Saturday, January 29, 2011

January 29, 2011, HockeyPrimeTime.com NHL Atlantic Division notebook examining Islanders-Nabokov saga

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Atlantic

Written by Denis Gorman
Saturday, January 29, 2011 09:00


The goaltender says he wants to play for a Cup contender, which is why he won't report to the Islanders. Championship teams, however, are made up of selfless players.

Denis Gorman
How’s this for a scenario: You are out of a job. A struggling employer decides to take a risk on you. You’ll earn half-a-million dollars for less than a half year’s work, in a job that you’ll be one of only 60 men in the world can do.


But you pass on the job because you’re not enamored with the employer. Ridiculous, right?
AROUND THE ATLANTIC



That’s where Evgeni Nabokov and the New York Islanders find themselves now, after the goaltender would not report to the team that claimed him on waivers last weekend.


Nabokov, who had previously agreed to a deal with Detroit, was predictably unhappy when the Islanders claimed him off waivers from the Red Wings last Saturday. Detroit has a legitimate shot at winning The Cup this spring, while the Islanders are well-positioned for the first overall pick in the next Entry Draft.


What was unpredictable was Nabokov’s response.


The Islanders claimed that Nabokov hung up when Snow called his cell phone, while the goaltender told ESPN.com that “it's nothing against the Islanders and their organization. It's nothing to do with that. It's just that I'm at the point in my career where I want to help a team win in the playoffs. I don't see how I could help the Islanders or what I could do for them.” The organization announced Tuesday afternoon that it had suspended Nabokov.


The Islanders hold all the cards. If Nabokov truly wants to play in the NHL this season, he will have to report to Uniondale. If and when he reports, the Islanders will be in the situation of having two NHL-caliber goaltenders in Nabokov and Rick DiPietro. More importantly, the club may have the opportunity to try to obtain a prospect or young NHLer or a draft pick for Nabokov as it continues its eternal rebuild.


Nabokov's resume reveals a very good regular-season goalie who has not won anything noteworthy, save for the Calder Trophy after the 2000-01 campaign. Nabokov’s record is 293-178-66 in 563 NHL games, along with a .912 save percentage and 2.39 goals against.
Impressive.



Less impressive is his playoff record: 40-38 in 80 NHL playoff games, all with the San Jose Sharks. As HPT.com’s Justin Bourne wrote for Deadspin.com, there had to be a reason that the NHL’s perpetual bridesmaids allowed him to walk away as a free agent. Even more damning, there had to be a reason that 30 NHL franchises were unwilling to pay the man a fortune to tend their goals over the summer, leaving Nabokov to ply his trade in the Kontinental Hockey League.


And it’s not as if his play for the St. Petersburg SKA was sparkling. Unless you’re among those that are impressed by an .888 save percentage and a 3.02 goals against in 22 games (8-8-5).


Moreover, Nabokov’s petulance may hurt his character in the eyes of NHL general managers and potential teammates. Hockey is a sport whose ethos is based on hard work and sacrificing for the greater good.


All Nabokov has shown in this saga is his abject selfishness – not the character profile of someone whose name gets engraved on the Stanley Cup.


Notes


The Flyers won the 1,000th home game in franchise history Tuesday night, topping Montreal 5-2. “Having personally attended nearly every one of these glorious victories, it certainly is impressive to be the first NHL expansion team to reach 1,000 regular-season home victories. This achievement is a true testament to the many men who have put on the orange and black and proudly wore the Flyers famous logo for nearly 45 years,” owner Ed Snider said in a statement. “This milestone is representative of Flyers Hockey. We want our home to be a very tough place for our opponents to play.” … The Penguins announced that superstar centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will miss the All-Star Weekend. … Even after winning six of seven games, the Devils still have the NHL’s worst record at 16-29-3. … Interim coach Jacques Lemaire told the Newark Star-Ledger that he will not return in that role for the 2011-12 season. … Despite a 4-3 loss to Florida Tuesday, the Rangers entered the break with 61 points and believe they are positioned well for a second half surge.


Photos by Getty Images


http://www.hockeyprimetime.com/news/atlantic/nabokovs-stance-may-hamper-his-objective

posted by Denis P. Gorman at 10:45 AM

Thursday, January 27, 2011

January 27, 2011, Carolina Hurricanes-New York Islanders game story for AP

Eric Staal's 2 goals, assist lead Hurricanes to win

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UNIONDALE, NY - JANUARY 26: Cam Ward #30 of the Carolina Hurricanes walks off the ice after warming up prior to...


(Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images)


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Game Information

Arena: Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Location: Uniondale, New York
Referees: Chris Rooney, Ian Walsh
Linesmen: Jean Morin, Pierre Champoux
Attendance: 4,976 (30.5% full)

Team Stat Comparison

Carolina
New York
4Goals2
0Power Play Goals0
4Power Play Opportunities2
0Shorthanded Goals0
6Penalties8
15Penalty Minutes19
31Shots on Goal25
19Hits14
27Faceoffs Won30

Scoring Summary

1st Period CAR NYI
14:43 Zach Boychuk (4)
Assists: Eric Staal, Erik Cole		 1 0
2nd Period CAR NYI
0:31 Michael Grabner (15)
Assists: Frans Nielsen, Andrew MacDonald		 1 1
5:55 Eric Staal (24)
Assists: Erik Cole		 2 1
7:23 Eric Staal (25)
Assists: Joe Corvo, Tim Gleason		 3 1
3rd Period CAR NYI
15:05 Brandon Sutter (11)
Assists: Jiri Tlusty, Jussi Jokinen		 4 1
18:39 Andrew MacDonald (1)
Assists: Michael Grabner		 4 2
Associated Press


UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- The Carolina Hurricanes beat the blizzard -- and the New York Islanders.


Eric Staal scored goals in a 1:38 span in the second period and also had an assist to help the Hurricanes beat the New York Islanders 4-2 on Wednesday night.


Zach Boychuk and Brandon Sutter also scored and Cam Ward made 23 saves for Hurricanes. A point behind eighth-place Atlanta in the Eastern Conference, Carolina has won three of its past four games.


"Huge game before the break," Staal said. "One point behind Atlanta [and] we wanted to make sure we got the job done here."


Ward also was thinking about the standings.


"We wanted to head into this All-Star break on a high note and feel good about ourselves," Ward said. "Atlanta's win [1-0 over Washington] makes this much more of a bigger win."


Michael Grabner and Andrew MacDonald scored for New York.


Snow and the threat of lot more on the way limited the attendance to 4,976, the second-smallest crowd at the Coliseum this season. Only 3,136 attended the Islanders' 4-1 win over Montreal on Dec. 26 because of a blizzard. The Islanders are last in the NHL in attendance, averaging 10,069.


Staal gave Carolina a 2-1 lead at 5:55 of the second, beating Rick DiPietro with a backhander from the left faceoff circle. The Carolina captain added his 25th goal of the season at 7:23, tipping Joe Corvo's point shot past DiPietro. In 25 games against the Islanders, Staal has 18 goals, eight assists and a plus-25 rating.


"We scored two quick ones to make it 3-1," Staal said. "We want to beat the teams below us in the standings. You want to stay on the gas when you're ahead. We got that one, then another right after. [It was] a big momentum-killer for them; made the hole a little bit too big for them."


Sutter made it 4-1 on a breakaway with 4:55 left in the third.


It appeared Jussi Jokinen opened the scoring for Carolina a minute into the match, but a lengthy review showed the left wing used his stick to push DiPietro's pad across the goal line.


"One referee made the call on the ice based on that he lost sight of the puck. The other fellow informed him the puck had been in the net," Hurricanes coach Paul Maurice explained. "Good guys won, so there's no need to rehash that one."


Boychuk scored with 5:17 left in the period, snapping a wrist shot over DiPietro's glove.


"They just beat us," said DiPietro, 5-12-1 against the Hurricanes.


Grabner tied it 31 seconds into the second period with a backhander from the low slot. Grabner was alone in the slot as Hurricanes defensemen Jamie McBain and Joni Pitkanen followed Frans Nielsen into the corner. Nielsen snapped a perfect pass to Grabner and the Islanders' lone All-Star representative buried the feed.


"I had chances before. Now they're starting to go in," Grabner said. "I think I'm more confident. It's nice to see that the coach has confidence in me."


He was one of the few Islanders absolved by Jack Capuano for their play.


New York coach Capuano said he "thought there were some guys that were selfish for the first time. And that's disturbing," while Matt Moulson added that the Islanders "want to win. You want to win as many as you can."


Game notes

The game was the second of four between the Eastern Conference rivals. The Hurricanes beat the Islanders 7-2 in Raleigh on Nov. 3. ... DiPietro finished with 27 saves. ... The Hurricanes will be well-represented at the All-Star Weekend in Raleigh. Staal will captain one of the teams, while Ward and rookie Jeff Skinner were announced as All-Stars. Skinner, the 18-year-old rookie, could not contain his excitement. "It's pretty cool to be in the All-Star Game. I think it's going to be an exciting weekend for me, [and] to have in Raleigh is a special touch," Skinner said. "Really cool, really excited. [Should] be a good memory."


Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press

http://scores.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=310126012

posted by Denis P. Gorman at 1:13 AM

January 27, 2011, Garth Snow talks Nabokov story for AP


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Isles GM: team did everything right with Nabokov


4 hours, 16 minutes ago


UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP)—New York Islanders general manager Garth Snow says the team did everything the right way in its attempted acquisition of goalie Evgeni Nabokov(notes).


