Blogging about the New York Islanders, the NHL and everything else hockey
OK, not really…DP and the boys are making the turn at Bethpage right now. BUT…DP’s mask has advanced to the second round of the Tournament of Logos Blog Goalie Mask Tournament. After disposing of the Duck’s Jonas Hiller in round one 60-40%, DP’s mask takes on another backup goalie, the Devils’ Kevin Weekes. If DP’s sweet mask keeps facing these backup scrubs, it might just cruise all the way to the finals!!
The Tournament of Logos Blog goalie mask competition moves on. After Doobie’s Fishstick mask got crushed by The Bulin Wall 61-39%, it’s time for DP’s Armed Forces Tribute mask to take on Jonas Hiller of the Ducks…Duck Mask. Vote early, vote often as DP’s mask is 100% Fishstick Free.
Apparently I know more about NCAA hockey than I do NHL hockey…or I’m just a lucky f*ck. Melt Your Faceoff ran a NCAA Frozen Four pool and when the dust settled, the Boston College Eagles and yours truly stood atop the pack. That should make up (a little) for my 19/20 finish in Mirtle’s Yahoo NHL league this season. New website next year…Hofstra Army!
In case you missed the (yawn!) oh-so-exciting news out of Toronto last night, the NHL held the 2008 Draft Lottery last night in Toronto. Absolutely nothing changed - Tampa Bay ended up with the #1 pick, Islanders the #5. What was the point of last night again?
Anyways, Sean Leahy’s got some humorous pictures from last night and fake Bossy quotes on his blog. Check it out.
The NHL Tournament of Logos blog has graduated from logos and is moving onto determining the “best goalie mask” with a series of polls. Today’s matchup pits the Isles’ own Wade Dubielewicz vs. Nikolai Khabibulin. Sorry Doobie, but I H-A-T-E that stupid %$#^@&*! Gordon’s Fisherman logo with a passion…I had to vote for “The Bulin Wall”. Get your vote on either way, and check the Tournament of Logos blog often to see how the voting turns out.
We haven’t covered the possible Yankee Stadium NHL outdoor game very much here this season, despite talks about the game coming closer and closer to reality. That’s because every article about the game has the Rangers scheduled for the game in permanent marker, while the list of possible opponents is written in pencil, with the Islanders at the bottom of that list. The NHL (and NBC) suits feel a NYI/NYR outdoor game is too NYC-centric and won’t draw any interested outside of the metro area. It’s really not looking good for the Isles to take part in this game if it happens. However, the Isles now have one notable supporter in their corner - ESPN’s “Bucci” - John Buccigross makes a case to include the Islanders in his latest blog column. We’ll take all the support we can get, even if half of Bucci’s support is based on pity for our fallen franchise.
The Rangers-Islanders rivalry would light up a rink, burst through the television screen and earn very good ratings. It is one of those regular-season games that truly feels like a playoff game. Thats what makes any outdoor game better. A hard-hitting, meaningful battle is the cherry on top of all the Yankee Stadium marketing the game will receive.
You might find two other U.S.-based teams with a rivalry close to Islanders-Rangers, but you wont find a better one. And having the game in New York makes the most sense if its Islanders-Rangers, as much sense as a Blackhawks-Red Wings game in Wrigley Field or a Penguins-Flyers game at Penn State.
It is good sense and would help a franchise in need of a little help, a franchise that has a passionate owner who had a passionate-GM-turned-good-television-analyst make very bad trades. Sports are meant to be played, watched and experienced with passion, but administered with cold, calculating thought. The Islanders learned that the hard way.
Cmon, NHL, give the Islanders a break. Give them a reason to believe, some faith, some hope. Everybody will win. Even Oleg Kvasha.
James Mirtle has tallied the official NHL injury reports to determine the number of games lost to injuries this season for each team. It shouldn’t be much a surprise (Sim, Sillinger, Bates, Witt, Satan, Campoli, etc…) that the Islanders are currently in 4th place, right behind the Bruins. The Bruins however are the only possible playoff team near the top of this list.
