THE FOLLOWING POST DOES NOT REFLECT THE OPINIONS OF NYI FYI OR CHRIS HESSEL. THESE ARE STRICTLY THE OPINIONS OF MYSELF (SEAN CROFT), AND THIS SO HAPPENS TO BE THE FORUM I CHOSE TO SHARE MY FEELINGS. THANK YOU.
In light of what has occurred over the last 36 hours or so, I chose to come here and to comment on the issue at hand. Yesterday, the New York Islanders defeated the Washington Capitals in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. The overtime heroics of John Tavares, and the stellar goaltending of both Jaro Halak and Braden Holtby were, for a time, the biggest topic of conversation amongst the National Hockey League community. It wasn't until long after the game that another story, one much darker, overtook what had been a wonderful day at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
By now, we have all read the story of the New York City Capitals fans, and how they were treated by a group of Islanders fans. The story has gotten national attention, and now has people pointing fingers at each other. The arguments and personal attacks have gotten uglier as this story has picked up steam. As someone who has not only been a fan, but also an employee of a professional sports franchise, I found it appropriate to come here and put all of my feelings out in the open. I'm not here to point fingers. I'm not here to call anyone any names. I'm not here to blame any one particular person. I'm only here to clarify my feelings on fan decorum.
Let me start off by addressing the risks involved with being a traveling fan attending a game on the road. Plain and simple, you are a target. You have infiltrated enemy lines. You have walked into someone's house, and whether you want to admit it or not, you are going against everything they support and believe in. You are against the grain, and against their allegiance. You also know that this is the risk, and for the love of your team, you walk through the doors full steam ahead. Kudos to you. I say that because I have been in your shoes many times. It's intimidating, and it can be uncomfortable. It takes courage to do so, and a lot of people don't have the guts to try it.
You will be singled out. You will be cursed at. You will have victory rubbed in your face. Worse off, you will have a victory ruined by sore losers. It comes with the territory, and you know that going in. Anyone claiming ignorance to this risk is either completely naive, or completely full of lies. I say this because every single person who has attended any sort of sporting event has been witness to visiting fans being taunted. This happens in every arena, in every single sport. I had to laugh last night when I had people tell me on social media that their fans "have never" taunted any visiting fan. That is an out-in-out lie.
I have been to hundreds of sporting events in cities all over the country, both as a fan and as a spectator with no vested interest in either team playing, and I have seen this in every single building. Do us all a favor, and don't lie for the sake of convenience. I have seen the ugliness of fans from Boston to Tampa, and from Uniondale to Chicago, whether the visiting fans deserved it or not. I'm either the unluckiest sports fan on earth, or I'm seeing what we have all seen as fans time after time.
With that said, the issue at hand is not the typical ribbing that occurs between home and visiting fans. The issue is when it escalates to the next level. To attack someone, based upon their race, creed, or gender is over the line. To destroy someone's property is over the line. To enter into a physical confrontation with someone is over the line. It is inexcusable, and should not be tolerated by anyone, period. Acting out in this sort of way takes the fun out of the game for all of us. For that much, those who acted out in this way share part of the guilt, in my opinion.
On the flip side, as I stated previously, if you are a visitor, you know the risks. If you plan on walking into a building to stir the pot, you best be prepared for push-back, especially once you add liquid hops and barley to the mix. As someone who attended the Islanders/Capitals game yesterday, I was a witness to some Caps fans (not necessarily the group in question) who were also using derogatory language and gestures towards us. There were plenty of people in Capitals gear who had been far over served, and were the instigators of some confrontations both in the parking lot and on the concourse. I was witness to Capitals fans who were stone cold sober (or so they seemed), who were instigating trouble with Islanders fans, more so than your average trash talk. Those who acted in such a manner share part of the guilt as well.
The point is, today's fan experience has become aggressive. There are far too many people who don't know where the line is drawn. I remember about five or six years ago when the new Tanger Outlet Center in Deer Park had opened. My mother and I were walking from store to store looking for deals. I was wearing my New York Islanders hoodie. As we were walking into a store, I was approached by two guys in Rangers attire. I was greeted with, "The Islanders ****ing suck, you piece of ****". Not only had I done nothing to deserve that type of insult, but it wasn't even at a game!
Similarly, and many years prior, I was in Boston, Massachusetts. At my own risk, I wore my New York Yankees hat to Quincey Market. I wasn't looking for an issue, but knew that representing my team would draw negative attention. I didn't care. After about a half an hour of walking around, I was approached by a child who couldn't have been any older than 5 years old. This young man walked up to me, kicked me in the shin, and said, "The Yankees ****ing suck!". He ran back to his father who was not only laughing hysterical, but had a hand extended for a high-five. I share this story because it proves two points: this is not a "New York" thing, and there are many people who take their sports fandom way too seriously, and to a bad place.
I can share dozens of stories like this, but I'd rather share a positive one. In 2006, I was attending school in Tampa. I attended a game between the Lightning and the Islanders at the St. Pete Time's Forum. Sure, I was cursed at. I was taunted. I was the enemy, and I knew it. I embraced it, but I kept to myself, watched the game, and didn't feed into the nonsense. Eventually, the ribbing ended and we all went on to watch the game. After it was over, bear in mind the Islanders lost the game, I was approached by a number of people who were sitting around me, presumably to give it to me one more time. To my surprise, they extended their hands. I remember specifically one guy saying to me, "You came here to support your boys, and you did so without being a jerk. I give you a ton of credit, good game."
We shook hands, shared a smile, and parted ways. That's how it always should be. You see, we as fans all share the responsibility to keep the integrity of the fan experience in tact. Yes, there are arena personnel who are hired to patrol the stands and try to keep the peace, but it really shouldn't even come to that. The fact that it gets to that level falls on the fans, supporting both the home and away sides. This all falls back to the nature of the games, or being a fan in general, going to an aggressive, ugly place.
