Follow me on Twitter live from the blog box tonight!

Twitter.com/Islesblogger

Here is the Twitter digest from the “Semi Live Blog” last night!

• Third try #nhlgametag NYI #
• Round four: #Isles Jackman just got his bell rung by #Flyers Asham! #
• #Isles should have gotten a penalty shot. Powerplay, Weight was tripped #
• Islesblogger Semi-Live Twitter Blog: Follow me on Twitter live from the blog box tonight!
  Twitter.co.. http://tinyurl.com/c778ko #
• #Isles Doug Weight will eat your children! #
• Ten bucks says #Isles Weight and #Flyers Gagne have a dance once they exit the box. #
• #Isles fans and #Flyers fans immitating their teams in the crowd. #
• #Isles just got saved by the iron. #
• #Isles 2 #Flyers 0 at the of sixty minutes. #
• I go rebeer, the #Flyers get on the board. #Isles still up a goal. #
• Thank you Philly! #Isles gave up two unanswered easing my Tavares fears, for the moment. #
• #Flyers fans reminding us #Isles fans that the team is in last. Ken Dick and I chant back “Tavares, Tavares” #
• #Flyers went ahead a goal, #Isles storm back and tie it again. #
• #Isles just announced our free Wendy’s chilli! Ken Dick says if Philly scores another we get a better draft pick. #
• #Isles and #Flyers heading into OT! #
• #Isles and #Flyers need the skills comp to see who gets an extra point. #
• WTF Witt? #Isles #
• Nielsen number two shooter for the #Isles, he scores. 1-1 #
• Streit goes third for the #Isles he misses, #Flyers take the win. #

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Corny title yes, but who can’t resist a pun when it’s so easy to throw out there?

Doug Weight, who missed a large chunk of the last oh – twenty something games with a knee injury returns tonight to face his home town club the Detroit Red Wings. What’s more, Chris Botta hints at a possible contract extension for Dougie before the season lets out for the summer. Weight isn’t the only player returning from injury tonight, goaltender Joey MacDonald is also suiting up for action and may be your starter.

Hopefully the team continues to make things interesting by playing their hearts out, they can win tonight and still be comfortable in the “Tank for Tavares” race.

Not much from me tonight, I am about to head out the door to watch the game at Hooters with my cousin – we are headed to the bowling alley to toss back some beers and toss some heavy objects at ten pins.

Site note:

For whatever reason the gallery random image display broke AGAIN randomly, I disabled it for the time being. You can still get to the gallery by going to the actual page: http://www.islesblogger.com/gallery. I don’t have the time to fix it at the moment.

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Hey there Isles fans, it’s been a hot minute but I’m still here – despite a short break during the Isles off week and road trip.

Just to recap, the Islanders have lost the last three of four – music to the ears of anyone subscribing to the “Tank for Tavares” way of thinking (of which I am also a supporter – read on). I have to admit, the way the Islanders are doing things couldn’t be any more exciting for a fan. They are going out and battling hard in the face of adversity, they are not just rolling over and showing their soft bellies for all to see. No, instead this team is going out, working hard and really giving teams in the playoff race a hard time – perhaps even catching them off guard in most cases.

With all the injuries and some roster moves, young players have had no choice but to step in and play important roles. With that we have seen rapid development of Kyle Okposo, Frans Nielsen, Sean Bergenheim, Mike Iggulden, Jesse Joensuu, Josh Bailey (coming off his first two goal game) and Jeff Tambellini, strong play of Yann Danis, Peter Mannino, Nate Thompson, Joel Rechlicz, contract awarding play from Tim Jackman and of course the continued great defensive play of Jack Hillen, Bruno Gervais (wow has he stepped it up), Thomas Pock, and Norris nominee Mark Streit.

Ladies and gentlemen, you are witnessing the blossoming of something special here. These Islanders are the future and the future looks really good. I am not saying what we have now will get us a Stanley Cup next season, but Garth Snow has built a solid foundation on which to improve on as each season passes. Should the Islanders draft well in June (the hockey gods are smiling on that thought right now), the Islanders will once again be a respectable franchise – one that will hopefully be model franchise for future rebuilders.

Yes, our future looks bright – with all the political nonsense going on between the Town of Hempstead and Nassau County, we just may never get the chance to see that respectability in our own backyard.

