Rolling in the right direction

The Islanders may not be winning the Stanley Cup or even qualifying for the playoffs anytime soon, but the boys from Long Island are playing like a decent hockey team right now.

After a monumental 3-1 win over the Rangers on October 28, the Islanders have rattled off three more wins, bringing their streak to four straight.

They're tied for fifth in the powerful Atlantic Division and are sixth in the conference. If the playoffs started today, they'd actually be a part of post-season festivities. Obviously, it's still very early and fans aren't expecting much, but the wins are nice and a reminder that hockey still exists on Long Island.

Every aspect of the team is coming together nicely ... special teams, offense, defense, goaltending - it all looks good.

The action continues in Buffalo tonight and in New Jersey on Friday.

Rookie Watch

John Tavares is tied for the team lead in points (11) with Matt Moulson. He is also second with five goals and six assists.

Fisherman jersey one of the worst

For Halloween this year, ESPN ran a top 10 list of the worst sports jerseys ever. Featured on the list was the Islanders' fisherman jersey from the 1990s - it was No. 8. I actually own one of these jerseys and have not put it on in over 10 years.

No one really knows why the organization chose the Gorton's fisherman as its mascot for those select group of seasons, but the chant "fishsticks" really stuck after that. Taking the top spot on ESPN's list was the Vancouver Canucks jersey from 1978-1985. There was a huge red and yellow V, for Vancouver, on the chest.

For some great info on NHL jerseys, check out NHLUniforms.com.

Isles honor my mom, win big

It was a perfect night at the Nassau Coliseum. I celebrated my birthday, the Islanders beat the Rangers and my mother was honored during a ceremony in the first period.

About six weeks ago, I submitted my mom Annmarie's cancer-survivor story to the Islanders for a program they were running. She beat leukemia better than the Islanders could ever beat the Rangers. The best stories were selected and the survivors were honored last night at the 14-minute mark of the first period. It just so happened to be a game against the hated Rangers and fell on my birthday - making it a great time. There were about 10 guests, who stood where the zambonis enter and exit the ice, and waved at the camera as their names and hometowns were said over the loudspeaker. It was nice.

But, with the Islanders owning a less-than-stellar record thus far, the prospects of winning the game were slim. Things started gloomy in the first period when "Lets Go Rangers!" chants echoed through the bowels of the decrepit mausoleum.

The hits were good, the crowd intensity seemed acceptable - even with Game 1 of the World Series going on at the same time - and by the end of the second period the Islanders had a 2-1 lead. Lead, however, doesn't seem to be a word in the Islanders vocabulary because they regularly let up any inkling of winning in the third period.

The new Golden Boy, John Tavares, scored one of the biggest goals in his young career, giving the Islanders insurance and a 3-1 advantage with minutes remaining. As the seconds ticked away on the clock and Rangers fans everywhere bowed their heads in shame, the night turned out to be magnificent.

(Photo: Myself (l.), mom Annmarie and brother Bryan)

Higgins still goaless for NYR

Through 11 games this season, new Rangers forward Chris Higgins is still scoreless. Though this blog is mainly about the Islanders, I will write about things pertaining to Long Island hockey and since Higgins hails from Smithtown on Long Island, it's worth a mention that he has not scored with his new team, yet.

He has registered two assists thus far, but he is barely noticeable. So much so, that Rangers coach John Tortorella dropped Higgins to a lower line last week. He's in a new setting, closer to home, on a better team. There aren't many excuses for the fifth-year vet. He averaged 20 goals or more in his first three seasons and scored 12 last year, but missed most of the season with a shoulder injury.

On Wednesday, the Rangers will play the Islanders at the Coliseum. Maybe a trip further east will do the Long Island native some good.

Isles go digital with programs

Like many sports affiliated organizations as of late, the Islanders have gone completely digital with their game programs. It's a cost cutting move that has the old school fans flustered.

For those who can actually use a computer, it's unique. You can turn the pages of the digital program and it's laid out just like the old programs. If you happen to go to the Coliseum anytime soon, there are still a few of the last printed programs laying around. It's the May/June edition that has photo features from the 2008-09 season. Normally they are $5, but these are free. I grabbed a few the other night - could be a collectors item when the team is playing in Kansas.

