Isles trade Comrie and Campoli; Get San Jose's first-rounder

Islanders Point Blank is reporting that Mike Comrie and Chris Campoli have been sent to Ottawa. The Isles also acquire veteran forward Dean McAmmond.

TSN reports that the first-rounder was acquired by the Senators last August. This figures to be a late-first round pick since the Sharks are kicking ass out West.

BILL'S TAKE: I agree with Chris Botta in the fact that I am surprised Garth Snow was able to get a first-rounder for Campoli and an expiring contract. Campoli goes home to Ontario and gets out of the dog house he was in with Scott Gordon. Does this move mean a playoff push for the Senators? Probably not. They'll probably tease their fans with a late run but I expect they'll be on the outside come April.

Islanders Team Report from Yahoo Sports

With the fewest points in the NHL, the Islanders already will be playing for future jobs over their final 30 games.

But an official competition is shaping up for the right to back up starting goalie Rick DiPietro next season—a job that often entails a heavy workload because of the former All-Star’s frequent trips to the injured list, including his ongoing knee issues.

Joey MacDonald opened this season as DiPietro’s understudy and seemingly earned a new contract for 2009-10 with solid nightly play in starting 36 of 42 games before the All-Star break. But third-stringer Yann Danis has allowed three or fewer goals in seven of his last eight starts entering Tuesday’s home game against Los Angeles, and he appears to have gained the trust of head coach Scott Gordon.

“One thing about Yann, I think he’s taken it a step further than what Joey did,” Gordon said. “Not that Joey didn’t play well, but certainly, Yann, from a level of consistency, has been able to play like a guy that’s a true No. 1. That’s reflective of his numbers…to consistently give up less than three goals is what you expect a No. 1 guy to do, and that’s the type of performance he’s been able to give us.

“It goes hand in hand with his success. When you have that kind of goaltending, it certainly makes it easier for your team to know that, when you have those off moments, it’s going to stay tight.”

Lightning 1, Islanders 0: Yann Danis had won his previous four starts and certainly appeared in line for another, keeping the Islanders in a 0-0 tie with several acrobatic saves until late in the third period Saturday night in Tampa. Still, opposing goalie Mike McKenna ended up with his first shutout in just his third NHL start, as veteran Gary Roberts’ redirection goal with 6:26 remaining sent the last-overall Isles (16-31-5) to their second straight one-goal loss.

“It’s never fun to lose like that in the third,” said Danis, who made 27 saves. “We played a good game. We battled hard. There’s definitely some positives out of it.”

Notes, Quotes

• D Chris Campoli has been installed as the Isles’ power-play quarterback with All-Star D Mark Streit, the Isles’ leading scorer this season, sidelined the last two games with a shoulder injury.

“It was different. I’m in (Streit’s) position, and we’ve all seen he does such a great job every night,” Campoli told Newsday. “It’s definitely big shoes to fill, and I just tried to go out there and keep it simple.”

• LW Sean Bergenheim was activated off the injured list after missing the previous eight games with a strained muscle in his side suffered Jan. 13, replacing center Nate Thompson (shoulder) in the lineup.

Quote To Note: “Yann’s really stepped up. He’s given us a chance every time he’s played. It’s great to see a kid like that come in and play really well for us when he gets a chance.”—Defenseman Brendan Witt, on goalie Yann Danis, following a hard-luck 1-0 loss Saturday at Tampa Bay.

Player Notes:

• G Yann Danis lowered his goals-against average over his past five starts to 1.61, but he didn’t win for the first time in that stretch in a 1-0 loss Saturday in Tampa Bay.

• RW Trent Hunter’s four-game point streak (3-1-4) was halted.

• D Chris Campoli logged a team-high 24:19 of ice-time, including 5:40 of power-play time with No. 1 defenseman Mark Streit sidelined with a shoulder injury.

Medical Watch:

• G Rick DiPietro, who appeared in just five games due to multiple injuries, has been shut down for the remainder of the season with swelling in his surgically repaired left knee.

• D Mark Streit sat out his second straight game Saturday against Tampa Bay with a shoulder injury and remains day-to-day.

