SB Nation - Doug Weight

Flames/Kings Post Game: You Just Keep Me Hangin' On

Robert Cleave — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 23:20:19 -0000

More photos » by Larry MacDougal - AP

The real first line celebrates.

Brent Sutter was of the opinion that his team was pretty good for 50 minutes last night. For 3/4 of his forward groups, that's true enough, with the depth players in the reconfigured line-up doing relatively well for themselves most of the night, and seeing some nicely balanced ice time to boot. They had a seemingly firm grasp on a game against a depleted Kings club that was likely just wanting to start an eight day Christmas break.

The last ten minutes, of course, was a gong show, and even the boss admitted the Flames flipped the switch too soon. I believe the phrase used was "protection mode". No kidding. It's not like the Flames haven't gone this route before this season, but last night's episode of sitting on the lead was entirely too passive even by the standards we've seen this year.

I guess the one thing that just keeps standing out is the dismal play of Olli Jokinen and Jarome Iginla. During their 14-ish minutes of EV time, their shots for/against number was 4/15. Since that works out to roughly 64 SA/60 minutes, I thought I'd take a spin over to the Behind the Net, set the filter at 10 minutes per game to eliminate the fourth liners, and see what the average for the forwards that are on-ice for a lot SA look like. The worst in the league is Doug Weight, at 36.2/60, so you can see that 64/60 is, uh, not good, maybe? I don't expect those guys to give up nothing, since creative guys occasionally take a few chances, but creating scoring chances does require playing in the other team's end on occasion, doesn't it? They took young Mr. Boyd down the rabbit hole with them, and I mentioned last night finding a winger that can really get the big two up to snuff might be as likely as finding a unicorn. They were really overmatched against the Kopitar line, and if it was a one-off, that would be fine. It isn't, and acting like this problem will just solve itself seems oblivious.

It's not all bad, of course. The Flames won, which is always good, no matter how I may nag about process. Mark Giordano got his own post from Kent this morning, and the goal that ended up being the margin on the night is worth another look, don't you think?

Quality, and it was on one of the rare shifts that pitted Langkow's line against Anze Kopitar's group. That matchup of Langkow-Bourque-Dawes versus the other team's best isn't one that Sutter seems willing to default to, and other coaches will still try to run their big guns at Iginla's line, but at some point, results have to kick in. If the other coaches want Iginla to face their elite, he needs better help, and for all I bitch about Olli Jokinen's play, misusing him in the role of P v P center isn't his fault. That falls on the shoulders of the boss, period.

Oh, and Kipper was really good again. There was talk from Mike Keenan that if Kiprusoff had played in that fashion for him, he'd still be coaching, which is likely so. Resolute's point in last night's comments that Kipper wouldn't be playing this way if the Iron One was still in command can't be discounted, though, and given the speedy 180 in Kipper's play we've seen this year, it's as good an explanation as any.

The Flames will have a go against the Predators tomorrow afternoon. The Western Conference doesn't have many easy touches, does it?

Some Perspective on Penner's Start

Derek Zona — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:20:43 -0000

Left winger Petr Klima of the Edmonton Oilers (right) and defenseman Steve Duchesne of the Los Angeles Kings tangle up during a game at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California. Klima immediately apologized. via cdn.picapp.com

View full size photo »

Dustin Penner's blistering start has slowed a bit, but Big Pun continues to carry the team on a nightly basis. He's on pace for 40 goals, something that hasn't been accomplished in Edmonton since Petr Klima in 1990 He's on pace for 88 points, the most for any Oiler since Doug Weight's 90 in 2000. Let's check the twenty-one years A.G.

Year	Player	Goals	Player	Assists	Player	Points	Player	+/-
1988	Carson	49	Messier	61	Kurri	102	Muni	43
1989	Messier	45	Messier	84	Messier	129	Gregg	24
1990	Klima	40	Messier	52	Tikkanen	69	Klima	24
1991	Damphousse	38	Damphousse	51	Damphousse	89	Maciver	20
1992	Klima	32	Nicholls	32	Klima	48	Gelinas	3
1993	Arnott	33	Weight	50	Weight	74	Arnott	1
1994	Oliver	16	Weight	33	Weight	40	Kennedy	2
1995	Ciger	31	Weight	79	Weight	104	Satan	0
1996	Smyth	39	Weight	61	Weight	82	Marchment	13
1997	Weight	26	Weight	44	Weight	70	Tie	9
1998	Guerin	30	Guerin	34	Guerin	64	Poti	10
1999	Smyth	28	Weight	51	Weight	72	Smith	16
2000	Smyth	31	Weight	65	Weight	90	Tie	15
2001	Comrie	33	Niinimaa	39	Tie	60	Comrie	16
2002	Smyth	27	Marchant	40	Smyth	61	Reasoner	19
2003	Smyth	23	Smyth	36	Smyth	59	Ulanov	18
2004
2005	Smyth	36	Hemsky	58	Hemsky	77	Staios	10
2006	Smyth	31	Hemsky	40	Tie	53	Thoresen	-1
2007	Penner	23	Hemsky	51	Hemsky	71	Nilsson	8
2008	Tie	23	Hemsky	43	Hemsky	66	Grebeshkov	12
2009	Penner	44	Penner	44	Penner	88	Penner	32

Penner's projected goal total is good for 3rd over this time period. His pace would tie him for 13th in assists and 6th in points. He would join Mark Messier, Vincent Damphousse, Doug Weight and Ryan Smyth as Oilers who have led the team in Goals, Assists and Points.