The digitalization is not a bad move - it makes the team look smart for a change. Now if they can just win a game.

Islanders to Suffolk County now, too

As I eluded to in a previous post, more and more viable (and not so viable) locations for the Islanders will be thrown into the news every so often, with the Lighthouse ordeal in limbo. This week, Newsday featured a story about the team moving to Suffolk County, which would be a home run for me and all of us in Eastern, Long Island.

"If it does fall apart in Nassau, we would pursue it," Suffolk County executive Steve Levy told Newsday. "If [Charles Wang] is ready to talk to us, we'll be willing to work with him very vigorously. If you change the personalities on the local level, it could make all the difference in the world."

Levy said there are "three or four" possible locations for the Islanders, but did not mention where. Many figure the Pilgrim State Psychiatric Center property in Brentwood could work. It's been rumored that the county has been interested in bringing a minor league hockey team to Yaphank, also. I highly doubt the Islanders would go that far out onto the island, though.

There is also Kansas, Oklahoma, Quebec, Queens and Brooklyn as possible locations. More to come as the story expands in the coming months.

(Photo from Newsday, of Steve Levy and Lighthouse diagram)

Wang, Lighthouse still on

Charles Wang has not made up his mind yet - as many expected would be the case after Nassau County abused the October 3 deadline he set for the Lighthouse Project.

He released a statement yesterday that explained his current situation with the project. The statement came as a result from an article that appeared in the less than glamorous Long Island Press about Wang's plan to abandon the project altogether.

“Yesterday’s report on the Lighthouse Project which appeared in the Long Island Press is untrue. There are no plans to abandon this project which is so vital to the future of Nassau County and Long Island as a whole," he said. "As far as the status of the Lighthouse project, we have submitted to The Town of Hempstead and Supervisor Kate Murray all the studies and required documents. A lease has been negotiated. Supervisor Murray and the Town Board need to make a decision on the zoning."

Furthermore, Wang said, "Long Island stands in this defining moment waiting for an answer. Yes or no. Moving forward, we will not discuss any meetings in the media. Any reports of meetings should be considered untrue. My heart is still on Long Island. I love Long Island. This is where the Islanders belong. Let's play hockey."

This soap opera song and dance will continue some more - let's up the ending is more happy than dramatic.

Dipietro makes big stride

It's sad when you all you have to look forward to is your injured goalie's rehab schedule. But that's the case for most Islanders fans early in the season. John Tavares is great to watch, but he's no Rick Dipietro - not yet, anyway.

For a short time, Dipietro was just taking shots on one end of the ice in a controlled environment from one teammate at a time. Yesterday, he took live shots with six skaters on the ice. He took breakaways, random shots from all over the ice and was flawless, according to Newsday reporter Mark Herrmann.

"It's your job as a professional athlete, when you're coming off an injury, to do as much as possible without setting yourself back; giving yourself the best opportunity to come back better than when you went down," Dipietro told Newsday. "I personally am not going to be satisfied if when I come back I'm not playing at the level I'm accustomed to be playing at."

Killer B's keep Isles winless

Another game, another overtime bout and another loss for the Islanders. They started off strong against one of the Eastern Conference's top teams, but Long Island's gang had a terrible finish and was forced to play into overtime and lost again, for the third time this season in three games.

In her Newsday blog "Isles Files," Islanders beat writer Katie Strang had some interesting quotes from the team about the latest loss. They're optimistic to say the least.

"Where it was eight minutes this year," head coach Scott Gordon said about how long the mishaps took place, "it would've been 45 minutes last year. And worse."

Team captain Doug Weight said he and his teammates visualized an attack on the fight home, which involves aggressive forechecking, backchecking hard up the middle and smart decisions with the puck in the offensive zone, Strang wrote.

They may be losses, but the Isles did grab three points in three games. It's better than getting creamed 5-0 and losing in the first period.

Another close battle

There's something about the Senators that makes me nervous. Ever since I was younger and the Islanders went years it seems without beating the boys from the North, I've had a sour taste in my mouth. So much that losing to them now is just a numbing experience. I'm indifferent about playing them today.

