ISLES WIN! Human Sacrifice, Dogs & Cats Living Together… Mass Hysteria!

One ghost of loss have been exorcised last night, and at least there is one less ghoul lurking in the Coliseum. Sadly, there are many more.

Unlike the gloss and shellac painted onto an admittedly relieving win by those who give the Islanders the good vibrations they desire, there are major areas of concerns. In each loss, invariably there is a difference in the shot column. It is a by-product of opposing team momentum and control, best described by a boxing term: ring generalship.

This is when one boxer dictates the action of the round and tends to causes the opponent to react to him or her. The third period generalship by the Hurricanes had Islanders fans and likely players reeling.

Don't buy into the Buzz

Dwayne Roloson, touted by the Isles for his previous years of being the kind of guy who can stop that kind of onslaught has really yet to capture those halcyon days. In fact neither goalie has really stretched that almost impossible divide to counter a loss of game control by coach and team that seems to be the ritual la habitual. Then again, Roloson has gotten better, and hopefully the defense in front of him will follow.

Period generalship was lost last night by both teams when they allowed the other to impose its will. The Islanders came out as in previous games in what Stan Fischler calls: vim and vinegar. Then in later periods, they did what I like to call: pissing it all away.

Yes, in the shootout, rookie extraordinaire John Tavares notched a goal, allowing the Islanders to finally get a victory. But, you should also give the credit to finally a shootout where as Isles goalie didn’t allow the opponent to put it away. Moreover, the most concerning thing is how Albert’s hit on Tavares against the board in the third period was somehow unpenalized. In a league that protects star players almost to a ridiculous degree, how can the referees miss a blatant late hit? As the wind was knocked out of Tavares, the wind collectively was knocked out of a fanbase who has taken so many hits they are almost punchdrunk.

Scott Gordon had to be happier, as one could probably hear Brian Burke howling: “Noooooooooooo!” back from Toronto as they are the only team in the league without a win. They have 1 point. The Islanders have 5 now.

So as fans walk with a jolt to their step and where the sun seems a bit more brighter today, we still all are in an insecure Long Island world where a venue and futures sits upon a political precipice. Yes, finally the Isles notch a win, but there are sobering realities beneath the very stretched good vibe veneer. This game is only different from the first few in that in OT, they actually held them off with two shootout goals. A much needed win, but still with the same things going on that had them losing.

Stay tuned later or tomorrow for a Lighthouse Project piece that puts some of the ToH Town Board issues in perspectives. Something else you won’t read in Newsday. Newsday, who by the way, will be pissing away their own blogging and online coverage by going subscriber only. Great idea, cut your viewership even more. Brilliant!

bd@hockeyindependent.com