All Entries Tagged With: "MATT CARKNER"
Isles-Pens Series Recap: What Went Wrong, What Went Right, Top Moments
The New York Islanders and the Pittsburgh Penguins just wrapped up the most exciting Islanders’ playoff series since the Islanders and the Maple Leafs went seven games in 2002. The series was physical, even nasty at times. There were a ton of goals scored. There was plenty of drama. The heavily-favorited Pittsburgh Penguins were given [...]
With Playoff-Picture Cloudy After Isles Loss in Philly, Just Remember “Why Not Us?”
You just cannot win them all, Isles fans. I wish we could, but it’s never going to happen. Eventually, your team is going to lose. The loss sits as a thorn in your side, but what are you really going to do about it? Cry? Pout? The New York Islanders just clinched their first playoff [...]
Tavares, Top-Line Awaken As Isles Rake in Another Two Points
I’m not scared when the Islanders fall behind. It’s a completely different feeling from what we have been used to over the past few seasons, but when the Islanders are behind, I’m just not worried. The New York Islanders fell behind early again the Toronto Maple Leafs. In fact, the Islanders fell back on hold [...]
A Quiet Deadline was a Good Deadline for the Isles
The trade deadline came and went. What seemed like a very boring trade deadline livened up a bit at the end, including a deal that saw Marian Gaborik moved from the Rangers to the Blue Jackets for Derrick Brassard, Derek Dorsett, and John Moore. And, despite a few rumblings, the Islanders went off quietly on [...]
How Are We Doing?
The late former mayor of New York City, Ed Koch, used to like to ask people “How am I doing?” It’s doubtful that anything anyone said to him became a public policy, but at least he wanted to know if the people of the city had a pulse. We’re looking to do something similar at [...]
Isles Lose Gem in Strait: Now What?
Talk about adding salt to the wound. The Islanders suffered two huge losses yesterday afternoon: a 7-0 defeat to their Atlantic Division rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers, and defenseman Brian Strait, who took an awkward tumble into the boards, breaking his left ankle in the process. Brian Strait has been incredible for the New York Islanders, [...]
Pros and, of course, Cons
We are not exactly sure how to react to the first couple weeks of this hockey season. The Islanders certainly have turned a few heads. Is it just because they are fielding a team with the most players who played during the lockout? Are teams taking them lightly? Are they really, finally a good team? [...]
Strong Finish Leads Bruins to 4-2 Win Over Islanders
BOSTON, MA – After fighting back from multiple deficits, the Boston Bruins tasted defeat for the first time on Wednesday evening, falling 4-3 in overtime at Madison Square Garden against the Rangers. On Friday, the B’s were back within the friendly confines of the TD Garden with a match-up against the New York Islanders on tap. [...]
Opening Night Roster Predictions For The New York Islanders
The NHL season is less than one week away! Are you excited, Islanders fans? Finally, the NHL released the schedules for all 30 NHL teams, so fans can now cancel all prior plans to watch their favorite team play in months. Although I may not be able to make it, the New York Islanders will [...]
Keep The Good Going
Outside of hockey, one of my favorite things to do is practice yoga. The lockout has allowed me to practice more, since there’s been no need for me to blow it off to get home or to Madison Square Garden in time for opening faceoff. When I attended class this past Thursday, the instructor opened [...]
Culture Change For The Defense On Long Island
Over the past few seasons, Islanders fans have suffered through a revolving door of soft defensemen whose play was not physical by any means. Bruno Gervais, Dylan Reese, Mark Eaton, Mike Mottau, and Jack Hillen were not exactly intimidating. Some of you may not have noticed, but the Islanders are revamping their defensive structure. Islanders [...]
Backchecking: The Islanders Begin Offseason But What Do The Fans Think?
Most days that I read comments and assessments from Islander fans I end up just slapping my shaking forehead and saying out loud. “oh holy hell….” I mean seriously, is there nothing that Garth Snow can do to make Islander fans happy? Does it really matter if they are or they are not? The short [...]
While I Was Sleeping
Well, well, well… Look what the cat dragged in… It has been more than a minute since I last made an appearance in the old blogosphere but, despite my many efforts to convince myself that I was done forever, I am back. So where the hell have I been? Before we get to that, some [...]
As Free Agency Opens, Rangers Keep The Purse Strings Tight
One year ago, the New York Rangers were making a major push to land the biggest free agent available in Brad Richards and write him a big check. This time around, they are not putting on a dog-and-pony act to entice Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, the darlings of the class, to play on [...]
Possession Is Nine-Tenths Of The Game
Memo to the “hockey experts” who predicted that the New York Rangers would easily dispatch the Ottawa Senators in 4 or 5 games: Go back and watch all 4 games of the season series between these 2 teams. If you had asked Rangers fans as the regular season wound down which potential opponent they’d least [...]
Things That Make You Go “Huh?”
Matt Carkner was put in the Ottawa Senators’ lineup for game 2 for one reason and one reason only: to send a message to the New York Rangers that they weren’t going to be manhandled the way they were in their 4-2 game one loss. Carkner did his job effectively, when at 2:15 in the [...]
Canucks at the Deadline: Making the Case for an Enforcer
To trade or not to trade, that is the question facing GM Mike Gillis in what has become one of the more interesting weeks on the NHL calendar.
The Captain’s In, So Who’s Out?
New York Rangers captain Chris Drury got the all clear Sunday on his finger that was re-broken in the October 15th home opener against Toronto. Today he was practicing on the fourth line with Todd White, Erik Christensen and Sean Avery, and it looks like he will be in the lineup when the Rangers take [...]
Senators back from a dismal road trip, set to face Kings in Ottawa tonight
After a dismal 1-3 road trip during which the Ottawa Senators were outscored 17-6, they are set to face the Los Angeles Kings tonight at Scotia Bank Place. This will be the Kings’s third game of a four-game road trip. They sustained a 4-2 loss at the hands of the Buffalo Sabres on Friday, before [...]
Filip Kuba breaks leg; a look at the Senators defensive corps
The Ottawa Senators have lost veteran rearguard Filip Kuba for an estimated five to six weeks after Kuba broke his right leg during the team’s skating session on Saturday. Kuba’s skate was caught in a rut in the ice after ten minutes in his first practice at Scotia Bank Place. It “looks like it will [...]
