OffThePost.org

Pre-season schedule - Pretty pissed there's no pre-season game in Bridgeport this year. https://www.nhl.com/islanders/news/islanders-announce-2023-preseason-schedule/c-344952072

Regular season schedule- https://www.nhl.com/islanders/schedule/2023-10-01/ET

Isles open at home Oct 14th vs the Sabres.
5 of first 6 are home games, so they'd better figure out winning at home early on and build up some points.

6 straight at home in early Dec, vs 3 western teams, 2 Atlantic teams and Clumbus.
No huge road trips, but they have four four-game road trips.
Bye week is Jan 28th to Feb 5th.
Seven home games are matinees. Maybe I'll make one this year. Haven't been to the new place yet.
Ten sets of back-to-backs. 3 - Road/Road, 2 - Road/Home, 4 - Home/Road, 1 - Home/Home.

Notable Games:

Stadium Series vs NYR: Feb. 18
The Islanders and Rangers will play outdoors at MetLife Stadium.

Stanley Cup Champs: Jan. 23 (my birthday, so it's a great day!)
The Isles will host the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights on Jan. 23

Thanksgiving/Black Friday
The Islanders will host the Philadelphia Flyers the night before Thanksgiving and will take on the Ottawa Senators in Ottawa on Black Friday

Isles vs Maple Leafs
The Islanders host the Maple Leafs twice this season, first on Dec. 11 and again on Jan. 11.

Rematch with Carolina: Nov. 4
The Islanders won't have to wait long to see the Carolina Hurricanes, as they meet in a playoff rematch on Nov. 4 at UBS Arena. They'll meet in Raleigh on Nov. 30 and Dec. 23 and conclude the season series on March 19.

Season Finale
The Islanders wrap up the regular season against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Apr. 17.

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Game 1! Season/home opener is tonight vs the Sabres, who left a turd on the ice in their own home opener vs the Rangers. So the Sabres should come out flying and will probably win like 5-0.

Barzal has asked to play left wing, his "off" side. It's funny to me to see fans throwing a complete shit fit about it because they say he'll always be passing from his backhand. The dude twists and turns all the time, skates up the middle, curls along the boards to lose defenders... I think he'll be okay. I can think of two goals he's scored from the right side (the between the legs breakaway and an OT breakaway playoff game winner). I'm sure he's had more, but when I think of him scoring it's always from the left side. He's obviously more comfortable there. But fans think it's still 1970s hockey where a player MUST play "their" side. Like it's fucking bubble hockey and they can only skate north/south.
So that moves Holmstrom to RW1. He's played RW in the past despite (gasp!) being a lefty. Again, better shooting angles... But it's nice to see Holmstrom getting a shot at the first line. He's defensively responsible and has shown a little scoring flare. I have a feeling he's really keeping that spot warm for Wahlstrom while he gets in game shape after his knee surgery. One 'strom for another.

Lines, as far as I know:
Barzal-Horvat-Holmstrom
Engvall-Nelson-Palmieri
Lee-Pageau-Fasching/Wahlstrom
Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck
(Gauthier, Wahlstrom/Fasching) Wahlstrom is listed as day to day. He's been a step behind all during camp after knee surgery. He's got the hockey IQ of a potato, so he of all people really can't afford that.

Pelech-Dobson
Romanov-Pulock
Aho-Mayfield
(Bolduc)

PP1
Barzal-Horvat-Palmieri
Nelson-Dobson

PP2
Lee-Pageau-Engvall
Pulock-Aho

PK1
Cizikas-Clutterbuck
Pelech-Pulock

Pk2
Horvat-Engvall
Romanov-Mayfield

Haven't seen anything about OT lines during pre-season, but I'd like to see them put Engvall with Barzal and Dobson. Get some speed out there.

Anyway, here's to a good season!

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3-2 win. Blew a 2-0 lead but won. Third goal had a double review. Toronto reviewed for a high deflection and after that was called good Buffalo challenged for offside because Dobson went into the zone backwards but that also went in the Isles’ favor.

Donut on 3 PPs. MacLean sucks.

Coyotes on Tuesday.

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I saw more than a few places predict Sorokin will win the Vezina. They'll need him to!

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I don't know. So many people say they suck, but do they really? Pretty much the same roster they finished with last year, but was that roster actually bad? After getting Horvat and Engvall, they played the last 30 games at a 104 point pace. They lost to the Canes in 6 games, 2 in OT- one should have been a penalty and the other, well, Pelech flubbed a pass leading to a golden scoring chance. Shit happens, but the Canes won that series on luck. They only had one more goal than the Isles for the series. People talk like the Canes mopped the floor with the Isles. The PP sucks donkey and that's on the coaches. The PP has sucked for like 5 years and it's been the same stagnant shit the whole time. It isn't that they don't have the talent to score; they score well 5v5. Give them an extra man and suddenly it's like "okay, let's all stand in our 4 square foot area, and pass it predictably around". No movement, no changing positions, nothing new. Ever. Opposing PKers also stand still, so they can stay on for the whole 2 minutes. It's brutal. And that may decide if they make the playoffs or not. 30th place last year on the PP. Still using the same system. It's insanity.

