A few thoughts after the Isles/Rangers home-and-home series this week...
Sean Bergenheim has to be considered one of the most improved Islanders forwards this year. Granted he has only scored nine goals, but it's how he has picked up his scoring that has Isles fans excited for more.
In the last 20 games, he has six goals and four assists and has shown the ability to score off the rush and in high-traffic areas. Next year, a 20-goal season would not be unfair to expect from him.
Islanders defenseman Brendan Witt continues to amaze with his pain tolerance. Most MCL knee sprains take a minimum of four weeks to completely heal, yet Witt came back in a little under three weeks to try and help his team out.
Already depleted on defense with injuries to Andy Sutton, Bruno Gervais and Chris Campoli, he knew the importance of being in the lineup for these two games. He almost made it out relatively unscathed until late in Thursday's game when he collided knees with teammate Bill Guerin. Witt gutted it back on the ice for one more shift, but I'd be surprised if he didn't really aggravate it this time.
Islanders coach Ted Nolan's decision to start Wade Dubielewicz on Thursday night ended up being a relative non-factor in the game. True, people will talk about the implications and the "what-ifs" concerning Rick DiPietro not playing, but the reality is the Islanders team defense was lacking in the first and third periods (while the Rangers forwards were excellent, too) and that was the difference in the game.
Say what you want about Sean Avery and his constant yapping, the guy did his job to just about perfection on Thursday night. He scored two goals, constantly agitated the Isles, offered plenty of body contact and was the center of attention every time he was on the ice.
I would be surprised if the Rangers don't resign him this offseason, but then again, you know there will be some crazy GM who offers him more money than he really deserves. If that happens, we'll find out how much he loves being in NY.
As of today, they sit in ninth place in the traffic jam that is also known as the NHL's Eastern Conference. A stretch of five good or bad games in the next two weeks will determine whether teams - including the Isles - will look to be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline February 26.
The last three games have not been too pretty for Islanders fans to watch and here are five things the team can do to make sure they are on the inside of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
1) Get Healthy Quick
Although it's tough to control the flu bug that has started to make its way around the team the last few days, this is when health can make or break a team. If guys are struggling health-wise, it might be time for emergency call-ups from Bridgeport for a game or two.
2) Play Islanders Style Of Hockey
Numerous soft plays have been made the last few games. I liked a lot of the effort against Ottawa, but games in Boston and home against Los Angeles had way too many "passengers" (to borrow an Al Arbour phrase).
Islanders hockey means getting the puck out of the D-zone quickly, getting it deep into the offensive zone, and then forechecking/cycling the puck with authority. When the Isles try to make the pretty plays, that's when they usually find themselves in trouble.
3) Create More Power-Play Opportunities
Skate hard, challenge the opposition and force them to defend.
Most penalties happen when a player is on the defensive side of the puck having to contain a player. In the last three games, the Islanders have had six power-play chances compared to 12 for their opponents.
4) When You Get Those Power-Plays...
The Islanders must move the puck quicker to open up options for each other. The Isles have been guilty of over-handling the puck on the PP, which allows the penalty killers to get settled.
5) If All Else Fails, Shake Things Up
AHL All-Star Jeff Tambellini (53 points) and center Frans Nielson (36 pts) have been putting up good numbers at Bridgeport lately. Sometimes giving young legs an opportunity for a few games is the best thing for a team.
Like a fine wine, Brendan Witt is a better and more complete player now – at 32 – than he was at 25 when he was with the Washington Capitals. With the Caps, Witt seemingly always looked for the big hit and sometimes took himself out of position defensively. Now the veteran d-man patiently waits for the play to come to him while still managing to make some ferocious hits and be in position to continue to play good defense.
But the best part of Brendan’s game is his ability to play through anything. His pain tolerance is off the charts and his teammates at times are in awe of his fortitude. For as tough and mean a guy he is on the ice, Brendan is as nice and kind off the ice. I watched him for many years when he was on the Capitals, but I have never been more impressed with his game than I am now as an Islander.
I know it’s a cliché, but, the team’s top guys need to play like top guys more often for the Islanders. Fair or not, the more money a player makes the more scrutiny they will come under. The Islanders must get more offensive contributions from Miroslav Satan, Bill Guerin, Mike Comrie and Ruslan Fedotenko if they want to make a good run towards the playoffs. Satan’s 49 point pace would be his lowest since the 1997-98 season in Buffalo (his fourth in the NHL).
Guerin has scored 25+ goals eight times in his career, but is on schedule for 23 right now and they were counting on at least 30 from him. Comrie is actually trending towards a career-high 66 points, but the Isles really need 70-80 from a first line center. And while Fedotenko looks to meet his career average of 18 goals this season, they also were counting on him to light the lamp a bit more than that.
