SB Nation - Jon Sim

Islanders 3, Bruins 2 (OT): Frans Nielsen is the bestest Dane in the whole wide world

Dominik — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 05:52:49 -0000

More photos » by Paul J. Bereswill - AP

"FRANS NIELSEN IS DELICIOUS!"

I love Frans Nielsen -- if you visit this site regularly, you've picked up on that and are ready to slap me. I love Frans for his hockey sense, for his savvy play, for how he frustrates opposing forwards despite his smallish frame, for his underrated hands, for his entertaining command of English during interviews. And for his kindly answering my pre-game request, which went like this:

I do agree with Scott Gordon that Frans Nielsen is very proficient in his defensive duties -- that cannot be argued, at this point. But even I, as a registered Frans Fanboy, want to see more offense from the Dane so that I may call him Great.

A sweet OT breakaway goal on home ice, executing his patented backhand deke: Now that's love.

Game Sum. | Event Sum. | Recaps: nhl.com | Isles official

Final - 12.12.2009	1	2	3	OT	Total
Boston Bruins	1	1	0	0	2
New York Islanders	1	1	0	1	3

Complete Coverage >

There are many more reasons to love Nielsen's game-winner that have nothing to do with my personal whims, but we'll get to those later.

More importantly, the Flyers and Rangers each lost in regulation on a night when the Islanders ended their three-game losing streak, which means the Islanders are back up in third place in the Atlantic Division. Much more to consider (and video highlights) after the jump.

Rob Schremp Hockey(TM): No longer goal-less

Like whoa man: The Jesse Joensuu-Rob Schremp-Trent Hunter line showed some spark, eh? They were on for Michael Ryder's longshot goal, but uh, that wasn't their fault :cough:Rolli:. I was really pleased with their work, pleased Joensuu and his linemates made themselves physically noticeable all night and, of course, tickled by Rob Schremp's first NHL goal ... and spread-eagle fist-pumping celebration. Kudos to them for being among several Islanders -- Jon Sim being another -- who had Zdeno Chara pissing and moaning all night long.

My God, the Defense, We're Hosed

This is not your traditional complaint about our underskilled, undersized blueline (although I must ask: When was the last time you saw Brendan Witt break up a 2-on-1 down low? Not on the Krejci goal). Andy Sutton, one of the Isles better blueliners this year, is close to coming back -- but I'll tell you I'm fearful since he's pushing to come back from a groin injury that could recur anytime this season, particularly if they continue to lean on him hard.

So of course Jack Hillen, another of their top three, goes down to a foot injury tonight after just six shifts. That he tried to come back in the second and couldn't go has me fearing the worst -- to say nothing of the very evident pain he was in when the shot hit him.

Bailey at Left Wing: Experiment A

So Josh Bailey's first appearance was indeed on Nate Thompson and Richard Park's left wing. But the bulk of his night -- 15:00 of even-strength ice time -- was spent on the wing with Frans Nielsen and Kyle Okposo. I thought he had a good night. He looked alive, was physical. Perhaps most importantly, he found more than 10 minutes of ice time, which isn't always the case when he's behind Tavares and Nielsen at center. We'll see how this goes.

The Moulson-Tavares-Okposo Train

Good god, Mighty Matty Mo. Another even-strength goal. That makes 12 now, for a total of 15 goals on the year. And wow, that behind-the-back pass from John Tavares to set Moulson up. And Kyle Okposo, still "struggling" to score a goal but still piling up assists: eight in his last five games, including two tonight. He was also the third forward on the ice for the OT goal.

The OT Win: A Frans Shootout Move and a Bold Gordon

That's right: With Hillen hurt, Scott Gordon "went for it" in OT and had Okposo out there paired with Mark Streit, while the forwards were Blake Comeau and Frans Nielsen. So Okposo forced a Bruins pass that Streit disrupted, a backchecking Comeau (who had a great physical game) picked it up inside the Islanders blueline, took advantage of a pinching Andrew Ference and slid a very slick pass to spring Nielsen on the breakaway, where he converted in front of his mother, visiting from Denmark to see her first live NHL game.

Upon seeing Frans take the puck in the clear, I had the same reaction Gordon did:

"When I saw the '51 (Nielsen's number),' I'm like, 'This is going in,'" he said. "He excels in that area."

You damned right. And you know why I knew it was in? Of course you do: Because we've seen that Frans move beat countless goalies, mostly in the shootout. But you know what else rocked about that goal? Just because it's a move he uses in the shootout doesn't mean it's "a shootout move." No, this was no half-speed, no-backchecker kind of horsecrap trickery that the shootout encourages. This was no lazy Sunday sweeping wide because no one else is on the ice. This was a real-deal breakaway.

Don't take my word for it -- take the word of the goalie Nielsen beat. Here's Tim Thomas:

"He was coming extremely fast, and he almost started to lose it. He ended up making a great move, considering how fast he was moving and that he was losing it. It was way faster than a shootout."

It was way more entertaining and impressive than a shootout, too. But I nearly spit up my beer when I saw Nielsen crash into the boards afterward. I would have licked it back up once I saw him roll over with a smile instead of a grimace, though.

The Negative, and One More Positive

Yeah, so after two very nicely played periods left the score 2-2, the Islanders were outshot 17-3 in the third. At home. Not good. So they were lucky to survive long enough to get to OT. And that luck was pretty much thanks to Dwayne Roloson, who looked great and in control the whole period.

