Two games is too soon to draw any firm conclusion, but the addition of Marc-Andre Bergeron’s booming cannon from the point on the power play just might be a difference-maker for the Islanders in their stretch run to the playoffs. Since Bergeron joined the lineup, a dormant power play that was 1-for-21 over the previous seven games has produced a goal in each of the past two wins over Pittsburgh and Toronto.
Bergeron had two assists in his first game against the Penguins, including one on Viktor Kozlov’s power-play goal, and his presence on the right point allowed partner Tom Poti to walk in close on the left side and fire a shot that Trent Hunter deflected for the tying goal in the third period that sent the Toronto game to overtime.
In the locker room, it’s obvious Bergeron is an inch or two shorter than his listed program height of 5-10, which means a big forward like the Maple Leafs’ Mats Sundin easily can hold him off in any battle for the puck, as he did last night. But when Bergeron winds up for his shot, pity anyone who gets in the way. The report when it hits a goaltender’s pads or the glass behind the net is enough to rattle any goalie’s cage.
On their second power play in the first period against Toronto, Bergeron got two shots on net, which led to several rebound chances. Nothing got through Andrew Raycroft that time, but the result was seven shots on goal, which easily was the highest total this season by the Islanders on a single power play. In the second period, the Leafs’ penalty killers successfully crowded Bergeron high in the zone to take away his shooting room. Worried about his shot in the third, they cheated toward Bergeron, opening the way for Poti’s drive from inside the left circle.
“When you only have one weapon, sometimes, it’s easy to pin that one weapon,” Isles coach Ted Nolan said after the game. “Everybody says, ‘How come Tommy doesn’t shoot?’ But a lot of teams were right on top of him all season long. Now he has a partner to dish the puck off to, and it opens up both guys. Tommy got a chance to use his shot and get it through.”
When a trade goes down, it’s always interesting to see the spin from both sides. As many of you know, Bergeron had become a whipping boy in Edmonton because of his defensive lapses. Coach Craig MacTavish scratched him for five of seven games in the Stanley Cup Finals loss to Carolina. At the time of the trade to the Islanders, MacTavish told reporters in Edmonton that he wouldn’t have made the deal if he thought Bergeron could help the Oilers’ playoff push.
“We may improve in that area [defense] and, at the same time, have this blue-chip prospect in our back pocket,” MacTavish said of former Islanders defense prospect Denis Grebeshkov who the Oilers received in return. General manager Kevin Lowe, who knows a thing or two about playing defense, also raved about picking up Grebeshkov, saying, “This deal was too good to give up…We had a chance to get a guy who can be a top player for a lot of years.”
The jury will be out on who got the best of this deal for a couple of years until Grebeshkov shows what he can do in the NHL. It’s quite possible he will turn out to be the better all-around player. But for what the Islanders needed now, general manager Garth Snow did a good job of delivering Bergeron’s cannon shot plus a third-round draft pick. Against Pittsburgh, Bergeron made a few errors on defense, but he was better against the Leafs. Let’s see how he does in his own end after the coaching staff has time to work with him.
After the Pittsburgh game, a radio reporter asked Bergeron if it would be a relief to get away from the media scrutiny he faced in Canada. Looking around at an unusually large contingent of all four New York newspaper reporters, plus radio and TV microphones surrounding him, Bergeron had to laugh.
“I’m not sure about the media attention,” he said. “But we all know how it is in Canada. I’m used to it. I’ll wait and see here. We’re pro athletes, and it’s something we have to deal with. It never really bothered me before. Most people who follow hockey know the kind of relationship I had with my old coach, but I think through those four years, he taught me a lot and made myself a better pro player. For sure, I’ve got some good memories, and I’ve got some other stuff. It’s better to turn the page right now.”
A fresh start might be just what Bergeron needs, and while he knows his main purpose is to shoot on the power play, he certainly sounded willing to learn the rest of it. “I’m still a young defenseman,” the 26-year-old said. “I have a lot to learn. When a team like this in the playoff hunt comes and gets you, it means a lot. I’ll try to help them as much as I can.”
So far, so good.
