Isles Defeat Colorado, 4-2

Jesse Joensuu was a surprise call-up for last night's game against the Avalanche and he responded by scoring his first NHL goal as the Isles beat Colorado 4-2 in front of some very hearty souls who braved a foot of snow to see the Isles live and in living color, baby!

(Superfluous Dusty Rhodes imitation out of the way. We soldier on.)

Jon Sim (!) added three assists last night and I know what you're thinking: WTF? I am too. Sim has been piling up the points of late with some increased ice time.

His first assist came on a pass to Dean McAmmond at 13:15 of the first period. McAmmond fired a wrist shot that squeezed through Colorado goaltender Andrew Raycroft to put our boys up 1-0.

Former Islander Ryan Smyth tied it at one just 33 seconds into the second period with a power-play goal. Smyth ended up scoring both Colorado goals last night and was booed every time he touched the puck.

I understand the resentment toward Smyth but booing the guy at this point is counterproductive to what the young Islanders are trying to achieve. Sure, if Smyth has signed on to become the leader of the Islanders perhaps GM Garth Snow would be looking to add pieces to a playoff team and we wouldn't have this strip-and-rebuild that we've seen all season. If the Isles had hung onto to Smyth and added players around him, the team would probably still be at that seventh or eighth playoff position and getting bounced in the first round all the time. If you're in the middle class on the NHL, you're no closer to winning the cup that you are if you're missing the playoffs year after year. You get middle round draft picks and middle area free agents and the teams just tread water until the bottom falls out.

Don't believe me? See Ottawa. Their window of opportunity slammed on them when they lost the Stanley Cup finals. Now they're on the outside of the playoff picture just floating around and picking up guys like Mike Comrie to try and make a late push. They've got four guys with contracts that make them untradeable and now they will suffer for that for the next few years unless they can find some charity to take Spezza off their hands. And that ain't likely.

Anwyay, the Islanders goals were scored by The Deaner; Joensuu, Bruno Gervais (on a great play in front of the net--join the play, Bruno!) and the prodigal son who never left, Jeff Tambellini.

Yann Danis was strong in net again for the Islanders and has really made a case to be brought back as Rick DiPietro's backup next season. Joey MacDonald was strong during the early part of the year but Danis has stepped in and given the Isles a chance to win most nights he is between the pipes.