What was TSN.ca Thinking…

Fact: At 10:25 PM last night, Chris Botta posted this story on his blog. The story’s title: EXCLUSIVE: GUERIN WILL APPROVE A MOVE

Fact: At 10:30 PM, no one else had this scoop

Fact: At 12:18 AM early this morning, Canada’s sports leader, TSN.ca posted this story on their website. Their title: Source: Islanders' Guerin willing to waive no-move clause

Fact:As of 9:30 AM this morning, TSN.ca’s story did not name their sources. The story’s byline still read: “TSN Staff”.


I’ll continue this blog entry by saying TSN.ca is usually a very reputable source for sports coverage, especially with hockey. It’s hard to match Bob McKenzie and Darren Dreger. If either one of them had this story, they would have been credited with it. And rightfully so.

But it’s all too obvious that their source was Botta’s Islanders Point Blank blog. They just didn’t want to credit a blog with the scoop. If Newsday had it, I’m sure they wouldn’t have had a problem with it.

Unfortunately for TSN.ca, this goes right up there with when “the website that will not be named” back-timed a web story on an old Islanders-Flyers trade in December of 2006 so it appeared they broke it when the truth was a press release was sent out before the anonymous one had it.

Fact: TSN.ca should have played this one better.

For the NYI Media Blog, I’m Corey Witt

Discuss this post at IslanderMania.com

Islanders Bedeviled to MSG Plus 2

With the return of Martin Brodeur, MSG Plus 2 (or the Ocho) will carry the Islander/Toronto game tomorrow night. The Devils have been switched over to MSG Plus 1.

CJ Papa nor Iceburgh, the Penguins mascot, had any influence on this decision. But the picture was taken tonight prior to CJ's first intermission interview with Trent Hunter.

Discuss this post at IslanderMania.com

Crosby Out

Probably not good for the TV ratings, but excellent news for the Orange and Blue: Sidney Crosby has been ruled out for tonight's game.

ATTN: Lighthouse Supporters

Just helping spread the word...

If you don't know what the word is (and no, I'm not talking about Surfin' Bird), this pretty much sums it up.

This is a message sent out via the Facebook Lighthouse support group (1,300-plus groupies and growing!) from Katrina of the Lighthouse Development Group and her blog.

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Lighthouse supporters, On Tuesday, February 24, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. at Town of Hempstead Town Hall, the Town of Hempstead will vote to adopt the scope of the environmental studies for the Lighthouse project. These studies have been completed and will be submitted to the Town in a very short period of time following the adoption of the final scope. Support the project and come to this very important meeting.

For more information, please contact the Lighthouse Development Group at info@lighthouseli.com, or (516) 414-5800. For more information on the Lighthouse project, please visit www.lighthouseli.com or lighthouseliblog.blogspot.com.

Time to Bring the Banner Down…

Newest Islander Dean McAmmond will wear #37. If I remember correctly, it will be the first time someone as worn #37 in a regular season game since Mark Parrish wore it in 2005-06.

Kip Brennan wore it in training camp last season and Mike Iggulden wore it this September. Back in training camp 2006, Johan Halvardsson donned the number.

Thanks to Brian Jones of the NYI Game Ops Dept. for the headshot of Dean.

Parked at 223

Considering the man-games lost to injury over the last two seasons by the Islanders, Richard Park was the only Islander to play in every game.

Since he became an Islander in the fall of 2006, Park has played in every game, all 221 of them.

That put his consecutive games-played streak up to 223. The other two games came with Vancouver in 2005-06.

Park missed tonight's game versus Carolina and is sidelined four weeks with broken ribs.

Congrats, Howie!

Just found out Islanders play-by-play man Howie Rose has been nominated for a NY Sports Emmy for his work on the Islanders/MSG Network telecats.

According to Howie, it's been a while since he's been nominated for his work with the Islanders. To that we say: bad job by the Emmys. Howie is one of the top play-by-play announcers in all of sports -- not just New York.

Howie's partner Billy Jaffe won an NY Emmy last year.

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Don’t Adjust Your TV Set

Part 1

Some internet banter on Islander Mania is correct. There is a different center ice logo at the Coliseum for the second half of the season.

The logo (left) is the third jersey logo… royal blue and with a fourth stripe on the stick of the “NY”. The new NHL logos are also new. A few teams in the NHL have incorporated the League’s shield in their center ice logo and the rumor is that the NHL will make it mandatory next season.

It’s a nice touch for the ice at the Coliseum.