So, to recap: Schremp good, JT/Moulson/KO good (of course), Sim agitating, Roloson good, Comeau good, Streit tireless, Hillen hurt. Islanders in third place. Not a bad Saturday night, eh?

P.S. The goal song: I guess the decision was made. I wasn't happy with the choices, wasn't happy with the winner, but I thought it worked alright tonight. I still maintain that the goal horn and the crowd is what I hear (and like) most. But feel free to weigh in again.

Islanders Gameday: Home at last ... oh, but it's the Bruins

Dominik — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 18:44:01 -0000

After a run of 12 of 14 on the road, the Islanders have played the fewest home games (11) of any NHL team. Beginning tonight that changes, as the NHL decided to give them the next 10 games in the New York metro area: Eight games at home, plus two in that glitzy garden that's filled with the stench of Glen Sather's ~~strategy~~ cigars.

Boston Broons (16-9-5) at New York Islanders (11-13-7) Stan

7 p.m. EST | Nassau [gloriously unsponsored] Coliseum | MSG+, radio
Chowdahs: Stanley Cup of Chowder | Hub of Hockey | HB Adventure

Their first opponent is the Bruins, who the Islanders have outplayed in two previous meetings this year. But how have the Bruins done since the Isles cruised by them 3-1 in Boston? They've won 8 of 10. Sure, three of those were shootout "wins," but all told the B's have nabbed either a regulation win or tie in 9 of those 10 games. Doesn't sound like we'll see the same sluggish (and injury-laden) squad we saw in the first month and a half.

If you want to go further into the "different team" mode, twice in the last week the Bruins easily handled the Leafs -- who, twice in the last few weeks, outplayed the Islanders. And now it's the Islanders who are a bit banged up.

Doug Weight of course remains out for the foreseeable future. Andy Sutton, who initially looked like he might be back tonight, now sounds like a prudent scratch. (Don't mess with groin injuries, particularly on an injury-prone big man.) Minus Sutton, Jesse Joensuu enters the lineup for his season debut as the Islanders' biggest body. I'm not necessarily expecting to see a Finn Named Jesse on the powerplay, but you better believe I'll be ticked if I see Jon Sim out there instead of him. When on the extra-man unit, Sim has played the Matt Moulson role: Stand in front of the net and tip stuff. Except Moulson has been able to produce, whereas Sim's teammates hardly even send the puck his way.

Also aiding the powerplay will be a second consecutive appearance from Rob Schremp, who looked good the other night.

Lineup Shenanigans

Chris Botta projects "tentative" lines like so (below), which would be a twisted sort of awesome sauce:

Moulson - Tavares - Okposo
Sim - Nielsen - Hunter
Joensuu - Schremp - Comeau
Bailey - Thompson - Park

Of course, then there's the blueline... (I'll stop, okay, enough). I ... if Bailey is playing on the left wing "to get more ice time," I naturally don't see the fit with Thompson and Park. Either someone is confused, or someone is fibbing, or we're all just experiencing business as usual as Islanders fans. Harumph.

I do agree with Scott Gordon that Frans Nielsen is very proficient in his defensive duties -- that cannot be argued, at this point. But even I, as a registered Frans Fanboy, want to see more offense from the Dane so that I may call him Great. If that side never develops further, he becomes the top-notch third-line center that I figure he'll ultimately be, anyway. Hopefully Josh eventually develops into a #2 to be proud of. (For the record, I have lots of patience -- no panic over a 20-year-old on this front.)

If you want Bruins lines (and referees), Kevin Paul Dupont has 'em:

Wheeler-Savard-Bitz
Sturm-Bergeron-Recchi
Sobotka-Krejci-Ryder
Paille-Begin-Thornton

Keep an eye on defenseman Johnny Boychuk, who has a really nice shot and has returned after a healthy stay in the Rob Schremp Box.

In goal, Tim Thomas versus ... Dwayne Roloson, surely? Guess we'll see.

How This Game Will Go

If only I knew. But the Bruins' special teams have been hot -- the PK all year long (it's 1st overall, at a silly 86.4%), and the PP lately. Also, the Bruins win 53.6% of their faceoffs, the Islanders 48.8. Of course, the Islanders' figure is skewed by the fact they've played 20 of 31 on the road, so ... hope.

It'd be nice if the Islanders came out in Optimal Gordon Performance Mode, then earned some powerplays and converted. But the converting could be the hardest part -- surely, the Bruins have video on the last two games and know where John Tavares will be on the PP, right?

About Last Night: Not Your Average DiPietro Injury

So as has been the story since 2006, Rick DiPietro looked quite good in his second AHL Bridgeport start last night, then took himself out of the game after stopping 13 of 14 in two periods. "Unrelated" tightness? Well we'll see. Such is the mantra for his entire comeback. I'm glad he's being cautious instead of forcing things like a tough guy. But I'm not looking forward to increasing my understanding of how Thrashers fans feel with the Kari Lehtonen Experience.

Game thread as usual tonight. I will try to catch this one live, but a family gig and then the duties of holiday ~~emergency room visiting~~ light hanging may take me away. So have fun, and...

Let's. Go. Islanders.

Wild 3, Islanders 2: This one hurts

Dominik — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:56:49 -0000

For all the talk of the Islanders' bubble candidacy thanks to their recent 6-2-2 run, this was a game they couldn't afford to lose. The Flyers, the Caps? They can afford to lose a game like this because they can make it up over an 82-game season. But the Islanders' margin for error is too thin. So letting the puck slip to the Wild's Owen Nolan all alone in the final 67 seconds of a tie game? Fatal error.

