Worry Much?

So, after going 6-1-1 in their last 8, the Isles are about to embark on a stretch that sees them play several games against divisional opponents. A nice opportunity to get some points at the expense of teams they will be fighting with for a playoff spot. From tonight until the end of December, they will be facing
Penguins - 2 X
Rangers - 3 X
Devils - 1
Flyers - 1
As well a conference games with Ottowa, Montreal, Florida, Atlanta, Columbus and Carolina.
We're talking 4 point swings. The team is playing well, getting excellent goaltending from Rick DiPietro, and fantastic play from Jason BLake and Alexei Yashin. Hope is growing, as are crowds in the Coliseum. Now, the bad news.

This important stretch will be played without Yashin, thanks to a knee injury suffered against the Capitals the other night, from a knee on knee hit from Matt Bradley. Now, I did not see the play in question, but anytime there is a knee on knee, questions are asked. What the hell was Bradley doing leading with his knee? And what is it with Capital players hurting star Islander centers?

So now the team faces a huge stretch without the guy who was leading them. Yashin this year is everything we fans hoped we would see from the time he joined the team in 2001. He was on pace to shatter his Islander highs in goals with 37 and points with 104. The points would be a career high. The hope here is that he does not try to come back too soon, at the first of further damage.

The team itself needs to step it up. The load has been puled by Yashin and Blake thus far. Satan needs to get on fire. Hilbert needs to score. York needs to do something. Hunter needs to score some more. There is talent there, not a great deal, but enough where they should be able to compensate somewhat for the loss of Yashin. Oleg Kvasha, I mean, Victor Kozlov, will take Yashin's place on the first line. The team called up center Eric (boogeyman) Boguniecki to replace Yashin. I would have preferred Robert Nillson, coming off Player of the Week honors for Bridgeport of the AHL, but Nolan likes his vets.

So guys, time to step it up. Don't dwell on the fact Yashin is out. Listen to Nolan, follow the system. Ricky, stay in the crease, as you have done of late, and keep playing well. Come together as a team, even more than you have to date, and you can get through this, and perhaps even prosper.