When I was working in professional sports a few years ago, I vividly remember one of our mascots suffering a facial injury, after a fan of a rival team walked up to him, and punched him in the face before running off. This mascot was there to entertain children and add to the fun. What exactly this fan proved aside from the fact that he was an idiot remains a mystery to this day. Despite all that I had experienced as a fan, both at home and on the road, it was the first time I had thought to myself, "we have a problem in this culture".
About a year later, Bryan Stow, a San Fransisco Giants fan, was severely beaten, nearly to death, outside of Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. He was in a coma, came out of it brain damaged, and is on a regiment of over 50 pills per day to keep him going despite his injuries. All of this for being a fan of a rival. But can we expect no less from a society where you can't even feel safe going to the movies? Or to school or work?
Professional sport is meant to be an escape. It is a form of entertainment, and it is a game. I have spent my entire life watching the Islanders crush me year in and year out, and I am still here. Whether they win or lose has no bearing on my physical life. Sure it can determine my mood, but I wake up every day and go to work and pay my bills like anyone else. In other words, life goes on. I take my passion to the next level each week when I, along with Chris, bring you all NYI FYI, a once a week podcast dedicated to the team that we love. Why? Because it means something to me. It is a part of me, just like any of your teams are a part of you. That is, in fact, the fun part of all of us.
It is a fun part that dies a little every time we read a story, such as the one that broke last night. The fact of the matter is, we all bare a responsibility to each other as fans. Put your personal interests aside, because at the root of it all, we are all hockey fans first. We love and respect the game on all levels. It is from there that we draw a line in the sand and determine which side we take, whether it be the New York Islanders, Washington Capitals, L.A. Kings, or Toronto Maple Leafs.
After you do pull that sweater or that hat on, you should wear it as a coat of pride, and know that the way you conduct yourself can directly represent those teams you so dearly care about. In the time span of three hours, the Islanders fan base went from the most passionate fans in professional sports, to the most unruly and aggressive, in the eyes of the average fan. Why? Because a few bad eggs out of 16,000 went to an outrageous level, and for what purpose?
We all as sports fans, of every sport in every city, have a responsibility to each other. Let's cheer together. Let's cry together. Let's rib each other and bust chops, but in spite of it all, we need to do it in a tasteful way that doesn't take the fun out of it for anyone. Let's also remember that at the end of the day, as much as we love our teams and our players, that it is just a game and life does go on. That's not meant to demean said players, or the staff of the franchises around the world, but they know what their job is. They take theirs seriously (most of the time), now it's time for us to do the same.
-Sean Croft
Showing posts with label Washington Capitals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Washington Capitals. Show all posts
April 21, 2015
April 18, 2015
Isles fall in Game 2, Return Home with Split
The Islanders might want to consider investing in different stick technology for next season, because it seems like they are breaking at the most crucial times this year.
Although the Isles fell 4-3 in Game 2 of their first round match-up with the Washington Capitals, they get to come home with a 1-1 series split and will try and prove that they have taken home ice away from the Caps.
Although the Isles fell 4-3 in Game 2 of their first round match-up with the Washington Capitals, they get to come home with a 1-1 series split and will try and prove that they have taken home ice away from the Caps.
November 29, 2014
Caps end Isles Latest Win Streak at Five
The Washington Capitals learned from some of the mistakes they made on Wednesday night, and stopped the Islanders latest winning streak at five games on their way to a 5-2 victory on Friday night.
April 5, 2013
Isles get a Point in Washington to Move into 7th
The Islanders took their hot streak into Washington on Thursday night, with a chance to continue their march towards a playoff berth after not receiving much help on Wednesday from Pittsburgh or Montreal.
March 27, 2013
Isles Playoff Push Road Trip Starts with Victory over Caps
The Islanders kicked off their road trip in a huge way on Tuesday night, defeating an opponent in the Washington Capitals that they are trying to fend off in their hopes to remain in the playoff conversation.
March 10, 2013
Isles Extend Home Points Streak to 5
The Islanders gave fans more hope to build on with a convincing 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Saturday afternoon to give them a 5-game points streak at home, and put themselves one point out in the playoff picture with 23 games remaining.
January 18, 2012
Islanders not Intimidated on Road by Captials
Have you ever seen two Jekyll and Hyde performances in a row as much as we've seen with the New York Islanders? On Tuesday night, the Islanders tweaked some areas and came out in a completely different manner than they did in the game on Monday afternoon.
May 9, 2011
Postseason Potpourri
While the Islanders may not have been able to participate in this year's playoffs, they certainly have been a treat to watch for the hockey fan in general.
I'm trying to think in my lifetime when I have seen a playoff season this crazy and I really can't think of one. The overtime games, the underdogs winning - it's all been really fun to watch.
When I think of what the biggest story has been thus far, I think you have to look at what the Tampa Bay Lightning are doing. Not only did they oust a Penguins team that was still very strong without Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, but they also quickly dispatched of a Washington Capitals team that up until this point had looked the best of any Caps team I've seen in the playoffs in recent years.
The Lightning are getting top notch performances from Martin St. Louis, Dwayne Roloson and...Sean Bergenheim?!
As strange as it may be to say that, it's not uncommon for solid role players to elevate their game in the playoffs. Bergenheim has always been a very solid role player, and I'm glad to see him having the kind of success he is so far in the playoffs. Some fans may be biter about his departure from the Island, but the reality of the situation is that it just wasn't working out here, and it wasn't going to.
Bergenheim was at the age where you could no longer consider him "the future." That point had come and gone, and when it did Bergenheim was at a crossroads. With many similar players on the roster, Garth Snow had to make a tough decision. Bergenheim was essentially redundant, and cutting him loose gave the Isles the ability to bring in guys like P.A. Parenteau and give him a chance, along with guys like Matt Martin and Michael Grabner.
