Good night

That game was lost on the chain of events caused by Martin's idiotic penalty

That game was lost on the chain of events caused by Martin's idiotic penalty
- keaner17

Yup

He's gritty and has had a goal scorers through most of his career but it seems like he just flubs opportunity after opportunity these days.
- keaner17

He scored 30 goals almost a decade ago. Had some good seasons after. Not sure if I’d describe him as a goal scorer though. Not now at least. The gritty part I’ll also say I don’t think he’s particularly gritty either. He just doesn’t do anything to a level where I could say, “well at least he does that.” He’s just kind of there all of the time.

That game was lost on the chain of events caused by Martin's idiotic penalty
- keaner17

100% that’s when it all came crumbling down. Shame they had a good first period.

So is anyone else going to be concerned if Engvall scores the first goal in the next game?

So is anyone else going to be concerned if Engvall scores the first goal in the next game?
- Cptmjl

It would be nice to see Horvat step up and score a goal. He’s doing a lot of good but he needs to start putting the puck in the net again. He’s getting looks.
- Cptmjl

Horvat is seeing what Barzal went through with not having the best wings.

Horvat is seeing what Barzal went through with not having the best wings.
- ses111

Exactly. Any word on when Barzal will return?

Exactly. Any word on when Barzal will return?
- Mancalledsting

I thought it was mentioned towards the end of the regular season.

Horvat is seeing what Barzal went through with not having the best wings.
- ses111

I don’t disagree but if you want to be paid like a top player you’re going to be held up to delivering on your contract. That’s just the reality of it. I say that while acknowledging all of the other good things he’s doing.

I don’t disagree but if you want to be paid like a top player you’re going to be held up to delivering on your contract. That’s just the reality of it. I say that while acknowledging all of the other good things he’s doing.
- Cptmjl

This is true Cpt but you still need the talent around you. Barzal and Horvat have looked good together, but you take one of them away it's an issue and especially against a quality team. This team still lacks speed and skill.

Well...better rattle off two wins in a row here against bad teams

Was planning on staying off here today and watching last night's game tonight. But then a dopey Rags fan at work told me Islanders lost. Guess he did me a favor.

This is true Cpt but you still need the talent around you. Barzal and Horvat have looked good together, but you take one of them away it's an issue and especially against a quality team. This team still lacks speed and skill.
- ses111

100%

100%
- Cptmjl

Many of the players are overpaid as well including Horvat. The Islanders need both Horvat and Barzal and even with both it will still be a challenge for this team.

Well...better rattle off two wins in a row here against bad teams
- eichiefs9

Yep but we all know how it goes with that this time of year. Anyone of those teams can outperform any given night due them playing “looser”.

Many of the players are overpaid as well including Horvat. The Islanders need both Horvat and Barzal and even with both it will still be a challenge for this team.
- ses111

Yeah I’m not as much criticizing Horvat as saying we need him to start scoring right now. Guy is obviously a good player but his new team needs him right now. Florida can literally swipe that last spot from us. The Kings are a great team but it was an opportunity last night with everyone else losing. They needed to find a way and instead they literally sabotaged themselves. I can’t get over that Martin penalty. He shouldn’t have seen the ice again.

Exactly. Any word on when Barzal will return?
- Mancalledsting

He hasn't even started skating yet, so he's a long ways away

Yep but we all know how it goes with that this time of year. Anyone of those teams can outperform any given night due them playing “looser”.
- Cptmjl

Of course. By no means am I saying that they're going to cakewalk through the Ducks and Sharks. But they absolutely cannot leave California without 4pts

Yeah I’m not as much criticizing Horvat as saying we need him to start scoring right now. Guy is obviously a good player but his new team needs him right now. Florida can literally swipe that last spot from us. The Kings are a great team but it was an opportunity last night with everyone else losing. They needed to find a way and instead they literally sabotaged themselves. I can’t get over that Martin penalty. He shouldn’t have seen the ice again.
- Cptmjl

It’s real tough when you do not have the speed and skill to bail you out. You have to be so solid in your overall game and mistakes hurt even more in the Islanders case.

Of course. By no means am I saying that they're going to cakewalk through the Ducks and Sharks. But they absolutely cannot leave California without 4pts
- eichiefs9

I didn’t think you were just throwing it out there. We’ve all seen this rodeo before. They can’t go into this thinking it’ll be a cake walk. Spoiler teams have a way of spoiling stuff for bubble teams.

Martin said that he was throwing the helmet “over to the penalty box because I knew people would be going there, and (Kupari) would be one of them. I didn’t really think anything of it. It wasn’t like a showboating thing. I didn’t slam it or anything.”

https://getyarn.io/yarn-c...bc-447c-9778-ea7b1174b909

It’s real tough when you do not have the speed and skill to bail you out. You have to be so solid in your overall game and mistakes hurt even more in the Islanders case.
- ses111

It's sort of funny: The Isles were really on a roll despite our depleted lineup. It seemed by getting Fasching more playing time and injecting Durandeau's speed into the lineup it really gave them a shot in the arm. As Pageau and Clutterbuck started practicing more, I actually started kinda hoping they'd take a bit more time, since I worried that their return might actually kill some of the chemistry we were suddenly seeing. I know folks were happy with Clutter's energy in his first game back, but he really has no puck skills whatsoever at this point. As crazy as it may sound, I'd rather have Fasching on that line and Durandeau in the lineup, since he actually creates opportunities with speed and puck instinct.
The biggest problem for the Isles against teams like Los Angeles is that our 'skilled players' lack either the grit or speed to retrieve a dump in. When teams clog us in the neutral zone and at the blue line forcing dumps, we simply can't get to the puck in time to create offense. Guys like Lee, Bailey, and Palmieri are not good puck retrievers yet play with our two best goal scorers. This means Horvat and Nelson are getting far less opportunities and puck possession in games like this. Unquestionably this is where we miss Barzal the most.

**Additional: While Aho has improved offensively with the puck, he's still God-awful defensively. A minus two last night, he had a lot to do with two of those goals

Martin said that he was throwing the helmet “over to the penalty box because I knew people would be going there, and (Kupari) would be one of them. I didn’t really think anything of it. It wasn’t like a showboating thing. I didn’t slam it or anything.”

https://getyarn.io/yarn-c...bc-447c-9778-ea7b1174b909


- eichiefs9

The fact that he claimed after the game he was 'surprised' he got called


Martin has been in this league for 14 years, he knows damn well if you throw another players helmet after a skirmish, especially after skating with it half of the way to the box, you're going to get a penalty.