Photo by Robert Kowal

While no one expected the Islanders to have a shot at the Stanley Cup this season, many were hopeful the team would make a legitimate run at a playoff spot. The teams’ strong finish to last season gave management and fans alike something to look forward to. Key defenseman Mark Streit was returning to the lineup, in addition to a healthy Kyle Okposo. Assistant captain John Tavares had a full season under his belt, and a young core that included Josh Bailey and Blake Comeau also had another year of experience. Throw in some veteran leadership with the likes of Brian Rolston, Jay Pandolfo and Marty Reasoner- and the Islanders seemed ready to take that next step heading into the season, and no longer be a doormat for opposing teams.

What the hell happened?

Just 18 games into the season, the Islanders find themselves in yet another free fall similar to last season. The Islanders are now in the midst of a 2-12-0 tailspin in which they have been outscored 65-24. The team has been outscored 12-0 in their last 7 periods of play, and were embarrassed in front of a national audience last night in Pittsburgh when Sidney Crosby returned to action. Needless to say, the Islanders have been downright dreadful.

Who’s to blame? Management? The coaching staff? The players? Truth is, all have some responsibility for the team’s performance thus far. More importantly, what needs to be done to fix this mess? Trading some draft picks for Alex Ovechkin would be nice, but unfortunately Washington Capitals GM George McPhee will not likely go for that. So the question then becomes: What can be done? Remaining positive is not going to be enough. Many believe heads need to roll.

While GM Garth Snow didn’t exactly have a great off-season, I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for the ax to fall on him. Garth has had a tough job attracting free agents, and probably relied a bit to much on the development of his young players heading into the season. Still, when was the last time Snow has made a deal of significance to impact the team?

Do the Islanders fire their head coach again? Current head coach Jack Capuano seemed to have the team turned around last year after taking over for Scott Gordon, particularly late in the season. The players responded well to Capuano’s approach behind the bench, which was much different than Gordon’s. Has the team now tuned him out as well? Under the circumstances, I think Jack has done a fine job and deserves to stay. Who do you replace him with anyway?

The leaders in the locker room must start taking responsibility for the teams recent lackluster play- and take action to correct it.  Tavares can’t do it all by himself. The veteran leaders on this team that contribute much less on the ice need to start showing their worth, or be shown the door.

The Islanders young core of players were supposed to take the next step in their development this season. Many are not doing their part. The most maligned culprits include Kyle Okposo, Blake Comeau and Josh Bailey. Between the three of them, they have played in 48 games and have only a single goal and 5 assists to show for it. Most nights they’ve been practically invisible on the ice. It wasn’t supposed to be this way.

What’s been most disturbing has been the Islanders recent uninspired play. The team has lost some spirit and toughness with the departures of Zenon Konopka to Ottawa, and the demotions of both Michael Haley and Trevor Gillies to Bridgeport. While no one is making them out to be world beaters, the Islanders do seem to be missing some of the intangibles these guys brought to the table.

Some scoring help wouldn’t hurt either. I guess you could say that for most teams, but 35 goals in 18 games (last in the league) is just not going to cut it. Okposo, Comeau and Bailey were being counted on in a big way to fill the net this season, and have been the biggest disappointments on the ice for the team. I like all of these guys, and think they possess a lot of talent. I honestly don’t know why they have been unable to produce. Nevertheless, the time has come to shake up this Islanders roster, and a change of scenery for some might be best.

The time is now for Garth to earn his paycheck. It’s still early, but the clock is already ticking on the Islanders season.

UNIONDALE, N.Y. – The Islanders came into last nights game against the Pittsburgh Penguins looking to get things going after 2 tough losses in Florida to the Lightning and Panthers, but were shutout 3-0 in front of 10,681 fans at the Nassau Coliseum.

Within the first minute of play Penguins goaltender Marc Andre-Fleury stopped P.A. Parenteau. Soon after a Kyle Okposo’s blast from in front of the net was blocked by Penguins defenseman Deryk Engelland. It was a sign of things to come: big saves and blocked shots by the Penguins. Fleury ended the game stopping all 33 shots he faced, while the Pens blocked an additional 26 thrown at the net by the Islanders.