Will Sorokin win a Vezina? I hope so but I have a feeling since he's on the Isles he won't. Shesterkin and him are BFFs and Shesterkin said recently that Sorokin should have won it last year.

A few things I forgot from yesterday: Isles are in their 50th season. That was the whopping 11th time they've opened their season at home. First season opening home win since 1995. Yikes.

Nelson has scored 6 season opening games. He trails only Mike Bossy for the org lead, as Bossy has 7. That's pretty good company! We don't call it Brocktober for nothing.

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Posting your political views on social media is like sticking your head up your ass & whispering: You're just as likely to change someone's mind, and you'll always come out looking like a shithead.

They're not a bad team but they're also not a great team. Might not even be good. Plenty of depth and talent but not a lot of high-end dynamic players who can just take over when need be. So if they gamebreakers aren't up front or on the blueline, then it's gonna have to come from in between the pipes. The East as usual is gonna be a meat grinder. They could catch fire at the right time and go on a great run, but a lot would really have to go right for that to happen.

Yeah, they're pretty much a bubble team. But I think they're a bit better than other bubble teams.

Lambert was running PP2 in practice today while MacLean ran PP1. I can only hope Lambert is telling PP2 to ignore MacLean's advice, but obviously that isn't going to be the case. Although having 2 different styles of PP would be smart for teams to do to make the opposition prepare for 2 styles. And maybe the plan is try a different style on the 2 PPs and see if one works better. I can hope. I also hope I win the lottery and there's probably the same percent I'm right.

Mayfield didn't practice today. He blocked a shot late in the game vs Buffalo and has swelling in his leg. If they have to run out Aho & Bolduc, yikes. No cap room to call anyone up either. Only guy on the roster who doesn't require waivers to be sent down, so I guess they could send him down and have Wahlstrom or Gauthier play forward, and call up a D-man, but I don't know who they'd call up. More likely they'll just shuffle things so it's like Pelech-Aho, Romanov-Dobson, Bolduc-Pulock.

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Just noticed that the Coyotes played Ingram last night so the Isles will face Veggiemelter tonight. Damn Coyotes going with their backup vs the Rangers and starter vs the Isles. You don't play your backup in game 1 of back to backs! Shenanigans! Yes, I call shenanigans!

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Posting your political views on social media is like sticking your head up your ass & whispering: You're just as likely to change someone's mind, and you'll always come out looking like a shithead.

Playing into Lou’s line of only needing to win by 1, isles beat the Coyotes 1-0. Importantly, they scored a few seconds into a PP! Barzal looking like Ovi-Jr on the play.

Only allowed 14 Coyote shots. Good win!

Devils Friday, 7:30 at home. In Buffalo Saturday at 7:00. Didn't the NHL have a rule in the past that the 2nd game of a back to back set couldn't start at an earlier time than the first game? Could be the same time of day or later, but not earlier? I could swear that was a thing years ago. Back to back will be tough if Mayfield isn't back. They paired Aho and Bolduc the other night and they played 16:23 and 9:19 respectively. If Mayfield isn't back, it won't go well playing the top 4 that much with slightly short rest and a flight in between games.

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Posting your political views on social media is like sticking your head up your ass & whispering: You're just as likely to change someone's mind, and you'll always come out looking like a shithead.

The schedulers were sniffing glue. Isles haven't played since Tuesday, Devils since Monday. Isles then go up to Buffalo for tomorrow. Devils don't play again until Tuesday, when all 32 teams play. Because you want that on a Tuesday, not a weekend... Idiots.
I guess it could be advantageous to have some days off after a few games early on to work on things (cough, powerplay, cough), but it means more condensed game sets down the road and that can hurt. Literally and figuratively.

Lambert was quoted saying he wants Bolduc to earn a regular spot in the lineup. Good push to Aho to keep his job. Not sure if Mayfield is ready to return or not. He skated in practice but all 7 D-men left the ice. No extra skating for any of them. Rather than starting 7 d-men, I'm assuming that means Mayfield is far enough from returning that he couldn't skate any extra without pain.

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Tonight’s PK brought to you by stir fried dog shit. Devils score all 4 of their regulation goals on the PP. OT winner was scored with Pulock getting turnstyled by Jack Hughes.
Sorokin with some great saves. Doesn’t matter.

If you told me they'd have 5 points after 3 games I'd take it for sure, but losing to the Devils in OT after scoring 4 and allowing 4 PP goals, yikes.

Sabres again Saturday night.

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3-1 loss to the Sabres. Very lackluster effort. Looked more like the fourth game in two days instead of their second. Varlamov played well. Do son scored in garbage time.
Tage Thompson made a total ass of himself. Varlamov made a great save on him, then another. Thompson smashed his stick on the ice, breaking it, then doubled down, breaking it again over his knee. Just looked like such a baby.

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Posting your political views on social media is like sticking your head up your ass & whispering: You're just as likely to change someone's mind, and you'll always come out looking like a shithead.