This was the first regulation loss of the year where the game was in their hands, and they let it slip away without even an OT point.

Game Sum. | Event Sum. | Recaps: nhl.com | Isles

Final - 11.20.2009	1	2	3	Total
New York Islanders	0	2	0	2
Minnesota Wild	1	0	2	3

Complete Coverage >

Too many penalties (though I thought Andrew MacDonald's pivotal one was theatrical circumstance). Too many missed shots on Islanders powerplays. An evenly played game (shots: 29-29; faceoffs: 30-27) with each team displaying flaws. But with two goals fueled by unlikely source Jon Sim, the Islanders had a chance to really deflate the struggling Wild.

And in the game's critical moment, with 1:07 left, Blake Comeau had trouble corralling the puck and shied away from a hit to get it out, Bruno Gervais and Mark Streit left too soon leaving Owen Nolan alone behind them, and Martin Biron reached for a pokecheck he couldn't complete, so Nolan's shot slid easily through the five-hole for the game-winner.

Talk about a letdown. As the miles increase, suddenly St. Louis and Toronto look a little more daunting.

Lineups: I suspect you go with Dwayne Roloson in St. Louis, against another of his former teams. But with a loss amid an uneven performance, does someone sit :cough:Comeau: so Jeff Tambellini gets another look? If someone new were scratched, it surely wouldn't be...

Jon Sim, Offensive Key: That's right, Jon Sim made two heads-up take-it-to-the-net offensive plays that created a goal each for him and Josh Bailey. Bailey's was the most impressive, as Sim converted a turnover, drew Niklas Backstrom out of position behind the net and made the sweet feed to Bailey. Another time, Sim forced a point-blank save out of the Wild goalie.

Sympathy: I kind of feel for Kyle Okposo. In front of a bunch of family and friends at home, he had a few chances with the game on his stick and just missed or was just stopped by a very good keeper.

Smooth, Groovy Jack Hillen: Also in front of family and friends, Jack Hillen played just short of 25 minutes (5:42 on the PP) and continued to gracefully rush the puck up the ice like a guy who watched his share of the best defensemen of our era. At one point, a Wild player was on to him and tried to line him up for the highlight-reel open-ice hit, but Hillen shook just enough to avoid disaster...and still advanced the puck. These are good signs, signs that guide the way to my heart.

Special Teams: I actually like how the Islanders responded to the aggressive Wild PK by moving the puck quickly. They almost stole a goal out of it. But no dice. Meanwhile, another 95-second 5-on-3 kill was brilliant, but giving the opponent five powerplays is too much. On the fifth, the Wild finally broke through to tie the game.

Goaltending: Biron made some big saves, particularly on the long 5-on-3. He also let in a bad behind-the-net shot from Nolan get in for the first of Nolan's two goals. Nobody's perfect, but you do notice the soft ones when they happen regularly.

Bottom Line

Against a wounded, struggling team, this is a game the Islanders should have won. For the first time all season in that situation, they didn't salvage even a point. A quarter of the way through the year, that's actually not so bad. But the reason it still matters is this is a team that can't afford to be giving points away -- not if they intend to hang around the Eastern bubble.

Cardiac Islanders blow 3-0 lead; flu-slapping Okposo wins it in OT

Dominik — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 04:21:45 -0000

More photos » by Gerry Broome - AP

On the OT winner, Kyle Okposo fends off Hurricanes like some pesky little H1N1 virus.

Browse more photos »

The fast, glorious pace with which the Islanders compiled an early 3-0 lead on the tail-spinning Hurricanes was matched by the glacial, agonizing squandering of that lead over the next two periods. Thankfully, on the 7th day god made Kyle Okposo, and it was good. Did I not tell you just Friday a.m. to just accept Okposo's übermensch abilities?

Game Sum. | Event Sum. | Recaps: nhl.com | Isles | Canes Country

Final - 11.13.2009	1	2	3	OT	Total
New York Islanders	3	0	0	1	4
Carolina Hurricanes	0	2	1	0	3

Complete Coverage >

Although it's maddening, I'm not going to panic too much about the blown lead. It's bad, but as fans with all our anxieties we tend to blow it up. Lots of teams go through this growing-pain phase. Given where the Islanders have come from -- arriving now, briefly, in 7th place -- blowing three-goal leads is a nice problem to have.

Meanwhile, lots of lineup implications for Saturday night in Florida. Josh Bailey and Jeff Tambellini got the scratch treatment for this one. But Rob Schremp, playing his "natural" role of center, did nothing to tell me he should dress for a third consecutive game. And Jon Sim, who was my preference for removal if everyone was healthy? My preference remains.

Video highlights and plenty more after the jump.

There Is Only One Okposo: After telling the swine flu who's boss, Okposo returned to the lineup to log the most minutes among Islanders forwards, playing key minutes on both the PP and the PK, netting the game winner and getting the assist on John Tavares's lacrosse hand-eye coordination goal. Just put a Standard Player Contract in front of him now, and let he and his parents fill in the figures and term.

There Are Many Sims: Not to harp on Sim or Schremp, but they were both out there for the tying goal, and they didn't look good. Two caveats, though: Martin Biron absolutely coughed a hairball on that shot. This tendency is beginning to make me worry about how badly other teams will want him. Second caveat is that absolutely every line had its moments of being hemmed in during the Canes' comeback. With Biron doing that, it could have happened to any of them.

