Now that’s more like it. As has been the case many times over the years, the Islanders rose to the challenge and beat the Rangers on the road last night, ending the Rangers’ four-game winning streak and possibly putting an end to their own slump.
Jeff Tambellini, the young forward who has bounced between Bridgeport and Long Island the last two seasons, sealed the victory for the Islanders when he beat Henrik Lundqvist in a shoot-out. The Isles also got goas from Bergenheim, Hunter, and Comeau.
Wade Doobie was one of the big stories of the game, stepping in for an absent Rick DiPietro and beating the Rangers for the second time in two career starts. He shut out the Rangers in the last week of the season when DP was hurt last year. Doobie may be in net again tomorrow night when the Isles face the Rangers at the Coliseum as DP may still me on leave to be with his family.
The win, coupled with a Flyers loss, moves the Isles within three points of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with 14 games to go.
Seems like this is an item we post every year now. The Isles have called up hotshot sniper Jeff Tambellini from the Sound Tigers to help jumpstart what has become a moribund offense. Tambellini was tearing it up in Bridgeport, registering 21 points in 20 games. For his NHL career, Tambellini has 3 goals and 10 assists in 51 games.
The Isles haven’t scored more than two goals in 12 straight games and have tallied just 56 times in 24 games, an average of 2.3 goals per game. The 56 goals are the fewest in the league, as is the 2.3 per game average.
“Right now I need to step in and show that I can play and really assert myself in this league and with this team,” Tambellini told Newsday.
Bringing up Tambellini is a nice idea. Coach Ted Nolan may also need to shuffle the lines a bit and GM Garth Snow may need to start scouring the market. This offense needs more than just a temporary spark.
On another note, nice job by the Jets and Giants yesterday. Not often both those squads win on the same day. So glad the Jets showed up against the Fish.
Just posted to NewYorkIslanders.com is the team’s 2007-08 Opening Day lineup. Noticeably absent is training camp invitee Bryan Berard who looked really good during the pre-season. There are two hurdles to Berard joining the Isles - 1) someone has to be bumped off the roster to make room for Berard, and 2) the Isles and Berard need to work out a contract. The bigger problem is hurdle #1 because Gervais and Campoli (the most likely candidates to get bumped) would have to clear NHL waivers before the Isles could assign them to Bridgeport. The Isles have plenty of cap space, so hurdle #2 isn’t that big of a deal. Hopefully the team is trying to figure out a solution to hurdle #1, while they work with Berard on a contract.
Also of note is Jeff Tambellini headed to Bridgeport again.
GOALTENDERS (2)
34 Wade Dubielewicz
39 Rick DiPietro
DEFENSEMEN (8)
2 Aaron Johnson
8 Bruno Gervais
14 Chris Campoli
24 Radek Martinek
25 Andy Sutton
32 Brendan Witt
44 Freddy Meyer
47 Marc-Andre Bergeron
FORWARDS (13)
7 Trent Hunter
10 Richard Park
11 Andy Hilbert
12 Chris Simon (eligible to return Oct. 13)
13 Bill Guerin
16 Jon Sim
18 Mike Sillinger
20 Sean Bergenheim
26 Ruslan Fedotenko
27 Darryl Bootland
63 Josef Vasicek
81 Miroslav Satan
89 Mike Comrie
17 Shawn Bates (injured)
[Update] Islanders beat writer Greg Logan from Newsday provides this update on his blog. According to Logan, Gervais can be sent down without having to clear waivers.
Free agent defenseman Bryan Berard remains unsigned, but that might change later today. It’s possible GM Garth Snow might be trying to trade Meyer to make room for the possible signing of Berard. It’s also still possible Gervais could be sent down to Bridgeport. Among the forwards, Jeff Tambellini was sent back to Bridgeport after failing to make the second scoring line.
After the July 1st Hempstead Turnpike traffic jam of Islanders leaving town, GM Garth Snow had his work cut out for him to fill in the holes in the Isles’ lineup. This was done via a combination of free agent signings and re-evaluating the talent the Islanders had in the minors at Bridgeport. If you thought Coach Ted Nolan’s job was tough last year, wait until you see this year with a large percentage of the lineup having little experience playing together. If there are two things we learned last year they are, 1) DP needs to stay in the $%@@! net and avoid collisions in March, and 2) Coach Nolan excels at getting the most out of his players.
Here’s a look at some training camp articles from NY Islander beat writer Greg Logan:
Arguably the Islanders’ biggest off-season signing, new first line center Mike Comrie.
The Islanders’ new No. 1 center made his first appearance in a training camp scrimmage today, and he couldn’t have been more impressive. Mike Comrie showed off his quick hands by scoring a hat trick to lead Team Gillies to a 4-2 victory over Team Bossy in regulation time before a shootout narrowed the final margin to 4-3.
The one thing I’m really impressed with is his leadership. Even in practice [on Friday when Comrie’s team didn’t scrimmage], he was taking control, asking questions and skating. He doesn’t go through the motions and wait until the season starts. We talked about it before coming here, and he wanted to be the go-to guy. He wanted to be the man. Early indications are that he’s demonstrating it with his actions.”
