Well – we are at game 82. Our last chance for six months, to look at our beloved Islanders. Today, Boston heads into town with no longer a chance to secure the President’s Trophy. So in this case, the Bruins will most likely play a less than star-filled lineup. I am sure that Tim Thomas will not be in net, and some of the other stars will get the day off, being that the Sharks are number 1 in the league.

What to expect? Hopefully some signs of promise to come for next year. I was not at the game yesterday, but I hear that there were some good moments coming out of the game. All that you would hope for will be emotion, passion and the promise of a strong future.

Today is similar to a golfer playing a golf match, and you are sitting on the 18th hole, and you have a 20 yard undulating putt for par. Making that tough putt makes you want to go back again real soon. For the Isles, sink that PUTT!

I will be blogging at the game, and will have the interviews and post game stuff as well.

Hope you are having a Happy Easter! Make it special!

PS – my mother’s wake was yesterday. I was so overwhelmed by the love and support from family, co-workers and friends, that came and supported us. I can not thank you enough. It meant a great deal to me.

Posted under Blog Box, Islanders 08-09

And it is a good thing….

At least the second pick of the draft will be coming by way of Long Island. Hopefully for the Islanders case, we may see the #1 pick come.

Most people on the boards were picking the team apart for ‘deliberately pissing off the season’, in order to get the team the first pick (TAVARES/HEDMAN). Will this be the future of the Islanders franchise? I like this move….

Believe me – this team did NOT TANK! I just believe that this team just simply ran out of gas. You simply look at the players. You can see they are trying; and in many cases, trying so hard, but it is just a result of players trying to keep up with teams that are going for the playoff push, and just want it more.

I really feel bad for Blake Comeau. He really looked like a guy that was turning a corner. With the upcoming playoffs for the Sound Tigers, he really had the chance to really put his talent to the test. However, the broken wrist just slapped him in the face (proverbially, of course).

I just got my tickets for the Sound Tigers playoff games next weekend at the Coliseum. I am looking forward to seeing the work that Jack Capuano has made with this team. The fact that the AHL affiliate is playing such tremendous hockey, and playing the same style of play that the parent team is using. This is a great testament to the organization that when a player gets called up, he knows EXACTLY what he will be dealing with. He knows standard plays and scenarios, and doesn’t need that extra time for assimilation.

Tuesday, at 8PM on Versus, we will know whether it is John Tavares, or Victor Hedman will be on the radar screen. I am voting on the setup man. I can see why Dougie Weight was signed up for next season. What a great teacher to have. We can see how Josh Bailey was maturing as the season has progressed. I can seesome real great things on the horizion.

Are you upset about being number 30? Yes I am – but not really. Just as you get in a new box of cereal, there is a prize at the bottom of the box. In a few days, we will see what it will be…

Posted under Islanders 08-09, Ramblings

It is with much sadness and trepidation, that I write that my mother passed away yesterday, at the age of 82. This tough, Irish woman from Brooklyn and Queens, had suffered a great deal over the past year, and left this world peacefully in her sleep, at a hospice care center in Suffolk County.

My family is ok, but taking it hard. My mother will be at Fairchild Brothers Fueral Home on Saturday afternoon and evening (www.fairchildfuneral.com for more information), and her funeral mass will be at St. Bernards RC Church in Levittown on Monday morning (10AM – I believe – we have not finallized the schedule yet).

Anyone that knows me – knows that my mother and I had a bond. I was her youngest child of five, and I had a tough time coming into the world. She was tough, but loving. She was also the biggest Met fan I knew. It was always such a pleasure to watch her scream at the television when something happened during a Met game. I could not tell you how many times that she wanted to write letters to Dallas Green, and Willie Randolph on the way that they handled their pitching staffs. Even the last day that she had some lucid thoughts, I told her that the Mets gave up 6 runs in one inning on the second exhibition game at Citi Field, and I told here that Oliver Perez did it – she basically had one word to say about that:

BASTARD!

Just appropo….

Anyway – I will cover the last Islander game on Sunday. For obvious reasons – I will not be at the game on Saturday. All I ask – is that you can pray to whatever direction you wish – for my mother to receive God’s grace, and get her a good seat at the next baseball game played up in heaven – I would really appreciate it.

Thanks!

Gary

Posted under Blog Box, Ramblings

Here are the audio links from last night.

Just click on the link for the audio (files are MP3). ENJOY!

Scott Gordon

Jesse Joensuu

Josh Bailey

Yann Danis

Posted under Blog Box, Islanders 08-09

Joensuu, Fritz, Rechlicz, Fraser and Iggulden are up. I know that Bridgeport is playing here for the first 2 games of their Calder Cup Playoff run, but did we need a preview?

I do not mean that to be negative, but you have to wonder about the injuries on this club. The last two seasons, we have been so decimated, it is so tough to swallow.

Witter’s hair is getting so long, it is almost starting to cover some of his last name on the jersey.

And speaking of jersey’s…. Isn’t the 3rd jersey so awesome? 10-11 season, it will be permanent – thank God!

Danis starting tonigh – hoping for a little better effort tonight… But for the life of me – why is Fritz here? The box has been wondering about that, maybe Smith, or someone else could have been here. The team has Jackman and Rechlicz here – did we need the enforcing Trio Grande?