I know it’s cliché II, but parenthood is truly the best thing to happen to me and my wife. For all of you who have offered your congratulations on the birth of our daughter Julia I just want to say thank you. We appreciate all of your kind words. She has already been watching lots of hockey and I am thinking 2026 Winter Olympics for women’s hockey. Hopefully she is a much better skater than I was.
I love being down low as I get to be a part of the action and feel the crowd more. However, for the second time this season, I was disappointed how fans disrespected the playing of the National Anthem by yelling throughout the song.
There is absolutely no place for this behavior.
Both Islanders and Rangers fans were guilty of this. I don’t care how much you hate the other team, the National Anthem takes two minutes and should be respected. Silence, singing or cheering (if you ever attended a Blackhawks game at the old stadium, you’ll know how incredible that can be) are all acceptable options.
Trust me, I know how much the fans can’t stand each other, but show some class and honor the United States the way it should be treated. You can hate each other again once the singing is done.
The recent play of goalie Rick DiPietro has many fans in New York and around the NHL believing that the netminder is having his “statement” season.
True, last year Rick made his mark as a bona-fide NHL starting goalie as he finished with a career-high 32 wins (his second consecutive 30-plus win season), while also bringing his goals against average down almost a full half point from the previous year.
But, it’s the way DiPietro is winning and the manner in which he prepares and handles himself now that is making believers out of many.
This offseason, DiPietro decided to get lighter and dropped 10-to-12 lbs. Not that he was heavy or out of shape before, he just felt the less weight he carried, the better it would be on his body as the season progressed.
It is clear that he is even quicker than before on his recovery saves, and his hips and groin appreciate less pressure as well.
In addition, he wants to play 70-plus games for the first time in his career. Even though he doesn’t wear a letter on his jersey, DiPietro is unquestionably one of the team’s captains and he recognizes the importance of being in the nets as much as possible. This is his team and this is his time to shine.
Lastly, the manner in which he is carrying himself now is also maturer. To me, that might really be the key to his success this season. He has become a very confident and secure 26-year old athlete that is doing everything with a purpose.
As of today, the Isles rank second in the NHL at 27.8% efficiency. And while both of Berard's two goals have come on the man advantage, it's not his scoring that they could miss most.
What I have really liked about his play on the power play has been his ability to "punch shot" the puck to the net from the point. He rarely gets his shots blocked, and this allows the Isles forwards to crash the net and handle the puck down low.
They can then create odd-man matchups and force the opposing penalty killers to focus their attention on the forwards. That also gives the defensemen more freedom to shoot when they do get the puck back.
Two players that could help offset the loss of Berard on the power play are Chris Campoli, who has been nothing short of fantastic so far this season - the team's most pleasant surprise - and Marc-Andre Bergeron.
If Bergeron gets back to moving his feet and not just relying on his bazooka of a shot, he could find himself right back in the lineup playing an important role.
In the three games prior to Berard playing for the Isles, Andy Sutton was a -3. After teaming up with Berard, Sutton is a +1 in the five games since Ted Nolan put the defensive duo together.
While that can't all be attributed to Berard's partnership -- Sutton had to get used to a new system after four-plus years in Atlanta -- a lot of it can be. Sutton seemed to be in better position and was focusing more on his own end while allowing Berard to be the puck handler/outlet passer.
Now that he will have a new partner (either Aaron Johnson or Bergeron), Sutton will have to find that comfort zone again quickly so that his play remains what the Isles need it to be -- a solid, physical front of the net d-man that opponents don't like going up against.
Here a few observations I have as the Islanders get set to finish their second full week of the season:
1)Rick DiPietro is ready to take another huge step toward becoming one of the NHL's elite goalies.
While I have always been impressed by Rick's work ethic and training regiment both on and off the ice, it is his mental approach to the game that has me believing he will achieve his goals. His focus and maturity are noticeable this season, and injury notwithstanding, he could play 70-plus games for the Isles this year.
I just like the way he is handling himself, communicating with his teammates and allowing the play to "come to him" more so far in this campaign.
2)Billy Guerin was an excellent choice for team captain.
Since Day One at training camp in Moncton, this has been one of the better locker rooms I have been around at the NHL level. A lot of the reason has been the presence of Guerin and his attitude that no one player is more important to the team than another. He also has meshed beautifully with assistant captains Mike Sillinger and Brendan Witt.
I know that all coaches and players feel comfortable talking with him and that role of conduit is a major responsibility of a captain.
He is also "Sick and tired of hearing about the Rangers hangover" issue that has plagued the Isles for so long. He told me, "It's an excuse and I never want to hear it again. If anything, we should come into our next game even more pumped up after beating them."