The Islanders suspended Nabokov on Tuesday for not reporting to the team after he was claimed off waivers from the Detroit Red Wings.


Snow spoke to MSG Network before Wednesday’s night home game against the Carolina Hurricanes.


“The player made the decision not to report,” Snow told the network. “We did everything the right way. It’s out of our hands.”


Snow said there had been internal discussions about improving the team through the waiver process before goalie Nathan Lawson(notes) strained his MCL in the Islanders’ 5-2 win in Buffalo on Jan. 21.


Once it was announced Lawson would miss up to two weeks, “we needed to do it,” Snow said.


The 35-year-old goaltender signed a one-year contract with Detroit on Thursday.


Nabokov, who played with the San Jose Sharks for parts of 10 seasons, had spent this season with SKA St. Petersburg of the Russian KHL and hadn’t yet played for Detroit.


The NHL’s collective bargaining agreement states that anyone who plays in a professional league before signing an NHL contract must clear waivers.


Once he signed his one-year deal with the Red Wings, he became available to the Islanders.


New York owns Nabokov’s rights and could keep him out of the NHL for all of next season should Nabokov not report.


Nabokov has been disappointed that he won’t be joining the Stanley Cup-contending Red Wings. Instead he is now under contract with the Islanders, who are far out of the Eastern Conference playoff race.


Updated 4 hours, 16 minutes ago


http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news;_ylt=AvBY1AEwRAkK50Nsz6MhGRx7vLYF?slug=ap-islanders-nabokov

posted by Denis P. Gorman at 1:03 AM

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

January 26, 2011, Florida Panthers-New York Rangers NHL regular season game story for Metro NYC Newspaper


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Lundqvist plays soft in first-half finale

CHRISTOPHER PASATIERI/GETTY IMAGES

The Rangers doubled the Panthers in shots, 35-17, but still came up on the losing end.


More about Rangers
Rangers limp toward All-Star break
Rangers still waiting on Gaborik
Wolski delivers a 1-0 win over mighty Canucks
Blueshirts enter gauntlet

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NEW YORK
DENIS GORMAN

Published: January 25, 2011 10:29 p.m.
Last modified: January 26, 2011 1:43 a.m.
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Panthers 4, Rangers 3


The theme that emanated from a tired and battered New York Rangers dressing room was anger.


Anger that an opportunity to continue its ascent in the Eastern Conference passed them by. Anger that a non-descript Florida Panthers squad had come into The Garden and left with two points. Anger that the Panthers scored four times—markers described by John Tortorella as “fluky,”—against their All-Star netminder.


That the Rangers enter the All-Star break furious following a 4-3 loss last night is nothing short of a positive for a group that not much was expected from prior to the season.


“I don’t think they had any business winning this game,” a clearly irritated Henrik Lundqvist said. “The goals they scored…the luck they had…it’s bothering me a lot right now. The first goal hit our guy. The second goal hit a glove or something. The last goal, like that, they definitely had the luck to win this game.”


The Rangers outshot Florida 35-17, were able to skate through the neutral zone and implement their forecheck and cycle game against a team that was content to play trap hockey. That the Panthers won had everything to do with Tomas Vokoun


“There have been a few nights this year where we’ve left the building having outplayed the opponent and left with no points. We were on the other end of that. I guess those kind of things even out,” admitted Panthers coach Peter DeBoer. “We got some luck around the net. We shot the puck. You are not going to get many goals on Lundqvist like we got tonight, but we’ll take them.”


A long Rostislav Olesz shot deflected off of Artem Anisimov’s stick and past Lundqvist 12:35 into the game. After Derek Stepan softly backhanded a Wojtek Wolski rebound into a half-empty net to tie the game at 1-1 2:17 into the second, Keaton Ellerby and Mike Santorelli scored consecutive goals in a span of 1:08. Ellerby’s goal—he threw the puck at the net from the half boards—was his first in the NHL.


“The second one…the second one is a kick in the teeth,” Tortorella said of Ellerby’s goal. “That’s a tough one. That changed momentum.”


The Rangers evened the game at 3-3 early in the third period. Brandon Prust was credited with his seventh goal of the season when a Mike Sauer shot hit his stick and deflected past Vokoun 74 seconds in. Brian Boyle shoved his team-leading 18th goal under Vokoun at 3:05.


“I want to be a leader and be a contributor. My role has kind of changed throughout the year,” Boyle said. “I want to create offensive chances every night. I want to score every night. I am getting the opportunities to do it, so it is big responsibility.”


The game stayed tied until Mike Weaver’s pop-up deflected off of the top of Lundqvist’s glove and into the net with 8:19 left for the game-winning goal.


“They just had all the luck they could have,” lamented Lundqvist.


While the Rangers were collectively irritated, the acknowledged the bigger picture. The Rangers head into the All-Star Break with 61 points and are positioned well in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Rangers are sixth place in the East, two behind fifth seed Washington and trail fourth seeded Pittsburgh by five.