1st Period

Starters – Danis – Gervais, Hillen, Comeau, Bailey, Jackman

Bob Nystrom award was announced… The winner was Tim Jackman – and it was a excellent choice!

Key to this game – win faceoffs. And we won the opening one. Good job Josh.

23 seconds in – Park pushes it past McKenna – he (goale) had no clue where the puck was… Good setup by Joensuu1-0 ISLES!

First two minutes show a definite WANT to play this game.

Jamie Fraser – first NHL game – congrats! But pairing him up with Fritz and Rechlicz…. Interesting.

4:55 in – Fritz and David Koci – get into it – and a lot of scrumming after the officials get in there. Nice job by the 6’8″ monster. Fritz wes spinning Koci around like a rag doll.

Why do I have the strange feeling that this game will be much longer than most games. The over/under on majors should be about 5.

Martinek pulls down Malone (allegedly) and takes a penalty at 5:38.

Thompson gets a gift, and just misses getting a shorty.

Tampa PP has some good guys, but you can see that they are missing number 4 in front…

Good kill boys!

Oyster Bay Supervisor John Venditto was talking and mentioned that Long Island needs a new state of the art Nassau Coliseum. Which is political speak for “Get your ass in Gear, Kate Murray and get this project approved!”

11 minutes in – not a real flow to the game – couple of nice opportunities – one by Tambellini. Tampa – good effort in front of Danis – but he made the good stop.

Well – it is definitely apparent that these two teams are 28th and 30th in the NHL respectively.

Joensuu – point blank shot – stopped by McKenna.

I think

Tampa gets a penalty at the 17:37 mark - see if the Isles take advantage on the PP. Gervais and Weight at the points. Tamby Bailey and Comeau up front. Weight is so cool as a cucumber out there, but inexperience of the rest of the unit shows. As Rod Gilbert says - JUST SHOOT THAT PUCK! You can not get a goal, unless you tee it up (Unless you are O'Byrne of the Canadiens)!

Period ends with the shots at 7-6. Be back for the third. I am going to enjoy the view from Section 317

3rd Period

Back from my seats. The last five minutes were pretty good, with a good power play goal by Martinek – a blast! Tampa answered back with a power play goal of their own, courtesy of Matt Pettinger.

A great fight with the “RECKER” taking on Zenon Konopka (is he the lead guitarist of the Sex Pistols?) which ended up with the Tampa player having a little medical issues that needed to be attended to.

Another scrum to the right of the Tampa netminder at the end of the period, proved the point that the players are not liking each other too much tonight.

Expect the third period to be extra chippy, and a lot of scores wanting to be settled.

HERE WE GO…

I said faceoffs were important – after 2 periods – Isles 24 for 41 or 59%. Bailey – 6 for 11 – Park 3 for 3

2:00 – Tambellini hit the post, that rang my ears off.

Another thing I noticed from the scoresheets. Isles outhit Tampa 33-22 after 2, with th “RECKER” leading the way with 5.

I see a great deal of maturation from Bruno. He looks a lot more comfortable in his own zone, and when a mistake is made – he will not usually panic, and fix the problem. I really think that he has made strides to correct some of the problems that he has had in the past.

I really like Jesse Joensuu. He is a big man that I think has a great upside to him. Fraser has looked OK. Probably got a lot of the “Just keep it simple speech.”

Game has gone back ad forth up the ice with some odd man rushes. Iggy had a great shot on McKenna, that he got the left pad on. Speaking of goalies – Danis has played a better game tonight. Simplifying his movements.

Great opportunity by Joensuu to get his second NHL goal, but Matt Smaby hooked him to give the Isles another power play opportunity. Which Josh Bailey made a great move and slid the puck under McKenna’s pads to give the Isles a 3-1 lead!

Gervais with 2 points on the night.

But to most fans wanting the number 1 pick.. the question is:

Should we be tanking?

I say shut up to that.

By the way – did you see the stunt that Avery the DIRTBAG did to Tim Thomas? And they say that he is REHABILITATED? Send him to Hungary – and make him play in the Transylvanian league.

Witt got involved in another nice scrum at the end of a play. Still only 2 fights for the game, well under the over/under of 5 that I predicted tonight. However – we got another power play.

Four minutes to go – the Isles look like they should pull this one off. If anything major happens – I will amend this post. Again – look for the quotes and other stuff in another post tomorrow.

THREE STARS OF THE GAME

3. Martinek – smooth play and his first power play goal.
2. Gervais – 2 helpers and ever increasing maturity on the D line
1. Park – Goal and assist – and showing the kids what a vet SHOULD do.

Posted under Blog Box, Islanders 08-09

This post was written by Gary Harding on April 4, 2009

Tags: Array, Bob Nystrom, Bolts, Bridgeport, Calder Cup, Comeau, Fritz, Games, God, Good Guys, Good Job, Hillen, Jamie Fraser, John Venditto, Martinek, Mckenna, Nhl Game, Nice Job, Oyster Bay, Puck, Rag Doll, Shorty, Strange Feeling, Tim Jackman, Trio Grande, Two Seasons, Warmup