About Saturday Night

Thanks to everyone who wrote in to us wondering WTF happened on Saturday night against the Penguins. I so totally wish I could help you but I can't. I mean, once that lead was 2 goals in the second period, weren't you making jokes to yourself about whether the team would blow it or not? Didn't you think that there was no way "it" could happen again? I mean, I'm not ashamed to say it but I was wandering around our apartment doing small chores like dishes and stuff because I didn't want to see what I thought was going to happen. Plus, I didn't want to give creed to the fact that I was thinking negatively about the outcome.

See how stupid we can get? We love the team that can't love us back!

Let me try to explain this a little better. I am a Giants fan. I have supreme confidence in Eli Manning and his ability to lead a late charge for a victory. Even before the guy turned the metaphorical corner last year, Eli had more than his share of late-game heroics. No matter what happens, Eli is going to do what Eli always does: lead the Giants down the field and score the winning touchdown/field goal/whatever. Then the defense will slam the door.

Now, in the NHL, we should feel secure that two points is eminently doable if you go into the third with a lead. I don't want the dead puck pre-lockout snore-a-torium to come back, but I do want that feeling that my guys are going to put this one in the bank. So far this year, every team the Isles have played--in the last week or ten days, anyway--is apparently having whatever Eli Manning has for breakfast because they've all come out and slapped candy out of the Islanders' hands. And it sucks.

Andy Sutton has a great game blocking a Ludwig-esque 8 shots and contributing a couple of assists. Joey MacDonald seemed up to the task of stopping the fire-power of the Penguins. But in the third period, when the Isles should have been socking it away, they gave it away instead. They stopped skating (stop me if you've read this before) and gave up a whopping 18 shots to Pittsburgh and took only one in the final frame--and that one wasn't even a quality scoring chance!

What I liked: Tim Jackman. Billy Jaffe thinks he "looks faster". OK, maybe he does, but Jackman was in great position to put home the rebound to give the Islanders a 2-1 lead half-way through the second. Jackman also played a physical game.

What I didn't like: Well, the blown lead. The power play only getting 2 chances at it while the Penguins got 4. The shootout and Dany Sabourin's hide the puck trick on Trent Hunter's shot. (Yes, it was inconclusive. I agree that it was. Still...)

I also didn't like hearing that Nate Thompson will miss 2-4 weeks with a groin strain. I mean, yeah, it's good that the team is being a little more forthcoming with injury statuses and whatnot but you get the feeling that an energy center and the franchise goalie are at opposite sides of the spectrum as far as that sort of announcement goes.

Isles are back at it tomorrow at 2 as the Flyers visit.