2008-2009 New York Islanders Thread

[Cromwell]

The New Season thread!

2008 NYI Rookie Camp Young prospects are put to the test in final tryout before Training Camp



In just one week, the Islanders will be heading north to New Brunswick, Canada, for Training Camp—kicking off the first extensive workouts for the team and prospects. But before Training Camp begins, there is still one final event so that the younger prospects to be evaluated.

Although most prospects will earn an invite to Canada, the 2008 Rookie Camp provides Islanders prospects one last chance to showcase their skills and possibly earn a plane ticket north.

More than 20 players will go through four days of workouts and practices, including Josh Bailey, the Islanders first pick from the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, and Travis Hamonic, a second round draft selection by the Islanders.

The camp will be held at Islanders Iceworks in Syosset from Monday, September 15th until Thursday, September 18th, and is open to the public. The Rookie Camp concludes with a scrimmage against the Boston Bruins rookies at the Sports Center in Shelton, Conn. at 1 p.m.


SCHEDULE OF ICE TIME AT ICEWORKS
Monday: 11 am – 2 pm
Tuesday: 9 am – 12 pm
Wednesday: 9 am – 12 pm


GOALTENDERS

Peter Mannino
Born- 2/17/1984
Height- 6'0"
Weight- 200
Mannino signed as a free agent this summer. Last season, He played in 40 games with Division I Denver, leading the team to a 25-14-1 record. Mannino recorded six shutouts, posted a .917 save percentage and had a 2.27 Goals Against Average, both of which were good for 20th overall in NCAA. He was one of only six goalies to record over 950 saves in D-1 and was named the 2007-08 Denver team MVP and “Star of the Year." Mannino also earned All-WCHA third-team honors and Lowes Senior CLASS Award first-team accolades, along with being named to the WCHA Final Five and Wells Fargo Denver Cup all-tournament teams.

Kevin Poulin
Born- 4/12/1990
Height- 6'2"
Weight- 210
The 2008 Prospects Camp was his first with the Islanders after being drafted in the fifth round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. Poulin spent last season in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with Victoriaville. He recorded a .887 save percentage and had a goals against average of 3.69 in 52 games. His record was 18-24-3.


DEFENSEMEN

Jamie Fraser
Born- 11/17/1985
Height- 6'1"
Weight- 200
Fraser spent his first full season with the Sound Tigers last year. In Bridgeport, he played in 70 games and was one of the leading scorers for the team among defensemen. He was first among defensemen in goals (11) and points (34) and second in assists (23). This is Fraser's third camp, after he won a spot on the team as a walk-on two years ago.

Travis Hamonic
Born- 8/16/1990
Height- 6'0"
Weight- 192
Hamonic was one of the Islanders' second-round draft selections in the 2008 Draft. He played last season with the Moose Jaw Warriors of the WHL, where he highlighted his talents as a true shutdown defenseman. In 61 games he was 5-17-22 with 101 penalty minutes. He also played on Team Canada's Gold Medal-winning Under-18 IHF World Championship team, on which he tallied two assists and was +4.

Jack Hillen
Born- 1/24/1986
Height- 5'11"
Weight- 195
Hillen was a late-season free-agent acquisition. He skated in the final two games of the season, both versus the Rangers, and recorded his first NHL point in the season finale with an assist. He was also +1.

Mark Katic
Born- 5/9/1989
Height- 5'11"
Weight-185
Katic was one of three Islanders prospects to play for the Sarnia Sting of the OHL last season. He played in 45 games with the Sting, recording five goals and 26 assists for 31 points. Each of those totals was good for second on the team amongst defensemen. He had a five-game point streak at one point, and continued to produce well in the playoffs, in which he contributed three assists in six games.

Dustin Kohn
Born- 7/30/1987
Height- 6'0"
Weight- 195
Kohn is returned to Islanders Prospects Camp for the fourth time. He spent his first complete season with Bridgeport last year, and in 62 games scored three goals and had nine assists for 12 points. Kohn was tied for third in goals and fourth in points among defensemen with the Sound Tigers. He also had 28 penalty minutes.

Simon Lacroix
Born- 5/29/1989
Height- 6'0"
Weight- 180
Lacroix spent the 2007-08 season playing in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with the Shawinigan Cataractes. He was first in every major statistical category on the team for defensemen, with five goals, 29 assists and 34 points. He also won player of the week honors from November 19-25. This will be Lacroix's second camp after being drafted by the Islanders last year.