Did I Mention There Is Only One Okposo? At the end of regulation, a Canes backchecker laid what my friend calls "the ax handle" on Okposo, leaning all his weight on Okposo's stick and body to keep him from getting the shot off. Okposo laughed it off, got a dangerous shot off anyway, which -- minus Joni Pitkanen mauling Matt Moulson in the crease -- would have led to a truly backbreaking game-winner right there. On the OT winner, Pitkanen couldn't stop his stick, and this came after Okposo brilliantly read the play to intercept a pass and win the game all by himself.

Whither Faceoffs? Nate Thompson (1-6) and Tavares (2-9) each had a rough night at the dot, for a team that won only 42%. Why do I feel like ever since I said "this faceoff trend is legit, not a fluke," they've been putting up nights like that?

Tavares's First Multi-Goal Game: It wasn't that Tavares's goal batting the puck in after it caromed off the grass was amazing -- I mean it was pretty good, for sure. But it was great that he seemed to be the only one on the ice who followed where it was going, just patiently followed it with his eyes, waited for it drop to a legal height, and calmly bunted it in.

Some Rather Critical Defensive Plays: While the walls were falling in, there were still some nice, heroic break-ups by the defense. Jack Hillen went knee-down to block (with his stick) a pass that would have set up Pitkanen all alone in the slot. Bruno Gervais spun to block another sure setup from the opposite side. And Mark Streit, in OT, prevented the winner at the top of the crease by doing what Biron might not have.

Mark Streit, Coming Around: After a slow start by last season's standards, Streit has started to heat up. Tonight, the sweetest sequence was Streit absolutely zinging a wrist shot from the point off the post, then minutes later, simply recalibrating with a slapshot that went in just inside said post. Even if I'd stumbled into the talent to be an NHL player, no way would I have the necessary courage to step in front of that thing.

Special Teams: The powerplay looked outstanding in the first -- they converted twice and had the Canes running around aimlessly. The PK was solid, leaving only stoppable shots for Biron as they killed 3 of 4 chances.

Timing, Timing: The Canes' equalizer finally came with just 2:31 left in the game. Okposo's winner came just a faceoff after Streit's game-saving block, and with just 0:15 left in the OT period, sparing us another godforsaken shootout.

Dirty Night Avoided: The Canes came out hitting with determination (if not direction), and after the Islanders built the 3-0 lead, I was worried about a spiral that would lead to injuries. Sure enough, someone tried to take off Frans Nielsen's head, and immediately afterward Sean Bergenheim threw a dangerous hit from behind on Joe Corvo. Thankfully, the silliness ended there.

* * *

Not Only, But Also: Not only did the Islanders win in OT, the Sound Tigers did too, breaking their Hurricanes-like slump. Mike Fornabaio tweets: Bentivoglio scores his second of the night from the right side 1:32 into OT, and the Sound Tigers win for the first time since Halloween.

Up Next: The daunting Tomas Vokoun and his Florida Panthers, who shut the Bruins out 1-0 Thursday and whose 2009 draft prize, Dimitry Kulikov, has 1 goal and 6 assists.

Thoughts on any of those topics, or others I missed? With time to digest, how disturbed are you by the blown 3-0 lead?

Islanders Gameday: Oui oui, Tavares in Montreal

Dominik — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:46:57 -0000

One by one, we'll get through all six "Tavares plays in [Canadian city] for first time" stories. That's all lovely, and fortunately he handles media like a long-time pro, but I'm focused on the possibility of ~~learning from~~ building off last night.

New York Islanders at Montreal Canadiens

7 p.m. EDT | Le [brewer or telco or such] Centre | MSG+, TSN, RDS; radio feed

Habs therapy: Eyes on the Prize | Habs Inside/Out | Four Habs Fans

The Canadiens are a wealthy team and profit machine. They can afford to lets half their roster walk in the summer, because hey, they can just buy up new guys at the free agency store. They can even afford to take one of Glen Sather's mistakes off his hands. Dammit. The Islanders, future in flux and recent past in regret, have to restart the hard way.

So these matches in recent years have been fun for me: It's not exactly David vs. Goliath, but it is like playing with house money. Great atmosphere in Montreal, and a loss hurts the Habs much worse than it hurts the Isles. House money.

2008-09 Matchups

Last season produced two intriguing shows at the [beer/bank/telco] Centre. I thought the March meeting was an early sign of Kyle Okposo's game coming together, as he finished a very good game by potting the OT winner. Well before that, 11 months ago the Islanders won via shootout, after a pretty weak Islanders performance was bailed out by Ryan O'Byrne's wacky own goal. O'Byrne didn't see the ice again and was serenaded off the ice by some unforgiving Habs fans.

We won't mention the matches at the Coliseum, which included a late-season blow-out and -- stop me if you've heard this before -- a blown three-goal Islanders lead that spoiled Yann Danis's first appearance against his old team.

Of course, that was a completely different Habs team. Today they have a whole new top line. The Kostitsyn melodrama continues unabated, as does the uncertainty over Carey Price (who is frequently outplayed by Jaroslav Halak).

	GP	MIN	W	L	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2009 - Jaroslav Halak	3	132	1	1	5	2.27	54	49	.907	0

Notes

Halak -- who played quite well in a 1-1 shootout win over Atlanta this week, gets the start tonight, opposite Martin Biron. Halak is 2-1 in his career against the Isles, allowing 4 goals for a 1.34 GAA and .955 save percentage.
As reported by Katie Strang, Doug Weight didn't even make the trip, and Jon Sim appears to be his replacement -- as first-line right wing, I fear.
Frans Nielsen appears to be playing, despite the team indicating last week that he wouldn't do back-to-backs. I only hope they're not rushing him. I only hope this doesn't backfire. The nature of his knee injury not abundantly clear, we can only trust in their decisions. You do trust in their decisions, don't you?
We may not all agree on the relative merits of Andy Sutton, but we can agree on this: 60 minutes, please. Not 50. Not 54. Sixty. 6-0.

