1:21 pm: Brent Johnson on NHL Live told EJ he was "just trying to give people a good show." and "It could have went either way." So while he admits he comes from a brawling blood line, he hadn't done that since his first years in pro. Regarding the decision to lead with his left, he said Rick asked him while he was on the ground, "Are you a lefty?" "No. Sorry, dude."
12:08 pm: Ah crap, just when I think I have it all figured out, I get a phone call from someone who has a different opinion. Someone who sees the ice and the game a hell of a lot differently than I do.
Steve Carlson gave me a call to explain a DIFFERENT view of the "incident."
"He had to go, Dee. He had no choice. Did you REALLY see what happened?"
Uh.... I saw what was on TV. Was there something else? Yes, it seems there was. The underlying fact that there is that "code of the game" thing. According to Mr. Carlson, it wasn't Rick's invite at all, it was Brent's. Seems Brent had enough with what was going on at the other end of the ice and he had already left his crease. Steve said Rick had no choice (as dumb of a move as it was) but to defend himself and fight.
Problem was, he didn't realize it would end the way it did. Johnson is a lefty and 6" taller than Rick. He never expected it.
So, while it wasn't the smartest thing to do, it seems it was the ONLY thing he could do.
"Hey Dee, tell Ricky next time -- put on the foil." ;o)
Thanks Steve.
11:36 am Wed. Well, I wrote a little rant over at my 7thwoman.blogspot.com site that seems to have attracted a little attention. Now, I'm not sure if I should have. According to TSN's Bob McKenzie, last night's xrays of Rick's head showed no "structural" damage. So unlike Bruno Gervais, he didn't have his cheek bone broken. No word on anything else as of yet other than I don't there there is a news outlet in the hockey world that hasn't picked up the you-tube video.
11:39 pm Recap:
It all started out in the usual annoying fashion. Blake Comeau gets leveled on a blindside hit that looked a little high by Max Talbot and yet it’s the Islanders who ended up short handed as Zenon Konopka received an extra two minutes. Explain that. Just explain it. Please.
Zenon Konopka ended up in the box for trying to stick up for his team mate and Matt Martin, with nine fresh stitches in his face was smacked around in the scrum. It made no sense to me.
Of course, while the Pens were on the power play, they went up 1 - 0 on a goal by Tyler Kennedy. Rick, in my uneducated estimation, was over-handling the puck at points but did make some good saves. However, the second goal that bounced off his shoulder by Kunitz was definitely one he wanted back. (As he explained in the post game, he wants EVERY goal back.)
Meanwhile, the refs missed two off-sides calls and one high stick on Radek Martinek that sent him to the trainers’ room for repairs. While the SOG were not that lopsided in the first period at 7 - 5, some of the calls seemed suspect. Eric Godard was sent to the box for holding, but with the number 1 penalty kill in the NHL, the Islanders only managed 1 shot on goal during that power play.
The Islanders began the second period on a power play of their own for 1:10 on a hooking penalty on goal scorer Tyler Kennedy.
The Isles failed to score on their power play time, and Max Talbot THOUGHT he scored and so did the sound effects tech who sounded the horn even though the puck only hit the crossbar with a huge clank.
At 2:37 of the second, Zenon Konopka and Michael Rupp played a game of push-and-shove until the gloves came off at center ice. My only problem with that was that Rupp was tossing him around like a doll. I don’t understand why Jack Capuano is reluctant to put Trevor Gillies in the line-up when the opponent has so many tough guys on their bench. To me, Z is too important to the team to let him continue to get pummeled and Trevor is too important of an intimidation factor.
Okposo was called for tripping at 6:54 and the PK was back in business. They managed to keep the puck out of the net. Then PA Parenteau was called for hooking, which was more like making a save because had he not taken the penalty, the Pens would have been up 3 - 0. A lucky break put Jordan Staal in the box at 12:14 for tripping and then they were skating 4 aside.
Jack Hillen seemed to be the best defenseman on the ice as he was perpetually involved in the play. I also found it interesting that on one play MacDonald waived Rick off from skating in close to play the puck. “Hey, buddy. Get back in the net. I got this one.” Priceless.
Rupp wasn’t done being a pain in the neck in the second as he boarded Dylan Reese after a whistle on an icing with less than two minutes remaining. Dumb move on his part that he vehemently protested.
The Islanders would have 43 seconds of power play time remaining when the third started. They managed one shot on it. Not good.
Throughout the first two periods, Matt Moulson, who was a featured player during today’s Blackberry All-Access show on NHL.com, had about four chances to score at close range but failed to capitalize on any of them. The plays were in place, there were chances. They just didn’t happen.
At only 3:35 of the third, Zenon Konopka was called for hooking on Staal. It was probably the first good call of the evening. He knew what he did. I don’t think he wanted to get his stick up, but he did. Back to the box he went.
Travis Hamonic was robbed of his second NHL goal by Johnson with a glove save while mayhem ensued with Matt Martin in the center of the net.
In the last ten minutes of the third, Johnson was pressured by the isles as at least three different Islanders sent the puck through his crease and kept Pittsburgh in their zone.
In the final six minutes, the Islanders were on the power play with Rupp back in the box for a tripping call on Hamonic. With the extra skater, the Isles were camped in the Pens zone, but the constant give and go was hampered by the Pens defense. When they finally got the puck to MacDonald for a clean shot, he shanked it and the Pens rushed up the ice towards DiPietro.