Andrew MacDonald
Born- 10/7/1986
Height- 6'0"
Weight- 186
After joining the Sound Tigers late in the 2006-07 season, MacDonald spent another abbreviated season in Bridgeport last year. In 21 games, he had two goals and three assists for five points. He also spent time with the Utah Grizzlies, scoring one goal and eleven assists in 38 regular season games. In the playoffs, however, MacDonald turned it up a notch, netting three goals and nine assists in only 15 games. He played under Ted Nolan in 2005-06 with the Moncton Wildcats of the QMJHL.

Jyri Niemi
Born- 6/15/1990
Height- 6'2"
Weight- 192
Niemi was drafted in the third round of this year's NHL Entry Draft. He finished first in goals (14) and third in assists (20) among WHL rookie defensemen last season. Additionally, he registered a 97 mph slap shot at the WHL skills competition prior to the draft. He also represented Saskatoon and the WHL at the 2008 CHL Top Prospects Game.

Jared Spurgeon
Born-11/29/1989
Height- 5'8"
Weight- 175
Drafted in the sixth round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, Spurgeon spent the 2007-08 season in the WHL with Spokane. Spurgeon was 12th in the league in points (43), and in the top 20 in assists (31). Spurgeon had two three-assist games, and was +36 on the season.


FORWARDS

Josh Bailey
Born- 10/2/1989
Height- 6'1"
Weight- 188
Position- Center

Bailey was the Islanders' first selection, taken ninth overall, at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. The center from the OHL had an all-star season last year with Windsor. He finished third in the league in assists (67) and tenth in points (96). He finished second in points among draft eligible players behind only Steven Stamkos. Bailey was an alternate captain on Windsor, tallied two goals at the 2008 CHL Top Prospects Game and closed the season with a nine-game point streak.

Sean Bentivoglio
Born- 10/16/1985
Height- 5'11"
Weight- 190
Position- Left Wing
Bentivoglio was signed by the Islanders just prior to his first Prospects Camp last season. This year, he spent the season with the Sound Tigers. In Bridgeport, Bentivoglio was tenth on the team in points (32) by way of nine goals and 23 assists in 68 games. He also tied his career-high for points in a game, with three.

Justin DiBenedetto
Born- 8/25/1988
Height- 5'11"
Weight- 194
Position- Right Wing/Center

The Sarnia forward was the 175th overall selection in this year's NHL Entry draft and played on a line with number one overall pick Steven Stamkos. DiBenedetto was the Sting's second leading scorer last year, with 39 goals, 54 assists and 93 points. He was 11th in the league in points, 15th in goals, and 13th in assists. He also had three hat tricks, including two that were back-to-back.

Jesse Joensuu
Born- 10/5/1987
Height- 6'4"
Weight- 235
Position- Wing
Joensuu started last year in Finland with Assat Pori. There, he led the team in every major offensive statistical category with 17 goals, 18 assists and 35 total points over 56 games. After signing with the Islanders, Joensuu made one appearance with Bridgeport.

Rob Hennigar
Born- 4/4/1983
Height- 5'11"
Weight- 174
Position- Center
Hennigar attended the University of New Brunswick in 2007-08. There, he won the Canadian Interuniversity Sport Men's Hockey Player of the Year as well as the Male Athlete of the Year Awards. Hennigar led New Brunswick Varsity Red all the way to the CIS finals, while posting a +27 with 15-43-58 points in 27 games. Additionally, he led the league in shorthanded goals, with four.

Matthew Martin
Born- 5/8/1989
Height- 6'2"
Weight- 192
Position- Left Wing
Martin was the 148th selection in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. Last year, he was a teammate of Justin DiBenedetto and Mark Katic on the OHL's Sarnia Sting. Martin, along with DiBenedetto, played on a line with Steven Stamkpos. Martin ranked third on the Sting in goals (25) and finished with 38 points and was second on Sarnia with 155 penalty minutes. He was also 3-3-6 over nine games in the playoffs.

Vladimir Nikiforov
Born- 10/7/1987
Height- 5'8"
Weight- 170
Position- Right Wing
Nikiforov is a Long Island native invitee. Last season, he started the year with the OHL's Barrie Colts before being traded to Sarnia. Over the first 36 games of the season in Barrie, Nikiforov scored 21 goals and 32 assists for 53 points. Despite playing in just over half the season with Barrie, he was second on the team in goals, first in assists and second in points. With Sarnia, in 15 regular season games he had four goals and ten assists. He then added a goal and four assists in nine playoff games. On the year, he had a total of 17 multi-point games, including three four-point efforts.

Max Gratchev
Born- 9/26/1988
Height- 5'11"
Weight- 198
Position- Left Wing
Gratchev spent his fifth season in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey league last year with Rimouski. He played in 39 games with the team and, despite limited playing time due to injury, was still in the top ten on the team in goals (9), assists (20) and pointes.