At any rate, it's good to see him, along with Nate Thompson play well as solid role players on a strong team.
Meanwhile, fans in Minnesota, Edmonton and Long Island are unsurprised at the way that Roloson has played, carrying the Lightning on a couple of nights too. We knew dating back to his days as an Oiler that he can come up big in the post season, but he remained one of the most underrated goalies in the league. When he became one of the top available goalies on the market, many questioned why a team would want him because of his age. Sure, that has to be a concern, but when it comes to his play I think anyone who had watched him closely enough would know he had plenty left in the tank. Steve Yzerman watched closely, and when it came to giving up a B-level prospect for him in Ty Wishart when other teams balked, he went ahead with the move. Now, he looks like a genius.
Other story lines include the lack of intensity from teams that are fighting for their lives. In their respective game fours, both the Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals looked like they would rather be doing something else. Unless that something else was golf, I can't fathom why neither team really showed up. In that final game for Washington, Alex Ovechkin played well and looked good. Unfortunately for him, the list ends there.
While he didn't score in last seasons upset to the Montreal Canadiens, you can't say that Alex Semin didn't try. When you pelt 48 shots at a red hot goaltender, even if he stops them all you did your part. But I can't say I feel the same way about Semin in the 2nd round. He's a very talented player who perhaps got away from the things that make him successful.
The Flyers on the other hand finally hit a brick wall when it came to their goaltender by committee. Going for relievers works well in baseball, and it worked well for the Flyers in the 1st round. But no matter who they had in net against the Bruins, it didn't change the way they played. Of course, it didn't help that the Flyers were missing Chris Pronger and had Jeff Carter at anything but 100%, but they are still a strong team up front and on defense. Goaltending continues to be an issue here, and it will be interesting to see how they solve this problem. Do they continue on with Sergei Bobrovski after giving up on him quickly? Do they try and find a way to sign Tomas Vokoun, even if it means shedding some salary? Or, do they give a call to a team for a cheaper but unknown options, such as the Isles very own Evgeni Nabokov (more on this in a later post)?
One of the other cool stories so far is the rise of the Nashville Predators. This is something I'll comment on more in a few days or so, but I am enjoying the success they are finally having. The team and their fans deserve it.
ISLES IN THE WC: The Islanders sent six players to the World Championships: John Tavares (Canada), Al Montoya (United States), Evgeni Nabokov (Russia), Milan Jurcina (Slovakia), Radek Martinek (Czech Republic) and Jesse Joensuu (Finland).
So far, Montoya has looked pretty good playing for former Isles coach Scott Gordon. Montoya did have one bad start and was ultimately replaced as the starter by Ty Conklin. In general, goalies are changed quite frequently after a bad game when it comes to tournaments like this. Montoya did have a relief appearance though on Monday, and played well again. It remains to be seen if he took back the starting spot from Conklin though.
Meanwhile Tavares has been one of Canada's best players. As TSN pointed out in an article on Sunday, Tavares had four goals and eight points while only averaging 13 minutes of ice time. In Canada's 3-2 win over Sweden on Monday, Tavares added another goal to bring his total to five.
I know a lot of fans were uneasy with Tavares going to represent his country, especially after the injury that he suffered last season. From my perspective though, it's definitely beneficial for a player like him. At that age, you want him playing as many games as possible. Since the Isles can't be a part of the dance this year, it's only natural to think that the next best thing is to play in some meaningful games to your country. While they may not be as important as the Olympic games, they certainly have a lot of weight up North especially for the non-Vancouver Canuck fans right now.
Now, on the other hand a player in Martinek's position should not be participating in games like this. Radek has always taken great pride in playing for two teams, however: the Islanders and his National team. I wasn't surprised Martinek decided to go, but raied an eyebrow when I took into consideration his contract status (UFA to be), his injury history and his desire to be re-signed by the Islanders.
Here's the conundrum now, however. Martinek sustained a nasty injury in the tournament, which ended his participation for the summer. His injuries are not as bad as originally feared, but still sizeable (concussion, but with no spinal injuries).
Martinek is an excellent and very underrated defenseman, but does that mean the Isles should pay the price and possibly be scrambling for defensemen again next season? I think it's become quite clear that even this improved defense corps (from what it was in 2009-10) needs to be improved once more to add in durability.
When the Isles resigned Milan Jurcina, both Sean and I were happy about it. Not everyone was, and we had some good discussions about it on Twitter and Facebook. Truth be told, Jurcina is very injury prone himself. However, when he played and was used in the right situations he excelled and that's why I have no probelms with him coming back. When he was re-signed, I was under the impression that Martinek wasn't returning anyway.
Defense has become the number one issue facing this team right now in my opinion. It still could use a slight overhaul to add durability. If that means letting a very good defenseman go in Martinek, then so be it.
PLAYOFFS IN JUNIORS: Some of the Isles younger players are benefitting from some great play in the playoffs for their juniors teams too.
The most notable of the bunch is Nino Niederreiter, who is just tearing the WHL up in the playoffs with nine goals and 16 assists for 25 points over 18 games. His team is in the finals against Kootenay, who won the last game in a wild one 7-5. The series is tied 1-1. But for Isles fans, the story is Niederreiter and what he's done.
When you consider the slow start he got off to when originally going back down to the WHL, it is all the more impressive. I would be shocked if he didn't make the team next season - or, at the very least wasn't given a very long leash and every chance to grab one of the final spots on the roster (barring any unforseen changes upfront).
The experience is the reason why it was necessary for Niederreiter to go back down, and why it would have been as equally as beneficial if the Isles did right by Josh Bailey a few seasons ago. Hopefully Niederreiter's team can continue to streak through and make the Memorial Cup.
