Spreading the Wealth

Isles finally stopped relying on the combo of Tavares, Okposo & Moulson to do all of their scoring. Nice spreading the goal scoring around in the game against Atlanta the other night. Six goals from 6 different players. Plus - six goals is their most potent output so far this year.

And... I am feeling a little prophetic again. As I mentioned in my previous post - the Isles need their defensemen to step it up a little and they need Bergie to get started. Just like that... viola! Hillen and Sutton hit the back of the net and Bergie gets off the snide with a goal. I am happy for Bergenheim b/c he has been working hard every shift and has come close a bunch of times. This might be what he needs to boost the confidence & put a few more in the net.

Nice to see Comeau get his first and Bailey to tally his third. If the Isles are going to go anywhere this year --- and FYI, I still think that's unlikely --- they are going to need more production from their 2d and 3d lines and from the blueline.

One more pat on my own back --- I've said it for 2 years now -- Martinek is FRAGILE and will NEVER play a full season in the NHL. And now with his torn ACL he is out for the year. That will give Freddy Meyer & Hillen a chance to crack the lineup more often. Despite the fact that I don't drink the Radek Martinek Kool Aid that Scott Gordon or other front office people drink - I do think they will miss his defense when they play Pitt and Wash and he won't be out there to shadow Crosby & Ovechkin. Someone else will have to step it up and take on this role.

Now the team is off on a long and grueling road trip. Twelve of the next 14 games - between now and December 9th - will be road games. This, I regret to say, is when the Isles will get exposed for the mediocre team that they really are. If they play anything NEAR 0.500 hockey during this stretch it has to be viewed as a miracle. Next opponent is the Caps on Wednesday -- the first test of the Martinek-less Isles and the question will arise - "who covers Ovechkin?" My guess is it will be a forward (like a Richard Park) since I don't really see any of the remaining D-men as being a good fit for the job.

Next up: How the Martinek & Cam Ward injuries impact the Isles trade strategy.
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