Kids Home Opener; complete with Mascots and the Peanut Butter Jelly song.  All I can say is:  Rug rats, nothing but damn rug rats for as far as the eye can see.  But what do you expect at 2 pm on a school holiday. This is what the Islanders organization expected and hoped for, so, for them it worked.

 

The DiPietro jersey giveaway was such a huge hit that they seemed to have run out.  I’m sure that’s because there were some very greedy people taking more than the number of tickets they actually had.  But Dina announced that anyone who didn’t receive one could contact the customer service department with the ticket and receive one.  Now THAT is a change for sure.  Making customer service a top priority is an excellent move from many perspectives.

 

They used the prepubescent winner of some contest to announce the starting line up.  It was very cute when the young man didn’t exactly get the names right.  Oh look!  There’s an Islander promo on the Jumbotron by The Wiggles.  I should have been drinking.

 

What seemed like an audio version of “The Wave” that started in 330, The Loudville section started “Let’s Go Islanders” and it made its way around the upper bowl.  It was actually pretty cool to hear as it came around and past us.

 

Jeff Tambellini was trying to make the most of his call up and had a few nice shots.  Too bad they were directly in Kolzig’s chest and a little… shall we say… soft?

 

It was nice of Marty to break the ice and take the first penalty of the afternoon for Tripping.  Hey, there’s 9:18 left in the first and Witt's not limping yet.  Oh but wait… It’s just another day at the office for Witt.  8:06, and now he was.

 

5:04 left and the NHL.com’s website “Real Time Score” is wrong once again.  This time the error was in the Islanders favor, but still…what gives with that?  Is someone asleep at the wheel?  Or are they updating the website by crystal ball.

 

Also new this season, and sure to become a fan favorite, is a lucky seat giveaway of a signed puck by a player who actually scores a goal.  I like that idea.  So some lucky fan went home today with a signed Richard Park puck.  Okay, say that three times fast.  A thought inspired by a new feature on the jumbotron of tongue twisters said by the players.  This is really not fair.  I think Mike Comrie was the only one who got his right, while the others were just painful to watch, especially when English isn’t their native tongue.  This proves once again that hockey players are really easy going guys.

 

I’m really having a very good time with the Blog Box crew.  At first I thought this idea had the potential for danger if everyone became suspicious or jealous of the others in the group.  But this is really a great bunch of guys, and hell, we ARE all Islanders!   We did a lot more cheering without being watched by other media personnel.  It was a more relaxed atmosphere today and we were very talkative.  We also had more space since there were only five of us.

 

Second period, all tied up at 1.  Kozlov’s revenge I’m sure.  8:20 left in the 2^nd and my boss and his son finally arrive at the game.  I’m playing hooky for hockey, but he’s a fan too, so he’ll understand.

 

The Caps are two men down now, think they can do something?  I guess not.  Back to the dressing room tied at 1.

 

While on line getting a soda, a woman stopped me because she had seen my picture on the website.  “I know you… You write that thing… on the website….”  Now this was a first.  I’ve had drunken 15 year olds yelling “7^th Woman I love you.” on the concourse before, but they were actually more in love with my blue & orange lace up boots than my work.  And the only reason they knew what to call me was the name on the back of the jersey.  But this was different.  There was no alcohol involved.

 

Back on the ice I watched Comrie take a pretty bad hit that resulted in a Caps penalty on Clark.  I watched Sillinger pass to no one, and John Erskine be the center of a pretty good brawl.  Maybe he’s a little bitter for being sent packing.

 

4 pm, Hockey Buzz announces Berard is signed.  Like no one saw that coming.  Oh look, Comrie’s in the box.  I guess he looked lonely, because Marty took a high sticking penalty and went in to keep him company.  Can we give the kids a win here boys?

 

Hunter almost got the winning goal, but Poti poked the puck away and Hunter couldn’t get credit for taking himself into the net.  Oh!!!  Another tongue twister!  Poti Poked the Puck.  Nice play.  Too bad he was in the wrong jersey.

 

Not really seeing the “Alexander the Great Show” that I was treated to last year.  But when I came home and spoke to my husband about the game, he said that Ovechkin had taken something to the face and was currently toothless.  I would rather have natural childbirth again than have to think of someone yanking out my teeth.  These are brave, strong men and I give them credit.  But it had to be the reason he wasn’t himself.

