How can you justify scratching Joensuu st this point? He's played pretty damn aggressive and chipped in on the offensive side of things too
- potvin05

It was one game. I think it was fine dressing Carkner and Boulton for one game. Just like it was fine starting Poulin for one game. The lineup will be back to normal tonight.

This team has been in playoff mode for over a month. Even the most experienced playoff teams would have a bit of a let down at this point, after being full throttle for six weeks, then clinching a spot with two games to go. Its fine that they're a bit off right now, as long as they're ready to go for game 1 of the playoffs.

It was one game. I think it was fine dressing Carkner and Boulton for one game. Just like it was fine starting Poulin for one game. The lineup will be back to normal tonight.

This team has been in playoff mode for over a month. Even the most experienced playoff teams would have a bit of a let down at this point, after being full throttle for six weeks, then clinching a spot with two games to go. Its fine that they're a bit off right now, as long as they're ready to go for game 1 of the playoffs.
- Jethro09

Agreed and well stated. Just annoying that last nights loss, the first regulation loss all month, cost them better seeding. But yes, still a great run and its tough to get mad at them for any reason. Just frustrated with Cappys decision to put useless Boulton in the lineup and he takes yet another dumb penalty and yet another goal is scored on the penalty he takes.

Agreed and well stated. Just annoying that last nights loss, the first regulation loss all month, cost them better seeding. But yes, still a great run and its tough to get mad at them for any reason. Just frustrated with Cappys decision to put useless Boulton in the lineup and he takes yet another dumb penalty and yet another goal is scored on the penalty he takes.
- NewYawkIslandez

The guy is worthless, he does'nt offer anything to the lineup really.

Agreed and well stated. Just annoying that last nights loss, the first regulation loss all month, cost them better seeding. But yes, still a great run and its tough to get mad at them for any reason. Just frustrated with Cappys decision to put useless Boulton in the lineup and he takes yet another dumb penalty and yet another goal is scored on the penalty he takes.
- NewYawkIslandez

They can still move up again, if they win tonight and the Rangers and Sens lose their games. But if you would have told me the Isles would wind up the 8th seed at the beginning of the season, I'd have signed up for that in a heartbeat and thought you were nuts at the same time. This is all gravy for me. No matter who they play its going to be great watching playoff hockey and the Isles involved in it.

They can still move up again, if they win tonight and the Rangers and Sens lose their games. But if you would have told me the Isles would wind up the 8th seed at the beginning of the season, I'd have signed up for that in a heartbeat and thought you were nuts at the same time. This is all gravy for me. No matter who they play its going to be great watching playoff hockey and the Isles involved in it.
- Jethro09

Yeah, agreed, but at the same time, they made me an addict. Got a little taste of success and dammit, I want more!

Yeah, agreed, but at the same time, they made me an addict. Got a little taste of success and dammit, I want more!
- UIF

I am just hoping it does not carry over into the playoffs, because we will be steam rolled.

That said Pittsburgh I think we have a better shot against then Boston. We know Pittsburgh and they know us and if we get the 8th seed it should be an intense series

I am just hoping it does not carry over into the playoffs, because we will be steam rolled.

That said Pittsburgh I think we have a better shot against then Boston. We know Pittsburgh and they know us and if we get the 8th seed it should be an intense series
- kasperrko

I think if they can get the first goal tonight, they'll settle back into the simple game that brought them success...chipping the puck in and chasing instead of forcing a play that isn't there in the neutral zone, concentrating on solid D and picking up the late man in the high slot, etc. That'll get them back into good habits going into the playoffs. Got away from that a bit in Carolina and Philly.

edit -- and I'm holding out hope that the Isles can grab 7th and the Habs can slide into 2nd

Isles with the 8th seed just shot themselves in the foot.

They had a chance with the 6th seed.

Not happy with this @ all.

