Running blog: Sharks at Islanders

It's kid's day at the rink and there sure seem to be a lot of truant little children at the game today. Unfortunately, the company that I work for doesn't believe in celebrating President's Day so I had to work. We get to the TV just a bit after 2:30 or so and all I can do is pat the DVR on the head and tell him how I feel about the work he does.

As usual, anything in parentheses is written after the fact. The rest is as I wrote it in longhand while watching the game.

I begin watching the opening few minutes and notice that Ted Nolan is not on the bench. I immediately put a hand over my mouth in case I throw up listening to Billy Jaffe and Howie Rose as the speculate what is going on with the Islanders' coach. (Later we learn that he was on the phone consoling his son, who lost a friend and teammate rather unexpectedly that day.)

I turn over to see that my wife is on the computer and that the score is 0-0 after one period. So, um, you know, that means that nothing is going to stop me from just fast-forwarding through the recorded parts to get to live TV. The internet is really great for some things and not so great when you're trying to watch a game on the DVR some times. Sigh.

After one period, the Islanders and Sharks are tired at zero. Nothing happens. I swear.

Onto the second...

17:41 Marcel Goc scores over Ricky's shoulder as Billy and Howie mention that Bill McCreary had just checked in with Nolan to see if everything was okay. (At this point we still didn't know why Ted had missed the first period. Our best to the Nolans and the friends and family of Mickey Renaud.)

15:40 Billy likens an exchange between Andy Sutton and Jonathan Cheechoo as a game of Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots after Milan Michalek's stick clips DiPietro in the face and Sutton steps up to defend his goalie. As the refs are sorting it out, Howie says that both men are receiving coincidental minors. I mention to my wife that "Coincidental Minors" would be a good name for a band. Linzi counters with "Ricochet", but I think that "Ricochet" sounds like a German techno outfit that would just make me angry. This is a favorite came of ours, coming up with band names.

This all segues into a chat that begins about Sharks coach Ron Wilson's golf game and extends to the fact that he is a big Yankees fan. Whenever they meet up, Wilson "needles" Howie Rose about the Mets since Howie does their games as well. Billy pipes up to mention that when he was doing the playoffs last year (for Versus) that Wilson told him to give the needle to "that Rose guy". Howie deadpans, "Someone's been giving Yankees the needles..."

Well pardon my zinger, ladies and gentlemen! A little steroid humor on your President's Day! Howie will be here all week and don't forget to tip your wait staff on the way out!

After everything is sorted, the Isles are on the power play. San Jose has two men in the box.

14:47 I love it the way Howie growls, "Bergeron's drive!" as Marc Andre tees it up. Don't we all hold our breath when Bergeron shoots...wide?

14:44 Fourth Power play for New York. I really, really, really just want someone to shoot.

10:37 One shot on 4 PPs and one shot in the second period, total. So far, not good.

Edward Jones provides today's trivia question: Which goalie has the most starts in a season? My guess is Glenn Hall.

9:52 Great chance for Park and Miro as Nabokov loses his mask when Martinek hits him square in the cage with a slap shot. Sharks defenseman Matt Carle sweeps the puck off the goal line. Nabokov's cage is bend inwards smashing his nose. He's bleeding. Some dude from Worcester of the AHL named Thomas Greiss is in for relief.

6:58 Cheechoo gets a hook while San Jose is on the PP. He also fell down untouched right before that. If my dad were here, he'd complain that these guys can't skate any more. It's Cheechoo's third penalty of the period.

5:05 Shouldn't the Isles be peppering the goalie considering he came into the game cold off the bench? I mean, I am not Scotty Bowman here, but it seems like a good idea. Hell, I am not even Rick Bowness. Please just shoot, boys.

3:12 Howie goes off on a weird Mr. Met tangent. He likens Mr. Met to the Rat Pack and other well-known giants of the entertainment industry. This stuff is always fun and it's why we like Howie and Billy so much but please, can we get Deb Kaufman up there to crack a window in the booth or something? Howie needs to get a fresh.

2:48 Ricky takes one off the melon on a shot by Cheechoo. It was at a decidedly slower pace than the shot Radek bombed on Nabokov. Howie comes up for air.

0:00 End of two periods and the Sharks are up 1-0.

Third Period--Over on the NHL Network, they are running game one of the 1980 Stanley Cups finals. The Isles win that one 4-3 in OT on a goal by Denis Potvin. Yes, I knew that off the top of my head and yes, am a dork.

On the NFL Network, they're running the Giants-Pats Super Bowl. I think Presidents Washington and Lincoln would be pleased knowing that I have so many viewing choices on the day we celebrate their birthdays by not receiving mail.

20:00 Nabokov is back. Trivia answer is Grant Fuhr, who played 79 games for the 95-96 St. Louis Blues.

17:46 Joe Thornton makes it 2-0 scoring on a rebound. I'm thinking of retiring this live blog gimmick.

16:41 Bill Guerin pops one toward the net and it goes in. Pavelski swatted at it and beat his own goalie. This is officially the shortest retirement of all-time; beating Terry Funk, Pat Summerall, and Junior Seau. Credit Hilbert with the goal, his seventh.

15:40 Comrie toe-drags through two Shark defenders and slides it through Nabokov's legs to tie it at 2. Give Hilbert and Guerin the assists. Wow. Comrie's 18th.

13:18 Rick stops Mitchell on a breakaway that elicits an impromptu "DP!" chant. Remember when fans used to chant and cheer without being prompted by the scoreboard? The lesson here? I am old.

9:03 ESPN.com is reporting that Peter Forsberg is not coming to the NHL this year so finally we can put that rumor and speculation to bed. Of course, ESPN being the font of hockey knowledge that it is, he could sign tomorrow and it wouldn't surprise me.

8:41 The Islanders' winning goal is brought to you by The Law Offices of Frederick W. Meyer IV. Meyer flings a shot at Nabokov and this one zings right past him to the give the Isles their first lead of the game! Howie mentions that if you go to a Wendy's on Long Island and mention the Islanders that you can get a free chili. I love Wendy's chili. I'm thinking of trying it here in Connecticut to see if I can scam some free chili. Thanks, Freddy!

6:30 Douglas Murray of the Sharks boards Blake Comeau, who tries getting up on his own. You have to like this kid's guts. Guerin and Nielsen have to help him off. 5 minute major.

3:35 My dad walks in after missing most of the game. After a save by Nabokov, he launches into his impression of the mini-goalie in the Canadian McDonald's commercials who calls one of the players "No-goal-ov" after he makes a save on him. Then Dad adds the "stack de pads like pancakes" line. With that fake French accent, it kills me every time.

1:25 Scrum in front of the net. Vlasic is punking Comrie and Miro looks like he takes the gourd buster and almost loses his sweater in the process.

1:08 Nabokov leaves the crease to give the Sharks another man on the ice. Sutton is down after putting Roenick through the glass behind the net. He really has trouble with his balance and everyone is getting nervous because the last thing we need is another injured defenseman. Billy speculates that Sutton has a "major cramp" and I quickly agree with him, holding out against hope that it isn't an injured hamstring. (Well, we find out afterward that it is, indeed, and injured hamstring and that Sutton is not expected to play tomorrow vs. Washington. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I am gonna puke.)

6.4 Icing is called on Richard Park. San Jose takes a time out to draw something up. Little do they know that the Sharks are about to lose their first game of the season where they entered the third period with a lead.

Vasicek wins the face-off and Martinek clears it. Isles have now won 4 in a row!