| John Palaszczuk. 7th February, 2009 - 7:57 pm
 Winners of four out of the last five games, the New York
Islanders suddenly don't look anything like the team they were going into the All-Star break.
A big part of that is solid goaltending. Islander fans everywhere let out a collective groan when franchise goalie Rick DiPietro was shut down for the rest of the season due to swelling in his surgically repaired left knee.
At least they don't have to pay him through 2022 ... oh wait, they do ("DOH!" ?Charles Wang.) Fortunately, Yann Danis stepped in and took everything, but the kitchen sink in his absence.
Right winger Trent Hunter has scored three goals over the past four games, and defenseman Mark Streit scored a goal and added an assist in Atlanta where the Islanders broke a 14-game road losing streak.
Why the sudden success?
No one is expecting them to capture the Atlantic, but maybe some respectability can be salvaged from a season that they have spent almost entirely in the basement of the NHL. All things considered, they beat the Lightning, who were not 100%, and the equally-terrible Thrashers. So it's not quite time to dream of hoisting the cup.
Coach Scott Gordon has attributed the team's good fortune to mixing in some youth, but they aren't giving up on the old guys. That mix takes the pressure off the veterans and gives the rookies valuable on-the-job training.
At this point, why not play the young guys? Don't think about playoffs ("PLAYOFFS?!?!" - Jim Mora) so they might as well try and find out what their farm system has been doing the past few years. There is another redeeming quality that basement dwellers have. In sports, if you're not going to make it, stop the next guy.
Playing the spoiler is the next best thing to actually making the postseason. Compare it to the Marlins beating the Mets at the end of last year's baseball season. The Marlins had no chance and no hope, mathematically eliminated, but stopping the Mets in New York led to postgame chants of, "This is our house!"
Bottom line, this is the point that Islander fans stop supporting their team and start loving it. It's just like when your mom tells you you're pretty -- even if it's not true, but she still means it.
So with the Isles only 30 points out of first place, it's time to start loving your team -- they might just win some games along the way.
Like Tyler Durden once said, "It's not until you've lost everything that you're free to do anything."
--BREAKAWAYS
Are the Islanders really moving to Kansas City? The real question should be: in today's horrible economic climate, how can Kansas City have a state-of-the-art entertainment facility capable of hosting a basketball team and a hockey team this is completely empty? That sounds like trouble to me.
It's been suggested that the Islanders move into one of the five boroughs -- uh, no. They wouldn't be the "Islanders" any more would they? This ain't the Garden, and they ain't the Rangers.
Why is every new sports arena met with absolute opposition? Yes, the traffic will be bad. But what about all the jobs and positive economic impact the team will bring? Have you people been to a game lately? Do you realize how much local advertising these facilities support? |
