The L.I.ttle Things

It’s the little things. The little things that make us happy and the little things that win hockey games.

Tonight for the Islanders and their fans it was all about those little things. Despite the fact the Bronx Bombers were hosting an intense Game 1 of the World Series, there still seemed to be a teeny bit of energy left over for the Rangers and Islanders. While the rivalry is always a spirited one, it was a first time experience for John Tavares, Dwayne Roloson and Matt Moulson. Apparently none of the three got the “Hey, You’re Supposed to Suck” memo tonight, because they gave them Blue Shirts a 60 minute run for their money.

photo by Author

With Moulson’s breakaway on a pass from Jack Hillen 55 seconds into the first period, the Isles started the night off on an “uncharacteristically good” foot…and the good foot only got gooder. After being tied at the end of the first, Kyle Okposo was set up by Doug Weight and Jack Hillen to score the eventual game winner…but why should the Isles stop there? With the Rangers hitting more posts than a little old lady in a Buick Regal, the Islanders wanted to seal the deal. Wanting his own slice of Rivalry Pie, John Tavares broke his four game drought and made it a final 3-1. The Islanders’ first victory in regulation and who better to win against than the cross town rival?

Now if by some chance you’re actually still reading, you might be asking yourself, why bother even writing a damn thing about the Islanders? You’re a complete Sharks homer! While these are truths, I have to admit it. The Islanders are slowly winning me over. Why, you might ask? Pretty simple reasons. John Tavares’s checks, Kyle Okposo’s rebound shots, Dwayne Roloson’s lucky saves, Sean Bergenheim’s breakaways, Nate Thompson’s hits…the list goes on, but if you watched the game tonight and you saw the joy on the ice when the final horn blew, you just might know what I’m talking about. If there’s one thing the Islanders have proven to both me and their fans so far this season, it’s that they’re here to play. That may not necessarily mean a victory, but it sure as hell means putting up a damn good fight through all three periods…doing the “little things”. They’re blue collar, they hustle and they earn their milk and cookies.

The Islanders have changed much more than their roster this season. With the addition of John Tavares came a new hope for their faithful fans. The ones who would rather pay money to see them play than sit at home and pretend to root for the Yankees. The ones who show up for press conferences and town board meetings about the Lighthouse Project. The ones who have endured being the laughing stock of the NHL for years. This year the Islanders are giving their fans a gift they haven’t received in a while, a little thing called pride…and it’s all about the little things.