Micheal Haley
Born- 3/30/1986
Height- 5'11"
Weight- 198
Position- Right Wing
This year Haley played for both the Sound Tigers (AHL) and the Grizzlies (ECHL). In limited action in Bridgeport, Haley scored two goals and two assists while amassing 75 penalty minutes. With Utah, Haley was selected to the ECHL all-star team—but was unable to play after being summoned to Bridgeport. With Utah, he had 11 goals, eight goals and 19 assists over 28 games. He also had 115 penalty minutes.

Tyler Haskins
Born- 5/26/1986
Height- 6'0"
Weight- 186
Position- Center
Haskins split the past season between Bridgeport and Utah. In the AHL, he played in 25 games and had one goal and three assists. With the Grizzlies of the ECHL, Haskins was the team's fifth leading scorer (43 points), was third in assists (27) and tied for fifth in goals (16). In the playoffs, he led the Grizzlies in points, with 15 in 15 games. His six post-season goals were third on the team, and his nine assists second.

Tomas Marcinko
Born- 4/11/1988
Height- 6'42"
Weight- 187
Position- Center
Marcinko played on the OHL's Barrie Colts. With the Colts, he scored 19 goals and 26 assists for 45 points in 48 games. Those numbers were good enough to make him third on the team in goals and points, and second in assists. He also registered 54 penalty minutes. In the post-season, he scored four goals and three assists over the Colts' nine games. He was the team's leader in playoff goals and points, and was third in assists.

Joel Rechlicz
Born- 6/4/1987
Height- 6'5"
Weight- 240
Position- Right Wing
A true heavyweight, Rechlicz played 25 games with each the Kalamazoo Wings and the Albany River Rats. With Kalamazoo, he scored his lone goal of the year, his only point with the team. He also spent 100 minutes in the sin bin. With Albany, he added his only assist on the year, also his only point with that team. He served an additional 104 penalty minutes with the River Rats.

Trevor Smith
Born- 2/8/1985
Height- 6'1"
Weight- 190
Position- Left Wing
Smith played for Bridgeport and the Utah Grizzlies in 2007-08. He scored 20 goals and added 17 assists in 53 games with the Sound Tigers, including a hat trick, his first with the team, on April 11. In the month of February, he had 15 points over 13 games. In the ECHL Smith appeared in 22 games, scoring 11 times while recording 14 assists for 25 points in Utah.

[Begbie]

Well, I'll be damned. It's that time of year yet again. I thoroughly enjoyed being dead wrong on my predictions last season...so maybe I'll do that again when I get time later.

Alot of question marks with the team though. How is the team going to play under Gordon? Do guys like Guerin and Weight have anything left in the tank? Can guys like DiPi, Sillinger, Gervais, and Campoli stay healthy all year? And will we ever get the Lighthouse finalized? Oh the drama.

Sticky please!

[Cromwell]

Originally Posted by Begbie

Well, I'll be damned. It's that time of year yet again. I thoroughly enjoyed being dead wrong on my predictions last season...so maybe I'll do that again when I get time later.

Would love to read what you got this season, man.

Alot of question marks with the team though. How is the team going to play under Gordon? Do guys like Guerin and Weight have anything left in the tank? Can guys like DiPi, Sillinger, Gervais, and Campoli stay healthy all year? And will we ever get the Lighthouse finalized? Oh the drama.

And it's not just saved for yo mama.

Sticky please!

Done and done. Thank you, Mods.

As for this upcoming season - its all about "the kids"

[Papagolash]

I should unstick this thread due to reasoning of suckage.

[Begbie]

Originally Posted by Cromwell

Would love to read what you got this season, man.

Yeah, it'll be good for a laugh or two.

[Cromwell]

Naturally the Islander thread has to be immediately polluted by one of the ragner fan mods

I'm counting on the Islanderfan Mods (well, I know of at least one) to keep this sort of thing in check.

Originally Posted by Begbie

Yeah, it'll be good for a laugh or two.

Dude - you know the game. Lets hear from you.


Here's today's news:

ROOKIE CAMP OPENS UP
Scott Gordon takes the ice with a young squad of Islanders prospects at Islanders Iceworks



Josh Bailey
For the first time Ken Morrow can remember, the Islanders are holding a mini Rookie Camp leading up to Training Camp. Considering Morrow has been with the organization since 1980, it's been at least 28 years since such a camp was held, and it's most likely the first.

On Monday morning, new Head Coach Scott Gordon was on the ice with his new team for the first time. None of the big names like Rick DiPietro, Bill Guerin or Brendan Witt were skating, but future stars like Josh Bailey have the rest of the week to show their talents before Training Camp begins on Saturday in Moncton.