He's also on pace to accomplish a feat that only one other player in the history of the Oilers has been able to pull off -- lead the team in Goals, Assists, Points, and +/-.

Islanders Gameday in Toronto: Let's really try to win this one, boys

Dominik — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 18:15:21 -0000

The Maple Leafs penalty kill, at a jaw-dropping 72.1%, remains the worst in the league by a country mile. In the last three games -- two of them convincing wins -- they've killed just 6 of 11.

The struggling Islanders powerplay potted two last night (thank you, John Tavares), but don't let that fool you: One was a 5-on-3, they also gave up a shorthanded goal -- caused by Mark Streit's ill-advised shot, which was preceded by a typical panic pass -- and they could have given up several more.

New York Islanders (11-12-7, 12th/East) at Toronto Maple Leafs (9-13-7, 14th)
7 p.m. EST | [something about air] Centre | MSG+2 (twice the plus!), radio
Rabble-Rousing Foes: Pension Plan Puppets

This isn't the only problem with that unit, but the powerplay point chemistry between Streit and Kyle Okposo just hasn't been there. I keep saying this, but they miss Doug Weight's poise. Okposo is a galloping young thing whose game at this age is suited for relentlessly winning puck battles. Weight is a more circumspect, patient veteran who can no longer rely on speed and so must turn to guile. Hopefully Brian Burke and Ron Wilson don't judge Okposo's Olympic candidacy on that out-of-position side of his game.

For the rest of the unit, at least we know Matt Moulson knows how to create traffic, and when they get the puck down low to JT, he doesn't miss.

Injuries aside, that's the most pressing concern. The Leafs, 6-2-2 in their last 10, continue to handily outshoot opponents 34 - 30.4 per game. And the Isles, 4-6-0 (has it really been 10 games since an OTL?!), continue to get outshot 33.2 - 29.5. So tonight could be a lovely shooting gallery, and even that would be a vast improvement over both last night and the last Isles-Leafs meeting, when Dwayne Roloson took 61 for the team and somehow salvaged an OT win.

But about those injuries. For some reason whenever Sean Bergenheim plays the Leafs, the offensive side of his game -- the one we used to dream about -- comes alive. PIty then that he's out of the lineup with a rib injury. Also out is Tim Jackman, the de facto enforcer. So if that whole overblown "truculence" thing ("Truculence: The Secret Ingredient to One* Cup Since 1975") comes up, the Isles will need a committee to step up and play the NHL's ritual testosterone dance. But I'm expecting more of a throw our guns at their guns affair, which should make for some entertaining hockey, fast-paced hockey. I could do without Phil Kessel and Lee Stempniak getting 20 shots between them this time. And more of the "just throw it at Vesa" approach.

*not even all that essential to that 2007 Cup either, come to think of it. But do not blaspheme our great game's mythology.

That all of course depends on who enters the lineup, too. At the moment, I assume Blake Comeau and Rob Schremp Hockey are in. But you never know whether they might pick up the Rechlicz Phone and bring "The Wrecker" up for his three minutes. He hasn't seen a lot of time in Bridgeport though, so I'd hate to see them do that when Comeau and Schremp are due.

Please Show Up for this Kind of a Big Deal Game

After handing the Flyers a free pass back to the playoff bubble, it would be nice if the Isles didn't hand the Leafs a free advance back to respectability tonight. As mentioned last night, a regulation loss to the Leafs puts them two points back of the Islanders and five points behind 8th-seeded Montreal with a game in hand. Not too shabby, considering the hole they dug in the opening weeks.

In the "Explaining Random Chance through Psychology" department, the Islanders at the end of this long road string could be looking forward to home cooking for the next month. And the Leafs could be looking past the Isles to a revenge match in Boston tomorrow night, the scene of last weekend's drubbing at the hands of the holders of their 2010 and 2011 first-round picks. That's worth mulling over if one team fails to show up tonight, but I've learned that this team consistently surprises me. One game never tells me much about the next game. It feels like the "any given Sunday" mystique that the All About Televised Football and Concussions League professes to offer.

So if the Islanders lay another egg, I won't be thinking about their mental state so much as where they're headed. In their last five games, they've had three ugly losses (New Jersey, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia) and two very sound wins (Pittsburgh, Atlanta). Play the organized, aggressive way they can, and they look good. Don't play that way, they look awful. I guess the answer is as it has been: Their margin of error is thin, their depth is paltry, so they need all cylinders firing to get points (well, except when there is a Roloson Miracle). Sounds kind of like the Leafs actually, save for the miraculous goalie part.

Tonight's Game Thread: Visitors from Leafs Nation?

