Live Game Thread 14: Oilers at Islanders

Monday November 2, 2009 7:08 PM By Katie Strang

 Dwayne Roloson in net to face his former Edmonton Oilers team. Healthy scratches are: Blake Comeau, Rob Schremp, and Freddy Meyer.

Isles starters are Jackman, Thompson and Park, Streit and Gervais on D.

Go ahead and take over in comments. I'll check back with updates

UPDATE: Isles win 3-1

Thanks to a two-goal performance from Brendan WItt, the Isles win their fourth straight for the first time since January-February of last year. Witt demonstrates why coaches preach putting the puck on net, as he caught an unsuspecting Khabibulin on the first goal and glanced one off Robert Nilsson's shin pad for a 3-1 lead.

"I actually thought it would come sooner with the way we want our defenseman to jump into the play" Gordon said. "He's had a lot of shot opportunities from the blue line this year and it was good to see a couple of them find the back of the net."

Very physical game for the Isles, who spend most of the game in their offensive zone--out-shooting the Oilers 37-23--and limited the amount of chances in their own end. Against his firmer team, Dwayne Roloson didn't see too much action and had to make only 22 saves for the win.

"Right now we're a different team," captain Doug Weight said."We're playing with confidence."

UPDATE: Isles lead 3-1

In a high-impact, physical second period Brendan Witt scores not once but twice by simply throwing the puck at the net for the first multi-goal game of his career.

Witt's two goals tonight ties his total for the past two years. A little bit of luck? Sure. But that affirms the value of the philosophy of just getting pucks deep and as a result, the Isles take a 2-goal lead heading into the third.

UPDATE: Isles tied 1-1 after first period.

Oilers strike first as Ethan Moreau's pass attempt from beneath the goal line glances off Radek Martineks skate to carom in for a 1-0 lead.

John Tavares ties it up at 14:51 with a laser from the slot. Doug Weight's forechecking along the boards allowed Matt Moulson to swoop in and retrieve the puck behind the net, where he tapped a pass in front for Tavares to bury and tie the game.

Renney on Islanders: "They're a playoff team"

Monday November 2, 2009 3:53 PM By Katie Strang

Several NY scribes, including myself, had the chance to catch up today with former Rangers coach and media favorite, Tom Renney durng his first formal trip to New York (although he won't face off against the Rangers until Thursday in Edmonton). Renney is one of the kindest, classiest and most cerebral people in hockey, so it's always fun to see him and pick his brain. I'll send most of the good stuff over to Steve Zipay's Blue Notes blog, but here are some of Renney's thoughts about this NY Islanders team:

“It’s a different team. They’re a year older and I like what they are trying to do this year again. I liken it to what we’re doing in Edmonton. I call it the “cast on the arm,” where it’s broken, you’ve got to put a cast on it and you’ve got to heal internally and get better. I think that’s what’s happened here on the island.”

“It was fits and starts getting the job done. Scott came in here with a really good game plan and structure and a way he wanted to get things done. Last year you saw the beginning of that and at the front end of this year--where guys were still trying to get in line with it--but now it’s corrected itself and I think they’re an excellent team. I think they’re a playoff team.”
 

Roloson gets start against former team

Monday November 2, 2009 12:02 PM By Katie Strang

 Bittersweet?

"I wouldn't say bittersweet," Roloson said about facing Edmonton, where he played for four seasons. "For me personally it's just another game. For our team, we've been playing well of late, and we've just got to make sure to come out and play another solid 60 minutes."

Roloson said he didn't really feel like he had an advantage given his familiarity with their personnel, after all, they know his tendencies just as well.

That did, however, factor into Gordon giving Roloson the start in Washington to line up Biron against his former team (Buffalo) and Roloson against Edmonton.

"That's tough to do because they've been around so long they've played for so many teams," Gordon joked. "But if we can do it, we're going to do it."

***

Rob Schremp, who the Islanders plucked off waivers from Edmonton earlier this season, will not get the chance to face his former team.

"Obviously it would've been nice to play against [Edmonton], but we've won three straight, so they're not going to change the lineup just because I want to play," Schremp said.

Schremp understands he just needs to be patient until he can get another shot. 

Gordon said Schremp left a favorable light on himself while playing the center position, but that he will not rejoin the lineup unless something changes with any of the Islanders current  youngcentermen.

"He's not going to play over John, Frans, or Josh and I didn't think he was suited to a checking role," Gordon said. "I know he's kind of in the same situation as in Edmonton, btu right now he's just got to bide his time."

***

Jeff Tambellini got to spend a rare day with dad (Edmonton Oilers GM ) Steve yesterday. He said he was able to get him out of the hotel and over to his place for breakfast and a day of watching hockey.