Last night, however, things changed. Down 2-0 and looking like the Islanders of old in the second period, Kyle Okposo, the young and brazen leader of this team, scored his first goal of the season. Matt Moulson tied the game at 2 in the third period and the Isles escaped regulation with a tie for the second time this year.

Ottawa's Mike Fisher scored just 32 seconds into overtime to leave the game with a 3-2 outcome.

It shows that the Islanders are willing to battle and stretch the ice, to protect with a deficit and be conservative with a tie. If they are playing this poised at such a callow point in the season, then in time good things will come.

Notes:

-Doug Weight made his season debut

-Martin Biron started in net for the first time this year

-Rookie John Tavares had an assist on the game-tying goal (1g, 2a for the year)

Isles to Queens?

It's just a possible situation - the first of many to come over the next month or so- but Charles Wang already has one offer, just days after he told Kate Murray and the Town of Hempstead to pounce off.

The plan, presented by Queens Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President Jack Friedman, would have the Islanders playing in Willets Point, Queens, close to where the Mets play at Citi Field.

"Option number 1 should be Queens," Friedman told Newsday. "We are ready for him. You're talking about a property that has access to the Long Island railroad, the subway system, the airports. It already has a huge parking lot because of Citi Field. It already has the parkway access. It's so ready for a development like this. The Lighthouse project would be a perfect fit.""

Friedman believes a potential new home for the Islanders would fit perfectly as a centerpiece in the city's plans for the Willets Point area, he told Newsday. If the plan was accepted - which is a longshot right now based on the entire situation, which is turning out to be a debacle - then it would not have an official ground-breaking for a few years. This is fine since the Islanders have a lease agreement at the Nassau Coliseum until 2015 anyway.

The positives are that fans from Suffolk County still have about a 45 minute drive to see the Islanders - it's just straight down the LIE, instead of taking Northern State to the Meadowbrook to Hempstead Turnpike. It's also nice for Mets and Islanders fans to house both of their teams in a similar area, like many other cities do. If only the New York Jets played in New York - that's an entirely different story, for an entirely different blog.

(Photo on StadiumPage.com - shows a revitalization shot of Willets Point with Citi Field on the left and a fictional stadium for possibly hockey on the right)

Dipietro left out of opening day

For those Islanders fans wondering why Rick Dipietro's name was not mentioned during the introductions for the home opener on Saturday night, it's because team officials made a mistake and left him off the list of injured players.

There were a handful of players wearing suits, who stepped onto the ice and gave a wave, including captain Doug Weight, but Dipietro was not one of them. According to Newsday's Katie Strang, "Rick DiPietro absolutely did not decline to be a part of last night's introduction ceremony."

Islanders president Chris Dey told Strang, "We made a mistake and left Rick out of the introductions. It was nothing intentional, but we are glad to hear that fans wanted to hear him introduced by the team. We are all looking forward to his return to the lineup."

It's a minor mistake, but many fans were curious about their beloved goalie.

Isles opener a thrilling contest

It's only Game 1 and it resulted in a loss, but the Islanders put on a good show for opening night at the Coliseum.

John Tavares had a heck of a debut, scoring his first career NHL goal and recording his first assist. He also missed a key breakaway, flubbed a shot in the sudden death shootout and whiffed on two shots from the left flank on power play situations. The good thing is that he was able to get himself in those situations and through time, he'll make good on those opportunities.

The crowd was electric - more so than any other regular season game at the Coliseum in the last five years. That was expected.

As for the game, no one was expecting the Islanders to pull out a win, but for most of the contest- all while surprisingly being out shot - it seemed like they were going to prevail. But just when the win started to sink in, with 3:45 left the Penguins scored to tie it at 3. And so it goes, the Islanders will have a long season as always. It might not be as bad as last year, but don't expect fireworks.

On a positive note, Kyle Okposo looked great - no signs of a concussion from two weeks ago. The team's physicality was remarkable, especially after many ripped the organization for not going after tough guys in the off-season. There were two fights, two scrums that were almost fights and numerous big hits from Islanders.