There's talk over at Pension Plan Puppets of a 2nd-period "field trip" over here to our thread at Lighthouse Hockey. If you've never seen their PPP game threads, they're a lively ribald bunch of Leaf fanatics. One of the things that drew me to SBN's platform is the ability for rival teams' fans to interact without descending into anonymous message board flame wars. So obviously if their tour bus stops off here, I'd expect you to welcome them and banter like fellow hockey fans without taking any jabs too seriously. Bring the funny, the drink and the spirit. Or just take it all in and marvel at their numbers.

That's The Virtual Party, What about the Real One?

For locals, don't forget the Point Blank viewing party at SOCIAL, across from the Coliseum. If you know about it, you know by now you should RSVP at that link if you plan on going. Free buffet, $1 Bud/Bud Lights {holds nose} between 7-8 p.m., and complimentary shots after each Islanders goal. That sounds like a party I could dig -- and it sounds like a great reason for the Islanders to score a lot of goals.

Islanders Gameday: Not your father's Thrashers

Dominik — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:15:09 -0000

This trip to Atlanta begins the annual fathers road trip, but these are not your father's Thrashers. These are not the Thrashers of the Don "Punchline" Waddell we used to know. And doggone if they aren't even the Thrashers we saw last month.

Four weeks ago, we had the pleasure of facing an Atlanta team that was reeling with the loss of its captain and leading scorer, leading to a 6-3 Islanders win. Now that Ilya Kovalchuk is back and scorching earth, the Islanders face the third-hottest team in the NHL over their last 10 games (7-1-2). Yipe.

New York Islanders (10-10-7, t-9th/E) at Atlanta Thrashers (14-7-3, 5th/E)

7 p.m. EST | [some Spanish king's name] Arena | MSG+, radio

Birdwatchers: Anonymous (SBN) | Blueland Blog | Wazzupwitchu

That last meeting became a Battle of the New Young Coaches, with the Islanders outshooting Atlanta 45-34 overall, building a 3-1 1st-period lead on a shot margin of 21-11. But the Thrashers, despite an awful effort, scored enough to remind us they're dangerous. If tonight is a repeat of that sort of shooting gallery with Ilya in the lineup and shot-blocker/penalty killer Andy Sutton not, then look out.

These Are Not Your Father's Thrashers Goalies

Be not confused, the Thrashers are actually quite strong in goal. Which means the Islanders aren't the only team with the convenient problem of an oft-injured franchise goalie nearing a return. Rick DiPietro is due to return before Kari Lehtonen, but regardless, Lehtonen's return will create an annoying competitor for the Islanders' efforts to pawn an extra goalie off on a desperate team in need. Of course if the Isles aren't able to tie a pretty bow and nicer packaging on Martin Biron's numbers, then other sellers won't be the problem.

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Sure, that's getting ahead of ourselves -- we don't know in what form DiPietro will return, just as the Thrashers don't know how Lehtonen will look after rehabbing injury #218. Still, if a couple of teams need goalie answers in the next few months, it'd sure be nice if the Islanders were the team offering the best solution ... for a steep price.

Do You Know Who Rich Peverley Is?

You should, by now. He was available on waivers last year -- just like Maxim Afinogenov was -- only the difference is someone actually claimed Peverley. Atlanta hasn't regretted it since.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Rich Peverley	24	10	16	26	5	16	6	0	5	0	51	19.6

As far as Afinogenov goes, the easy case to make is that he's been scoring quite nicely -- both he and Peverley are outscoring the Islanders' top scorer -- so the Islanders should have made a run at him over the summer.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Maxim Afinogenov	24	11	14	25	8	20	2	0	1	0	54	20.4

But I can't get past that no other team saw fit to grab Afinogenov both for free late last year nor during the summer free agency period. Atlanta didn't get him until they brought him to camp on a free agent tryout -- and for them, doing everything they can to please Ilya in his walk year, that was a no-brainer. For me, if the Islanders had fellow Russian speakers like Kovalchuk and Nik Antropov for Max to play with, then by all means: Bring him in. It was never a question of whether the man had crazy talent; it was a question of which Afinogenov you were more likely to get.

Given the Islanders' current roster and make-up, at minimum there's no way he would have been as good a fit here as he's been in Atlanta. Worst case, we'd be going through the same weird consistency issues that he saw in Buffalo. Of course, on the other hand, if Snow was willing to take a flier on Rob Schremp -- who has a similar reputation but a far less impressive body of work -- then, um ...?

This Is Not Your Father Doug Weight's Powerplay

The Islanders powerplay is now 1 for its last 28, not having tallied twice in a game since Nov. 14 in Florida. The unit's proficiency has dropped to 17.2%. I've said this before, but the easy answer is they miss Doug Weight's calm presence and vision on the point opposite Mark Streit. I don't mind seeing Kyle Okposo there, but he is a go-go player whereas Weight is a patient puck holder, a guy who can create space for himself (and Streit) just by moving the puck on his blade.

Who else can do that on this team? Is Jack Hillen an answer -- or will opposing penalty killers press Hillen more than they would press Weight, because they grew up watching Weight and they have no idea who this Jack Hillen guy is? This is when a Zach Bogosian would be nice to have, but alas, we'll have to wait a while on that front. Chris Campoli apparently thought he ought to be the next choice, but I notice he was a healthy scratch in Ottawa the other night.

