25-26 Season Schedule

[Pokecheque]

Nikita Zadorov went after Schaefer and heard about it both on and off the ice. I like his response here...

[Chris18]

Yeah he said post-game that the place was too quiet so he tried to create some excitement. I didn't see the game so I can't verify if it was quiet or not. Some nights UBS is quiet/far from full. Painfully so.

Home vs the Wild on Friday, which I'll likely miss, and at the Rangers Saturday, which kicks off a 7 game road trip. Although that starts with games at the Rangers and Devils, so they'll play in enemy rinks, but get to sleep at home.

[harmfuljays]

I meant to comment on these games with the Bruins the other day but playing with Linux and reading insightful points of view about economic reform has had me distracted.

That Schaefer kid is a bright spot on what would be just as bad a team as the Bruins. He's pretty amazing.

Still looking for Barzal to bounce back....

Zadorov is an absolute loose cannon at times.

It seems pretty safe to say both are teams won't be seeing postseason activity this year......

[Chris18]

I meant to comment on these games with the Bruins the other day but playing with Linux and reading insightful points of view about economic reform has had me distracted.

That Schaefer kid is a bright spot on what would be just as bad a team as the Bruins. He's pretty amazing.

Still looking for Barzal to bounce back....

Zadorov is an absolute loose cannon at times.

It seems pretty safe to say both our teams won't be seeing postseason activity this year......

Agreed all around. I think Barzal is looking good but not great. He said in camp that his knee isn't 100%. His whole game is skating, so that's a concern. It could just be him doubting it a bit, but he's always been a few hairs below what most people think he could be. Isles have never found the sniper he needs on his line. He's an elite passer but they don't have that finisher for him to pass to. At least Beauvillier and Eberle could keep up with him years ago. Lee can't. Hard stop. And Barzal doesn't shoot enough to create enough rebounds for Lee. Barzal is better with Horvat but both seem better suited to center, so it's a bit weird. Although Barzal isn't great on faceoffs. Dude needs to shoot more just so teams have to worry about it. Most just try to take away passing lanes and let him twirl around on the wall.

Schaefer has been all that was promised and more. Even his interviews are fun. Maybe it's his youthful excitement or maybe it's the Lou cone of silence being lifted, but no matter what, it's a great change.

Agreed, the Isles will be golfing early this year. With a new GM, I expect he'll take a year or so to evaluate and figure out how to get rid of some of Lou's terrible contracts. It won't be easy.

[Chris18]

Like I said, Schaefer is a breath of fresh air.

https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=1364634528387489

[Chris18]

Sorokin, who isn't that great in shootouts, asked Roy some advice for how to play them in practice today. Roy got into the crease to give some tips. When I first read it I thought Roy had full pads on, but no. That could have been either really cool or really demeaning for Sorokin.

[harmfuljays]

Like I said, Schaefer is a breath of fresh air.

https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=1364634528387489

Kid has character.....this is great for the Isles.....they needed some sprucing up!

[Pokecheque]

Damn, this kid is absolutely killing it, I don't recall the last time an 18-year-old defenseman hit the ground running in the NHL like this.

[Chris18]

5-2 loss to the Wild.
5-0 win over the Rangers (2 en). 16 points now in 15 games.
I didn't see either game.

[Chris18]

Took a 2-1 lead with 2:53 left. Devils tied it with 4.7 seconds left. Barzal wins it in OT on a breakaway thanks to a great pass from Drouin. Pulock almost gave it away in front of Sorokin but Barzal wisely just chipped it ahead and passed to Drouin who gave it right back. Devils first loss at home, even if they got a point. Very entertaining game. 2-0 start to the 7 game road trip. Now they really hit the road. Vegas on Thursday.

[Chris18]

Isles with another OT win. Had a 2-0 first period lead vs the Golden Knights, only to find themselves down 3-2 late in the third. Schaefer (who had a PP goal in the 1st period) saw Barzal wide open and Barzal ripped a 1-timer to tie it with 2:57 in regulation. Looked pretty bad when Schaefer took a penalty in OT, but Pageau figured he'd make it look like Schaefer does well even when he fucks up, winning a D-zone draw, clearing it to himself in the neutral zone and taking advantage of Marner playing D, faking like he was slowing down to dump it in, then ripping a low wrister with the space he'd created. SH GWG in OT. It's probably happened before, but it's pretty rare.

Isles are 9-6-2, good for WC1 after all the tie-breakers. Pretty surprising after the 0-3 start.

