When the Isles are shorthanded they are not attacking they sit back and let the pens set up so easily. I know they are stacked but sitting back is clearly not working so maybe they should try putting pressure on them. It can't get any worse
- Vukota

I agree, there defensemen are slow, only Letang & Niskanen are fast, but I would put pressure, and I must say.....

Very Happy to see Grabner actually hitting, needs to do more of that..

More than anything, I was shocked at some of the fans throwing beer bottles (and other items) onto the ice. I thought only us Flyers fans (which, for some reason, are constantly misrepresented as Flyers/Eagles fans) did that...oh, and Caps fans too. It stinks that your team lost in OT on what was, in my opinion, a fairly weak call. Still not a reason to throw stuff on the ice though.

Bad call imo...but not the first one in this series and both teams have come up on the short end of the reffing at times. Sucks that it came in OT, but you know what...kill the damn penalty and we're not talking about the call today. Every team in every series has to deal with the same NHL officiating issues and no team can control that, but they can control what happens immediately afterward...PK has to be as good as it was early in the season, and for God's sake, Nabby has to make a damn save with his glove once in a while...he cheats and shows shooters that side of the net, but when they shoot there it looks like it surprises the heck out of him. Think Pitt hit two crossbars on that side in addition to all the goals they scored there.

13 goals against in 3 games...the refs haven't allowed those goals; the Isles have. They look great through the neutral zone and on the forecheck, but they gotta tighten it up big time on D and especially right in front of their own net.
- UIF

^^^^^ *this* ^^^^

More than anything, I was shocked at some of the fans throwing beer bottles (and other items) onto the ice. I thought only us Flyers fans (which, for some reason, are constantly misrepresented as Flyers/Eagles fans) did that...oh, and Caps fans too. It stinks that your team lost in OT on what was, in my opinion, a fairly weak call. Still not a reason to throw stuff on the ice though.
- jmatchett383

Selling beer in bottles at a hockey game is kind of like giving a monkey a bucket of crap...SOMETHING is gonna get flung...anyone in Long Island ever heard of a plastic cup????

^^^^^ *this* ^^^^
- Emperor Filonius

What does THIS mean? It is not a reply.. are you agreeing or disagreeing.

Bad call imo...but not the first one in this series and both teams have come up on the short end of the reffing at times. Sucks that it came in OT, but you know what...kill the damn penalty and we're not talking about the call today. Every team in every series has to deal with the same NHL officiating issues and no team can control that, but they can control what happens immediately afterward...PK has to be as good as it was early in the season, and for God's sake, Nabby has to make a damn save with his glove once in a while...he cheats and shows shooters that side of the net, but when they shoot there it looks like it surprises the heck out of him. Think Pitt hit two crossbars on that side in addition to all the goals they scored there.

13 goals against in 3 games...the refs haven't allowed those goals; the Isles have. They look great through the neutral zone and on the forecheck, but they gotta tighten it up big time on D and especially right in front of their own net.
- UIF

this sums it up best

What does THIS mean? It is not a reply.. are you agreeing or disagreeing.
- bixll

He's agreeing...

Ok...a couple of things...

NBC's job...especially post game...is to TALK. They purposefully create controversy. We KNOW this. Look at the ProHockeyTalk site...always stirring the pot...run by NBC Sports.

Honestly...this is good for the sport...even if it's against your team...because it's publicity (that's the way the world works today).

Here's the banter form NBC post game and the video. The thing they fail to acknowledge, is that Strait's right knee comes into contact with Crosby from behind...and if you watch this, you will see that Crosby loses his balance when that happens. That simultaneous pull form the top and push from the bottom would be enough to knock him off balance. His right leg is pushing Crosby forward from below while his right arm is pulling Crosby back from the top.

Again...no idea if he went down easier than he could have...but the evidence is a little less convincing of a dive than I think NBC would like you to believe.

- icedog97

Its a joke that those 2 idiots are the best NBC can provide to do the studio show. The guy that was such a joke of a GM that he set the Islanders organization back an entire decade, and a guy who never won a cup and was better in pressure situations at tearing up hotel rooms and running his mouth than winning hockey games....both of whom had their best chances to win the cup crushed by the Penguins...no bias in their analysis at all.

How about kill the off the penalty? If they thought it was a dive, they should have been even more motivated to kill it off for Nabby. How about deliberately stabbing Cooke in a vicious and obvious manor in the face with your stick and Cooke going to the box? That's what we should be talking about, that will be looked at. I would give him 5 games for that, no place in hockey for that garbage.
- nbartley9

Just to be clear Carkner went to the box too.

What does THIS mean? It is not a reply.. are you agreeing or disagreeing.
- bixll

It means I thought his post was spot on.

btw the way i just read this article and as someone who has worked in sports media business for 15 years, this totally made my eyes vomit. but once again we have to remember this was written by a fan and not a journalist..big difference

He's agreeing...
- icedog97

Then why not say, I agree.

