This Is Tavares Country

John Tavares' Magical Night In Vancouver

2010-03-17T01:31:00.009-04:00

On the same sheet of ice as players by the name of Luongo, Sedin, and Kesler 19 year old John Tavares emerged as the dominant player on the most dominant night of his young career. Without the injured Kyle Okposo the Islanders put together a great road effort led by Johnny T to defeat the Canucks 5-2.

His 2 Goal 3 Assist effort for 5 points tied an Islanders rookie franchise record and it was not just the scoresheet where Tavares made his mark. He made several solid defensive plays, blocked shots, and drew penalties.

For a 19 year old chosen to save a franchise as a number 1 center on a team with not yet ready for prime time players it was a great moment in what has been a tough slump. The humble kid keeps working hard and the results came through in spades last night.

Point 1:

Point 2:

Point 3:

Point 4:

Point 5:

Links
Tavares steps it up with two goals, three assists in victory in Vancouver

Tavares tears up Canucks

TAVARES HAS FIVE-POINT NIGHT AS ISLANDERS STUN CANUCKS

Islanders surprise slow-starting Canucks 5-2

Lackluster Canuck team falls 5-2 to New York Islanders

Islanders hope Lightning strikes again as draft god John Tavares sputters along Stamkos' trail

Canucks vow to be ready for rare visit by Islanders, young phenom Tavares

Got to give these players a break after travel-thon

Raycroft move was a bid to 'turn the tide'

Patience is the key for young star

Tavares dines on lacklustre defence

Canucks and Islanders: Game within a game

JT Breaks Slump As Losses Mount

2010-03-10T21:51:00.003-05:00

JT broke his drought so I figured I would end mine. There has not been much positive news to write about so I decided to take a break rather than beat the dying horse that is this Islanders season.

John Tavares snapped his 17 game goal-less streak but the Islanders would come up empty once again versus the Flyers 3-2. Tavares was able to use his soft hands down low to bury the first goal of the evening.

New York continued their downward spiral to the bottom of the league. They have dropped 3 in a row and appear to be on the way to another top 5 draft pick. Many fans I have conversed with are rooting for this but I say the reliance on the kiddie corps needs to be curtailed.

I wrote about the lack of support that general manager Garth Snow provided his talented young bunch earlier in the season and the case still stands. All you have to do is look at that defense unit (ugh) and the fact that the only player on this team anywhere near an all-star level and in his prime is Mark Streit. The ownership and management has failed this team in my opinion and they need to step up JULY 1ST!!!! and get some legitimate help for the hard working and talented young players on the team.

In terms of Johnny Hockey, despite the struggles he will be just fine. JT has played with the hand he was dealt here and i'm sure he wasn't coming in with the idea that it was going to be easy. Hopefully he can build on this and end on a strong note with an invitation to Team Canada for the World Championships. Either way a long summer to prepare for the sophomore season is in the cards.

Goal:

Links:
Calder rookie race down to goalies, Myers and Duchene

Philly wins 15th straight against Isles with 3-2 victory

Why finishers find the going tough during the final push of the season

Top 10 NHL Rookies to Rebound After Their First Year

Weight guiding Tavares through his debut season

JT Shootout Winner Ends Isles Skid

2010-02-10T13:42:00.002-05:00

It didn't produce any results on the scoresheet but John Tavares had one heck of a game last night and ended the Islanders 7 game losing streak with a shootout goal on Nashville tender Pekka Rinne. Tavares was unsuccessful on several attempts during regulation and overtime but his confidence with the puck and his skating looked better than it has in weeks.

This looked like Tavares' 1st game as an emerging leader on this team. His desperation and tenacity in the 3rd with the teams fading playoff hopes at risk was apparent. This could be a turning point for the slumping rookie and I am sure the 2 week rest that is soon upon us will help as well.

As for the rest of the team, it was a sparkling debut for Matt Martin. This kid has progressed by leaps and bounds from watching him in Sarnia last year. Martin displayed the need for size and toughness up front on this team. A great first impression indeed.

Also, a thumbs up to Martin Biron. His time here is likely coming to an end and although the on-ice successes weren't there, you could not find a classier guy.

Pittsburgh tonight for a matchup with the champs.

Game Highlights:

Links:
THN.com Blog: Tavares still the most important rookie

Up next: Rick DiPietro, John Tavares and the New York Islanders

Penguins Notebook: Crosby can relate to Islanders' Tavares

Martin Biron, John Tavares guide Islanders to 4-3 win over Predators

The Struggle Continues

2010-02-08T14:43:00.002-05:00

It's a 7 game losing streak, it's 8 games of scoring 2 goals or less, its John Tavares with 6 points in his last 26 games and no goals in his last 10. It's numbers that make you cringe and it results in some frustrating and ugly hockey.

The Islanders who had a great surge in January that had the team and the fans thinking about a spring tournament appearance have come crashing back down to earth. The reality is this is a slow rebuild and they are still at least another year and another impact player away from playoff contention.

Obviously as fans we want instant respect, instant gratification, and success. That being said we are nearly 3/4 through the schedule and while the teams progress has been greatly encouraging we need to identify what players we have in the system going forward, what players need to move on and what to do with the Isles most tangible trade deadline asset Andy Sutton.

Sutton becomes an unrestricted free agent July 1st, he has been the teams most consistent physcial force and if the team can extend him prior to March 3rd at a reasonable cost due to Suttons' age and injury history they should. If he does not sign, it's time to move on and keep adding to the future either via draft picks or prosepects.

The Islanders have provided hope and excitement this season, the effort has been outstanding. Yet, here they sit currently with the 4th overall pick in this draft. I don't encourage a tank job, but I do believe in giving a look at some of the better prospects in the system, playing DiPietro more down the strectch to get him back in his flow, and using the younger players in key situations by reducing or saying goodbye to vets like Richard Park and Doug Weight.

Let's see what happens. If they win out the rest of the week things can change in a hiccup. This is life in the NHL these days.

On John Tavares:
The first 21 games of this young mans career was not an aberration. He is a 19 year old who is a 1st line center on a rebuilding team with not 1 proven offensive player in his prime. Does the kid need to work on his strength and training? Absolutely, like every pro 18-22 he has things he needs to work on. His presence, effort, durability, and desire on the ice cannot be questioned. Look at Stamkos last year, and Duchene early this year. Rookies/Young players will struggle.

On another note my early Top 3 for June (strictly Islanders thinking) 1.Fowler 2.Seguin 3.Hall

Play on boys.

Isles Slide Continues-JT Talks Ups and Downs

2010-01-29T10:17:00.008-05:00

It's now a losing streak, three losses in a row after falling to the bottom of the conference Carolina Hurricanes 4-1 last night. This was coming off of the embarrasing loss against the Caps Tuesday night.

The loss of Jack Hillen to injury is a huge blow and it was felt greatly as Bruno Gervais struggled mightily in these past two games. The offense has also run dry with just 5 goals in their last 3 games. It doesn't get any easier this weekend as they are in Philly and Florida for critical games in the Eastern Conference standings.

John Tavares missed a golden opportunity last night on a beautful feed from the ever improving Andrew Macdonald. It was a tough night for JT who created chances and did a great job on the forecheck but couldn't finish. He also took a lazy penalty and was -2 dropping his season total to -10.

The great Alex Ovechkin had some words of advice for Tavares: "It's pretty hard when you've got lots of attention," Ovechkin said." If I were him I'd just go on vacation during the Olympic Break and forget about the media and the attention and just worry about the second half of the season."

Check out this tremendous Tavares feature from todays Newsday on which JT appears on the back cover above.

Game Stats:
Washington:1A/-1/1SOG/17:49TOI/Faceoffs:3-6

Carolina: -2/3SOG/15:57TOI/Faceoffs:5-5

Links:
Tavares looks right at home in first NHL season

Islanders: Ward, Staal lead 'Canes to win

Islanders ripped by Capitals, 7-2

Video

Islanders Kids Getting Credit

2010-01-25T11:40:00.002-05:00

I'm back after a brief sabbatical.

The Islanders recorded a shootout victory over Florida but fell to the Devils Saturday night. The buzz is increasing though, there have been articles this past weekend praising the young Isles as they continue to surge forth with their building process.

It also is generating noise at the gate we're the team recorded two sellouts last week and reports of financials being up across the board. There are plenty of good things occurring on Long Island and it should be a fun stretch run.

John Tavares has had his ice time cut somewhat over the last several weeks but did register an assist Saturday night and continues to fight through his recent struggles. The olympic break can only be seen as a positve for the younger Islanders to get some rest in this condensed hockey season.

Ovie and his comrades are in tomorrow.

John Tavares Stats Through 52 Games
Goals: 17 (1st among rookies)
Assists: 15 (5th among rookies)
Points: 32 (2nd among rookies)
+/=: -7
PP Goals: 8
GW Goals: 2
Faceoff Pct: 48.1 (1st among rookies)

Links:
Kids like Okposo have Isles in playoff hunt

Islanders slip up, but playoffs still in sight

Rookie Cardboard Rankings

Coliseum a hothouse where young Islanders are growing

Islanders Lose-Crosby/Malkin Dominate

2010-01-20T13:26:00.002-05:00

The Islanders came back from deficits of 3-0 and 4-1 to tie it up at 4-4 but a power play hat-trick goal by Evgeny Malkin in the 3rd period was the game winner. Sidney Crosby also contributed six points in the Penguins 6-4 victory.

New York was undisciplined but kept coming at the champs and nearly stole a point until Andy Sutton received a major penalty with minutes left in the 3rd for a hit from behind on Pascal Dupuis. Sutton is expecting a suspension.

John Tavares had some opportunities and setup Kyle Okposo for a glorious chance but it was a tough night for KO as he was stopped on a penalty shot, two additional breakways, and came up short on his game high 7 shots on goal.

Florida comes to the Island tomorrow night.

Game Stats:
-1/ 2SOG/ 15:13TOI/ Faceoffs: 6-6

Islanders Continuing To Roll

2010-01-19T14:01:00.002-05:00

The Islanders defeated the Devils handily yesterday and will look to keep the train rolling tonight against the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins.

New York sent Martin Brodeur to the showers early and completed a dominating effort with a 4-0 shutout for Rick DiPietro. It was back to back victories for the returning netminder.

John Tavares had six shots on goal and added a nice assist on Mark Streits power play tally. Despite 3 points in his last 4 games JT finds himself trailing in the rookie points race for the first time in months. Matt Duchene had 3 points last night giving him 33 to Tavares' 31. But only positive signs can be taken from Tavares having 16 shots on goal in his last 3 games.

Sid the kid and friends tonight.

(SEE BELOW FOR VIDEO OF TAVARES WEARING THE RED WHITE AND BLUE!!!!)

Game Stats:
1A/ 6SOG/ +1/ 15:20TOI/ Faceoffs 9-5

Links:
Pittsburgh vs. NY Islanders Preview

Isles Playoff Push Getting Serious

Tavares, DiPietro End Droughts

2010-01-17T14:38:00.002-05:00

It was over a year since Rick DiPietro had won a game and it might have felt that long for John Tavares since he last scored a goal but both contributed to a 3-2 Islanders victory over the Buffalo Sabres.