During the game I got an email from the organization saying weekend game tickets are buy one, get one free for the first half of the season (Only if you received this special email). I don't know if that's a good thing to see, or not, but if every game was like last night's I'll be happy.

The Lighthouse

Charles Wang announced that he'll be looking into other options for the Islanders, officially after not hearing by the October 3 deadline about the Lighthouse Project. Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray said she will be having a discussion with Wang on Monday afternoon to talk about amending the proposed plan. Wang was not happy and 2015 could be the last year of the Islanders if something doesn't change drastically.

Opening night, deadlines loom

Tomorrow is the deadline for Charles Wang's Lighthouse project - which just so happens to be the opening game of the 2009-10 season for the Islanders. It's day that could possibly live in infamy for Isles fans. Only time will tell.

A day after a lease was announced that will keep the Islanders at the Nassau Coliseum until 2030, Islanders fans and Long Island enthusiasts are anxious to see what will happen by tomorrow. Will the Town of Hempstead wake up and come to an agreement with Wang? Will Wang become angered and do something drastic if Kate Murray says the Town is not interested in the Lighthouse?

Here are some key points about the deadline and what Wang may or may not do:

-He could sell the team, but the Islanders would have to remain at the Coliseum until 2015, the year the current lease expires.

-He could move the team after 2015. According to Newsday, he has about eight offers to house the team from places like Queens, Brooklyn and Kansas to Hartford and Hamilton, Ontario.

-He could take a punch to the gut, do absolutely nothing and wait for the Town to make any sort of decision.

Stay tuned for a weekend post about opening night on Saturday against the Penguins. It should be a fun time - win or lose.

Isles add scoring threat

With the season starting very soon, the Islanders, lacking in all categories but in goal, decided to add a scoring threat to the roster.

They claimed former first round draft pick Rob Schremp off waivers from the Oilers yesterday. Schremp, 23, was chosen in the 2004 draft, but has never made the big club's roster. In junior hockey, he was a major offensive threat and the Islanders are hoping he can turn his game around.

"He's a highly skilled, offensively gifted player with great vision. He's at an age where he is still maturing as a hockey player and a person, so there's upside there for our organization," Islanders general manager Garth Snow told Newsday. "To take a chance on a player like this, it seemed like it was a no-brainer to claim Rob."

"It's exciting. It's a new situation and I can't wait to get back on the ice," Schremp said by phone to Newsday. "I'm not expecting anything. I'm going in with open arms and am ready to learn. I just want to stick around and see what happens."

During his final season in the OHL (2005-06), Schremp scored 145 points in 57 games. Don't expect him to put up those numbers in the NHL - or anywhere near them - but he is in a fresh situation on a beautiful island that seems ready for some strong hockey.

(Photo courtesy NHL)

Isles weak by NHL.com preview standards

The NHL.com staff has been previewing teams for the past couple of weeks and when it came time for the Islanders to get some love - they got anything but that. Could you expect less? No, because that's how bad they really are.

The Isles were almost dead last in all major offensive categories in the Eastern Conference last season. Writing previews that hold John Taveres on a pedestal is nice for the fans, giving them hope for the future, but will he really make a difference? Let's hope so Islanders faithful.

The Canadian scoring prodigy, who broke Gretzky's records at one point in junior hockey, has the weight of the world on him - and that's no pun since Doug Weight has been his mentor with the Isles through training camp.

The Isles need to improve on face-off percentage, road wins, defensive scoring, power play and penalty kill efficiency, and just about everything in between. With thousands of tickets still available for the season-opener this Saturday against the Penguins, nothing has really changed on the island. The Lighthouse hasn't been agreed upon, the Islanders are still the bottom-feeders of the NHL and John Tavares hasn't done anything yet. Call me a pessimist or feel the pain of being an Islanders fan. Maybe things will change on Saturday.

(Photo from FanHouse)

Long Island's Scuderi brings Cup home

This might be old news, but since the Thin Ice blog did not exist over the summer when this occurred, I felt it would be good to mention ...

Rob Scuderi became the first Long Island native to bring the Stanley Cup to the island and have his name engraved on the trophy. It was raised at the Coliseum when the Islanders won in the early 1980s, but this was unparalleled when Scuderi, who hails from Syosset and attended St. Anthony's High School in South Huntington, brought the Cup all over the island, including Newbridge Park in Bellmore, where he played recreationally.