This... Sounds arrogant. Like you are wating peoples time.

Bad call imo...but not the first one in this series and both teams have come up on the short end of the reffing at times. Sucks that it came in OT, but you know what...kill the damn penalty and we're not talking about the call today. Every team in every series has to deal with the same NHL officiating issues and no team can control that, but they can control what happens immediately afterward...PK has to be as good as it was early in the season, and for God's sake, Nabby has to make a damn save with his glove once in a while...he cheats and shows shooters that side of the net, but when they shoot there it looks like it surprises the heck out of him. Think Pitt hit two crossbars on that side in addition to all the goals they scored there.

13 goals against in 3 games...the refs haven't allowed those goals; the Isles have. They look great through the neutral zone and on the forecheck, but they gotta tighten it up big time on D and especially right in front of their own net.
- UIF

Agreed to a point on this, though Pittsburgh has arguably the best collection of talent on their powerplay since team Canada, so it's easier said than done. The Isles have done a nice job on special teams with mediocre results, largely because the level of their opponent.

No mattter what, they have to move on and come out angry on Tuesday. There's no time to whine about the past.

It means I thought his post was spot on.
- Emperor Filonius

Got it.

btw the way i just read this article and as someone who has worked in sports media business for 15 years, this totally made my eyes vomit. but once again we have to remember this was written by a fan and not a journalist..big difference
- NYI78

You guys have long deserved a better blogger. One of you should seriously volunteer.

Did anybody watch the Habs / Sens game?

Just to be clear Carkner went to the box too.
- DONMURDOCH14

Shanny may give him a couple days of vacation for that. If it was not against Cooke, I would say for sure.. But with him involved, maybe.

More than anything, I was shocked at some of the fans throwing beer bottles (and other items) onto the ice. I thought only us Flyers fans (which, for some reason, are constantly misrepresented as Flyers/Eagles fans) did that...oh, and Caps fans too. It stinks that your team lost in OT on what was, in my opinion, a fairly weak call. Still not a reason to throw stuff on the ice though.
- jmatchett383

Eagles fans haven't been bad since the Vet days....I used to have 700 level tickets at the Vet and I can honestly say you'd be safer on the streets of the West Bank. I was one of the fortunate one's in attendance for the 49ers/eagles MNF game...good times.

Flyers fans used to be pretty bad too, but once the Spectrum was gone and every game became a businessman's special, things died down. Of course let's not forget the JD Drew game sponsored by Duracell.

It's definitely a bit cliche to mention Philly fans all the time as the example of rowdy fans, since it seems that these types of things happen everywhere.

I'm not sure why any stadium would use glass bottles in any sport these days from a safety standpoint.

You guys have long deserved a better blogger. One of you should seriously volunteer.
- Emperor Filonius

I proposed the idea of a rotating blogger role here, but I think Ek relishes the idea that we're stuck with someone like this. I'm sure if it was the Flyers blogger she would have been long gone.

Just to be clear Carkner went to the box too.
- DONMURDOCH14

He slashed him in the face FROM THE BENCH. That's assault brotha.

I proposed the idea of a rotating blogger role here, but I think Ek relishes the idea that we're stuck with someone like this. I'm sure if it was the Flyers blogger she would have been long gone.
- keaner17

Well...ultimately a bloggers job is to create a conversation...well done Dee!

I proposed the idea of a rotating blogger role here, but I think Ek relishes the idea that we're stuck with someone like this. I'm sure if it was the Flyers blogger she would have been long gone.
- keaner17

Its a shame. She panders to the lowest common denominator and offers no insight whatsoever. I get that a blogger is a fan and not a journalist, but she's so over the top its just comical.

Its kind of like us being stuck with Paul Steigerwald as a play by play guy on TV.

With all respect to parity in sports, I do think this series is highlighting the reason why I think it will ultimately be Boston in the cup (and I prefer the Pens). Ever since the Isles have turned up the physical intensity on the Pens, the 5x5 game has tilted heavily in the direction of the Isles. We're not a physical team at all, in fact you could make the argument that we're on the bottom half of physical teams in this league. Boston meanwhile is like the Neanderthal's of the NHL and are capable of physically dominating anyone. I have a bad feeling either one of our teams will be on the ice more than their skates against them.

He slashed him in the face FROM THE BENCH. That's assault brotha.
- nbartley9

That was a tough call. He didn't "slash him in the face" but at the same time, he knew what he was doing. It was a dirty move, but he didn't slash him in the face; more like he let Cooke's face hit his blade.

Its a shame. She panders to the lowest common denominator and offers no insight whatsoever. I get that a blogger is a fan and not a journalist, but she's so over the top its just comical.

Its kind of like us being stuck with Paul Steigerwald as a play by play guy on TV.
- Emperor Filonius

GOLD great post