A Team with an Identity

On a mild Saturday night in Uniondale, the last place Islanders hosted the Philadelphia Flyers, a team who undoubtedly will be competing in this years Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Islanders, on the other hand, were anything but. This Islander team, far removed from the glory days of the 1980's, has gone through injuries, trades, and call-ups, which when added together takes away from getting any kind of chemistry. For all intents and purposes, some may say this team is one without an identity.

After watching thegame Saturday, a fan could come up with a few ideas about the direction of this team and what to look for.

1. This team plays physical. Even forgetting the fact tha there were four fights Saturday night, the Isles have become a team who throw their bodies around...a lot. With Jeff Tambellini turning from someone who backed off a play if he saw a shadow, turning into a hitting beast, plus with the timely shoves and such from Tim Jackman, Blake Comeau, and Nate Thompson, this team looks like it can be a force to be reckoned with in the coming years.
2. Flashy plays pay off. Anyone who saw the game on Saturday is likely still in awe of Tambellini's spinning baseball swing goal. Aside from that freak-of-nature play, the Islanders have been playing with a lot more of a spotlight-stealing mentality. Before his injury, Sean Bergenheim was probably one of the teams best stick handlers, with an inate ability to bring the puck into the zone and work his way around defensemen. In his absence, Kyle Okposo, Josh Bailey, and even Mark Streit have taken over and wowed the fans.
3. Unpredicibility. While the move to put Brendan Witt in as the forst shooter in Saturdays shootout may not have worked the way he would have liked it, Coach Scott Gordon is showing that he will throw away convention if he thinks it will help him win a game. When asked why he put Witt, a stay-at-home defenseman in the shootout, he half-joked, "Why not?"

Put these three components together, and the Islander team which takes the ice next year could become very dangerous. The remaining potential playoff team who they still have to play this year (i.e. Montreal and Pittsburgh) need to watch out, because this Islander team has found its identity: they play the spoiler of the league, and seem to enjoy doing it.