Islanders Team Report from Yahoo! Sports

Scott Gordon asks the Islanders to forecheck so aggressively during games that he often backs off on his team in practice.

That all changed Friday, when Gordon punished his players with a super-hard skate following numerous breakdowns and lazy plays in a season-worst 9-2 loss Thursday at Pittsburgh.

“You say, ‘I don’t want to kill them in practice and not get it in the game,’” Gordon told Newsday. “Well, now I’m at the point where it doesn’t really matter. This needs to be addressed, and it probably should have been addressed three games ago.”

The losing continued Saturday night in Columbus, the Isles’ sixth straight defeat and their eighth in nine games entering Tuesday’s return home against Washington. The Isles (10-18-2) have given up an NHL-worst 110 goals.

“It’s been an ongoing situation where we have not backchecked with awareness and purpose,” Gordon said. “We have to play with more desperation and more purpose all the time. When you’re not doing that, you become easier to play against. That’s not what we want our team identity to be.”

Blue Jackets 3, Islanders 1: Well, at least it wasn’t 9-2. Since that was the bloated score of the Isles’ previous game Thursday in Pittsburgh, perhaps this represented progress back into respectability. But perhaps not, as the Isles meekly completed an 0-4 road trip and fell to a mind-boggling 2-7-1 in their history against Columbus. Goalie Joey MacDonald and the Isles’ defensive efforts clearly were sharper than they’d been in the Penguins debacle two nights earlier, but their offensive woes continued with just one shorthanded goal on 25 shots against Jackets rookie Steve Mason. During their six-game losing streak, the Isles have scored fewer than three goals five times.

Notes, Quotes

• C Mike Sillinger, at 37 and five NHL games removed from February hip surgery, probably wasn’t the best candidate to survive coach Scott Gordon’s punishing “bag skate” on Friday. And he didn’t. Sillinger strained his groin and sat out Saturday’s game against Columbus.

“I guess it’s a mini-training camp for me, and the tightness with my hips is going to go to other areas,” Sillinger said. “It’s just a minor tweak, but I’ve got to be able to skate. It doesn’t help whenever you have one hip compensating.”

• C Doug Weight has been a rare and surprising bright spot this season, leading the Isles with 27 points and moving within four of reaching 1,000 for his NHL career.

“To play as long as I have and to be successful and to be coming up on that mark, I’m very proud of it and very excited about it,” Weight told Newsday. “It sounds like I’m answering in the politically correct way, but I want to mix it in with some wins. It’s more enjoyable around your team.”

Quote To Note: “It’s tough, but we have got to try to keep it positive and try to do the things that we know that work for us. We can’t be too negative. We have to keep on going. We can’t quit here.”—Winger Sean Bergenheim, after the Isles lost their sixth straight game Saturday, 3-1 at Columbus.

Player Notes:

• G Joey MacDonald returned to goal after getting yanked after one period in a 9-2 loss Thursday in Pittsburgh. MacDonald stopped 32 of 35 shots in a 3-1 loss to Columbus.
• RW Richard Park notched his second shorthanded goal of the season, and the seventh for the Isles, second-most in the NHL.

• LW Jon Sim returned to the lineup, replacing injured C Mike Sillinger, after being a healthy scratch for the first time this season Thursday in Pittsburgh.

Medical Watch:

• G Rick DiPietro, who underwent arthroscopic surgery Oct. 31 on his left knee, has resumed skating in full equipment and hopes to return by late December.

—C Mike Comrie, who underwent offseason surgery on his right hip, has resumed skating but missed his 16th straight game since Nov. 11 with inflammation.

• D Bruno Gervais was placed on injured reserve and missed his ninth straight game with an undisclosed leg injury.

• D Radek Martinek, who’s been limited to 10 appearances this season, went back on the injured list with a shoulder injury suffered Nov. 29. He is expected to miss 3-to-4 weeks.

• C Frans Nielsen will miss 8-to-12 weeks after suffering multiple leg injuries, believed to include a high-ankle sprain, Nov. 21 in New Jersey.

• RW Kyle Okposo missed his 12th straight game since suffering a right wrist injury Nov. 17 and is expected to be out until mid-January.

• C Mike Sillinger, who missed the first 24 games due to February hip surgery, lasted five games before exiting the lineup again with a strained groin. He is day-to-day.

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.

How big was Radek Martinek last night?

With everyone on the blueline seemingly out injured last night, Martinek played some textbook defensive hockey against the Capitals. It was like a personal mission for him to stop Alex Ovechkin, who only had one shot on Rick DiPietro last night. A clinic of 28 minutes last night. I hope the organization keeps tape of Martinek's performance to show younger defensemen in the system how to do all of the little things right. Martinek is just a master of positioning. Amazing.

Also, let's not look past the effort of Freddy Meyer, the ninth defenseman on the depth chart in training camp who played with Martinek last night as the first shut-down defensive pairing for Ted Nolan. Say what we might about injuries being the reason that Meyer has moved up the ladder so quickly but the guy has been given a chance to play important minutes for the team that waived him after training camp and he has more than made the most out of the opportunity to prove himself.