Young speedster Jeff Tambellini
Jeff Tambellini’s reward for a terrific training camp performance last season was an opening night start with the Islanders and then a one-way trip to Bridgeport because of a two-way contract that permits him to be sent to the minors without clearing waivers. But this season, Tambellini said yesterday, “is a different mind-set.”
Said Tambellini: “This is the year I can step up and show these guys I can play full-time in the league and be an impact guy.”
Last year, Tambellini was one of the spare forwards trying to make an impression. This camp, he’s playing left wing on the second line with center Josef Vasicek and right wing Miro Satan. Matched against the top line of Mike Comrie, Bill Guerin and Ruslan Fedotenko in yesterday’s scrimmage, the second line produced three goals, two by Tambellini and one by Satan, in a 4-3 win in regulation time.
Radek Martinek, an up and coming defender who’s season was cut short by an injury last year.
Martinek’s season ended Feb. 3 in Montreal when a bad landing after a collision left him with a fractured left leg. The Islanders missed him dearly, especially in their playoff loss to Buffalo. Teamed with free-agent signee Aaron Johnson, Martinek was a steadying presence for an Islanders team in a defensive mode against a veteran Canadiens lineup.
“Martinek looked really good, and Johnson continues to impress,” Islanders coach Ted Nolan said. “Marty was a big loss last season. He was in our top pairing with Brendan Witt, and losing him was a big blow. Watching him here tonight, I thought time’s a great healer.”
6 foot 6 inch defensive monster free agent Andy Sutton.
Early in the first period, Sutton dropped Kyle Chipchura with a crushing blast against the boards, and midway through the third period he smeared Duncan Milroy into the glass. After the game, coach Ted Nolan praised Sutton and Brendan Witt for their “nasty” play in front of the net, saying, “If anybody wants to come in that territory, they’ll have to pay the price to get in there. That’s what we got them for.”
Witt became a mainstay last season, but signing Sutton to a three-year, $9-million deal in the offseason was vital for the Islanders after losing Tom Poti and Sean Hill, who provided major minutes and experience on the blue line. The courtship of Sutton was prolonged, but the Isles finally got their man five weeks after the free-agent market opened.
“We had plenty of offers,” Sutton said of the signing process. “I was really holding out to get things right with the Islanders . . . This is a team on the up-and-up and making a lot of changes for the good. I really liked where the organization was going. It was a no-brainer for me.”
And finally, a young Islander who ended up playing in Finland last year due to a contract dispute, Sean Bergenheim returns to the Islanders this year.
Given his high-energy aggression, Bergenheim should fit the mold of a Nolan player. “I know I can play much better than I’ve played so far,” Bergenheim said before turning in an energized effort in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Canadiens Saturday in Montreal. “It’s a little bit of an adjustment for me to get back to the North American style. My style actually suits playing here.
“I don’t consider myself only being a checking line guy. Skating is my strong point, but I also want to be a smart player, not just a guy who runs around. I want to do some damage, scoring goals and playing a smart, two-way game.”
For now, Bergenheim is trying to make the adjustment to the smaller rinks and quicker reaction time required in the NHL, as well as to Nolan’s system. If he has to pay his dues a little longer to win a larger role, Bergenheim is prepared to do it.
“It’s up to the coach, and for me, I accept everything I get,” Bergenheim said. “Whatever Teddy wants me to do, I will do. But certainly, I believe that if I play well, I can earn a higher spot on the team. It’s all up to me.”
My goodness, there is so much stuff to go through and share with you today. Keep checking back often!
- First off, let’s catch up on the Islanders. Jeff Tambellini was recalled from Bridgeport last Thursday, right before I left to go snowboarding, and before the Isles/Thrashers game. The Isles won in an impressive 5-2 fashion, with Tambellini racking up 3 assists. Dunham was in net to give DP the night off and played well for his 4th win of the season (4-5-3 record)
If coach Ted Nolan’s decision to put Islanders captain Alexei Yashin in the convalescent ward for his knee tendinitis and call up rookie Jeff Tambellini was intended as a wake-up call, it paid off big-time last night at Philips Arena. Tambellini’s energy helped generate three goals by linemates Viktor Kozlov and Miroslav Satan, and Mike Dunham came up big in goal against his former Thrasher teammates as the Islanders pulled out a 5-2 win.
- After the game, the Vets had plenty to say about Tambellini’s effort while stressing the fact that it was “just one game”.
Clearly, the energy and excitement Tambellini created with three assists in the Islanders’ 5-2 victory Thursday night in Atlanta is contagious. When captain Alexei Yashin was put on the injured list to recover from knee tendinitis, Randy Robitaille moved from Kozlov’s line to take Yashin’s place between Jason Blake and Chris Simon, and Tambellini was called up from Bridgeport to play left wing with Kozlov and Satan.
The anxious rookie drew a holding penalty 48 seconds into the game, but from there on out, he put the pedal to the metal, and Kozlov and Satan jumped to keep up. Kozlov had the opening goal, the closing empty-netter and an assist on Trent Hunter’s power-play goal, and Satan had a goal and two assists.
