Champ:
Mariusz Czerkawski - he was effortlessly gliding all over the ice, scoring on a pretty feed from Isbister; definitely one of the few bright spots last night.
Chump:
Tim Connolly - a costly turnover and his failure to hustle back on defense gave the Flyers a 4-1 lead.
With the Flyers coming into the Coliseum with their All-Star goaltender, Roman Cechmanek I knew things were going to be extremely difficult last night. The Isles did some play some gritty and intense hockey at some points last night, but were defeated by costly, stupid penalties and a strong defensive effort on the part of the Flyers. After closing the gap to 2-1 on a pretty goal from Czerkawski, the Isles never got any closer eventually losing the game 5-2.
The "Cech" Is In The Bank
Where did this Roman Cechmanek guy come from? Did you see the size of him? Are players actually supposed to score on this guy? Honestly, he played a very strong game. He just seems to cover the net extremely well, and always is in the right position at the right time. The Isles had numerous glorious scoring opportunities last night and he just gobbled up the puck. Naming this mammoth to the All-Star team was no mistake, and he just may carry the Flyers all the way to the bank and claim the ultimate prize, the Stanley Cup.
Turn The Red Light On?
In a confusing string of events last night, there was some confusion concerning a Daymond Langkow goal in the second period. After replay review, it was first waved off. But after a commercial break and a few replays later, the call was reversed and the Flyers were credited with a goal that opened their lead to 3-1. Now, as far as I am concerned, there is no excuse for making this kind of mistake. This absolutely deflated the Isles momentum and may have been a crucial turning point in the game. The difference between a 2-1 and a 3-1 lead is tremendous. With our technology these days there should be no doubt as to whether the puck crosses the line or not. Next time lets get the call right, okay?
Milbury Has The Faith
In another classy move by ownership, Mr. Wang put to rest any controversy regarding Mr. Milbury's status as GM for next year. By addressing the situation head on last night with an immediate, "Yes. Absolutely", when asked if Milbury would be around next year, Mr. Wang has basically told all of those Mike Must Go people to go away themselves. I honestly think Milbury has made the correct moves to get this team going in the right direction and obviously ownership feels the same way. I look forward to the day under Milbury's guidance when the team turns things around and becomes dominant once again.
Green Bubble Guy Bore
After seeing this guy a few times now, his act is running thin. I mean, it is a great concept, but how many different aspects can you add to your act when you are inside an elastic green bubble?
Ice Chips
(tid bits you may have missed)
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Last night was Isbister's 200th NHL game. How about that rendition of the National Anthem by 11-year old Jill Schackner? It sounded beautiful; thumbs down to the rude Flyers fan who had the nerve to scream, "Islanders S&#!" during the anthem; where is your respect? Mark Parrish went down in the second period with a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his right knee; he will be out 3-4 weeks (OUCH, that hurts). Seeing Brian Boucher and John Vanbiesbrouck chat during the pre-game skate shows you what a class act the Beezer is. Knowing that John wants to remain an Islander makes me extremely happy. The lights and music show the Coliseum uses to introduce the starting lineup is real tacky. Now, I know the organization is trying to open up the game to fans, but this is going a little too far.
Until next time..."Good things come to those Islander fans who wait"
- Mike