After letting the Caps get ahead 2-0, the Islander goals were scored by two guys who have been quite cold as of late--Miro Satan (on a backhand tap-in; assist to Guerin) and Josef Vasicek. Trent Hunter's slapshot boomed off the boards behind Washington goalie Olaf Kolzig and the puck landed right on Big Joe's stick. With Kolzig out of his crease to cut down the angle on Hunter, Vasicek backhanded the puck from behind the goal line and it banked in off Kolzig's arm with less than nine minutes left in regulation. It was Vasicek's second goal in the last thirty games.

Rick DiPietro earned his 24th win of the season stopping 32 shots, including some very difficult saves. He also shut down former Islander Viktor Kozlov, Ovechkin and Alex Semin in the shootout. The comeback was sealed by Mike Comrie, who slid a backhand through Kolzig's legs for the winner.

The Islanders now have 65 points and are one point away from tying Boston and the Flyers at the end of the Eastern Conference playoff race. Last week, we thought we were sellers. Now, maybe Garth Snow can swing some goals over to the Island before the trading deadline this Tuesday.

Chris Simon is scheduled to return tonight at home as the Isles face the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning are surprising cellar dwellers in the Eastern Conference and with lots of teams bunched up in the east, the Isles need to make five wins in a row six wins in a row tonight against a team in turmoil. Then, you know, make it seven in Newark on Saturday.

Speaking of five game winning streaks, the heat from the Coliseum is extending over the Bridge. The Sound Tigers also have a five game winning streak in the American League as well. Last night the Tigers beat the Norfolk Admirals 4-3 at the Arena at Harbor Yard. Matt Keith had three points and Kyle Okposo had a power play goal as the Sound Tigers moved into sole possession of fourth place in the East Division.

DiPietro & Martinek Updates; Okposo signed!

Greg Logan is reporting that the results of Rick's MRI showed that there was "no significant structural damage" to his left knee. We'll see if he plays tomorrow night vs. the Devils.

Also, Shawn Bates' season is over after two games. Bates had hip surgery before Christmas and is out for the year. First I had heard of the surgery, too. The Isles take the line Bill Belichick does with the Pats and don't offer much regarding injuries.

Radek Martinek is also listed as day-to-day (but aren't we all) and is rocking a walking cast on his right leg. I guess this means more lessons from Professor Witt for young master Bruno Gervais.

The big news today is that Kyle Okposo signed his entry-level contract and will be with the Isles at the end of the World Junior Championships. Okposo has, from all accounts, been playing well for the US team, with a goal and two assists. American teammate (and Islander prospect) Rhett Rakshani scored in the US opener and is playing on a line with Okposo.

Robin Figren of Sweden has 3 goals and an assist for four points. Sweden faces tournament overlord Canada tomorrow at 1:30 eastern time. Check out his freakish goal below.

Bad News Friday

Look at Eli over there. The man is truly confused. Is he worried about the Islanders' scoring woes? His own play and the way the guy gets ripped for every little thing? Or is he taking the news about Evel Knievel's passing particularly hard?

Nope, I bet it is none of those reasons. I think Eli is as perplexed as we all were to read that Ryan Hollweg allegedly threatened to rip the stitches out of Radek Martinek's face during the game on Thursday against the Rangers.

What? Ryan Hollweg? White Hat to Chris Simon's Black Hat? Yep, he apparently said that to Martinek the first period scrum after Colton Orr tried to mug Mike Comrie and Radek came to his aid. Classy organization Dolan has going on over there, eh?

And since we are all friends, you can admit it. You didn't think Evel would ever die either. The guy had more replacement parts that a second-hand Terminator and used to drink like he was gonna win something for it, but we all kinda thought the guy was indestructible.

The TV peeps seemed to enjoy playing that slo-mo tape of Evel's crash in Vegas at Caesar's Palace in '68 at well. Fairly gratuitous stuff at this point. Still, it is some shocking footage.

Evel had apparently made nice with Kanye West for some reason just a few days ago. Hopefully the ego allowed him to make nice with Robbie, his son and heir to the throne for best drinker and daredevil.

So, that being said, Eli needs the Islanders' scoring to pick it up so he can get that look off his face there that we all have. Andy Hilbert has missed more open nets this year than you can shake a stick at (literally) and while you have to admire the fact that Nolan rolls him out there because the guy is making a great effort, something has to change. You can't blame Hilbert for the whole team shutting it off because he isn't playing with Bill Guerin or Mike Comrie or any of the other guys who aren't putting the puck in the net. DiPietro is going to keep our boys in most of the games anyway as he continues to ascend in the league, but goals are goals. We need them.

