View From The Blog Box: Isles Home Opener is a Win!

Posted 5:35 PM ET | Comments 1

I am sitting in an empty blog box, watching them practice the opening to the Isles home opener. I am jawing with one of the staff, as they work out the kinks with the sequences that includes kid skaters who will be dragging an American flag across the ice.

As I sit here, I can see that Eklund, and now Newsday have already reported that Meyer has been put on waivers. An end to a silly sequence that SHOULD have Berard signed and on the ice tonight if they can get it to the league in time. Meyer is actually a reasonable 540k and a good, speedy depth guy. I would think he'd be picked up. But otherwise, he goes to Bridgeport.

I am off to have a beer with my messageboard brethren at Doolin's below. When I come back, I will be joined by my blogger blog boxers as well as a reporter from Sports Illustrated.

Til then . . .

Ok...just did interview with Richard Deistch from SI. We just chatted about Buffalo and the Isles. Earlier he got caught unawares when told Jason Blake was no longer an Islander. But we won't tell

Faceoff is about to happen:

Game is back and forth and VERY chippy as emotions get heated.

Richard just snagged me for getting his name wrong. I AFTER E, evidently. Oops.

Isles get over eager on the chippiness, and penalty cost a goal. Isles need to control the grit and aggression, not let it control them.

1-0 after 1 period.

2nd period starts inauspiciously with a delay of game penalty by Silly.

Short-handed goal! 1-1 game. Campoli with a goal. And people thought he was the odd guy out. Not a chance. One of the best in camp, and add to that his better play in the postseason last year, bodes well for his growth and the Isles D if it continues. Sim and Hunter with the assists.

Still tied in a very back and forth second period. Lots of opportunities for both sides. Goalies stand tall.

3rd period begins in a blur. They have quite a few people interviewing us in the blog box.

Mike Comrie with a goal, assists to Feds and Guerin. So happy I have him on my fantasy team.

I spy the SI reporters computer, it has Yahoo Sports on it. Oh my.See, Richard, the blogging eye is never too far.

NHL.com game report handed out has Buffalo winning 2-1. It's getting a good laugh in the box. Isles are playing well, and showing another sharp 3rd period. Who can recall an Isles team that goes for the jugular? Right, it's been a while.

Another BIG SCORE: 3-1 now.

Comrie with another! Feds and Guerin with the assist.

But Buffalo slips one by. Like SMG did taking a few of our chairs.

Play under review. But of course, we know where that goes. 3-2 Isles.

Hecht with that goal.

Isles held on....and as it ended, we at the Blog Box were gathered and we went down to the locker room. I asked Chris Campoli a couple of questions, which I will try to figure out my new fangled digital recorder to share that with Monday AM's blog. Basically I asked Chris about the rumors that went around because he was put in the pressbox for the last preseason game. I was curious to his take on the rumors and inneundo...which I knew were unfounded. The Isles felt Camps had a good camp, and he showed it in two goals already, building on his post-season play last season.

The most interesting thing about Campoli wasn't the blue crocs he was wearing, which made me ask if those were regulation. It was that gleam in his eye and that clench of the jaw as he spoke about how he and the defense needs to improve and meet the challenges ahead. This was a man who was seeing the path before him, and not only talking the talk...striding that walk.

Campoli, in these two games, besides the end of last season, is showing something I didn't really see in him, even during his rookie season success back when. The man speaking, no longer the boy nor the prospect. I stood before someone new. Someone growing and shaping himself to meet the coachs and teams needs.

Well, I am home now, and dead tired. Chris Botta, VP of Media Relations, and brainchild of the blog box looked at me at one point and asked me if I was ok. I was exhausted. The laptop I carried was heavy, my back ached, and my legs hurt from standing all game because they needed the chairs from a couple of us. A big night, full of so much going on.

For, this game wasn't just about the Islanders and another over Buffalo. This game, not that you'd know it from TV...was also about us, the bloggers. The Islander's 'officialized' the blogger this season. And we, among the many others who are doing their things, and not at the game, we are shouldering the future. This is a tremendous weight because there are those who find it interesting and unique. Others who are threatened and who want to see us fail. And others who dismiss us, at their own risk.

The sport world has changed because the wall between fan and sport has fallen. And in it was a tremendous and unique moment where we became the story last night. As I tried to blog about the game, I was interviewed several times. A weird dynamic, let me tell you.

More tomorrow.

BD

INJURY REPORT: Jon Sim with a sprained knee. Will be evaluated Monday likely.

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