We Stink
The month of October has concluded for the Isles, and somehow we boast a winning record with a mark of 5-4. But one thing is pretty clear after tonight's shellacking—this is going to be one long season. For all the times this team has allowed its fans to feel like it could compete with the big boys, there have been equal moments when this team has generated a feeling that would have us fans long for the days of the late 90’s. And for those of you who plan on rebutting with some bogus notion that before the season we would have been happy with a 5-4 record in October, you can save your breath. No one should have anything positive to say about the Isles right now.
A lot of what transpired Saturday night at the Coliseum had to do with some very spotty play from goaltender Rick DiPietro. He was awful—just about the worst game of DP’s young career. He actually looked like he didn’t belong in the NHL, which is incredible for a goaltender who had been backing up his record breaking contract by proving to the world that he actually is a top five goaltender. But tonight DP couldn’t control a rebound if his life depended on it. His stick handling was terrible, his decision making even more terrible, and his goaltending even more terrible than that. There was nothing he could do about the first goal, but a poor misplay behind his own goal put the Isles in an early 2-goal hole. Poor positioning and a lack of focus gave the Canes 4 more goals, none of which should have gone in. Out of respect for his goaltender Ted Nolan tried to hold off pulling DP, but after the third goal everyone knew a Dubie sighting was inevitable. That being said, DP is the man and he will be fine. But tonight was a joke of a performance.
Now let’s rip on some of the players because obviously it’s never entirely the goaltender’s fault. And we will focus mostly on my least favorite line—the most overrated line in all of hockey: the “minus” line of Silinger-Hunter-Hilbert. Although they didn’t start the game together, Nolan quickly reunited them in order to show each of us how horrible each one of them has been this year. Let’s take them one at a time…
1. Silinger – Is it just me or does it seem like Mike Silinger has aged five years since last season? He really looks like a 44-year-old veteran who should retire right now, one game short of his 1,000th NHL game. Silinger, who somehow is supposed to reach close to 30 goals, is on pace for about 8 goals (only b/c he netted a lucky goal with five seconds left tonight or his pace would have been zero). He is a minus 7 (-7) for the season and only has value to the Isles because he happens to be a very good face-off man, even at his growing age of 59. I was kidding about having Silinger retire, but Nolan has got to stop playing this guy on the power play because he’s completely killing us.
2. Hunter – Trent Hunter hasn’t done much to make the Isles or any other team want to sign him to a long-term deal. Currently Hunter is a minus 5 (-5) through 9 games and can't seem to keep up in a fast-paced NHL. Hunter with his one goal this year is also on pace for 8 goals, but has largely been a non-factor on the score sheet this season. I’m tired of waiting each season for him to get going.
3. Hilbert – I saved the best for last. Oh Andy please find a defroster to unfreeze your stone-cold hands. Hilbert is a minus 8 (-8) and has no goals and no assists, which gives him a pace for…yes zero goals and zero assists.
I’ve been saying it for a while now—if this line is not going to do the job offensively, then it MUST do the job defensively. The “minus” line now has a combined +/- of minus 20 (-20) through the team’s first 9 games. Ouch! Can someone say Tambellini? Bates? Nielson? Anyone???!!!!
Campoli to me is the one bright spot so far this season, averaging a point-per-game with a much stronger defensive effort in his own zone. However, he did seem to force the issue way too much at times tonight which led to some bad turnovers.
Ok, the Isles really aren’t as bad as I’ve made them out to be tonight. A 5-4 record is very respectable month’s worth of work, but having two games in a month where you give up 8 goals is not a good omen. DP put the Isles in a hole tonight and it seemed to snowball out of control. The Isles need to shake this one off and come out strong against Tampa on Thursday.
But as great of a feeling as it was a week ago to know they could sit for a week on a nice win, that’s how horrible the feeling must be now in the Islander locker-room knowing they have 5 days to contemplate a fun fulfilled night of garbage.
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38 comments:
After the Leafs game earlier this season I didn’t believe another game this season could make me sicker. While last night’s game score was better then 8-1 night in Toronto, this game not only had my stomach churning but my head spinning as well.