Going to the game tonight... hopefully they end it on a good note!!!
- jimmc7722

really?? the caps are on fire...bottom line whomever we play its going to be a dogfight where we will be the underdog....this was their first regulation loss in a month..it happens...we move on

I think if they can get the first goal tonight, they'll settle back into the simple game that brought them success...chipping the puck in and chasing instead of forcing a play that isn't there in the neutral zone, concentrating on solid D and picking up the late man in the high slot, etc. That'll get them back into good habits going into the playoffs. Got away from that a bit in Carolina and Philly.

edit -- and I'm holding out hope that the Isles can grab 7th and the Habs can slide into 2nd
- UIF

Posssible and lets not think the Sens are a lock for 6th if we win tonight as well. The Flyers have been playing good hockey and the Bruins will be playing for seeding purposes so who's to say they dont go 0-1-1 or 0-2. First things first, the Isles have to get 2pts tonight.

really?? the caps are on fire...bottom line whomever we play its going to be a dogfight where we will be the underdog....this was their first regulation loss in a month..it happens...we move on
- NYI78

One regulation loss in a month is unbelievable. Gotta give the Isles credit. that was quite the run they had.

Agreed and I'm with ya there. Its just Cappys thought process of having to have Boulton AND Carkner in the lineup simultaneously...its beyond ridiculous. Just gets on my nerves when he does that because nothing good comes out of it (and I don't buy the fights in the Toronto game either, I think thats just what players say because they think its the right thing to say - if you need to watch a fight to start moving your legs and shooting then thats horsepoop).
- NewYawkIslandez

its really amazing how some many of you guys flip so quickly....

EDIT: just read your next few posts...ranting about carkner& Boulton playing together. i hear it.

Tickets went FAST. I'm not able to go.
- potvin05

they didnt sell out, they had to hold onto more tickets...tickets went on sale this morning at the box office.

Yeah this thought got cut off in the last thread:

Back from tearing my hair out at my buddies apt. Absolutely atrocious move putting Boulton and Carkner in. Toughness my ass. Neither did sh!t except for prove how bad they are at hockey. If that leads to us drawing Pitt in the playoffs that's pathetic. I could have accepted the loss if we iced out best team possible, but we didn't. I'm thrilled we're in the playoffs, but if they are just going to be complacent with being in and not want the best seed possible that's awful.

I'm usually pretty even keeled with this team, through all of the sh!t we've gone through, but tonight set me off big time. I get sitting Nabokov, but sitting one of the defenseman from our best offensive pairing? For Carkner? That's just terrible.
- eichiefs9

i wont disagree that they proved hockey isnt necessarily their best attribute but there is no way of proving that neither of them didnt stop this game from becoming overly physical...its possible just their presence in the lineup was enough of a discouragement.

JT played great, but again he is doing all the work on his line lately
Moulson looked bad; Moulson has not won a lot of puck battles this year, and he should be potting more goals than he is.
Our PP is a big issue, we are to predictable and don't cycle the puck nearly fast enough
And People fail to point out Carkner had a key assist last night...

JT played great, but again he is doing all the work on his line lately
Moulson looked bad; Moulson has not won a lot of puck battles this year, and he should be potting more goals than he is.
Our PP is a big issue, we are to predictable and don't cycle the puck nearly fast enough
And People fail to point out Carkner had a key assist last night...
- Danformo

come playoffs it is a different animal. I am sure we will see some exciting hockey.

It's not losing that bothers me. If they outwork and out shoot Philadelphia 45-10, and Bryzgalov shuts the door, you tip your hat and move on. It's the fact that they didn't show up. They were OK defensively, but they did no hard work in the offensive end of the ice until there were five minutes left in the third period. That's not good enough, and an Al Arbour team would not have played that way, playoff spot clinched or not, because they'd have gotten a ration of sh*t the next morning.....EARLY the next morning.

This is why most of us "old time" Islanders fans are extremely critical of the way they play- because we KNOW what excellence looks like, and that cr*p I watched last night does not qualify. If you think the Isles won the Stanley Cup four times in a row because all of the other teams sucked, you'd best think again. They just used their talent to work harder every night. Goring is obviously a bit loony sometimes, for whatever reason , but if you really listen to what he says, you start to understand what it was like to play for Al Arbour, and why the coach is in the HHOF (it's not because he scored 6 points every year playing defense in the NHL).
- dcb1

this is really the issue...

we can second guess the carkner/boulton insertion into the lineup all we want but lets be honest, thats not WHY the team lost...and this kind of outrage wasnt shown when the SAME GUYS played a better team in a more critical position versus the maple leafs. so scapegoat carkner and boulton all you (not you dcb) want but it wasnt JUST them.