As Big Angry Man said, that was the game. Had they been able to get it within one goal with five left, they could have changed the game.
Cooke almost made it 3 - 0 at 2:40, but Rick said No with a save. With 2:15 left before the buzzer, Capuano pulled Rick early and they had the extra skater in the Pens zone. Jack called a time out and Scott Allen brought in the dry erase board. Two minutes later, with 40 seconds left, Max Talbot scored on the empty net to make it 3 - 0. Rick returned to his net.
The Islanders have not been able to win in Pittsburgh for a long time. They’ve lost ten, oh, make that eleven games there. The frustration level is at fever pitch. Maybe that is what made Rick DiPietro leave his crease enough to have Matt Cooke run into him so that he could take a swipe at him. Now, of course, Z and Martin aren’t going to let their goalie get run over, so they immediately pounced on Cooke.
That would have been fine. It would have resulted in penalties, but the game was done anyway, but it would have been fine. What was NOT fine was Rick DiPietro deciding to send Brent Johnson an engraved invitation to fight. Johnson skated 200 feet to accept the invite. Rick almost got off one shot before Johnson’s fist met Rick’s face and sent him down to the ice stunned.
The refs were quick to keep Johnson from continuing the assault. It was the best call they made all night leaving the hooking call on Zenon their second best. Rick immediately left the ice with a towel on his face and went to the trainer’s room leaving Kevin Poulin to take the net while Kyle Okposo and Jordan Staal waited for the penalties to be sorted out.
Kyle chewed on his glove while Kevin Poulin stretched out getting ready to play an entire 16 seconds on a Penguin power play. They should have just left the net empty. What would have been the difference?
“He stopped 20 shots, but it’s the one he delivered with his fist that the crowd is most happy about.” And that was Howie Rose’s quote as the game ended and the MSG’s cameras caught Marc Andre Fluery congratulating Johnson on his KO win.
Rob Carlin caught up with Jack Capuano after the game. Jack is adept at being emotionless. When asked about Rick’s fight, “It’s part of the game. There was some fisticuffs in the corner and one goalie challenged the other.” Yeah, Rick, the rehabbing goalie challenged Johnson, the 33-year-old goalie who has played 15 games for the Pens. “It was just a reaction to what happened in the corner.”
What happened in the corner was Rick’s fault to begin with.
“It’s one of those games that I thought we could have got more pucks to the net and more traffic.” The Islanders managed only 20 shots on net with 25 shots blocked. Parenteau had the most shots on net, but Kyle Okposo had to be the most frustrated as 5 of his shots were blocked.
“ We didn’t play a full 60 minutes.” AGAIN. Jack told Rob.
Zenon Konopka had 23 minutes of penalties for his 4:30 of ice time. Matt Martin had 5:25 of ice time and 12 minutes in penalties. So tell me, why couldn’t Trevor Gillies have played his little over two minutes that Jack allows him to play and make sure that things didn’t get out of hand? Would it have really hurt them? NO.
Jack’s thoughts on the problems of the night? “ Tonight we held on to the puck a little too long.”
Really? That’s it? Okay then.
Brian Compton from NHL.com and I had a Twittersation regarding the goal tender situation. He feels it will be RDP and Lawson and that Poulin will be sent back to Bridgeport. While I understand how that is the ideal situation and the one that the Islanders have been planning all along, Kevin Poulin’s play and tonight’s performance are going to make that a difficult choice. As also pointed out by a guy who knows a thing or two about Mr. DiPietro, Rick has a history of concussions. Getting belted in the noggin’ and going down to the ice can’t be good for one’s head -- or pride.
While they said Rick had a ‘shiner’, the MSG cameras noticeably stayed on his “good side” while he spoke. These are the Islanders. For sure this incident will result in some sort of stay on the IR (where Nate Lawson already resides for the next 2 - 4). It’s basically inevitable and was completely avoidable.
Good thing is -- their next game isn’t until Saturday. Maybe they can pick up another goalie by then. Sigh.
*******
5:01 pm: Finally. The word has arrived that YES, it is Rick DiPietro in net tonight in Pittsburgh to face the Penguins.
After watching the Staal on Prust punch, I am a little surprised the league d.idn't honor the one game suspension. It looked pretty "intent"-ful to me! But, yeah. It's the Penguins who are already without Crosby and Malkin.
Atlhough there is a possibility that Malkin will play tonight? Gotta check again.
Ex-Islander Aaron Asham left Tuesday's game with an upper-body injury, so I guess it will be ex-islander Eric Godard playing tough guy on the bench for the Penguins. Will Trevor Gillies be the healthy scratch again, or will it be Rob Schremp? For this game, can I opt for Robbie sitting out?
Matt Martin who took at puck to the face late in last night's win over the Thrashers received 9 stitches and will be in the line-up tonight. Although without a visor which I totally disagree with. But hey... as I was told. "He's a REAL hockey player."
Speaking of "real" hockey players, Matt Moulson was featured on today's Blackberry All-Access pre-game show on NHL.com. Rob Simpson had some nice things to say about our cornerstone player, so look for him to score tonight just for good measure.
Two points out of Pittsburgh would be sweet. Let's see if they can get it done.
@RobCarlinMSG's question for the day relates to PA Parenteau.
PA Parenteau is having breakout season (13-19-32).. #Isles tweet question - What are your impressions of the winger? See responses at 6:30..
My answer is the same one I've said all along. He's the best thing we ever got from the Rangers so Thank You Glen Sather.
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