Despite a first period that saw the Islanders skate well and outshoot the Penguins by a 13-7 margin, the Islanders just couldn’t break through on Fleury. The Islanders second line of Grabner-Nielsen-Okposo were moving the puck well in the period, generating some chances- but were just unable to find the back of the net.

“I’m sure its frustrating for them, not getting the results they want,” head coach Jack Capuano said after the game. When commenting on the rest of the team, Capuano said “The guys worked hard and created some offense.”

Brooks Orpick sprung a streaking Pascal Dupuis up the middle on a breakaway at 17:06 of the opening frame, who beat goaltender Evgeni Nabokov to the stick side giving the Penguins a 1-0 lead. Nabokov started for third time in four games, and was backed up by Rick DiPietro- who apparently has recovered from a concussion sustained in practice October 12th when he took a shot to the mask.

“He gave us a chance to win the game,” Capuano said, when refering to his starting goaltender last night.

Former Islander Richard Park scored 0:21 seconds into the 2nd period off a feed from another former Islander, Arron Asham- taking the wind out the Islanders sails. Jordan Staal would later ice the game scoring an empty net goal with 2:00 to go in the final period.

Despite being without captain Sidney Crosby and Tyler Kennedy to concussions, as well as defensemen Zbynek Michalek (broken finger) and Brian Strait (hyperextended elbow), the Penguins played solid hockey all night. Evgeni Malkin, who had missed five straight games with knee soreness, returned to action and played well, registering 3 shots on goal.

The Islanders did have 2 power plays in the game, both in the 2nd period- but were unable to break through, getting only 2 shots to the net with the man advantage. Still, the team did generate several good scoring chances in the contest. John Tavares, who had 4 shots in the game, felt the team played much better than on their recent road trip.

“Guys were skating well and forechecking much better” he said, “we had a lot of chances.”

The Islanders, who have now lost three in a row, drop to 3-4-0 on the season. The team will have a chance to turn things around on Thursday when they take on the Penguins again in Pittsburgh.

Postgame Audio Clips
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Hosted by Rob Kowal along with Brad Kurtzberg. Guests included longtime Islanders broadcaster Jiggs McDonald, who spoke about the Islanders play to start the season. Next on the show was frequent guest Matt Sweetwood from the popular Devils fan website and message forum NJDEVS, who as always gave his pointed insights on the  New Jersey Devils. Finally the guys closed out the show talking with the recently retired NHL referee turned hockey analyst Kerry Fraser. Kerry spoke about some of the more memorable incidents throughout his 30 year career, many of which are featured in his new book entitled The Final Call: Hockey Stories from a Legend in Stripes, coming out in November.

The Islanders and Rangers face off this evening at the Nassau Coliseum, the first of six meetings between the teams this season, and the first of three meetings at the Coliseum. While the Rangers are searching for their first win of the season after an 0-0-2 road trip overseas, the Islanders come into the game having won 2 straight, after a 2-0 loss to the Panthers in their season home opener.

The young guns have led the way for both teams early on, and it will likely have to continue if they want to reach the playoffs this season. The Rangers new captain Ryan Callahan finished their season opener against the Kings with 11 shots on goal, while leading all team forwards with 20:30 of ice time in a 3-2 overtime loss. The last Ranger to register at least 11 shots in a game was Brendan Shanahan (12 shots) back on April 4th, 2008 vs. the Islanders. The Rangers 2004 fourth round pick has been skating with his usual hustle and tenacity right out of the gate. Meanwhile, the Islanders 2009 first round pick (1st overall) John Tavares broke out with 2 goals and 2 assists in the first period in the Islanders 5-1 thrashing of the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night- an impressive performance by the Islanders.