Casey Cizikas is also going deep into the playoffs as a member of Missagua in the OHL. Cizikas and his Majors are also in a dog fight with the seris tied 2-2 after a tough overtime loss on Sunday.
Cizikas has five goals and 10 helpers for 15 points in 13 games. For the OHL, those are very solid numbers. For Cizikas, each day he seems to add another chapter to a story that seemed very unlikely at one time.
As an Isles fan, you have to be thrilled seeing these two young forwards going deep into their playoffs. We have seen the past few years what Calvin deHaan was all about, as well as fellow defensemen Travis Hamonic and Matt Donovan. Hamonic of course is already up with the Isles, and deHaan had a solid year as the captain for the Oshawa Generals.
The forward picture was a bit more murky as we wondered what the ceiling was for guys like Niederreiter, Cizikas and others such as Kirill Kabanov. All three had solid showings in the post season, although each seemed to take a different route to get there. We want to have these battles in the future, even if it means making a tough decision to get better elsewhere in the organization.
OTHER NOTES: Obviously, both Sean and I have taken some time off to take care of some items we may have put aside. Those of you who have continued to follow us have most likely seen the Twitter and Facebook updates we've had throughout these fantastic playoffs thus far.
I've taken some time to think about what I'd like to write about as we enter some of the slower months and I have some good ideas kicking around in my head that I plan to have some conversations with the Isles on. Once I figure out what I'm able to do you guys will have a better idea.
In the meantime, feel free to continue to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and feel free to tell us what your favorite moments have been so far of the playoffs. As always, we continue to welcome all thoughts and questions, be it on the NHL or the Isles.
One last thing, don't be surprised if some things change on the blog here and there. I know over the winter I said I was going to change the format up, and I held off because I needed to learn some of the bells and whistles and by the time I got to think about what I wanted to do, there wasn't much left to the season so I put any renovations off until the offseason. So if you pop on one day and we're down, down fret and just sit tight.
I promise it won't be three weeks before my next post.
-CH
nyifyi@gmail.com
I'm trying to think in my lifetime when I have seen a playoff season this crazy and I really can't think of one. The overtime games, the underdogs winning - it's all been really fun to watch.
When I think of what the biggest story has been thus far, I think you have to look at what the Tampa Bay Lightning are doing. Not only did they oust a Penguins team that was still very strong without Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, but they also quickly dispatched of a Washington Capitals team that up until this point had looked the best of any Caps team I've seen in the playoffs in recent years.
The Lightning are getting top notch performances from Martin St. Louis, Dwayne Roloson and...Sean Bergenheim?!
As strange as it may be to say that, it's not uncommon for solid role players to elevate their game in the playoffs. Bergenheim has always been a very solid role player, and I'm glad to see him having the kind of success he is so far in the playoffs. Some fans may be biter about his departure from the Island, but the reality of the situation is that it just wasn't working out here, and it wasn't going to.
Bergenheim was at the age where you could no longer consider him "the future." That point had come and gone, and when it did Bergenheim was at a crossroads. With many similar players on the roster, Garth Snow had to make a tough decision. Bergenheim was essentially redundant, and cutting him loose gave the Isles the ability to bring in guys like P.A. Parenteau and give him a chance, along with guys like Matt Martin and Michael Grabner.
At any rate, it's good to see him, along with Nate Thompson play well as solid role players on a strong team.
 |
| Fans from Minny, Edmonton and LI are unsurprised by Roli. |
Obviously, if it's not clear by now I am pulling for the Lightning to get all the way to the finals. Ideally, it would be nice to see Roli finally add a cup to his resume. He's putting to rest a lot of the talk of age.
Other story lines include the lack of intensity from teams that are fighting for their lives. In their respective game fours, both the Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals looked like they would rather be doing something else. Unless that something else was golf, I can't fathom why neither team really showed up. In that final game for Washington, Alex Ovechkin played well and looked good. Unfortunately for him, the list ends there.
While he didn't score in last seasons upset to the Montreal Canadiens, you can't say that Alex Semin didn't try. When you pelt 48 shots at a red hot goaltender, even if he stops them all you did your part. But I can't say I feel the same way about Semin in the 2nd round. He's a very talented player who perhaps got away from the things that make him successful.
The Flyers on the other hand finally hit a brick wall when it came to their goaltender by committee. Going for relievers works well in baseball, and it worked well for the Flyers in the 1st round. But no matter who they had in net against the Bruins, it didn't change the way they played. Of course, it didn't help that the Flyers were missing Chris Pronger and had Jeff Carter at anything but 100%, but they are still a strong team up front and on defense. Goaltending continues to be an issue here, and it will be interesting to see how they solve this problem. Do they continue on with Sergei Bobrovski after giving up on him quickly? Do they try and find a way to sign Tomas Vokoun, even if it means shedding some salary? Or, do they give a call to a team for a cheaper but unknown options, such as the Isles very own Evgeni Nabokov (more on this in a later post)?
One of the other cool stories so far is the rise of the Nashville Predators. This is something I'll comment on more in a few days or so, but I am enjoying the success they are finally having. The team and their fans deserve it.
ISLES IN THE WC: The Islanders sent six players to the World Championships: John Tavares (Canada), Al Montoya (United States), Evgeni Nabokov (Russia), Milan Jurcina (Slovakia), Radek Martinek (Czech Republic) and Jesse Joensuu (Finland).
So far, Montoya has looked pretty good playing for former Isles coach Scott Gordon. Montoya did have one bad start and was ultimately replaced as the starter by Ty Conklin. In general, goalies are changed quite frequently after a bad game when it comes to tournaments like this. Montoya did have a relief appearance though on Monday, and played well again. It remains to be seen if he took back the starting spot from Conklin though.
Meanwhile Tavares has been one of Canada's best players. As TSN pointed out in an article on Sunday, Tavares had four goals and eight points while only averaging 13 minutes of ice time. In Canada's 3-2 win over Sweden on Monday, Tavares added another goal to bring his total to five.