Over the last few games, Jaffe has been saying last season 5-on-5 we were top 5 +/-. While I love that our power play has been spectacular this season so far, it seems the rest of the team has forgotten why we even we lucky enough to play Buffalo in the playoffs last year, good two-way DEFENSIVE hockey. We all know that Hunter, Sillinger, and everybody’s favorite Hilbert were the models of this. So when Snow goes out and gets them a top line that can score somewhat consistently, it seems this line has lost its identity. Last season, they were thinking we don’t know if our scorers will score we can’t make mistakes in the offensive zone and especially mistake free hockey in the defensive end. With actual scorers on the team, Hunter and Sillinger seem to be trying find their identity on the team again. Maybe this is just a crazy thought and yes MAB had not played hockey for about 2 weeks with the healthy scratches and the teams lack of games played but his play on the blue line is suspect at best. I think maybe moving MAB to play with Hunter and Sillinger could ignite them into last season’s form. I am seeing this move similar to that of when Bergs joined Satan and Vasicek.
On last note that scares me is that not 1 player is a had a + rating, the only players are
Fedotenko and now Sound Tiger Darryl Bootland.
Ricky’s horrible play last night seemed to me as if he knew the team was slow and tried to do way to much, especially trying to move the puck. He didn’t look that confident was second guessing himself with both his puck handling and positioning.
C'mon, Justin. At least give me credit for the headline!! LOL LOL
Anybody who has been reding thos blog should have known that this is the type of season we are in for.
Snolan should realize this right now and blow this team up and bring up some kids to fill in for Hilbert and company.
Has anyone seen Simon?
How pathetic was Park on the penalty shot?
Hilbert ???? What is he doing on this team?
Comrie. Is it me or does he disappear as much as Yashin?
MAB? J, you can't make a race horse out of a mule. MAB belongs as a power play specialist, period. He is not a winger nor will he ever be.
We have talented wingers in Bridgeport. Why try to move a guy who has been an NHL level D-Man all his career? This is not fantasy hockey.
The one bright note last night was Gervais' power move to the net on the Isles goal. I would love to see move of that out of him.
Bring up the kids before this year gets away from us.....Bill
Bill...the title was totally inspired by you!
Although I am up for experimenting with MAB on wing. Why not?
Bill,
I would much rather experiment with MAB on the wing then have stone cold hilbert and the rest of his linemates 'yashining' through games(yes i did use yashin as a verb). It maybe just the type of player those to (hunter and sils) need on their other wing to spark them
I would love to see more kids in the line-up, if any positive has come out of October, it is more kids. Otherwise Satan would still looking like a yashin clone out there on the ice.
I won't say Comrie disappears like Yashin, unless he continues this streaky play of his.
Guys, It's a whole different mindset to playing the wing then to playing defense. Just because MAB has a wicked slapshot, does not mean he can cycle, bang along the boards or pass the puck. It is an entirely different position.
Would you ask a baseball pitcher to catch? A quarterback to to play linebacker?
Of course not. Just because all hockey players skate, does not mean they are interchangeable.
Can you name one player who started as an NHL D-man and switched to winger and was successful? I can't.
I have seen a few emergency fill- ins but nothing permenant.
So, forget that. It's not happening. The bigger question is why are players, who actually play the position, being burried in Bridgeport when they clearly can't do any worse than some of the deadwood on the current team.
This is Snow's fault. As GM he should bring these guys up and tell Nolan to play them or else?
So far I have seen nothing from Snow to make me believe in him. Want examples?
Neilson, O'Mara, 1 St round pick for Smyth. Smyth signs elsewhere.
2nd round pick for Zednick. Zednick signs elsewhere.
Zhitnik for FMV. FMV released.
So, to sum it up, Snow got ZERO for Neilson, O'Mara, Zhitnik and 1 St and 2 ND round picks in this years draft.
Quite a track record.....Bill
Someone explain to me why Andy "Manos Di Piedra" Hilbert was given an extension?
Bill, I don't know how you can still be complaining about Nilsson and O'Marra being traded. Nilsson got sent back down to the AHL and appears destined to be a career minor leaguer or headed back to Europe when his contract is up. And O'Marra skipped the AHL and went all the way down to the ECHL.
Snow also got a second round pick for Zhitnik, which was a steal. The trade also enabled them to have a roster spot for Campoli.
Bill,
I get what you are saying about it not being an easy transition but your baseball pitcher/catcher and football quarterback/lineback analogies are hardly convincing. The differences between being a MLB pitcher v. cather or the differences between being a NFL quarterback v. linebacker are hardly comparable to the differences between being a NHL defenseman v. forward.
Pitchers don't hit in baseball so you are not going to ask them to take the spot of a position player. And quaterbacks are usually pretty small so they are not going to have much of an impact as a linebacker, where vice versa linebackers hardly are known for their throwing arms. On the contrary, ALL hockey players possess the same types of abilities and athletic builds. They all need to have tremendous passing, shooting, and skatinng skills and find a way somehow to put it all together on the ice.
