Its well after 11 o'clock and I have just returned from the Coliseum after having watched the Isles lose in OT to the Panthers by a score of 4-3. I felt the Islanders show great resiliency by coming back from behind three times to steal a point from the Panthers. The Isles did so by capitalizing on the man advantage twice. The final goal was executed beautifully as Park fed Sillinger who hit Guerin who notched the goal. The play developed from the neutral zone.
The press conferences that followed the game, however, had very little to do with the game; instead they had to do with DP's pads. In fact, as soon as Nolan hit the podium he was peppered with questions about them. It seemed like some of the beat writers were salivating to get at him. Rick himself was asked myriad questions about the pads. It was very difficult to ascertain what happened from the vantage point of the stands, but this is what I learned from DP's Q & A session. Apparently Rick had been breaking in new pads as of late, and had used them for the first time in a game tonight. However, at some point either during or just after the first period, it somehow became known that Rick had not cleared the pads with the NHL, which was required. He was forced to change pads, and unfortunately, there may now be a suspension looming over DP for the lapse. Rick claimed that the Isles brought this to the attention of the league during the first intermission, but it may have been too late. We'll have to see what happens in the next couple of days.
If you were not at the game, there are some interesting notes. There was a strong vociferous crowd in attendance tonight. Pat Sajak was in attendance as well, and played to the Islander crowd very well during a TV timeout.
And finally, during another TV timeout, Florida Panther color commentator Denis Potvin was recognized by the Islander crowd and received a tremendous ovation. To be honest, that was one of the reasons I attended tonight's game. Any chance I have to show appreciation to number 5, I'll take without hesitation.
Goodnight Islander fans.
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2 comments:
Jim, good seeing you at the game. I hope the drive was worth it for an OT loss. Hey, at least we got a point. Plus, we got to experience something I never thought I'd see at a hockey game...a portion of the crowd chanting "SAJAK, SAJAK!".
The points are always important. And so is the fun the game provides. I saw the way you lit up when Potvin was on the jumbotron. This is all part of bringing the past back to be part of the present, and it's a great move for everyone.
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