And I'm not just talking about at the Coliseum where two of the first three games have been sellouts. I have had the pleasure of meeting many Islanders fans during normal day-to-day life, and it's been impressive how passionate and educated most of them are.
In addition, many people have told me how they have gotten back into following the Isles after the success of the team last year and how hard the guys work.
Here's to another successful year on the ice and to making believers out of all the fans.
Overall, if you asked anybody back in September if the Islanders would be in the playoffs or fighting for a playoff spot until the last day of the season, most everybody in Long Island would have raised their hand and said okay, I'll take that." This team was supposed to be awful, but they weren't. They provided some unbelievable memories and helped reinvigorate hockey on the Island.
They should be very proud of themselves and the effort that they put in. They really fought through some tough times. And while it was disappointing to lose to the Buffalo Sabres in five games, the reality is they did the best that they could.
But this just goes to prove that you can't measure the team's attitude, energy, passion and willingness to be a winning team.
It started with Ted Nolan and his mentality that no player is above the team; it's all about coming together. From day one, he talked about needing a deep, sound team that had legitimate production from everyone on the roster. The important thing was he understood what his team was not; they were not a fast, highly-skilled, nifty, razzle-dazzle team. They were a team of workers, grinders, and a team that had a lot of different role players.
The Isles put it all together. Then they had special performances this year. First and foremost, there's no doubt about it that Rick DiPietro is a number one goaltender in the NHL, a bona fide number one netminder. He established his credentials after a shaky first six weeks of the season. But between communicating with Ted and working with his defensemen, DiPietro settled down and his true athleticism and skills began to come through.
The one game that stands out in my mind is the 57 shot/56 save game against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. That will easily go down as one of the greatest performances by a netminder in Islanders history.
They had a high-energy, full-throttle effort from Jason Blake and his 40-goal season, his first ever. Blake continued to show that hard work pays off. He provided highlight-reel goals with his speed and his tenacious attitude.
They got what they expected from guys like Mike Sillinger, who, besides being outstanding at his face-off and defensive responsibilities, could also chip in offensively. His leadership proved valuable as well.
Brendan Witt and Sean Hill came in and established themselves as leaders right away. Both played at a high level that many people didn't think they could all season along. Yes, there were some pick-ups. Yes, there were some bumps. But those guys were playing in roles they were really not accustomed to. They both came in and played their roles tough, physical and aggressive.
One of the more unheralded signings was Tom Poti, who will be a free agent, but he came in and established a career high in assists (38). He had another quietly solid, if not at times spectacular, offensive year, but his defensive positioning, his long reach and shot blocking were highly under-appreciated at times. He really looked comfortable in an Islanders sweater and I would love to see him come back next year.
The coaching staff that had never worked together at the NHL level grew and matured and continued to work well together. Ted Nolan had to re-educate himself to the league, so to speak, while his assistants had to educate themselves to the league, and they worked diligently and proved hard work can pay off as they earned the trust and respect of the players in the lineup.
So overall, although the season ended in disappointment, the Islanders exceeded many expectations.
Concerning the goal that was disallowed late in the third period of Game 4, according to what we were told the ruling on the ice was made by the referee, Mike Leggo, and the puck was put in the net by pushing the goalie into the net, which is not allowed and is not a reviewable call.
There was a lot of confusion. There wasn't a lot of explanation, and that's what made it difficult. But according to Leggo, when he talked about it at the end of the game, the puck was pushed into the net by Brendan Witt who was pushing the goalie in and the puck can't go into the net that way.
What was even more confusing is that it went to review when we were talking about how it was not a reviewable play. We weren't sure what it was at first.
Whether or not I agree with the execution on the ice, meaning waiting to see when he blew the whistle, when the puck went in, how the puck went in, I can't argue with what his explanation was. If he's saying that the puck was forced in because the goalie was pushed in, that is his call and that call is not reviewable. And that's what his call was on the ice. So you can't argue that. That's what he saw. Whether I agree with what he saw or not, is irrelevant.
LOOKING AHEAD
Going into Game 5, the Islanders can't do anything different. Now is not the time to change their game plan. It's all about effort and determination Friday, determination that they're going to win every battle.
One thing the Islanders can't do is get behind against the Sabres. They have to find a way to get the lead, to give them hope. Any ounce of adversity that comes their way, they will want to stop real quick. They have to be ultra-proactive Friday, they can't be reactive.
If they're reacting to Buffalo, waiting and just trying to hold on, that's what Buffalo wants them to do. Coming from behind is not a real option. They have to be the proactive participant in Game 5. They're going to need great effort.
They got better effort last night in Game 4. Jason Blake was great in the first period, until he got hit from behind and was hurt for a while. Alexei Yashin played better, but they still need production from more people.