The game thread will be up within an hour before game time. Last night's was fun. Can you go back-to-back? The more the merrier.

No reg's on where you comment on the game, but this post/comments is more for pre-game speculation, while the game threads are intended for in-the-moment tomfoolery, reaction, and instant post-game analysis. (Am I being too redundant? Sorry, just trying to keep the lines of communication open. Requests, complaints, suggestions are always welcome, but I've already heard the "Get a life" variety.)

Line Shakeup: Shot for Bergenheim, Comeau?

Dominik — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:30:22 -0000

With the standard caveat that practice lines on Wednesday do not equal game lines on Friday, could we be looking at a kick-start for three Islanders youngsters as part of a "second" line around Josh Bailey? Or will Rob Schremp be the featured #2 center, insulated by veterans Doug Weight and Jon Sim on the wings?

Mark Herrmann reported these lines from today's practice:

Matt Moulson-John Tavares-Kyle Okposo
Sean Bergenheim-Josh Bailey-Blake Comeau
Doug Weight-Rob Schremp-Jon Sim
Richard Park-Nate Thompson-Tim Jackman
Extras--Jeff Tambellini, Frans Nielsen

But before assuming Bergie/Bailey/Comeau is your second line (the "Show Me Something" line?), recall that against the Kings Monday those three got the fewest even-strength minutes this side of Tim Jackman and Joel Rechlicz. And those minutes weren't accumulated together. Looking at the play-by-play, Comeau got a significant number of EV shifts with Schremp and Weight -- who logged a lot of EV and PP minutes -- while Bergenheim and Bailey got a lot of EV time with Sim.

Of course, Scott Gordon mixes things up throughout the game -- Comeau replaced Bergenheim on Bailey and Sim's wing at one point in the 3rd -- and any time Rechlicz is in the lineup, there is a lot of mixing to fill out a "fourth" line.

But what say you to these lines -- and to the continued forced hibernation for Tambellini? Around this site, we've had some wondering WTF about Tambellini's health scratches, while others have focused on the need to give Bailey some wingers who can score. To the latter question -- is this an answer? And if these lines stick together Friday, what are the chances the Bailey line gets more even strength minutes than the Schremp + veterans line?

My prediction: If Ryan Miller has a Ryan Miller game, we remain frustrated regardless. If Miller has an off-game, we admire John Tavares and Kyle Okposo and retain a cheery mood for 24 hours (San Jose is up Saturday).

Bruins comeback to win in shootout 4-3

Stanley Cup of Chowder — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 02:23:29 -0000

More photos » by Michael Dwyer - AP

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The Bruins were able to score three goals in the span of 5:27 to erase a three goal deficit late in the third period to send the game to overtime and eventually a shootout, where Marc Savard would provide the game-winner to give goaltender Tuukka Rask his first win of the season.

After a scoreless first period, the Islanders drew first blood 4:04 into the second when Jon Sim roofed home a rebound in front for the power play goal and a 1-0 lead.

The Isles went up 2-0 at 12:43 of the second period. Radek Martinek received a pass from Mark Streit at the right dot with plenty of time and space and fired a hard snap shot that rang off the post and in for his first goal of the season.

The Islanders' lead was extended to 3 just over 3 minutes later when rookie John Tavares skated into the Bruins zone and fired a hard wrister from the right circle that beat Tuukka Rask up high on the glove side for his second career NHL goal.

The B's finally got on the board and pulled back to within two with 8:01 remaining in the third period. Marc Savard collected a long rebound at the middle of the right circle and quickly fired a shot that beat Dwayne Roloson nearside.

Byron Bitz got the B's back to within one with 4:25 left in the third period. Bitz skated into the slot and threw a backhander towards the net that appeared to deflect off Islanders defenseman Freddy Meyer and into the net.

Matt Hunwick tied things up at 3-3 with 2:34 remaining in regulation when he threw the puck at net from along the left wing boards at the blue line that somehow made it's way past Roloson for the game-tying goal.

With nothing settled after 60 minutes of hockey, the teams headed for overtime. Both teams got a few chances in the extra session, but neither team found the back of the net.

Blake Wheeler was the first Bruins skater to have a turn in the shootout and was able to get Roloson to open up his pads and slip it past him and spot the Bruins a 1-0 lead in the skills competition.

Rask appeared to make a pad save on Rob Schremp, but the puck tickled past the line to knot things up.

Next up for the B's was Bergeron, who rang one off the post.

Richard Park then missed wide for the Islanders.

Marc Savard roofed a backhander over Roloson to force the Islanders into a do or die situation.

The Islanders sent Kyle Okposo out as the final shooter, but Tuukka Rask was able to make the save and complete comeback win for the Bruins.

Final - 10.10.2009	1	2	3	OT	SO	Total
New York Islanders	0	3	0	0	0	3
Boston Bruins	0	0	3	0	1	4

Complete Coverage >

Notes:

- Former BU Terrier Freddy Meyer was not a very popular guy in his old hometown tonight after his late hit on Milan Lucic drew a crowd of black & gold jerseys.

