**7 am: I was hit by the spelling police for the difference between 'eluded' and 'alluded'. I shouldn't write at 11 pm when I'm too tired to function. But I appreciate the readership wanting to make it right.
With the Isles in Atlanta this morning, I will be depending on Newsday's Katie Strang to let us know what is going on there. Rob Carlin should have his Twitter "QOTD" also a little latter.
With the extended break, I do not see this as an easy game for the Islanders. While they may be well rested, some times that is a problem. I am GUESSING that Rick DiPietro will be in net and Kevin Poulin will be the back-up.
I'll be curious to see if they let Big Buff wear those 3K earrings while he's playing an NHL game as he did during the All Star Game. Okay, but that's just me.
11pm: I had plans of going to practice today, but I was held captive at a car dealer for hours on end. It seems there is no such thing as "car shopping." There is only something called "car BUYING" on the last days of the month. But I digress.
There really wasn't much news out of practice coming over Twitter today and that surprised me. Oh there were a few notes that should make everyone smile: Injured players, Milan Jurcina, Doug Weight, Nathan Lawson and Trent Hunter skated today. (Healing is good.)
There were also the recalls from Bridgeport now that the ASG break is done. Kevin Poulin and Dylan Reese were recalled to make the two-day road trip. And that was it. I thought I was missing out on something going on at practice.
But the real story of the day, on a day when there was a lack of stories, was the one regarding Ty Wishart who was also recalled from Bridgeport. Part of the much scrutinized Dwayne Roloson deal, Ty will have an Islander sweater with his name on it waiting for him tomorrow.
Yes, he may make his debut during this road trip -- or not. Jack Capuano
alluded** to the fact that he'd like to give him a little ice time. But there are no guarantees. There never are. (And don't expect @KevinPoulin60 to be giving up who the starting goalie will be the night before a game any more. Nope.)
As reported on the Islanders main site in the "At The Skate" article by Dyan LeBourdais,
Another new addition, defenseman Ty Wishart, was recalled from the Sound Tigers. In 43 AHL games, the 22-year-old has recorded 4 goals and 19 assists (five with the Sound Tigers) for 23 points. The defenseman, who stands at 6'4" and 224 pounds, will make his first road trip with the Islanders this season, but with eight healthy blueliners, he's not guaranteed to see any ice time. If it comes, Wishart will surely welcome the opportunity:
Wishart has been a center of attention before. In 2008, there was an article on the NHL.com site entitled "Wishart Could be Comox's Next Celebrity." (http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=385003) The title refers to his home town in B.C. The first celebrity to hail from there was -- Pam Anderson.
Well, Pam's career is a little more noticeable than Wishart's. But at his size, maybe all that's about to change. In that article, there is also this great little quote from one of Wishart's coaches.
“People try to take him out. He usually knocks them over. We just have to work on his consistency on the ice, and he’ll be in the NHL before not too long,’’ said Norfolk coach Darren Rumble.
Today he made his way to Atlanta, a trip that probably isn't as grueling as the one the Bolts had to make in 2008 when they opened their season in the Czech Republic with Barry Melrose as coach.
Tomorrow night, with Jack Capuano behind the bench, Ty may get a chance to make his Islander debut. Meanwhile the Thrashers will be looking to turn it into Ground Hog Day and beat the Islanders AGAIN for the third time this season.
With twenty points separating these two teams, there is no stat on the NHL list that the Islanders are better than the Thrashers with the exception of face-off percentage. (Thank you Zenon Konopka.) With only 33 games remaining on the schedule, the Islanders can't afford to let any of these games turn into Ground Hog Day!
**I was hit by the spelling police for the difference between 'eluded' and 'alluded'. I shouldn't write at 11 pm when I'm too tired to function. But I appreciate the readership wanting to make it right.
With the Isles in Atlanta this morning, I will be depending on Newsday's Katie Strang to let us know what is going on there. Rob Carlin should have his Twitter "QOTD" also a little latter.
With the extended break, I do not see this as an easy game for the Islanders. While they may be well rested, some times that is a problem. I am GUESSING that Rick DiPietro will be in net and Kevin Poulin will be the back-up.
I'll be curious to see if they let Big Buff wear those 3K earrings while he's playing an NHL game as he did during the All Star Game. Okay, but that's just me.
New York Islanders Blogger • 
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