Overmatched?

The Islanders came out obviously flat last night. Maybe they were gassed after playing four "game sevens" in a row to make it to the dance. Once they got their legs under themselves, the Isles found the center of the ice jammed with Sabres. That just makes it difficult to score. And wow, what a thing of beauty that Buffalo transition game can be once it gets going. The Sabres get the puck out of their own end so quickly. The defenseman seem to all be comfortable skating out of their own end with the puck and that, my friends, really pushes the play on their opponents.

There was some good to come out of the game. Dubie played well, I thought, for a guy making his first career playoff start. He didn't get a ton of help once the team started taking penalties in front of him. The first Buffalo goal was simply a thing of beauty that was started by Adam Mair and finished by Brian Campbell. (Oh, yeah. Some guy named Tim Connolly had something to do with it as well.) The Isles were playing catch-up for the entire first period and were lucky to get out of the first twenty minutes only down 1-0.

The second saw an increased offensive push by our boys--and it would have to be increased since the Isles only had one shot on net in the first--which brought about a tie on a great shot from Arron Asham; set up by Jason Blake. Of course, Chris "Did you know I played in the Little League World Series" Drury replied in quick fashion to put the home team ahead. It was a lead that was never surrendered.

Last night was not the bright, shining moment that the Islander Faithful were hoping for. And let's just stop it with the whole "Ricky riding into town with the white hat" talk. Does he make the Islanders a better team? You bet he does. Is there a risk in playing him in game 2 tomorrow night? We'll never know.

As someone who has been lucky (?) enough to be concussed more than once in his life, let me tell you, one good rap on the head makes it that much easier to get another concussion. Mark my words, in ten years there's going to be an epidemic of 1990's wrestlers who are drooling all over themselves and eating their mush from all those chair shots they took during the Monday Night Wars between the WWF and WCW. How do I know this? Because I can be knocked loopy by hitting my head on a hanging light in our apartment or by a quick bump while getting into the car. It happens and trust me, the consequences of even one concussion are very real.

I don't want any of this to happen to Rick DiPietro the way it has happened to Troy Aikman or Al Toon or Steve Young or even Eric Lindros. How come no one is mentioning that the Islanders' team doctor is a man named Elliot Pellman and that Dr. Pellman is alleged to not be quite the doctor or expect he is purported to be. Don't believe me? Check this link.

Now before Dr. Pellman's attorneys get all up in my area, I am just reporting what I read. Back off with the hounds.

We all know from reading Newsday and the other less-cool New York papers that Rick has been subjected to more tests to check his brain activity and wellness. I am not in any way stating that I believe that the team or even Rick himself is rushing back too soon in an effort to try and save the day. Believe me, no one is going to be happier to see a healthy Rick DiPietro back between the pipes for my beloved Islanders. All I am saying is that there is more hockey left in this kid and that there is more life left in him too. Don't risk permanent injury to replace a guy who has done pretty darn well getting the team to the playoffs.

That begs the question: with Dubie playing so well, is it a risk to replace him with DiPietro? Chemistry wise, I say that it isn't. The guys in the room know Rick and play hard for Rick. They know that he is the straw that stirs the drink, as Reggie Jackson used to say. Ted Nolan pretty much said that when Rick is cleared and ready to go that the decision is an easy one.

Whatever happens, Saturday is going to be interesting.