There Will Be Goals

In the last five meetings between Scott Gordon and John Anderson's offensive pedal-to-the-floor teams, the Islanders have scored 17 goals and the Thrashers have scored 20. Yes, combined they average over seven goals a game. Look out, highlight reel, and pity the goalies. (This is why I root for the Gordons, the Andersons, the Boudreaus, the DeBoers and the Bylsmas of the world to have NHL success. No offense, Mr. Lemaire.)

Speaking of goalies, as of this posting I hadn't heard who draws the assignments. So if you hear it, leave it in comments (along with your usual gameday thoughts and such). I know I'd go with Dwayne Roloson -- who faced the Thrashers last time -- against a potent attack, but it's been a very very long time since I coached an NHL game.

Random: Richard Park wore a "non-contact" jersey yesterday, but it's hard to imagine that man letting an injury get in the way of his spot in the lineup. Frans Nielsen (also in "non-contact" chic) is day-to-day, which means the chances are very good for an encore showing of Rob Schremp Hockey.

See some of you tonight in the game thread, if not sooner.

Prediction: Last goal wins, and the fathers have the time of their lives.

Fearless Opinion: Head Shots

Sean Zandberg — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:16:12 -0000

Continuing on with trying to entertain Canucks fans during the long layoff, I've decided to think outside the Nucks box.

I have to try to contain my anger when the head shot issue is continually brought up on mainstream hockey shows and websites, and I have to try to contain it now. What follows is solely my opinion and I don't care if people disagree with me or not. In fact I welcome the conversation.

I have no shame in admitting that I am a fan of old school hockey. Head shots are not a new phenomenon in the NHL and beyond. It has been going on for years, as Mike Milbury pointed out on CBC's Satellite Hotstove last Saturday night. He is correct. Watch a Scott Stevens hit highlight reel as one example and you can see that also. In the old days, and very rarely today, players would take a head shot and scramble in 10 different directions trying to get to the bench because they got their bell rung. That was the "manly" thing to do. I've always respected that. Nowadays, with all the concussion issues, precautionary procedures by team doctors (stretchers and the like) and change of protective gear (which I'll get more into later), players get smoked and lay on the ice motionless, whether because they are knocked out cold, or are playing it safe.

While I still think the elbowing/charging rules are good ones, I don't want the NHL to change the rules now involving shoulder shots to the head. In a game filled with fast and size-able players, hits in all forms can happen in an instant. I don't want this cloud of fear hanging over aggressive player's heads that they cannot hit someone for fear that they might make contact with the opposing player's head and thus be disciplined for it. I have so many reasons for feeling this way.

-It's f**king hockey! I love hits! Clean hits! Shoulder-to-the-head included, if that comes to pass.

-The various heights of players. Guys like Chris Pronger or Zdeno Chara decking a shorter player (or, like Scott Stevens smoking Paul Kariya for example) are going to lead to a head shot based on that. So these guys need to change their game now to avoid it? Give me a break. The OHL is always "leading the way" with potential new NHL rules, but you can hear the sentiments of Mike Kelly, then coach of the Mississauga Ice Dog's opinion of bigger players hitting less in this clip. "Then that 6'4" defenceman has to avoid the check" he says. I don't think so!

-Whatever happened to players being responsible for their own actions? If you want to cut in the middle with the puck over the opposing team's blue line you're asking for it. If you want to dish a pass and admire it by turning your head, you're asking for it. If you want to bend over and poke at the puck when an opposing player is coming at you, you're asking for it. Like Don Cherry said recently, players have to be aware of who is on the ice for the opposing team at all times.

Allow me to be a little bit random by showing some clips.

1. Mike Richards tags David Booth

A. Cutting in the middle

B. Admiring his pass

2. Doug Weight wacks Brandon Sutter

A. Reaching for the puck with Weight coming at him.

B. Weight may have been trying to make a shoulder-to-shoulder blow but it was too late to react after Sutter leans forward. How is the NHL going to ban head shots when this kind of thing happens? Video review to decipher whether or not the hit was clean? Or does he get a game misconduct immediately? The latter is horse shit.

3. Michael Liambas crushes Ben Fanelli (OHL)

Liambas is suspended for the entire season.

A. Fanelli shouldn't be turning his back there. Not along the boards like that. Hate to see him hurt that badly though. B. Can the NHL/OHL or whoever put some more slack in the boards/glass? It was like Fanelli hit a brick wall. No give in that glass. I see his helmet popped off too.

So, randomness and disturbing images aside, I stand by my point. I don't think head shots should be eliminated. What I think should be changed is:

1. Player awareness on the ice. Who's out there for the opposing team? Don't cut in the middle. Don't admire your passes. Don't turn your back along the boards when an opposing player is coming at you.

2. Every arena should have more flexible glass. Remember how it was in the Forum in Los Angeles? Yeah, just like that.

3. Here is a real biggy that Don Cherry alluded to years ago, and I still think holds true to today:

Get rid of the hard plastic elbow/shoulder pads.

I see that I represent a minority on this issue. I don't care. That's kind of a bogus poll in the wording of it. Like I said before, it does change how a player who is over 6'4" plays his game. He should not be subjected to that.