It's easy to also look at the guys who left the team in the off-season but if you check the stats, they aren't lighting up their new teams either. Kozlov has found his level back in DC and the Caps, by the way, are the worst team in the league. Jason Blake zoo pass to TO is not working out the way he'd like. Blakie only has 2 goals this season and the Leafs organization is under seige for poor play, poor management, weird guaranteed contracts, and disturbing pictures of a certain Leafs rookie.

The salary cap has made the NHL a no-trade league for now so the Islanders are going to have to look within for the goals and PP help. According to Newsday, Nolan is considering using Miro on the half-wall a little more on the top PP unit with Mike Comrie and The Tank--who always busts a good effort for his team. The Captain is going to slide down to the second unit with Mike Sillinger and Dancin' Stan's little boy Trent.

Tonight against the Thrashers may be a place to sit DiPietro as well. The guy has played 18 games in a row. Dubie started that debacle in TO that ended badly (we shan't rehash here) but also looked way solid in relief of Super Rick in the Al Arbour game in early November.

The Thrash have improved quite a bit since GM Don Waddell took over the bench after firing noted hard-ass Bob Hartley. Should be a good one tonight on the Isle.

Where was "Black Betty"?

Well, the Giants pooped in the punch bowl for sure yesterday and that
has me feeling prickly as a summer cactus. When I get fired up about
the inability of some of the higher-salaried people on the Giants
roster, I just try and relax and I remind myself that the Islanders are
9 and 4 so far this season. Yes!

This week begins a stretch where our boys are finally going to be
playing some games on the road...such as they are. I bet teams from the
Western Conference are jealous when they see stretches like this. The
Isles meet the Flyers tonight and the Penguins on Thursday. Then they
head to Jersey for the Devils on Saturday, the Rangers on Monday, and
the Canadiens on November 21. The day after Thanksgiving the Isles are
in Boston for a nooner and then host the Bruins the following night at
the Coliseum. Not a whole heck of a lot of traveling, for sure.

What can we say about the Devils game...other than the Games Ops peeps
didn't play "Black Betty"? I keed. No, it was another solid effort by
our boys in blue and orange. Somebody needs to call the fire department
because Miro Satan is on fire! Also, we need to keep Dancin' Stan
Hunter (love that nickname) in LI because his son Trent has been playing
very, very well since Dad came to visit. Billy Jaffe and Howie Rose
made the observation and I think it is true: we need to get Stan on the
road trip!

I especially liked the way our defensemen were heading to the net
Saturday night. Billy and Howie mentioned Andy Sutton's name many times
because Sutton was setting up shop right in front of Martin "Mr. 499"
Brodeur. Again, I keed. I love Brodeur and I think he is the best
goalie I've seen since Roy (I know how to take a stand on the real
issues, eh?) but everyone knows that the best way to beat any goalie is
to keep the puck near his feet. Sure, he is awesome in the butterfly
but packing the crease and playing it to his feet is the way to slide
'em past him. Of course, I say that and recognize that Miro's GWG was a
quick slam on a goal mouth pass from Trent Hunter that Brodeur had no
chance of stopping--especially because it was on a 5-on-3 PP advantage.
You know what I mean.

Over the weekend the Isles also welcomed back one Frederick Meyer IV as
well. Freddy had been with the Isles until getting cut when the team
needed to sign Bryan Berard. Of course, Berard has been out for a bit
and now ace in the hole Aaron Johnson is out for 6-8 weeks with a knee
injury so the backline is looking a bit depleted. Hey, the great thing
is that Meyer comes in fully aware of the systems and style of play so
he should be ready to go as soon as tonight against the Flyers.

Bill Guerin took a puck to the face against the Devils and although he
came back to play because he is a hockey player and that's what you do,
The Captain ended up missing the third period with the injury. Looked
to get him on the eyebrow area and he is reported to be re-examined
today before the Flyer game. I have a sneaking suspicion that if the
swelling is down and there's no damage to the eye itself that The
Captain will be in the lineup tonight.

Radek Martinek also was rocking a cut over his eye that needed a few
stitches the other night. He came back to play and was his usual steady
self. He reminds me a lot of Kenny Morrow in so many ways. I know that
is saying a lot but both guys were steady and played against the top
offensive players all the time without making any mistakes. Radek and
Brendan Witt compliment each other so well. You get the sense of
stability that Kenny Jonsson and Adrian Aucoin used to give us.

Lastly, I don't want to start an Oprah book club or anything, but people
have been asking me about the new books written by Bret Hart and Chris
Jericho. I've read both and I can tell you that each one is definitely
worth checking out. Jericho's book flows along like a buddy telling you
stories and when you're done, I think you can't help but like the guy
more and more. Bret's book is just like he seems to be: rather tortured
at times and serious. The guy has been through a lot and let's face
it--he's been on the doorstep of a lot of history. When he wasn't
knocking on the door of history, he was directly in the middle of
controversy. If you're looking for massive insight and disclosure about
Montreal 1997, there's not a lot new here. But if you want to learn
about the real Hart family and a lot about the early WWF, this is a good
one to read.

So there you go. Five stars for each book. Five stars for entirely
different reasons.