• D Thomas Pock also has missed the last two games with a hand injury suffered Feb. 3 against Tampa Bay.

• D Freddy Meyer remains out indefinitely with a groin strain suffered Jan. 5 in Edmonton.

• C Mike Sillinger underwent season-ending hip surgery for the second straight season on Jan. 26.

• D Andy Sutton suffered a broken right foot on a blocked shot Dec. 19 in Minnesota and underwent surgery. He is expected to miss 8-to-10 weeks.

• C Nate Thompson was placed on the injured list after suffering a shoulder injury Feb. 5 against Florida.

Kansas City

Got some emails about why I haven't written about the whole Kansas City deal.

Well, for one thing, I am hoping that if I put my head in the sand that the whole thing will just blow on by.

And to "Calvert DeForest", who was kind enough to email me (from the grave) and blame me as probably not caring if the team moves because I don't live on Long Island, all I can say, son, is that you're full of it. I've bled with this team for over 30 years. And what's more, I also know what happens when a team leaves because I live in Connecticut and interest in hockey has nosedived in my home state since the Whalers left Hartford.

I also know myself well enough to understand that if the Islanders leave, I am going to super-miserable. I may be in West Hartford, but the Islanders mean a ton to me. That logo is all I care about in sports. If they go to Kansas City, it's going to be like a bad breakup...for all of us...and that doesn't matter where you live.

As I type this, the Islanders are dopwn 1-0 to the Capitals. Ovechkin ripped one by Danis but so far, the Isles are playing a much more competitive game than they did Saturday night against the Devils.

Latest injury report: Chris Campoli is day-to-day with a groin injury. Trent Hunter is day-to-day with a lacerated finger. Up from Bridgeport come Jack Hillen and Kurtis MacLean, who is making his NHL debut.

End of the first, still 1-0.

Back from the brink of Christmas

Sorry for the lack of updates...and so much has gone on in Islanderville over the past few days.

Of course, the first thing we need to mention is that the vile ten-game winless streak is o-v-e-r thanks to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Yes, the same Leafs who were told in their local papers that the day-after-Christmas game with the worst team in the league was a late Christmas present of two points.

You have to love the Toronto media. Lose two in a row and the team is a bunch of bums and all of managment should be fired. Win two and the 42-year Cup drought is over and we need to start booking the parade down Younge Street. We need to get the entire Canadian media some Paxil to help with their mood swings!

Big news in that game was that Billy Guerin potted his 400th career goal. His 399th came on a deflection on a shot from Josh Bailey and the deflection was so obvious that I was scratching my head wondering why Billy and Howie were talking about the kid getting his first NHL goal when it was plain as day that Guerin was going to get it.

But, hey, who is complaining. The Isles got the win and Ricky was back in the net. What's more, he played a great, no nonsense, conservative game for the 4-1 victory.
Saturday night, the impossible happened. The Isles play a lackluster 58 minutes (well, not Joey MacDonald--he was pure fire) and then our boys tie up the Sabres with two powerplay goals with MacDonald pulled to send it to OT. Chris Campoli, who loves that top shelf, wristed one past Ryan Miller with 2 seconds left. Sure, the Isles coughed up the shootout but the way things have been going, one point is one point.

And here's a surprise: the Isles play the Rangers tonight and wouldn't you know it, Larry Brooks' man crush on Sean Avery made the papers again yesterday as LB is trying desperately--a little too desperately--to get his boy toy Avery back to MSG.
Look, I understand that everybody has favorite players but Brooks is just making us all a little uncomfortable with his gushing and defending of Avery. He can say whatever he wants about the Rangers needing an edge or whatever. It's just all a bit too much, Larry. You don't want us making the hostage face you made on live TV a few years ago at the NHL Awards, do you?

The "RANGERS (are not) SCREAMING OUT FOR AVERY", Larry. You are.

AND for all of those complaining (like me) about the Isles not releasing Josh Bailey to play in the tournament, did anyone consider that notorious complainer and whining curmudgeon Pat Quinn is the coach of the Canadian team? Methinks Garth and Scott may not have wanted Josh to be subjected to the Quinn negativity.

