Yes! Islanders

The New York Islanders open their first playoff series since 2007 tonight, with a lineup full of playoff newbies. Their opponent not only finished first in the Eastern Conference, it's also marked by stars (though Sidney Crosby is still out for Game 1), experienced playoff veterans, and even a couple of former team captains looking to seize glory in reduced roles on a contender.

History… is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake.
Philip Roth

Photo crredit (AP) – well – some people will be jumping off ledges now that #16 is back in the lineup

Well…..

Marty Reasoner is back…..

According to Arthur Staple in Newsday:

 

 

“With the lineup we have and the youth we have, I feel it’s a good situation to have Marty Reasoner back in there,” Capuano said. “I think Marty can do the job for us, no question.”

Penguins in 5 …. Penguins in 6 …. Penguins in 5 ….. bla, bla bla

I am a realist. I know what the New York Islanders will be facing. I know what the odds are. I am aware what the Penguins possess. I know the names of the “stars” on their team and what they have done on the ice. I understand all the ways they can beat you.

There is an old expression that goes something like, that’s why they play the game. Were the Isles expected to beat the Penguins in 1993? Were they expected to win their first Stanley Cup in 1980? Were the Kings expected to win it all last season.

As we continue prep for Game 1 -- Sidney Crosby and Brooks Orpik are now confirmed out for tonight -- we exchanged questions with Jim (HooksOrpik at Pensburgh) to get his insight into the team Isles fans will somehow hate even more within a week or two.

Game 1 – Here we go Islanders!!!

With but few exceptions, it is always the underdog who wins through sheer willpower.. – Jonny Weismuller

I can swear that my blood right now is pumping Orange and Blue.

It has been a long time since Dubie, Dubie Doo made that poke check to get us in the playoffs on that Easter Sunday in 2007.  The first place Buffalo Sabres made mince meat out of the Isles in that series.

We are all hoping the history does not repeat itself, right Islanders fans?

The players knew how good they were.

For those who read my “predictions” article at the start of this season, I basically said that I had no clue where the Islanders were going to finish. I didn’t get much of a response from Islanders fans from Long Island, but my NHL fans (Rangers, Devils, Flyers, Penguins) here in Pa said mine was either a cop-out or “The best politically correct piece of work” they have ever read from me. So in this this article, I’m here to defend myself.

As we get set for Game 1 -- looks like Sidney Crosby and Brooks Orpik are still out for the Penguins -- we exchanged questions with Jim (HooksOrpik at Pensburgh) to get his insight into the team Isles fans will somehow hate even more within a week or two.

Edited questions and answers are below. This is the first part in a series. Look for more later, as we trade thoughts on bandwagons.

Except for a lucky two to four teams, playoffs can come and go fast. But while they're here, the going is good and the coverage is plentiful. Plenty of reading to gorge on, as well as some site notes (FIG picks, watch parties) below:

Pittsburgh might be a tough city to hate. The U.S. steel industry is dying a slow death, and so is the city itself. But even that is little joy for me. It gets not even a little reprieve from my hatred. Pittsburgh has seemingly time and time again ruined whatever sport I was watching at the time. The little victory joys for me as a fan seem to be far too spread out.

Lighthouse Hockey is an Islanders-focused site, but we have an annual tradition of polling our readers to pick each playoff series. No reason to dispense with this tradition just because the Islanders have put us in the suddenly unfamiliar position of watching playoff series that actually involve them.

If the Islanders vs. Penguins series is the more competitive of the NHL's two 2013 1-vs.-8 matchups, the Leafs-Bruins should be the most lopsided 4-vs-5 matchup this year.

The New York Islanders return to the playoffs for the first time since 2007, facing a foe that has been to two Stanley Cup finals since then.

For optimistic Islanders fans, a key to how this team would return the playoffs was with the help of the prospects the team was finally accumulating -- and hanging on to -- after GM Garth Snow reset course in 2008. Some of the most promising prospects still haven't even played an NHL game yet (Ryan Strome, Brock Nelson), but the team's depth is sprinkled with a few key homegrown players.

Before the parent club's first playoff game since 2007, the Sound Tigers remind us how many current Islanders were once Baby Isles in Bridgeport.

HockeyBuzz.com - Dee Karl - MSGPlus - The Home of the Isles

The night before game one and I'm just rambling.

It'll be blue & orange wednesday tomorrow!

OK – here come the playoffs.

Just had the pleasure to talk to Horse and Champ of Penguin Poop. I just did their radio show – where we talked about the matchup, the plusses and minuses about each of our hockey clubs.

I have left a copy below of the show link.  I came in around the 30 minute mark.  I told them that this is the big “David vs. Goliath” battle.  Hopefully you can check it out.

Lighthouse Hockey is an Islanders-focused site, but we have an annual tradition of polling our readers to pick each playoff series. No reason to dispense with this tradition just because the Islanders have put us in the suddenly unfamiliar position of watching playoff series that actually involve them.

I have to say, for a season that threw just 48 games and the increased chance of flukes at us, the first round of playoff draws sure are attractive.