The intensity and physicality of the game will be somewhat compromised. Great players like Mike Richards will have their game suffer as a result. It's a game of seconds or less when it comes to hits. Head shots happen, whether intentionally or not and whether the League tries to stop it or not.

I'd get into the instigator rule and players "policing" this kind of thing, but I don't need to. I'm old school. Figure it out.

I could go on about this all day. Opinions?

Islanders 2009 vs. 2008: What a difference a year makes?

Dominik — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:44:02 -0000

Just got back from the optometrist. They do a lot of "is this better, or is this better?" tests on you, to check how your eyes are working and make sure you don't mistake Andy Sutton for Zdeno Chara on the eye chart.

Me: "A ... E ... G ... N ... Y ... I ... Chara ... M--"
Doc: "Sorry, did you say Chara? It was Sutton ... We may need to adjust your prescription."

They start off with really easy ones before they refine them, so of course the first either/or test was: "The New York Islanders: Is this better, or is this better?" Through 21 games, the 2009-10 New York Islanders are vastly superior to the 2008-09 version, right?

Intuitively yes. But with some of the numbers, it's closer than you might think. Because game #21 of last season, a shootout "win" over Montreal (the night of the O'Byrne own goal), was actually the high-water mark for the year (9-10-2). After that, the Isles won only once in their next 13 games (1-11-1), and Tank for Tavares became the clear Christmas-time mission.

Qualitatively, few would disagree that this year's top line is more consistent, more dangerous, and more effective on the powerplay (I mean, Tavares + Moulson easily trumps Comrie/Weight + Guerin, right?). Meanwhile, the goalies are more reliable. But some of the team numbers are fun to compare and contrast -- along with an expanded record that doesn't obscure extra-time wins and shootout losses.

I had a table of specific players' performances through 21 games last year vs. this year, but it crashed in the story editor, and well, serves me right for flying without a chute. But there were a few interesting factoids, such as Doug Weight having 4-17-21 through 21 games last year (versus 0-9-9 in just 13 games in 2009-10), while Kyle Okposo just had 2-3-5 at this point last year.

Anyway, here's a comparison of some team numbers. Keep in mind the Islanders have played 6 more OTs than they had at this point last year, so that adds minutes and can change the way teams play in those minutes.

The Record

Year	W	OTW	SOW	L	OTL	SOL
2008-09 (9-10-2)	7	2	1	10	1	1
2009-10 (8-6-7)	5	2	1	6	3	4

The Islanders have won two fewer games in regulation than this point last year, but they've lost four fewer as well. And they've been in basically every game except for the Montreal drubbing.

The Goals and Shots and Such

Year	GF	GA	SF	SA	Sh%	Sv%
2008-09	54	65	642	677	8.4%	.904
2009-10	59	60	642	701	9.2%	.914

How about that? Their shot differential is worse, but their goal differential is better. In other words, the Isles' shooting accuracy has been higher (thank you young snipers), as has their save percentage (thank you old goalies).

The Special Teams

Year	PPG	PPop	PP%	PPGA	PKop	PK%
2008-09	17	100	17	18	106	83%
2009-10	16	76	21%	16	81	80.2%

The Islanders have drawn fewer powerplay opportunities but made more hay of them. They've also been shorthanded fewer times (hmmm...fewer penalties on both sides: "New NHL" behavior fully adapted, or old-style officiating creeping back in?), but they've been less efficient killing them off.

That's just a 21-game look. A few key differences, as Scott Gordon often cites, has been health on the blueline. Doug Weight, Trent Hunter and Frans Nielsen have actually played fewer games so far than at the same point last year, but Andy Sutton only had 13 under his belt at this point (after missing all but one game in October 2008), and the whole blueline was in constant injury flux.

The happiest thing for me: This squad has flat-out been more fun to watch. In a year where I've pretty much not concerned myself with playoffs, that counts for something. Also, I'm going to go ahead and assume the Islanders aren't about to go on a 1-11-1 run like they did after the 21st game of last season. Call it a hunch.

Anything else you pick up on, either numerically or "I just got a feeling"-wise?

Islanders Gameday: No Ovechkin, no Martinek - no problem. Flu bug? Problem.

Dominik — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:00:41 -0000

Silly humans, we like to view things in groupings, whether or not said groupings relate to one another. So we'll talk about how our team is "such-and-such in November," even if November is just an arbitrary cut-off that's more to do with Pope Gregory than the fortunes of 21st-century hockey teams.

But a seven-game run away from home: that's a grouping that might just matter.

New York Islanders (6-6-5, 5th/Atl) at Washington Capitals (10-3-4, 1st/East)
7 p.m. | [some really annoying telco] Center | MSG+2 (twice the plus!); radio
"They don't, they don't speak for us": Japers' Rink | On Frozen Blog

The Islanders begin that grouping against the Capitals without Radek Martinek, the underrated defenseman who actually did a pretty good job defending Alex Ovechkin the last time these teams met. Then again, for this third Isles-Caps meeting of the season, the Caps are without Ovechkin. So back to square one. Of course, sans Ovi the Capitals just swept two games from Florida -- who has a similar coach, but different 2008-09 results, than our own Scott Gordon.

