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Ok guys this is my first blog, so ill start out by saying i am an 17 year old islander season ticket holder of believe it or not 15 years. Ive been watching the islanders disappointments year in and year out and i really think we have a chance to start to turn things around if not this year in the years to come. For the first time ever we finally seem to have a couple ...
Later today, I'll be taping a guest spot on The Hockey Ticket with Noah Borer on mvn.com. Noah had Steven Hindle, hockeybuzz's Capitals blogger, on a recent episode and his show is really beginning to take off. We'll be discussing all things Islanders, as well as my thoughts on the Tampa Bay Lightning (as hockeybuzz's official Lightning blogger.) I hope to avoid spendin...
[i]"We ask him over and over again not to play the puck as much," Nolan said of DiPietro. "He's one of the best puck-handlers in the league, but you just can't overhandle it. When you overhandle it, you get yourself in trouble a little bit."[/i] Sounds like Ted Nolan is just a tad bit frustrated with DiPietro making mistakes handling the puck in consecutive games which ...
Rob McGowan writes...

The New York Sound Tigers
Posted Saturday | Comments 548
"It would be foolish to think we're rushing him in any way," Snow said. "He's been one of the best forwards in Bridgeport, averaging just under a point a game. "He's earned a chance to put on an Islanders uniform and play at the NHL level. At the end of the day, it will be a good opportunity for him to compete. In no way are we rushing him. He's proven he's capable of p...
So after another drubbing upon the Isles, the Official Isles website has 4 stories and features on Kyle Okposo, along with the China story. And nothing about the 3-0 loss to Montreal last night. The game recap is buried. If you watched the game, you watched an ineffectual offense unable to make a dent in Halak, making him look like Hasek. And despite a better effort and go...
Isles have Okposo and 50% off tickets so you can see him. But, they also plead for you not to buy into the hype. A mixed message if I ever saw one. And perhaps a slight schism in the internal politics of sales mechanics versus team dynamics, as a season is awash in disappointment. There is no doubt that people like the coach, GM and VP of Media Relations, Chris Botta (who ...
Hockey has been one of the greatest things to ever enter my life. In most generations, kids get into hockey when they're young, very young. Sometimes even at the ages of five or six. I know a lot of people that have played hockey up through the years of middle school and then drop it like a bad habit. But the ones who continue on and play for their high school, play colleg...
What better way to score your first NHL goal than on one of the greatest goaltenders of all-time, Martin Brodeur? How about the fact it was the game winner with just under a minute or two remaining in regulation that ended a six game skid? [img:left]http://cdn.nhl.com/islanders/images/upload/2008/03/okposo_032108.jpg[/img] You can tell he felt all that and more with a ...
So I'm sitting back on a lawn chair outside of the cheap motel my friends and I were staying at out in Montauk. Nothing special, just a nice weekend away with everyone on the beach....bonfires, beers, mallows....good times. As a few of us are sitting back with our cold brews, we listen intently to phone calls from home with updates of what's going on at the NHL draft. It w...
Rob McGowan writes...

The Future Is Now
Posted Saturday | Comments 757
There's not much to say now about the Ted Nolan firing as it's all been taken care of. From my perspective I have to say that I am not happy that we have lost the best coach that we've had since Peter Laviolette. Teddy was one of the only few bright spots on this team, causing a team of underachievers and overrated veterans to actually be a competitive hockey team. But whe...
Slasher98 writes...

