Sorry folks, I was home sick yesterday.  Especially after that tough 3rd period, I just did not want to write, and then I stayed off my computer for the whole day, except for about 20 minutes of office e-mail.  Believe me, that is tough for me to do.

Well - we will be the first team off for the All Star Break after tonight - so the Isles get about 36 hours more of a break than the others do — I hope the guys take advantage of that!

The Flyers are still struggling, and we MUST take this game, to give some positive momentum from the break.  We are not going to have it easy when we return, with two games against Atlanta, one with Buffalo and then Detroit.  The atmosphere needs to be different than what it is now.  I do not question the coaching, but maybe a different approach to the motivating may be the cure of the ills.  I know that Ted is a MASTER of it, and maybe for now, he needs to change it up a little.  The fans are not against you Ted, they are just frustrated as you are.  Look in that crystal ball, and find the magic cure.

After the report tomorrow - I am going to take some time off from writing hockey.  I may ramble about other things, but after about 120 posts, it is time for a break or two.

I appreciate everyone reading my blog over the past few months.  With each 30 day period, the number of hits has increased to the point where I am getting 400% more hits this month than I did the first.  Please continue to tell your friends about this site, as well as my ‘brotha’ Pat Hickey’s blog (www.thedriveforfive.com).  The more that read, the better for all of us!  Again, THANKS!

Now - without furtuer ado, here is Roger’s esoteric.

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Tonight let’s start where the action was - IN THE PENALTY BOX.
 
Before I do, I would like to thank Gary Harding for the hospitality that he has shown me over the years especially while I was deployed around the globe.  He sure makes being an Islander Fan easy even if our boys on the ice make it hard to be one.  If you haven’t had a chance, you need to stop by the Booster Club booth during the game and say hello.
 
8 Different players where in the sin bin for a total of 23 minutes.  For the untrained hockey fan that means we played over a period worth of hockey a man down.  Jeez boys!  Other than Witt and Gervais’ Fighting and roughing penalties, all the rest were hooking, tripping, high-sticking and holding.  All of which are causes of discipline.  Yashin, the Captain taking a High-Sticking penalty and a hooking penalty.  You are supposed to lead the team, but me thinks not in this manner.
 
Here is the esoteric starting with PIMs
 
Witt’s 2 for hooking and 5 for fighting (A great name for a rock band) is #114 and a total of 93 PIMs as a first year Isle 2 PIMs behind Wayne Mc Bean and Hector Marini.
 
Meyer’s 2 PIMs for tripping makes him the 348th person to sit in the box to contemplate the errors of his ways.  He is tied with 30 other players with 2 PIMs each including Eric Fichaud, Cliff Ronning, Mike Stapleton, Felix Potvin, Michel Bergeron, Steve Weeks, Ted Crowley, Chris Marinucci, Jesse Belanger, Randy Robitaille, Richard Grenier, Allan Rourke, Alex McKendry, Chris Terreri, Iain Fraser, Cory Foster, Ian Herbers, Garth MacGuigan, George McNeluk, Todd Okerlund, Derek Bekar, Paul Guay, Mike Donnelly, Mattias Koalska, Alain Nessreddine, Dallas Eakins, Ryan Caldwell, Dale Kushner, Mike Kennedy, and Jason Podollan.
 
Park’s 2 PIMs places him at #26 and 25 PIMs with the Isles, tying him with Tom Miller.
 
Hill’s 2 PIMs are his 57th and 58th PIMs and gives him a tie with Kevin Haller at #216.
 
Yashin’s 4 PIMs gives him the #74 spot and a total of 167 PIMs lifetime with the Isles only 4 PIMs behind Berard and Malakhov now.
 
Blake’s 2 PIMs for holding lands him at the #50th all-time in PIMs with 259 PIMs.  He is 1 PIM behind KJ, current AHLer Godard, and Ken Belanger.
 
Gervais sat for 2 PIMs tonight and gets his 34 PIMs to land him at #188.  He is tied with Mark Jansenns and the “Other” Simon.
 
Martinek gets 2 PIMs for hooking his 151st PIM and #81 on the list.  1 PIM behind current TB asst GM, Claude Loiselle.
 
 
GOALIE ESOTERIC
My question is why Dunham?  Why not Dubie?  Dubie has done just as well as Dunham in less games.  I understand Ricky played last night but he is our future.  He is in his twenties.  He is going to play one more game before a long all-star break.  So again, my question - WHY DUNHAM?
 
Mind you I have this postulate that I call the “Rule of Three”.  If we score three or more goals in a game we will win.  If we don’t, we lose.  Tonight, three goals wouldn’t have helped but it sure could have changed the tome of the game.
 
Here is tonight’s Goaltending numbers:
 
Dunham  played in his 12th game as an Islander.  He is #302 on the all-time player list and #23 on the all-time goalie GP list.  He has played 649 MINUTES and is #23 only 383 MINUTES behind Steve Weeks.  His GAA is 3.05 for #13 on the list.  That places him a mere .03 GAA ahead of Hextall.  His 3 WINS ties him at #23 with Dubie and his LOSS tonight ties him with Danny Lorenz at #22 with 5 LOSSES.
 
PLAYER ESOTERIC
 
Only 4 people him the scoreboard, thanks to Richard Parks unassisted short-handed goal.
 
Park’s shorty gives him 5 Goals and is now #166th on thelist tied with 11 others including Chris Simon.  The Point gives him 13 Pts as an Isle and #175 again tied with 11 others but no Simon but does include Hilbert and Gervais.  He has played in 46 GP and is #208th tied with 7 others.
 
Asham’s 7th Goal of the season gives him 43 Goals as an Islander and tied with Roman Hamrlik at #54.  The Point is his 95th and joins him with Bert Marshall at #67 all-time in Points.  He has played in 264 Games and is 11 behind English born Steve Thomas at #61.
 
Simon’s 15th Assist as an Isle and the year gives him the #141st spot tied with 3 others including Kozlov, Ronning and Hill.  The Point is his 20th and is #147th tied with 5 others including Terry Crisp and Robert Nilsson. He now has appeared in 46 Games for the Isles and is #208th all-time tied with 7 others.
 
Gervais’ 10th Assist is tied with 9 others at #173.  The Point is his 13th and tied with 11 others at #175 including Hilbert and Park.  He is now 1 Game Played behind Brimanis, Biron, and DiMaio for the #169th spot with 73 GPed.
 
Bring on the Flyers!!!
 

Posted under Islanders 06-07