Ben Shelley: Islanders fall short against Panthers in season opener

A lot of goofy stuff in the pre-game...Having home opener during the week instead of weekend prevented a full building...

Overall not a terrible game. the biggest take away was the amount of penalties taken...

I will give them 10 games before I pass judgement.

What we saw at the end of the first period is the team we need for 3 periods. In the defensive zone i see a lot of standing still flat footed.


John Tonelli for HOF

A lot of goofy stuff in the pre-game...Having home opener during the week instead of weekend prevented a full building...

Overall not a terrible game. the biggest take away was the amount of penalties taken...

I will give them 10 games before I pass judgement.
- Nfdbulldawg

Yeah 10 games is what I’m thinking too. But I will pass a little judgement and say the defense looked pretty solid overall, Sorokin looks great. The offense needs to consistently generate more chances. But overall looks to be a continuation from last season.

The building was full... I was there.. it was sold out and packed. There was a lot of traffic so some arrived late.

The horn was the horn used in 1972 and it sounded like that when they had Ed Westfall crank it b/c he is very old. It is NOT our goal song... it's just something they are doing to celebrate their 50th year.

I am always amazed at how one dope on the radio says something and I have had no less than 25 Ranger's fans chirp at me on those 2 points.

The building was full... I was there.. it was sold out and packed. There was a lot of traffic so some arrived late.

The horn was the horn used in 1972 and it sounded like that when they had Ed Westfall crank it b/c he is very old. It is NOT our goal song... it's just something they are doing to celebrate their 50th year.

I am always amazed at how one dope on the radio says something and I have had no less than 25 Ranger's fans chirp at me on those 2 points.
- niteislander

Weird on tv it looked empty and pretty much silent.

The team played very well against the team that won the President's trophy last year. Having a Ref call a complete B.S. penalty in the first 20 seconds as the team was buzzing and the building was going nuts is just absurd.

In case you are interested the Ref is Gord Dwyer who played in the NHL for the Rangers, Habs, and Tampa Bay. His last attempt at making a team he was a late cut in 2007 by the Islander's. He is also the guy who called the absurd "interference" penalty on Salo, the roughing on Lee, and the B.S. holding on Pelech. it was a joke.

Yeah 10 games is what I’m thinking too. But I will pass a little judgement and say the defense looked pretty solid overall, Sorokin looks great. The offense needs to consistently generate more chances. But overall looks to be a continuation from last season.
- streaks

I’m going to judge now, no need to wait ten games and I say fire everyone.

The Salo Trip was the only legit call.

I’m going to judge now, no need to wait ten games and I say fire everyone.
- Cptmjl

Fair

The team played very well against the team that won the President's trophy last year. Having a Ref call a complete B.S. penalty in the first 20 seconds as the team was buzzing and the building was going nuts is just absurd.

In case you are interested the Ref is Gord Dwyer who played in the NHL for the Rangers, Habs, and Tampa Bay. His last attempt at making a team he was a late cut in 2007 by the Islander's. He is also the guy who called the absurd "interference" penalty on Salo, the roughing on Lee, and the B.S. holding on Pelech. it was a joke.
- niteislander

So I guess what you’re saying is he hates the islanders so he called phantom penalties on them?

Weird on tv it looked empty and pretty much silent.
- Cptmjl

I have never seen the place more crowded.

So I guess what you’re saying is he hates the islanders so he called phantom penalties on them?
- Cptmjl

The fact that I looked up who he was b/c the calls were so absurd should say it all... that call in the first 20 seconds to take the crowd out of the game was truly absurd.

Weird on tv it looked empty and pretty much silent.
- Cptmjl

It did seem very quite.

