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What was the turning point for this season?

MJF

MJF

Hope is not a strategy
Sep 6, 2003
27,409
21,605
NYC
I'm having trouble coming up with a particular win or a particular play which made me think "that's when our season turned around". If anything, I think when Rick DiPietro was sent down was what go the ball rolling for the Isles.

Your opinions?
 
absolutely getting rid of Dipietro. Convinced now that when we buy him out, we'll be buying a cup
 
Agreed. No Brainer.... DP Gets down and waived. Takes about a week for the Stench from DiPietro and his ego to clear the Coliseum and then everything starts to click.


The fact that he isn't a 'Black Ace' tells you that management agrees. They Don't want him around. If he Did come back it would be more like a 'Black OP'
 
The timing of The Rick going down and the club rising can't be ignored.

Or maybe the entire club was sitting in front of Capuano while he drew some Xs and Os, and then they all put their hands on their foreheads at once and said, "Holy %^&* Cappy, those are Xs.... and those other things... Those are Os!!!! We get it!!!"
 
Getting DP off this team was a signal to the fanbase, the locker room and hopefully the league that the Islanders are doing things differently now.
 
wow not even to add to the Rickey abuse but that really was when we started playing better...I wonder how he feels about the team making the playoffs....

I think hes happy for the guys butsick that he was not the one to help us get there...
 
Said in my mind "Rick's demotion" before I came in here. I think it was a defining moment. Sent the message that the players (and above) are accountable.
 
When Okposo and Bailey simultaneously came alive, and along with Nielsen, developed a super 2nd line...... They put up points, as well as shut down our opponents top lines...
It truly has been a pleasure watching Bailey and Okposo play the way they have!...

This and a very consistent defense for the first time in years..... If you need me to turn that into a specific game, or incident, etc.... how about the day Visnovsky's plane arrived... :yo:
After his little 'holdout', who would of ever thought not only would Vis play the way he has, but sign a two year extension within two months of him getting here
 
The thing that sticks out in my mind as far as an on-ice turning point is Cizikas' GWG against the Panthers. After blowing a few games in a row and looking like it would happen again, that goal kinda got us over the hump and we started to see some of the hard work and killer instinct needed to win games and close teams out late. The confidence shot up after that game IMO
 
Nabby playing everydsy with no interuptions. You cant make the pkayoffs with a goalue last in save % every year. Isles are lucky to make the playofds despite throwing 4 points out the window in a shirtened season kn rickey.
 
That 3-0 win vs. Florida after they got smacked 3 in a row by the Sens, Habs, and Pens after winning 5 of 6, they fell down to 13th or so and could have just mailed it in but won 5 of the next 6 after that.
 
Never in a million years (or at least during the first few weeks of the season) did I imagine myself saying that the Bailey - Okposo - Nielsen line would be one of the main reasons for us making playoffs.
 
IsleNmetFan4Life said:
The thing that sticks out in my mind as far as an on-ice turning point is Cizikas' GWG against the Panthers. After blowing a few games in a row and looking like it would happen again, that goal kinda got us over the hump and we started to see some of the hard work and killer instinct needed to win games and close teams out late. The confidence shot up after that game IMO
Click to expand...

Here's another: Moulson coming up with a steal and feeding Tavares for the winning goal late in the game in Washington on March 26. That goal came after we had blown a 2-0 lead and that game was the second of our current 11-1-3 run.
 
So many things came together-

I really think the number one influence in this turn around was Visnosky coming here and SIGNING for two years. He has been outstanding and a great example of the type of mobile smart d-man you need in this league now. He has quickly become one of my favorite guys here in years.

Secondary scoring - Okposo looking like he was out of shape the first 30 games or so just turned it around on a dime. Unreal. Bailey I am excited for because he seems like a good kid and excited for us because I think he is the second most talented player on this team - as well as smart, complete hockey player.

Goaltending stableized with Nabby in net and moving DP off the Island do BPST.

The defense settling down - especially Hamonic and AMac.

Cizikas plays a big part of the improvement this team has shown as well as Hickey, C-Mac.

All of a sudden it seems like this team could develop into something special for the next few years.

Hell, even Capuano isn't annoying me as much as he did earlier. I think he has learned and has been smart enough to adjust a bit.
 
I cannot prove my theory, but this team bears a striking resemblance to Islanders past, where they would turn it on at the end (like 93)...I get the feeling that the coaching staff was waiting to push that button. Because they went from horrible to incredible so quickly. And yes it did seem to coincide with ricky being sent down (which should have been long ago)...It's no small thing that they made it with no third line center to speak of.
 
There are so many specific times you can point out and say this is where the turnaround started. But all I'm going to say is that whenever this team realized MENTALLY that no lead was insurmountable, the game is not over until the clock says 0:00 and let's just keep battling, that is when the real turnaround happened.
 
Definitely when Rick was sent down.

I felt terrible for him being booed on opening night before he even played a second, but if I ever have the chance to boo him while he's on the ice in his goalie equipment in order to play or sit on the bench for the NYI (which I don't think he will again at this point), I'd give it to him loud and clear. We went on a run right after he got sent down and, to me and everyone else with basic knowledge of the Islanders, that just proves the guy was a cancer to this team. No coincidence. Adios, Rick! Don't let the door hit you.

Maybe now he and Yashin can start a clothing line together!
 
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