Top Shelf – Islanders Daily 11/25/13

Yearning for the good times. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

The feeling on Monday morning seems to vary week-to-week. Last Monday, Isles fans were excited to turn their season around after a 5-4 shootout victory over the Detroit Red Wings. This Monday, the team is spiraling out of control after losing another three straight games, and seventh straight on the road.

Happy Monday, I guess.

Heading into a four-game home-stand, the New York Islanders are ice cold – like the this past weekend’s temperature – in every aspect of their game. Both special teams’ units are failing. The team has averaged 3.80 goals against over its last ten games. Thomas Vanek scored two goals during his return to the lineup on Friday night, but the offense hasn’t scored more than three goals in all, but one, of their last ten games.

The Islanders have struggled on the ice, and dropped to last place in the Metropolitan Division. Regardless of whether or not you thought this hockey team would make a postseason appearance in 2014, I doubt anybody had them sitting in the cellar.

For now, the Islanders are back at home. The season is not over, but the Islanders need to begin turning things around now. I know it’s not the trendy thing these days, but band together for the team. Support them. Pull for them. Even with some hardship, we, as fans, have a new opportunity to help get our hockey team back on track. Pack the Coliseum for Winnipeg on Wednesday night and get behind this hockey team.

In case you missed it:

The Islanders boast homegrown talent. (EOI)

Confessions of Joe Powers, an Isles fan, and member of our family. (EOI) 

Continued struggles could force change on Long Island. (Isles Op-Timism)

Isles D-prospect Jesse Graham was traded in the OHL. (Lighthouse Hockey)

Around the NHL:

Detroit Red Wings 3, Buffalo Sabres: DET (Helm, Franzen, Alfredsson), BUF (Hodgson) – The Red Wings scored three unanswered goals to defeat the last place Sabres, and tie the third-place Tampa Bay Lightning in the Atlantic Division. Henrik Zetterberg recorded his 700^th NHL point.

Carolina Hurricanes 4, Ottawa Senators 1: CAR (Dwyer, Ruutu, Lindholm, E. Staal), OTT (Spezza) – The Hurricanes scored four unanswered goals to defeat the Senators, and move within one point of a playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division.

Across the Sound:

Reminiscent of their big club, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers couldn’t hold on to a 2-0 lead, falling 4-3 to the St. John’s IceCaps on Sunday afternoon. Johan Sundstrom and Anders Lee put the Sound Tigers up by two before the halfway mark of the second period, but St. John’s would score three unanswered goals to put them up 3-2 by the halfway mark of the third. Calvin de Haan would tie the game at three with his first of the season, but it would be the IceCaps’ third power play goal of the game that would sink the Islanders farm team in Parker Milner’s first AHL start.

-CT