Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Short Shift

Unless you care about the outcome of the HUMMER Metro Ice Challenge, it looks as if the season will wind down with a whimper instead of a bang. Looking at the schedule back in September, we couldn't help but salivate over the tasty morsels the league's schedule-makers were bringing us in April; 2 Rangers games and a Devils tilt.

Back then we looked ahead and wondered, 'Would the Isles need to beat the Rangers or Devils to make the playoffs?'...'Would they already be in a playoff spot, but have a chance to knock one of our rivals out?' Perhaps some season ending drama like last season, we thought and hoped. Now the schedule looks like a cruel joke as our two metro-area hockey brethren will be heading into the postseason while we stay home.

Tonight's (4/1) game versus Los Diablos is not entirely without meaning or milestones, though. Unfortunately, not all of them are so good:

* Joey MacDonald will start in goal for the Isles. He'll be looking for his first win as an Islander.

* Should the Isles lose the game in regulation, they are practically assured of finishing in the Bottom Five of the league. Get your lucky draft hats out of the closet.

* Should Mike Comrie not record another point this season (and what is going on with him?) it will be the lowest non-strike year offensive output by an Isles leading scorer ever. Comrie is at 49 points, with the lowest efforts in a season being Billy Harris' (1972-73) and Ziggy Palffy's (1998-99) 50 point seasons. Mind you, Palffy played in only 50 games that year. So yes, this season's team is sinking to depths not seen since expansion.

What it all means is: Garth, bring us offense!

3 comments:

Eye on the Island said...

comrie is done for the year with an injury. Spoke with an islanders employee the other day and he filled me in.

Anonymous said...

Thanks. I kinda lost that in the shuffle.

Hello said...

I really liked Joey Mac's style in this game. He seems in control.