I know a lot of fans were uneasy with Tavares going to represent his country, especially after the injury that he suffered last season. From my perspective though, it's definitely beneficial for a player like him. At that age, you want him playing as many games as possible. Since the Isles can't be a part of the dance this year, it's only natural to think that the next best thing is to play in some meaningful games to your country. While they may not be as important as the Olympic games, they certainly have a lot of weight up North especially for the non-Vancouver Canuck fans right now.
Now, on the other hand a player in Martinek's position should not be participating in games like this. Radek has always taken great pride in playing for two teams, however: the Islanders and his National team. I wasn't surprised Martinek decided to go, but raied an eyebrow when I took into consideration his contract status (UFA to be), his injury history and his desire to be re-signed by the Islanders.
Here's the conundrum now, however. Martinek sustained a nasty injury in the tournament, which ended his participation for the summer. His injuries are not as bad as originally feared, but still sizeable (concussion, but with no spinal injuries).
Martinek hasn't been the poster boy for durability, and neither has the Isles defense. Mark Eaton, Mike Mottau, Andrew MacDonald, Milan Jurcina and Mark Streit all sustained prolonged and season-ending injuries at some point last season, which obviously raises some red flags. Then you take into account that Martinek's injury history (excluding this past season, which we'll say is an outlier for now) isn't the cleanest, and I'm having a hard time convincing myself that the Isles have to keep him.
 |
| Martinek's decade on LI has been mired by injury. |
When the Isles resigned Milan Jurcina, both Sean and I were happy about it. Not everyone was, and we had some good discussions about it on Twitter and Facebook. Truth be told, Jurcina is very injury prone himself. However, when he played and was used in the right situations he excelled and that's why I have no probelms with him coming back. When he was re-signed, I was under the impression that Martinek wasn't returning anyway.
Defense has become the number one issue facing this team right now in my opinion. It still could use a slight overhaul to add durability. If that means letting a very good defenseman go in Martinek, then so be it.
PLAYOFFS IN JUNIORS: Some of the Isles younger players are benefitting from some great play in the playoffs for their juniors teams too.
The most notable of the bunch is Nino Niederreiter, who is just tearing the WHL up in the playoffs with nine goals and 16 assists for 25 points over 18 games. His team is in the finals against Kootenay, who won the last game in a wild one 7-5. The series is tied 1-1. But for Isles fans, the story is Niederreiter and what he's done.
When you consider the slow start he got off to when originally going back down to the WHL, it is all the more impressive. I would be shocked if he didn't make the team next season - or, at the very least wasn't given a very long leash and every chance to grab one of the final spots on the roster (barring any unforseen changes upfront).
The experience is the reason why it was necessary for Niederreiter to go back down, and why it would have been as equally as beneficial if the Isles did right by Josh Bailey a few seasons ago. Hopefully Niederreiter's team can continue to streak through and make the Memorial Cup.
Casey Cizikas is also going deep into the playoffs as a member of Missagua in the OHL. Cizikas and his Majors are also in a dog fight with the seris tied 2-2 after a tough overtime loss on Sunday.
Cizikas has five goals and 10 helpers for 15 points in 13 games. For the OHL, those are very solid numbers. For Cizikas, each day he seems to add another chapter to a story that seemed very unlikely at one time.
As an Isles fan, you have to be thrilled seeing these two young forwards going deep into their playoffs. We have seen the past few years what Calvin deHaan was all about, as well as fellow defensemen Travis Hamonic and Matt Donovan. Hamonic of course is already up with the Isles, and deHaan had a solid year as the captain for the Oshawa Generals.
The forward picture was a bit more murky as we wondered what the ceiling was for guys like Niederreiter, Cizikas and others such as Kirill Kabanov. All three had solid showings in the post season, although each seemed to take a different route to get there. We want to have these battles in the future, even if it means making a tough decision to get better elsewhere in the organization.
OTHER NOTES: Obviously, both Sean and I have taken some time off to take care of some items we may have put aside. Those of you who have continued to follow us have most likely seen the Twitter and Facebook updates we've had throughout these fantastic playoffs thus far.
I've taken some time to think about what I'd like to write about as we enter some of the slower months and I have some good ideas kicking around in my head that I plan to have some conversations with the Isles on. Once I figure out what I'm able to do you guys will have a better idea.
In the meantime, feel free to continue to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and feel free to tell us what your favorite moments have been so far of the playoffs. As always, we continue to welcome all thoughts and questions, be it on the NHL or the Isles.
One last thing, don't be surprised if some things change on the blog here and there. I know over the winter I said I was going to change the format up, and I held off because I needed to learn some of the bells and whistles and by the time I got to think about what I wanted to do, there wasn't much left to the season so I put any renovations off until the offseason. So if you pop on one day and we're down, down fret and just sit tight.
I promise it won't be three weeks before my next post.
-CH
nyifyi@gmail.com
February 27, 2011
Isles Blow Lead to Caps in front of Full House; New NYI FYI Sunday
The Islanders had a large and loud crowd on hand Saturday night to see them take on the Washington Capitals. Unfortunately, by the end of the night those who were in support of the Caps walked away happy.
The Isles had a 1-0 lead on a nice looking goal by Kyle Okposo as he Faked shifted into the slot and snapped a shot past goaltender Michael Neuvirth. It was just Okposo's 3rd goal of his injury shortened season.
The Isles would get a 2-0 lead on a knuckle ball shot that Neuvirth barely had a chance to see. It only took 33 seconds into the second period for Hamonic to get his 3rd of the season.
It was at that point where the Caps began to press, and get some of their chances. The Isles had been out-shooting the Caps 20-9 at one point, but things slowly turned in their favor.