Make no mistake, there is a lot of firepower in the Islanders mostly young lineup. Coach Jack Capuano’s decision to go with goaltender Al Montoya early is already paying dividends. The former Rangers first round pick in 2004 (6th overall) brings a 2-1-0 record into the game, along with a 1.35 GAA and a .953 save percentage. More importantly, Capuano has sent a message to his team that performance on the ice will matter more than the size of your contract or how long you have been in the league. While many coaches preach this, most don’t follow through. Capuano has thus far, and I’d expect that to continue. Refreshing indeed. The Islanders will likely go with the same lineup tonight.

The Rangers feature off-season free agent signing Brad Richards, providing goal scorer Marian Gaborik with an elite centerman. While Richards leads the NHL with a 79.2% faceoff winning percentage (19-24) in the early going- the Rangers certainly expect him to light up the scoreboard as well. Meanwhile, home grown talents Dan Girardi, Brandon Dubinsky and captain Ryan Callahan will be expected to shoulder a lot of ice time. The Rangers defense will be tested tonight and throughout the season, especially with Marc Staal on the shelf. Tortorella isn’t afraid to shake the forward lines up, so you can pretty much count on that tonight- especially if the Rangers have any trouble finding the net. Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist should get the start- he has been solid, going 0-0-2 with a 1.86 GAA and a .931 save percentage. The Rangers haven’t played in a week, so I’m sure they will be revved up to hit the ice.

I expect an exciting game tonight. The Islanders are coming off a big win Wednesday night, and will be looking to keep it going. The Rangers need to be mindful of not coming out flat- sometimes it can be tough to get the wheels going after a long layoff.  Who do I like to win it? That’s easy, New York!

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Islanders Notes
The Islanders were 2-4-0 against the Rangers in 2010-11, including a 2-1-0 mark at home… The Islanders have played the same 18 skaters and Al Montoya in all three games this season… The Islanders are 14-for-15 on the penalty kill this season (93.3%)… Matt Moulson’s games-played streak stands at 167, he has yet to miss a game in his Islanders career… Travis Hamonic has now played 65 consecutive NHL games, the longest consecutive game streak on defense for the Isles… Jay Pandolfo is one goal shy of his 100th…Michael Grabner is one game shy of his 100th NHL contest…

Rangers Notes
The Blueshirts were 4-2-0 against the Islanders in 2010-11, including a 1-2-0 mark on the road… The Rangers lead the league with a 57.9% faceoff winning percentage, winning 66-of-114 faceoff attempts this season… Rangers are 10-for-11 on the penalty kill this season (90.9%)… The Blueshirts were the only team in the NHL who were undefeated when leading after two periods last season, posting a record of 29-0-0 in those contests… Brad Richards is 3 assists shy of his 500th… Brandon Prust is one game shy of his 200th NHL contest… Mike Rupp is one game shy of his 500th NHL contest…

You frequently hear the cliché that “age is only a number”, and you may dismiss it. But sometimes that number can represent two separate things entirely.

Both the New York Islanders and Carolina Hurricanes boast teams among the youngest in the National Hockey League, with average ages under 27. But the Hurricanes have challenged for a playoff spot all season, while the Islanders played their way out of the race in November. The two teams are ten points apart in the standings at the moment, but only one is still playing for a playoff spot, following the Islanders’ official elimination from playoff contention last night.

One statistic is as blatant a reason as any: man games lost to injury. And the numbers are staggering. The Islanders, no stranger to the injury bug, have racked up 512 man games lost (through Friday). The Hurricanes? 56.

One of the old sports clichés frequently thrown around is that “injuries are not an excuse”. They’re not the only factor for that ten-point gap. The Hurricanes have one of the best goaltenders in the league (Cam Ward), while the Islanders have started six different players in net this season. The Hurricanes didn’t lose every game they played over an entire month, either.

But having the most man games lost to injury isn’t a new thing for the Islanders, either. They were ninth last year, but they topped the league in 2007-08 and 2008-09. It brings an important concern to the forefront as claims of the Isles’ pending ascent to the elite of the NHL are starting to float around; you can have all the talent in the world, but if it doesn’t stay healthy, it’s a moot point.

Some of those “man games lost to injury” numbers for this year’s team are inflated. Mark Streit hasn’t played a game all year (and won’t). Mike Mottau and Doug Weight haven’t been heard from since November, and won’t be around when this team’s “rapid ascent” occurs. Trent Hunter’s been out since November, too.