Tavares opened the scoring with his 17th goal of the season and first in nine games. JT also recorded 5 shots on goal for the 2nd consecutive game as he slowly breaks out of his slump.

But this night belonged to DiPietro who started his first game at home and registered his first win since December 26th 2008. DiPietro was great in the shootout and made a statement that he is back and is feeling healthy. It's a long road but the news is positive.

The great Brodeur and his Devils come in for a MLK afternoon tilt tomorrow.

Game Stats:
1G/ 5SOG/ 16:55TOI/ Faceoofs: 5-8

Goal:

Links:
John Tavares set to debut a new look at open practice today

Islanders top Sabres in DiPietro's Coliseum return, 3-2

Islanders Dominate Red Wings

2010-01-12T22:28:00.002-05:00

The title says it all. The Islanders dominated every single aspect of tonights game en route to a 6-0 victory of the Detroit Red Wings.

There were too many contributions to single out any one player, it was a great team effort. Rob Schremp got 2 more goals, Josh Bailey continues to sparkle with 2 helpers, and Kyle Okposo scored again.

John Tavares had 5 shots on goal and despite not having any points had a very solid game. I was 10 rows from the ice and you can really see the frustration on JTs' face as he was robbed on several chances. If he keeps plugging they are going to start falling but he has looked stronger over the last several games.

A nice three day break before Buffalo comes in Saturday.

Game Stats:
+2/ 5SOG/ 15:06TOI/ Faceoffs:6-6

Links:
SCHREMP HAS FIRST TWO-GOAL GAME AS ISLANDERS DOWN RED WINGS

Isles Blow Lead But Win In SO

2010-01-10T00:27:00.003-05:00

The Islanders took advantage of Coyotes coach Dave Tippets' blunder and jumped out to a 4-1 lead after Ed Jovanovski tried to take off John Tavares' head with his elbow and was given a major penalty and a game misconduct. Tippet never placed a player in the box to serve the penalty and when it lapsed Phoenix remained shorthanded and subsequently took another penalty pretty much spending half the second period shorthanded.

New York though was their own worst enemy and subsequently blew a 3 goal 3rd period lead before salvaging a 5-4 shootout win.

Tavares registered as assist despite the elbow and a brutal crosscheck from Adrian Aucoin as well. JT needs to get going, he was more involved on this trip and with 1 game in the next 6 days it should give him an opportunity to re-charge his batteries and nurse any ailments that he might be suffering.

Red Wings come in Tuesday.

Game Stats:
1A/ +1/ 17:18TOI/ Faceoffs: 5-9

Links:
Islanders salvage shootout win

Tavares remains confident despite scoring drought

DiPietro/Islanders Comes Up Short In Return

2010-01-09T00:02:00.002-05:00

It was a sloppy game and Rick DiPietro was shaking off rust from a one year layoff but still the Islanders came a goal post short of tying the game and getting a road point.

That post came off the struggling stick of John Tavares. Tavares did look better again and is showing signs that he could be on the verge of snapping this funk he's been in. The lack of breaks for JT hasn't helpeed his cause.

Short turnaround for Phoenix tomorrow.

Game Stats:
-1/ 2SOG/ 17:29TOI/ Faceoffs 9-6

Links:
STARS DOWN ISLANDERS TO SPOIL DIPIETRO'S RETURN IN NET

Mile High Victory Send Isles Back To 500

2010-01-06T23:40:00.003-05:00

It was lauded as a matchup between the 1st and 3rd overall picks in this past years draft but it was the great goaltending (again) of Dwayne Roloson and the clutch goal by Kyle Okposo that was the story as the Islanders defeated the Avalanche by a score of 3-2.

New York climbs back to 500 with the win and also welcomed back Rick DiPietro who dressed and backed up Roloson. Would not be suprising to see DiPietro get the start Friday night in Dallas.

Rob Schremp scored a truly highlight reel goal by catching a puck and batting it out of mid-air. Jon Sim also scored for New York.

John Tavares was again held pointless and did not register a shot on goal but he did work hard and setup Okposo with a nice one timer that was stopped by Avs goalie Craig Anderson. JT also got ice time in the last minute indicative of the his competency in all three zones tonight. Matt Duchene was held scoreless for the Avs as well but did have several glorious chances that he was unable to finish.

Off to Dallas.

Game Stats:
+1/ 16:02TOI/ Faceoffs 5-5

Links:
DiPietro on bench as Isles top Avalanche

Avalanche's heralded rookie Duchene takes on Islanders'counterpart Tavares

Tavares going through some rookie growing pains

TAVARES SIGNS AT MODELL'S

Thoughts On The Last Week

2010-01-05T09:57:00.002-05:00

On the Islanders:

They are getting points, mostly thanks to the goaltending of Dwayne Roloson. There still seems to be a something missing currently from this team but if they can remain somewhat healthy it will be interesting to see if they can lift their play. Josh Bailey and Rob Schremp have been solid the last week, as always consistency is the factor for these two.

On Johnny T:

The kid is struggling. I believe he has been more involved at times over the last several games and the plus side is he is always working hard. JT struggled when the Isles had no travel at all in the last several weeks maybe this trip can get him re-focused and re-charge the batteries.

On the Winter Classic:

It was a great event and the NHL and the city of Boston handled everything top notch.

On BU/Corey Trivino:

Caught the UMass-Amherst/Boston U game Saturday afternoon. What a great event. The Agganis Arena is beautiful, cozy, and provided great sightlines. Isles prosepect Corey Trivino looked solid, not great but you can see at the the very least he will be a pro. He definitely needs another year if not two of college before the Isles think of signing him.

Some links and JT/Matty Mo video below.

Avs, Duchene Prepare For Isles, Tavares

Back For A New Year

2010-01-04T16:10:00.003-05:00

Back from Boston, here are some links from the last few days to hold you over.

More to come later...thoughts on the Winter Classic, BU Hockey, and the return of Rick DiPietro.

Links:
Tavares confident his goal-scoring touch will return

NO SHORTAGE OF HISTORY AS CANADA, U.S. CLASH IN CHAMPIONSHIP

Islanders Half-Year Review

Cometh new year, cometh change

Isles Win-Roloson Continues Stellar Play

2009-12-29T22:44:00.002-05:00

The Islanders defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1 in a shootout thanks to 41 saves from Dwayne Roloson.

It was a choppy game that the Isles held a 1-0 lead for most of the night before R.J. Umberger evened the count. The New York power play continued its struggles failing to capitalize on a two man advantage. Rob Schremp scored on a pretty move to finish it.

John Tavares played better after his lengthy talk with Coach Scott Gordon at the morning skate. Tavares did not register any points but he was more involved, had 3 shots on goal and set up Trent Hunter with a nice between the legs feed in the 3rd that came up empty.

Isles are off to Ottawa for New Years Eve, I will be heading to Boston for the Winter Classic. I'll try and catch the NYI-Sens game and I will give you my insights on my first Winter Classic. As well, I will be catching the BU game Saturday afternoon and will provide a scouting report on Isles second rounder Corey Trivino.

Have a safe and Happy New Year everyone!

Game Stats:
Even/ 3SOG/ 17:34TOI/ Faceoffs:4-6

Highlights:

Links:
SCHREMP'S SHOOTOUT GOAL GIVES ISLES WIN OVER JACKETS

Gordon: "Good chance" Tambellini is in tonight

Don't Blame Tavares

2009-12-27T22:09:00.002-05:00

It was another loss tonight for the Islanders 2-1 to the Flyers, it was also another fruitless night for John Tavares but don't blame the 19 year old kid from Oakville for New Yorks' transgressions.

Tavares was branded the tag of "savior" on draft night when he was selected 1st overall in June, instead of the Isles and their hierarchy doing the best to surround Tavares with help, they provided him with nothing,

As I have said before the Matt Moulson story is a nice one but he has fallen back to earth with 1 goal in his last 11, Blake Comeau has been playing well of late but the reality is he is a 3rd line forward in this league.

We can keep going on and dissect a roster not only void of any proven veteran offensive provider but a roster lacking a top defenseman, Mark Streit has taken a step back in all areas since last season and while the play of Jack Hillen and Andy Sutton has been stellar the rest of the unit has been abysmal more often than not.

Tavares still leads this team in goals and points and is clearly tired from the ridiculous condensed schedule and possibly banged up from the dozen or so big hits he has sustained in the first half...not that Garth Snow provided Tavares or any of the skilled young forwards (the only skilled players the Islanders have are young) with any toughness to keep the opposition in check. He's hit a plateau for sure but Tavares' track record is he will keep playing and be resilient even though the Isles ownership will surely subtract rather than add talent this season, another where their intentions are to secure their real estate...I mean arena deal.

Good thing for Tavares and the Islanders they just keep playing on as they have Columbus come in Tuesday night.

Game Stats:
-1/ 16:43TOI/ Faceoffs 5-6

Highlights:

Links:
CARTER SCORES AS FLYERS TOP ISLES FOR 13TH STRAIGHT TIME

Isles Make MSG Their Home...Again

2009-12-27T01:32:00.002-05:00

The Islanders squandered a 2-0 lead in the 3rd but were able to finish the job with an overtime goal by the Kyle Okposo. It was the Isles 2nd victory at MSG in 10 days.

John Tavares was held scoreless and its possible that the speculations raised by Chris Botta at Islanders Point Blank that JT is playing hurt could be true. Tavares did not register a shot on goal and finished with just 16:25 of ice time.

The Isles were still able to come away with 2 points thanks to the efforts of Okposo (1G, 2A) and another great performance by Dwayne Roloson.

Not much time to bask in the glow of this one, the Flyers are in for an early bird special at 5 P.M.
Game Stats:
Even/ 16:25TOI/ Faceoffs:4-4

Highlights:

Links:
OKPOSO SCORES IN OT AS ISLANDERS BEAT RANGERS

JT Returns To Scoresheet With GWG

2009-12-24T00:01:00.003-05:00

It was a solid if unspectacular win by the Islanders over the Maple Leafs by a 3-1 count. The team received superb goaltending from Dwayne Roloson and John Tavares broke his goal and pointless streak by cashing in on a nice feed from Blake Comeau.

The Islanders ended their 3 game slide and will enjoy the holiday with an eye on the Rangers Saturday night.

Happy Holidays!

Game Stats:
1G/ Even/ 2SOG/ 16:22TOI/ Faceoffs 5-5

Post Game Interview:

Goal:

Highlights:

Links:
STRUGGLING LEAFS HEAD TO HOLIDAY BREAK WITH LOSS TO ISLANDERS

Hunter, Tavares score, Roloson makes 26 saves in Islanders' win over Leafs

Tavares scores as Isles snap three-game losing streak

Maple Leafs In Town

2009-12-23T11:41:00.002-05:00

Now word yet on the starting netminder. Expect the same lineup as there does not appear to be any injured players ready to come back.