Calder Trophy Predictions
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
It's time to list the best Calder Trophy candidates among the 2008-09 rookie crop. I hope this list helps you pick a few sleepers in your hockey pools. 1. Steven Stamkos TB C 82 games 32 G 35 A 67 points (Should have a Kane-like season) 2. Kyle Turris PHX C 77 games 20 G 35 A 60 points (Will center the Yotes 2nd line) 3. Nikita Filatov CBS LW 75 games 27 G 30 A 57 poi...
Kyle Okposo, Jeff Tambellini, Frans Nielsen, Sean Bergenheim, Blake Comeau, Chris Campoli, and Bruno Gervais. What we have listed here are the members of the upcoming youth movement for the New York Islanders. Some of these names carry pressure filled shoulders, while others are looking forward to making their first real mark in the NHL, but I think it is important tha...
Last Friday night the season started with the hopes of a shining youth movement getting underway to a successful first game. We saw Okposo make a good attempt on a penalty shot with Joey MacDonald putting on a promising performance in a 2-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils. It wasn't a win, but it left optimism for the following night's home opener at the Coliseum against the...
The pest that we all love to hate will be making his return to Coliseum ice this Thursday when the New York Islanders host the Dallas Stars. Last night he made a more notable return to Madison Square Garden to face the Rangers. I didn't expect him to be out of line when playing against his former team, and from the little I saw my prediction was proved correct. But as usua...
This past Monday was the first Islander-Ranger game of the season, so I figured, what better a game to get my first taste of the NYI Blog Box? Unfortunately the Isles didn't finish with the expectations that I had hoped, but it was an exciting game that showed areas of promise...and areas of concern. Joey MacDonald cannot be blamed for the Isles poor start. That has to ...
So the Isles go into the third period against R.J. Umberger and the Columbus Blue Jackets with a 3-0 lead...very reminiscent of the 4-1 lead the Isles held going into the third against the Montreal Canadiens...but the Isles couldn't blow a 3-goal lead in two consecutive home games...could they? ...yes...yes they could. And they did. Going into the third period the Is...
You will never hear me complain of the New York Islanders beating the New York Rangers. Ever. Although the rivalry may have died down on the ice over the years, it has not died down for the fans, and a win is a win however they may come. Despite the Isles being on a two game winning streak after playing back to back games, the Isles were lucky to come out with a "W" after ...
I can't say that every Isles fan wanted a youth movement, but close to the majority did. The result thus far has been tough games with blown leads, merciful losses, and pounding headaches, but I hate to say it, this is what we asked for. This is not a bad thing. It is what's to be expected. I'll admit, I myself was making those typical claims of 'trade this guy' or 'bri...
The Isles were down early against a struggling Ottawa Senators team last night. Sure, they were under .500 going into the game, but you cannot undermine the power of Heatley, Spezza, and Alfredsson. The early lead had many pundering how bad this game could get, but then the impossible happened... A "stale" Kyle Okposo, (as described by head coach Scott Gordon), newly pa...
We're 21 games into what has been a very up and down youth movement. This team started off with a 1-1 start, losing a close battle to the New Jersey Devils for a season opener, then winning their first home game of the season against the Blues, before being dismantled by the Buffalo Sabres a few days later. Fans got to see their beloved Isles at the bottom of the standings...
Rob McGowan writes...

