Dan Petriw: Isles win an OT thriller

"Hulk mode", I like it.

Good blog, Dan. I'm surprised this team came together. It seems that Nabby, Strait, and DeHann added a stability they needed. I hope they can continue playing hard.

"Hulk mode", I like it.

Good blog, Dan. I'm surprised this team came together. It seems that Nabby, Strait, and DeHann added a stability they needed. I hope they can continue playing hard.
- David_Volek

There were many loose puck skirmishes in front of Nabby. We got the lucky bounces and fortunate clearings last night. We also require Nabby playing his A+ game which can't last forever. I believe he gives the team the confidence to think they can win the game for sure and they would not have had the skid in November if he were playing...lotta close games they lost. Still a half a season to go.

"I think bailey played the best out of any islander last season. He is the real reason the islanders made the playoffs last season"

A post from rangerdanger today

"I think bailey played the best out of any islander last season. He is the real reason the islanders made the playoffs last season"

A post from rangerdanger today
- Cptmjl

you paraphrased my quote. i said he was the best islander down the stretch when you made the run into the playoffs, not all season.

the Bailey-Nielsen-Okposo line was probably your best line down the stretch, that's not really a secret. and bailey was the main cog on that line as far as i remember. and i remember specifically bailey getting the most praise out of every islander saying that he was the specific reason your secondary scoring was on fire down the stretch.

The most impressive part of Strome's game, imo, or at least the most surprising part, has been the backchecking. I don't know why, but I expected a player that only thought offense and would end up floating a lot rather than backchecking hard. But the past few games now, he's caught people from behind leading to opportunities the other way.

That line looks good...I don't think I want to see them move Clutterbuck back there. Either leave C McD there or try Bailey with Nelson and Strome when he's back. That could be a good line if Bailey emerges from hibernation.

you paraphrased my quote. i said he was the best islander down the stretch when you made the run into the playoffs, not all season.

the Bailey-Nielsen-Okposo line was probably your best line down the stretch, that's not really a secret. and bailey was the main cog on that line as far as i remember. and i remember specifically bailey getting the most praise out of every islander saying that he was the specific reason your secondary scoring was on fire down the stretch.
- rangerdanger94

JT was the reason we made the playoffs along with getting solid goaltending. No secret that we are winning now with average goaltending. Poulin is not the answer. If Isles get a good goalie they have the guys who can score. The way I look at it they have a chance to score atleast two goals a game as long as JT is playing. Now all we need is on d man who knows how to score and has a strong shot and that should open up more scoring.

time to shovel

you paraphrased my quote. i said he was the best islander down the stretch when you made the run into the playoffs, not all season.

the Bailey-Nielsen-Okposo line was probably your best line down the stretch, that's not really a secret. and bailey was the main cog on that line as far as i remember. and i remember specifically bailey getting the most praise out of every islander saying that he was the specific reason your secondary scoring was on fire down the stretch.
- rangerdanger94

No. You said he was the real reason we made the playoffs which is ridiculous. I've always been a fan of Bailey but that couldn't be further from the truth.

JT was the reason we made the playoffs along with getting solid goaltending. No secret that we are winning now with average goaltending. Poulin is not the answer. If Isles get a good goalie they have the guys who can score. The way I look at it they have a chance to score atleast two goals a game as long as JT is playing. Now all we need is on d man who knows how to score and has a strong shot and that should open up more scoring.
- mighty13duck

Eh, I think every line did its job down the stretch last season. That was the difference between last season and this one rather than any one player. The first line scored, the second line found the net and also shut down top lines, the fourth line forechecked like crazy and changed the momentum at key points in many games, and the third line held down the fort and you had Grabner putting in 16 goals from there. Things are different when your forwards give you no wasted minutes out there. This season -- last couple of games notwithstanding -- has been more about how quickly we could get the first line back out there.

edit -- but yeah, you gotta say Tavares was the glue that held it all together and led by example every night.

No. You said he was the real reason we made the playoffs which is ridiculous. I've always been a fan of Bailey but that couldn't be further from the truth.
- Cptmjl

stop twisting poop or taking it out of context. someone said:

"Brad Boyes, Frans Nielsen, Matt Moulson JT and streit were the reason why the Islanders made the playoffs."

i posted that bailey, in my opinion, was better than all those guys down the stretch and the most important guy out of all of them the final month in getting you to the postseason. i didn't say he was the season MVP or the sole reason you guys made it, but down the stretch, he was the guy in your secondary scoring that really made your offense fluid and potent and dangerous outside of just the top line.

