Take the time to thank a veteran today, someone you may know or even someone you might not. Without them, our country would not be.
THANK YOU VETERANS.
And thanks also to those serving in the armed forces today. We are indebted to you.
Islanders 1: Devils 2
Thrashers 3: Islanders 6
A couple of injuries- one for the long-term- perhaps made the difference between these two games, sadly enough. The Islanders paid dearly in their 2-1 loss to New Jersey at the Rock on Friday night, losing defenseman Radek Martinek yet again to injury. This time, it was an ACL tear, leaving him out for the rest of the season. They also lost captain Doug Weight again, this time for a week with an upper body injury.
As for the actual hockey, I tried hard to follow this game by listening to it online. The trick with radio is that you have to visualize how the game looks in your head. Though you get the same broadcasters (Howie Rose and Billy Jaffe), it's difficult to follow because you have no picture to go on. Thus, you have to rely solely on your listening skills, which is difficult. Biologically and psychologically speaking, humans are not exactly creatures built specifically for listening. At any rate, I tried hard but ultimately lost the feed anyway, thanks to my lovely Internet which hates me.
At any rate, it was a loss, and with former Isles goalie Yann Danis in net. Frans Nielsen got the Islanders scoring first, taking and burying a feed from Sean Bergenheim, but other than that the Isles couldn't get anything started against their Metro-area rival. Cory Murphy, a recent call-up from Lowell, and Brian Rolston got the Devils' goals, and Danis made 23 saves to preserve the win. It was a game full of penalties and overall somewhat flat play by the Isles.
With injuries sustained both on the blueline and on the wing, Scott Gordon tweaked the lineup to allow for them, putting in Blake Comeau once more who had been a scratch these past couple of weeks, as well as Freddy Meyer. Both had significant impact in last night's game, which turned out to be a topsy-turvy 6-3 win over the Atlanta Thrashers. Kyle Okposo was moved onto a line with Nielsen and Bergenheim, while Richard Park skated alongside John Tavares and Matt Moulson (perhaps with the hope that the hard-working grinder would be able to complement the flashier players). Right off the bat, the Isles had energy and threw shots at Ondrej Pavelec. Andy Sutton made good at 9:11 of the first with a beautiful goal on an equally pretty setup by Tavares. He stopped short, drew Pavelec down enough to expose the top half of the net, and backhanded it right past the goalie's left shoulder.
Atlanta got it right back, however, as Zach Bogosian sprang free while Tavares tried to cover for a pinching Bruno Gervais. However, 38 seconds later, a one-goal lead would once again be implemented. The goalscorer? Sean Bergenheim, who finally got his first goal of the season by getting to the loose puck in front. You gotta love it when a guy who works so hard but can't get anything started, finally gets his first. Unfortunately, Jon Sim couldn't say the same; though he forechecked effectively and worked hard, even getting some chances, he just couldn't will one past Pavelec or his replacement in the third, Johan Hedberg.
There were plenty more first goals in this game- those of Jack Hillen (a rocket that blew past Pavelec during 4-on-4 play) and Blake Comeau only :22 into the second period (a shot that Pavelec merely swatted at, giving up far too much of the net once more; give Comeau credit for using Pavel Kubina as a screen on the rush). Matt Moulson scored on a beautiful shot through traffic (with Tavares once more getting the first assist) and Josh Bailey would cap things off for the Isles with his third of the season on a sweet wrist shot.
Kubina and former Senator Christoph Schubert were the Thrashers' two other goalscorers, which made it somewhat close, but there were holes in Atlanta's game that couldn't be patched up in time, such as their lack of physicality in the first and second periods, particularly by their defense. The Isles were winning nearly every battle for the puck, allowing them to run up the shot tally and keep the Thrashers off the board for the most part.
Also, when the Thrashers finally started outplaying the Isles in the third period, Kubina ended up ended up taking a hooking penalty, then making it worse by slamming his stick on the pipe of the goalie net, adding two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct. That allowed for Bailey's power-play goal, and for the Isles to secure the win.