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Jeff Tambellini has been called up from Bridgeport for today’s game. Hells Yeah I say, let’s see what he can do and how he plays. This club needs a shot in the arm. I’m not saying he’s a sure thing, but I applaud the move and the timing.
The New York Islanders have recalled forward Jeff Tambellini from the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League. Tambellini is the Sound Tigers leading scorer this season with 22 goals and 22 assists for 44 points along with a 12 plus/minus rating – all team bests.
Acquired at the trade deadline last year, the former first-round draft pick made the Islanders out of training camp and appeared in the team’s first game of the season before eventually being sent to Bridgeport.
Newsday’s Greg Logan has the update on various Islanders injury situations. DP’s back tonight, Yash is on schedule to return next weekend, and we MIGHT get to see Jeff Tambellini with the big club soon.
The Islanders have gone 2-3 since Yashin suffered a sprained right knee, and his prolific linemate Jason Blake just got his first goal in that span in Tuesday night’s 4-2 loss to Ottawa. But after home games against Montreal tonight and Florida on Saturday night, they have a five-day break to recover before playing a back-to-back set at Pittsburgh on Dec. 15 and home the next night against Atlanta.
Yashin is expected to play in at least one of those games, according to the club’s current plan. It’s unlikely he would attempt both ends of a back-to-back, especially when the Isles play just one game against the Rangers in the next five days after that weekend set. That would allow Yashin gradually to regain strength for two sets of back-to-backs that bracket the Christmas break.
In the short term, the Islanders sent backup goaltender Wade Dubielewicz and forward Jeremy Colliton back to their AHL affiliate for a game last night in Bridgeport.
No.1 goaltender Rick DiPietro, who was rested against the Senators, will be available tonight, and the Isles will call up another minor-league forward. Jeff Tambellini, who played in the opener and leads the Sound Tigers with 11 goals and 22 points, seems to be the leading candidate, but nothing is official.
“Bossy back, to score sales” reports Newsday.com today. Newsday also reports the Islanders are about 3,000 tickets short of a sellout tonight, and Jeff Tambellini has been assigned to Bridgeport. I’m pretty confident the Colieseum will be sold out tonight after walk-up ticket sales.
Tommy called me about an hour ago. His love/hate relationship with Jacksonville continues to grow. He’s stuck at the airport with a delayed flight. Here’s hoping he makes it home in time for the opener tonight.
How does it feel to be back? “It’s nice, it’s nice. I have been away for a long time,” said Bossy, who was hired by owner Charles Wang to work with the corporate sales team on a mission to reconnect with the Islanders’ dwindling fan base.
Wang previously hired Bossy’s linemate, Bryan Trottier, as director of player development, mending a relationship with the franchise’s great players that had grown strained over the years. “I appreciate that Charles wants to build a relationship with myself and has started to do so with Bryan,” Bossy said. “We played for a long time here. My heart and passion was with the New York Islanders, and I’m really glad to be back.”
Bossy counseled patience with those moves. Regarding DiPietro’s deal, he drew two conclusions: “One, wait awhile before you judge the usefulness or the uselessness of that signing. Rick is still very young, and he still has a lot of maturing to do as a goaltender. Hopefully, he’ll live up to the potential. Two, is that, if Charles likes you, he likes you for a long time, man.”
Firing Smith, who won a Cup with the Rangers, in such short order caught the NHL by surprise, but it’s Wang’s puck. “I can only speak for myself,” Bossy said, “but Charles hired me, I know what’s expected and I know the way that Charles wants to operate. If you sign a contract with someone, you do what the person is paying you wants you to do.”
Bossy, who is brimming over with enthusiasm and opinions, admitted it would be tempting to be involved in hockey decisions, but he’s happy with the sales role outlined by Wang and senior vice president Mike Milbury. “I have told myself I’m going to mind my own business and stay out of it unless someone comes up and asks my opinion,” Bossy said. “If they do, I will be more than willing to get involved. But that’s not my role here.”
Since retiring as the Islanders’ all-time leader with 573 goals, Bossy has made his home in Montreal. But he quit a sales job there and plans to spend at least half of each year on Long Island because he doesn’t want to be just a token presence.
“I didn’t take this just for people to think that Charles is bringing someone back and I’m going to be a bobblehead in the stands,” Bossy said. “I want to get involved. I want to help the Islanders get back to the level, not only of hockey play, but on the business side, too, as we were back then.”
As reported on NYPost.com, the Isles trimmed their official roster down to 28 players, sending first round draft picks Robert Nilsson and Petteri Nokelainen down to Bridgeport to start the season. Jeff Tambellini who had an excellent camp (and 2 assists last night vs the Rangers) remains with the NHL club.
The Islanders pared the roster to 28 players yesterday, keeping 17 forwards and nine defensemen (plus two goalies) for a longer look before final cuts.
…while first-round picks Robert Nilsson and Petteri Nokelainen were dispatched to the minor league portion of camp in Bridgeport.
“We all feel he’s going to be a great player,” Isle head coach Ted Nolan said of Nilsson last night. “But he still has parts of the game he has to learn.”
Among the areas Nolan wants Nilsson improve in are driving to the net, finishing checks and playing with more grit.