Links:
Moulson thriving alongside Tavares after finally finding home with Isles

Islanders vs. Maple Leafs Preview

Leafs, Islanders heading in wrong direction

Tavares, Isles Struggling

2009-12-20T18:00:00.006-05:00

Much like the Islanders i've been unproductive and out of sync lately, when your in the process of moving while trying to complete your holiday shopping it becomes overwhelming. Factor in the 2 feet of snow on the ground and it's been a rough patch to say the least.

The Islanders dropped their 3rd in a row and 4th straight at home. The penalty killing has been downright horrid and the offensive production has dissapeared. It's tough times right now and the Islanders need to get it going asap.

John Tavares has struggled, JT has now gone 5 games without a point and it's just not falling for him right now. Tavares has continued creating chances for himself and others but nothing has been cashed in. Matt Moulson has come back to earth with 1goal in his last 9 games, Blake Comeau has come from the press box to the right side of Tavares and has not been a good fit, Kyle Okposo jumped back on the JT line late in the 3rd but his struggles are currently the worst on the team as he is in double figures in games without a goal.

The power play has'nt helped the cause either as the top unit again has had chances but has come up short.

Toronto comes in Wednesday and is now ahead of the Isles in the standings. A must win to say the least.

Game Stats TB:
-1/ 1SOG/ 21:53TOI/ Faceoffs:7-8

Game Stats Montreal:
Even/ 2SOG/ 16:47TOI/ Faceoffs 6-14

Highlights TB:

Highlights Montreal:

Links:
BIG NIGHT BY MALONE POWERS LIGHTNING PAST ISLANDERS

Weight takes pressure off Tavares

MARKOV RETURNS TO LEAD CANADIENS TO WIN OVER ISLANDERS

Rangers Earn Split Thanks To Lundqvist

2009-12-18T00:05:00.002-05:00

Game Stats:
-2/ 4SOG/ 19:22TOI/ Faceoffs:4-9

Highlights:

Links:
Rangers' re-Tort: Respond to benchings, rout Isles to split home-and-home series

Tavares enjoys first MSG experience

Isles Draw First On Rivals

2009-12-16T23:11:00.003-05:00

The Islanders didn't play a pretty game and they didn't have to. They displayed the little things that their cross town rivals don't often do. They made smart plays, they went to the net hard, and they were perfectly content winning an ugly game.

Dwayne Roloson did a fine job in the net and an even finer job of trying to break Sean Averys' leg.

John Tavares had a quiet game but was really solid in his own zone and is proving many people wrong (including me) with his stellar play in all zones.

The sequel tomorrow night.

Game Stats:
+1/ 2SOG/ 16:28TOI/ Faceoffs:3-9

Highlights:

Links:
Tortorella loses cool after Rangers' loss to Isles

Tavares Provides Glimpse Into Islanders’ Future

10 to watch

Top 10 of a Deep NHL Rookie Class

Monday Night Breakdown

2009-12-14T22:43:00.003-05:00

There were plenty of defensive breakdowns by the Islander D hanging Dwayne Roloson out to dry. Bruno Gervais coughed up the 1st goal to set the tone for the night continuing his poor play. Here's hoping that Coach Gordon gives Gervais a nice seat up in the MSG rafters Wednesday night.

It was a tough night for John Tavares, he had a turnover that led to a goal and the JT/Matt Moulson combo had one of their poorest games of the season with Blake Comeau on the wing. Considering how ineffective Kyle Okposo was playing with Frans Nielsen and Josh Bailey you would have to think KO will be reunited with JT and Moulson.

Jesse Joensuu was a bright spot and hopefully will stick cause he brings size and goes to the net.

The first of three Rangers/Islander games in 11 nights starts Wednesday.

Game Stats:
-2/ 2SOG/ 18:08TOI/ Faceoffs:10-9

Highlights:

Links:
Horton has three goals in Panthers' 7-1 win

OT Delight For Dane

2009-12-13T01:12:00.007-05:00

The Islanders returned home and found a way to top the Bruins 3-2 in overtime. The Isles were on their heels most of the game after losing defenseman Jack Hillen but the strong goaltending of Dwayne Roloson kept the Isles going.

John Tavares despite not getting a shot on goal made a beautiful backhand pass to setup Matt Moulson game tying goal. Frans Nielsen clinched in OT on a nice saucer pass from Blake Comeau, who along with often scratch Rob Schremp had very strong games.

The struggling Panthers come in tomorrow.

Game Stats:
1A/ Even/ 17:09TOI/ Faceoffs:6-8

Highlights:

Game Links:
Islanders Ice Bruins With 3-2 Overtime Win on the Island

Nielsen lifts Isles past Bruins in OT

2 More For JT In Loss

2009-12-09T23:03:00.003-05:00

John Tavares scored two goals for the second consecutive night but the rest of the Islanders forgot that they too are paid to play. Tavares has scored the last 5 goals for this team.

This team is dying for an upgrade on defense and it would also be nice if Kyle Okposo can find the back of the net again.

I'm done with the rant...links below for the story from the professionals. At least this team is finally coming home.

Game Stats:
2G/ Even/ 3SOG/ 20:25TOI/ Faceoffs:13-10

Goal 1:

Goal 2:

Highlights:

TSN.CA Video:
http://watch.tsn.ca/nhl/clip244673#clip244673

Links:
Isles erase 2-goal deficit in third but fall 3-2 to Leafs-GAME RECAP

Toskala shines as Leafs defeat Islanders

Leafs hold on to edge Isles

Leafs beat Islanders on Blake's late goal

Blake sinks Islanders

John Tavares would 'love' to wear Team Canada jerseyKevin McGran

NHL ON TSN QUIZ: JOHN TAVARES OR TYLER MYERS?

Time For Changes

2009-12-08T21:53:00.003-05:00

The Islanders were trounced in Philly tonight as the Flyers won 6-2 for Coach Peter Laviolettes' first win. The Isles had issues again on the penalty kill and some of the mistakes and inconsistencies have become trends with 30 games in the books. Plenty of time has been done to evaluate players and it is time to make changes.

Martin Biron was worth taking a chance on for 1.4 million at 1 year but he has been a bust. I don't need to hear the rhetoric that he has not received goal support. The bottom line is that he is often off his angles and not square to the puck, does not control his rebounds, and has not made the timely saves that number 1 goalie Dwayne Roloson has. Biron at this point is a good backup but probaly a number 1 only on a sub-par team. Rick DiPietro is coming back and it's time to end the Biron experiment, even if DiPietro proves unhealthy Bridgeport goalie Scott Munroe would be worth a look over Biron. If you can net a 3rd rounder or a marginal prospect so be it, otherwise I would waive Biron and take my chances.

Then you have Bruni Gervais, the former 6th round pick who has been developing forever, or it only seems like it. What it doesn't seems like and in reality was the case was Gervais being a mess in his own zone. It's time to cut the chord and package him for a defenseman who can give the Islanders some quality minutes.

New York is expecting Andy Sutton back this weekend which will help, but reserves are needed. Brendan Witt as this point is playing under 15 minutes a night and is a number 6 D-man. The problem is you also have Gervais, Freddy Meyer, and Andrew MacDonald on this core who are also 6-7 depth rearguards.

It's time for changes.

John Tavares gave the Isles somewhat of a chance with 2 power play goals. JT had a very noticeable game but beyond him and Matt Moulson you couldn't find much to be happy about. Kyle Okposo is struggling big time and needs to step up with New York generating little to no offense beyond Tavares and Moulson.

Back to T.O. tomorrow.

Game Stats:
2G/ -2/ 2SOG/ 22:26TOI/ Faceoffs:14-8

Goal 1:

Goal 2:

Highlights:

Links:
Richards, Carter, Giroux score 2; Flyers snap skid

Blanked In Tampa

2009-12-06T13:27:00.002-05:00

Bad power play, poor penalty killing. That's all you need to know.

The Islanders had opportunities but a lack of net presence made life fairly easy for the G Mike Smith.

The long winding road continues in Philly Tuesday night against the dysfunctional Flyers.

Game Stats:
Even/ 1SOG/ 21:25 TOI/ Faceoffs:9-7

Highlights:

Links:
Isles rookie Tavares, Stamkos share bond

Moulsons Trick=Isles Win

2009-12-03T23:40:00.004-05:00

Not much to say, Isles played their best road game of the season by far. They got the lead and held it by getting the puck deep and it was a rock solid effort.

Matt Moulson netted a hat trick and JT added an empty netter.

Game Stats:
1G/ +2/ 1SOG/ 16:50TOI/ Faceoffs 4-6

TSN.ca video feature
http://watch.tsn.ca/nhl/clip242500#clip242500

Highlights:

Game Links:
Moulson's hat trick lifts Islanders to 4-1 win

Moulson's 'trick' leads Islanders past Thrashers

Thrashers On Deck

2009-12-03T12:38:00.004-05:00

The Islanders are in Atlanta tonight after four days off. Dwayne Roloson is expected to get the start between the pipes. Expect Rob Schremp to take Frans Nielsens' spot in the lineup.

Pre-Game Interview:

More JT at the NHL store:

Links:
Thrashers vs. Islanders Preview

Tavares does a star turn at NHL's Manhattan store

JT Signs, Wears New Gear At The NHL Store

2009-12-01T22:27:00.002-05:00

John Tavares signed autographs at the NHL store in New York today. NHL.com has an article on Tavares and a bunch of great videos below as JT gave us a preview of his forthcoming apparel line from CCM that will be available in 2010.

Fans line up to meet Tavares at NHL Store

JT on the olympics:

JT on contributing:

JT on faceoffs:

JT on playing the Leafs:

JT on the first two months:

JT on the start of season:

JT on adjusting to NHL:

JT on the WJC:

JT autograph session:

Coming March 2010

2009-12-01T13:13:00.003-05:00

Devils Roll To 6-1 Victory

2009-11-28T19:45:00.002-05:00

It was a tough day for the Islanders. They had some bad breaks and some bad calls go against them but the bottom line was the machine called the New Jersey Devils ran all over New York on the way to another victory.

John Tavares was robbed by Martin Brodeur on several occasions and came up scoreless but was visible in his offesive assertiveness but the team losing C Frans Nielsen early on certainly hurt.

Isles will have several days off before heading to Atlanta Thursday night.

Game Stats:
-2/ 3SOG/ 22:40TOI/ Faceoffs:9-9

Highlights:

Links:
Rolston and Elias lead Devils to 6-1 win

Tavares Nets 1st Game Winner

2009-11-27T18:18:00.002-05:00

John Tavares scored his first career game winning goal to propel the Islanders over the Penguins 3-2.

It was a solid effort for New York who also got goals from Josh Bailey and Sean Bergenheim.

It will be a quick turnaround as the Isles head to the Rock for a Saturday afternoon tilt against the Devils.

Game Stats:
1G/ +1/ 2SOG/ 15:58 TOI/ Faceoffs: 6-7

Goal:

Highlights:

Post Game Interview:

Links:
Tavares goal lifts Islanders over Pens, 3-2

Back In Business...Champs In Town

2009-11-27T13:57:00.002-05:00

Well it has been 72 hours of holiday celebration and internet failure. Let's do some catching up.