Most importantly, for a team that has been a patchwork menagerie for six weeks, the Rangers are due to get its injured core players back for the final 30 games. Tortorella said before the game that Ryan Callahan and Dan Girardi will be the first players to return.


“I feel good about our club,” Tortorella said. “I feel good about our club, especially what we’ve gone through in really being decimated with injuries.”



What we saw ...


1 Asleep at the wheel — Prior to last night’s 4-3 loss, coach John Tortorella admitted to being concerned his players might have mentally checked out before the game, already daydreaming about the All-Star break. The Rangers skated, shot and were able to generate offense off the forecheck and cycle, but Henrik Lundqvist wasn’t sharp. The goals Florida scored were soft and odd-angled, none more so than Mike Weaver’s first goal in 42 games, which turned out to be the game-winner. The puck bounced off Rangers forward Artem Anisimov and past Lundqvist to break a 3-3 tie with 8:19 left. It is illogical to ascribe long-term concern about Lundqvist, as he has been among the league’s best goaltenders this season. Still, with the games gaining in importance starting Feb. 1, he’ll need to be at his best in order for this team to have a long spring. He can’t concede four goals on just 17 shots like he did last night.

2 Usual suspects — There have been a multitude of players that have stepped up for the Rangers in the first half of the season, none more than checking line center Brian Boyle and left wing Brandon Prust. The duo each scored a goal in the first three minutes of the third period to turn a 3-1 deficit into a 3-3 tie. Prust’s goal, in which the puck deflected in off his thigh, was his seventh of the season, while Boyle’s power-play tally was his team-leading 18th marker.

3 Missing key cogs — Perhaps this outcome should have been expected for a team playing its fifth game in seven nights and has been patchwork for about six weeks. The Rangers had five AHL call-ups dress last night, including Mats Zuccarello, who assisted on all three Rangers goals and looks to be a keeper even when the injured starters return to the team in the second half.



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http://www.metro.us/newyork/sports/article/754045--lundqvist-plays-soft-in-first-half-finale--page0

posted by Denis P. Gorman at 10:47 AM

Monday, January 24, 2011

January 24, 2011, New York Rangers final two games before All Star Break advance story for Metro NYC Newspaper

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Rangers limp toward All-Star break


NEW YORK
DENIS GORMAN

Published: January 23, 2011 10:12 p.m.
Last modified: January 24, 2011 8:13 a.m.
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The Rangers face an odd conundrum.


Perhaps no team has experienced a more positive surprise of a first half. But is there another team that could use the off days that the All-Star Break provides more than the Rangers?


The Rangers will conclude the first half with tonight’s game in Washington and Tuesday night against the Panthers at the Garden. Because of injuries suffered by Dan Girardi and Brandon Prust in Saturday’s 3-2 shootout win over the Thrashers in Atlanta, Michael Del Zotto and Evgeny Grachev were called up from AHL Connecticut.


One of the themes to the Rangers first half has been the myriad of injuries that has plagued the team. The Rangers have lost 177 man games due to injuries. Vinny Prospal has not played a game this season as he is recovering from knee surgery. Derek Boogaard’s season may be over after suffering a concussion in a fight with Ottawa’s Matt Carkner. Ryan Callahan broke a hand blocking a shot against the Penguins. The organization believes he will return after the All-Star Break. Alex Frolov was lost for the season with a torn ACL and MCL and a sprained meniscus in his right knee against St. Louis. Erik Christensen sprained his right knee against the Devils on December 29 and has not played since. Ruslan Fedotenko separated his shoulder in last Wednesday’s 7-0 MSG win over Toronto. Brandon Dubinsky will miss three-to-four weeks with a stress fracture in his left fibula.


Even with the injuries, the Rangers have “found a way to win” as John Tortorella has preached throughout the season. They enter tonight’s game with 59 points and a record of 28-19-3. Much of the success has been attributed to the single-minded mentality that has permeated the room.


“Everybody contributed,” Tortorella said after the win over the Leafs.


Still, the coach wouldn’t mind more production from his most dangerous offensive player, Marian Gaborik. Gaborik has scored 15 goals in 36 games this season. Ten of his goals came in three games against Toronto, Edmonton (a hat trick on November 14) and the Islanders (a hat trick on the Island on December 2).


Tortorella told reporters, “Obviously Gabby getting on track here, hopefully will help his confidence,” after Wednesday’s rout of moribund the moribund Leafs, in which Gaborik scored four goals and finished with five points.


“It feels good, especially after you get the first one. It was a big relief to get the monkey off my back and it kept rolling,” added Gaborik.


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http://www.metro.us/newyork/sports/article/752057--rangers-limp-toward-all-star-break

posted by Denis P. Gorman at 2:05 PM