But you're right, just b/c he has a wicked slap shot does not mean he can skate or cycle or bang as a winger. BUT the fact that we have all seen MAB step up in the offensive zone cycle behind the net or stickhandle around a defender or two is what proves that he can.
So if MAB was brought to this team as a defenseman are you saying that he is doomed to spend his entire career as a defenseman? I would hope not, considering how horribly his defensive play as been. Look at Rick Ankiel this year with the St. Louis Cardinals. Ankiel successfully made the trasnistion from a pitcher to a position player which is arguably a much more diffucult task than converting a NHL defenseman to a forward. I think the point me and Jeff are trying to make here is that MAB as a defenseman just isn't working. Edmonton knew this was the case which is why we got him so cheap. I think it would be worth the risk to try this out.
I agreed with the Smyth trade as well, so I can't start second guessing Snow on that one. Zhitinik was having an awful season so trading him and his salary was a smart move as well. However the Zednick trade you are right was a joke of a move.
Shinkdew, good work on catching us up on where each of those players currently spends their time.
Shink, Lets not forget that Philly turned Zhinik into Brandon Colburn who has been a monster on D for the Flyers. We got FMV and a pick. Who would you rather have?
You conviently left out the number one pick last year we gave away in the Smyth trade. The book is still out on Neilson and O'Mara. They are young plyers who still may blossom. No matter how you look at it we got ZERO in return.
No comment on the Zednik deal either?
The spin stops here......Bill
Justin If it as easy as you say, then just name me one player who has made the transition during his NHL career. Just one.
Sammi Kappinen has filled in on D for the Flyers in emergencies but is back to playing forward.
I can't think of a single player who played in the NHL as a D-Man and later moved to forward and was sucessful. If it is so easy why hasn't it been done more often?.....Bill
Now you're putting imaginary words in my mouth. No one said such a transition would be easy. All I'm saying is it would be a low-risk high-reward experiment. Try it for a few games. Bench Hilbert for a 2-3 games and give MAB that time and leave Aaron Johnson back on the blueline where he belongs.
And just b/c it was never done before that means the Isles shouldn't consider it?
What's the worst that could happen? It works?
Justin, Why not just leave the guy on the power play? Go with the 7 D-men and only use MAB when a man up. I think that is the better way to go.
As for Hilbert, you know what I think of him. Replace him with Tambellini and give Tambellini ALL of Hilberts minutes and let's see what he can do.
I don't see what words I put in your mouth, but if I did I apologize. This forum works well because it doesn't have any of the morons on it that Logan allows. It's refreshing to have a civil discussion without any of the name calling that goes on elsewhere....BILL
Jones gets 2 games for putting Bergeron in the hospital.
Simon gets 25 games for giving Hollweg a boo boo.
Anyone else think that Colin Campbell is a moron and Islander hater?......Bill
I think Campbell determines the length of suspensions by measuring the degree of anger in one's facial expression before acting in a malicious way.
Simon looked like he wanted Hollweg's head on a plate = 25 games.
bill,
one player that comes to mind when i think of a player who plays both forward and defense is Nolan Pratt, don't get me wrong he isn't that special of a player but he has played in both positions...wait hes a free agent get him (just kidding we have enough of his type around here already)
In addition, Sergei Fedorov also split the entire 2006-2007 season between time as a defenseman and time as a forward. Come on Ted, give it a whirl!
Give it up, guys. It ain't happening.
As I think about it, I seem to recall that Ed Westfall may have come up as a defenseman with the Bruins. I may be wrong on this, but I do think that it may have been the case.
Let's examine the possibility. If we just go back just 10 years, there's a minimum of 20 players per team times 30 teams. 600 players per year times ten years is 6,000 players.
And you guys can think of two players who played part of the year as both forward and Dmen. And none that made the switch permenantly.
Yes, many of the players of the 6,000 were the same players, however, most teams use upwards of 30 players on their roster during the year due to call ups to replace injured players. So, that number is close, if not accurate.
Seriously, MAB has probably been playing defense since he was five years old. His whole mindset and training is geared towards playing defense. Anyone who has ever played the game on a higher level, will tell you that it can't be done. Many forwards can't adjust from center to wing or vice versa.
It is just a totally different perspective on the way the game is played.