"We'd have three-minute shifts, then the buzzer would sound and that was the end of the shift -- even if you were on a breakaway," he told Newsday in July. "This is where I'm from, where I started playing hockey. I wanted to bring it back here."

Scuderi won the Cup with Pittsburgh last season, but signed with the Los Angeles Kings this past off-season.

Hockey in KC - not a good idea

It was only a pre-season game, but by the looks of the crowd in Kansas City last night when the Islanders came to town, the 9,000-plus fans in attendance is a good benchmark for what it would be like in the regular season.

Ironically, the Coliseum looked awfully similar last season and by mid-season this year, will probably look the same. On a day when Islanders fans stormed the Adams Playhouse at Hofstra University to support their team and the Lighthouse initiative, the Isles were hundreds of miles away losing to the Kings, 4-2, in a foreign land.

A few days earlier the Islanders were in Saskatchewan - also far and foreign to Long Islanders. Let's hope that's the last time the Isles play in K.C. - aside from pre-season tune-up contests.

Okposo hurt in pre-season

Flames defenseman Dion Phaneuf knocked Kyle Okposo out of a pre-season game with a vicious hit the other night. Phaneuf left his feet at the Credit Union Centre to land the hit.

Okposo doesn't even remember the incident and was rolled off the ice on a stretcher.

"I don't want to get into whether it was dirty or not," Okposo told Newsday. "It's part of the game and it's an unfortunate situation. Obviously, it's frustrating. You want to play--I'm a competitive guy and I want to be on the ice--but in this circumstance that can't happen."

There is no room for hits like that in the pre-season and the league should review film from that game.

(Photo courtesy NYI)

Isles close practices to public

For the first time Islanders fans will not be able to attend team practices at Iceworks in Syosset. As a young fan I can remember attending practices multiple times and leaving very happy having met all of the former top players and getting autographs like they were going out of style.

I understand the team wants to take a different approach since they had the top draft pick and want to move in a more positive direction, but leaving the fans out of practices will not help that cause. It's just going to make people angry. Maybe once they start winning they can change their policy. Why is it, that the Islanders always seem to do things backwards?

Training camp underway

The Islanders are holding training camp in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, a foreign land to Long Islanders, but a quiet respite to fine tune the dormant game of Islanders players anxious to begin a new season.

John Tavares has seemed comfortable thus far, Rick Dipietro is taking shots in net for the first time in over a year and everyone seems to be having a good time, according to reports from multiple news sources.

On Wednesday night, the rookies will take an hour bus ride to Prince Albert, Saskatchewan to play the local university there.

On another note, don't forget about the Lighthouse Zoning hearing Sept. 22 at Hofstra University's Adams Playhouse. It starts at 9 a.m.

Murray gives Wang mandates for Lighthouse

In possibly her best move yet, Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray gave Islanders owner Charles Wang a list of mandates regarding the Lighthouse situation.

Last Friday, she sent him a letter saying she does not care for the October 3rd deadline, which Wang set. "As is always the case in town board decision-making, getting it done right is more important than getting it done fast," Murray told Newsday.

The mandates are:

-Making sure the Islanders play only at the Nassau Coliseum

-Prohibits Wang from seeking tax abatements, which affect the millions of dollars in taxes the project would generate

-Wang has to employ local workers and pay them prevailing wages

-Wang can not sell his development rights after winning zoning approval

Although many have painted a picture of Murray being the bad person in this mess, after stating these mandates, she clearly grabbed the hearts of Islanders fans by making sure the team stays on the island and that the initiative favors the needs of Long Island and its citizens.

(Photo Courtesy NYI)

Webb riding for good cause

When I was growing up, watching the Islanders of old in the early part of this decade, there were a handful of players that I admired. One was Steve Webb, who fought hard every shift, and played with a blue-collar attitude with which so many Long Islanders could relate.

I was not surprised when I saw the main story on the Islanders website this morning. Webb, the founder of the W20 Foundation, is going to bike from Petersborough, Ontario Canada to Uniondale, NY - a 650 mile journey.