There are players, however, whose injury troubles could be crucial. Andrew MacDonald’s torn labrum is the latest in a string of injuries for a player who’s expected to be a part of this team’s defensive core when it starts to win. Kevin Poulin, perhaps the team’s goalie of the future, already has two serious knee injuries under his belt, and he’s only 21. Kyle Okposo missed more than half of this season with a shoulder injury, while Travis Hamonic and Calvin de Haan both suffered serious shoulder injuries while in juniors.

And let’s not forget Rick DiPietro, whose numerous knee, hip, and head injuries almost serve as a metaphor for the team’s injury bug in recent years. DiPietro, whose 15-year deal will be in year six next year, looks like a player whose injury trouble stripped him of his natural talent (that is, when his injuries aren’t keeping him off the ice). He’s an Islander for better or worse, though, unless he walks away.

It’s tough to pinpoint a reason for the Isles’ injury problems. It’s always difficult to prepare for injuries, and bad luck frequently plays a part. (Streit’s injury was a freak accident, for example.) You don’t necessarily blame the team’s training staff, either; their job is to treat the team’s injuries and get them back to health. Perhaps a better job can be done in conditioning. Many people pointed to the “overspeed” style employed by Scott Gordon as a reason for increases in groin pulls, so the team’s simpler philosophy under Jack Capuano might help.

One thing is for sure, though, and that’s that a team can’t win when its top talent is hurt. Injuries in the past few years, particularly on defense, forced the Islanders to play several players in roles that their ability didn’t suit them for. Think about how many minutes Bruno Gervais was forced to take on last year. Think about the rotating defense in recent years that’s seen names like Allan Rourke, Thomas Pock, Rob Davison, Aaron Johnson, Brett Skinner, Dylan Reese, and Jamie Fraser, to name a few. Things got so bad last year that the Islanders brought up Anton Klementyev last year after drafting him in the sixth round of that year’s draft. When you’re using that many players, let alone guys who shouldn’t be holding down NHL roster spots, you’re not going to be able to grow as a team.

The Islanders were one of the best teams this season after the All-Star break, in large part because they stayed healthy (for the most part) and were able to grow as a team. The team’s lines stayed consistent once Okposo came back into the lineup, and that stability translated into better results. But now DiPietro is back, MacDonald is out, Ty Wishart is up in his place, and not surprisingly, the Islanders are staggering to the finish line. They have to hope they draw more from their winning ways if they want to contend next year.

The Islanders and the Hurricanes both appear to have promising futures. The core of each team is well under 30. One has a franchise center coming into his prime (Eric Staal), while the other has a franchise center starting to live up to that tag (John Tavares). Both have Calder candidates (Jeff Skinner and Michael Grabner).

The Hurricanes, however, are more durable. And that should help them find their success faster. The Islanders will need to heal if they want to find success at all.

When Jack Capuano took over as head coach of the Islanders, GM Garth Snow made no assurances that he would be the team’s coach of the future. The Islanders were in the midst of a 0-9-1 skid under Scott Gordon when Capuano took over the reins for the team in mid-November. The Islanders got off to a poor start under their new head coach, losing 9 of the next 12 games in regulation. While the team has continued to have rough patches along the way, their overall play has improved under Capuano.

Former head coach Scott Gordon ran a system that focused on pressuring the puck, often consisting of an aggressive forecheck consisting of two guys deep. This system can help players develop a more keen awareness of where they need to be on the ice, often helping them to become more responsible defensively. While one might consider this a good strategy, especially for a young team with limited offensive depth (particularly with all the injuries the Isles have suffered this season)- this system can be countered by teams that move the puck well, exposing gaps between the forwards and defenseman. For whatever reason, Gordon’s style emphasizing positioning over instincts never seemed to bring the best out of this Islanders squad.

Bring in Captain Jack, the head coach of the Islanders AHL affiliate in Bridgeport for the past four seasons. At first the new head coach offered encouragement, keeping things mostly the same on the ice.

