GDT: #7| New York Islanders @ New York Rangers | October 19th | 7:00 PM| F/W-SO 4-3

[Eki]

Win or lose this place is miserable and constantly pessimistic.

Most people are just being realistic, unfortunately... Even though there are some overreactions about yesterday's game in this thread.

 

[Bones45]

I guess. Perhaps it is time for some of us to stop watching.

"Oh comon Trap, you gotta stay around to see how it ends!"
"Oh, but it doesn't end, it's continuous!"

Using a line from MASH, but it applies to the Isles as well.

 

[kmo429]

Honestly, last night was one of the least satisfying wins against the Rangers in a long time. So, you get a shooutout win against a strugglign team and you were bailed out by Halak who stood on his damn head and a couple posts.

All the good will Dougie and the quad built up in the first 2 periods when the team actually looked strong was thrown away in the 3rd. Doug Weight essentially benches Pulock and Ho-Sang in the 3rd period, that's nice.

I just cannot understand it after all of these years... How have the Isles been INCAPABLE over the last several years defending against a desperate team that is pushing in the 3rd when holding a lead..?

All of a sudden, you have a lead, the period switches from 2 to 3, and the opposing team (logically) starts playing a more desperate and intense brand of hockey, and the Isles have no counter. They are perfectly content "floating" around the defensive zone, trying to block shots and failign to recover the puck. Even when they do recover the puck, they are so tentative and slow to make decisions that they can't even get it out of the zone without turning the puck over. If they do manage to get it out, they get to the red line, dump, and change, and apply no forecheck.

This has been the reality for seemingly YEARS now and what happens? Just about exactly what happens every time an NFL team runs the prevent defense. You give them 75% of the field with the hope you'll stop them in the red zone. It's seemingly the hockey equivalent withe very 3rd period lead the Isles have and more often than not, it doesn't work!

How about play the same f***ing way that led you to get a 3-1 lead in the first place?!

Happy we got the 2 points. No reason we needed to forfeit a ROW and let the Rangers get a point though.

Sidenote: Tavares's sturggles are clearlya ll mental. 2 or 3 times last nigth JT had himself what good have been a very good scoring chance and he just held on to the puck just long enough that the defender could get his stick on the puck to thwart what would have been a dangerous shot from below the top of the circles. He needs to stop thinking so much. If you're not gonna shoot until the perfect moment (often too late) then set someone else to shoot.

And WTF is Ho-Sang not doing out there during OT? Say what you want about turnovers, he is magical in the 3-on-3 set up.

Happy with the way Barzal and Pulock played. Pulock was more than serviceable in all zones in his limited TOI 5 on 5 last night. Let's get Beau back in there. If you're gonna bench Ho-Sang fopr some idiotic reason, then just do it and get Beau back in there. This team wants to put it's best product on the ice every night? We need Beau in for Chimera but that seems about the most unlikely thing in the world at this point. Only thing Chimmer is useful for is making no-touch icing's much closer.

 

[kmo429]

Also, to all those looking at JT's play and thinking he wants out, I assure you nothing has changed. Even if he does want out, it was that way 3 weeks ago if this is the case. Don't you think if he really wanted out he'd be having a tremendous season knowing that the better he does the more money he gets? The more options he will have? I think he is frustrated. He has a ton of pride and he is trying to do too much by himself with the puck on his stick. He hardly played in the preseason, so let's re-evaluate his game after he hits the 10 games mark.

 

[WagnerGrad96]

Isles are on MSG 2, at least on Fios

Yeah. I have FIOS. Sometimes they will be scheduled for MSG +2 (which is not in HD) but still end up on MSG2 (which is).

Problem for me was that I had to go out last night and wanted to record it. I certainly did NOT want to see it in SD. So I waited for the last possible minute, saw it was going to be on MSG2 and got it

 

[Veteran journeyman]

Honestly, last night was one of the least satisfying wins against the Rangers in a long time. So, you get a shooutout win against a strugglign team and you were bailed out by Halak who stood on his damn head and a couple posts.

All the good will Dougie and the quad built up in the first 2 periods when the team actually looked strong was thrown away in the 3rd. Doug Weight essentially benches Pulock and Ho-Sang in the 3rd period, that's nice.

I just cannot understand it after all of these years... How have the Isles been INCAPABLE over the last several years defending against a desperate team that is pushing in the 3rd when holding a lead..?