 

12:02, Ricky is splayed on the ice, and the go ahead goal is scored by the Caps.  From that point on it looked like one of those magnetic hockey games where you really have NO control of the puck but you’re playing it anyway and hoping for the best.  27 shots to 11 and they can’t put the game away.

 

This leads me to wonder what the stats are for afternoon wins.  Oh Mr. Lockhart?  Got that number for me?  Or maybe it’s the curse of the Mascots?  Do we know how many Mascot Day games the Islanders have won?  Maybe it’s them.

 

6:24 left and Marty must be enjoying the penalty box.  He’s back.  I’m looking at all the little kids in the stands, and it’s breaking my heart looking at the ones with “Blake” jerseys.  It was 11 am when I read the news of his health issue on the web.  I’m trying not to think about it.

 

4:17 and the chant starts again in 303.  It didn’t help.  Ok, so they won’t go 82 & 0.  But it reminds me of what Denis Potvin said last season on Home Ice.  “Every point you loose in October is worth three in March.”

 

After the game we were again treated to the post game interview of one player and Ted.  Thanks again to Tiger Tracks Tom for watching out for me on the treacherous trek through the crowd to the tunnel.  Please tell your mother for me that she did a fine job raising you.

 

Once in the back room, we were a little more at ease facing what would be the second Blogger interview.  Newcomer Darryl Bootland was brought into the room and he too seemed far more comfortable than Campoli.  He stood two feet away from us, actually from the guys, I stayed seated.  I’m older and getting pretty damn lazy, and my vantage point wasn’t exactly bad.

 

For someone who has logged as many penalty minutes as he has, he’s surprisingly cordial and facially scar-free with the exception of one small one on his lip.  While he answered the questions he was methodically removing the tape from his wrists which were deep red from the tightness.

 

Quotes were as follows:

Were you disappointed in the guys considering the number of shots?

 

“It doesn’t matter the team you play, it’s always going to be disappointing when you lose.  Washington’s a good team and I give them credit and Ollie, I give him all the credit in the world, he played a great game too.”

 

Did you notice a change in the feel of the game from the first to the last?  (This is what we were thinking in the BB, was it the early start.  Survey says:

 

“It’s tough to get going after a good game for a 2 o’clock so you try to get going right away, and your legs start feeling it second period and third period.”

 

He was asked what he felt about Wednesday’s game and the Rangers rivalry.

 

“It’s a huge rivalry and I’ve been watching it since I was a little kid. I’m excited.  But I’m looking forward to every game this year.”

 

Have you had a chance to read through the blogs on the Blog Box?

 

“I haven’t had a chance.  I’m living at the hotel and I didn’t bring my laptop.”  But he didn’t seem like he wouldn’t take a look.  “I think it’s a great thing for everybody.”

 

When a guy like Sim goes down, what does it do to the chemistry?

 

“It’s tough because he was playing on that line since training camp.  He’s a great guy around the dressing room.  He’s one of those guys that does the dirty job that no one wants to do.  It’s tough to fill in for him.  But it’s part of hockey and part of the game.  You just gotta keep your head up and keep going.”

 

How do you feel about the new jerseys?

 

“It’s tough.  I like the way they look.  But they keep the heat in.  I like ‘em for fighting the way they’re so stretchy, the arms are like a sling-shot.  Hopefully I won’t rip anybody’s jersey so their arm gets free.

 

How do you feel about the games being stacked so close together?

 

“It’s part of the game, and as an athlete you have to be prepared.  You gotta be ready for it.  That’s our job.”

 

And speaking of Jon Sim, he was walking in front of us down the tunnel.  Ok, it was more like struggling with a large brace on that knee of his under his suit pants.  But he was making his way around.  So you have to give him credit for that.

 

Hockey players… There’s nothing like them.

 

The “real” reporters filed in for Ted’s interview.  Greg Logan and I spoke briefly about Blake’s illness.  He told me he’d send my best when he sees him on Thursday.  Um, Greg.  One minor detail, if Jason takes off like a scared rabbit once you mention my name, don’t worry.  That’s his normal reaction to me.