The Isles lost to the Flyers after dominating the first half of the game and then seemingly falling asleep in the second half. Such is the life of a 500 team.

John Tavares had a beautiful assist on the lone Islanders goal by Trent Hunter. Hunter is riding an eight game point scoring streak.

Game Stats:
1A/ 1SOG/ 18:34TOI/ Faceoffs:9-3

Highlights:

Will hopefully find internet access to do the post game for Sid and the Penguins visit today.

Links:
Flyers continue dominance of Islanders

Islanders vs. Penguins Preview

Isles/Flyers Tonight

2009-11-25T11:22:00.003-05:00

Martin Biron takes on his old team without the suspended Daniel Briere.

Links:
Islanders vs. Flyers Preview

NHL suspends Briere for two games

Non-playoff teams, youngsters shine during NHL's first quarter

The Aftermath

2009-11-24T12:03:00.009-05:00

As always, plenty of great coverage out of Toronto today.

For some more of these great CCM JT pics above go here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=22676&id=21050564944

Some video here:

http://www.facebook.com/CCMHockey?ref=nf&v=wall#/video/video.php?v=189792306299&ref=mf

Tavares post-game from TSN.ca
http://watch.tsn.ca/nhl/clip238554#clip238554

Links:
Tavares a reminder of lost opportunity

Robbed by masked man

Spotlight stolen

Leafs report

Roloson...That Is All

2009-11-23T22:32:00.006-05:00

That is all you really need to justify this one.

Dwayne Roloson had 58 saves as the Islanders defeated the Maple Leafs 4-3 in (wait for it...)
overtime.

Roloson kept the aggressive Buds off the scoreboard in the 1st with 20 saves.

The Islanders would take the lead in the 2nd on a Jeff Tambellini breakaway goal thanks to a beautiful feed from Mark Streit. Matt Moulson and Sean Bergenheim would add goals and chase Vesa Toskala from the net with 3 goals in three minutes and thirteen seconds.

Then the customary NYI collapse came calling. First with the Isles just taking a three goal lead and Toronto and their fans dead in the water Coach Scott Gordon decided to take a timeout. The Leafs scored on the next shift and pretty much dominated the rest of the way till Josh Bailey finished it in the extra session.

Gordons' persistence to play his fouth line or should I say over play his fourth line is mind numbing. New York is not a deep team and while Richard Park, Nate Thompson, and Tim Jackman can be marginally effective role players when used within their means they are not premier checkers and Gordons' reliance on them when the Islanders are back on their heels is questionable. They have a grand total of 3(!) goals between them yet check the ice times tonight.
Park:19:06
Thompson:17:37
Jackman:10:55

Too much! Just too much reliance on role players...You can use the excuse that the Isles were killing penalties, but if your going to use that then Gordon needs to start implementing his younger players on the PK. 11th in the league is very respectable but not untouchable for that unit.

John Tavares' premiere in Toronto was suprisingly one to be remembered for his play in the defensive zone. JT made a couple of very smart plays in his own zone and hopefully showed Gordon that it's not just 4th liners that can be competent in their end. Tavares had an opportunity on a partial break late in the 3rd but could not connect. He has gone 3 games without a point.

Road trip is over at a quality 3-2-2 thanks to Roloson. Huge test coming to Nassau Wednesday night in the form of the Philadelphia Flyers.

Game Stats:
+1/ 1SOG/ 17:42 TOI/ Faceoffs:5-12

Highlights:

Pre-Game Interview:

Links:
Islanders’ Roloson frustrates Leafs shooters

No Tavares, but give Kessel his due

Maple Leafs dominate but still lose in overtime

Leafs lose in OT despite 61-shot attack

Two paths, same destination

Leafs Live: Tavares must be reckoned with, coach says

Islanders show Leafs how it's done

Roloson makes 58 saves as Isles win in overtime

JT Returns To The GTA

2009-11-23T11:23:00.005-05:00

The kid will have his family and friends in attendance as the Islanders play the Maple Leafs tonight at the ACC.

The Isles are coming off two sub-par efforts so I actually think the Tavares-mania could be a positve distraction.

Roloson/Toskala get the starts.

Links:
Maple Leafs vs. Islanders Preview

Tavares returns to Toronto tonight for homecoming

Tavares back in Toronto

Confident John Tavares tunes out the hype and sticks to game plan

Tavares makes Toronto debut

Perron Give Isles The Blues

2009-11-22T14:26:00.003-05:00

It was an ugly effort that does not require much analysis.

The Islanders lost 4-1 in St. Louis last night wrapping up a pointless weekend. New York jumped out to a lead with a Josh Bailey goal but would not be heard from again as the Blues got 2 3rd period goals from David Perron to wrap up the victory.

John Tavares played just over 15 minutes after playing 20+ minutes on Friday night. It was a quiet weekend for JT who did not register a point in either loss.

Tavares returns home Monday night as the Isles head to Toronto. Let the media circus begin.

Game Stats:
-2/ 1SOG/ 15:15TOI/ Faceoffs: 3-3

Highlights:

Links:
Blues win again at home

Islanders faltering with loss to St. Louis

Islanders quietly have become a pretty good team

Tavares' homecoming to Toronto

Tavares rolling in the Isles

J.T. a model roommate for Kadri

Islanders Drop Sloppy Game With 1 Minute Left

2009-11-20T23:04:00.002-05:00

It was a sloppy game and the Islanders played down to the level of the Wild. A turnover led to Owen Nolans' game winning goal with 1:07 left. Martin Biron has just been unable to come up with the big save at crunch time to earn his team points.

The Islanders were 0-6 on the power play, though they did generate many chances they came up empty.

John Tavares' 5 game point scoring streak came to an end.

Game Stats:
Even/ 2SOG/ 21:31TOI/ Faceoffs:5-4

Highlights:

Links:
Nolan’s 2 goals give Wild 3-2 win over Islanders

Clutterbuck snap shot earns praise

Thrills, spills mark season's quarter pole

Fantasic freshmen, super sophomores and amazing finishes highlight the NHL's opening quarter

Islanders/Wild Tonight

2009-11-20T10:45:00.005-05:00

Links:
Wild vs. Islanders Preview

Avalanche and Islanders are two feel-good stories so far

Wild: Agitator wants to clutter up kid's mind

Trophy Tracker: Norris, Calder, Adams races after 20

Early awards contenders, Hawks cap squeeze, a sticky issue, more

Havlat out with strained hammy; Smith on way up; Biron in the cage; Roli: "Write with your heart, Roose"

Olympic Talk-11/19/09 Links

2009-11-19T11:36:00.002-05:00

There's some talk in the Canadian media that John Tavares could be considered for a spot on the 2010 Olympic team. While I would love to see Tavares achieve the great accomplishement of representing his country we need to remember that Hockey Canada has been hesitant to select young players and passed on Sidney Crosby in his rookie year.

It would not be the worst thing for JT to take the Olympic break as a rest, he's 19 playing his first NHL season. If the pros play in 2014 obviously Tavares would be strongly considered. But for now, we must realize the incredible depth of talent up the middle for Canada to choose from and be realistic that Tavares would be better served as a bystander this Olympic year.

Links from the net:
Where you're drafted means nothing once puck drops

HL ON TSN QUIZ: OLYMPIC PICKS, ROOKIES AND SHANAHAN'S FUTURE

Penner pushing to be Oly pick

JT Gets Another THN Cover---11/17/09 Links

2009-11-17T14:36:00.003-05:00

Bruins aren’t surprised by improvement in Islanders

Islanders’ top line makes it look easy

Stock Up / Stock Down

The Road Warriors

2009-11-16T22:12:00.007-05:00

Cue "Iron Man".

The Islanders ran their record to 2-0-2 on a current 7 game road trip with a 4-1 win over the Boston Bruins. There were no shortage of great performances tonight as Dwayne Roloson (who got the nod even though Newsday beat reporter Katie Strang reported Martin Biron) was excellent, Matt Moulson got 2 more goals, Richard Park (much maligned here but I give him props) contributed 3 assists, and John Tavares continued to emerge as a star.

It was a physical game and you can tell this Bruins team without Marc Savard and Milan Lucic was a desperate one. The Islanders jumped out to a lead when Jack Hillen made a beautiful rush to setup Moulson in his office to make it 1-0. The Isles would take a stream of penalties but did a tremendous job in killing them off including a prolonged 5-3.

Boston would tie it up after Tavares and Freddy Meyer failed to clear the zone but the Islander resiliency which is becoming a staple showed again.

Moulson got his 2nd on a nice feed from Park as a result of a great forecheck by Tavares that led to a Tuukka Rask giveaway.

JT was making things happen again. He had 3 point blank opportunities, 2 thwarted by Rask and 1 by the mountainous reach of Zdeno Chara. Johnny T also shanked a 1 timer attempt on a late 3rd power play opportunity but was still able to connect on his NHL rookie league leading 9th goal on a shot deflected off a Bruin skate.

Moulson though continues to be just as impressive a story as JT. He netted his 10th and 11th goals of the season. Not bad for a guy given up on by the Los Angeles Kings and signed by the Islanders primarily for Bridgeport. Always thought Molson was a solid player who never got a fair shot with the Kings and I was surprised when he was not tendered an offer making him a free agent. Credit Snow and the hockey staff for doing their homework.

Roloson had his best game as an Islander and it looked for a while that Rollie was going to pitch the shutout. Still, he was sharp on his angles despite the one goal and the Isles did a fine job of clearing the path and giving Rolson a good view of the puck.

Isles will come home for a couple of days of sleeping in their own beds then are off to one of my favorite places in the NHL Friday night, Minnesota. Great arena and even greater people there.

Game Stats:
1G/ +1/ 4SOG/ 19:38TOI/ Faceoffs 6-8

Goal:

Highlights:

Links:
Moulson scores twice in Isles' 4-1 win over Bruins

No Comeback For Boston This Time Around as Islanders Strand Bruins 4-1

Isles/Red Hot JT in Boston Tonight

2009-11-16T01:23:00.006-05:00

The Islanders will take on the Bruins tonight in Boston.

Tukka Rask will be in net for the Bruins and Martin Biron for the Islanders. New York will be without Brendan Witt tonight due to personal reasons, Andrew MacDonald gets the call from Bridgeport.

John Tavares continues his surge for the Calder trophy as he now leads all rookies in goals and points. Tavares comes in riding a 4 game point scoring streak (3G/4A).

Links:
Ovie returns to Big Apple

Bruins vs. Islanders Preview

Rookie sensation Tavares changing Isles' fortunes

Florida Panthers, NHL experiencing a youth movement

Isles Grab Another Point

2009-11-14T23:42:00.004-05:00

Yes, the Islanders once again went to extra time and lost to the Panthers 5-4 in a shootout.

New York jumped out to a quick 2-0 first period lead on goals by Tim Jackman and Trent Hunter. The disturbing trend of blowing leads continued though as Florida came back to take the lead 4-2 in the 3rd.

From there John Tavares took over. First by burying his rookie leading 8th goal of the season and then winning a faceoff back to Kyle Okposo for the tying goal. Tavares now leads all rookies in goals and points.