DEADLINE DATA: Now that NHL GMs have had a chance to exchange offers face to face in their meetings earlier this week in Florida, look for things to heat up over the weekend. The braintrust in St. Louis is meeting as I write this, and they’re sorting through the offers for veteran forwards Bill Guerin and Keith Tkachuk, trying to make a decision before the trade deadline at 3 p.m. Tuesday.
Boston reportedly is close to signing free agent forward Marco Sturm to a three-year deal believed to total around $9 million, which would remove another logical target for the Islanders from the market. Assuming the Isles don’t believe they’re close enough to a Cup to pay the high price required to land Guerin or Tkachuk, I expect they’ll leave the major moves until the summer and try to do something on a smaller scale to boost the offense now.
As for the Islanders’ current group of forwards, I noticed some questions on the blog about why Arron Asham replaced Jeff Tambellini on a line with Kozlov and Miro Satan. Because the game ran late and I was close to deadline last night, I didn’t ask Nolan that question directly, but my take during the game was that he wanted more experience and strength on that line in such an important game. Tambellini and Richard Park were limited in the third period, and Frans Nielsen didn't play at all because all three are small and the Leafs were able to use their size to maintain control of the puck down low. Ted indicated yesterday morning that Nielsen will head back to Bridgeport as soon as Shawn Bates (groin) is ready to return.
That’s it for now. Enjoy the Montreal game.
Comments (19)
Greg,
Any word on Yashin's condition and possible timeframe when he'll be back in the lineup?
Bags
Yashin has gone through three practices with the team, and is in good condition, but no time frame has been set for his return. It's possible early march.
I actually got on the FAN today at about 12:25, and talked to Joe and Evan for a minute about the Isles attendance.
I think there are 2 problems:
1. The damn tickets are too expensive. The Rangers can sell out MSG at an average of almosts $60 a pop because of the much larger fan base and corporate ticketholders. The Isles have a smaller fan base, primarily families, and minimal corporate clientele. I go about once a month, but that's just me with my son (and with a Triple-A member discount). If I was going to take the whole family, it would cost me a minimum of $175 per game. I can't do that on a regular basis; sorry.
2. It takes a long time and a lot of work to win back the fans that have been abused by 10 years of sheer garbage on the ice. When a franchise's greatest achievement in the last 14 years has been a 7 game playoff loss, it can't act befuddled when the building isn't sold out on a nightly basis. To their credit, the Isles have taken real steps (save the ticket price issue) to re-sell the game to the people they have spent 14 years losing. With time, and more importantly, more on-ice success, the nightly 15,000+ crowds will return.
I'll be in section 306 Saturday. Go Isles.
I love a Saturday Matinee of hockey. Isles need to win IN REGULATION. It would be like a 5 pt game! or at least 3. they need to play for a regulation win.
lets go Isles!
I heard Barry Melrose on the FAN 660 today. He claims that the Isles are favorite to pick up Bill Guerin. Then i did more research on it, and multiple sources on the internet claim it is VERY CLOSE to happening. Greg, you hear anything? When Yashin comes back hopefully he will be the YASHIN from the beginning of the year. Then if we add GUERIN, i think we can make a run in the playoffs b/c the east is sooo close. how bout these potential lines.
blake-yash-guerin
satan-kozlov-tamby
hilbert-silly-hunter
ash-bates-simon-park
rotate the 4th line, pick one for the healthy scratch
wow. this "rumor" seems to be gaining momentum. i would be so surprised for Isles to get Guerin. it would be great for Isles to add a guy like Guerin. and then to get Yashin back?! oh baby! Lets Go Isles!
Fan39:
I've been a fan since Phil Goyette was named coach, before Spinner Spencer became a Guy Maddin film.
I'd hit every Sat nite game (cheap seats) if there was a way I could get to the NVMC from Northern Manhattan.
It's sad. I see more and more Isles hats in NYC, but we're ignored by the francise out here. Can't Wang arrange bus service from the Port Authority to the Coliseum??? The house would be rockin'.