"I want to start developing a work ethic and creating a cohesive unit of five on the ice," said Gordon, whose rookie squad will scrimmage against Boston Bruins rookies at the Sports Center in Shleton, Conn at 1 pm on Thursday. "My goal for this Rookie Camp is to help the young guys get ready for the competition at the end of the week against the Boston squad and ultimately Training Camp."

The Islanders held their annual mini-camp in July this summer, but with this Rookie Camp taking place closer to the start of the season, the stakes are higher.

"This camp is definitely different than the one earlier this summer," said Islanders Director of Player Development Bryan Trottier. "In July, the camp is less about evaluation and more about giving these kids a chance to get to know Long Island. This camp is about making an impression and showing us what they do best."


Scott Gordon
The Rookie Camp also acts as a buffer for the young players between the summer and competing against seasoned NHL veterans.

"We're giving the kids an opportunity to compete show their skills against players their own age and develop a comfort level," said Morrow, Director of Pro Scouting. "It helps the transition before the main camp up in Moncton."

The Rookie Camp will continue for the rest of this week at Iceworks.


SCHEDULE OF ICE TIME AT ICEWORKS

Tuesday: 9 am – 12 pm
Wednesday: 9 am – 12 pm

[Cromwell]

NHL team opens training camp at 4-Ice Centre Saturday

By Gerard McLaughlin
TIMES & TRANSCRIPT STAFF

Every destination is always about the journey.

In the early 1980s, the New York Islanders of goaltenders Billy Smith and Shediac's Rollie Melanson, forwards Bryan Trottier, Mike Bossy, Clark Gillies and Butch Goring, and defencemen Denis Potvin and USA Olympian Ken Morrow were the most dominant team in the National Hockey League.

They created a dynasty by winning four successive Stanley Cups before that dominant shift eventually swung to the Edmonton Oilers.

These days, the most powerful and talked-about team is the Detroit Red Wings.

But the Islanders are hopeful of eventually becoming one of those elite teams again and some of those special bonding moments that makes good teams great and mediocre teams good -- a special part of the journey -- will likely be some moments in Moncton where their full training camp begins for a second season on Saturday.

Islander rookies and top prospects began training Monday in Long Island but the team's full camp is scheduled to begin here, where they will stay for a week.

The highlight of the seven-day training camp will be a 7:30 p.m. exhibition game next Tuesday at the Moncton Coliseum between the Islanders and the Boston Bruins.
Tickets are still available and are selling for $56.50 (upper bowl), $79.10 (lower bowl sides), $67.80 (lower bowl ends).

Tickets are available at the Coliseum, l'Université de Moncton and the Tim Hortons 4-Ice Centre.

Tickets can also be purchased by phone (1-888-720-5600) or online at tickets.moncton.ca
Here are a few facts about the team and some players local fans can look for during training camp:

2007-2008 record: 35-38-9, 79 points, 194 GF, 243 GA, fifth in Atlantic, 13th in East.
Players lost: Ruslan Fedotenko, Penguins; Miroslav Satan, Penguins; Aaron Johnson, Blackhawks.

Players signed (including re-signings): D Mark Streit (5-years, $20.5 million), F Doug Weight (1-year, $1.75 million, could reach $4.3 million with bonuses), F Jeff Tambellini (2-year, $1.175 million), F Jeremy Colliton (1-year contract), F Ben Walter (1-year contract), F Sean Bergenheim (2-years, $1.725 million), F Frans Nielsen (4-years, $2.1 million), D Bruno Gervais (3-year contract).

New coach: Scott Gordon, former head coach of AHL Providence Bruins, the Boston Bruins major affiliate. Gordon replaces former Moncton Wildcats coach Ted Nolan, who was fired after two seasons with the team.

Team leaders last season: Points: Mike Comrie, 49. Goals: Bill Guerin, 23. Assists: Trent Hunter, 29. PIM: Comrie, 87. Plus/minus: Freddy Meyer 6.

Goalie stats: Rick DiPietro (26-28-7 record, 902 save percentage). Wade Dubielewicz (9-9-1 record, .919 save percentage.)

Future star: Right-winger Blake Comeau, who scored eight goals and seven assists for 15 points in 51 games as a rookie, is expected to have a break-out season.

Kyle Okposo is the top prospect in the farm system. He scored five points in his nine games with the Islanders this past season

Local connections: Former Wildcats defenceman Andrew MacDonald of Cape Breton, 6-foot, 186 pounds, and former UNB Varsity Reds star Rob Hennigar, 5-foot-11, 174 pounds, are both part of the Islanders rookie camp this week.