Josh Bailey Checks Out
Posted Saturday | Comments 996
That's right, Josh Bailey is checking out. He's played nine NHL games and tonight will be his tenth, sending him packing. I know you're all saying, "Wait...what?" Yes...he's packing his bags and checking out of that hotel he's been living in for the past two months to live in a house with Okposo, Gervais, and Thompson since he now rightfully owns a roster spot with ...
The news only got worse for Kyle Okposo yesterday...he was was expected to return to the lineup Thursday night to face Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals, but unfortunately he will be out of the line-up for another 4-6 weeks with a sprained right wrist. Whenever I hear that one of the core factions of the youth movement are going to be out for a significant...
DP is hurt practically just as soon as he comes back from his umpteenth injury; Sillinger keeps bouncing to and from the IR; Martinek continues to hurt himself if he blows his nose too hard; Sutton blocks shots like an animal, but pays a price each year; and Nielsen is missing out on the first year of his NHL contract. The list can go on and on. It's been hard to watch...
Every year there is a consistent trend that the Isles pick up. I'm not talking about the never ending changes to the Isles third jersey, (which actually looks mighty good this year) but the way they start and finish their games. First they went through this stretch where they would score the first goal and establish a comfortable 2 or 3 goal lead and then blow it eithe...
The heavily-anticipated trade deadline is less than two-full months away, and it seems as if the Isles veterans can sense that their terms with the Islanders may be coming to a close. We all know that this year is the start of a long growing process for the younger players that are supposed to be the future of the franchise. The veterans that were brought over the last two...
Every Isles fan and hockey fan by now has to have come to a complete understanding in regards to this dismal year for the blue and orange. This season was designed to ignite a maturation process for all the young, inexperienced players; to learn from mistakes, to understand the game, yada yada yada. But in a youth movement, there are supposed to be signs of progress. Each ...
Tonight's shootout loss was a hard fought defeat to the Los Angeles Kings, a team that the Isles should hope to reflect one day. The Kings have a nucleus of young skaters ranging from Kopitar, Frolov, and O'Sullivan to Doughty and Johnson. For the past few seasons they have sat at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, frustrating themselves and their fan base. No...
Who would've thought that near season's end we would be discussing Sean Bergenheim and Kyle Okposo in a battle for leading the Islanders in the goal scoring department? Of course we can't forget Mark Streit, the very talented veteran defenseman who is only two goals shy from tying the previously mentioned. Although Streit is a defenseman, he definitely cannot be counte...
It seems as if the rest of the Islanders season will conclude without any player donning the heralded "C" over their heart. It's very possible that head coach Scott Gordon will appoint one of the current roster players the captaincy, but with only 12 games remaining, I have a feeling that Gordon is going to see which of his players seem fit to handle the responsibility at ...
I will start out by saying that I have yet to see Kyle Okposo play a game with as much intensity, energy, and fire in his short time spent wearing an Islanders jersey as I did last night against the Wild. All it took was for him to see his linemate Blake Comeau get drilled by one of the Minnesota players and suddenly fans had flashes of Dan Cloutier challenging the Islande...
In a season that started out with mixed vets and kids heading for a downward spiral to the bottom of the standings pretty much from the get-go, to a release of some "bad apples" and increased reliance on prospects and AHL fill-ins, the year is coming to a rapid close with only seven games remaining. During the usual fun-filled playoffs, 16 teams will compete for a chance t...
Before I begin, I just want to inform my readers that my former username was TopRtLW76. Being that I write for the NYI Blog Box, I felt it would be more appropriate to have my real name displayed instead. Sorry if this has caused any confusion. But yes, Doug Weight has been extended for the 2009-2010 season. This is a great signing and one that fans should be happy to s...
Rob McGowan writes...

End Of The Year Review
Posted Monday | Comments 584
Alright Isles fans...take a collective sigh of relief. We've made it through 82 games...82 long, injury riddled games. Some were exciting, some were let downs, and some just plain ol' sucked. But there seems to be a very bright light at the end of the tunnel with the draft lottery tomorrow night on Versus. I know, we're all salivating over the possibility of drafting J...
[img]http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2009/06/27/alg_tavares-cap.jpg[/img]A collective sigh, or booming scream from the 10,000 plus Coliseum crowd, was let out all at once when Garth Snow stood up at the podium to announce that the Islanders have selected John Tavares as the number one pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. From all the years the Islanders have walked up t...
I understand the Islanders wanting/needing to rebuild with young talent. The problem is that they have very little young "talent". If you look past Bailey, Okposo and Tavares, there is absolutely no young talent what-so-ever. Bergy is nothing that we thought he would be, Neilsen is OK at best and Tambo is a complete failure. I don't mind these guys being on the team,...
Although many are holding on to that thin thread of UFA hope where the Islanders will sign an enforcer as well as some type of play-maker/scorer, it seems that the Islanders roster is all but set. Here are my line predictions. They may look somewhat similar to other bloggers, but I have a few scenarios in mind that may come into play over the year. (In order) ...
BryanM writes...