- The Islanders have gone to overtime in all 3 of thier games this season.

- Dennis Wideman left the game late in the second period with an injury.

- Tuukka Rask saw a lot of rubber tonight in his first start, facing 38 shots.

- Bruins return to action Monday afternoon when they host the Colorado Avalanche.

New York Islanders 2009-10 Season Preview: Now with goalies!

Dominik — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:30:22 -0000

More photos » by Jimmy Jeong - AP

"Nyuk nyuk nyuk, I'll score from here, too -- but not in K.C."

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If you frequent From the Rink or surf the SBN hockey team sites, you know we're doing season previews, a team per day in each conference. Today James Mirtle will have his own Isles preview -- way off base, I assure you -- while we'll tackle this issue in greater depth. (Because we're deep like that. And sensitive ... wanna go back to my dorm room? I have a guitar.)

This preview is partly for the general hockey audience (Really, I have a guitar! And a lava lamp! You should see it...), but I'll try to add a new spin and incorporate the debates regulars have hashed out here over the past few weeks. Apologies in advance for the obscure movie quotes; I made one The Thin Red Line reference and it just sort of spun out of control from there...

Who's In -- Regulars: John Tavares, Martin Biron, Dwayne Roloson, Jon Sim (via resurrection) | Irregulars: Matt Moulson, Jeremy Reich, Greg Moore(?), Matt Martin(?), any number of journeyman roster aspirants

Who's Out: Andy Hilbert, Mitch Fritz, Thomas Pock, Yann Danis, Joey MacDonald

Where We've Been (2008-09): The bottom. Year zero of the rebuild. Not so much "Tank for Tavares" as "Don't spend a dime replacing 582 man-games of injuries because, well: Tavares." This time last year, we were wondering what was really up with Rick DiPietro and whether it really made sense to keep 2008 1st-rounder Josh Bailey in the NHL for a dismal team season. Now, we're not sweating what's up with DiPietro, and we're remarking at what a fine player Bailey appears to be shaping into. While the worst should be behind us, tough developmental times still lie ahead. I could bore you with numbers, but you saw them before -- and they were all bad.

Last year's blueline was a weakness before Chris Campoli quietly asked out and injuries took out Every. Single. Defenseman. Even team MVP Mark Streit spent time on the shelf. That blueline returns healthy (for now) and with a lot to prove.

Much more after the jump, including how others see the Isles. (Hint: not well.)

Where We're Heading

"There's not some other world out there where everything's gonna be okay. There's just this one, just this rock." (1st Sgt. Edward Walsh/Sean Penn)

Judging by early indications, more of the same -- but with more reason to watch and a higher possible ceiling. Promising two-way center Frans Nielsen is already out 4-6 weeks with arthroscopic knee surgery. Doug Weight and Sean Bergenheim -- who's always on the verge of breaking out -- began the exhibition season with groin injuries before the first period was over. Rising winger Kyle Okposo is out with a concussion thanks to Dion Phaneuf doing, ahem, what Phaneuf "does." [Insert situationally blind hockey cliche here] But by adding two veteran 1A goalies alone, the Islanders are immediately more competitive. Add Tavares to that and another year of progress for Bailey (and Okposo, and Nielsen, and Bergenheim ... if healthy), and you can see where Islanders fans see the future taking shape.

If all of these youngsters play to their capabilities every night, the Islanders have an exciting core developing. Of course, if all youngsters played to their capabilities every night, there'd be enough stars in the NHL to field teams in Kansas City, Winnipeg, Seattle, Saskatoon, Portland (both Portlands!), Hamilton, Yellowknife, and Potosi.

Ones to Watch

Matt Martin has tickled the fancy by scoring and fighting in preseason. Kings reject Moulson, a scorer in the AHL, has created some buzz by scoring 3 goals in 3 games and fitting into Gordon's system. Coming straight from juniors, Martin is more likely headed to Bridgeport for AHL seasoning, but his physical side entices. Meanwhile, the Islanders "other" 2009 1st-round pick Calvin de Haan has already turned heads with his poise and movement -- but he better be headed back to junior.

Most Pivotal Season: Jeff Tambellini

"I seen another world. Sometimes I think it was just my imagination." (Private Witt/James Caviezel)

It's now do or die for Jeff Tambellini, a speedy first-round pick (for Los Angeles) and AHL scoring demon. He'll be 26 before the season's over and he's yet to find his stride in the NHL. Part of that is opportunity; part is confidence. The Islanders now have wingers they trust to score more than him -- but Scott Gordon has dropped hints about him becoming a two-way guy with hands, like the now-departed former AHL scorer Andy Hilbert. Tambellini's two-year, one-way deal expires next summer.

Biggest Hole: Enforcer.

"How many men is it worth? How many lives? One? Two? Twenty? Lives will be lost in your company, Captain. If you don't have the stomach for it, now is the time to let me know." (Lt. Col. Gordon Tall/Nick Nolte)

If you'll disregard for a moment that the Islanders lack enough elite players to challenge for a playoff spot, their biggest hole is a bona fide enforcer, or demonstrable team toughness. It was a complaint for many Isles fans last season, it remains one this fall. I'm no pacifist -- although The Thin Red Line is the best humanist war film ever made -- but I've little patience for doling out $1-million salaries for one-trick-pony enforcers who use circular logic to justify their continued existence in this league.