After joining the AHL Brideport Sound Tigers late in the 2006-07 season, MacDonald spent another abbreviated season in Bridgeport last year. In 21 games, he had two goals and three assists for five points. He also spent time with the Utah Grizzlies, scoring one goal and eleven assists in 38 regular season games. In the playoffs, however, MacDonald turned it up a notch, netting three goals and nine assists in only 15 games. He played under Ted Nolan in 2005-06 with the Wildcats.

Hennigar played at UNB for the last five years. He won the CIS player of the year as well as the Male Athlete of the Year Awards last season. He led UNB all the way to the CIS finals, while posting a 27 with 15-43-58 points in 27 games. Additionally, he led the league in shorthanded goals, with four.

Keep it Close: A fact that many people do not know is that the Islanders are not actually a bad team. In one-goal games last year, the Islanders were 23-8-9, an unbelievable record. In two-goal games, they were 5-12, and in three-or-more-goal games, they were a horrible 7-18.

BRIEFS: Gordon didn't take long to make his presence known on the ice Monday. He stopped practice several times and with a booming voice that echoed throughout the team's practice facility at Iceworks in Syosset, clearly let his players know when he was displeased. "I don't want to watch bad ... I don't want to watch mistakes," said Gordon, explaining his hands-on style that was displayed in front of general manager Garth Snow and team owner Charles Wang. "That's just me. If something is done wrong I want to fix it." ... Islanders have announced that assistant coach Gerard Gallant of Summerside will be moving to the front office to work as a special consultant for Snow. Gallant served as an assistant coach last season under Nolan, who parted ways with the club in July due to "philosophical differences" with Snow. ... The head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2003-2007, Gallant was considered a candidate to replace Nolan, but the Islanders opted to hire Gordon, the 2008 AHL coach of the year. "I am grateful to the Islanders organization for affording me the opportunity to continue my coaching career last season," Gallant said. "I am excited about the opportunity to work with Garth, which at this point in time will also allow me to spend more time with my family and even get a chance to watch my son play in junior hockey."

[fatpat]

I'd give anything to see Brandon Sugden make the team and be in the lineup regularly

[badcellphoneguy]

Originally Posted by fatpat

I'd give anything to see Brandon Sugden make the team and be in the lineup regularly

Sugden if I remember correctly is permanetly suspended from the NHL. You might see him in Bridgeport or Utah (ECHL). He won't make the roster.

[fatpat]

Nah he's banned from the ECHL for throwing his stick at some cunt fan that was chanting about him going to rehab

He had his retirement ban lifted by the NHL and can now report to camp

[badcellphoneguy]

Originally Posted by fatpat

Nah he's banned from the ECHL for throwing his stick at some cunt fan that was chanting about him going to rehab

He had his retirement ban lifted by the NHL and can now report to camp

I saw Sugden vs. Jon "nasty" Mirasty last season in Syracuse. Mirasty is no lightweight he just went ape shit on him. One of the better fighters around. Which is a dying breed.

[Begbie]

Exactly. 4 teams voted no on Sugden's return. Bill Daly convinced those teams to change their mind and Sugden is now ready to report to camp for a chance at a spot in NHL. He'll have an uphill battle though.

I do like the guy's story. He made a boneheaded error throwing a stick at a fan...but he was young and stupid, and people make mistakes (unless you're Chris Simon who can make 8 mistakes). The guy has tried to fight his way back up...and now with his Dad terminally ill...he will go to great lengths to give it all he's got for his Dad.

Awesome story. I hope he makes it and can be a Kevin Colley/Steve Webb type of guy for us.

Speaking of Kevin Colley...a huge congrats to him for being named head coach of the Utah Grizzlies. That's another guy I like to see get his life on the right path and have some good luck for once.

[badcellphoneguy]

Originally Posted by Begbie

Exactly. 4 teams voted no on Sugden's return. Bill Daly convinced those teams to change their mind and Sugden is now ready to report to camp for a chance at a spot in NHL. He'll have an uphill battle though.

I do like the guy's story. He made a boneheaded error throwing a stick at a fan...but he was young and stupid, and people make mistakes (unless you're Chris Simon who can make 8 mistakes). The guy has tried to fight his way back up...and now with his Dad terminally ill...he will go to great lengths to give it all he's got for his Dad.

Awesome story. I hope he makes it and can be a Kevin Colley/Steve Webb type of guy for us.

Speaking of Kevin Colley...a huge congrats to him for being named head coach of the Utah Grizzlies. That's another guy I like to see get his life on the right path and have some good luck for once.

Kevin Colley is one great guy to talk to. I had the chance to see him play for the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies, Bridgeport Sound Tigers and the NY Islanders. Great too see him get his shot at the helm of a team. I wish him nothing but the best. I hope the Sound Tigers wake up and retire his number in Bridgeport.

