Good Morning, Islanders Country.
I’m angry and annoyed. Not only because I spent an otherwise pleasant Sunday afternoon watching my hockey team get worked over by their rival on national TV but because they got me to care again.
Before the six-game win streak, I was content with not caring about defensive breakdowns, ill-timed penalties, and bad goals allowed. I had come to the conclusion that the changes being implemented by Patrick Roy wouldn’t take hold until next season, and that would be the reason for hope and optimism heading into the off-season.
And then, they decided to win and look really good doing it. They were playing fast; they were playing, dare I say it smart, and you thought, maybe, just maybe, the Islanders were clicking all together at the exact right time to make the post-season and be a dangerous first-round team to play against.
I didn’t have Stanley Cup aspirations, but this team isn’t rebuilding or even retooling, so playing meaningful hockey games in April and attending home playoff games was going to have to be good enough as the realistic goal.
What’s the alternative? Having the 15th pick in the draft?
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