The Islanders now have taken points in each of the first three games of the seven game road trip. Off to Boston for a Monday night tilt.

Game Stats:
1G 1A/ -1/ 4SOG/ 17:40TOI/ Faceoffs: 8-11

Goal:

Highlights:

Links:
Horton's goal lifts Panthers to SO win over Isles

DeBoer saw Tavares' promise

JTs' Two A First

2009-11-14T02:12:00.005-05:00

John Tavares had the first two goal game of his career as the Isles roared out of the gate to a 3-0 lead in Carolina. But as has become the norm, the Islanders went to overtime where Kyle Okposo notched the 4-3 victory over the Hurricanes.

It might have been too easy early on for the Islanders as they stopped skating causing defensive lapses and the Canes comeback was capped by a horrendous goal given up by Martin Biron to tie it and send to extra time.

The Islanders did prevail in the end to continue their successful run of 6-2-3 in their last 10.

Johnny T got off to a great start by bringing back some memories of his classic 09 WJC goal by bunting a rebound off the back glass into the net. JT would later add a second goal by sniping out in front of G Manny Legace for a tap in.

Tavares didn't see much if the ice in the second half of the game as Coach Scott Gordon played his role players for a huge chunk of the second half resulting in less offensive pressure and thus the blown lead. JT had a rough night in the faceoff circle but was robbed of his chance of his first career hat trick with the diminished playing time.

Off to Florida.

Game Stats:
2G/ +1/ 2SOG/ 17:27TOI/ Faceoffs 2-9

Goals:
#1 "the bunt"

#2

Highlights:

Post-Game Quotes:

Links:
Okposo scores in OT in Islanders' 4-3 win; Tavares gets two goals

Okposo's overtime goal lifts Islanders over Canes

Isles/Canes Preview

2009-11-13T14:39:00.004-05:00

Isles in Raleigh tonight. Kyle Okposo is with the team and is a gametime decision.

Links:
Hurricanes vs. Islanders Preview

History in the Atlantic?

First-years excelling across the NHL

Bid on JTs' Painting:
Time is Running Out!

6-6-6 Is The Coach Possessed?

2009-11-11T22:40:00.005-05:00

No it's not a satanic message or a spell such as the possible one that implores Scott Gordon to play 4th liner Richard Park more than any other forward in his lineup (more on that later). It's the Islanders record with tonights 5-4 11 round shootout loss to the Capitals.

This was a strange one indeed. Washington came out and took the lead 8 seconds in on a goal by Alex Semin. The Isles roared right back and chased Jose Theodore from the net with 3 goals in 5 minutes to take a 3-1 lead.

New York would relinquish the lead and trail 4-3 until the returning Trent Hunter equalized the game with a power play goal at 17:52 of the third.

The shootout was a long one but I wouldn't call it a memorable one with shooters missing the net, losing pucks, and the majority shooting pucks into goalie pads.

John Tavares recorded an assist but seemed to be off at certain points of the game. JT looked like he might be nursing some effects of the flu passing through the Islanders and all NHL locker rooms.

It didn't help JTs' cause that Kyle Okposo (H1N1 virus) was out of the lineup leaving 4th line role player Richard Park on the top line for a 2nd straight game. The Isles from ownership down preach that they are a rebuilding team that is building through youth development but there you had Park, 33 years old, 1 goal in 18 games and 87 in 621 games getting the most ice time out of any of the Islander forwards.

That Park plays on the top line, takes certain faceoffs for Tavares (even though Park was 5-7/JT 11-6), received power play time late in the 3rd period over team leading goal scorer Matt Moulson, and was out there in overtime along with Nate Thompson (another 4th liner for life) more than Moulson and Tavares is an indictment on what the coach is thinking at times.

Look, Richard Park is a nice plugger and has given the Islanders all he has but he's a 4th liner at best and probaly would not even make the top 5 teams in the league. The only way he can help this team is playing a limited role, win or lose. If you lose at least you have a kid or a player with potential learning.

Rant over.

Carolina on Friday the 13th, yes like the Coachs' bench work the Isles have some scary things going on right now.

Game Stats:
1A/ Even/ 3SOG/ 18:48TOI/ Faceoffs 11-6

Highlights:

Links:
Clark’s 11th round goal gives Caps shootout win

Hurting Isles In D.C. Tonight

2009-11-11T10:28:00.002-05:00

The Islanders will play the Caps tonight in Washington. The injury list is starting to grow as Kyle Okposo has contracted the H1N1 virus and Doug Weights' "upper body injury" has now been projected as a 4-6 week absence. Add this to Radek Martinek being lost for the season and the injury bug is starting to catch up to the Islanders again.

Good news is Trent Hunter may be in tonights' lineup after recovering from a pectoral injury. Another positive-no Alex Oveckin! But then again that has not stopped Washington from lighting the lamp with 11 goals in their last two games.

On a side note, there was actually a comment from GM Garth Snow recorded in the NY Post last week, maybe he has awoken from his nap on the job. Should be interesting to see if the road trip coupled with the holidays approaching could make for any moves on the horizon. Snow, minus contract dumps and draft day picks shuffling, has been non-existent in the trade market for quite some time now. We went from Mad Mike to Sleepy Snow. Still waiting for him to utilize that cap space he's so proud of.

Links:
Capitals vs. Islanders Preview

Isles Score 6 To Net 6th Win

2009-11-07T22:15:00.008-05:00

It was not a game you would show your players if you were coaching team defense or goaltending, but it was an entertaining affair at the Nassau Coliseum tonight. The Islanders defeated the Thrashers 6-3 as 13 different Islanders registered points.

New York got it going in the first period with a beautiful feed from John Tavares to Andy Sutton for an even better finish. Roloson would give up a softee on a wrist shot from D-man Zach Bogosian a short time after that to tie the game, but the Isles kept up the pressure and would get the first goals of the season from Sean Bergenheim and Jack Hillen to close out the first.

The Islanders would control the game the rest of the way and out shot Atlanta 45-34.

Tavares did a great job drawing defenders to set up goals by Sutton and Moulson. JT was roughed up on a hit by Eric Boulton but did not miss a shift.

All in all a solid effort and a must needed victory as New York heads out on the road for the next seven games starting in Washington Wednesday.

Game Stats:
2A/ +1/ 2SOG/ 19:10TOI/ Faceoffs 6-7

Post-Game Interview:

Highlights:

Links:

Six Islanders score goals in 6-3 win over Atlanta

Islanders shake off injuries, beat Thrashers

Islanders use balanced attack to beat Thrashers

Islanders Drop 2nd In A Row

2009-11-06T22:05:00.005-05:00

The Islanders were defeated by the Devils 2-1 tonight.

It was pretty much a game straight out of Devils Coach Jacque Lemaire playbook, meaning it was boring as hell.

Franz Nielsen scored the first goal of the game in period 1 but the Devils were able to score on two long drives in the second which decided the contest.

John Tavares had some chances but was unable to cash in.

The Isles offense in general has been stagnant over the last two games. Not helping matters any is the potential loss of defenseman Radek Martinek late in the third with an apparent knee injury.

Back to Long Island tomorrow to face the Kovalchuk-less Thrashers.

Game Stats:
Even/ 1SOG/ 17:55TOI/ Faceoffs 6-4

Highlights:

Links:
Danis makes 23 saves, Devils win fourth straight

Islanders Face Danis Tonight

2009-11-06T14:20:00.002-05:00

The Islanders will bus their way to New Jersey tonight to take on the Devils and former goalie Yann Danis tonight.

No changes in the lineup for the Isles but Coach Gordon has decided to go with Martin Biron for the second straight start. It will be the first time this season that Biron has received two starts in a row.

Links:
Devils vs. Islanders Preview

Islanders Shutout In Buffalo

2009-11-04T21:58:00.002-05:00

The Islanders 4 game winning streak came to an end tonight in Buffalo as they were defeated by the Sabres by 3-0.

New York seemed a little tired and the well rested Sabres took advantage. The Islanders spent too much time in the penalty box in the first and second periods and Derek Roy and Thomas Vanek made them pay with power play goals.

Buffalo dominated in the faceoff circle with an amazing 39-8 advantage. This resulted in the Islanders chasing the play the majority of the night as the Sabres dictated the game.

John Tavares and his linemates Kyle Okposo and Matt Moulson weren't much of a factor tonight. JT couldn't seem to get in the flow after a the Islanders spent too much time killing penalties in the first. His 4 point scoring streak comes to an end.

With the olympic condensed schedule the Islanders have no time to dwell on this loss as they head to the Rock Friday night to play the Devils.

On a side note: Congrats to new NHL Hall of Fame inductees Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull, Brian Leetch, and Luc Robitaille.

Here's what lucky Luc had to say about JT in a conference call held today:

Question: Luc, just wondering if you had a chance to look at John Tavares. And I'm wondering, he reminds me much of you in that he's not a brilliant skater but has this phenomenal eye-to-hand coordination. Have you had a chance to look at him and do you think he could be another Luc Robitaille?

Luc Robitaille: First pick, he better ?

Question: He was not exactly where you were drafted.

Luc Robitaille: I think he's a very special player. He's got a knack around the net that's very special. I've seen him play probably five games this year. And I'm always impressed. You watch him and you're not sure about the game, and the next thing you know he gets the puck and something amazing seems to happen. He definitely has a knack, too, in the big moment and the bigger the game is to shine. I think he's going to be a very, very special player in our league.

Game Stats:
Even/ 2SOG/ 15:54TOI/ Faceoffs 2-7

Highlights:

Links:
Miller, Sabres beat Islanders 3-0

JT Paints For Charity

2009-11-04T12:19:00.004-05:00

John Tavares has contributed the above painting to benefit the Kidney Foundation of Canada.

Please click the links below to find out how you can bid on an original piece of art by JT and how you can donate to a great cause.

A Brush of Hope

Celebrities from coast-to-coast are giving those with kidney disease A Brush of Hope - now they're asking you to do your part.

Isles/Sabres...Again

2009-11-04T11:43:00.005-05:00

The Islanders make their final visit to Buffalo tonight. This will be the third time the two teams will meet in the past 19 days. Sabres took the 1st game in Buffalo 6-3, Isles returned the favor last Saturday 5-0.

Martin Biron will start in net for the Islanders, Ryan Miller for the Sabres. Should be the same lineup tonight for the Islanders but there are whispers that the some players are ill or banged up. Could be an opening for Blake Comeau, Rob Schremp, or Freddy Meyer to get back in.

Links:
Sabres vs. Islanders Preview

Tavares-Moulson connection? All chemistry

Ovechkin's plan: Nachos, Coke and recovery

TNT provides grit, experience

Good Things Happening On The Island

2009-11-02T23:00:00.009-05:00

The Isles won their 4th in a row and stretched their unbeaten in regulation streak to six games. From the net out the Islanders are playing hard and smart hockey and are getting production up and down the line.

Tonight the hero was long time stay at home defensemen Brendan Witt. Witt netted 2 goals increasing his career goal total to 25 in 862 career games. Great efforts as well from Doug Weight, Andy Sutton, Jack Hillen, and Dwayne Roloson. Honestly, we could list all the names cause it was a classic team effort.