With a goal of riding about 65 miles a day, Webb, who works in the Islanders player development department, will raise money and awareness for Long Island youth hockey players and "give them the ability to receive a partial scholarship towards either a specialized high school program and/or an undergraduate course of study at an accredited college or university," according to the team's website. He also teamed up with the Baycrest Foundation for Alzheimer's care and research awareness and part of the money will go to the cause. Well done, Steve.

(Photo Courtesy NYI)

Isles Streit meets Federer at Open

Fans wandering around Arthur Ashe at the U.S. Open the other night probably walked right past Islanders All-Star Mark Streit. He didn't care. He was there for the same reason they were - to see Roger Federer. His native Swiss countryman took time from his busy tennis schedule to meet and greet the Islanders sharp-shooter.

"He's a king," Streit told the Islanders PR staff.

Streit has been playing tennis since he was a toddler. He and Federer spoke about the differences between their sports.

(Photo Courtesy NYI)

The tale of three goalies

Most Islanders fans are anxious to see what will happen with the goaltending situation this season. Rick Dipietro, the first overall pick in the 2000 NHL Draft, and a fan favorite on the island, has been plagued by injuries conveniently after signing a record 15-year, $67.5 million contract in 2006. General manager Garth Snow - a former Islanders goalie himself - brought in two viable candidates to fill the spot between the posts until Dipietro can actually play consistently. It is unknown when he'll be back full-time after rehabbing his knee.

For insurance, Snow brought in Martin Biron, 32, and Dwayne Roloson, 39. Biron is 199-162 in 12 NHL seasons and sports an impressive 2.59 career Goals Against Average (GAA). He played for Buffalo from 1995-2007 and Philly from part of the 2006-2007 season until last year. Roloson is 167-198 since he broke into the league in 1996 with Calgary. He's played for the Flames, Sabres, Blues, Wild and most recently the Oilers and has a career GAA of 2.62.

Both goalies will help answer any questions about depth at the position and give the team a much-needed veteran presence in the locker room and on the ice. Dipietro or not, the Islanders will be set in net.

(Photos courtesy NYI: Biron (l.), Roloson (r.))

Journeyman Sillinger retires

Mike Sillinger is the epitome of the journeyman hockey player. Last week, Sillinger, after 17 seasons in the NHL, retired. He played 141 games with the Islanders and finished his career on the island.

He was drafted by the Red Wings back in 1989 and played with a record 12 teams: Anaheim, Vancouver, Philly, Tampa, Florida, Ottawa, Columbus, Phoenix, St. Louis, Nashville and New York. He played in 1,049 games, scored 240 goals and assisted on 308 others.

Had the Islanders not been in such a devastating state, his final seasons in the league may have been more fruitful, but that was not the case.

(Photo Courtesy Islanders)

Lighthouse zoning hearing same day as KC game

Is it a coincidence? I think not. After waiting over 25 days for the Town of Hempstead to schedule a date for the Lighthouse zoning hearing, Town Supervisor Kate Murray finally chose Tuesday, September 22 as the day. It will consist of three sessions (9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.). They will be held at Hofstra's Adams Playhouse in the middle of campus.

The catch? September 22 is also the day the Islanders are scheduled to play their pre-season game in Kansas City - also a city rumored to want an NHL team. Thank you very much Ms. Murray for pissing Islanders nation off, once again. If this Lighthouse proposal does not go through, don't expect Ms. Murray's political career to advance any further than it already has. While it's commendable that she is the first woman to serve as Town of Hempstead Supervisor, let's hope for her sake that she gains another re-election when this term is up. Only the vote will tell.

There is also a "yes or no" time stamp scheduled for October 3, for which the team needs an answer about the project. That's also opening night for the Islanders, who host the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins.

(Photo courtesy LighthouseLI.com)

Isles to honor cancer survivors

In a subject close to my heart - since my mother has recently battled and fought leukemia - the Islanders will take time to honor cancer survivors during the month of October. Sponsored by OSI Pharmaceuticals, the team will look to "increase cancer awareness by telling the inspirational stories of the numerous cancer survivors that support the team," according to an Islanders press release.