Bring up some wingers who can actually play forward.....Bill
"His whole mindset...is geared towards playing defense. "
All evidence to the contrary. ;->
I'm missing Thurs' game again, which means, after a wedding this past weekend, I will have gone 2 full weeks without having the opportunity to watch a game. Damn, thats too long!
Can't comment on the Carolina game of course, but I haven't felt for a second Comrie is disappearing. He's a small guy who relies heavily on his linemates to get him the puck, where he can finish. If he isn't dished the puck with a bit of room, he's not going to score. Again, w/o seeing Hunter on that 1st line, I'm just assuming here, but I can't imagine Hunter played the same cycle game he plays w/ Silly & Hilbert. On the first line, he's probably more concerned with scoring and screening the goalie than cycling and making good passes. I don't like him on the 1st line, he's not the passer we need paired with someone like Comrie.
I also just keep thinking about how nice it would be to have Sim back there on the 3rd line...
Anyone notice A) sillinger's last season was his 1st playing all 82 games for 1 team, b) his 32 and 26 goals last 2 seasons were career highs, and c) he's -181 on his career???
Hope he doesn't regress to his career average too much this year.
Bill
Turn your fact checker on. Michael Peca, and Mike Modano both spent time at varies points in their career on D. Those are two that immediatly come to mind.
Paul Kariya believe it or not was offered a minor league contract as a D man, before signing with, and eventually winning his Baker award at Maine.
Another D turned forward is George Laroque(spelling) formely of Edmonton.
If you look closely, youll see that it isnt anything CLOSE to as uncommon as you say. I havent researched, but those are some of the names off the top of my head.
Just got two more Steve Shutt and Bob Gainey of the habs also logged time and reversed positions.
Although your logistics are off, I couldnt agree with you more on MAB.Anyone watching this team, should realize 7 d with MAB on pp only is the answer.
Also Bill----give it up on the Simon thing. The guy swung his stick as a weapon at somebodys head.Anybody who doesnt believe 25 games is fitting for that, probably got hit with a few too many sticks in the head themselves.
Give me a day or two---Ill bet you I could come up with at least another 25 or so players who switched from d to F.
PEACE
P.S. My loud mouth buddy from Brooklyn, big Ranger fan....just informed me that Barry Beck(shoot the puck barry) ended his career w the RAGS as a left winger.
GWARD, Modano and Peca were never defenseman. Neither was Gainey or Shutt. This is from NHL.Com. Show me proof to the contrary and I'll believe it.
Laroque was never a hockey player at all. He was a prizefighter on skates.
Go ahead and name me 25 players and have proof to back it up. Just don't throw names around without indicating your source material.
I never saw Barry Beck play left wing. He may have played a game or two at wing, but he did not make a permenant transition. Again, give me a source other then your loud mouth friend.....Bill
As for the Simon suspension, I was only comparing what Campbell did in each case. Jones deserves way more than 2 games for what he did.
Any player who is a two way forward can play d. While im not sure abouit Beck, Im gonna have to take my buddies word for it--hes a die hard. Im going to go in the Sabres chat room b/c I know that Peca started at least 2 games for the sabres on D, during the cup run in 99.
So far 4 have been named. Your qb/lb analogy is way off base. In the minor leauges, changing from d to f is very common. Also, when a team rolls 4 lines, its common for a d man past his prime to line up at wing like a beck.
The problem is this isnt easy info to find. While it doesnt seem to be a long term thing, I think we can agree it has happened. Laroque made the switch and flirted with 20 goals--not bad for a prizefighter on skates.
Going to try to work on some sources. Bottom line, MAB cant bang, and doesnt seem to work for the puck that much, so this seems like a moot point, as I believe you have a better chance of seeing me play f than MAB.
I was reading the newsday post today, and they said something about Witt scoring two shoot out goals in a scrimmage game. I was wondering who he scored on? DP/OR Doobie.
Peace
Gward & Bill,
You are both right. It's not so insane to think MAB could handle time as a forward and there is probably very little chance of it happening. My only point is that if Nolan is willing to use a D-Man at forward (Aaron Johnson) then he might has well use the more offensive-minded defenseman (MAB). I was just frustrated seeing MAB sit for two weeks with out being given a fair chance to rebound. The 4th line doesn't play anyway so might as well dress 7 D-Men and have MAB and AJ split time on a pairing with Sutton. When Berard is back, then I think it's time to finally send AJ to the bridge.
Listen guys, there are plenty of examples of players filling in at different positions in a pinch.