Brooks Laich came out of the box after serving a penalty and Neuvirth hit him with a pass. He powered his way to the net and took a real nice shot that got through Montoya. Laich, who will be a UFA this summer, showed why many Isles fans on messages boards have been hoping that the Isles would make a run at him. He brings an element to a game that not many can provide, and certainly with much more consistency than anyone currently on the Isles.
Mike Knuble and Alex Semin would score about three minutes apart in the third to give the Caps a lead they would hold on to. Knuble's goal was on a broken play in front after Jack Hillen was taken behind the net, leaving Ty Wishart as the only defenseman covering and Josh Bailey scrambling to try and help.
Jack Capuano told us in the post game after that he thought they competed well against a tough team, but did have some lapses.
The one glaring issue however, was the power-play. "I felt our power-play was flat tonight," Capuano was quick to point out. I couldn't agree more, and on Twitter I pointed out that the Isles were playing too much on the perimeter with the man advantage. It's fine to get some looks for the defensemen and to try and create rebounds, but the Caps blocked a ton of shots coming in from the outside, especially early on. That is when you have to make changes and adapt to what your opponent is doing.
The locker room was very solemn after the game last night and for obvious reasons. Not only did they lose a game they could have easily won, but they also can be losing some friends. One look at Nathan Lawson's or Rob Schremp's face, and you could tell there was some pain there.
That is the other aspect in all of this. However, at the end of the day it is Garth Snow's job to build a successful hockey team. Having spoken to both Schremp and Lawson in the past, I can tell you they would probably say themselves how they haven't stepped up in the way they should have. In the case of Lawson, he seemed like he feared his NHL career may be over just as quickly as it started.
Regardless of that, we'll see what happens. There's a decent chance Schremp may be claimed by someone, while it's expected Lawson will clear waivers by noon Monday. There were a decent amount of scouts milling around the Coliseum, and the Isles even had scouts at some of the other games going around. There wasn't much talk in the press box of anything going on when it comes to the Isles. But as I said yesterday, expect the unexpected. If there's one thing we learned so far this year in the NHL, it's that almost anyone can be had for the right price.
NEW NYI FYI EPISODE: As usual, Sean and I will be getting together for our latest installment of the NYI FYI radio show at 11 AM. Please feel free to watch us and participate by going to our UStream page. There is a chat room that is up and running there, and we always read thoughts and questions from there. You can also feel free to @ us on Twitter with your thoughts and questions.
Enjoy guys!
-CH
nyifyi@gmail.com
The Isles had a 1-0 lead on a nice looking goal by Kyle Okposo as he Faked shifted into the slot and snapped a shot past goaltender Michael Neuvirth. It was just Okposo's 3rd goal of his injury shortened season.
The Isles would get a 2-0 lead on a knuckle ball shot that Neuvirth barely had a chance to see. It only took 33 seconds into the second period for Hamonic to get his 3rd of the season.
It was at that point where the Caps began to press, and get some of their chances. The Isles had been out-shooting the Caps 20-9 at one point, but things slowly turned in their favor.
Brooks Laich came out of the box after serving a penalty and Neuvirth hit him with a pass. He powered his way to the net and took a real nice shot that got through Montoya. Laich, who will be a UFA this summer, showed why many Isles fans on messages boards have been hoping that the Isles would make a run at him. He brings an element to a game that not many can provide, and certainly with much more consistency than anyone currently on the Isles.
Mike Knuble and Alex Semin would score about three minutes apart in the third to give the Caps a lead they would hold on to. Knuble's goal was on a broken play in front after Jack Hillen was taken behind the net, leaving Ty Wishart as the only defenseman covering and Josh Bailey scrambling to try and help.
Jack Capuano told us in the post game after that he thought they competed well against a tough team, but did have some lapses.
The one glaring issue however, was the power-play. "I felt our power-play was flat tonight," Capuano was quick to point out. I couldn't agree more, and on Twitter I pointed out that the Isles were playing too much on the perimeter with the man advantage. It's fine to get some looks for the defensemen and to try and create rebounds, but the Caps blocked a ton of shots coming in from the outside, especially early on. That is when you have to make changes and adapt to what your opponent is doing.
The locker room was very solemn after the game last night and for obvious reasons. Not only did they lose a game they could have easily won, but they also can be losing some friends. One look at Nathan Lawson's or Rob Schremp's face, and you could tell there was some pain there.
That is the other aspect in all of this. However, at the end of the day it is Garth Snow's job to build a successful hockey team. Having spoken to both Schremp and Lawson in the past, I can tell you they would probably say themselves how they haven't stepped up in the way they should have. In the case of Lawson, he seemed like he feared his NHL career may be over just as quickly as it started.
Regardless of that, we'll see what happens. There's a decent chance Schremp may be claimed by someone, while it's expected Lawson will clear waivers by noon Monday. There were a decent amount of scouts milling around the Coliseum, and the Isles even had scouts at some of the other games going around. There wasn't much talk in the press box of anything going on when it comes to the Isles. But as I said yesterday, expect the unexpected. If there's one thing we learned so far this year in the NHL, it's that almost anyone can be had for the right price.
NEW NYI FYI EPISODE: As usual, Sean and I will be getting together for our latest installment of the NYI FYI radio show at 11 AM. Please feel free to watch us and participate by going to our UStream page. There is a chat room that is up and running there, and we always read thoughts and questions from there. You can also feel free to @ us on Twitter with your thoughts and questions.
Enjoy guys!
-CH
nyifyi@gmail.com
January 21, 2011
Lack of Power Play Kills Isles; Nabokov Rumors
The Islanders lost to the Washington Capitals 2-1 in what would end up becoming a very frustrating game.
The effort was there and so were the chances. The Islanders had six opportunities on the man advantage and couldn't beat rookie goalie Braden Holtby once on any of them.