All of a sudden, you have a lead, the period switches from 2 to 3, and the opposing team (logically) starts playing a more desperate and intense brand of hockey, and the Isles have no counter. They are perfectly content "floating" around the defensive zone, trying to block shots and failign to recover the puck. Even when they do recover the puck, they are so tentative and slow to make decisions that they can't even get it out of the zone without turning the puck over. If they do manage to get it out, they get to the red line, dump, and change, and apply no forecheck.

This has been the reality for seemingly YEARS now and what happens? Just about exactly what happens every time an NFL team runs the prevent defense. You give them 75% of the field with the hope you'll stop them in the red zone. It's seemingly the hockey equivalent withe very 3rd period lead the Isles have and more often than not, it doesn't work!

How about play the same ****ing way that led you to get a 3-1 lead in the first place?!

Happy we got the 2 points. No reason we needed to forfeit a ROW and let the Rangers get a point though.

Sidenote: Tavares's sturggles are clearlya ll mental. 2 or 3 times last nigth JT had himself what good have been a very good scoring chance and he just held on to the puck just long enough that the defender could get his stick on the puck to thwart what would have been a dangerous shot from below the top of the circles. He needs to stop thinking so much. If you're not gonna shoot until the perfect moment (often too late) then set someone else to shoot.

And WTF is Ho-Sang not doing out there during OT? Say what you want about turnovers, he is magical in the 3-on-3 set up.

Happy with the way Barzal and Pulock played. Pulock was more than serviceable in all zones in his limited TOI 5 on 5 last night. Let's get Beau back in there. If you're gonna bench Ho-Sang fopr some idiotic reason, then just do it and get Beau back in there. This team wants to put it's best product on the ice every night? We need Beau in for Chimera but that seems about the most unlikely thing in the world at this point. Only thing Chimmer is useful for is making no-touch icing's much closer.

I don't know...there are some vets on the team that you know are going to have much better games and better stretches during the season when they get on hot streaks. Guys like Tavares, Leddy, and Boychuk all looked pretty pedestrian last night, but we know there will be times where they're going to look a heck of a lot better and even shoulder almost all the load in some games.

The positive sign for me is that some of the secondary guys are stepping up. They got the job done, messy as it was, on a night where maybe all of the primary guys except for Lee and Halak didn't seem to have their best games. Nelson and Cizikas lead the team in points right now. We know that's not going to be the case a month from now, but it's good to see those guys filling the void when Tavares isn't doing it all himself. That's something that's been missing in previous years.

I think when it's all down to those secondary guys, the wins are definitely going to be sloppier than when your star forwards and D are playing lights out.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

Most people are just being realistic, unfortunately... Even though there are some overreactions about yesterday's game in this thread.

I think its the opposite. People have unrealistic expectations. This is an average team. It will look good at times and bad at times. Such is life for most teams in the new NHL. Parity.

If the Isles are to be better than average, it's critical that some of the kids significantly contribute. Like Barzal did last night. That's encouraging. Not only that but we beat the Rangers. On the road. JT won it in a shootout. I thought it was an entertaining game. Yes the 3rd period was bad and sure I'm disheartened that this is what we have after an excruciating long rebuild. But that's where we are. Very, very few teams in the NHL can play the exciting, complete game some fans here are demanding.

Guess what I'm saying is that if you can't enjoy the small successes, warts and all, it will be a very unpleasant season. And since this is supposed to be entertainment, a temporary diversion from real life, then what's the point?

 

[Strummergas]

Win or lose this place is miserable and constantly pessimistic.

Why exactly should anyone be happy about last night? If the 3rd period was an anomaly, we could all exhale and laugh off a close one. But we've seen this shit time and time again with this team.

And you're right that this is an average team. But maybe the negativity has to do with the fact that while this particular team might be average, the franchise itself has been below average to poor for far too long.

 

[DarkHorse2]

I ended up watching the Rags broadcast last night (didn't think to look for ours) and the Shattenkirk fan ads they are airing are some of the most embarrassing promos I've ever seen.

 

[MikeyMike01]

John Tavares does not sound like he's happy after listening to that post game interview

He’s playing so badly it could end up costing him millions of dollars. Would you be happy?

 

[Doshell Propivo]

And you're right that this is an average team. But maybe the negativity has to do with the fact that while this particular team might be average, the franchise itself has been below average to poor for far too long.

No doubt. But for me anyway, those are separate issues. I can be unhappy about how the team has been managed, have high standards, yet still be entertained by the games. And enjoy the wins.

 

[NewYorkIsles]

He’s playing so badly it could end up costing him millions of dollars. Would you be happy?

I am sure that is what he is thinking....

 

[Strummergas]

No doubt. But for me anyway, those are separate issues. I can be unhappy about how the team has been managed, have high standards, yet still be entertained by the games. And enjoy the wins.