They need goals from Yashin, they need something from Miroslav Satan, they still need guys to be more proactive. It seems like, for the most part, they're all right, but then they started turning the puck over in the defensive zone.
Perhaps the best way to alleviate pressure against Buffalo is to just get the puck off the glass and out, because if you give them time to make transitions in the neutral zone, that's where they're so deadly.
Back to back, the Isles fans have left the Nassau Coliseum distraught, frustrated and downright mad.
"It's ridiculous," said Eitan Friedman, an Islander die-hard from Lawrence, N.Y. as he exited the arena.
In Game 3, a Thomas Vanek wrap-around goal that went to Toronto for review still looks very inconclusive to many members of the media and fans alike. No image or video has been produced that has conclusively provided an angle to where one would say, "You know what, that was in."
Then amazingly in Game 4, the Islanders seemed to have tied the score at three in the final minutes as Brendan Witt stormed the net during a scrum in front, and seemingly sent the puck between Ryan Miller's legs, deep into the net.
The play went to review.
During the review the replay was shown on the scoreboard in Nassau and on the television broadcast and had everyone thinking, goal.
That is until the call came downstairs. No Goal!!!
Jason Pominville soon after iced the game for the Sabres with his first goal of the playoffs and the Isles left the ice seething.
"I don't care what anyone says, that was a goal," said Coach Ted Nolan after the game.
A few minutes later we learned that "The War Room" in Toronto said that it was the on-ice official that called it a non-goal, as referee Mike Leggo claimed rule 78.5 (ix) was the basis for his decision.
Rule 78.5 (ix) states, When a goalkeeper has been pushed into the net together with the puck after making a save … the goal is disallowed.
Problem here is A) the puck was loose before contact was made with Miller; and B) It wasn't an Islander player that slammed into Miller, it was clearly #21 Drew Stafford.
The question is why did it go to the "The War Room" at all if Leggo had the call on the ice?
Mike Sillinger was told by Leggo during the review that the call was in the hands of the guys in Toronto.
So which was it? Toronto or Leggo?
"The league said it was called on the ice, and the ref said it was called by the league. It's frustrating," said Ryan Smyth.
An energetic playoff crowd greeted the Islanders Monday and really helped bring an atmosphere that I had yet to experience at an Islander game to reality. I had heard a lot about it, and I know that it can even be better, but it was pretty amazing last night, especially at the start of the game.
So they greeted the Islanders and helped get them off to a good start the first period. I thought they were the better team and could have been up by one, if not two goals, but they just couldn't capitalize on some chances. So for the first time in the three games of this series, the first period really didn't dictate who was going to win one way or the other. Game One, the Sabres dominated, and in Game Two, the Islanders did.
Then the second period kind of got a little sloppy with some extra penalties, but the Islanders kept fighting back. Down by two, Trent Hunter's response goal was enormous and this team kept on battling all the way to the final seconds of the second period when Ryan Smyth got a great cross-ice feed from Randy Robitaille.
But it was the penalties in the third and the fact that the Sabres came out and looked like a very determined team in the third period of a road game that won the game. They out-shot the Islanders 17-2, they pressured from everywhere and they continued to activate the defensemen, especially on the rim-around.
When the Islanders tried to clear out of their own zone, the Sabres' D-men would pinch and thereby not allow the Islanders a lot of clean breakouts. So they were able to keep the puck in the Islanders zone most of the period and they did an excellent job of that, they blocked a lot of shots as well. And overall, they played a very good road period and found a way to win 3-2.
Looking ahead to Game Four, as the series continues Wednesday night at the Coliseum, I expect a little more physical play. It has not been the most physically grueling series so far, but you can tell that the intensity has ratcheted up a few notches. And as these teams get more familiar with each other, it wouldn't surprise me to see a little more scrappy play tomorrow, especially because Buffalo recognizes that they need to go to the net.
If you look at all three goals scored in Game Two by Buffalo, they all came from right around the net. So the Sabres are showing a willingness to go to the front of the net, which means that the Islanders are going to have to protect it ferociously.
In Game Four, the Islanders are going to need to start getting some offensive production from guys like Jason Blake, Alexei Yashin, Miroslav Satan and Viktor Kozlov. While they've all had their moments in this series so far, collectively the Islanders need them to step up as a group because the Mike Sillinger line has been doing it, but they can't do it on their own.
Islanders defenseman Brendan Witt continues to amaze with his pain tolerance. Most MCL knee sprains take a minimum of four weeks to completely heal, yet Witt 
1) Get Healthy Quick
True, last year 
What I have really liked about his play on the power play has been his ability to "punch shot" the puck to the net from the point. He rarely gets his shots blocked, and this allows the Isles forwards to crash the net and handle the puck down low.
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