That said, while Tim Jackman, Nate Thompson and newcomer Jeremy Reich are always game to throw down and 21-year-old Joel Rechlicz is a budding heavyweight enforcer, none strike fear into opponents yet. So every time an Islander skill player takes a big hit -- even if one of the aforementioned pugilists delivers a response -- Islanders fans are going to roar that it wouldn't have happened with Steve Webb or Eric Cairns in the lineup.

Wild Cards and Reinforcements

"To have this battalion relieved in a defeat, or even to have it reinforced by troops from a reserve regiment, if we were stalled before reaching the top, well, Jesus Christ, that's just a hell of a lot more than I could stand! I've waited all my life for this." (Lt. Col. Gordon Tall/Nick Nolte)

The wild cards are the Islanders' young prospects and how Garth Snow performs at the trading deadline, which is what will set up how the team becomes a contender again. Can a guy like Matt Martin make the jump all the way from juniors to a budding power forward in an NHL lineup? (He's looked good in camp, and was one of the 18 players Phaneuf declined to engage in Calgary.) On the blueline, the Islanders have several prospects -- but right now their NHL roster is filled with one-way contracts. Who can steal a job? Who will step in after the inevitable injuries and if the Islanders can unload UFA Andy Sutton at the deadline? Will Rick DiPietro come back -- or towering draftee Mikko Koskinen develop -- in time to deal Biron to Chicago at the trade deadline?

Seen Better Days

"The tough part is, uh... Not knowing if you're doing any good. That's the hard part." (Capt. James Staros/Elias Koteas)

"Boy, that escalated quickly... I mean, that really got out of hand fast." (...Anchorman -- A-ha! Threw you for a loop there, eh? It's not all war and depression and foo-foo speak here...)

Those quotes apply to Brendan Witt, who famously "led" the league in the wrong end of +/-, with a minus-34. The weird thing? It wasn't quite as bad as it looked. He consistently faced the toughest opposition, came back too early from a major knee injury (befitting his "Warrior" rep), had the toughest time stomaching Scott Gordon's system, and actually "slowed" the descent of his plus/minus during the second half of the season. Still, can the stay-at-home Witt be a fit under Gordon's up-tempo regime? Can Witt provide the toughness fans miss?

Coach's Challenge: Player Happiness.

"The only time you should start worrying about a soldier is when they stop bitchin'." (Lt. Col. Gordon Tall/Nick Nolte)

With no clear-cut #1, Scott Gordon will have to keep his two starting goalies happy, while keeping a young team -- and a couple of aging vets -- thinking positively and adhering to his energy-demanding system despite what will likely be another tough season. Part of player appeasement will be figuring out where everyone fits: It's a good thing Doug Weight makes a solid power play point pairing with Mark Streit, because the Islanders have two other very skilled centers in Tavares and Bailey, and Nielsen is no slouch himself. By March, will Weight's role have diminished? Will he welcome a trade?

Which leads us to...

"Shut up in a tomb. Can't lift the lid. Playing a role I never conceived." (Lt. Col. Gordon Tall/Nick Nolte)

Last year's effort was hindered by Witt speaking too frankly about strategic questions he had about Gordon's aggressive style, while veterans like Mike Comrie, Chris Campoli, Bill Guerin (all dealt before the deadline) and Jon Sim (banished to Bridgeport) couldn't fall in line with the youth movement. Will there be similar grumblings this year when veterans are asked to make way for a younger -- and often, frankly, already better -- alternative? If so, will Snow be able to quietly get value for them as he did with Campoli (a second 1st that they used to move up and grab de Haan)?

Who Goes at the Trade Deadline?

"We're living in a world that's blowing itself to hell as fast as everybody can arrange it." (1st Sgt. Edward Walsh/Sean Penn)

Beyond Weight and Sim (who is still effective around the net), Sutton is also a pending UFA. If he can stay healthy for the first time in three seasons, maybe he puts together a strong enough year to fetch a pick at the deadline. Meanwhile, I love Richard Park's speed, versatility and attitude, and he loves being with the Islanders. But as another pending UFA, I'll be surprised if a playoff-bound team doesn't take him away from Garth Snow at the deadline.

Player Least Missed:

"I blew my butt off!" (Sergeant Keck/Woody Harrelson, after accidentally grabbing his grenade by the pin.)

By far, Mike Comrie and his favorite move, which is often like fumbling a grenade in the offensive zone: It might hurt the opponent, but it will more likely blow up in your face.

This Ain't About Hockey

"Property. The whole f#%ing thing's about property." (1st Sgt. Edward Walsh/Sean Penn)

To the Lighthouse Project and the Town of Hempstead that controls its zoning approval. If all goes well, things look up on and off the ice, and the Islanders can look forward to facilities that actually compare favorably to Saskatoon -- and maybe even drawing a free agent or two -- in the future. If not, well the relocation drumbeat will get a little more serious, and you know players are never able to keep that sort of thing out of their heads for long.