Overall, this made for a good win for the Isles in their last home game until around Thanksgiving. Their next game will be against the Capitals (again? sheesh) at the Verizon Center on Wednesday. Another late class for me, unfortunately. Such is life. But at least I can still say...
LET'S GO ISLANDERS!!!
(P.S. Every Islander except for Nate Thompson and Brendan Witt recorded at least one shot on goal; Moulson and Bergenheim both led with six... Attendance was reported at 14,119... Roloson and Pavelec each had 31 saves, and Hedberg had eight... Sean Bergenheim played in his 200th NHL game and scored, good for him!... Rob Schremp was the only healthy scratch last night.
When an organization refuses to fully deal with and resolve an issue, the issue will usually be forced to the surface so that it must be dealt with - first comes the ping pong ball, then comes the nerf ball, then comes the brick. When the brick comes, and it will, try explaining to grieving parents that their son should have kept his head up and that it was a clean hit.
City life never grows old or more importantly, comfortable. It was also great to finally watch an Islanders game on TV, albeit flipping back and forth with the Yankees/Phillies game. After deliberating as a Mets fan between rooting for the Yankees or Phillies, in the end being a New Yorker won out over rivalry with my sister Donna who was at the game Wednesday night. As much as I don’t like the Yankees, walking out of my apartment building after the game to hear an apartment across the street blaring the TV and the song New York, New York while what sounded like a stadium full of people cheering – well it was a hundred times more wonderful than the complete silence in Philly on Thursday thus definitely worth rooting for the Yankees…temporarily.
“Yankee Stadium rocked Wednesday night--even in the upper deck the fan base was relatively mild mannered for a. my bringing a Phillies fan who wore Victorino jersey and Phillies hat and b. their mega beer drinking. Thank you to the Yankees for going ahead early and staying ahead...the tensions that could have been--never really reached a panicked nor frenzied state---fans were celebrating in the 6th and egging Ryan Howard on with the antagonistic cheer of "O-VER RaTeD" to which I said out loud, "Why, Why Why" and with that Mr. Howard clobbered a home run. Both hot hitting teams could easily score 4 runs in any given inning but the Yankee fan swagger was in full force with nothing but a VICTORY on their minds while the few scattered Phillies fans relinquished themselves to standing behind the row of seats conceding so early...so with the impending Yankees win the electricity was a little lackluster--not loud enough to be contained within the confines of the new Yankee Stadium (enough with the doing it for the boss already) and it didn't come close to the exuberation and exhilaration of the Islanders winning their first cup in 1980--the ringing in my ears from that experience is still louder than the ringing that could have been in my ears from Wednesday night's victory because a. ice hockey stadiums are enclosed and hence all the noise is contained (14,400 fans in an air tight container sound louder than 54,000 in an open air arena) and b. the Yankees didn't win in walk off fashion, spontaneous pandemonium can only happen in a spontaneous situation like sudden death OT.”
LET’S GO NEW YORK!!
Islanders 0 : Sabres 3
The recap of this game could probably not be stated better than Butch ‘fly suit and tie’ Goring’s post game analysis. This was one of those games where even if you possess only basic hockey knowledge, it would not be hard to understand why the Isles lost. Penalties without purpose, shots on goal and face-offs won. Oh and Ryan Miller was his own fortress. Now that I can finally root for my favorite NHL goalie, props given to Martin Biron for stopping 34, almost all healthy, shots on goal.
What stuck out most was the Isles defensive positioning on the first two goals of the game. More specifically, Brendan Witt and Bruno Gervais’s positioning on Derek Roy’s power play goal (1st period @ 8:27)…
…and then Gervais’s positioning on Thomas Vanek’s power play goal (2nd period @ 17:13).
The third goal was a matter of Paul Gaustad picking up the puck from the boards and winning a dig match versus Mark Streit and Biron @ 16:19 in the 3rd period. The ref’s call on this was ‘no goal’ until reversed by formal review.