Eh, I think every line did its job down the stretch last season. That was the difference between last season and this one rather than any one player. The first line scored, the second line found the net and also shut down top lines, the fourth line forechecked like crazy and changed the momentum at key points in many games, and the third line held down the fort and you had Grabner putting in 16 goals from there. Things are different when your forwards give you no wasted minutes out there. This season -- last couple of games notwithstanding -- has been more about how quickly we could get the first line back out there.

edit -- but yeah, you gotta say Tavares was the glue that held it all together and led by example every night.
- UIF

Exactly, it was a complete team effort. That's why these guys showed some promise. Bailey was playing good but if i were going to think of a reason we made it to the playoffs it wouldn't be him. He was part of the effort as a whole.

stop twisting poop or taking it out of context. someone said:

"Brad Boyes, Frans Nielsen, Matt Moulson JT and streit were the reason why the Islanders made the playoffs."

i posted that bailey, in my opinion, was better than all those guys down the stretch and the most important guy out of all of them the final month in getting you to the postseason. i didn't say he was the season MVP or the sole reason you guys made it, but down the stretch, he was the guy in your secondary scoring that really made your offense fluid and potent and dangerous outside of just the top line.
- rangerdanger94

I'm sorry. How stupid of me taking when referring to Bailey as "real reason the islanders made the playoffs" out of context. You're joking right? How else do you take that?

I'm sorry. How stupid of me taking when referring to Bailey as "real reason the islanders made the playoffs" out of context. You're joking right? How else do you take that?
- Cptmjl

because i clearly said in my post that my opinion on him was based on the END OF LAST SEASON

because i clearly said in my post that my opinion on him was based on the END OF LAST SEASON
- rangerdanger94

Wow. Ok. Still doesn't change anything. I'm still replying to how ridiculous that quote was. I'm aware of the time frame you are referring too. It's still facking stupid. it's still a ridiculous post that's what you're not getting. Not as funny as the other poster naming Boyes as one of the main reasons

because i clearly said in my post that my opinion on him was based on the END OF LAST SEASON
- rangerdanger94

you should probably direct your response to whoever said that initially. I don't recall anyone singling out Bailey as the reason we made the playoffs, the LINE of bailey, okposo and nielson was fantastic but if anything Okposo made that line go. he was exceptional in the last 20 games last year and it's carried over to this year. Bailey seems to play up to or down to his linemates.

you should probably direct your response to whoever said that initially. I don't recall anyone singling out Bailey as the reason we made the playoffs, the LINE of bailey, okposo and nielson was fantastic but if anything Okposo made that line go. he was exceptional in the last 20 games last year and it's carried over to this year. Bailey seems to play up to or down to his linemates.
- Isles_since_6

Been trying to say that in the rangers thread. I tell them okposo had more points than stepan and Callahan combined than they say points aren't everything. In the next sentence they say okposo only had four goals last season. Strange?

Wow. Ok. Still doesn't change anything. I'm still replying to how ridiculous that quote was. I'm aware of the time frame you are referring too. It's still facking stupid. it's still a ridiculous post that's what you're not getting.
- Cptmjl

am i wrong in saying that bailey was your hottest player down the stretch? that you guys were clamoring for him to be extended? that he finally turned a corner and is reaching his potential? that he's finally healthy and finally showing why he was such a high pick and that his line was dominant and arguably the main reason your team was in playoff contention?

because here's a thread that confirms what i'm saying:
http://www.hockeybuzz.com...p?thread_id=106374&page=8

hell, i even linked to the page where someone specifically posts:
"That second line has been dominant, and in my opinion the reason why the isles are in playoff contention."

whatever though. you're just gonna turn this into a "i can't believe you dug up an old topic loser!" now that i have proof of what you hypocrites and word-twisters said

am i wrong in saying that bailey was your hottest player down the stretch? that you guys were clamoring for him to be extended? that he finally turned a corner and is reaching his potential? that he's finally healthy and finally showing why he was such a high pick and that his line was dominant and arguably the main reason your team was in playoff contention?

because here's a thread that confirms what i'm saying:
http://www.hockeybuzz.com...p?thread_id=106374&page=8

hell, i even linked to the page where someone specifically posts:
"That second line has been dominant, and in my opinion the reason why the isles are in playoff contention."

whatever though. you're just gonna turn this into a "i can't believe you dug up an old topic loser!" now that i have proof of what you hypocrites and word-twisters said
- rangerdanger94

Then it's wrong. Tavares carried them into the playoffs. Regardless of stats, his leadership and talent led the rest of the team.

