Can Visit To The Mile-High Reboot The Isles?

The question all season for the Islanders is this: Who will be the starting goaltender? The Islanders haven't had a strong goalie season since DiPietro's All-Star year back in 2008. Since then, continuously struggling with injuries, DiPietro has found himself always trying to earn his spot as the number one goaltender. This, however, is no easy task with Islander fans growing restless with his inconsistency. The Islanders acquired Evgeni Nabokov last season and has started for them four games this year so far. He has a  slumping 1-3-0 record with a .911 save percentage and a 2.81 GAA. Nabokov has shown great poise at times but other times has shown great inconsistency in net, giving up weak goals early in the game which forces the Islanders to claw back from behind. Al Montoya has been the most consistent of the Islander goalies, posting a 2-2-0 record so far with a staggering .928 save percentage and a 2.12 GAA. Coach Capuano has been a fan favorite but his biggest issue is his impatience with his goaltenders. He needs to play the hot goalie which is clearly Al Montoya. Being that this young goaltender is trying to make a name for himself in the NHL, Capuano needs to instill a sense of trust and confidence in his young goaltender and ride out the season with his young player.

After a implosion against Washington last game where they fell 6-2, the Islanders are looking to make a statement against the slumping Colorado Avalanche. The Islanders need to take this game, a game that they should win, and use them to propel them in getting points. With Varlamov starting, which has been a great disappointment, the Islanders should catch a huge moral boost. Playing a slumping team is just the thing to boast some confidence in this team. This is also the opportunity for the Islanders to find some secondary scoring, which has been non-existent all season. Tavares can not be the only offense on this team. Okposo needs to find his game, which has been long-awaiting for Islander fans. He needs to prove himself as one of the marquee names of the Islanders. This could be a huge turning point for the Islanders. This could be the boost they need or the step in the same direction as last season.

Jet-Lagged

After a very weak 3-3-3 record after the first nine games, the New York Rangers found a way to win four straight games in front of the Garden Faithful. I went to the game on Sunday, November 6th and I felt a buzz in the crowd the moment I took my seat. Hosting the Winnipeg Jets, whose 5-6-2 record doesn't do justice to their offensive power, the Rangers started the period sloppier than any of their previous three starts. The passing was off, they took two very weak penalties, and they couldn't muster much of an attack on the Jets. Once the horn sounded, echoed with the boos of aggravated Ranger fans, the Rangers ended the period with a pathetic five shots on goal. John Torterella must have torn their heads off during the intermission, because the team came out with grit which was absent the first twenty minutes. After a third aggressive penalty kill, the Jets lost their discipline as well with three straight penalties of their own. Derek Stepan, who's off to a great start, scored on a beautiful pass by Gaborik on a power play which seemed poised and in control. Stepan showed the patience and confidence to slow down the hard pass by Gaborik and scored the goal with relative ease, leaving Winnipeg goalie Pavelec rendered helpless. Although receiving a much needed power play goal, the Rangers failed to score on a very long 5-3, which was due to missing the net on ample shots. Despite an unsuccessful power play, the Rangers played great defense and held Jets to seven shots in the second period. The third period showed me how conditioned the Ranger team really is. They controlled most of the play and ended up with a beautiful two on one where Stepan made a beautiful saucer pass to Gaborik for his sixth goal of the young season. After controlling the play the rest of the game, with Marty Biron making a quiet 23 saves which most were harder than they looked, Gaborik backhanded his seventh in the empty net to solidify a gritty Ranger victory. Winning four straight, the Rangers head to Ottawa where they seek revenge on their third period collapse a few games prior at the Garden. The Rangers seem at ease with their forechecking style of play. Losing their alternate captain and defensive powerhouse Marc Staal doesn't seem like their slowing down defensively. With Ryan Mcdonough and Dan Girardi logging in the minutes and the young Del Zotto showing some offensive power, the Rangers press on forward looking for five straight. It helps having King Henrik in net and a back-up goaltender who gives them a chance to win every night he plays. With all those pieces, the Rangers are starting to look like a team.

Delay Of The Game

The new NHL rules that started up after the lockout have sparked much praise and controversy. One new penalty that has spurred fans and players over the years is the Delay Of Game penalty where a player who shoots the puck over the boards in their defensive zone will be penalized. One can argue this being a good penalty. Tired players who lift the puck over the boards should be subject to consequence, especially if the opposing team has established a balanced level of attack on them. But with all the penalties issued in games and the strict discipline issued by officials, it seems like a very unnecessary approach for discipline to the player. The intent of the player to stop play is the very same intent for icing the puck. One new rule which disciplines a player for icing the puck is the negation of a line change and also a tv timeout. So the argument against the new penalty is simply this: why not discipline a player for shooting the puck into the stands the same way as someone shooting the puck down the ice? When the playoffs come, and there is more on the line with each game, officials become more lenient with obstruction penalties such as hooking, tripping, etc. But when a player lifts the puck over the boards, it's an automatic penalty and a very weak one. There are too many accidental puck lifting for them all to be disciplined with a two minute minor. There are times when the offensive team aren't even in attack mode and a defensive player accidentally lifts the puck over the boards. Why should that player be penalized? I'm not saying there shouldn't be a rational any action taken to such an event. I believe the player's team should not be allowed a line change and immediately have a face-off in their defensive zone, which will give the offensive team a fair chance to regain their attack on a tired team. When it's Game 6 in the playoffs, I don't want to see a weak penalty like this and I believe its one "new rule" that should be changed.

Avery: Plus or Minus

Sean Avery is confirmed to be in the line-up for the New York Rangers tonight, at home against the Montreal Canadiens. Ranger fans have been faithful to the agitator since his arrival to the Big Apple but they must ask themselves; is he an asset or a bust to the team? Sean Avery's biggest asset he brings to his club is getting under the skin of star opponents and keep them off their game. But the officials have kept his crazy antics on a short leash. The penalties he used to draw don't get called and his PIM has increased over the years. Once John Torterella dropped him to the waiver wire to start the season, fans had a strong feeling this could be the end of Sean Avery's time as a Broadway Blue. So when the Garden Faithful started chanting Avery's name during their losing skid to start the season and losing Mike Rupp to a knee injury which could require anthroscopic surgery, it was inevitable to see Avery get called up to fill in his 4th line spot. But is it worth it? The New York Rangers have solidified a deep young talent with their youth players which makes you wonder why they would call up a washed up Avery rather than any of those talented young players in their system. Avery has lost his edge, his grit and his weapon of antagonizing. Without these characteristics, Avery is a sub-par player. He does have speed, a good set of hands and strength, but doesn't have the skill to become an everyday player. Avery has 42 goals and 78 assists in 249 games as a Ranger with a majority of those points coming in his first two seasons. Sean needs to use his speed and hands to create scoring for the 4th line or else maybe even his hockey career will be over. Only he can decide his fate.