One big thing that Tambellini has credited to feeling so prepared this season is his offseason workout in Vancouver, where he began doing functional training (intense workouts in short intervals, agility work etc) this summer. He told me in Buffalo (and remember this was when he was still the healthy scratch) that regardless of his absence from the lineup, this is the best he's ever felt heading into a season.

Looks like that work is paying off.

Same Lines

Monday November 2, 2009 10:35 AM By Katie Strang

 Same lines during the Islanders am skate. No surprise there given the recent success they have had with them:

Moulson-Tavares-Okposo

Tambellini-Bailey-Weight

Bergenheim-Nielsen-Sim

Thompson-Park-Jackman

D pairings appear to be:

Streit-Gervais

Sutton-Martinek

Witt-Hillen

Roloson in goal to face his former team tonight

Rick gets a big crowd

Monday November 2, 2009 9:49 AM By Katie Strang

 Rehabbing goaltender Rick DiPietro is working with goalie coach Sudsie Maharaj and taking shots against Rob Schremp before the Islanders take the ice for their morning skate. About 850 students are in the stands to watch practice today, so this is likely the biggest crowd Rick has been in front of since the last game he played. Hopefully there aren't any hecklers out there to distract him, but otherwise he's looking pretty mobile.

Isles should be out there beginning at 10 am so I'll check back once we get a peek at what the lines will be tonight, but until then, here's my story on Jeff Tambellini's breakout week.

Be back in a bit.

Off day for Isles

Sunday November 1, 2009 10:31 AM By Katie Strang

 After three games in four nights (all three wins), the Islanders get a well-deserved day off before facing Edmonton on Monday.

Martin Biron, who earned his first win and shutout of the season (as well as 200th career win), received the Islanders hard hat last night.

Rumor has it that they'll be spray-painting that sucker blue once they get the chance, but why mess with a good thing right now?

Also, just one quick thing I failed to mention last night that I thought was interesting. We (the media) have made much ado about Jeff Tambellini's improved play and have repeatedly asked him if he's making a more concerted effort this year to crash the net, become more physical, and get in position to score greasy goals. He maintains that he did that last year as well,  but just didn't get the results. Regardless, he's getting those results now and it's refreshing to hear Tambellini approach his game so confidently.

After the game last night, Tambellini was asked if he ever would've thought he'd be where he was right now, considering he had difficulty sticking in the lineup at the beginning of this year (he was also demoted to Bridgeport last year).

"You know what? Honestly I did," Tambellini said. "I had a lot of confidence coming into the year. I felt like I had a strong  preseason and we had a numbers game at the start of the year, and rightfully so. I had to wait a couple games and prove myself."

Nice to see Tambellini get a game like that with his dad Steve in the building.

Ok, enjoy your Sunday. I can speak for myself (and Islanders resident Packers fan Jack Hillen) in saying that I'll be watching a nauseatingly Favretastic day of football. Hoping Green Bay blitzes him every down...

See ya back here tomorrow ;)

Live Game Thread 13: Sabres at Islanders

Saturday October 31, 2009 7:09 PM By Katie Strang

 Islanders try to make it three straight. Love the creepy Halloween intro music. Not as in love with the pre-game skate jerseys....

Martin Biron faces his former Buffalo Sabres team tonight, looking for his first win of the season and 200th win of his career.

Biron, who played nine seasons for Buffalo, enters tonight's contest a career 6-2-1 against Buffalo.

Ryan Miller has been outstanding in net for the Sabres. He's 8-0-1 with a 1.64 GAA and .944 save percentage.

Islanders are the only team that has scored more than three goals against him this season.

Same lineup for the Isles tonight. Go ahead and pick things up in the comments section.

Oh and Happy Halloween. Saw an adorable little girl in an Isles jersey and a black eye (painted on). Cutest little fourth-line enforcer ever! Adorable :)

UPDATE: Isles win 5-0

Far from perfect, but a great night for the Islanders, who benefited from Jeff Tambellini's first  NHL hat trick and Martin Biron's sterling shutout (also his first win of the season and 200th of his career).

Nice to see Tambellini have such a great night considering his dad Steve, GM of the Edmonton Oilers, was able to watch the game in person (Edmonton plays here Monday and just got in from their matinee against Boston).

"That was the best game I ever played," Tambellini said. "and to have him in the building was pretty special."

That's the third straight win for the Islanders against three high-caliber teams. Definitely a boost for a team who had only one win in their first ten games.

"I think this puts us back on the map and into the thick of things in the East," Tambellini said.

UPDATE: Isles lead 4-0 after second period

Excellent second period for the Isles, who punished the Sabres by scoring three goals. The Jeff Tambellini Tour de Force continued as he scored a pair of goals for his second multi-goal game in on week.