Survival of the Fittest
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Okay, I'm obviously not some great hockey expert writing about all the little nuances of the game I love. But I do know that finely-tuned athletic machines should not be getting hurt so easily in training camp. Today I wake up to find Adam Burrish's name added to the list of players who will not make the season opener and I am forced to ask, what is going on here? Okay,...
A few days ago, Kyle Okposo was the recipient of a devastating open ice hit in a pre-season game against the Calgary Flames, delivered by none other than Dion Phaneuf. Since then he has returned to New York for further testing for what has been diagnosed as a mild concussion. After watching the hit several times, I will state my opinion: it was clean. Perfectly clean. He n...
...and I am not just saying that because John Tavares scored. The Isles were playing host to the defending Stanley Cup champions, a roster that includes Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal, Marc-Andre Fluery, Chris Letang, and so on. After the first period we were tied at one and John Tavares had his first NHL point. And let me tell you, the second that kid touc...
After the season opener, the Islanders proved that they were capable of coming out strong. To prove that it was not a home opening fluke, they needed to start tonight's game the same way that they did last Saturday. For the most part that is exactly what the Islanders did; they came out with energy and chances in the first ten minutes or so, but that fell short once the Se...
Rob McGowan writes...

0-3-3, Woe Is Me
Posted Sunday | Comments 482
Let's put it this way folks; there are only two full weeks left in October and the Isles have seven games left to play. So far they've played six and have done everything but win. Throw in the fact that both goalies have combined to let in 10 goals in the past two games and the same forwards are the only ones contributing on a nightly basis. TIME TO WAKE UP GUYS! The...
Once again, Isles fans are getting to see an Islanders team that is incapable of holding a lead. I cannot stress enough that this is a result of having a young squad, but it is also due to the fact that some of these guys should not be playing in the NHL. But of course, fans are starting to point fingers, looking for a scapegoat. Let's start with the fourth-liners, and...
Last night the Islanders completed a trade with the Buffalo Sabres. A swap of shut-outs between Ryan Miller and Marty Biron as the Isles lost 3-0 in their visit up north. The Islanders did not play their best game. As a matter of fact, you can see the expression on Okposo's face in the post-game that he was very disappointed with his play, as well as the rest of the te...
Rob McGowan writes...

Three Out of Four Ain't Bad
Posted Saturday | Comments 9
Yeah, I know the Meat Loaf song goes "Two out of three ain't bad," but three out of four is even better. The Isles started off their road trip with an over-time loss in the shootout, an 11-round one at that, to the Washington Capitals. It was a game in which the Isles let the Ovenchkin-less Caps back in after gaining a 3-1 lead in the first period. Last night the Isles ...
There are not too many Friday night games for the Islanders, and that's usually a good thing for me. Being that I am 21 years old, I usually like to go out on my Friday's. I also work until 9 and will miss most of the game since they usually start at 7, and being that I work with people who despise hockey, I will not get to watch it on TV. But I will get to watch tonigh...
So the Islanders have not gained a point on this second leg of their first real road trip of the season. Tonight the Islanders and John Tavares make an appearance in Toronto. And of course, the media is going to have all their attention on JT’s first return to his home on ice. Hopefully Tavs will put on such a good show that Brian Burke will want to find Garth Snow a...
The Islanders finished the month of November with a 6-6-2 record, bringing them to an overall record of 10-10-7 with 27 points at 11th place, just one point out of the final playoff spot. I’m sure many fans would agree that if anyone said over the summer that the Islanders would be a .500 team on the cusp of a playoff berth by the start of December that they would have t...
Rick DiPietro will be playing in net for a professional hockey team for the first time in over a year this coming Saturday for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. All I have to say is ...FINALLY! It's been a long time since Isles fans have seen Ricky on the ice in game action. Since his absence began, Joey MacDonald, Yann Danis, and the newly acquired pair of Dwayne Roloson an...
It had been leaked on the Internet that Garth Snow is looking to add a mobile, veteran defenseman to the Islanders thin blue-line. If Snow finds a willing trade partner, he might want to add someone with size, grit and the willingness to stick up for his teammates. The Islanders lost a tough one tonight, 6-2 to the Flyers. It's never encouraging to see your team let up ...
As is the case with most young teams, the Islanders have had many interesting third periods in which they either lost the lead, or fought their way back after being down early. (Ahem…hence the abundance of overtime losses). Last night was a case of the latter, but not all late efforts will be rewarded, and Jason Blake made sure to remind us that with his late goal with ...
As I start this blog there are only 28 minutes left on Christmas. The last blog I wrote was a week ago on the 18th and I am actually annoyed at myself for not having a chance to write in the mean time. But I will say it has been a hectic week as I'm sure it was all the other bloggers and readers out there. During this week, yours truly finished all of his assignments a...
The Islanders lost a rough one to the Flyers yesterday for their matinee game on a Sunday afternoon. It was a tough loss to swallow, especially for Marty Biron, a goaltender looking for just his third win of the season. Although the Isles played hard, it was frustrating to watch them make a pass that should have been a shot or struggle to carry the puck out of their own zo...
Alright...it is a bold argument to make being that 2010 is just a wee seven days old, but if anyone saw Robbie Schremp's goal last night, they would understand why he might have a case for the best goal of 2010. Over the course of his young career, Schremp has had a very difficult time finding his way onto an NHL line-up. If you watch him play, it is evident that the k...
Anytime you win a game against an opponent by the score of 6-0, you will obviously have plenty of positives to talk about, but the most important part of this Isles win is that the younger players are owning the score sheet. Chris Osgood was forced to return in net at the Nassau Coliseum last night. He heard a few cheers from the crowd that remember him from his brief ...
Rob McGowan writes...

