What More Can I Say?

In the six seasons that I have covered this team, I feel as if have written this post over and over. Nothing ever changes.

Whether it was Ted Nolan, Scott Gordon, or current Head Coach Jack Capuano, we fans and media were led to believe that the New York Islanders have the talent to win, it just needs to come together.

The fact of the matter is that the Islanders have some talent, but they have almost no depth, and are the only team I know of that have only two, maybe three (if you count Michael Grabner), dependable scorers.

Folks, John Tavares and Matt Moulson aren't going to do it alone. Something needs to change.

The record is skipping, and nobody is willing to pick up the needle.

The Islanders are funny. They tease you. They play well on the road; they are lost at home. How can you expect your fans to come out, support you, and create an atmosphere of formidability if you never provide anything to attract them with?

This year's team is 2-7 on home ice. Both Capuano and Tavares told me tonight they can't figure out why. Just over 10,000 fans trekked through the turnstiles on a Sunday night to see this product. No members of the Blog Box besides myself bothered to suffer through another blown lead (4-2 to Carolina).

I don't know what is going to change this cycle that the Islanders are perpetually stuck in. A new head coach? General Manager? Team owner? The move to Brooklyn?

I can't put all the blame on Capuano. However he did tell us after the game that his squad was "lazy" and there were "passengers." But he has been trotting out this line for weeks. Why hasn't it been corrected?

It is inexplicable how players like Kyle Okposo, Mark Streit, Keith Aucoin (recently), Marty Reasoner, and so on can just disappear for stretches of games. Even worse, they're out of the locker room before the media even gets inside.

At least face the music, guys.

Something is going to change, I can tell you that much. It will probably be Jack Capuano's head that gets the proverbial axe. Doug Weight will most likely take over in an interim basis, perhaps eventually permanently. He's a fiery guy, from what we've seen, but honestly, I'm not sure Scotty Bowman could get these guys going right now.

Twenty minute stretches of quality hockey don't win games. They certainly don't get teams into the playoffs. And right now, in their current state, the Islanders aren't doing either.

***
News and Notes:

- John Tavares scored his league-leading 13th goal in the opening period. Linemate Matt Moulson netted his tenth of the season.

- Kevin Poulin made his season debut for the Islanders, performing ably in the loss. He made some terrific saves throughout, stopping 24 Hurricane shots.

- Trenton, New Jersey native Bobby Sanguinetti scored his first National Hockey League goal at 10:17 of the third period. It proved to be the game winner.

- Kyle Okposo played 13:13 and recorded three shots on goal. He has one lone goal in 19 games this season.