Isles will lose to the undefeated Avs tonight. Weird, late start. 8 pm eastern.
Mayfield is still out so the Isles will be sure to take a bunch of penalties.
Lee is back on the top line, because that kinda worked last year and after 1 point in 2 games, Lambert needs to juggle something. Maybe? Or he's just realizing that Holmstrom isn't that good and Wahlstrom has the hockey IQ of a root vegetable.

All 32 teams in action tonight.
Isles at home vs the Sens on Thursday, and at the Blue Jackets Saturday.

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Posting your political views on social media is like sticking your head up your ass & whispering: You're just as likely to change someone's mind, and you'll always come out looking like a shithead.

Lambert splits up the sacred cow 4th line!!! Moved Wahlstrom down to the 4th line as he's still not 100% after knee surgery last year. Clutterbuck up to the third line with Pageau and Holmstrom. Paying off so far. Clutterbuck and Holmstrom with goals. Pageau credited with one assist but I think he deserves another on Holmostrom's goal. Other goal was Palmieri on (checks memory) the PP??? And it was a pass down low, then a quick shot. Not the usual passing from bumper to point to bumper... Sorokin let in a bit of a soft/shanked shot early on (42 MPH) but has made some highlight reel saves.

3-2 halfway through the game.

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Posting your political views on social media is like sticking your head up your ass & whispering: You're just as likely to change someone's mind, and you'll always come out looking like a shithead.

Clutterbuck is still in the NHL? I would have thought he'd be playing in Switzerland by now.

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

His contract is up this year. I can see Lou bringing him back, although I hope not. He still hits a ton, has a decent shot when he gets a chance to take it, is a decent PKer, but he is hurt too often and paid way too much. Martin also. This was Lou rewarding the 4th line for being incredibly effective 4 years ago. Should have been 2-3 year deals, not 4.

Isles tried playing the Avs style and it didn't work out. 7-4 loss, with 2 empty netters against, one of which was scored by Nelson when he missed with a pass back to Dobson at the point. It was an entertaining game anyway; kept going back and forth until the Isles ran out of back and the Avs kept going forth.

Isles are definitely not making hay with their home games. 2-2-1 on the season after 4 home games. A season of NHL .500 here we come! Good enough to "look close" to a playoff spot but not good enough to get one, and too good for a decent draft pick. Lounacy!

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Posting your political views on social media is like sticking your head up your ass & whispering: You're just as likely to change someone's mind, and you'll always come out looking like a shithead.

3-2-1 after 6 games. Beat the Sens 3-2 in a penalty filled game. I didn't see the game. Saw they had an early 2-0 lead in the first including a PP goal. The 2nd period was full of penalties. An unpenalized, clean hit by Clutterbuck on Brannstrom caused the latter to fall awkwardly, hitting his helmet on the ice hard. He didn't move much afterwards, other than his feet kicking for a few seconds, which is usually adrenaline kicking in to tell the body to gtfo the area. He was stretchered off and the Sens said he had use and feeling in his extremities on the way. So at least there doesn't seem to be spinal damage. Hope he's okay.

Dobson with the game winner. He's got 6 points in 6 games.

Blue Jackets on Saturday.

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Posting your political views on social media is like sticking your head up your ass & whispering: You're just as likely to change someone's mind, and you'll always come out looking like a shithead.

Varlamov shuts out the Blue Jackets. He was great. Palmieri & Martin capitalize on the only 2 mistakes Spencer Martin made in net for the Jackets. He put a juicy rebound in front for Palmieri early in the game and late in it he tried to clear the puck himself, going pretty much up the middle but didn't see Cizikas coming in. He stole it and shot, Martin put the rebound past Spencer Martin. No relation.

Good all around effort. Lambert used the Jack Capuano line blender quite a few times in this one. Barzal played on lines 1, 2 & 3.

Cory Schneider did analysis for the Isles tonight. He's really good. Nice to see a guy who played a whopping one game for the NYI stick around with the org. He played a lot for Bridgeport, and was backup for the NYI for some stretches, but he made the joke that he won the only game he played for the NYI, so he retired with that perfect record. At least he can joke about his tenure with the org.

Most importantly, the Isles silenced that fucking cannon.

Red Wings on Monday.

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Posting your political views on social media is like sticking your head up your ass & whispering: You're just as likely to change someone's mind, and you'll always come out looking like a shithead.

Great game between Isles and Red Wings so far except the call Vs Holmstrom. What the flying fuck was that? Cizikas proverbially tells the refs to shove a broom up their asses, bristle end first by scoring a SH goal on the kill.
Clutterbuck had also been given a 10 minute misconduct prior to the PK for yelling at the officials for not calling an icing Vs Detroit.

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Red Wings with a great comeback. Isles shit the bed to blow an early 2-0 third period lead, wind up down 3-2, score on a PP to force OT then lose in a bumbled clearing attempt that hit Horvat up high. This feels like the pre-Trotz Islanders when they’d blow leads after playing well.

4-2-2 after 8 games. Sounds like a bubble team.

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Posting your political views on social media is like sticking your head up your ass & whispering: You're just as likely to change someone's mind, and you'll always come out looking like a shithead.