It's tough for me to separate the two at this moment in time.

 

[PJGooch]

Stan Fischler is sort of a dotard, but I wouldn't have expected Tavares to talk to him that way. It's unnerving, given the contract situation. An unhappy Tavares is not good for this franchise.

Can anyone elaborate on this? What did he say?

 

[Strummergas]

Can anyone elaborate on this? What did he say?

I saw the interview. There's nothing to talk about. It's more HF "reading between the lines" stuff. I expect a full analysis of JT's comments from majormet and a projection as to how the rest of the season will play out any minute now.

 

[Rehabguy]

So excited about the team this year. Their system still needs polishing but it's just the beginning of the year. Really liking the make-up of this team. The rookies are performing the way I would expect them to so early in their careers. Other than a couple of individual mistakes, they played a pretty sound game yesterday against a team that likes to run and gun. JT needs to be reunited with Bailey and Lee. Eberle's game seems to be suited more for players who possess speed- either Barzal or Hosang. He's a mismatch with Tavares who needs to slow the game down to be effective. JT's struggling because of this. Weight reunited that line late into the game yesterday and the way they played was night and day. Eberle will add more depth to a second line that eventually should be centered by Barzal IMO. Great team. Good job Snow and Co! Give the man a raise!

 

[kmo429]

I think Bailey back up with JT might lead to a spark. In addition, think Ladd-Barzal-Berle could be an awesome second line.

With that, I am definitely aligned with keeping Jt with Ebs. Give them 10-15 games to learn the chemistry and see what they can do.

 

[PK Cronin]

I think Bailey back up with JT might lead to a spark. In addition, think Ladd-Barzal-Berle could be an awesome second line.

With that, I am definitely aligned with keeping Jt with Ebs. Give them 10-15 games to learn the chemistry and see what they can do.

I've seen enough. Bailey needs to go back there, because as I predicted, this "real #1 line" is actually hurting the production throughout the lineup. Eberle wants to have the puck and moves quicker than Lee and Tavares, he's also not playing a slow and deliberate style. He should be with a quicker playmaking center, like Barzal, so they can take advantage of the transition game. Bailey goes to his spots, plays deliberately, and gets the puck to Tavares and Lee where they can do damage. It's essentially, get to where you need to and then get out of the way. People hate that for some reason, but that's the style that compliments Tavares and Lee.

Every single time Bailey has taken a shift with Lee and Tavares the line instantly looks dangerous. It's not because Bailey is better than Eberle, just that he compliments the other two better.

 

[BelovedIsles]

How come Lee wasn't benched for his lazy play in his own zone, which the Rangers capitalized on making in 3-2? Weight is quickly turning into Fred #2 with his ridiculous line-up and the sitting of AB.

Very good point. Sends a confusing message.

 

[PK Cronin]

Very good point. Sends a confusing message.

It wasn't a lazy play, it was a bad play. After he coughed it up, he actually got back to break up the play, but unfortunately hit it right to another Ranger (I think that goal was the one he was responsible for). He also doesn't have the tendency of doing that like Ho-Sang does. Still, that doesn't justify the benching.

 

[gadiamon72]

If you think about it, they have 2 rookie forwards, one sophomore forward, and 2 rookie defensemen. That's an inexperienced team and the vets are adjusting to it.. The coaching staff also has to figure out how to configure this team for consistency. These first 10-15 games are a learning period for everyone here. All of this and they're playing .500 hockey. IMHO, it will get better from here. The talent is there. If things don't start to improve come November, then I'll start to worry.

 

[macleod50]

Honestly, last night was one of the least satisfying wins against the Rangers in a long time.

This is what's wrong with this board. Who gives a shit how they win? They beat the Rangers. They got the two points. Winning ugly, is still winning.

 

[GrandmaSlices51631]

I said last year that JT had one foot out the door already and got blasted on here.

His body language on and off the ice, facial expressions and post games were all ominous. Seems that is becoming closer to a majority opinion now.

Somehow reality is confused with negativity around here. He very well may stay, but the likelihood of him bolting July 1st are very high, if you can’t see that now, I feel for you.

 

[Lame Lambert]

This is what's wrong with this board. Who gives a **** how they win? They beat the Rangers. They got the two points. Winning ugly, is still winning.

Because you can't win the Stanley Cup by being bad and getting lucky.

 

[Strait2thecup]

I think we know we still have a coaching problem when fans have been saying to put pulock in since the third game to help on the PP. Took until game 7 and what do you know??