Rk Teams Games Lost NHL pos. 1 Florida 362 22 2 Chicago 330 24 3 Boston 305 14 4 N.Y. Islanders 302 26 5 Edmonton 291 21
From NewYorkIslanders.com
“I’m extremely happy to have reached an agreement with the Islanders for the 2008-09 season,” said Comrie early Tuesday morning. “I love being an Islander and wanted to stay. The management and the coaches have shown great belief in us as players and I am honored to be a part of this organization. I would like to thank Garth Snow and my representative, Ritch Winter, for making this a deal that both sides are comfortable and happy with. I look forward to the rest of this season and I’m thrilled to be an Islander for at least another season.”
The 27-year old Comrie has played in all 63 games for the Islanders this season and has recorded a team-high 45 points. The native of Edmonton has scored 18 goals (second to Bill Guerin) with a team-leading 27 assists.
I’m at work all day, and will try to update with any significant Islanders news. However for the absolute latest trade deadline news, check out these Blog Box Bloggers who are at the Coliseum all day today. I’d already scheduled vacation days on Thursday and Friday so I can move, I couldn’t bag today as well. Have fun today bloggers!
The 7th Woman
[Update] Here we go…things are heating up. No Islander moves yet, but the Sabres’ Brian Campbell and Lightning’s Brad Richards are on the move. I don’t think Voice of The Islander Fans is at the Coliseum, but they are doing a good job with updates.
Real quick, work to do, just a few good links today I wanted to share. Great Friday afternoon reading materials.
First up, Barry Melrose Rocks gives us the Best Hockey Scenes in Non-Hockey Movies
The criteria are fairly simple. Miracle and Mystery, Alaska are hockey movies. Happy Gilmour is disqualified because, essentially, it’s a movie about a hockey player. Also out is, other than Slap Shot, my favorite hockey movie of all-time: The Van Damme good Sudden Death. (I always wondered how many different “Die Hard in a ____” settings they went through before settling on the Stanley Cup Finals. “Sir, the North American Tiddlywinks Association has rejected our request to film at the Squidger Bowl.” “Dammit, get me the NHL!”)
Next, the New York Times SlapShot Blog takes a look at one of hockey’s greatest traditions…the face-wash!
The face wash is a baiting tactic that has been around since gloves were invented, or, as the Devils television announcer Chico Resch said, “since hands were invented.”
“It’s a pride issue,” said Resch, a former goaltender, who played for the Islanders and the Devils during his 14-year N.H.L. career. “If I keep trying to rub my hands into your face, you’re going to get angry. The face is sort of an untouchable territory.”
But face washing, if done judiciously (or out of sight of a referee), is perfectly legal. The 222-page N.H.L. rule book addresses such gross misconduct as spitting, head-butting and hurling racial slurs, but only the most egregious of face washers risk an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty. So everyone does it.
And finally, in honor of Hockey Day in Canada this weekend, Sean Leahy gives us his Top 10 Don Cherry suits. No words could possibly do this story justice, so I’m borrowing this stunner from Sean’s blog which comes in at #3.
Keep your Pimp-Hand strong Don Cherry. You rule.
Interesting stats over at PuckThatHit.com where they’ve divided up all the goalie’s salaries by the number of saves they’ve made this season. DP comes in #16 at about $2500 a save, a little bit cheaper than Lundqvist ($2600), Brodeur ($2900), and a whole bunch cheaper than ex-Islander Roberto Luongo ($3700).
With only 27 games played and $6 million in salary, Jose Theodore is robbing the Avalanche blind at $6000 a save. With 18 wins and a .930 save percentage, Boston Bruins All-Star Tim Thomas is an absolute steal at a $1 million salary and $600 per save.
Top 3 Goalies
$520 Jason LaBarbera (Kings)
$594 Timothy Jr. Thomas (Bruins)
$635 Dan Ellis (Predators)Bottom 3 Goalies
$4365 Marty Turco (Stars)
$4876 Nikolai Khabibulin (Hawks)
$6000 Jose Theodore (Avalanche)
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