Part 2

From this Sportsnet.ca report:

Altitude Sports & Entertainment announced that it will broadcast the second period of the Montreal Canadiens' visit to Pepsi Center on February 13th in black and white with an "old time" coverage style. The telecast changes are in celebration of the Canadiens’ 100th season playing in the NHL and will give viewers a flashback to what it was like when hockey was first shown on TV.

"Friday night’s old time hockey coverage is a way for us to celebrate the rich history of the NHL and to remind fans of the evolution of live sports television coverage," said Matt Hutchings, Altitude’s EVP/COO. "We hope that fans will enjoy the special broadcast and celebrate this history with us."

Also, a very cool idea.


Conclusion: Retro is “in” these days. From the NBA to the NFL and certainly to the NHL.

This Day in NYI History

On this day in 1985 Bryan Trottier became the first player in NHL history to get 25 goals in each of his first 10 NHL seasons, when he scored twice as the Islanders won 4-1 over the Penguins, on Long Island.

Trotts was one of a couple of Islanders who have graced the cover of Sports Illustrated. Signed copies of this cover and others are for sale every game night at the Game Night Auction located by Gate 16 on the Coliseum’s concourse.

A Founding Father in Tampa

Al Arbour, one of the ultimate Islanders' fathers, is in town tonight for the game with his wife Claire and some friends.

It always great to have Al around. He didn't want come down to the room before the game, but will stop by after. Scott Gordon is looking forward to meeting Al.

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Yup, that was a canon

Sometimes, you can’t make something up this good if you tried.

Today is the annual Gasparilla Pirate Invasion in Tampa. What that means is, the harbor outside of our hotel is full of boats, pirates and drunken people all there to have a good time. Oh yeah, and canons that are going off every other minute.

It’s one big party, which started before we even woke up today. It’s the Mardi Gras of Florida with beads, booze and everything else.

Between the loud music, the cheering, the fireworks and the canons – have I mentioned those yet? -- so much for the pre-game nap!

Oh yeah, there’s at least two boats that keep blowing their horns.

When I stepped into the elevator this morning for breakfast, I rode down with a pirate and two of his lady friends - also dressed up in pirate-eque garb. Very interesting trip for the buffet.

This is quite the experience. At least the dads are enjoying themselves!

(Pictures are 2 views from outside of our hotel...)

This day in NYI history

On this day in 1978, Islanders' rookie Mike Bossy recorded the first hat trick of his NHL career as New York won 6-1 over Washington.

The photo to the left was taken by should-be and hopefully one day NHL Hall-of-Fame photographer Bruce Bennett. Bruce lists it as one of his favorite photos that he took.

And no folks, that's not Photoshop. The stick was actually on fire for that shoot.

NHL Anthems

Watching Jennifer Hudson’s wonderful rendition of the US National Anthem last night before the Super Bowl got me thinking about the best anthems in NHL rinks.

Only a handful of teams have one anthem singer who regular sings on an every-game basis. And three of them just so happen to be the tops in the league. Here they are:

Lauren Hart – Philadelphia Flyers
Lyndon Slewidge – Ottawa Senators
John Amarante – NY Rangers

There hasn’t been a better anthem sung in the Coliseum since Carl Dixon did it for the 2002 playoff games versus Toronto. Did the amazing atmosphere help? Yeah, but I also think his anthem added to the atmosphere of that series even more.

It’s all up for debate because everyone has their own taste and opinion.

If you ask hockey fans what there greatest hockey memory is, some will say it was the 1991 NHL All-Star Game in Chicago when Wayne Messmer sang the Anthem at Chicago Stadium. It occurred just a few days after the United States went into Iraq at the start of the Gulf War. The crowd reaction was so great, his voice was nearly drowned out by the fans.

Anthems are always great when the crowd really gets into by themselves and can carry the song by themselves. Alanis Morissette sang ‘O Canada in the Stanley Cup Finals in 2007 with crowd support. Edmonton did the same thing the year before and it was just as amazing. (6:50 into the clip)

Lauren Hart’s rendition is my favorite because not only is it spectacular, but she sings it for almost every game. Consistency has a large part to do with it. It’s something I always wished the Islanders had. Fans really get behind an anthem singer they hear every game. Flyers fans often think of Lauren as just as important piece of the team as the starting goaltender that there's booing.

I really like what we’re doing with the Organist (and no vocals) at the Coliseum. I think it can catch on and if the fans get behind it, it would have the potential to be tops in the league.

But again, an anthem is all about personal taste. Someone in the office just said they though Whitney Houston sounded horrible at Super Bowl 25.