Their only goal came from Michael Grabner after he used that speed to once again pick up a lose puck and create a breakaway for himself. Howie Rose was trying to think of the last Islander who had speed like he does. I can't think of anyone. He's by far the fastest I've seen (in my time of watching, anyway) and he has 12 goals already. I'm glad for him and for us that he's going to be our All-Star Weekend representative. It's a good story.
Rick DiPietro was fine in net, stopping 22 of 24 shots. His reactions seemed quick. Both goals he gave up were from some much bigger Capitals using their bodies to get to the net and create chances or tip-in shots. The Isles defense is missing Milan Jurcina right now, and it showed in a couple of plays last night.
Kyle Okposo making his debut looked much better than I expected him to. As I said a couple of days ago, it would be unfair to have any expectations for him at all this year. But aside from your usual rust, he had some nice chances getting to the slot and missed the net frequently. It was really nice though to have some slot presence there. Clearly, it hasn't happened much this season and you can see why this team is where they are now with Okposo missing 45 games. What a shame.
The Islanders are on their way up to Buffalo to play the Sabres in a Friday night match-up. It is the first of a home and home as the Isles will come back for a Sunday afternoon tilt against them.
One thing we know for sure right now is that DiPietro will not be making the trip. He was still feeling the effects of the flu after Thursday night's game and was hooked up to IV's immediately after changing in the locker room without speaking to reporters. So expect one of Kevin Poulin or Nathan Lawson to get the start.
NABOKOV WAIVER CLAIM?
The Detroit Red Wings have signed goalie Evgeni Nabokov to a deal for the remainder of the season. The deal for the long time San Jose Shark is only worth $570K ($250K prorated). The interesting part of this story is waiting for Nabokov to clear waivers. Since he played in a European league this season, he has to clear. The Wings are trying to find a loophole in the CBA to avoid losing him. But it appears that many teams would be very interested in claiming him.
Katie Strang reported the Islanders have had some internal discussions on if they should claim him or not. Many fans having seen Lawson play first hand now this season have been clamoring for an NHL goalie to come in either by trade or waiver claim and Nabokov clearly fits that bill.
But would the Isles actually go through with it after speaking so highly of Lawson and Poulin? I'm not so sure. Claiming Nabokov seems to be a sign of admitting their mistake in dealing Dwayne Roloson as soon as they did and go against what they have been saying in the 20 days since. On the other hand, it proves that they are truly trying to do what it takes to be competitive, and it would fit their description of making a move that fits into both their short and long-term plans. They can easily play DP in half of the remaining games and split the time with Nabokov while giving Poulin the necessary time to develop in the AHL.
Given his price, I think there is a slight chance the Isles would put in a claim for him but in the end I don't think it will happen. If the Islanders won more than just two of the five games on this recent home stand then I could see it being more of a possibility but right now I think it's doubtful. We'll see soon enough.
-CH
nyifyi@gmail.com
The effort was there and so were the chances. The Islanders had six opportunities on the man advantage and couldn't beat rookie goalie Braden Holtby once on any of them.
Their only goal came from Michael Grabner after he used that speed to once again pick up a lose puck and create a breakaway for himself. Howie Rose was trying to think of the last Islander who had speed like he does. I can't think of anyone. He's by far the fastest I've seen (in my time of watching, anyway) and he has 12 goals already. I'm glad for him and for us that he's going to be our All-Star Weekend representative. It's a good story.
Rick DiPietro was fine in net, stopping 22 of 24 shots. His reactions seemed quick. Both goals he gave up were from some much bigger Capitals using their bodies to get to the net and create chances or tip-in shots. The Isles defense is missing Milan Jurcina right now, and it showed in a couple of plays last night.
Kyle Okposo making his debut looked much better than I expected him to. As I said a couple of days ago, it would be unfair to have any expectations for him at all this year. But aside from your usual rust, he had some nice chances getting to the slot and missed the net frequently. It was really nice though to have some slot presence there. Clearly, it hasn't happened much this season and you can see why this team is where they are now with Okposo missing 45 games. What a shame.
The Islanders are on their way up to Buffalo to play the Sabres in a Friday night match-up. It is the first of a home and home as the Isles will come back for a Sunday afternoon tilt against them.
One thing we know for sure right now is that DiPietro will not be making the trip. He was still feeling the effects of the flu after Thursday night's game and was hooked up to IV's immediately after changing in the locker room without speaking to reporters. So expect one of Kevin Poulin or Nathan Lawson to get the start.
NABOKOV WAIVER CLAIM?
The Detroit Red Wings have signed goalie Evgeni Nabokov to a deal for the remainder of the season. The deal for the long time San Jose Shark is only worth $570K ($250K prorated). The interesting part of this story is waiting for Nabokov to clear waivers. Since he played in a European league this season, he has to clear. The Wings are trying to find a loophole in the CBA to avoid losing him. But it appears that many teams would be very interested in claiming him.
Katie Strang reported the Islanders have had some internal discussions on if they should claim him or not. Many fans having seen Lawson play first hand now this season have been clamoring for an NHL goalie to come in either by trade or waiver claim and Nabokov clearly fits that bill.
But would the Isles actually go through with it after speaking so highly of Lawson and Poulin? I'm not so sure. Claiming Nabokov seems to be a sign of admitting their mistake in dealing Dwayne Roloson as soon as they did and go against what they have been saying in the 20 days since. On the other hand, it proves that they are truly trying to do what it takes to be competitive, and it would fit their description of making a move that fits into both their short and long-term plans. They can easily play DP in half of the remaining games and split the time with Nabokov while giving Poulin the necessary time to develop in the AHL.
Given his price, I think there is a slight chance the Isles would put in a claim for him but in the end I don't think it will happen. If the Islanders won more than just two of the five games on this recent home stand then I could see it being more of a possibility but right now I think it's doubtful. We'll see soon enough.