So group it however you want. I'm probably going to group it under "in games without Kyle Okposo..." [Update: TMC notes in comments that Blake Comeau is ill now, too. Enter Rob Schremp Hockey...]

But in the capital, the drama over Ovechkin's injury prognosis is, well, slightly more intense than the "what else is new?" Island reaction to Martinek's. Hell, even the drama over where an unwanted Caps' soldier is headed is consuming more bytes.

While the Islanders without (future captain?) Okposo is uncharted waters, the Caps rather impressively pulled off victories without both Ovechkin and Mike Green. Yikes. I look forward to Trent Hunter's return, but somehow I don't find it to be of equal impact.

Oh, and about those margin-thinning, depth-depleting challenges to the Islanders lineup: Not only is K.O. out with Ye Olde Pig Flu, but now Doug Weight's upper body injury has changed from "week to 10 days" to "4 to 6 weeks." That's not only more realistic and more predictable; it's also a strong hint that it's a more significant shoulder injury, perhaps closer in nature to the one that kept him from Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals with Carolina. (Okay, not that serious.)

We've come, I think, to expect frequent injury from Weight's body at this age. But this one, coming so soon after the captain's own recovery from the H1N1, is a blow. I was among those hoping for a .500 performance on this road trip. With at least half of it missing Okposo and all of it missing Weight, my expectations are lowered. Add that to our tin six-defensemen depth, and hopefully Mr. Snow is watching the wires for potential reinforcements.

Regardless, another challenge means another lens with which to look at this young team.

* * *

The Cycle of a Rebuild: 1. Suck and get picks. 2. Use picks on future stars. 3. See future stars arrive and evolve. 4. Get good enough to discover that some stars maybe aren't as great as once thought.

Is that where the Caps are at with Alex Semin? Been interesting to see Caps fans debate whether he should be part of the core. Not just penalties and off nights, but the ominous comment from his agent on whether he'd adjust contract demands to fit into a championship structure in D.C. His agent: Mark Gandler. ... Gandler .... Gandler ... now where have I heard that name before? Ah yes, that's the tool. Good luck, Caps fans and Semin-lovers.

* * *

He Who Shall Not Be Named Until Healthy: I've sort of pledged not to do this, but what the hell, these quotes were interesting in a goalie-rehab sort of way. Scott Gordon on Rick DiPietro's first consecutive days of practice with the team:

He did multiple butterflies, some rapid recoveries, a lot of edge work. It was all good.

Nobody's holding their breath. But at the same time, it's nice to see the team continue to take the conservative approach with The Franchise. Strang adds that DP will do Monday-Tuesday and Thursday-Friday work next week (so, two days of back-to-back real practice). Whatever works.

* * *

Tonight should be an interesting one, particularly if Green is still out. Lineups without their best players, going at it, trying to make do: Somehow, there's something cool and pure about that. And what would be strange and unholy? If the Isles lost in OT to move their record to 6-6-6.

A Night For Revenge And Hate: Canucks-Blues Preview

Sean Zandberg — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:22 -0000

Canucks (10-8-0)

Blues (5-6-4)

Game Time: 5:00 PM PST

TV: Sportsnet Pacific

The Enemy: St. Louis Game Time

UPDATE: 10:14 AM PST: Cory Schneider has been sent down to the Moose today. Big glove tap to Missy for ever being the info maestro

***********************!

It has been a long tiresome day and I'm feeling ornery right now. With this crankiness comes honesty and hatred. So here it goes:

I hate the Blues! Almost always have, probably always will. I think I know why. It's mostly because of Brett Hull. I don't care that he was inducted into the Hall of Fame tonight, I can't stand him. I skipped his induction speech and read the obituaries instead, wishing he was on the list. Despite all his sick skills and accomplishments, I hated many of his quotes, his ego, which organizations he was a part of (Flames, Blues, Red Wings and Stars), oh and that infamous skate in the crease while scoring the Cup-winning goal against the Sabres. No love. Just one of those guys. Kind of like Jeremy Roenick in his latter years.

Two hard-fought series between the Canucks in Blues in 2003 and 2009 increase the animosity and rivalry as well. But I'll get to that later.

There are so many other Blues I've detested over the past several years: Al MacInnis, Chris Pronger, Pierre Turgeon, Martin Rucinsky, Craig Janney, Petr Nedved, Doug Weight, Ladislav Nagy, Pavol Demitra (yes that's right), Craig MacTavish, Paul Kariya, Keith Tkachuk, Eric Weinrich, Barrett Jackman, and several others. I know one guy (out of several others) who gets a pass though:

Yeah, that guy is cool.

So...

What better chance for St. Louis to snap out of their 5-game losing streak than to play against the team that handed them their asses in Round 1 of last year's playoffs? You know that their motivation is going to be terribly high tonight with retribution on their minds. They have to start scoring more goals though. They have been out-scored 13-4 in their current losing streak (2 of those were shootout losses). It seems to be the Blues' general problem. Take a look down their team scoring leaders list and you can see why they are ranked 27th in the NHL in goals per game average. On a positive note, for them, they rank 8th best in the NHL in goals against, one spot ahead of Vancouver. The goaltending stats from Chris Mason (2.45 GAA and .920 save %) and Ty Conklin (2.24 GAA and .928 save %) are not too shabby.