We'll have more about the Isles tomorrow and some insight on what we've seen while watching the World Junior Championships.

Freddy Meyer has surgery

Greg Logan has a bit of Islanders' injury news.

He's cracked the fact that Freddy Meyer had sports hernia surgery and used some sort of abacus to decipher that Fred will be back in two to four weeks.

Nice to see Andy Sutton do what he does best last night. Sutton was in charge clearing out the crease for Joey MacDonald last night in the 3-2 OT loss to the Flyers. I thought Campoli has a strong game and Mark Streit continues to excel.

Speaking of, Thomas Pock has gone from Rangers-dumpee to playing on the top pair with Streit. Pock has looked good too.

Logan also reports that Radek Martinek (undisclosed upper-body/shoulder injury) was at the optional morning skate today. Radek has been out since October 11.

Isles D Martinek out 4 to 6 weeks; Comeau demoted

UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP)—New York Islanders defenseman Radek Martinek will be out four to six weeks because of an unidentified upper-body injury sustained during a game last weekend, the club said Tuesday.

Martinek was knocked out of the Islanders’ home opener in the first period Saturday night after he absorbed a hard hit behind the net. He was evaluated by doctors that night and didn’t play in New York’s 7-1 loss to Buffalo on Monday.

The Islanders revealed the length of time Martinek is expected to miss, but still declined to provide any information about the injury.

Martinek was skating along the end boards behind the New York goal and crumpled after being crunched by St. Louis center David Backes with 3:10 left in the period. He remained down on the ice for a few moments before skating without assistance toward the tunnel to the dressing room.

It is the latest injury to the Islanders’ already banged-up defense. Just three games into the season, New York is also missing Andy Sutton (hand surgery) and Chris Campoli (shoulder). Both are expected to be sidelined for several weeks.

The Islanders also sent down 22-year-old forward Blake Comeau to Bridgeport of the AHL on Tuesday. Comeau, who had eight goals and seven assists as a rookie in 57 games last season with the Islanders, didn’t dress for any of New York’s regular-season games this season.

He had no points in three games with the Islanders during the 2006-07 season after making his NHL debut.

Birthday boy Lee nets OT winner for Isles

By IRA PODELL, AP Hockey Writer

NEWARK, N.J. (AP)—Chris Lee scored 2:28 into overtime on his 28th birthday Friday night, lifting the New York Islanders to a 3-2 preseason victory over the New Jersey Devils.

Lee snapped a drive that beat backup goalie Kevin Weekes on New York’s 20th shot. Fellow defenseman Bruno Gervais, who turned 24 Friday, earned an assist. The Islanders got the win after losing a 2-1 lead late in the second period.

“I don’t think the goalie saw it, and to be honest I didn’t see it go in, either,” Lee said. “It was a delayed celebration, but it was a great feeling. This is definitely the best birthday present I’ve ever gotten.”

After recording only five shots in the first period against Islanders third-string goalie Yann Danis, the Devils got even on Zach Parise’s power-play goal with 26.4 seconds left in the middle period.

New York couldn’t get the puck out of its zone during New Jersey’s third power play of the period—a high-sticking double-minor against Jeremy Colliton.

Devils defenseman Anssi Salmela slid a diagonal pass from the left point to Parise in the low right circle. Parise snapped a shot that beat Danis for his fifth goal of the preseason.

The Devils went on a 5-on-3 power play 13 seconds later when Lee was sent off for hooking. New Jersey enjoyed that manpower edge for well over a minute into the third period, but couldn’t take the lead.

It wasn’t for a lack of trying, though. The Islanders killed off the penalties only to go short-handed again at 2:04. The Devils pumped in five shots and hit the post with two other attempts. Patrik Elias slid the puck through the crease, but it caught the right post.

“At 5-on-5, I thought our guys did a tremendous job,” first-year Islanders coach Scott Gordon said. “I’d be surprised if they had more than 15 shots 5-on-5. The majority of their shots came on the power play, particularly the 5-on-3.

“When you’re short-handed for pretty much six consecutive minutes and close to eight, you’re going to lose momentum.”