John Tavares fired home his 5th goal of the season on a nice feed from Matt Moulson. JT has points in 4 straight games and was all over the net. Tavares again had several great chances and once the kid starts burying them with more regularity he is going to trigger many of those entry level contract bonuses.

The Isles will head to Buffalo Wednesday which will mark the start of the possible season defining stretch of 14 of the next 17 games on the road.

Game Stats:
1G/ even/ 6SOG/17:24 TOI/ Faceoffs 12-10

Goal:

Highlights:

Links:

WITT, ISLANDERS GET FOURTH STRAIGHT WIN AS THEY DROP OILERS

Witt nets pair as Islanders win fourth in row

Isles beat Oilers for 4th straight win

Oilers' offensive woes continue against Islanders

Rare goals by Witt help Isles win fourth in a row

Spector: Isles' Tavares learning quickly

Isles/Oilers Tonight

2009-11-02T16:01:00.002-05:00

Not much info coming out today. Isles are rolling and will keep the same lineup with the exception of Goalie Dwayne Roloson back between the pipes.

The flu stricken Oilers come to town tonight. Expect Nik Khabibuhlin to get the call in goal.

Great job by Newsday Isles beat writer Katie Strang getting this quote from formers Rangers head coach and current Oilers' assistant Tom Renney. Renney on the Islanders/Oilers rebuilding plans "I liken it to what we’re doing in Edmonton. I call it the “cast on the arm,” where it’s broken, you’ve got to put a cast on it and you’ve got to heal internally and get better."

Links:
Islanders vs. Oilers Preview

Tambys' Trick A Treat

2009-11-01T12:56:00.002-05:00

That's right, I went with the cheeseball Halloween headline.

Jeff Tambellini recorded his first career hat trick as the Isles defeated the Buffalo Sabres by a count of 5-0. Martin Biron had a great performance making 38 saves in the victory.

With the win, the Islanders finished the month of October at 4-4-5. They are currently riding a 5 game unbeaten in regulation streak (3-0-2) and are making positive strides daily. Coach Scott Gordon, whom i've been critical of, deserves praise.

John Tavares recorded an assist and now has a point in 3 straight games.

The Islanders will take on the struggling Oilers tomorrow night at the Coliseum.

Game Stats:
1A/ 2SOG/ Even/ 16:20TOI/ Faceoffs 7-8

Highlights:

Links:
Tambellini Trick Helps Isles' Biron To 200th Win

Tambellini gets first NHL hat trick

Isles/Sabres Tonight

2009-10-31T13:24:00.002-04:00

The white hot Sabres come to Long Island tonight. Martin Biron in net for the Isles.

Some post game stuff out of Washington and some random links from the web.

Links:
Islanders vs. Sabres Preview

Tavares breaks through in OT to halt Caps' streak

Capitals Plus

BACKCHECKING: THIS YEAR'S NHL ROOKIES

Islanders Change The Script

2009-10-30T22:32:00.005-04:00

The Islanders fought hard and persevered with a 4-3 overtime victory over the Capitals. Washington had came in riding a six game winning streak but were foiled by great goaltending from Dwayne Roloson. A sub-par performance by Caps goalie Jose Theodore contributed as well.

It was another strong showing for John Tavares. He set up Mark Streits' game winner with great board work and beautiful backhand feed from behind the net. JT hit a crossbar and was stopped point blank by Theodore on several other chances. Tavares also fed a nice pass to Sean Bergenheim in the crease that was foiled by Theodore.

The Islanders (3-4-5) celebrate their first back to back wins as they head back to the Island to
take on the Buffalo Sabres tomorrow night.

Game Stats
1A/ +2/ 5SOG/ 19:33TOI/ Faceoffs 6-9

Highlights:

Links:
Streit’s OT goal lifts Isles past Caps

Isles end Capitals' winning streak with 4-3 OT win

Streit's OT goal gives Isles victory over Caps

10/29/09 Links

2009-10-29T23:03:00.002-04:00

A couple of stories from the web today.

Links:
Tavares proving he isn't out of place in the NHL

Islanders hope to cap plenty of games with new tradition

Tavares Strong As Isles Top Rangers

2009-10-28T23:54:00.005-04:00

They finally won a game in regulation and from the net out they earned it with a superb effort. The Islanders defeated the Rangers 3-1, they never trailed and not only did they hold on to a 3rd period lead they increased it.

Dwayne Roloson was outstanding in net. The defense held up. The team as a whole was solid positionally and when they bent they didn't break.

For my money John Tavares had his finest game as a pro. Yes, JT broke a scoreless streak with a 3rd period goal but his complete game was a strong one. The 19 year old looked like a grizzled veteran in his first contest in this legendary rivalry.

Tavares was hit hard by Rangers defenseman Marc Staal in the first and appeared to hurt his oft-injured shoulder in the second on a hit by Brandon Dubinsky. But the kid has shown not only is he mentally tough but physically tough.

Johnny T created countless opportunities and if it wasn't for the great goaltending of Henrik Lundqvist it could have been a 5 point night for JT. He played his most complete game as a NHL'er yet.

Game Stats:
1 Goal/ +2/ 3 SOG/ 16:14 TOI/ Faceoffs 7-4

Post Game Interview: (Representing the hard hat!)

Goal:

Highlights:

Links:
Islanders avert a late collapse to beat Rangers

Tavares scores in Isles win over Rangers

A Stark Contrast Benefits the Isles

Healthy Weight assists on Okposo's winner

NHL has become teenagers on ice

Long Island iced team

Islanders/Rangers Tonight

2009-10-28T15:08:00.005-04:00

Not much needs to be said here.

It's an important game for the Islanders fans and with 10 out of the next 13 games on the road after tonight it's a huge game for the team.

Former junior teammates John Tavares and Michael Del Zotto will get their first taste of the rivalry tonight. Both have been impressive with Del Zotto even stealing some of Johnnys' thunder...how dare he? Well, he is a Ranger now dammit.

Links:
Islanders vs. Rangers Preview

SIX MEMBERS OF 2009 DRAFT CLASS LIKELY TO STAY IN NHL

NHL draft picks continue to stick

and because this is indeed Tavares Country, a nice news bit on Johns' sister Laura Tavares' field hockey team.

Devils, Raiders denied trip to senior field hockey final

Deja Vu All Over Again

2009-10-27T10:31:00.008-04:00

The last time John Tavares was drafted 1st overall he was a 14 year old wunderkind who was granted exceptional player status. The Oshawa Generals, coming off a 15 win season finished at the bottom of the OHL giving them the opportunity to draft Tavares. They won 18 games the next season.

See where i'm going here.

That first season with the Generals had a roster consisting of 1 current NHL'er (Cal Clutterbuck) and 2 prospects with potential (Brett MacLean and Dale Mitchell). The rest was a rag tag bunch.

Tavares still produced and went on to win the CHL and OHL rookie of the year honors. But we are talking about the top level of hockey in the NHL and the Islanders decision to not add at least 1 proven veteran scorer or a NHL proven enforcer to police for Tavares is a questionable one.

It's the 2nd year of a 5 year plan, I understand that. I realize the intention is to peak when the team has a new arena, but there has to be progress. There has to be recognition and firm decisions with regards to what works and what doesn't work.

What works:
The Islanders. They always work hard, if not smart. I am tough on Scott Gordon to a point but I also respect the fact that he can motivate and his team always works hard. It's that smart thing that needs to be worked on, but then again this is the roster he was given.

What doesn't work:
As of right now, the system. Gordons' aggresive forechecking system could be successful, but his insistence to force it upon a team that is neither skilled nor fast enough to perform it effectively needs to be looked at.

Brendan Witt is a -44 in 75 games under Gordon.

You either have to change the players or change/adjust the system. This is Gordons 2nd year, the organization knew this system was going to be played and they gave him exactly one player to add to that, John Tavares. Matt Moulson was a suprise and they should be commended for signing him, but there is no way he was considered on their NHL depth chart before camp.

In closing, I understand a playoff spot is a longshot. But the last I looked there are still fans paying money to see the Islanders. There needs to be progress, and it can't be measured by 40 minutes of playing good hockey. If it's broke and it's not working then you have to fix it.

Links:
Upon further review

Off day before Rangers

Halak's hot hand ices Price

Habs play down to Isles' level

The Song Remains The Same

2009-10-26T22:53:00.009-04:00

Isles fall in overtime.

The Islanders were able to get a point tonight thanks to great goaltending from Martin Biron and clutch goal scoring from Jeff Tambellini. A little luck too, courtesy of a non-call from the refs.

Mark Streit knocked down a loose puck at center ice that was not called and led to the tying goal from Tambellini, his second of the game. Of course, the Islanders lost in extra time again 3-2. The Isles now stand at 1-4-5.

John Tavares was held scoreless for a 4th straight game. He had some opportunities and was offensively involved, including a nice play on the forecheck to help lead to Tambellinis' tying goal. But, JT has been developing some bad habits and his game has fallen in the last week. It will be interesting to see how he battles through his first bout with adversity at the pro level.

Game Stats:
-2/ 1 SOG/ 2 PIM/ 21:25 TOI/ Faceoffs 2-2

Highlights:

Post Game Reaction:

http://watch.tsn.ca/nhl/clip228066#clip228066

Links:

Hamrlik's OT goal gives Canadiens 4th straight win

Tavares is not only sensational rookie

Tavares reaches 10 career NHL games, but finds himself in mini-drought

Montreal: Take Two

2009-10-26T14:40:00.004-04:00

Isles are back up in Montreal tonight for their 2nd game in Montreal in 5 nights. After their worst effort of the season Thursday night, the Isles followed with a strong effort against the Caps but were still unable to close it out. Martin Biron keeps the Scott Gordon goalie rotation going. JT will play will be between Okposo and Moulson again.

On a side note, the hard to believe bad luck continues for this franchise. 2nd round pick, goaltender Mikko Koskinen will miss 8-10 weeks with a torn labrum. Koskinen had drawn rave reviews for his early work down in Bridgeport.

Links:
Canadiens vs. Islanders Preview

LEAFS SEARCH FOR ELUSIVE WIN WHILE CANADIENS RIDE HOT STREAK

THN.com Blog: Defenseless Isles search for winning formula

Islanders' season must be about hockey, not future projects

Another Loser Point

2009-10-25T01:40:00.002-04:00

The Islanders blew another 3rd period lead tonight and fell in overtime 3-2 to the Capitals. Dwayne Rolson had a solid game but was not good enough to prevent another Islander collapse.

It was also the 3rd straight game that John Tavares was held without a point. He had some chances but you could see his frustration building due to not cashing in. It should be interesting to see how JT deals with his current funk as not only are the Isles thin offensively, they will play 17 or their next 23 games on the road where the opposing teams will be able to key in on Tavares.

