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IslesNotes, A DiPietro Sighting & 2 minutes with Scott Allen |
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Had I known it was a double session practice, I would have dressed warmer -- at least worn warmer socks.
I arrived early to Ice Works, which is unusual for me. I was there before anyone was on the ice. I sat on the bleachers as Okposo and Hunter were just heading into the workout room. I considered that a good sign.
I called out to Kyle to ask him if it really IS him on Twitter with the new account @KyleOkposo. He gave me a surprised look and said NO. The PR staff also told me it wasn't him. Now, considering how Mr. Snow feels about social media sites, if it was really Kyle Okposo using it for himself, I doubt he'd use his full name. But... whatever.
While the walking wounded hit the work out room, the recovered players hit the ice with the rest of the team. Both Doug Weight and Sean Bergenheim took full practice today -- both sessions.
Coach Gordon barked out orders while his assistants acted like Border Collies keeping everyone in line and with the pack. There seemed to be no frustration today at all. It was simply fine tuning as they head toward their last pre-season battle.
As I watched intently, I noticed the following things.
1) Doug Weight and Jon Sim definitely LOOK the part of elder statesmen on this team. But not just because of their age, but their experience and skill level.
2) Marty Biron blocked a LOT of the shots that came at him, even at close range. Conversely, Jon Sim scored on Dwayne Roloson twice in a very short time span.
3) Joel Rechlichz is skating much faster and Jack Hillen can make himself 1/2 his size when he skates so close to the ice.
4) John Tavares DOES smile when he thinks no one is looking.
5) Sean Bergenheim made some beautiful long passes to JT at high speed, but Biron stoned JT's close range glove side shots.
6) Josh Bailey scored on Roloson as well. And he's still doing that neck thing! Someone take a look at this boy, please!
7) Mark Streit has a bit of a black eye. That'll teach him to get into fights.
8) I watched two little Islanders (pee wees) in full gear with their faces pressed up against the glass watching the big boys. It was just heartwarming. This is where it starts.
Yes, there was a Ricky sighting! Yes people! It lives! I got so startled at seeing him walk out of the work out room that I didn't know what to do. Should I avert my eyes? Should I take a photo to prove I've seen him? (considering he's been harder to spot than Sasquatch.) No. I just politely said "Hey Ricky! How you doing?"
"Good, good." he said. I was bold enough to ask another question, but knew I couldn't ask a hockey question. "How's married life?"
He flashed that trademark smile of his, "It's great! Couldn't be better!"
"Good answer." I yelled to him.
"I learn quickly!" he mumbled back at me.
So there you go. He's there. He's working out. No, he didn't have on any equipment and I will say he does look thinner and with a full beard, somewhat scruffy. Other than that... well... he's still Ricky.
I caught up to Scott Gordon's new Assistant coach, Scott Allen, to introduce myself and ask how he was doing here on Long Island.
"I haven't been here very long, but my family really enjoys it." He has the slightest New England accent and speaks in deliberate tones. I asked how he was adjusting to Gordon's Go-Go system, and there doesn't seem to be a problem.
"Certainly our philosophy is the same, sometimes different guys have different ways of presentation." He said that Scott Gordon is a very "hands-on" Coach and he just wants to make sure he understands every area that needs to be covered. I wondered if he too uses technology to it's fullest advantage and had as many computers as Gordon. He smiled "I'm not as computer savvy as he is, but certainly I consider myself well prepared."
This is Scott Allen's first turn at the NHL so I asked what the biggest difference between the AHL and the NHL is for him, besides the travel accomodations.
"The AHL has guys who can shoot, who can pass the puck, who have a level of consistency. It's the depth of all the guys in the NHL that have the ability to do that on a daily basis. As an AHL coach, you try to teach the players the level of consistency that it takes to be successful in order to get the opportunity to prove that you can do it at the NHL level. That's probably the biggest thing."
And last season, so many of the AHLers got their chance to show what they could do. Let's hope we don't have that many opportunties again THIS season.
Later on, some thoughts on the next battle against the NJ Devils and thoughts on Opening Night.
New York Islanders Blogger • 
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