Fans can submit stories of their own battle or from someone they know, in order to be considered for free tickets on October 28 - a Hockey Fights Cancer game - against the Rangers. Click here for more information on this.

(Photo courtesy of the Islanders website)

Isles innovative with "Cup of Coffee" posts

Many people are still trying to get used to reading news on the Internet - some may never go to the dark side. The Islanders' online media staff has taken it upon themselves to launch small news blurbs called "NYI Cup of Coffee," so fans do not have to sit and read full-length stories.

The image to the right is what appears on the Islanders' website. Click here to see an example of this coffee blurb.

Newsday has new Isles beat reporter

Katie Strang (not pronounced Strange) replaced Greg Logan on the Islanders' beat at Newsday earlier this month. It has been years since Alan Hahn covered the team - my early favorite writer and a die-hard Islanders fan - so for me, Katie has big shoes to fill. Not Logans (although he did a solid job covering the team), but Hahns.

So far, Strang has done a good job with the limited coverage she can provide in the summer. A graduate of Michigan State and Columbia University's J-School, Strang is on the fast track. She barely spent anytime on the high school staff, where other journalism careers have died at Newsday.

I have covered college lacrosse games with Strang at Stony Brook on a number of occasions and she always spoke the loudest and asked the most thought-provoking questions. Based on that, I know she'll do the same with her new beat.

Good luck, Katie!

Higgins, Gilroy playing for Blue Shirts

Matt Gilroy and Chris Higgins share something in common with me - they're Long Island natives. They are also separated by one distinct measuring point that creates enemies - they are members of the New York Rangers.

Higgins, who hails from Smithtown and was recently acquired by the Rangers from Montreal, grew up a die-hard Habs fan, so playing for the Blue Shirts isn't as sweet as it sounds. However, when I spoke to Higgins last month he was more than thrilled to be playing for one of the Original Six teams.

Gilroy, who is from North Bellmore, finished a stellar career at Boston University, leading the Terriers to a national title and grabbing the Hobey Baker Award as the nation's top college hockey player. He signed with the Rangers shortly after his unthinkable senior season.

Both Higgins and Gilroy have very likable personalities. It's a shame they aren't playing for the other New York hockey team - the one on their native island. But, they are both happy with their place in the hockey world. They both have also been working out and skating at The Rinx in Hauppauge over the summer.

So, Islanders fans, when you are watching the Islanders-Rangers games this year and see Higgins and Gilroy on the ice, be proud. Don't hate on them - just the rest of the team.

Isles send out game operations survey

If you subscribe to the Islanders Insider email service - which rarely sends interesting emails - this week you got a note asking you to fill out a "game operations" survey. So, here are the questions and my answers to each one:

They are rated on a scale of 1-5 (1 being very dissatisfied and 5 being very satisfied).

1. The music played at Islanders games, such as warm-up music, songs on whistles, audio prompts, and pump-up songs: I said 4, which is satisfied. It's fine. The experience is good because it's a hockey game of NHL quality. It's not mind-blowing and I've seen better, but it is sufficient.

2. The quality and frequency of the live organ: I said 3, neutral. It's good, but I could always use a little more. I was at Citi Field for a Mets game the other day and the organist was amazing, playing 70s and 80s songs with the natural organ flair. We need more of that at the Nassau Coliseum.

3. The intermission t-shirt giveaways, such as the t-shirt guns and the 12-barrel gatling cannon: I said 2. Once again, just fine. I just caught a t-shirt in the Pepsi Porch upperdeck area of Citi Field's right field. It was a real blast from the on-field gun. The Coliseum Ice Girls, who are responsible for the t-shirt throws, need to bring more shirts, take bigger blasts and spread the wealth. People love swag, especially after paying the disgustingly high prices for tickets nowadays.

4. The 1st intermission Ball Blaster cannon: I said 3. Why? Because I don't even know what this is. This means get rid of it. There is no need for ball blasting in the NHL - or anywhere for that matter.

5. The usage, quality, and frequency of replays on the video board: 5. I always enjoy a good replay and the Coliseum staff is usually on the mark with their visualization queues.