Game Stats:
-1/ 2 SOG/ 17:22 TOI/ Faceoffs 10-5

Highlights:

Links:
Capitals beat Islanders in overtime

Green leads Caps comeback

Laich’s OT goal lifts Caps to comeback win

JT and Ovie Show Tonight

2009-10-24T14:20:00.004-04:00

The two former number one picks will meet for the first time in their careers. The Islanders are coming off a dismal effort in Montreal and the Capitals are coming off a victory over the Thrashers. Both Tavares and Ovechkin were scoreless in their previous games so they should be itchin to go.

Pre-Game Interview:

Links:
Ovechkin on Tavares

Class of 2009 shaping up nicely

Islanders vs. Capitals Preview

Canadiens Defeat Flat Islanders

2009-10-22T22:22:00.004-04:00

It was the least impressive game yet in the career of John Tavares. The Islanders were flat and were never in this one. JT looked like he might of been feeling the effects of the hit he received last night from Carolina D-man Andrew Alberts. He was a step off of the puck and couldn't create much.

Of course the Islanders incredibly weak offensive depth was exploited without Tavares' A game. Captain Doug Weight missed another game, Kyle Okposo was ineffective and the defense was in an especially giving mood tonight.

They might want to burn the tape on this one as they will have one day to prepare for Alexander the Great coming to the Island Saturday night.

Game Stats:
-2/ TOI 17:03/ 0 SOG/ Faceoffs 7-9

TSN.CA Feature:
http://watch.tsn.ca/nhl/clip226702#clip226702

Highlights:

Links:
Canadiens beat Islanders 5-1

Sky's the limit as Islanders top draft pick John Tavares excels as NHL rookie

Gomez and Bergeron score in first and Habs cruise to 5-1 win over Isles

Isles/Habs Tonight

2009-10-22T11:52:00.003-04:00

Coming off their first victory of the season, the Islanders travel up to Montreal to visit the Canadiens. Both teams are off to a slow start but are coming off wins.

Doug Weight did not travel with the team. If Frans Nielsen does not play back to back then Rob Schremp and Jon Sim should get the call tonight. Martin Biron will start in net for the Isles, Halak for the Habs.

Links:
Tavares scores shootout goal for Isles first win

Canadiens vs. Islanders Preview

Canadiens shuffle lineup for Isles

Inside the Crease: Tavares, the savior of the Islanders?

They Finally Win A Damn Game

2009-10-21T22:56:00.005-04:00

To quote the late, great Bob Murphy "The game's over. They win the damned thing!" It wasn't easy by any means and with the Islanders it never is but they notched their first victory of the season 4-3 in a shootout over the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Isles again were unable to put 60 minutes of consistent hockey together. They took a 3-1 lead into the 3rd period thanks to the first goals of the season for D Andy Sutton and W Tim Jackman, plus another goal for team leader Matt Moulson.

The 3rd period again proved to be a nightmare and nearly was catastrophic as John Tavares was hit into the boards (late and dirty in my opinion) by Andrew Alberts and did not get up until play had stopped. Andy Sutton came to JT's aid but the lack of an NHL level enforcer on this team again nearly proved costly for Johnny T. Then again, that's a blog for another day for sure.

The Canes tied it up on goals by Eric Staal and Jussi Jokinen, but Johnny Hockey would put the finishing touches on the victory with his first career shootout goal. Tavares was all over the puck tonight and you could certainly see the Carolina defense keying in on him and trying to limit his space. A win is a win, but if the poor play of Doug Weight and Josh Bailey continues then it will become even tougher for Tavares to avoid the D's attention.

Isles head to Montreal tomorrow.

Game Stats:
-1/ 17:50 TOI/ 6SOG/ Faceoffs 10-6

Goal:

Highlights:

Post Game Interview:

Links:
Tavares lifts Islanders past Hurricanes in SO

Looking Out For Number 1

2009-10-21T13:15:00.003-04:00

Isles will look for win number one once again tonight when the Carolina Hurricanes visit the Nassau Coliseum.

Coach Scott Gordon has decided to break up the Islanders only consistent line of offense by moving Kyle Okposo off the John Tavares/Matt Moulson combo. Gordon is hoping to create better balance in the lineup by moving Doug Weight to Tavares' wing. Weight is questionable for tonights game.

Links:
Winless Islanders have Maurice edgy

Tavares trade now paying off for Generals

Tavares still waiting for 1st NHL win

Early-Season NHL Storylines

Weight a game-time decision

10/19/09 Links

2009-10-19T15:15:00.002-04:00

Links:
Islanders Tavares, Weight read to young students

Atlantic: Rangers' Del Zotto a surprise scoring leader

Top picks living up to hype

Isles Remain Winless

2009-10-18T15:13:00.002-04:00

Sorry the blog is up late, I remained in Buffalo for the Sabres/Thrashers game last night and missed Isles/Sharks.

John Tavares added another assist as the JT/Moulson/Okposo line continues to be the Islanders only source of offense.

Game Stats:
1 Assist/ -1/ 3 SOG/ 2 PIM/ 18:11 TOI/ Faceoffs 8-5

Highlights:

Links:
Islanders start well but lose sixth in a row

Thornton has goal, 2 assists in Sharks' win

NHL in Saskatoon?

Still Looking For A Win

2009-10-17T17:05:00.002-04:00

Isles take on the Sharks tonight on Long Island looking for win number one.

No morning skate today so we'll see come game time what changes, if any Scott Gordon will make. Martin Biron is expected in goal.

Links:
Islanders vs. Sharks Preview

Islanders' Tavares takes center stage

Little, Not Enough

2009-10-16T23:06:00.005-04:00

Isles fell to the Buffalo Sabres tonight 6-3 and remain winless on the season.

John Tavares scored his 3rd goal of the season, couple that with Matt Moulsons' goal and assist and that's pretty much where the positives end.

Yes it is early, but in this league if can get late awful quick. Dwayne Roloson was horrible tonight and the defense in front wasn't much better. You have to really question what the Islander vets have left. Brendan Witt looks very slow out there, Andy Sutton just does not use his big frame enough. Outside of All Star Mark Streit, this defense looks very thin in terms of quality.

Then we have the forwards. Bottom line, the only line that generates any pressure consisitently is Tavares/Moulson/Okposo. JT and KO are clearly the two true building blocks for this team and Moulson has been a nice suprise. Beyond that you have a very small and marginally talented lineup. Doug Weight is playing the wing, where he is not effective. Tim Jackman and Joel Rechlicz are great team guys i'm sure and they try, but they are NOT NHL players. Rechlicz took another stupid penalty and does not belong in this league. Josh Bailey needs some AHL seasoning in my opinion, he shot the puck tonight which is good, but he has no explosion in any aspects of his game. Sean Bergenheim has to score, he's 25 and he hasn't shown it.

Sure looks like it's going to be another tough year and little players and little progress from this team isn't enough.

Game Stats:
1 Goal/even/7 SOG/19:36 TOI/Faceoffs: 4-8

Goal:

Highlights:

Links:
Miller leads Sabres to 6-3 win

No, not that John Tavares

Ask Adam: Island unto himself

Greetings from Buffalo

2009-10-16T12:00:00.002-04:00

Just got back from the Sabres morning skate...Isles were due up next but the staff alerted us that the visiting teams skate would be closed. Look for Ryan Miller to get the start tonight as he did not participate and Patrick Lalime was the only goalie suited up and he took extended shots with the Sabres injured and scratched players.

A couple of side notes, the HSBC arena is beautiful and the team shop is the best I have ever seen. They had all the new merch and beyond. They also put a nice hit on my wallet.

Should be interesting tonight as the Isles will go with John Tavares, Rob Schremp, and Josh Bailey as their top 3 pivots tonight. Thats your top 3 centers with less than 100 NHL career games combined. Doug Weight moves to the wing.

JT will makes his debut in an arena that his Uncle John has dominated as a lacrosse player.

Links:
Sabres vs. Islanders Preview

Weight agrees to play on the wing

SABRES: Can Buffalo beat bad teams, too?

Isles Fall 2-1

2009-10-12T20:56:00.010-04:00

If you know Islanders history then you know the recent track record on holiday day games. It's not good and today they came out strong with an impressive 1st period but got away from their system and fell 2-1. Matt Moulson continued his impressive play with a goal to narrow the deficit to one goal late in the third but the Isles fell short.

John Tavares had some opportunities and misfired on a one timer late in the game, but the Isles offense in general had a tough time clicking, especially on the power play. His three game scoring streak comes to an end.

JT Game Stats:
0 Points/ 1 SOG/ +1/ 22:58 TOI/ Faceoffs:10-12

Post Game Interview:

Highlights:

Links:

Quick stops 28 shots in 2-1 win over Islanders

Islanders making transition easier for Tavares

Tavares impresses Ex-Isle Smyth

Back From Boston With 1 Point and a Point To Make

2009-10-11T15:42:00.003-04:00

I just returned from my road trip to Boston with equal amounts of positive feelings and negative frustration.

The Positives:
Johnny hockey continues to impress and justify all of the hype that has surrounded him for the last 4 years. The Boston Garden faithful were buzzing "Who is that Tavares kid" or "Tavares has already made the Islanders better". Rob Schremp also had a very strong game and if he can maintain a level of consistency, he could provide the offensive depth the Isles sorely need.

The Negatives:
The Islanders aren't as young a team as one would have you believe. There are plenty of veterans on this team, especially in goal and on defense. The kids are alright and developing nicely. The vets, as they have in the recent past have let the Islanders team down. Whether it's the gray beards such as Roloson, Witt, Sutton, Park, Martinek etc...inability to shut down games in the 3rd period or the the leaders such as Weight and Hunter failing to maintain health. The players who have 'been there' need to make a statement and start earning their keep, otherwise I rather shuttle in some fresh faces.

JT game stats:
1 Goal/ 1 Assist/ 4 SOG/ +1 /Faceoffs:9-10

The Goal:

Highlights:

http://watch.tsn.ca/nhl/clip222632#clip222632

Links:
Isles’ John Tavares impresses

From near shutout to shootout loss for Islanders

Islanders, up 3-0, lose to Bruins in shootout

Bruins rally for 4-3 shootout win over Isles

Bruins rally late to score two points

Bruins roar back

Frantic finish nets two points for Bruins over Islanders

Off To Boston

2009-10-09T22:34:00.002-04:00

Heading to Boston to catch JT and the Islanders take on the Bruins. Should be interesting to see how Boston responds after being blown out 6-1 by Anaheim at home.

Links:
Johnny wants to 'be good'

Bruins vs. Islanders Preview

Handle with care

One point no consolation prize for Islanders

Tavares Nets Assist In OT Loss

2009-10-08T23:21:00.009-04:00

The Isles fell to the Senators 3-2 in overtime. John Tavares registered an assist on a power play goal by Matt Moulson but had several chances of his own including being robbed by Sens goaltender Pascal Leclaire in the 2nd period. Tavares was parked at the right post and had a one timer roll of the heel of his blade allowing Leclaire time to get over and make a sprawling save. Kyle Okposo added a highlight reel goal as the Islanders picked up their 2nd point in two games.

Final stats of the night.