The Blues are terrible on home ice (2-5-1) and a better 3-1-3 on the road.

Andy McDonald and Barrett Jackman returned to their lineup last game. The Blues had a 2-0 lead over the Thrashers and managed to lose 3-2. It's just a matter of time before this team turns it around.

But why be nice? Here are some of my favorite Blues memories in recent years:

1. OK, let's go a little further back in time to March 5, 1991, where then-Canucks GM Pat Quinn rapes St. Louis by trading Dan Quinn and Garth Butcher to the Blues for Geoff Courtnall, Cliff Ronning, Sergio Momesso, Robert Dirk and futures. How did Dan work out for ya? Ah, not so good. The same year, the Blues trade Quinn and Rod Brind'amour to Philly for Ron Sutter and Murray Baron. That Pat Quinn trade laid the foundation for the Canucks' 1994 march to the Finals.

2. Barrett Becomes Bertuzzi's Bitch

3. The rest of the 2003 NHL Playoffs Round 1

4. "Tell Kelly I say 'Hi'"

5. The Burr Striketh

Is there something wrong with Rick Rypien's hand(s)? I wanna see him fight someone. It's been several games now. A serious test for him would be against Cam Janssen. That guy is a beast. Here's hoping it happens.

There is no love between these 2 teams. This is a game you don't want to miss.

Sabres 3, Islanders 0: Isles win streak ends with a whimper

Dominik — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:46:32 -0000

That win streak sure was fun, wasn't it? Ah, memories. Four days after being knocked from the game by an Islanders Tambellini Special, Ryan Miller turned the tables and shutout the Islanders. Taking nothing away from Miller here, but he didn't have to work for it the way Martin Biron did in the first period on Halloween.

These games happen -- perhaps it's a good dose of humble pie -- but the Islanders from minute one never looked like they had it. It wasn't Montreal bad by any stretch, but they were flat from the start, and Biron gave them every chance to find their groove. Unlike other recent games with flat starts, tonight they never found it. Final shots: 39-24.

Game Summary | Event Summary | nhl.com Recap | Isles Recap

Final - 11.4.2009	1	2	3	Total
New York Islanders	0	0	0	0
Buffalo Sabres	1	1	1	3

Complete Coverage >

Of note right away was the sluggishness of the Kyle Okposo/John Tavares/Matt Moulson line. When Okposo is taking a frustration obstruction penalty, you know something's off. When Jon Sim follows it up with one of his own, you know it's going to be an uphill kind of night. (Meanwhile, Jeff Tambellini/Josh Bailey/Doug Weight probably showed the most life, with nothing to show for it.)

Could Tavares be going through his first rookie-year lull? It's possible. We'd be wise to expect it, anyway. I don't necessarily expect it this soon, but he has been going non-stop with commitments since June. And as he's learning, you're never really fully prepared for the every-game pounding the NHL inflicts on a body. And first-line center minutes is a lot to ask of a kid all year long. Which is why, I presume, Gordon held Tavares's minutes back tonight (15:54). Weight (19:51) and Bailey (18:55) each saw more.

Two theories expressed in the game thread are worth mulling over. Check those and video (if you must torture yourself) after the jump.

Game Lowlights:

Theory 1: They were out of gas. While the Islanders kept up their busy schedule and handled Edmonton at home Monday, Buffalo went out and worked on their game, and recuperated. If the gassed theory is the case, that doesn't bode well for back-to-backs with New Jersey and Atlanta this Friday and Saturday.

Theory 2: Element of surprise is gone. Did the Sabres, having seen how the Islanders can take a team apart when their on, make the right adjustments to keep the Isles from ever getting on track? Perhaps more interesting from this line is thought is how we can watch other teams when they play the Isles after losing to them previously. We'll get that chance next week with Washington.

Here's hoping they can still take the Devils and Thrashers off guard.

This game wasn't much to write about, but those theories are worth mulling over.

Meanwhile, one parting thought: Patrick Kaleta is some kind of idiot. Or more precisely, Kaleta should probably learn how to take a hit and how to give payback within the game. Lucky for him, the Islanders' powerplay had nothing tonight. So his reaction to being hit by Jack Hillen by throwing a late, petulant hit on Frans Nielsen -- and driving him into Biron -- was, well, it was a fine display of stupidity. Then stirring it up with Tim Jackman and Nate Thompson in the game's dying seconds? Well, I suppose somewhere in his head, he proved something. Must be a fun world.

What We Learned: Many lessons from an Islanders win

Dominik — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:30:16 -0000

Tonight's Capitals preview will be up later, but -- at the risk of over-milking a win -- a few things came out of Wednesday's game that might tell us something about the direction of things. Chickendirt's FanPost addressed this idea yesterday (and those are always encouraged; I'm just the DJ, you're the rapper); I wanted to bring up a few more specifics:

Faceoffs: Yet another big game -- the Islanders won 64%. I'm starting to believe this is real. Scott Gordon credited Scott Allen for his work with the centers. If that's legit, then hooray for being able to hire your own coaches.

Physical Initiative:

"We’re too easy a team to play against in these types of games," Tortorella said. "We didn’t answer, as far as hitting back."