I am just saying that I don't recall any player making a permenant switch and being successful at it. It is a lot more difficult than you guys seem to think it is.
Any other guys who have played the game at an organized level feel free to jump in here and explain it better than I can....Bill
Bill,
I played college and I coach varsity high school. As a goaltender I cannot from personal experience comment on how difficult the transition would be. But as a coach I have successfully converted players from defense to forward and vice versa, still early at the high school level but nevertheless players who had been accustomed to their respective positions for their entire lives.
I have seen it among many college players and have a friend who currently plays D1 who was a forward but is now a top college defender.
And just b/c there has never been a well documented conversion in the NHL, to me, is not a good enough reason not to experiment. I mean what if someone told that to Rick Ankiel. "Hey Rick you lost your stuff now get lost go home and retire b/c no one has ever become a successful position player after reaching the majors as a pitcher."
It might be hard, it might seem almost impossible, but it sure was possible for Ankiel--and like I said before, that was a much harder transition than MAB from D to F.
Now to get to this point you have to believe that MAB is a lost cause as a defenseman and thus the Isles need to try this experiment in order to salvage a good amount of talent. On the other hand, if you believe MAB is a more than capable NHL defenseman, then Ted needs to work him through this.
But I will say it's hardly a solution to just banish MAB to PP duty and dress 7 defenseman. Over the course of a tedious season, the Isles are going to have to learn to roll 4 lines and choose a top-6 D unit.
Bill,
I understand where you are coming from, but from watching games as we all have, it is clear that MAB has been able to jump into the cycle down low, and even though he is not doing it every play as a dman does not mean he does not have the skill set to make the transition. With all this down time and 4 on 4 scrimages, I see no reason why not to at least experiment and if it looks good in practice, do it for a game or 2. If Aaron Johnson can play 3-4 mins on the 4th line, then we should all agree that MAB should be able to handle this role as well as still being in the lineup to serve as our PP canon.
Perhaps another issues standing in the way of MAB playing O and/or become a PP specialist is the fact that his cannon hits the net 1/3 times. With 4-5 shots on average on the PP, its rather frustrating to see him miss the target so much.
I always come back to a golf analogy with this. Tiger woods averages ~290 yds/drive. Everyone knows he could blast it 350 if he wants to, and in 2005 he actually tried that (average driving distance up to 315 I believe). However, his fairways hit, greens in regulation, and ultimately the number of championships won decreased with the swing tempo (about 85% of his max) and yardage increase. Able to adjust his swing tempo down to a more manageable 75%, we saw his FH, GIR, and championships increase once again this past year.
If MAB blasts it at 105 MPH off a relatively good feed (does that sound realistic?), I'd like to see him take 5-10% off that shot, brining it down to 95-100 MPH, and focus on actually hitting the net.
And if he (or anyone else) wants to make the argument that he's missing the net on purpose looking for tips, I'll disagree. A 105 mph slapper from the high circle gets tipped by luck, not by skill. Bring it down to 75-85, and Hunter will get his stick on it, and will still move the goalie out of position.
With his defensive liabilities, along with the opposing penalty killers shading his side, I can only imagine how annoyed Nolan gets when those valuable shot opps miss high and wide by 5 feet (and we've all seen that!). Sounds manly, but not effective.
NYISLES, Taking a slapshot is nowhere near hitting a golf ball.
I do not believe it is possible to ease off enough to go from 105 mph to 95 mph. You either slap it as hard as you can or you don't.
My point is that using MAB with Berard gives the point men two options. Thus the defense cannot overload on one side. If they overplay MAB (like last year) then Berard will shoot (unlike Poti).
You have to use your weapons where they are appropriate. Using MAB as a power play specialist is the way to get the most out of him without sacrificing the defensive game......Bill
If you don't think its possible to take something off a shot to become more accurate then you need to try it once. Seriously- take a shot as hard as you can at a target, and see where it goes. Then swing the stick 75-80% of that, and see if you get closer to the target. Its exactly like a golf swing. Why do you think all these hockey players are great golfers! :) (Shameless plug: I used to caddy for Clark Gillies when I was a teenager...he is a monster off the tee)
I agree with the rest of your points, though the pairing w/ Berard is contingent on him getting healthy! Any word on him for tomorrow/Saturday? Its been 2 (of the 2-4) weeks, correct?
I do not believe Berard is at the point of returning to the lineup just yet. There hasn't been any indication that he has resumed skating, let alone receiving clearance to play in games. They formed quite a pairing on the PP, but such a pairing could still exist while MAB learned to play offense.
