goal lead last night in game. How is it this team cant execute maintaining at lead with 10 mins to play.
Granted the Bfuglien shot was a blast, the 4th goal was soft.

We need a win in Pitt or NJ this week to make this a successful trip. 2 wins would be incredible but asking for alot.

I disagree on KO, i think he has been very good as of late.
I get this McDonald kid at foward is just a place holder but he really brings nothing to table. Also if we blowing 2 goal lead, Clearly Reasoner is not doing his veteran job.

Boulton should be waived. you would thing the guy would bring some intensity given he was on the bench for 2 games. Instead it look like he was in a public skating session at a local Ice rink.

Hickey will get better with each game. SO he was on ice for GWG guy by Kane but they were trying to win it on other end prior to that. We dominated OT but Winnepeg made the best of their only chance.

Can you guys stop with bringing NINO up. Nino isnt even helping Bridgeport Win. They drop the last two games and got shut out this weekend.

Keith Aucoin playing same situation as NINO last year on 3rd and 4th line.
He has 3 goals in 5 games. Nino had 1G in 55 games.

Nino is not ready for the big boys yet. He still a boy. He needs to learn how to be a man.

JT just doesn't care anymore. Who can blame him. Moulson and KO are useless help. I will say it again bring back PA
- mighty13duck

knee jerk reactions...LOVE EM!!!!!

n all fairness I meant no disrespect to JT. I was more referring to his linemates frustrating him.
- mighty13duck

hahahahahahahaha

knee jerk reactions!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hickey gets caught joining the rush and then can't catch his man, Kane. Total shame since the kid played very well otherwise
- keaner17

eh, hickey can join the rush...aucoin blew it.

Boyes does not deserve the spot either. I think he may put Ullstrom up and move Boyes to third line.
- mighty13duck

not sure what youre watching but boyes has been very solid.

i would be ok with ullstrom or martin on the top line as well.

KO sucks and doesnt belong alongside JT and MM, slowing them down.

Capuano is playing who he feels deserves it. I don't know about Hickey, but Aucoin and Strait have been solid. Carkner brings muscle but he's a traffic cone out there.
- potvin05

yup, said this last week and got jumped for it but ill give the guy some more time.

if the defense stays the way it is right now than when Vis returns, carkner may be in trouble.

eh, hickey can join the rush...aucoin blew it.
- LetsGoIsles

Definitely was more Aucoin's fault, the moment he fanned on the pass, the play was broken. I do wish Hickey had stayed just a touch further up, but there's no harm in going for broke in NHL overtime.

Overall, I thought it was a fun game to watch, and not a horrible outing for the Isles once they finally realized they were in a hockey game. But it did reinforce the idea that the Islanders simply need a tougher top 6...and they've needed that since about 2008. The six players combined last night managed to tie the hit total that Martin alone got in 9 minutes of ice time.

Guess I'm in the minority, or even alone, since I didn't think Okposo played bad at all last night. I thought he did a good job creating a little space for Tavares in the third. I was disappointed in Nielsen...every time the physicality picks up in a game, he disappears. Yes, he's an intelligent hockey player, and I'm not expecting him to plow though defensemen, but he has to play at least a little bit bigger. He and Boyes couldn't pass the puck away fast enough all night. Over twenty minutes of ice time and he managed zero shots, zero hits, zero takeaways...c'mon buddy...get involved a little bit -- it's an exciting hockey game out there. Be a part of it. Carkner was another who needed to step it up. You can't be brought in to be a physical presence on D and be credited with zero hits in a game like that...while being sent to the ice like twice a period yourself. It's not like he's making up for it with stellar defensive play.

Strait looked OK, but was a -2...he's just miscast as a number-two d-man. I'm actually happy with him as a player.

I wish the opposition would just wear Evander Kane masks every game, because that's the mean streak I'd love to see Hamonic play with all the time. He's always good, but I think everyone could tell he had more of an edge whenever he was out there against Kane.

I don't get the hate for Hickey either. He had a quiet night defensively (unless you really want to put all the blame on him for the last goal instead of Aucoin, who just made a really bad decision with his attempted pass when he ran out of room), which is good for a guy on the bottom pair playing his first game, and offensively, despite only getting about 12 minutes of ice time, he was tied for the most shots on net.

Ullstrom put a solid 60 minutes together. I thought AMac was OK, too. Some mistakes, but they played the guy for over 28 minutes last night. And he finished a +1. I'll take it.

Grabner looked good, but he's going to need new linemates unless Boyes and Nielsen do more to create room for him than they've done the last two games.
- UIF

We'll just make this our next blog and call it a day minus the Okposo part

after 5 games i'm encouraged by the team showing the ability to come back in a game and score some goals. I'm discouraged by the number of prime scoring opportunities they've been giving up, and last night I'd blame the lack of zone coverage from the forwards rather than the defensemen. JT's line has been quite bad defensively and have put a lot of pressure on their defensemen by not covering the opposing center or defensemen at the points.

They're going to have to straighten this out quickly or one of these games they're going to get shredded for 7 or 8 goals.

Strait is a keeper. Really focused on watching him last night just to see how he was playing and right now he's as solid a defensive defenseman as we've had in a few seasons. He's going unnoticed because he doesn't make silly mistakes.

KO needs to take a step down to the second or third line.
- Isles_since_6

I am too. This is something they haven't been able to do for some time.

Definitely was more Aucoin's fault, the moment he fanned on the pass, the play was broken. I do wish Hickey had stayed just a touch further up, but there's no harm in going for broke in NHL overtime.
- keaner17

exactly...i was actually really impressed with hickey. kid was positioned well throughout the game. put shots on net. took his man.

he wont be physical, isnt built that way, but i like this pick up by garth. SIGNIFICANTLY better than finley, i dont want to see that guy for a long time.

exactly...i was actually really impressed with hickey. kid was positioned well throughout the game. put shots on net. took his man.

he wont be physical, isnt built that way, but i like this pick up by garth. SIGNIFICANTLY better than finley, i dont want to see that guy for a long time.
- LetsGoIsles

Finley still looks like he needs to grow into his frame. Consider him a long term project. I thought Hickey played well last night. He seemed responsible and actually aggressive in keeping the puck in the offensive zone (I wish more of our dmen were like that). He made good fast decisions and even did a nice job battling Antropov in the corner once or twice.

not sure what youre watching but boyes has been very solid.i would be ok with ullstrom or martin on the top line as well.

KO sucks and doesnt belong alongside JT and MM, slowing them down.
- LetsGoIsles

Don't agree at all. Been a liability in our end and is a hanger

Finley still looks like he needs to grow into his frame. Consider him a long term project. I thought Hickey played well last night. He seemed responsible and actually aggressive in keeping the puck in the offensive zone (I wish more of our dmen were like that). He made good fast decisions and even did a nice job battling Antropov in the corner once or twice.
- keaner17

Antropov and Bumistrov were wrecking crews yesterday

Don't agree at all. Been a liability in our end and is a hanger
- Cptmjl

You can see why he has not been the big scorer anymore. He needs to get more involved.

You can see why he has not been the big scorer anymore. He needs to get more involved.
- ses111

Exactly, the guy has been out of position more often than not and out of the play.

Antropov and Bumistrov were wrecking crews yesterday
- Cptmjl

Ugh...it was horrible watching every player we had bounce off of those two all night.

Dont know if this has been posted. And maybe no one cares!

But Wade Redden has already scored 2 goals since joining The Blues!