Season Report Card (November)

Team: New York Islanders
Division: Atlantic
Conference: Eastern
Record: 13-8-1 (27 Points)
Home Record: 9-3-1
Away Record: 4-5-0

Team Leaders
Goals: Josef Vasicek (9)
Assists: Mike Comrie (11)
Points: Mike Comrie (18)
+/-: Miroslav Satan (+5)
Penalty Minutes: Andy Sutton (27)

The Good: The Islanders are playing team hockey. From the offense down to the goal, the Islanders are one unit. This aspect was missing last season with the likes of Yashin and Blake in the locker room. The new look Isles have raised their game to a new level and are, as Bill Clement put it, a scary team to play against once again.

The Bad: The offense has died out like the dodo bird. Vasicek leading the team with 9 goals is ridiculous. Guerin, Comrie, Tank, Satan, and Hunter need to put their heads in the game and some pucks in the net.

The Ugly: Andy Hilbert. 1 goal, 1 assist. It took him 20 games before he acquired these points and until tonight, he was still a point behind goaltender Rick DiPietro. With tonight's assist, he is now tied with Ricky.

The Walking Wounded: Jon Sim (Knee, Indefinite), Aaron Johnson (Knee, 6-8 weeks)

Christmas Wish List: 1) Offense. 2) Offense. 3) Offense. 4) Eureka Season 2 on DVD.

Grade: B+ (Good, but Needs Improvement)

Youtube Video of the Day: Battle of the Lightweights

What are the odds that Daniel Briere gets into a fight? What about Mike Comrie? Pretty slim, eh? Now what are the odds that they get in a fight at the same time, against eachother? Well believe it or not it happened!

Never Been So Happy to be Proven Wrong

The title sums it up for me. I have never been happier to be proven wrong. I was among the many to choose the Buffalo Sabres to sweep the home and home series against the New York Islanders. My predictions? 4-2 Buffalo in game 1, 3-1 Buffalo in game 2. Was I wrong? Ooooh yes. The Isles exploded on Ryan Miller and a suspect Buffalo defense with 6 goals in their season opening win and repeated the performance in front of a roaring home crowd in a 3-2 victory in their home opener.

Mike Comrie. This signing is looking better and better as this young season picks up steam. 4 goals, 2 assists in 2 games. Not bad for a person who many thought would have a weak season on the Island.

Ruslan Fedotenko. A surprise start for a player who had a weak 06-07 campaign, blasting off to start the season with 1 goal and 4 assists.

Bill Guerin. Billy G hasn't dropped a puck in the net yet for the Isles, but he sure helped put a bunch in with 5 assists in 2 games.

So in 2 games, the 3 major signings by the Islanders this offseason drop in 16 points against the team that knocked them out of the Stanley Cup playoffs last season. Not bad for a team picked to finish last or second to last.

Rick DiPietro said it best: "It's been like that since I've been here, we've always been picked to finish last, second to last. I think we're doing the right things here to be successful."

So far, so good, Ricky.

Notes: Freddy Meyer dropped to waivers, prepare for a Berard signing very soon. John Sim is out with an injury, up comes Tambellini! I hope he sticks, but not at the expense of Sim. Trade Hilbert for the rights to someone. Anyone. Alexandre Daigle. Least he could score a few.