It did seem very quite.
- ses111

As I said.. there was a ton of traffic. If you didn't leave with plenty of time to get there you were still on the Cross island when the game started. By 1/2 way through the first period it was packed. The Heineken bar upstairs between periods has NEVER been that crowded.. it was a zoo.

https://www.nhl.com/video...al/t-335366088/c-13132028 it wasn't "quiet"

I have never seen the place more crowded.
- niteislander

I have heard that from friends that were there telling me the same thing. Starting to believe for whatever reason that the buildings noise level doesn’t translate well to tv. Also, I know I didn’t mistake empty seats for human beings at center ice

I assume the seats were bought and not sold by brokers or there were a heck of a lot of no shows.

The fact that I looked up who he was b/c the calls were so absurd should say it all... that call in the first 20 seconds to take the crowd out of the game was truly absurd.
- niteislander

I think it probably has more to do with the officiating just being terrible in the NHL. With that said I agree those were some bad calls but I don’t attribute them to the loss. To me it was a lack of cohesiveness which is normal for a team with a new coach in the first game of the season. The panthers were disjointed as well.

I have heard that from friends that were there telling me the same thing. Starting to believe for whatever reason that the buildings noise level doesn’t translate well to tv. Also, I know I didn’t mistake empty seats for human beings at center ice

I assume the seats were bought and not sold by brokers or there were a heck of a lot of know shows.
- Cptmjl

the lower bowl seats behind the glass at center ice are the "club" seats. Like the Legend seats at the Yankees games. They have a Monster bar area with free Food, a few bars, carving stations, deserts, Huge TV's, etc. Many of the people that have those "seats" spend more time in the club area for a lot of the game instead of their seat.

I think it probably has more to do with the officiating just being terrible in the NHL. With that said I agree those were some bad calls but I don’t attribute them to the loss. To me it was a lack of cohesiveness which is normal for a team with a new coach in the first game of the season. The panthers were disjointed as well.
- Cptmjl

That first call was just so friggin absurd/suspicious.

the lower bowl seats behind the glass at center ice are the "club" seats. Like the Legend seats at the Yankees games. They have a Monster bar area with free Food, a few bars, carving stations, deserts, Huge TV's, etc. Many of the people that have those "seats" spend more time in the club area for a lot of the game instead of their seat.
- niteislander

Well they were gone for the entire game

That first call was just so friggin absurd/suspicious.
- niteislander

It was bad followed by other bad calls/non calls. I see a lot of Islander fans saying they played a good game. Not sure I agree with that. I think we saw glimpses of decentness but overall the forward group was pretty putrid. Defense and goaltending for the first game of the season I thought looked good. So far it looks like more of the same to me albeit the first game. Going to take time to embrace lamberts system. With that said they don’t really have time can’t have a slow start in this division.

It was bad followed by other bad calls/non calls. I see a lot of Islander fans saying they played a good game. Not sure I agree with that. I think we saw glimpses of decentness but overall the forward group was pretty putrid. Defense and goaltending for the first game of the season I thought looked good. So far it looks like more of the same to me albeit the first game. Going to take time to embrace lamberts system. With that said they don’t really have time can’t have a slow start in this division.
- Cptmjl

I don't think they played poorly, but like you said...it's going to take them some time to adjust to a new system. Problem is that they have a pretty tough schedule to start the year. The first 13 games they see FLA 2x, NYR 2x, TBL, CAR, COL, STL, and CGY. 9 out of those 13 are real tough.

I don't think they played poorly, but like you said...it's going to take them some time to adjust to a new system. Problem is that they have a pretty tough schedule to start the year. The first 13 games they see FLA 2x, NYR 2x, TBL, CAR, COL, STL, and CGY. 9 out of those 13 are real tough.
- eichiefs9

Going to be interesting to see Lane and the type of adjustments he makes. I think he will be more willing to shake things up if needed.

So Brock Nelson is now the 1C? Beauvillier is now 1RW?

I don't think they played poorly, but like you said...it's going to take them some time to adjust to a new system. Problem is that they have a pretty tough schedule to start the year. The first 13 games they see FLA 2x, NYR 2x, TBL, CAR, COL, STL, and CGY. 9 out of those 13 are real tough.
- eichiefs9

So what you’re saying we’ll have a new version of the first 13 games excuse next offseason?