Beyond the Islander’s contributions to the outcome of the game was most likely the Sabre’s intention to not get spanked again by the Isles like they did on Halloween. Simply put, they had to win - anyone who ever had to compete knows how strong the drive is to avoid getting shut out…again…by a team you think you’re better than.
Next up – Isles @ Devils tonight, 7pm.
Josh Bailey – you’re still up. Don’t get lost between 21 and 91. Better yet, Coach Gordon don’t let that happen.
Let’s Go Islanders!!
I don't mean to be all preachy twice in a row, but this came to my attention this morning as I scoured Twitter for hockey news. Puck Daddy, a blog on Yahoo, is a site I check out fairly often, and it provides humor as well as information. There was nothing that humorous about the topic of one of its posts, however: a column written by Justin Bourne, the son of legendary Islander Bob Bourne. In it, Bourne writes about the use of gay slurs in hockey culture, and how they must be stifled. "It's time to acknowledge we've been unfair to the gay community, that the culture of our sport can be misogynistic, homophobic, and cruel," he wrote. (link:http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/columnist/bourne/2009-11-02-hockey-culture_N.htm )
Puck Daddy's editor, Greg Wyshynski, opened a forum for discussion on his blog by asking readers whether or not the issue of gay slurs in hockey should be addressed. Many said yes: many others, however, further proved Bourne's point that the culture of hockey needs to be modified. (link: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Gay-slurs-and-hockey-banter-Time-to-take-a-stan?urn=nhl,199909 )
Let's make this loud and clear:
This is not about "growing a thicker skin." It is not about toughening up, or simply dealing with the "alpha male" mentality of these players. It is not an issue of words and free speech, either. Free speech does not mean you have the right to completely alienate an entire group of people. Nor is the whole "stick and stones" line going to be accepted anymore. Words do hurt, particularly when the intention to hurt is made clear- anyone who has any concept of feelings understands this. But more than that, it is an issue of acceptance of others- and let's face it, the "f" word describing gay men doesn't exactly convey an air of tolerance here.
As a matter of fact, let's think about that for a second. If a white player were to call a black player the "n"-word, we all know what would happen- groups would get up in arms and call for the white player's head, so to speak, and for good reason. It's a gross word. But athletes in any sport- even the guys I joked around with in high school- throw the "f"-word around like a lacrosse ball and no one bats an eye. Is there something wrong with this picture?
Things have to change, and yes, it's up to us to change them.
Wyshynski does make a good point that it will take time and patience for complete tolerance to spread throughout the NHL as well as other sports leagues; sociologists have proven that younger generations have become more accepting of alternative lifestyles than their older counterparts. Still, the underlying hockey culture- or any sports culture which promotes violence, aggression and a traditional "masculine" atmosphere- could stand to be changed a bit. Not only for the betterment of gay people, but for women, the players themselves, etc. It's just not a great environment to grow up in. Read the book "Crossing the Line" by Laura Robinson, and you'll see just how twisted hockey culture can be- and that's only in Canadian major-junior leagues. If somehow, we find a way to change it, as Bourne hopes, young players will be able to mature as tolerant, respectful men who can still have a good scrap on the ice or score a great goal. And P.S. Though it may be "human nature" to question one another's masculinity, boys, rest assured that it shouldn't be. If you have all the parts necessary to be a man, then quite frankly, you are one.
Another point he makes is that, unfortunately, someone or few may have to come out of the closet and show everyone that yes, Virginia, there are gay players in the NHL. Maybe it'll sink in for players, coaches, and fans alike that there are actual people they are hurting with their "so-and-so likes it up the..." chants and other anti-gay insults. It'll definitely take some time to end the riducule; however, it can and should happen.
There is no reason why someone's sexual orientation should be an issue for anyone involved with hockey, as long as they can put the puck into the net. As a supporter of gay rights myself, I hope that one day a gay player can feel comfortable around his teammates and not have to worry about these ridiculous comments.