Bill,
I keep pushing this b/c I respect your opinion and you seem so reluctant to try out MAB at forward, yet you haven't blasted Nolan for doing the same with Aaron Johnson. Why was the experiment good for one but not the other, especially when one choice clearly makes sense over the other?
Justin, you must have missed my posts blasting Nolan for using Johnson instead of calling up Tambellini. Go back a few weeks and see. I noted that Johnson took a stupid penalty in the third period of a tie or one goal game. It seems Nolan will do anything to avoid using the younger players.
I just feel that calling up Tambellini or Walter is better than
attempting to put a round peg in a square hole. And that is what trying to transform MAB into a forward is doing.
I have taken thousands of slapshots in my woeful hockey career and I don't think you can "take something off."
When MAB winds up, he puts his whole body into it. You can't just stop and think "OK, I'll just put 85% into it.' It doesn't work that way. I hit the damn thing as hard as I can and still couldn't break a pane of glass.
Some players have a gift for it and MAB is one of those. If he misses the net, so be it. I know that the odds are that he will put his fair share on or into the net.
That's all you can ask for.....Bill
NYISlES, I have played a ton of hockey and grew up next to a golf course. I don't think the swings are comprable. If you want an accurate hockey shot then the wrister is what you want, not a slapshot.
Hockey players are good golfers because they are natural athletes and possess skills that the ordinary person does not.
Someone mentioned Rick Ankiel switching positions from pitcher to fielder. I bet if you go back on Ankiel's past you will find that he hit .700 in high school and played the field when he was not pitching. Most dominant baseball pitchers were star players
even when they were not pitching.
Therefore the transition was not as hard as switching from "D" to winger. Also, doesn't Ankiel have some problems with HGH? Therein may lie your answer......Bill
This point is becoming moot especially since FINALLY THERE IS A GAME TO WATCH TONIGHT!
But by claiming that since Ankiel might have hit the snot out of the ball in HS so it was an "easy" transition for him just furthers my point. I'm sure MAB played some O back in his days and if you look at his stats his last year in juniors (69 games, 42 goals, 59 assists, 101 points) I'm sure he could handle the transition. Those numbers show that, at least at one time in his career, he had a nose for the net. You don't score 42 goals in 69 games at any level if you are merely a PP quarterback or like to jump up in the play.
BUT, it doesn't matter b/c Nolan aint gonna try it and Tambellini/Walter are still drowning under the Bridge so it seems we will both be dissapointed when we see the Isles' lineup tonight!
Maybe we will see something extra out of Silinger playing in his 1,000 NHL game. That old fossil better get something going b/c his line sure is killing the Isles on a nightly basis.
I'm looking for DP to rebound strongly after a terribly rough outing last Saturday. Tampa has been beaten soundly by both the Rags and the Devs, so the Isles better be hungry for the Metro sweep.
Update on Berard:
Berard has started to skate on his own, according a few people who attended practice yesterday. This is about the best news we have heard in a while
Good game tinight. DP stole the game in the first period with some outstanding saves. It could have easily been 2 or 3 goals for Tampa.
DP also seemed a lot more confident and made some nice outlet passes to start the offensive rush.
Campoli and Gervias both had good games and are starting to play like top four D men. Let's hope it continues.
On the downside, Hilbert continues to handle the puck like it's a hand grenade in front of the net.
Johnson and Simon were both invisible. How much longer before they turn into Tambellini and Walter?.....Bill
Haven't watched the game yet (DVR tomorrow morning for breakfast), so I SHOULDN'T comment, but...
Bill- will you ever be happy with any result??
They won, 4-0, DP's first SO, and you're still asking for W & T? Come on man...especially on Silly's 1000th game. I'm thrilled for the 2 pts, especially the SO, against Tampa (where I live...I'm accepting donations, gifts, condolences etc, etc for the place I live in...aka Trampa), and especially happy for Silly.
Even with a 6-4 record going against the "expert projections" we talked about all summer, you find the negatives.... will it ever be 1980 for you again? :)
PS: I love how Nolan admits to working on the PP and PK, especially after last year...maybe he's reading our comments!
PPS: Bill- I would like to ask one favor from you. Although I don't believe it will happen myself, what will you say on this blog if the Isles make the playoffs and win 1-2 playoff rounds this year?
I want a preview of a happy Bill! I want something written in stone buddy! :) I imagine this has gotta be tough, huh!!
LETS GO ISLANDERS!
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