“I don’t know if you need to shake it up too much,” he said. “Scott brought a lot of structure a couple of years ago, but there are some things we’ll tweak a little.”

The team’s more recent up-tempo style seems to be working better than the one Scott Gordon was using, and his Islanders are starting to make some noise around the league. Many of the Islanders were already familiar with their new head coach who were with him in Bridgeport before reaching the NHL, and from his work with the team during training camp.

“There is a comfort knowing there doesn’t have to be a feeling-out process with our players,” Islanders GM Garth Snow said.

Under Capuano, the Islanders have simplified things on the ice, allowing players to use their hockey sense, and be a bit more creative. Perhaps more of a “players coach” than his predecessor, the guys have responded well to his coaching style, particularly of late. John Tavares and Michael Grabner have 19 points since the All-Star break, while Matt Moulson and Grabner have scored 11 goals since February 1st. Frans Nielsen’s has a +8 rating since the break. The mutual respect between the Isles’ players and their coach has no doubt been a considerable factor in their recent play. Simply put, they seem to love playing for this guy.

More important than the improved individual play, the Islanders have posted the third best record in the East since February 1st and the sixth best in the NHL. Granted, the Islanders still have more than their share of deficiencies, and it is not likely the team will be making the playoffs this season. Still, the Islanders seem to be headed in the right direction, and Captain Jack is the guy to take them to the next level.

As the snow continued to fall on my way to the Nassau Coliseum, it was probably not the best night to be driving in to see the Islanders final game before the All-Star break. While the snow limited the attendance to only 4,976 last night, the Islanders got off to another slow start- something that has plagued them for much of the season. Perhaps some of the players were already thinking about the upcoming break in the schedule.

The Hurricanes Eric Staal scored two goals in a 1:38 span in the second period to lead the Carolina Hurricanes over the Islanders by a final score of 4-2.

While head coach Jack Capuano praised forward Michael Grabner’s play after the game, he was one of the few bright spots for a team seemingly in desperate need of a break. In the post game press conference, head coach Jack Capuano said he “found it disturbing that some players were selfish for the first time, leaving goaltender Rick DiPietro out to dry on a few occasions, and not playing within the team concept.”

The recent stretch leading up the the All-Star break certainly may have contributed to the players becoming “drained mentally and tired”, as Capuano put it. However, when the team returns after the break, Capuano insisted they will get back to business, and play within the team concept and system.

He went on to say that the team will not continue to go on losing games, and reward players that do not deserve it. If Capuano stays true to his word, perhaps guys like Grabner and Nielsen will begin to see more ice- only time will tell.

It has been a tough season thusfar for the Islanders, particularly with the rash of injuries the team has had to endure. One positive thing Capuano stressed after the contest last night was that the team does work extremely hard. A good sign considering these young Islanders will continue to be tested the rest of the way.

While it is no secret that the Islanders are not the most talented bunch in the NHL right now- the potential is there. However, It is essential that all the players buy in to the team concept, and do not ignore the little things. This starts with the young leaders of this team, guys like John Tavares, Kyle Okposo, and Josh Bailey. They must continue to work hard and lead by example.

Things like taking short shifts, being aware of the situation, and knowing who is on the ice are all significant. Not only do they make a big difference in the outcome of games now, but they are also considerable in the development of becoming consistent National Hockey league players. The importance of staying focused on their responsibilitites on the ice without making excuses can not be overlooked.

Let’s hope the Isles can respond with hard work and focus necessary to carry them the rest of the season.

This is a difficult time for Islanders fans as their club has endured its longest losing streak in 20 years. Yes, John Tavares was not even born the last time the Islanders went winless this many times in a row, which took place back in 1990.

The Isles have lost 13 straight games, an embarrassing baker’s dozen of defeats that has seen the team outscored 48-18. Goal scoring has been a huge problem. The team has scored two or fewer goals in 11 straight games and is 0-for-24 on the power play over their last six contests. Obviously, this is not a recipe for success.