NYI 72-73
You may have to wait until the Coliseum gets rebuilt, and the new facilities are in place. I know they want to improve transportation along with everything else there, but you and fellow Islanders fans in the Northern Manhattan area will have to be patient a little while longer.
nyi 72-73:
i've gone to games from manhattan before. you take the lirr to hempstead and then the 70/71/72 bus to the coliseum. lets you off right in front. admittedly, however, they make no efforts to time these systems right so you either get there way early or late. also i rarely use it because the bus is so annoying and crowded. they either need a bus from manhattan or put the next arena on an lirr stop. then i'd go to more than one game a year.
Big win today boys... Let's Go Islanders
Thanks for the tips, guys. But I can't see myself waiting for a bus alone on a cold winter night. Maybe the only answer is finding a fellow fan with a car until some public-transportation miracle happens.
3-2! Let's Go Islanders!!!
Another great game. the coliseum was full. That trade we were all looking for may have been putting Frans and Hanz together again. EVERYBODY CONTRIBUTES. Three lines to roll,and if you don't have 4 penalties to kill in the first period you have a fourth line to throw out there like a RED BULL.
Nolan just seems to know how to push all the right buttons..."YAAH"...
Asham adds a nice compliment to Kozlov and Satan. Sillinger, Hilbert and Hunter keep things in "check", and cash a few as well, and now blake (much to my surprise) had geled with rubberguy and Simon. Today was just wave after wave... it easily could have been 5-0 rather than 3-2.
I hope they don't take Philly and St. Louis too lightly and they just keep the train rolling all the way into the garden on march 5th.
When the deadline passes Blake is signed for three more years with a team option on a fourth. Yashin may push Frans to the bridge, but Bates isn't going to do it.
randy takes Frans spot on the fourth, Yashin centers Blake and Simon. It doesn't cost them any prospects, no draft picks... LET'S GO ISLANDERS!!!
As evidenced by today's game....pushing Nielsen to the bridge to make room for Bates is a BIG mistake. The kid is just getting started....
Not much left to say, JP nailed it. Nice to see the NVMC sold out! Great win today guys, keep it up and don't let down against teams we "should" beat!
Great game today!!! We need to keep pushing though. Mark my words... if this team makes the playoffs, they will be very hard to beat... mark my words... the mass said it. The reason for my prediction... WORK ETHIC. This team has no pure talent (with the exception of Kozlov and maybe Satan), but man... do they work hard. I may not be a super fan like some guys who post here, but I watch every game on 'center ice'. For the last few weeks I've been thoroughly entertained... which is all I ask for. I don't care for 'pretty hockey'. I like to see the isles getting along the walls and getting dirty... keeping the cycle going... and getting dirty... dirty. Forget guerin.. When (and if) yashin returns, it better not interupt our current flow. Blake is proving me wrong by producing and making opportunities happen(and getting dirty along the walls... oh yeah). I'm sorry I ever said it was time for him to go... my bad... sorry blakey.
Does anyone else notice that witt isn't all there... to me he seems less than 100%. Don't get me wrong... the guy is still clutch... but I don't know... it seems that he's less intense compared ro earlier in the year.. Maybe I'm wrong... at least he's still getting dirty!!!!!! Rags lost to columbus... hahahhaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahha.... oh man.... WHAT A DAY!!!!!!!
Another solid win for the Isles...Have been saying that a lot lately!
Great to see the sellout and the old barn was rocking...
Let's Go Isles!!!
How long will Gervais be going to Bridgeport for reconditioning????? He hasn't played for ages and I can't see us taking a chance on him at this stage of the season. The D looks better than it has all year.
If Blake does not accept a 4 year 12 million dollar deal like it says in the article he must be traded if we get a great offer . Now by trading him it does not mean we are giving up on the season. It would have to be an offer we cant refuse like michalak and a first round pick. We can always take a chance by trading for a guy like zubrus for a second or third round pick. Zubrus has 60 games 52 points very similar numbers to blake and hes 5 years younger but probably does not bring the intangibles to the table like blake does. a guy on our team like tambellini will have to fill in for blake.
The GM Committee should trade Blake, with his energy he can be the final piece of the possible for a Cup contender; very similar to the Butch Goring trade, but reversed. A trade should bring considerable talent to the Isles with the possibility of re-signing him as a free agent.