1 Assist/19:46 of ice time/-1/4 SOG/7-11 on Faceoffs.

Highlights and Feature from TSN:

http://watch.tsn.ca/nhl/clip222118#clip222118

http://watch.tsn.ca/nhl/clip222118#clip222095

Post Game Reaction:

http://watch.tsn.ca/nhl/clip222112#clip222112

Links:

SENATORS SPOIL TAVARES' CANADIAN DEBUT; EDGE ISLANDERS

TAVARES MARVELS AT PASSAGE OF TIME UPON RETURN TO OTTAWA

Senators defeat Tavares-led Isles 3-2

Fisher silences Islanders in overtime

Tavares back in Ottawa, but not as the good guy

Tavares comes north: A look back at some prominent Canadian debuts

Islanders lose to Ottawa in overtime, 3-2

Tavares Set For Canada Debut

2009-10-07T22:50:00.011-04:00

JT will return to Ottawa tomorrow night, the site of his dominant 2008 WJC tournament. It will also mark Tavares' NHL debut in his native land north of the border. Should be interesting to see the effect that the return of Doug Weight and the debut of Rob Schremp will have.

Pre-Game Interview:

Upper Deck Signing:

"She gave me the look"...too funny. Also Hedman is pretty hilarious.

Links:

Tavares returns to Ottawa as the enemy

Isles' Okposo is the vet who guides Tavares

Sens' Karlsson ready for Tavares

Ottawa Senators excited to play host to John Tavares's Canadian debut

Tavares ready for Canada

Finally, Tavares can just play

10/5/09 Links

2009-10-05T23:20:00.002-04:00

Here's some news from around the net today. Not much going on in Isles nation with 4 days off before Thursday nights game in Ottawa.

NHL Reality Check: Opener Is Clash of “The Kids”

First impressions of the new season

Time for Kostitsyn to look in the mirror; plus, 30 random thoughts

10/4/09 Links

2009-10-04T20:20:00.005-04:00

NHL kicks off 2009-10 season in dramatic fashion

John Tavares wows them in debut

Following Sid’s lead

Rookie John Tavares scores first NHL goal, but Penguins shoot past Islanders

In the end, Sid gets best of kid Tavares

Through injuries, linemates for Tavares emerge

JT Delivers

2009-10-04T01:40:00.005-04:00

Despite a 4-3 shootout defeat, John Tavares' NHL debut was a special one. Tavares showed that all the hype was deserved with 1 Goal and 1 Assist. Tavares was also thwarted by Marc Andre Fleury on a breakaway but created offense every shift for the Islanders. It was a loss but it also was a look into the future for the Isles. JT has arrived.

Tavares finished with 22:05 of ice time, an even rating, 2 SOG and 9 of 19 in the faceoff circle.

1st Goal and Assist:

Post Game Interview:

TSN.ca Highlights:
http://watch.tsn.ca/nhl/clip220310#clip220310

Links:
TAVARES SCORES FIRST GOAL, BUT ISLANDERS FALL TO PENGUINS

Penguins start 2-0 after shootout win; Crosby outduels Tavares

Islanders Fall in Opener, but You’d Never Know It

Penguins Notebook: Tavares Era begins for Islanders

Penguins ruin Tavares' debut with Islanders

Tavares gets his first goal but Islanders lose

Tavares looks like start of something good

Dreams Comes True

2009-10-03T13:57:00.003-04:00

John Tavares will play his first National Hockey League game tonight against the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins. It will be a night of celebration for a young man who started his hockey life under a microscope at the age of 15. No other major junior player has been followed, analyzed, stripped down and created the buzz that JT has.

In the grand scope of life it will not be about the score or the stats tonight. Many young hockey players around the world have dedicated themselves to the sport they love with the dream of wearing an NHL sweater. They leave their families and friends behind. They face tremendous pressure and it's possible that none has faced greater than the kid from Oakville.

Tonight, Johnny Hockey comes to Long Island. Dreams come true.

Pre-Game Interview

Links:
The torch is passed to Tavares with hopes of lighting up Island

Penguins Notebook: Crosby to face Islanders' Tavares

Islanders spotlight shines on No. 1 pick Tavares

Tavares set to make NHL debut

The Hook With Norm James Tonight @ 9PM

2009-10-02T12:42:00.006-04:00

On the eve of JT's debut I will be going on with the great Norm James tonight at 9 PM EST to discuss Tavares, Isles, Schremp, etc...Should be fun.

To listen online:
http://www.am980.ca/home/

Check out Norms' work here:
The Hook With Norm James

http://www.normanjamessports.com/

And don't forget this outstanding JT interview from earlier this year:

Links:
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hockey/2009/10/02/2009-10-02_tavares.html

http://www.antonnews.com/columns/barry/3174-islanders-new-look.html

9/30/09 News Links

2009-09-30T23:18:00.005-04:00

Don't forget to check out the Atlantic division preview roundtable I participated in at Canucks Hockey Blog. Should be up tomorrow. Great hockey people, great hockey discussion, and a great hockey blog.

Links:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/2009-09-30-rookies_N.htm

http://www.thesunnews.com/sports/story/1095458.html

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=293247

Isles Close Pre-Season With Loss

2009-09-29T23:44:00.005-04:00

The Islanders (2-5-1) closed the pre-season schedule with a 4-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center.

John Tavares registered an assist on a Mark Streit power play goal and finished his 1st NHL camp with 3 assists in 4 games. 91 skated with Matt Moulson and Sean Bergenheim and was on the receiving end of a big Colin White hit that he was able to shake off. JT finished with 20:27 of ice time and a -1 with 1 shot on goal. Tavares had his roughest night yet in the faceoff circle going 5 for 19 against three tough pivots. (Niedermayer 2-4, Zajac 2-11, Zubrus 1-4)

Post Game Interview:

The Isles claimed fellow ex-Knight Robbie Schremp off waivers this afternoon It will be interesting to see if the fellow OHL scoring champions will see some ice time together.

Please visit our friends at Canucks Hockey Blog tomorrow night at 8 PM EST where I will be participating in an Atlantic Division round table discussion.

Two tremendous JT features from Chris Botta/Fanhouse and Dave Caldwell/NY Times here:
http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/29/the-john-tavares-handbook/

Why JT is the man> "My season is going to be judged by how much team success we have. That's all that matters. "

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/30/sports/hockey/30islanders.html

More Links:
http://www.canada.com/Twenty+questions+ponder+season/2047430/story.html

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/preview2009/columns/story?columnist=buccigross_john&id=4513809

Who Will Be Tavares' Linemates?

2009-09-27T22:28:00.005-04:00

We are just six days from the season opener and there has been no definitive answer on who will flank John Tavares or if he will be moved to the wing to play with Doug Weight?

Tavares skated with Sean Bergenheim and Weight to start the pre-season but that lasted all of two periods as both went down with the Isles trademark injury (strained groin). The last two games #91 has skated with free agent signing Matt Moulson and prospect Trevor Smith. Both have offensive ability and Moulson and JT have developed a little chemistry as Moulson looks like a lock to make the team with a pre-season leading 4 goals.

We should have a better gauge of the opening night lineup after Tuesday nights exhibition closer. With center Franz Nielsen' injury it would seem the best solution would be to keep Tavares at center between Moulson and Bergenheim and move Weight to center a different line.

Links from the weekend:

http://www.newsday.com/sports/hockey/islanders/tavares-getting-accustomed-to-life-on-long-island-1.1481089

http://www.thenewstribune.com/tacoma/24hour/consumer/outdoors/story/895019.html

http://www.thestarphoenix.com/sports/Players+dress+Week+season/2037306/story.html

http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/25/weight-makes-tavares-feel-at-home/

News Links 9/24/09

2009-09-24T23:36:00.004-04:00

8 Days till the opener! Some nuggets from the web below.

Links:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5isf-iJjxtf3xMVOobcNG0VdNF17g

http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5hugVvTtcmPOA5outvUcpIQ2X1qaw

http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/article/700159

Tavares Home Debut Post Game

2009-09-23T22:19:00.010-04:00

John Tavares' first game in front of the Islanders faithful ended in defeat 4-2. However, JT added an assist on a power play goal by Matt Moulson and brought the crowd to their feet at times with displays of his dazzling offensive ability.

Post game interview:

Highlights:

http://watch.tsn.ca/nhl/clip216602#clip216602

Links:
http://www.newsday.com/sports/hockey/islanders/tavares-makes-coliseum-debut-for-islanders-1.1469565

http://islanders.nhl.com/club/recap.htm?id=2009010068&navid=DLNYIhome

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=499583

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hn4HfqgXGSe4NP4M1Y1QRq6GbDtgD9ATCOS04
http://www.newsday.com/isles-files-1.812028/tavares-long-island-debut-1.1468959/7.721021?view=blogPostComments

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/fantasy/2009/09/23/power-play-on-broadwa/

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=499513

Tavares Pre-Game

2009-09-23T13:43:00.001-04:00

19 Hours Till Johnny Hockey Hits Long Island

2009-09-22T23:17:00.005-04:00

While it was a contentious day at the Lighthouse Project zoning hearings, the bright sun behind those murky clouds of the future makes his home debut Wednesday night. John Tavares will suit up for the Isles only home pre-season game. Even though it's just an exhibition game JT is sure to bring excitement on a September night for the hockey thirsty fans of Long Island.

I'll have post game reactions, analysis, etc...The game will be broadcast on MSG+.Enjoy!

Buy tickets here:
http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/00004304A9155F26?artistid=805986&majorcatid=10004&minorcatid=9

Links from today:

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/2009/09/22/20090922coyotesfeat0923.html

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2009/09/22/mendes_10_to_watch/#

Tavares To Make Home Debut Wednesday

2009-09-21T22:43:00.002-04:00

JT will take the Nassau Coliseum ice for the first time Wednesday in the Isles lone home pre-season game. The game will be televised on MSG+ who plan on featuring Tavares with iso-cams and comprehensive coverage.

Links:
http://www.newsday.com/blogs/sports/watchdog-1.812020/msg-plus-to-feature-new-islander-john-tavares-1.1465522

http://www.dailygazette.com/weblogs/schott/2009/sep/21/msg-plus-to-televise-tavares-islanders-home-debut/

http://www.kansascity.com/385/story/1460527.html

News Links 9/21/09

2009-09-21T10:14:00.003-04:00

12 Days till opening night.

http://www.canada.com/Isles+Tavares+celebrates+birthday+with+victory+over+Oilers/2015731/story.html

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=498972

The Birthday Boy Picks Up His First Point

2009-09-20T23:12:00.004-04:00

John Tavares celebrated his 19th birthday by picking up an assist for his first point of the pre-season. It was a nice centering feed to Matt Moulson in a 3-1 Isles victory Sunday night. Tavares played between Moulson and prosepect Trevor Smith for most of the night. He looked sharper tonight and though he was thwarted on a breakaway in the 2nd had another sharp night in the faceoff circle.

Post game interview:

Highlights:

Links:
http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/Birthday+Tavares+warming+life/2012902/story.html

http://www.calgarysun.com/sports/hockey/2009/09/20/11006901-sun.html

http://www.articlemaniac.com/article/238265/young-hockey-phenoms-the-hockey-card-effect.html

http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5hKYe2_xIvMFRCyBV1NeADE0u8FYw