USA - (DP + KO)
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1
I purposely did not put an "equals" sign at the end of that equation for two reasons. One - I was never good at math and definitely do not plan on solving it or using any algorithm's where I can substitute numbers to come up with an answer; Two - because the end result is yet to be determined, and although DP and KO are not part of this year's winter Olympics, I still hope...
If the Islanders were looking to make a statement, tonight was the night. If the Isles were looking to prove that they were due for a win on the road as they have lost their last seven road games in a row, tonight was the night. If the Isles really wanted to end a 14-game losing streak against the Philadelphia Flyers, tonight was the night. If the Isles wanted to win in an...
As the Isles playoff hopes became more and more of a dream rather than a reality, the team decided to do what's best for one of the most respected leaders in the game. Team Captain Doug Weight will miss the remainder of the season with surgery in his left shoulder to repair a torn labrum and torn rotator cuff. He had been battling the injuries since November. "If Thursd...
There was a point in the season when #57 would not be seen on the ice, but over a recent stretch that extends beyond the Olympic break, Blake Comeau has been finding a way to make each of his shifts count. He currently has 12 goals and 15 assists for 27 points, a new career high in all three categories. Those may not be top-six forward numbers, but Comeau has emerged a...
Doug Weight is the current captain of the New York Islanders, but for how long? Weight appeared in only 36 games this year due to injuries to his shoulder that eventually forced him into shutdown mode since his ailments required surgery. In that short time-frame, he scored 1 goal and 16 assists for 17 points. Despite having a solid outing on offense the year before, th...
Rob McGowan writes...

Time To Play Catch Up
Posted Monday | Comments 2
Hey everyone, remember me? Yes, it has been almost a month since I've posted a blog. I got very busy with finals around the end of May. But I will also admit that I have been enjoying some time off to myself to relax a little after completing my first semester of Graduate school. For those interested, I got a 4.0. It has been relatively quiet in Islander country lately...
Rob McGowan writes...

