Great game. Loved how we played a full 60. Trying to contain my excitement, the potential of this team is amazing and nobody is paying attention, and I love it.
Thought we were gonna get Seth after game one, now I can say with confidence that this is our year and we're gonna bring the Cup back to NVMC one last time.
Thought we were gonna get Seth after game one, now I can say with confidence that this is our year and we're gonna bring the Cup back to NVMC one last time.
The brakes dude... pump the breaks a little.
Let's just stay in the moment and not predict anything, cup glory or doom and gloom.
Thought we were gonna get Seth after game one, now I can say with confidence that this is our year and we're gonna bring the Cup back to NVMC one last time.
Isles played perfect hockey. Take nothing away from that effort.
I have never seen the Pens play worse. Crosby was awful, worst game I have ever seen him play, didn't even think it were possible for him. Perimeter play, uninspired, ugly. Malkin was smooth, silky, dangerous (the only one on the team) but got zero results.
How the Pens kept Engelland and Lovejoy while Strait was waived is a head scratcher. Paul Martin looks a little Mottau out there, yikes.
Tavares has yet to play a great game but his ability to score a big goal and his defensive work, board work has been excellent. Despite the lapse.
I thought Boyes showed some life, nice chemistry with Moulson and JT on the PP, great passing. Would like to see him on the top line, I don't think Okposo adds anything to the top line.
Liked McDonalds game tonight, before the stupid penalty. He is working really hard, he wants to stay.
Besides Nabby, I think Hamonic and MacDonald were spectacular. I would have given them the 2nd and 3rd star.
Grabs has been excellent all year and looks more dangerous on the PK than ever before.
Nielsen is so good.
Streit was very good tonight, as was Strait.
Hickey played very well in his 12 mins, very smart hockey player, great pass to JT, anticipates so well in his own zone, is very quick and seems to make the smart play all the time. Far better than Finley.
Isles looked very confident tonight. Maybe they can keep this going a bit.
I think the Isles have adjusted a bit since the first game of the season...so I don't know what to expect with the next two against Devils. Those games could be a battle for 1st in the Atlantic. Devils haven't been scoring much...but they're obviously keeping the pucks away from Marty and clogging up the neutral zone. With the Isles having their legs and having a bit more confidence...I'd like to see what this team with more balanced scoring can do to get pucks through and onto Marty. And remember, after Thursday, we don't play again til Sunday against the Devils...yet the Devils are in Pittsburgh the night before. So they'll be tired.
Lose the next two Devils games...and they're 3-4-1 and probably 3rd or 4th in division. Win them...and they'll likely be 1st in Atlantic and 5-2-1...BIG opportunity to get on the right path and gain momentum.
Thought we were gonna get Seth after game one, now I can say with confidence that this is our year and we're gonna bring the Cup back to NVMC one last time.
He's playing on extremes. There's a point in there, somewhere
Anyways, if that's what we can do when the team commits for 60 minutes, sign me up.
Turn this win into a win in NJ on Thursday and I lose my ****ing ****.
Thought we were gonna get Seth after game one, now I can say with confidence that this is our year and we're gonna bring the Cup back to NVMC one last time.
I'll have two of what ur drinking please!
Seriously lets just finish over .500 and out of a lottery pick first.
Great win! But this team is 1-4-1 without Nabokov and Grabner.
- The amazing thing was that Grabner managed to score *despite* the Penguins playing super conservatively whenever he was out on the ice. Just one mistake and BAM.
- Nabokov played quietly and efficiently all game. Really unspectacular and smooth. He's the opposite of DiPietro. No wonder he can play 70 games, he barely seems to move out there.
- Hamonic is a tough SOB. Damn.
- It's obvious that the only way we're going to win is by consistently outplaying the opposition on special teams. The way Nielsen, Streit, and Tavares rotate around the top of the umbrella (I'm not an X-O guy, but I think this is accurate terminology) is very effective. I'm surprised we don't see more teams utilizing that strategy. (On the other hand, why don't opposing teams cut off passes to the left wing side? The three players who play high are all lefty shots, and backhand passes are usually much less accurate. The Penguins allowed everything to go to the left.)
