Be Verry Verry Quiet, They're Hunting Playoffs...

Maybe I should write another Isles are inconsistent post, since the last time I did so, they started to play better. But no, I'm going to give them credit, well deserved credit.

A team that most figured for dead last in the conference at the beginning of the season, and who I myself was basically leaving for dead a couple of weeks ago, has decided it is time to start playing some good hockey. Since the last game before the break, the Islanders are unbeaten in regulation, going 5-0-3 in that span, with wins over the Thrashers, Sabres and Canadiens during the stretch, along with 2 against the Flyers. The have lost in OT to the Red Wings (after blowing a 3-0 lead), in OT to the Thrashers (after coming back in that game to force OT) and the Capitals (2-1 in a shootout). The gap for the 8th playoff spot is now 2 points, and there are only 5 points between them and 4th place in the conference. So why the turnaround? Yashin is out, they missed Poti (a tremendous surprise, a grudging thanks to Neil Smith) and Gervias (rookie defenseman who has played well) and Radek Martinek (out again, this time a broken leg). All these pieces missing, yet, for the fist time since 2001-2002 under Peter Laviolette (the fantastic 9-0-1-1 start), the Isles have taken at least a point in 8 straight games. How is this happening?

Well, for starters, the other forwards besides Blake are starting to score. Miroslav Satan is shotting and scoring. Kozlov is doing the same. Trent Hunter continues to hit everything on skates, and now is adding the back of the net to the mix. Blake still leads the team with 27 goals, but Satan, Kozlov and Sillinger are close to 20, and Hunter is now at 14. I, along with others, have bemoaned the lack of scoring from the other lines, and now we are getting it.

But goals alone are not going to get the job done. Defense remains key, and they have stepped up there as well. Despite Poti missing 4 games prior to last night, and Gervais a few more, and with Martinek out for 4-6 weeks, the defense has tightened up. Brendan Witt is playing very well. Chris Campoli is reminding us of his strong play from last season. Sean Hill still makes some mistakes, but is steady for the most part. With Poti and Gervais back, lesser guys like Freddy Meyer will see less time. But the key to it all remains Rick DiPietro.

If this team is going to make the playoffs, and do any sort of damage there, Rick needs to continue to show he is one of the top goalies in the league, which is what he needs to be based on his (stupidly long) contract. Last night, shutout #5 for Rick. Yeah, it was the Flyers, but they had been playing well as of late. Rick's numbers aren't in Brodeur territory, but what other 25 year old goalie is in that group? Here are the numbers and rankings:

Wins - 22 (tied 12th))
Losses - 16
GAA - 2.68 (16th)
SV% - .915 (9th)
Shutouts - 5 (4th)

Now, some of those stats are skewed by backup goalies, but in a few of them he is ahead of top goalies like Hasek, Miller, Turco and others. He is the key. A hot goalie, as any hockey fan knows, can make a world of difference. In 1993, the Isles rode Glen Healy to the Conference Finals. How many games did Billy Smith steal? Look at last year with the Hurricanes and Oilers, goaltending made the difference. If this team is going to do anything, Rick is the guy to lead the charge. Yes, they need to score, but a hot goalie can help there, as the other team will break down on defense if they need to jump into the play to try to generate opportunities.

Now, all is not roses. They still take too many penalties, and the special teams are not. There is some dead weight here, like Chris Simon and Shawn Bates. Blake is streaky, and needs to be consistent. And the absence of Yashin is not a good thing over the long term. But on the whole, this team has a chance. There are 28 games left, starting tonight against the Devils. The key is going to be avoiding a multi-game losing streak. A loss here or there is not awful, but they cannot afford a 3 game losing streak, or a lose 4 out of 6. The remaining games are mostly in conference, and with so many teams bunched up, they can't afford missteps. Nolan needs to keep preaching smart hockey, and they need to keep listening. I want to watch playoff hockey on the new LCD TV this year. And I want it to be Islanders playoff hockey.

In other Hockey news, as noted in yesterday's observations, Mark Messier has thrown his bald head into the ring to be the next Rangers GM when Sather retires. I'm sure Don Maloney is happy about that. Most think this is a good idea. These are the same people who laughed when Garth Snow was named Islanders GM with no front office experience. Now, I know, Messier won 6 cups. Tell me something, how does that translate to success wither behind the bench or in the front office? Brian Trottier won 5 Cups, yet he failed as a Head Coach. Wayne Gretzky is not having a great deal of success in Phoenix. Well, I guess Messier does have some experience, since he basically ran the Rangers during his last tour, forcing out players like Petr Nedved. How well did that work out for them? No playoffs during his last go around. Winning as a player does not make you a good coach. As Larry Brooks (who I have no love for) noted yesterday, Messier is not the leader everyone makes him out to be. He is not a mentor to young players, he likes his clique, and that's it. He disdains players who do not play his way, which may not be a bad thing for the most part, but when it forces talented players out of town, it hurts the team. His last go around, he was not the player he once was, but refused to play on a 3rd line, using valuable ice time that could have been given to younger players, allowing them to gain valuable experience. But Messier brought the Cup to MSG, so he could do what he wanted. I for one hope this happens, since it will certainly help drive the Rangers deep into an abyss of losing. And since Jim Dolan is in charge, it will probably happen.

Tomorrow, for the first time since since September 1997, I will grace MSG with my presence, as I attend the Rangers game against the Tamp Bay Lighting. The last time I was there, Pat LaFontaine was making his Rangers debut in the home opener. I of course applauded Patty, remembering the good times from the Islanders days. But you can bet your ass that I will be applauding nobody in a Rangers jersey tomorrow. I'm not sure where the seats are, but given the places I've sat when I've attended other sporting events with the friend who got the tickets, I'm pretty sure they will be quite good. So I'll hit a bar before the game, have a couple, then enter MSG, and hope to see a Lightning win, keeping the Rangers 4 points behind the Isles (at least, depending on tonight's Isles/Devils tilt). Now, the question is, should I wear the Islanders hat or not...