Ryan Miller, who has been virtually unstoppable for the Sabres, was yanked after Tambellini's second tally and replaced with Patrick Lalime.

Nice pass from Bruno Gervais at the left point to Josh Bailey, who lasered one past Lalime at 15:20 to give the Islanders a 4-0 lead.

Biron has been excellent, by the way, but the Islanders also did a much better job of dictating play and limiting chances.

UPDATE: Isles lead 1-0 after first

Islanders come out pretty stale and spent too much time in their own end, but they come out of the period with a lead as a result of some good forechecking pressure.

Pressuring Buffalo in their own zone, Richard Park stripped Sabres defenseman Tyler Myers of the puck and fired from the left circle for his first goal of the season at 17:13 to give the Isles a 1-0 lead.

Live Game Thread 12: Isles at Capitals

Friday October 30, 2009 6:45 PM By Katie Strang

 Isles try to snap the Caps six-game winning streak tonight at the Verizon Center.

Jose Theodore gets the start in Washington's second game in as many nights after Semyon Varlamov made 38 saves in the Caps win against Atlanta last night. (By the way, I almost had a panic attack when I saw the spelling of Varlamov's first name. My stomach sunk in realization that I was spelling it wrong every game of the Rangers-Caps series last year, but thankfully some of the Washington beat guys informed me he changed the spelling during the offseason because he didn't like the way it was being butchered in pronunciation...thank god.)

Tangent, I know...sorry :).

Dwayne Roloson in goal for the Islanders as they try to make it two straight. Martin Biron tomorrow to face his former team, the Buffalo Sabres.

Ovechkin had his sixth multi-goal game of the season last night in ATL. That ties Mario Lemieux for the most two-goal games in an October in NHL history. Isles will try to limit him as they did last weekend, when they held him to a season-low two shots.

Update on Finnish goaltending Mikko Koskinen:

He underwent hip surgery Wednesday to repair his torn labrum.He'll remain in Vail, CO (yes, he went to Philippon)  until next Wednesday, after which he'll begin his rehab in Bridgeport.

Go ahead and take over in comments. I'll update after each period.

UPDATE: Isles beat Capitals 4-3 in OT

Yes, ANOTHER OT game. Seriously? That's 7! Regardless, a tremendous effort by the Islanders, who were feisty, gritty, and determined, especially in the third period with the Capitals offensive attack unleashed. Two huge penalty kills and Roloson was outstanding in the third period, stopping 17 shots. He made 37 saves total, and was the well-deserved recipient of the hard hat (the previous recipient get to bestow the next player awarded the honor and he was an obvious choice for Tavares).

Mark Streit scored the game-winner in OT on a one-timer from the slot on Tavares' backhanded assist. That's his first overtime goal of his career.

"It's huge for us," Roloson said after the game. "Good teams deal with adversity and we're becoming a team that can deal with that and take a step forward instead of taking one back like we were before."

Very upbeat in the room after the game, and understandably, as the Islanders put together two straight wins for the first time this season. Tomorrow they'll look to make it three when the Sabres roll into town.

Islanders are off in the morning, but I'll check in before the game.

UPDATE: Isles and Capitals tied 3-3 after two periods.

Sloppy but entertaining second period as both Tomas Fleischmann and Frans Nielsen scored a pair of goals each in the second. Nielsen may want to send Capitals defenseman a fruit basket for gifting him with his first goal of the season, however, as Green made a ghastly gaffe in his own end, fanning on the puck and turning it over to allow Nielsen to roof it past Theodore at 7:12.

UPDATE: Isles and Capitals tied 1-1 after first period

Pretty good first period for the Islanders who take a 1-1 tie into first intermission. Roloson sharp so far. Ovechkin and Semin didn't convert on a couple of quality chances, but the Islanders will have to cut the number of opportunities they allow Washington. And however lackluster the WSH power play has been (entered the game 9-for-52, 17.3%), the Islanders will have to limit the amount of penalties they take, because the Caps are moving the puck well with the man-advantage.

Ovechkin gives the Caps an early lead on a PP goal (after Kyle Okposo received a double-minor high-sticking penalty) as Ovechkin's one-timer at 4:41 squirted through Roloson's midsection for his 14th goal of the season.

Okposo made up for his early penalty, however, by pulling the Isles even midway through the first.

On an assist from Brendan Witt, Kyle Okposo cashed in on a Capitals turnover in the neutral zone, smoking one past Theodore at 10:37 to tie the game 1-1.

One interesting stat to keep in mind: Islanders are 0-3-3 after their opponents score first.

Transcript: Chat with Katie Strang

Friday October 30, 2009 3:32 PM By Mike Rose

Katie Strang is ready to talk Islanders and take your questions -- live from Washington -- in a chat at 4 p.m.