Like everything else in life there is always that one minute detail that seems to muck things up.

Marc-Andre Bergeron and the Wild of Minny come to town tonight, they should be a tired team after playing the Rangers last night – a game in which they lost 2-1.

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Tim Jackman has been signed to one year extension. More to follow!

Edited with the Official Press Release and link to the story on the Islanders Website:

The New York Islanders have signed forward Tim Jackman to a one-year contract extension. Jackman, currently in his second season with the Islanders, has four goals and two assists for six points and 133 penalty minutes in 57 games this season. He has already established new career highs in games played, goals, points, penalty minutes and shots this season. The contract runs through the 2009-10 season.

“Tim earned this extension by showing his willingness to do whatever is necessary to help the Islanders succeed,” said Islanders General Manager Garth Snow. “We know Tim is excited about being an Islander next season and we’re just as excited to have him back.”

Jackman (6-4, 210 lbs.) has played in 125 career NHL games and has scored six goals with seven assists for 13 points and 237 penalty minutes. He has played in 93 games as an Islander and has scored five goals and five assists for 10 points during the course of his two seasons with the club. Jackman has also played in 12 games with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League this season and scored six goals with one assist for seven points and 35 penalty minutes.

Jackman, a native of Minot, ND, originally signed with the Islanders as a free agent on July 5, 2007 and signed his first extension with the team last June. He also spent time in the Columbus Blue Jackets, Phoenix Coyotes and Los Angeles Kings organizations. He was drafted by the Blue Jackets in the second round (38th overall) of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.

Tim Jackman is the type of role player you want out there during tough situations. He can kill penalties, show good net presence and can even stick handle and skate fairly well. What Jackman is known best for is his fighting ability and ability to relish the role of enforcer. I don’t know how many times this season that I have been surprised at what Jackman walks into during a game, between scraps, dust ups in front of the crease or even a little shoving here and there – Tim Jackman emerges from the “pile”. The guy is a warrior too – at one point during this road trip he got into a fight and it was thought he may have broken his hand during the fight. He has also been cut I don’t know how many times this season – as evident by the scars on his cheek and on the bridge of his nose.

With guys like Jackman and Nate Thompson in the lineup – it offers a fair amount of protection for our up and comers on the team. There is the need to field players who will send the right message to the opposition – you mess with them, you deal with us.

I am happy to see that the man they call Jacko will be around another season. Congrats Tim, well deserved!

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What a game!

Kyle Okposo just scored his fourth goal in four games for the second time this season to defeat the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 in overtime. It was Okposo’s 16th goal of the season.

No matter the outcome, I still have a problem with being conflicted with the Islanders play as of late. I have a constant eye on the standings I’ll admit – so with each solid game and each point earned in the standings (7 in last 4 games – eeeek) we creep further out of the league basement and make the Tank for Tavares almost a thing of the past. (Note: The Lightning have also won tonight, so the Isles maintain their four point lead cushion in the standings for the bottom (ie: LAST PLACE)).

I always want to see the Islanders do well, especially when the drive is being led by the team’s future. Players like Jesse Joensuu, Mike Iggulden, Blake Comeau, Jack Hillen, Frans Nielsen, Jeff Tambellini, Sean Bergenheim, Kyle Okposo, Josh Bailey et. al. make this season really exciting because we are witnessing a glimpse of our future. We are able to see our team grow and learn with each other, sometimes with really exciting results.

Last week I was asking everyone if Okposo could reach the 20 goal plateau this season, his first full NHL season. Now, I am starting to wonder if I should be asking if he can reach the 30 goal mark – he is doing THAT good lately. I know, let’s not get ahead of ourselves – but it’s certainly a very bright spot in an otherwise tough season.

The Tavares Hunt will continue – it’s still a long, yet short road trip against a group of tough teams.

Friendly reminder, if you don’t see a steady stream of updates here – head on over to Lighthouse Hockey as there is a good chance I already posted something over there.

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Just got word on Trent Hunter and it’s not good. Seems his ankle injury in the first is a fracture and he will miss the remainder of the season. The injury bug is still alive and well.

Hopefully, Joensuu gets an extended look, he is THAT good.

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