if someone is going to blame cappy for last nights game, which i cant seem to do being that they havent outright lost for the previous 15 games or so, then the ONLY thing to be upset about is the CLEAR lack of heart and hustle that the team played with last night. it was obvious, everyone saw it, it was clearly a notch below what theyve been playing. they were hesitant and timid and wanting to get into the playoffs healthy; blame cappy for that, not the hindsight argument (which again, NO ONE brought up vs the leafs) that carkner and boulton were the reason they lost.

this is really the issue...

we can second guess the carkner/boulton insertion into the lineup all we want but lets be honest, thats not WHY the team lost...and this kind of outrage wasnt shown when the SAME GUYS played a better team in a more critical position versus the maple leafs. so scapegoat carkner and boulton all you (not you dcb) want but it wasnt JUST them.

if someone is going to blame cappy for last nights game, which i cant seem to do being that they havent outright lost for the previous 15 games or so, then the ONLY thing to be upset about is the CLEAR lack of heart and hustle that the team played with last night. it was obvious, everyone saw it, it was clearly a notch below what theyve been playing. they were hesitant and timid and wanting to get into the playoffs healthy; blame cappy for that, not the hindsight argument (which again, NO ONE brought up vs the leafs) that carkner and boulton were the reason they lost.
- LetsGoIsles

I am not blaming everyone to be honest the Islanders played like they were not interested like saving some energy for the playoffs. I mean I guess in a way better to lose now then in the playoffs. Work out the kinks and see what happens. Even I am not bashing Cappy

it worked against toronto.... doesn't matter who we play...and their is no hiding from the penguins.. i could care less who we play..if its the pens so be it
- NYI78

dammit!! wish i read this before i wrote 2 paragraphs saying the same thing

really?? the caps are on fire...bottom line whomever we play its going to be a dogfight where we will be the underdog....this was their first regulation loss in a month..it happens...we move on
- NYI78

True, but I'm not really thinking about who's hot and cold, but rather who the Isles match up well against. Both are critical, but you never know who is going to heat up in a playoff series...that's always a surprise...it could be the Isles!

Just thinking about the makeup of the Isles and the other teams out there...our D, for example, matches up much better against the Caps' and Habs' forwards, I think. They have skilled forwards, but not monsters. Our D is mobile, which is good for matching skill forwards, but undersized, which isn't so good for keeping players like Lucic, Jagr, Malkin, Iginla, etc. in check.

I'm disappointed with last night bcs of the possibilities of where we'll end up but this is all good experience for this team no matter who we end up playing. If it's the pens who knows what will happen but the bottom line is they are getting that playoff experience that they're going to to need to eventually be successful in the playoffs.
- Cptmjl

way to go!!!

I was there as well. Its mind boggling when you think that year was the last time we won a playoff round. All downhill after that.
Thanks Milbury!
- NewYawkIslandez

No no no.. that was all Don Maloneys doing.

MM f'ed this team, but lets put the blame where it belongs.

XxNYIxX

No no no.. that was all Don Maloneys doing.

MM f'ed this team, but lets put the blame where it belongs.

XxNYIxX
- XxNYIxX

Matt Moulson????

We were all worried about Poulin last night and he did just fine.

We lost because we over-gooned our line up which made our team less offensive. Philly had gameplan of playing all defense when our top 2 lines were on ice. Which left our bottom 2 lines with opportunity. Boulton sucks.

Also I agree with u guys on Carkner. Tough but ineffective otherwise. You can bench hickey who has been excellent for us.

Rangers squeaked a win. Now unfortunately we are in 8th which really sucks. Lets hope we win tonight, and devils beat rags. This way we at Lear can move up to 6 or 7 spot.
- Spartiarti

Poulin looked pretty bad, scoring only one goal didnt help him out, but this was a team loss, they are all to blame.

XxNYIxX

way to go!!!


- LetsGoIsles

Agree with that as well. This season should be a springboard. The experience of being in a playoff race and getting to the show could be very valuable. And if they are bounced early, it should make them even hungrier next season. But obviously I'm still hoping for a long playoff run this year...next year be damned!

Poulin looked pretty bad, scoring only one goal didnt help him out, but this was a team loss, they are all to blame.

XxNYIxX
- XxNYIxX

Eh, shaky on some plays, but really solid on others...coming across a few times to make multiple tough saves. For a guy who's only played, what, two games in a month and a half or whatever, I thought he wasn't too bad.