[Mother Shucker]

So much hate so soon.

[Cromwell]

Originally Posted by Mother Shucker

So much hate so soon.

What I don't understand is why the douche who did the "Benedict Arnold" is still posting messages like he cares about this team?

As for the actual fans of our team, here's the latest:

Players excited about Scott Gordon's up-tempo coaching philosophy

Head Coach Scott Gordon is choosing to use the little time he has before the season starts to work on getting the entire team in sync with his new high-speed system of play. The buzz word on the ice over the past two days has been—"Overspeed."

"We're all excited about playing this new style Gordon is calling Overspeed," said Jeff Tambellini. "The essence of the style is to be constantly moving and getting the puck up the ice quickly. It's all about high speed with and without the puck and putting pressure on the opposition."

During one drill on Sunday, Gordon instructed the defensemen playing the point to be more aggressive when trying to keep the puck in the offensive zone, while the high forward covered the point.

"It was a long night for the wingers when we played against Providence in the past," said Tambellini, who matched up against Gordon's Bruins while with Bridgeport over the past three seasons. "The defensemen sat right up on the wingers when we tried to get the puck out. It's a very fluid system that Gordon implements. It keeps the opposition from having too much time with the puck. We're all going to have to be skating at top speed."

With a new system being put in place, Gordon is focusing on making sure everyone on the team is executing it properly before heading into the regular season. Unlike in year's past, the Islanders will not take part in intra-squad scrimmages during practice time at Training Camp. The players will not participate in game-like situations until they're taking part in their exhibition games.

"I think what Gordon is doing is good for the team," said Frans Nielsen. "I don't get much out of playing in scrimmages where there is no hitting. Instead, we're just working on making sure we all know the new system for the games that matter."

As Gordon has indicated, his veterans, like Captain Bill Guerin, are an extension of the coaching staff and are pivotal in making sure everyone is on board with the new style of play.

"It's a great up-tempo style that Gordon is implementing this season," said Guerin. "Everyone is working hard to make sure we get it right to begin the season."

[Begbie]

This uptempo style that Gordon enforces was put to the test tonight in the first preseason matchup against Boston. And the Isles apparently shined.

They won 2-1 in OT on goals from Sim and Trevor Smith. I've only heard that the Isles were all over Boston and had alot of energy, outshooting Boston 13-5 in the first period. I've also heard that this style literally drains the opposition and that it's hard for teams to counter, including teams that play the defensive trap.

This could be very good news.

[Cromwell]

Originally Posted by Begbie

This uptempo style that Gordon enforces was put to the test tonight in the first preseason matchup against Boston. And the Isles apparently shined.

They won 2-1 in OT on goals from Sim and Trevor Smith. I've only heard that the Isles were all over Boston and had alot of energy, outshooting Boston 13-5 in the first period. I've also heard that this style literally drains the opposition and that it's hard for teams to counter, including teams that play the defensive trap.

This could be very good news.

Can I get a "hell yeah!"

Here's a bit more:

The Islanders out-played the Boston Bruins for much of the game, but it took until Trevor Smith's goal at 2:03 of the overtime period to finally get the win. The Islanders were victorious in their opening exhibition game by the score of 2-1 over the Bruins at the Moncton Coliseum in Moncton, New Brunswick on Tuesday night. The final shot total was 38-19 in favor of the Islanders



"I thought our effort was tremendous from start to finish," said Head Coach Scott Gordon, who recorded his first win for the Islanders. "There was no letting up and our guys competed for 60 minutes. That was most pleasing about it. Our guys competed in all situations. I expected the things we did wrong to be a long laundry list, but they were kept to a minimum."

After Dennis Wideman put the Bruins up 1-0 at 8:01 of the second period, the Islanders responded quickly.

Just 1:16 later, Jon Sim jammed home a rebound while on the power play to tie the game, as Kyle Okposo and Chris Campoli earned the assists.

In the third period, the Islanders had a golden opportunity to go up 2-1, but Sean Bergenheim's shorthanded breakaway was stopped by Boston goaltender Tuuka Rask.

In the overtime period, Smith took a pass from Mike Iggulden in his own zone, skated around a player in the neutral zone and then beat the defense before roofing a backhander over Rask.

"I just jumped on the ice, the puck was turned over and Mike fed me for a pass up the wing and I had a full head of steam," said Smith. "I took it wide and put it upstairs. I saw the left defenseman, so I just wanted to get a quick shot off."

Joey MacDonald and Yann Danis combined to stop 18 of 19 shots.

"Sometimes shots can be deceiving, but I thought we did a good job of generating quality chances, and that's just as important as generating shots," said Gordon. "I think we got to the net and got multiple opportunities. The power play did a really good job of moving the puck and making some plays. We probably could have had another power play goal in the second period."