Shabanov has been skating on his own. Same with Varlamov. Wonder if Varlamov will ever actually return.

Schaefer has 6G and 8A after 17 games. Not even a point/game. Bust...

Utah tonight.

[Chris18]

10-6-2 after a comeback OT wins Schaefer with the winner. Youngest player ever to score in OT.
Third straight OT win. 4-0 so far on the 7 game road trip.

[Pokecheque]

Matthew Schaefer becomes the youngest player ever to score an OT goal, and I believe he now leads all defensemen in goals.

[Chris18]

Matthew Schaefer becomes the youngest player ever to score an OT goal, and I believe he now leads all defensemen in goals.

Yep. Beat Crosby on youngest by 31 days.

Lost in the mix of the Drouin goal review (original call was good goal, then the refs huddled and decided it wasn't good because he'd kicked it, then Toronto reviewed and said he sure kicked it but then it hit the goalie's pad and then 88 on Utah, who knocked it into his own net so it was good), Tony Q'Anongelo continued to argue a holding call against him earlier in the period and was given a 10 minute misconduct, with like 6 minutes left in regulation. Thank you refs for ensuring Tony Q'Anongelo and his "defensive capabilities" were not available through regulation and what would have been almost all of OT. We salute you for your services to the Isles! Here, have a Schaefer.

Isles are in WC1. Very early in the season, but that's a big change from last week.

Avs up next.

[Pokecheque]

Was looking at some defensive metrics posted by The Athletic. I thought Logan Mailloux of the Blues would be the absolute worst-ranked defender in the league, but I saw there were two worse than him. DeAngelo (not a surprise) and Romanov (bit of a surprise).

[Chris18]

Q’Anongelo doesn’t surprise at all. But yeah, Romanov does. I think he was playing hurt for a bit there. Boqvist sucks on D. He and Q should be moved to wing or out of the league.

[Chris18]

OT and win streak over. 4-1 loss to the Avs. Nelson with the late goal against his former team. I had told betting friends to put money on him scoring.
Is Wedgwood normally that good? He looked great in this one.

[Pokecheque]

Isles lose 4-1 but that game was way closer than that score would indicate. 2-1 until an empty-netter and then Brock scores another with 15 seconds left to cap it off.

Barzal reminds me of Joe Sakic in that he can shake off defenders using his speed and quick turns in open ice in the attacking zone. I realize he's not consistent but when he's good, he's very good.

Surprised I did not notice Horvat at all. Guy like him tends to go all-out on the Avs, at least I recall him doing so back in the day in Vancouver.

Schaefer is the real deal, elite speed and skill on display all night long.

Scott Mayfield is such a dirtbag. Would mess with Avs players, they'd retaliate and then he'd just bitch at them the rest of the game.

Overall the metrics favored the Isles but it was pretty close.

[Chris18]

Mayfield probably doesn't want to fight right now. First baby was born the other day. He's no heavyweight, but he's also not a turtler.

Barzal is underrated because the Isles have never gotten him the sniper he needs to be elite. Thought Wahlstrom would be the guy, but he's got a $10M shot and a $0.10 hockey IQ. He's in the AHL for the 2nd year in a row, 2nd org to send him there.

[Chris18]

2-1 Isles lead in the third vs Dallas. Horvat with the 2nd goal on a gift from the hockey gods- dump in just wide of the net bounced back off the end boards, somehow went under Oettinger's pad to Horvat in front. Easy tap in for the lead. Apparently the refs didn't like it because next shift Horvat gets tripped and as he's falling his stick hits a Star in the face giving him a small cut on his snoot. Double minor called on Horvat. I yell at the TV and the ref responds by saying they'll review it. I relax, figuring they'll see then that Horvat had been tripped. Ref basically says Fuck You Chris, upholds the double minor and ADDS a 10 minute misconduct. This is with like 13:14 left in the game, effectively taking Horvat out of the game. Or at least regulation.

But as I'm typing this Palmieri says fuck you refs, and scores a SH goal. As I tell the refs to shove brooms up their asses anyway, bristle end first, Jamie Benn decides the Isles had been wronged, and gives Mayfield a stick in the mouth right in front of the ref, who calls Benn. Benn complains. Dude, you just smacked a guy in the mouth. He's got a newborn baby at home. He's got to kiss that kid when he gets home. Now he'll do it with a Kardashian upper lip when he gets home.