Catching Up With Kyle Okposo
Posted Wednesday | Comments 3
As promised, today I interviewed Kyle Okposo over the phone to talk about the World Championships, the Stanley Cup Finals, and more! Check it out here! http://thehockeywriters.com/one-on-one-with-kyle-okposo/ -Rob McGowan Follow me on Twitter! http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Check out my new post at The Hockey Writers discussing the teams' contract issues as many of the players on the current roster will be looking for long-term contracts after next season! http://thehockeywriters.com/garth-snows-toughest-job-lies-ahead/ Please feel free to leave comments! -Rob McGowan Follow me on Twitter! http://twitter.com/IslesRM
In just under a week the Islanders went from a team feeling optimistic about their chances of making a serious run at a playoff spot, to a non playoff team and then finally what fans are starting to call a "count the days to the april draft lottery team". Top defenseman Mark Striet will be out till march at the very least with a torn rotator cuff, and a torn labrum in his ...
Check out my recent post at The Checking Line, reporting the latest news on Kyle Okposo and the recent addition of Mike Mottau to the Islanders defense! http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/misery-loves-company-okposo-out-indefinitely Also, check out my latest post at The Hockey Writers that covers injuries, training camp, and the upcoming p...
Check out my latest post at The Hockey Writers as Kyle Okposo will make his season debut tomorrow night against the Washington Capitals http://bit.ly/eLJH3q -Rob McGowan Follow me on Twitter! http://twitter.com/IslesRM
NYI247 writes...

Islanders beat Thrashers 4-1
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
First off, WELCOME back Kyle Okposo. He picked up his first two goals of the season. Travis Hamonic also grabbed his first of the year and first of his career. So it was a great night for the first timers. I will keep this short. It was a great night all around. A few minor breakdowns and 1 fluke goal. I'd say if they keep up this play and this strong effort they will p...
NYI247 writes...

Thank You NY Islanders...
Posted Friday | Comments 0
What a 2 days it has been. I didn't blog about last nights game because my goal wasn't to do a blog after each and every game breaking down the periods. I wanna write about what is happening with this team. I have said a million times we are building a winner. I have been laughed at, made fun of and insulted. I have tried explaining to people the transition that the tea...
You know how every single time something that you are doing is coming to an end you reflect back and imagine a million ways you could have made it better? Well the 2010-2011 season is coming to a close and looking back at all the ups and downs of the season so far, I have made a top 10 list of things I wish would happen in the 2011-2012 season. List is subject to chang...
Over the past few days we have continued to see the Islanders keep their hot pace going. They are slowly creeping up the standings at a pace of 2 points a night. Right now the main focus is on the Devils but keep watching the Islanders, as they have one of the best records in the second half so far. I was fortunate enough to secure my $20 tickets early however I was on...
Well Long Island wasn't a happy place to be tonight. I was totally amped up to attend tonights game after the amazing ending to the Philly game on Thursday. I thought for sure the team would come out on fire against the caps who got tossed around by the Rangers last night 6-0. On Thursday they didn't play their best hockey of the season but their heart and determinat...
Some people seem to think that something good always comes away from something bad. Well that just may be what happened to the Islanders after Tuesdays tough loss in the winding down seconds of the third period and ultimately finalized in OT. Holding a 1-0 lead with just a few seconds remaining to the game they gave up the tying goal and later in OT Ovechkin sealed t...
Garth Snow will have his hands full when it comes to retaining the core of his team as there are several RFA's heading into this summer's off-season http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/isles-rfas-who-will-stay -Rob McGowan Follow me on Twitter! http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Check out my latest post discussing which RFA the Islanders should look to sign next as well as a recent run-in with an ex-Islanders defenseman. http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/right-now-commitment-key-new-york-islanders -Rob McGowan Follow me on Twitter! http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Will it be Mark Streit? Kyle Okposo? John Tavares? Or could it possibly be some else? Head over to my post at The Checking Line for a look at who might be next to captain the New York Islanders. http://t.co/J8juNlB -Rob McGowan Follow me on Twitter! http://twitter.com/IslesRM
The score does not do this game justice. It’s not too often you can sit down and enjoy a 4-1 loss, but this was the exception. The first period saw both teams come out physical early on, trading hits and matching each other’s physical agenda. Isles head coach Jack Capuano did his best at the beginning of the frame to avoid the Tavares-Chara match-up that, apparently...
thejonathans writes...

Russell Hasn't Signed
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Kris Russell, the probably number 2 UFA (Because Stamkos Re-Signed), [i]Still[/i] hasn't signed. why? probably number 1 (Okposo) has, but why not Russell? Who Knows?

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