New Jersey took a 1-0 lead 3:32 in on its first shot. Johnny Oduya let go a drive from above the left circle that hit the right post and caromed in.

The Islanders tied it on Andy Hilbert’s stuff shot near the right post with 4:29 left in the first period, and Kurtis McLean made it 2-1 for New York 2:55 later when his drive from the left point seemed to hit Salmela in flight and take a dip past Weekes.

That was quite a change from Wednesday on Long Island when the Devils defeated the Islanders 3-0 behind a 17-save effort by No. 1 goalie Martin Brodeur.

“Every game you play you want to win,” said Mike Comrie, one of the few Islanders veterans in the lineup. “When you’re playing a division rival, you just expect a lot out of everybody. It’s nice to get a win but we know we have a long road ahead of us.”

The Devils outshot New York 12-0 in the third on Friday before the Islanders recorded their first shot of the period shortly after the 13-minute mark. Until then, New Jersey had showed mostly lackluster play.

“For the first half of the game, that’s exactly what we were,” Devils coach Brent Sutter said. “We did a much better job in the second half of having some assertiveness and puck pursuit. Our forecheck was a lot better, there wasn’t as many gaps. The shots on goal showed that.”

Danis finished with 28 saves. Regular backup Joey MacDonald also dressed, but New York’s No. 1 netminder Rick DiPietro is close to returning. He skated with teammates Friday morning and is expected to get the start Monday when the Islanders finish their preseason schedule at Florida.

The Islanders and Devils will open the regular season against each other next Friday in New Jersey.

Notes

The Islanders are expected to be without defensemen Andy Sutton and Chris Campoli for several weeks. Sutton is out because of hand surgery. Campoli is sidelined by an injured shoulder, not the one he dislocated last season that knocked him out for the season in January. … Veteran forwards Bill Guerin and Doug Weight sat out for the Islanders. They are expected to play the final two preseason games.

Islanders 6 Buffalo 4

I'm writing this post while eating some apple pie that my wife made. As usual, honey, it rocks.

BIG win last night in the opener. Mike Comrie is still playing like a man possessed. The guy took the opportunity to be a front-line center with the Islanders and he feels like he has something to prove. Great signing by Garth.

That whole rebuilt first line is looking great, eh? Comrie had two goals and the winner was simply spectacular. The Tank had a PP goal and two assists and captain Bill Guerin has 3 helpers. As Greg Logan of Newsday put it, it was a "spectacular debut". We really need for Hilary Duff to keep dating Comrie because he's been unbelievable so far in training camp for the team. A telethon or a online petition, whatever. Someone needs to make sure this happens.

Most gratifying to me was that in the third period, the Islanders outshot the Sabres 11-5. Last season it seemed like our boys were holing on tight when entering the last period with a lead. Trent Hunter added his first of the season in the third as well and the Islanders outshot Buffalo 34-26 overall.

The Isles' effort last night has to be mentioned. They were down at many points last night and even when they took the lead late in the first (after Chris Campoli scored on the PP) and the Sabres answered right back, the boys never out their heads down. That, my friends, is what strong leadership will do for a team.

Great article worth noting by the New York Times' Dave Caldwell about Billy Guerin. You can access it here: Guerin

Big ups to Radek Martinek, too. Radek got a new three-year deal yesterday before the season started. We are big Martinek fans over here. He's a lot like Kenny Jonsson in that he does all of the little things that make him such an important player for the team. Things that may go unnoticed at times.

Tonight we see the same Sabres team that raided their Conference Championship banner last night before the Isles hung 6 on them. I can't wait.

Chris Campoli gets a long-term commitment

From the newyorkislanders.com website:

The Islanders and Chris Campoli have agreed to terms on a three-year contract that will keep the 23-year-old defenseman an Islander through at least the 2009-10 season. In 131 career NHL games, all with the Islanders, Campoli has scored 10 goals with 38 assists for 48 points in two seasons.

"Signing Chris Campoli to a long-term contract was a priority of ours this off-season," said Islanders general manager Garth Snow. "He's one of the most skilled young defenseman in the NHL and we're thrilled that he'll continue his development in an Islanders uniform."