And he rued the team’s lack of scoring in Gaborik’s absence: "We cannot depend on having Gabby back in and have him carry this team offensively," he said. "You’re not going to win many games scoring one goal."

That may be more about the opponent's style and inability to deal with their superstar's first absence, but it told me something about the Islanders' capacity to get teams off their game. The Islanders came out physically dominating the Rangers -- Henrik Lundqvist remarked how, "They were really hungry ... you could feel it." And while the Rangers tried to answer back at the beginning of the 2nd, that only went so far.

Penalty Kill: Speaking of which, the Rangers' physical response drew a few 2nd-period powerplays, which allowed the Isles PK (now 9th at 82.5%) to shine...

"The coaches told us in our meeting that they were going to press us, but we didn't seem to be ready for it," said Callahan. "Gabby is obviously a huge part of the PP but we can't rely on him to do it all."

Special teams in this league are a matter of constant adjustment. When you get on a roll, teams see what you're doing and try to adjust. So you need a backup plan for the teams who adjust successfully. But for one night, with the Rangers missing Gaborik, the Islanders were able to unsettle the opponent's powerplay perfectly.

Powerplay: That unit is ranked 15th, at 21.4%. Doug Weight's return made a visible difference -- not only allowing Okposo to move down low, adding Weight's passing to the point, but also freeing Mark Streit to be more of a threat. This is good. With Weight healthy, a PP with Streit plus Okposo and Tavares can do some damage.

Matt Moulson: He's for real. Smart hockey player. His role may change in the future, but he has a good shot, a nose for the net, and the courage to get there.

Scott Gordon Will Always Be Both Weird and Insightful about His Goalies:

I've said multiple times: I like Gordon's former goalie pedigree, because he uses terminology and description about his goalies' play that your average non-goalie coach cannot conjure. (Contrast this with Joel Quenneville, a good coach who is honest yet seems to view goalies with bemused curiosity befitting their crazy nature.) So from Gordon we get this:

"Dwayne was excellent tonight," Gordon said. " He tracked the puck well and had good rebound control. I sensed since that Buffalo game that he was coming around and it was good to see."

... yet we also get this:

My decision on who is going to play will factor in more than what happened the previous game. It could be who we are playing against, whether it’s back-to-back games, what the upcoming schedule is."

So, will it be Roloson or Martin Biron? Gordon said the next game's starter is informed "after the media leaves."

Why is he so coy about who he's starting in goal every night? Because he's a former goalie, that's why. And all goalies have a bit of the crazy in them.

Defensive Alignment: For the second consecutive game, Brendan Witt was the least-used defenseman. I'm afraid this is necessary, particularly if Andy Sutton is going to be Good Andy. If Radek Martinek stays healthy (yes, always a big IF), he becomes the most important shut-down guy, Streit remains the most important (and slightly less overworked) two-way guy, and Witt becomes a low pairing physical guy -- which is the best he can do in this system.

The Youth: Chris Botta reported that Gordon liked what he saw out of Josh Bailey: "Small gains in little areas." I agree. Bailey was a little more assertive on offense, displayed a harder shot, and looked more active. We shouldn't forget that he's 20, and his progress will not follow some smooth curve. Whichever anonymous scout ranted that "they're turning him into a third-liner" is -- like so many anonymous scouts -- just talking barroom smack. Careers seldom develop without bumps.

The Approach:

"That was KISS hockey - keep it simple stupid. Block shots, penalty kill, clog the lanes."

Later, Roloson said, "I don’t think anyone in this locker room was lacking any confidence." [snip]

"Sorry about the cliché, but you just try to give your guys a chance to win," Roloson said. "I wouldn’t have used a cliché if it wasn’t true."

Exactly. There are certain things Gordon is trying to instill for the long-term. And there are certain basic tenets that any coach instills to try to win hockey games night after night. Along with at least above-average goaltending, the Islanders will need those things to get their wins. Many times it won't be enough because an opponent's superior skill will be able to undo 40, or 50, or god-forbid-55 minutes of excellent Islanders work. But this is their slim margin of error: Do what Roloson mentioned, or fall. Unlike tonight's opponent, the Isles aren't talented enough to win games that "ring hollow."

No Really, You Can Talk about the Opponent:

Rangers Coach John Tortorella was getting progressively more irritated at reporters’ questions, until finally one brought up Tavares. That did it.

"I don’t ~~care~~ give a damn about John Tavares — I care about MY team," Tortorella said, and abruptly walked away. [quote fixed, thanks TMC]

I'm a Tortorella apologist; his honesty is refreshing. But this is where he is a bit of an ass. Newsday's Katie Strang has gone through the ritual of asking opposing coaches their impression of Tavares after seeing him (though this time it wasn't her, unless her voice dropped a few octaves). For the league's #1 pick, that's not exactly an unreasonable question. Come on, coach: Do your part to promote the league and stop taking it so personally.

* * *

Is this overreacting to an emotional win? I don't think so, but the points are certainly debatable -- so have at it. But for me, this is reflective of (my broken record) the Isles' thin margin of error: When healthy and in form, they should be capable of stealing wins from anyone. When any single bit breaks down, though, there is no individual franchise savior. Yet.