6. The pre-game opening sequence, from the Ice Girls with Islanders flags to the open video, to the National Anthem with the giant American flag: 5. This is good. They could pick better people to sing the National Anthem sometimes, but of the 41 home games almost each one features someone decent.

7. In-arena host, Rich Barrabi, and the pre-game and intermission game analysis and player interviews: 3. I'm only neutral because C.J. Papa did the in-game video interviews for the last two seasons and rumor has it that he is no longer with the team. So, I need to see Rich a little more before I got and give him a 4 or 5.

8. The usage and frequency of noise meters, noise prompts, and the general atmosphere at Islanders games: 4. The meters are used enough. I could care less about what they say. For years, crowds were able to make noise and be sufficient without an electronic meter on a fancy scoreboard telling us that the crowd is cheering loud. That's what my ears are used for.

9. The exposure of the NHL out-of-town scores and the NHL highlights shown pre-game and during both intermissions on the video board: 5. This has gotten better in recent years with various smaller video boards being placed around the Coliseum.

10. The intermission on-ice games, such as the Human Puck Shoot, Nathan's Hot Dog Race, and the American Airlines' Fly Away game: 2. Generally, people are interested, but I'm not. It's the same stuff over and over again, every game, for years. I really want to see something new and fresh. These events are not major parts of the Coliseum or Islanders culture - they're just space fillers that no one cares about.

11. The Kid's Day game experience and the NHL and local mascots in attendance: 2. I've never seen "local mascots" at an Islanders game. I've seen the Islanders' sorry excuse for a mascot - Sparky the Dragon - but nothing else. I also don't see much for kids to do.

12. The in-game texting features, such as text-2-screen, pix-2-screen, and the second intermission song poll: 2. I've tried this feature - both good and bad texts, but have never had one appear on the screen. Sometimes, I feel like it's all an intricate way the team can get money from the phone companies. So many of the texts keep reappearing from time to time, like it never was meant to add new texts in the first place.

13. The in-game trivia contests, such as Tongue Twister Trivia, Hollywood Line Trivia, and Name That Islander: 5. Half the time an average fan gets an easy question and still manages to screw it up.

14. The overall Islanders game entertainment experience: 3. Maybe I am being generous with a 3, but the Islanders and everything about the organization is really anything but top-notch. Things should be different this season with John Tavares on the ice and a core of solid goal tenders (we'll get to them in the weeks to come), but in recent years I have not had much enthusiasm to attend games.

Good job by the organization to ask these survey questions, but let's see if the answers die-hard fans provide actually help change policy.

Islanders featured on HBO's Entourage, again

Long Island native Kevin Connolly, who plays the role of "E" in HBO's fantastic series "Entourage" showed more love to his hometown Islanders in last Sunday's episode.

An Islanders logo appeared on his computer desktop at Murray Berenson's office building - E's new place of work.

It's not strange that E is seen wearing an Islanders hat or shirt on the show. In fact, Connolly, who hails from Patchogue, NY, does it in real life. He also dropped the ceremonial first puck at a game last season. My girlfriend, who used to work for Starbucks, served him once and he was wearing an Isles shirt then, too. He signed a coffee cup for me "Chris, Best Wishes!!! Kevin Connolly." Had he signed it "Let's Go Islanders!" it probably would have brought a tear to my eye.

Anxiously waiting for NHL season to start

How many of you are anxiously waiting for the new hockey season to begin? Maybe it's just me because my beloved Mets are God-awful and the boys of summer from Queens just don't cut it anymore. Perhaps it's the desire to see John Tavares suit up for the Isles and bring some credibility back to the ice (the Draft Party was amazing by the way). Perhaps it's the uneasy tension from the Lighthouse situation - with the ever-so-possible idea of the Islanders actually moving off Long Island - to Kansas of all places?!

There are so many on-ice and off-ice situations plaguing the organization that it creates for some interesting story lines. Through it all, the true die-hard Islanders fans have stuck by their team and will continue to do so, no matter what.

With that, I will try and give my honest opinion about the Islanders with this blog. I will bring a citizenly report on all the happenings of the team. It helps that I am a sportswriter from Long Island and have connections to the team, but will still be objective as much as possible.