Five Stars of the Game:
1. Trevor Smith: Showed his speed all night and as rewarded with the winner
2. Yann Danis: Allowed no goals, while playing half of the game
3. Jon Sim: Sim's return to the ice in nearly a year sees him tally a power play goal
4. Dennis Wideman: Tallied the lone Boston goal
5. Kyle Okposo: A number of good chances while on the power play


Slapshots: Scott Gordon coached many of Boston's players, having been the head coach of the Bruins' AHL affiliate in Providence…Along with Brendan Witt, the Islanders' alternate captains were Doug Weight and Jon Sim…Chris Campoli left the game in the third period with an undisclosed injury.


ISLANDERS
Goaltenders
35 Joey MacDonald
34 Yann Danis

Defensemen
14 Chris Campoli – 2 Mark Streit
32 Brendan Witt – 24 Radek Martinek
38 Jack Hillen – 47 Chris Lee

Forwards
11 Andy Hilbert – 10 Richard Park – 20 Sean Bergenheim
16 Jon Sim – 93 Doug Weight – 21 Kyle Okposo
54 Kurtis McLean – 77 Trevor Smith – 37 Mike Iggulden
49 Mitchel Fritz – 68 Rob Hennigar – 58 Jesse Joensuu

BOSTON
Goaltenders
40 Tuuka Rask
50 Kevin Regan

Defensemen
49 Matt Lashoff - 55 Johnny Boychuk
45 Mark Stuart - 65 Andrew Bodnarchuk
48 Matt Hunwick - 6 Dennis Wideman

Forwards
68 Mikko Lehtonen - 52 Zach Hamill - 67 Jordan Knackstedt
59 Matt Marquardt - 74 Maxime Sauve - 43 Martins Karsums
17 Milan Lucic - 91 Marc Savard - 73 Michael Ryder
27 Peter Schaefer - 18 Stephane Yelle - 29 Petteri Nokelainen

[Begbie]

Isles Rookies beat UNB tonight, 4-1.

[Cromwell]

Attention Moderators:

Could you please remove this nonsense and ban this troll account?

Thank you.

[Cromwell]

Originally Posted by Begbie

Isles Rookies beat UNB tonight, 4-1.

Yup.

Good stuff.



ROOKIES STAY PERFECT


Max Gratchev scores two en route to a 4-1 hard-fought victory over the University of New Brunswick

The Islanders Rookies improved to 3-0 on the season, as they defeated a highly skilled University of New Brunswick team 4-1 at the Aitken Centre in Fredericton, New Brunswick. The Islanders scored three power play goals in the game, including two by Max Gratchev. Tomas Marcinko added a goal and an assist and Justin DiBenedetto recorded two assists. University of Denver product Peter Mannino allowed only one goal on 32 shots to earn the win

"I thought overall it was a good hockey game," said Bridgeport Sound Tigers Head Coach Jack Capuano. "Both teams played. We got some power play goals, and then they came out strong in the third period. For us it was about working on the systems that Scott Gordon and the staff want to get done at the camp, and I thought our young kids battled hard right to the end. Max works extremely hard and is very gritty. He didn't lose too many puck battles one-on-one and went to the net hard. He played a disciplined game systematically and did all of the little things.

Early in the game, the Islanders dominated in the shot category, 9-1, but New Brunswick came back to cut that to a 10-8 deficit at the end of the first period. The teams traded goals in the opening frame.

Islanders took a 1-0 lead on a tic-tac-toe power play goal at 9:05 of the first period. Gratchev was the beneficiary of some perfect passing by DiBenedetto and Marcinko. Gratchev tapped in a goal line pass from DiBenedetto with the Islanders up 9-1 in the shots department.

With 4:23 remaining in the first period, a loose puck trickled in front of the Islanders goal and right to New Brunswick's Hunter Tremblay, who made no mistake with it.

The Islanders regained the lead with another power play goal, while skating 4-on-3. Jared Spurgeon laid a pass back to the point to Andrew MacDonald, who ripped a one-timer past the New Brunswick netminder Travis Fullerton with 4:19 remaining in the second period.

The Islanders increased their lead to 3-1 on another goal by Gratchev, which was set-up by DiBenedetto. Marcinko scored unassisted into the empty net for the game's final goal. The final shot count was 39-32 in favor of the Islanders.

Thoughts from Pro Scout Rob Cowie after the second period:


Photo by Rich Stieglitz
"Nikiforov showed energy for the second game in a row. Andy MacDonald played a much better game than his first one, as has Spurgeon, both showing what Scott wants to see from the organization in mobility and puck-moving defensemen.

