Honestly, I sat in my chair Thursday night, frustrated a can be. I just can not figure out what is the problem with the 3rd period. I can see effort, I see that the team is not sitting around watching the opponent go by…

But translating to making plays and keeping the opponent off the scoresheet is another thing.

I just really did not want to write about the game that night, so I just made a less than 100 word entry, showing my frustration.

Last night, as I got home from work, I find that my blog was quoted in the NEW YORK TIMES.

Yes, the freaking NEW YORK TIMES!

Here is the link:

http://slapshot.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/07/isles-move-to-the-back-of-the-line/

Yes - it is a blog entry on nytimes.com, but still, the New York Times! I feel so honored. Also, my buddy Patrick Hickey made it too.

But now to tonight.

With the results of the other night, you would hope that your next opponent would be a team that would be an easier target to get your groove on.

As we are famous for being a Murphy’s law team, we get Sidney, Evgeni and the Pens.

Welcome back, Miro and Ruslan!

Doesn’t it figure that Satan is all of a sudden a goal scorer again? He has 8 already (3 more than any Islander), and looks like a completely different player than the one that looked like a lost puppy dog. I believe that it was more the Nolan system, and the fact that he seemed to be in the dog house. But it feels like what happens to former Mets, that they turn out to be stars when they leave. Miro is not a star, but this is the player that this team wanted. Oh well…

Ruslan, has been injured and struggled. I also think he did not really get the chance to shine.

Once again - this team need a 60 minute effort. We need this to be a CONSTANT goal. I have never been a hockey player on ice (my knees would never allow that), but I can understand that this ’system’ of Coach Gordon’s (I hate using that word, system) somehow does not work at all, if the team is not fully subscribed to it the whole game.

But enough of that. The player to watch is Kyle Okposo. I think that he has played ok, but I really think he needs to step up his effort. We need for him to get some points. Maybe one off the butt, or something like that.

Interesting to see that Mark Parrish got a hat trick in his first game with Dallas. I can see the boards going nuts with this….

Congrats to Peter Laviolette for achieving the highest win total for a US born coach.

I will be blogging at the game tonight - let’s see if this team can ’step it up’ and get something to happen.

See ya at the game tonight.

Gary

Finally - not a shutout!

Woo hoo!

Now a 2 man PP - go get em boys. Congrats to Thomas Pock on his first point as an Islander!

150+ penalty minutes in this game. Well - we may lead the league in something….. This will not be a good locker room. I would not be surprised if it will be a CLOSED locker room. I figured I would watch the game when I get home from work tonight.

I think I will watch Dancing with the Stars instead…

No was was plus… (no surprise) A few were zero (Guerin, Hilbert, Sim, Pock). Weight was a -4. That is not good. Streit played 28+ minutes.

Discipline is definitely an issue. Gee - the flight to Florida will be fun.

Good night folks….

Would you like to be a fly on the wall in the Islander locker room right now? I think if they tried to swat at you, they would miss……

They need to save face. Forget about five goals, just try and keep this as respectable as possible.

I head that Streit was beaten out of his jock on one play…. That is what was the scouting report on him. He will be good offensively, but can look sluggish, worse, crappy at times. Have to expect that.

This would be a time for some of the vets to step it up, and make some serious points in the room. Comrie with three penalties…

Oh by the way, I would like to take the Buffalo announcers and shove a hot fork up their collective butts! They are making it sound like a pee-wee team is playing the Sabres. It was announced that Witt was gushing blood, but accounts at the game, said that it was not as bad as announced.

Maybe this week away will give the chance to work some more on their systems. Will we see Ricky this period? Not sure…

Please get a goal….

With new coach Scott Gordon in place and goalie Rick DiPietro coming back, the New York Islanders seem to be ready to go into 2008-09.

A strong start, though, may be the key to sell New York Islanders Tickets. The team will need to get the fan base excited about a playoff run in order to keep the Nassau Coliseum filled for the entire season.

But even if the Islanders do falter, Long Island is the best place to get cheap NHL tickets, with Madison Square Garden being sold out and the Prudential Center charging premium prices.

Regardless, Islander Hockey is a great place to watch young players play. Kyle Okposo is an up and coming star with the Isles working on getting other youngsters from Bridgeport up to help the club.

If it works, tickets to Nassau Coliseum may become as popular as New York Giants Tickets or Broadway shows and musicals, which is the way it was for the Isles back in the 1980s.

You have seen his great columns on the Blog Box…

You see him on the ‘center of the page’ list of writers on Hockey Buzz…

Now - you can ACTUALLY HEAR HIS DULCET TONES tomorrow night!!!

That’s right, friends of the Orange and Blue, BD Gallof, will be my guest on the New York Hockey report tomorrow night, August 20th, at 9:00 PM (actually, he will be on the show around 9:15 or so). We will talk about the summer doings around Islander land, get his opinions about what has been going on. We will also talk about NHL, and the tooling (or lack of) for some of the teams that Islanders will concentrate on. I am sure that some interesting banter will come out of this.

If you have not read his columns (and frankly, how could you NOT!??), please make sure to check out HockeyBuzz.com, and get yourself acquainted with the man. You will be glad that you did!

Since I get no love lately from my other two ‘ding dong’ co-hosts, I am making the show more Islander than before. I will get others from our side of the fence to make appearances. I hope to get John Buccigross from ESPN before the start of the season, to get a NHL preview show going. Stay tuned for the latest info.

And for those that commented from the yesislanders.com site, I did correct the spelling on submissions. They just don’t get corrected from there. I have a laptop, whose keys really blow! So thanks for the replies, have patience, and I will do better, I promise.

Have a good day, and please make sure you check out the show tomorrow night. If you wish, please call into the show, and join the discussion. The number to reach the New York Hockey Report is (646) 716-7209.

See ya!

Have not been on in a while, and I hope the other two are with me tonight, or it will be a quick update, and off.

I am off to the NHL Booster Club Convention next week, so I am not sure that I will be on then. Maybe a call in - we’ll see…

Nothing new going on in Islander land, so no need to post at this time. Just hearing that names are coming by to stop and talk to Mr. Snow.

From late July - to early September, it is real tough to talk puck… Except —

Interesting move by Minnesota to release Mark Parrish with 3 years left on the contract. They said it was a salary cap move. You release a hometown boy with 8 million left on a contract, 32 years old and 3 years remaining, and two weeks before you sign Owen “I am ready for Medicare” Nolan to a contract….???

Hey Doug Reisbrough, are you on Dope? (Great Question, Mr. Hand…)

Now - I can hear Isles fans saying… “Let’s get him back!!!”

Interesting thought - but no.