-CH
nyifyi@gmail.com
January 19, 2011
Surprise! Okposo Returns
Kyle Okposo has been around the team for virtually all season. Recently he started skating with the team on the ice and announced that he was still a little bit away.
After a few days of skating with a "no contact" jersey on, Okposo practiced wearing a regular jersey for the first time on Wednesday. If that wasn't surprising enough - I wrote on our Twitter how shocked I was that he was doing so this quickly already - the Islanders announced after practice that Okposo will return to the line-up Thursday against Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals.
It is indeed a pleasant one that many are happy about. I am a little uneasy about him not going down to Bridgeport for a few games to get some seasoning and his "game" legs back, but in all honesty is it really going to matter when you look at what this season has most likely become? No, not really. Besides, Okposo and the coaching staff said he wasn't going to play until he was 100% and I don't think Okposo would risk his well being just to get back on the ice sooner than he should be in a season like this one.
At the very least, it gives people something to be excited about. Keep in mind though that slack needs to be cut here. There should be no expectations for him in an abbreviated season. Realistically he's still going to be in spring training mode. Keep that in mind when you think about trying to evaluate him on certain plays or in certain situations. This is a young player coming off a very major shoulder injury.
No word yet on who will start against the Caps, but it seems the status of Rick DiPietro could be up in the air again. In my last post, I told everyone to step back from the ledge because of DiPietro getting his "maintenance day." Meanwhile, Wednesday he didn't practice because of sickness. Uh oh.
Either way, Nathan Lawson went down and came back up and the Isles are carrying three goalies again just as Jack Capuano said he plans to do for a while. We'll see how this plays out tomorrow afternoon.
As nice as it is to see Okposo returning, it would be equally as nice to see Frans Nielsen return from his seven game absence. It originally seemed like he was a good bet to return with the demotion of Jesse Joensuu, but Capuano said Nielsen's status was "uncertain" at this time.
Finally, things are oddly quiet surrounding Milan Jurcina. He was hurt in Monday's game against the Devils and only played three minutes. He left with an upper body injury and that is all we know. It would be a shame to lose him again after he already missed 18 games this year with that hamstring injury. We've seen how well he has played here so this would be a huge blow.
-CH
nyifyi@gmail.com
So much for that.
 |
| Photo by Chris Hessel |
Surprise!
At the very least, it gives people something to be excited about. Keep in mind though that slack needs to be cut here. There should be no expectations for him in an abbreviated season. Realistically he's still going to be in spring training mode. Keep that in mind when you think about trying to evaluate him on certain plays or in certain situations. This is a young player coming off a very major shoulder injury.
No word yet on who will start against the Caps, but it seems the status of Rick DiPietro could be up in the air again. In my last post, I told everyone to step back from the ledge because of DiPietro getting his "maintenance day." Meanwhile, Wednesday he didn't practice because of sickness. Uh oh.
Either way, Nathan Lawson went down and came back up and the Isles are carrying three goalies again just as Jack Capuano said he plans to do for a while. We'll see how this plays out tomorrow afternoon.
As nice as it is to see Okposo returning, it would be equally as nice to see Frans Nielsen return from his seven game absence. It originally seemed like he was a good bet to return with the demotion of Jesse Joensuu, but Capuano said Nielsen's status was "uncertain" at this time.
Finally, things are oddly quiet surrounding Milan Jurcina. He was hurt in Monday's game against the Devils and only played three minutes. He left with an upper body injury and that is all we know. It would be a shame to lose him again after he already missed 18 games this year with that hamstring injury. We've seen how well he has played here so this would be a huge blow.
-CH
nyifyi@gmail.com
October 19, 2007
Guerin's Hat Trick helps Isles beat Capitals 5-2
Through 6 games, all Bill Guerin had to show offensively was 6 assists. Even though he played well in those 6 games, a sniper like him always like to put pucks in the net. He would have been happy with one.Guerin not only scored his first goal as an Islander in the game, but he also had his second and third. The monkey on his back had been lifted. Two of his goals came on the powerplay, something the Isles had trouble with over the last 2 games.
However, it was Bryan Berard's power play goal for the team that would end up being the game winner. Berard one-timed a pass from Chris Campoli at the point with 10 minutes left in the 3rd period to put the Islanders up for good. Berard now has 2 goals and 2 assists in 4 games with the team. Campoli had 4 assists and was noticeable all game. He was strong at both ends of the ice and has impressed many through each game this season.
Sean Bergenheim also scored for the Isles, his first goal since March of 2006. It was nice to see Bergie get the first one after coming back from Europe this year. He has really done wonders on the 2nd line playing with Josef Vasicek and Miroslav Satan.
Alex Ovechkin and Tomas Fleischmann scored for the Capitals. Their goals came about 5 minutes apart after a goal by Ruslan Fedotenko was disallowed. It appears that the goal should have been allowed, but the NHL said they didn't have enough evidence and the call on the ice stands. After that, Washington seemed to get momentum and quickly got on the board with Ovechkins goal.
Even after all that, the Isles were able to get it together and get a powerplay, the one that Berard converted on for his game winner. Despite all the scoring, Rick DiPietro was once again spectacular, making 27 saves on 29 shots. The Isles were out shot, and many times it looked as though Rick didn't have time to relax as he always had to be on his toes.
A game like this could be just what the doctor ordered for the team. Bill Guerin finally scoring should make things easier for him. It would be nice to see Satan and Mike Sillinger step up their game a little bit, and hopefully they can start that next game. Sillinger has been a 60 point scorer the last few years and the Isles would really like to see him do it again this year. Both he and Satan have yet to score a goal this year.
The next game is Saturday night against the Devils at the Coliseum. The Devils have had some early season problems and Marty Brodeur has looked shaky at best. Hopefully the Isles can pull one out and have a very successful week.
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