The slump has already cost Coach Scott Gordon his job with Jack Capuano taking over behind the bench on an interim basis. The Isles are 0-2-1 under Capuano so far, although the new coach is still getting a feel for his players and what he can expect from them.

This winless streak has been hard on a young Islanders team and the locker room almost feels more like a funeral home these days.

Take Rick DiPietro’s comments after Sunday’s overtime loss to Atlanta. “If I can say one thing, throughout this whole thing is guys care,” DiPietro said. “I hope people realize that. This eats at us. This isn’t fun for anybody. It keeps guys up at night and makes us sick to our stomachs. This is unacceptable for us. We want to start winning some games. We came in to this season with the credo that there would be no excuses and we’re not going to make any.”

After Saturday’s loss to the Panthers, Dwayne Roloson challenged his teammates. “As a team, we need to take it upon ourselves and just look at ourselves in the mirror and look at ourselves and say have we done enough to win a hockey game tonight,” Roloson said. “Whether it’s blocking shots or getting sticks in lanes, stopping a puck that’s on the line or going to the net and getting one in off your butt that goes into the net to try to change the way this thing is going right now.”

If Islanders fans think the coaching change is the end of Garth Snow’s moves, they are most likely very mistaken. Expect Snow to make some moves to shake up this team. As Capuano said, there are “too many passengers” on this team and Snow will seek to move some of them to improve the situation.

There are a few players who are untouchable. The young nucleus of the team will be staying: John Tavares, Josh Bailey and Kyle Okposo are not going anywhere. Neither are prospects like Calvin de Haan and Nino Niederreiter. Matt Moulson has been all heart and the team’s most consistent goal scorer. Mark Streit is the Isles best defenseman and it would make no sense to trade him now when he is hurt and the team couldn’t get value in return for him. No team would assume Rick DiPietro’s contract even if the Isles did want to trade him.

Other than that, anybody and everybody on the roster may very well be free game. A big and dramatic move would be preferable right now because this team desperately needs to be shaken up—the atmosphere needs to change in a big way.

The Isles biggest need now is goal scoring. Through 19 games, Matt Moulson has eight goals and John Tavares has seven, but no other Islander has more than four. Sure, Okposo will help when he gets healthy again, but that may not be until late December of even January. Even so, the club needs more scoring than any one player can provide.

On defense, the Isles have been decimated by injuries. Streit hasn’t suited up all year. Milan Jurcina remains out as do Andrew MacDonald and Jack Hillen. Mike Mottau got hurt in the game against Atlanta when he took a puck to the face and his long term status is still not known. The team’s overall lack of depth means they can use help on defense too, at least until some or all of their injured players return.

Expect Garth Snow to make a move soon. His team is hurting and it obviously needs a shake up. Snow will not sacrifice his long term rebuilding program, but something needs to be done to improve this team right now. As bad as things are going right now, the situation isn’t hopeless. The last time the Islanders were winless in 14 straight games was February and March of 1990. They did manage to somehow sneak into the playoffs that year. You see, stranger things have happened.

The New York Islanders today fired Head Coach Scott Gordon, and named Jack Capuano as interim head coach. Capuano has been the Islanders head coach for the team’s AHL affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Gordon will remain in the Islander organization as a special advisor to the general manager. The team is currently in the midst of a 10-game winless streak, prompting the move by Islanders GM Garth Snow.

I had a chance to speak with the Islanders new interim head coach back at the start of the 2007-08 season, when he was just starting his first year as head coach of the Sound Tigers.

This show featured an interview with the recently retired former Buffalo Sabre and New York Islander Pierre Turgeon, who talked with Rob about his 19-year NHL career. The show will then shifted it’s attention to the AHL affiliated teams of the Islanders and Devils. Bridgeport Soundtigers head coach Jack Capuano spoke to Rob, followed by Lowell Devils head coach Kurt Kleinendorst. Rangers fan Margaret Hurley closed out the show as she joined Rob live in the studio to talk about the Rangers, and her popular blog, My Blueshirt Heaven.

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Jack Capuano talks about taking over as head coach of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the Islanders top minor league affiliate, as well as some top prospects that could end up on Long Island.