Thrashers Down Islanders 4-0

Dubie gets the start, just announced.
Almost game time!

7:13 PM :34 seconds in they are down a goal.
7:19 Pm Another Thrashers goal.
7:20 PM Yet another. Wow Isles recorded a shot on goal. Yep, it’s one of those games.
7:45 PM Here come the boo birds.

That period is one I am sure they want to forget. Dubie looks really rusty, defense doesn’t look any better. The way the Islanders has been playing you can count this one as a loss as far as this blogger is concerned.

It will take us two games to reach four goals.

8:21 PM Isles showing some life with a scrum in front of Atlanta’s net. Isles defense getting exploited non stop.

8:24 PM Sutton just pummelled Thorburn.
8:38 PM Sitting here bored, when was the last time the Isles scored off a passing play? Are they even capable?

8:42 PM Two in the books. Thank god.

Now that I am home – I can do a proper analysis.

Passing – what are they coaching these guys on? They throw a pass through a blocked lane 9 out of 10 times. They try to generate offense from below the goal line just about every time, which would be ok a few times if they actually had someone crash the net or sit in front of the goalie. Shots are the same – they try to do too much from the perimeter, where if a shot manages to get through the maze of sticks, skates and legs – will be an easy save.

The power play is still pitiful – I feel like they are in an “Endless Cycle” and just pass around for two minutes without taking any quality shots. The “Endless Cycle” can also be said about what little pressure they manage to put on the opposition in the offensive zone.

Breakout – where is it? Without quality passing it is almost impossible to gain the opposing blueline. Almost every time the Islanders are forced to dump the puck into the zone – which will lead to either an easy clear or the “Endless Cycle” explained above.

I can keep going – but it’s fruitless and would most likely just piss Botta off. He’s probably already mad at me because I never ask any questions while in the locker room. I came close today, but wouldn’t you know it – Greg Logan was already asking the questions I had thought about as he was speaking….. he is the pro after all.

Speaking of Botta, my fellow Blog Boxer B.D. Gallof who writes the Islanders blog on Hockeybuzz was called out on a mistake he made following the Ottawa game on Wednesday. B.D. mistook injured defenseman Aaron Johnson hobbling around on crutches for Sean Bergenheim and posted so in his blog. You can say we all got a lesson on the reach of what we type in our blogs, because the news of Bergenheim’s “injury” spread across the internet like wild fire. Apparently, B.D. was subsequently scolded and reminded of the importance of being 100% certain of what we blog. Needless to say, both Chris Botta and Corey Witt were ribbing B.D. as we were walking into the room – pointing at players and telling him who they were. It was friendly chop-busting and drew laughs from us all. Give B.D.’s blog a peak for more explanation – The Bouncing Puck: Ravings of an Islander’s Blogger.