"The Plane Has Crashed into the Goddamn Mountain!" (Mr. Lebowski)

Told you we don't just quote heavy movies here. These are things that would make the Islanders season worse than expected:

If Kyle Okposo's concussed head and "Lindros" are ever mentioned in the same sentence
If 39-year-old Roloson gets injured while Biron looks pedestrian
If any of the Islanders UFAs are injured around the trade deadline, like Weight was last year
If the Lighthouse project stalls and becomes a major distraction
If Sean Bergenheim's head or groin prevent him from being the Finnish Force he can be
If Colin Campbell is responsible for anything having to do with an Islanders game

Depth Chart-Like Substance

FORWARDS

Challengers & Call-ups: Rechlicz (enforcer), Jesse Joensuu, Moulson, Trevor Smith, Matt Martin, Jeremy Reich, Greg Moore

DEFENSE

Bruno Gervais | Mark Streit
Brendan Witt | Radek Martinek
Andy Sutton | Freddy Meyer
Jack Hillen

Challengers & Call-ups: Andrew MacDonald, Mark Flood

GOAL

How Others See the Islanders

The easy line would be "in last place." In fact, that accurately reflects pundits' views. Still, you can find out why:

NHL.com Preview: All Eyes on Tavares (and ... Tambellini?)
The Sporting News: Bad news: We're last (or 29th). Good news: We're the Penguins!!!1
TSN.ca: We're 28th, and "shouldn't plan the Stanley Cup parade anytime soon." Thanks! One sage advice deserves another: Don't dry your hair in the bathtub.
PuckDaddy: C's and photoshops and basement-dwelling 'n stuff.
The Hockey News: Tough division means another bottom-dwelling year.
Illegal Curve: Scraping the bottom, maybe with Atlanta's scalp.

So, obviously a wide, wide variety of opinion there. Looks like a toss-up.

Redundant Prediction (for make glorious pundit-like persona of blogger-Slav)

Again, predicting last year's lottery winners to repeat in the East is the easy route. But the Islanders will improve. Problem is, Atlanta and Tampa Bay have improved, too. So if the Islanders move up in the standings, who do they leapfrog? I don't know. But surprises happen and some team always bottoms out [Psst: Yeah, in the West.]. So I'll say they face continued inconvenient injury problems, but solid goaltending helps them leap one or two teams in the East, plus Colorado and Phoenix in the West, and end up 25th or 26th overall.

Yeah, really bold, I know. For more LIGHTHOUSE LOCK PICKS, JUST CALL 1-900-L-I- [click]

"It makes no difference who you are, no matter how much training you got and the tougher guy you might be. When you're at the wrong spot at the wrong time, you gonna get it." (Sergeant Storm/John C. Reilly)

Poll

Where will the Islanders finish in the East?

4

3 votes

5

1 votes

6

5 votes

7

1 votes

8 - Return to the playoffs!

14 votes

9 - Return to the bubble

15 votes

10

8 votes

11

5 votes

12

16 votes

13

14 votes

14

17 votes

15 - Lottery love

39 votes

138 votes | Poll has closed

Islanders Preseason: 4-2 over Flames; Martin pounces, Roloson debuts

Dominik — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 17:26:26 -0000

More photos » by GEOFF HOWE - AP

Jon Sim, doin' what Jon Sim does.

Browse more photos »

If a preseason game happens in Saskatoon and no one outside the rink gets to see it, does it make a sound?

Maybe. From highlights and accounts of the game (video after the jump; and if you were there, do leave us comments or a FanPost), Jon Sim continues to be the pre-knee injury Jon Sim the Islanders signed two years ago: Doing dirty work in front of the net and creating goals because of it. Dwayne Roloson sounded strong, including "several crucial saves" on a Flames 5-on-3 (Kevin Poulin also saw action again). Juniors graduate Matt Martin, with whom the Islanders played contract hardball until late in the summer, continues to appear in my dreams as a budding power forward.

Martin's two goals were technically easy: One was a wide-open net, the other was literally an empty net. But both came from smart positioning, the empty-netter coming off his smartly read interception at center ice.

Greg Moore scored. Scott Gordon called him a "pleasant surprise" before the game, which has me worried. Fights happened but were apparently unremarkable (Micheal Haley was cut by Brandon Prust, while Tim Jackman's fight is in the video). Nothing like the vengeance match that a "Slapshot" script would dictate. But as mentioned yesterday, these were two completely different teams, so that's little surprise.

Video, a note on tonight's game, and a link to another Islanders season preview is after the jump.

Official NHL video highlights of the game:

Meanwhile, no rest for the weary: After beating a quasi-roster of Flames last night in Saskatoon, the Islanders' Western Canada tour concludes tonight when they "host" Edmonton. We'll share lineups once they're available. One great resource for the Oilers side of things is SBN site Copper & Blue. There you'll find their wit plus links to the rest of the pioneering Oilers blogosphere.

And for further reading, Puck Daddy's preview of the Islanders is out; it is both correct and predictable (There's not much range for debate on where this team will finish this year.) Also check out Illegal Curve's season preview for the Islanders. Let 'em know what you think there or here. If you're not familiar, IC is a great site for daily news and views of the entire league. I say that because it's true -- and not just because David quoted me (and Ken from Islanders Outsider, and Islanders Blogger Paul, who weighs in across the Isles online world) in the IC preview.

Panthers roll into Calgary; fans await lineup cards

Whale4ever — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 15:40:56 -0000

The Flames (or a loose group of young guys wearing the uniforms) took it on the chin last night in Saskatoon, falling to the mighty Islanders 4-2. In a league where former Panther Jon Sim scores a goal for the 'Sticks and remains healthy for the entire match, you know it's a bizarre affair.

Wanna wager what lineup changes coach Brent Sutter's club will undergo for tonight's home date with the Cats?

If this doesn't convince you we'll be seeing some familiar faces at the Saddledome this evening...

Photo courtesy of NHLSnipers.com

Poll

Tonight's game more of an "event" than standard preseason drivel?

Yes...if the ex-Cats play it's a can't-miss affair

20 votes

No...exhibition games are exhibition games

13 votes

33 votes | Poll has closed