"As a team we pressured the puck all over the ice, especially in the neutral zone, which was another focal point of this Training Camp. Their play reflected in the shot total. Hopefully, that will translate into less time in our own zone and more time in the offensive zone."

Slapshots: Former University of New Brunswick play Rob Hennigar was honored prior to tonight's game. Hennigar is the all-time leading scorer in Varsity Reds history…Tonight's captain was Tyler Haskins, while the alternate captains were Hennigar and Jordan Hart.


ISLANDERS (ROOKIES)

35 Peter Mannino
49 Kevin Poulin

7 Mark Katic – 15 Travis Hamonic
16 Simon Lacroix – 6 Jared Spurgeon
3 Andrew MacDonald – 37 Jordan Hart

29 Matt Martin– 14 Rob Hennigar– 39 Vladimir Nikiforov
26 Max Gratchev – 11 Justin DiBenedetto – 19 Tomas Marcinko
24 Joel Rechlicz – 20 Tyler Haskins – 17 Jason Pitton

[Sinn Fein]

Originally Posted by Cromwell

Attention Moderators:

Could you please remove this nonsense and ban this troll account?

Thank you.

So is it written, so has it been done.

[Cromwell]

Originally Posted by Sinn Fein

So is it written, so has it been done.

Thank you, Mr. Fein

[Begbie]

Newsday is reporting that Bailey will likely play the first 9 games of the season, may sign a contract, and may also be the team's second line center next season, moving Comrie to wing. That's if he performs as well as he apparently has been playing.

[Begbie]

And the Flyers kick the shit out of us 4-0. I guess this confirms that we'll be in the basement this year, huh?

[Cromwell]

Originally Posted by Begbie

Newsday is reporting that Bailey will likely play the first 9 games of the season, may sign a contract, and may also be the team's second line center next season, moving Comrie to wing. That's if he performs as well as he apparently has been playing.

Yeah, I saw that.

Pretty good pick after all, eh?

Originally Posted by Begbie

And the Flyers kick the shit out of us 4-0. I guess this confirms that we'll be in the basement this year, huh?

No - just a very experienced team vs one with a *lot* of kids on it.

A young Islanders squad topped by a veteran Flyers team




The Islanders fell in their second exhibition game of the season, 4-0 to the Philadelphia Flyers Thursday night at the John Labatt Centre in London, Ontario. The Islanders dressed a young team versus a Flyers team that featured many of their top stars, including Mike Richards, Joffrey Lupul, Mike Knuble and Jeff Carter. The Islanders fell to 1-1 in the exhibition season.

Martin Biron and Jean-Sebastien Aubin combined for the shutout, stopping 24 Islanders shots. Islanders netminder Yann Danis made 22 saves.

With a relentless forecheck, the Islanders jumped out to an early 11-3 shot advantage in the first period, but could not solve Biron. The final shot total was 26-24 in favor of the Flyers.

"I thought we had a great first 15 minutes," said Head Coach Scott Gordon. "Then we stopped skating in the last five minutes. In the second period, we didn't come close to approaching what we did at the beginning of the first period. In the third we got it back. The second period was the only downside of the game. We generated some scoring chances. We gave more chances than I would have liked in the crucial areas. Tonight we played with a bit younger lineup and they're top six forwards were pretty good. I thought we competed well with them. Some mistakes and some bounces didn't go our way. The guys need to make mistakes before they can get better."

Michael Haley and Matt Clackson started the fisticuffs off early, dropping the gloves at 2:14 of the first period. No real punches landed before Haley took Clackson down to the ice.

Philadelphia scored first when Richards poked home a loose puck sitting in the crease with 5:44 left in the first period.

The Flyers took a 2-0 lead at 54 seconds of the second period on the power play. Bryan Berard's shot from the side boards was tipped by Knuble past Danis.

Islanders camp invite Brandon Sugden mixed it up in the second period. First he took part in a brief scuffle against Scott Downie, before landing some big punches on Clackson later in the period. Haley's most convincing fight came in the third period against Downie, when he was able to get in a few good licks before the two were separated.

Later, Carter made no mistake with a one-timer from the slot for a 3-0 Flyers advantage with 7:07 left in the second period.

The Flyers scored the final goal of the game with 5:33 left in the third period on a 3-on-1 rush, while on the power play.

Islanders first-round draft pick Josh Bailey made his NHL debut and generated two shots on goal.


Slapshots: Mike Comrie, Trent Hunter and Andy Sutton were tonight's alternate captains... Comrie and Bailey traded off taking draws...During a stoppage in the first period, one gentleman proposed to his girlfriend. A big cheer came from the crowd when she said yes.