- I don't see why the announcers called the Isles PK 'aggressive'. I don't think it's aggressive at all. The issue is that Grabner is explosive, so when there's a flub or a dangerous pass, he can explode from his deep position and get to the puck with speed. It's opportunistic, not aggressive.
Thrilled with last night's effort! That's what happens when this team plays a full 60 minutes. Hopefully they'll remember that going into Thursday's game against the Devils.
This was KO's best game of the year so far. He can still use some work, but hopefully last night was a sign that he's picking it up after a long layoff. His issue last night was his inability to string together more than one good play at a time. For instance, he'd strip the puck away from a Penguin, but then make a bad pass and give it up again. But like I said, I'm encouraged by his play last night.
This had to be Marty Reasoner's best game in an Islanders uniform. I'm not so sure that we'll be seeing many more games like this one from him, but I'll just enjoy the effort for what it was.
Grabner looks night and day better than he did in even his first season. Not only is he putting the puck in the net more than his sophomore year, he's better in all facets of the game. Nice to see improvement from a forward not named John Tavares!
Great win! But this team is 1-4-1 without Nabokov and Grabner.
- The amazing thing was that Grabner managed to score *despite* the Penguins playing super conservatively whenever he was out on the ice. Just one mistake and BAM.
- Nabokov played quietly and efficiently all game. Really unspectacular and smooth. He's the opposite of DiPietro. No wonder he can play 70 games, he barely seems to move out there.
- Hamonic is a tough SOB. Damn.
- It's obvious that the only way we're going to win is by consistently outplaying the opposition on special teams. The way Nielsen, Streit, and Tavares rotate around the top of the umbrella (I'm not an X-O guy, but I think this is accurate terminology) is very effective. I'm surprised we don't see more teams utilizing that strategy. (On the other hand, why don't opposing teams cut off passes to the left wing side? The three players who play high are all lefty shots, and backhand passes are usually much less accurate. The Penguins allowed everything to go to the left.)
- I don't see why the announcers called the Isles PK 'aggressive'. I don't think it's aggressive at all. The issue is that Grabner is explosive, so when there's a flub or a dangerous pass, he can explode from his deep position and get to the puck with speed. It's opportunistic, not aggressive.
Cheers,
Dan-o
Aggressive because they dont sit back passively trying to cover passing and shooting lanes only, they attack the puck when hey can and another Pker supports by going to the nearest outlet man. If the PP gets the puck trough the forechecker or support man there will be a 2-1 down low.
Grabs has been excellent all year and looks more dangerous on the PK than ever before.
Streit was very good tonight, as was Strait.
Hickey played very well in his 12 mins, very smart hockey player, great pass to JT, anticipates so well in his own zone, is very quick and seems to make the smart play all the time. Far better than Finley.
Isles looked very confident tonight. Maybe they can keep this going a bit.
gotta disagree bout grabs. Towards the end of his breakout season he was getting much more breakaways and looking more explosive than now. However i think he is playing more responsibly defensively now (still very flawed, but improving and obviously gifted with a very good stick) and overall playing more effectively. But he does have less SH chances now and he is having less breakaways than back then.
Very pleased with hickey and strait. Strait had more games, so i hope we can expect more of the same from him. Hickey shows he has upside.
I think it's safe to assume Thompson is the PK savior. I also would agree that he should be next in-line for the head coach position, should it open up AND (try not to laugh) the Organization doesn't want to bring in an experienced proven successful head coach.
gotta disagree bout grabs. Towards the end of his breakout season he was getting much more breakaways and looking more explosive than now. However i think he is playing more responsibly defensively now (still very flawed, but improving and obviously gifted with a very good stick) and overall playing more effectively. But he does have less SH chances now and he is having less breakaways than back then.
Very pleased with hickey and strait. Strait had more games, so i hope we can expect more of the same from him. Hickey shows he has upside.
Probably the same reason why we have the league's #1 PK. I don't think we can empahsize enough how valuable Grabner is to this team. Even when he's not scoring, he contributes just by being on the ice. Perhaps Garths best move as GM was picking up Grabner.
Probably the same reason why we have the league's #1 PK. I don't think we can empahsize enough how valuable Grabner is to this team. Even when he's not scoring, he contributes just by being on the ice. Perhaps Garths best move as GM was picking up Grabner.
Drafting Hammer and getting Grabner are absolutely the best moves he's made.