The events of this past weekend have definitely been a whirlwind, particularly on Twitter where a good deal of drama (unnecessarily) occurs. In a way, it's understandable- you read only a small line, get the idea of what the person who wrote it means, and you may or may not like what you read. Tempers may flare, insults may arise, all because of technology. It's sad but true, and I've been privy to it myself. But I usually think I know where to draw the line.
Unfortunately, some people let their emotions get into the way, and it sparked a bit of a tiff over a tried-and-true question: the definition of a puck bunny. As readers may know, I detest the term and all that it implies, and yes, I have my own ideas of what constitutes puck bunnyism. But what set off this most recent explosion of feminism and questioning is basically a misunderstanding, as far as I can tell.
I've spoken to both parties involved, and right now I honestly have respect for both of them as well. They both blog about the game, just in different ways- one in the traditional method of stats, analysis, and overall recap and looking ahead, and the other focusing more on the culture involved, and how the people in the world of hockey act. Both are interesting and informative in their own ways, and as far as I'm concerned, now that I know both sides of the story I don't think I'm at liberty to judge either side, either for being too harsh or too fluffy. We all have our ways of covering the game we all love, and I don't think anyone should really judge the methods, as long as they're not all about how hot someone's rear end looks in hockey pants.
More than that, there's just no point in tearing each other down, especially as women. I have done my fair share of criticizing females' behavior when it comes to male hockey players, and I'll own up to it, but it really disturbed me to find that quite a few female fans said they faced the majority of "puck bunny" criticism from female fans, not male. So this really isn't so much an issue of how we present ourselves to the men who watch this sport (though I'm sure there are those jerks out there, or those who really don't care either way). So why are women so focused on the images of other women? I understand the obvious- you don't want them to give you a bad name- but as long as you are secure in yourself and you know who you are, who cares what anyone else has to say? That was the point the accused party made in this case, and to tell you the truth, it's a good one.
Though I still cast aside the pink jerseys and "Hockey and Heels" promotions as unnecessary gimmicks meant to attract far more of a casual crowd, to say the least... there's no reason for me to attack my fellow female hockey fans. It's just pointless. I would rather explain the game to a girl who doesn't know than point a pious finger at her. It'll save me frustration and a lot of apologies.
Bottom line? Let's just stop the blind accusations. And let's all try to support one another. We all have one thing in common, after all, and that is the love of the game.
What is THIS?
The Islanders have turned one win into four- three of them in regulation. It started with a matchup against those old foes, the New York Rangers... then gathered speed as the Isles foiled the Capitals in a 4-3 overtime thriller... then hit full throttle as they stumbled a bit out of the gate, but ultimately trounced Buffalo 5-0 for Martin Biron's 200th career win... and finally stuck with them last night, as they got two goals from, of all people, Brendan Witt, to beat the Edmonton Oilers 3-1.
This is nothing like the easily fatigued, demoralized Islanders we saw losing game after game in overtime, in shootouts, and then in regulation. This team has woken up and gained confidence, blowing the myth of the "Ranger hangover" to bits in the process, and climbing above .500 for the first time this season if you discount the OT losses (5-4-5, 15 pts). Though they still show flashes of uncertainty in moving the puck and in defensive strategy, these Isles are playing hard, and certain players are definitely waking up and getting it now.
First off, Jeff Tambellini has been nothing short of incredible lately. Though he didn't score in last night's game against the Oilers, he went from being practically invisible to scoring almost every night. First it was one goal a game, then two, and finally against the Sabres, he scored his first career hat trick- with his father, Oilers GM Steve Tambellini, in the audience. The goals were all scored differently, but all showed his burgeoning confidence- he's not afraid to get to the front of the net and score a dirty goal, and it's been paying off for him. He's also taking more shots (he led the Isles in the Sabres game with five shots), and though he didn't score last night, I don't think we've heard the last of him. He now leads the Isles in goals with six, along with Matt Moulson.