Then it's wrong. Tavares carried them into the playoffs. Regardless of stats, his leadership and talent led the rest of the team.
- willschulme

tavares performed the way he has this season and seasons prior where they weren't in playoff contention. obviously, the islanders need tavares at that level to have a shot, but the only way they make the playoffs is if their other players perform at their highest level too. tavares is still tearing up and a PPG+ player and they're dead last in the division. if the 2nd line was playing the way it was last season, along with tavares playing as he always does, then they'd be in the race.

am i wrong in saying that bailey was your hottest player down the stretch? that you guys were clamoring for him to be extended? that he finally turned a corner and is reaching his potential? that he's finally healthy and finally showing why he was such a high pick and that his line was dominant and arguably the main reason your team was in playoff contention?

because here's a thread that confirms what i'm saying:
http://www.hockeybuzz.com...p?thread_id=106374&page=8

hell, i even linked to the page where someone specifically posts:
"That second line has been dominant, and in my opinion the reason why the isles are in playoff contention."

whatever though. you're just gonna turn this into a "i can't believe you dug up an old topic loser!" now that i have proof of what you hypocrites and word-twisters said
- rangerdanger94

Absolutely not. Bailey played excellent down the stretch but any of us will attest to okposo opening up space for that line. He was an absolute beast. Saying bailey was the real reason we made the playoffs which is what you said is off base. I wanted him resigned but wtf does that have to do with anything?
and what you said was he was the real reason we made the playoffs not that he was a hot player. Stop deflecting.

tavares performed the way he has this season and seasons prior where they weren't in playoff contention. obviously, the islanders need tavares at that level to have a shot, but the only way they make the playoffs is if their other players perform at their highest level too. tavares is still tearing up and a PPG+ player and they're dead last in the division. if the 2nd line was playing the way it was last season, along with tavares playing as he always does, then they'd be in the race.
- rangerdanger94

Which is why I'm a big advocate of getting that line back together. With that said I don't think there is an islander fan here that'll say bailey was the real reason the islanders made the playoffs last season. That was the point of this. Remember?

tavares performed the way he has this season and seasons prior where they weren't in playoff contention. obviously, the islanders need tavares at that level to have a shot, but the only way they make the playoffs is if their other players perform at their highest level too. tavares is still tearing up and a PPG+ player and they're dead last in the division. if the 2nd line was playing the way it was last season, along with tavares playing as he always does, then they'd be in the race.
- rangerdanger94

Alright, but without Tavares they would've been a comfortable last place team. Without Bailey, they would've had a respectable chance.

Which is why I'm a big advocate of getting that line back together. With that said I don't think there is an islander fan here that'll say bailey was the real reason the islanders made the playoffs last season. That was the point of this. Remember?
- Cptmjl

I don't think anyone, if given the question of who got the Isles to the playoffs would answer Josh Bailey.

Absolutely not. Bailey played excellent down the stretch but any of us will attest to okposo opening up space for that line. He was an absolute beast. Saying bailey was the real reason we made the playoffs which is what you said is off base. I wanted him resigned but wtf does that have to do with anything?

- Cptmjl

it was a group effort from your entire team to make the playoffs. what i'm saying is that while tavares was, is, and will be your best player at all times, he's always been consistently amazing when you guys missed the playoffs. he's consistently amazing right now, and he was amazing in 2011-12. but you guys are dead last in the division right now, and missed the playoffs in 11-12 regardless of him being your best player. one of the main reasons you guys made the playoffs last year was because your 2nd line was playing as hot as JT always does, and now that your 2nd line isn't playing hot, but JT still is, you guys are dead last. bailey's d!ck was being sucked more than anyone's at the end of last year and his production was an extremely important reason you guys made the playoffs. the fact that he blows this year and okposo and tavares are still tearing it up but you guys are way out of it backs up my point that him producing, or more importantly having another line producing, is a major reason why you guys made the playoffs.

you took what i said when i said he's the real reason way too literally. it's a figure of speech. i didn't mean he's the ONLY reason, but i implied he was one of the more important reasons.