Andy Sutton has also stepped up wonderfully on what can be considered a sub-par defense. He's been blocking shots and throwing his body around a lot more than I can remember in his past seasons with the Isles, and he's even contributed on offense a bit. It's just what we need from the 6'6 defenseman, and on top of that, he hasn't been injured! (Knock on wood.)
Josh Bailey is still getting there, but he's made some strides. I think having former linemate Kyle Okposo moved onto a line with John Tavares, though it's done wonders for the JT line, has hurt Bailey a bit; he hasn't exactly found his niche alongside Tambellini and Doug Weight (a natural center who's been moved to the right wing to make room for Tavares). Still, he's taking more shots now and doing the best he can. He scored a goal in the Sabres game; maybe it'll jumpstart him a bit.
Richard Park has also woken up, not so much goalscoring-wise as in the faceoff circle. The guy is approaching 70 percent on faceoffs, and his work ethic can only be admired. He's not so much a natural goalscorer, but when he does score, it's on tremendous individual effort. He's also somewhat of a streaky scorer, so maybe we'll see another goal or so out of him after Saturday night's game.
Lastly, in goal, Dwayne Roloson has finally done what so many expected of him as a goaltender: he stole us a game. The Capitals always play hard, and their dangerous offense is enough to make any goalie and defense cringe. But Rollie stood his ground in a shooting gallery, after the score kept yo-yoing back and forth, first in New York's favor, then in Washington's. The way Roloson kept his cool and pushed the game to overtime is exactly what you expect of a true #1 goaltender. Though Biron has also been very good, and both of these guys have been coping with numerous defensive breakdowns and doing the best they can, Rollie has proven himself very well, and did so again last night, making 22 saves. However, Brendan Witt stole his thunder with his two goals, and though he says he could care less, was definitely trying to get a hat trick with an open net gaping at the other end of the ice in the last two minutes. It's all right, Witter- love seeing some goals out of you, though!
Next post, seeing as I'm missing the next two games once again (damn you, Wednesday night class and MSG Plus 2), I'll focus on some people I'd like to see a little bit more out of.
LET'S GO ISLANDERS!!!!!
Oilers 1 : Islanders 3
About ½ hour before scaring the bejesus out of my dogs, I took this picture of Lily and Maddy. We’ve been at my mom’s while Lily recuperates from fracturing her L6 for which I am to blame – tripping over her as we were on our way out the door last week. Even though Maddy (11) is younger than Lily (14), like a Boxer she is protective over those she loves and has been by Lily’s side 24/7 – nurse Maddy as we now call her. So there they were fast asleep as I was doing this and that for work with NHL on the Fly in the background. On came the recap of the Isles/Oilers game, the outcome of the game not known prior to the recap - Ethan Moreau scores…John Tavares scores…Brendan Witt scores…
“awesome”
look up at TV for the replay
type type type on laptop type type type
Brendan Witt scores again…
WHHHHAAAAATTTTTT???
The loudness of WHAT? = Maddy jumping up to her feet and Lily jumping up to her shoulders…both looking at me as if to say “Where’s the fire?”. Would have texted Angie as she had probably already been celebrating aka tweeting about one of her favorite Isle’s accomplishment but was too busy wiping up the tea I spilled when standing up to reassure the dogs I hadn’t lost it completely – so Mr. Witt is to blame for the spill as well. If he would have gotten the hat trick quite possibly that would have warranted assigning him blame for the US economy.
Because we bloggers are of the opinion that Witt can do no wrong, rather than assign pseudo blame a Fu Man Chu is awarded instead.
As for the team, whatever is fueling ya’ll, make sure you take it with you as you shuffle off to Buffalo. Shuffle all over Buffalo.
Josh Bailey…you’re up.
LET’S GO ISLANDERS!!
Post blog note: it was pointed out to me this morning that Lily and Maddy's position sorta looks like the letter W, obviously they are fans of Witt. Yes it does, yes they are, dude you need more hobbies. : )
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