LIVE! PHI @ NYI - FINAL (5-3 PHI)

Here we are...back for what seems like my first LIVE! blog from the Nassau Coliseum in ages!!!!

5:31 - I'm already joined by Ken Rosenblatt in the Blog Box while the Nassau County Girls Choir rehearse the National Anthem. Apparently the very elusive Jon Jordan will be joining us all the way from Florida tonight!

5:40 - I wonder why they have Wade Dubielewicz on the roster for tonight when its obvious he's in the Bridge on a conditioning stint? They have Mike Morrison on the roster so I really haven't a clue...

5:50 - I just added my e-mail address in the side-navigation bar. So have any questions? Shoot me an email!

5:54 - I can see this being a nasty game with the Flyers trying to take advantage of the less physical Isles. When you got guys like Riley Cote, Steve Downie, Scott Hartnell in the lineup and are past offenders, there's always reason to get worried.

6:02 - I think I just saw the epitome of a hardcore Flyers fan. If I can get these pics to come out better I'll try to post a reasonable one.

6:04 - Fans are starting to file in now...oh, and it's Town of Hempstead Night tonight.

6:07 - I'm all for the March of Dimes and charities (I contribute to worthwhile charities when I can), but playing emotional heartfelt video pieces before a hockey game isn't something I'd want to play before a game to get a crowd fired up. But do visit their site and support the cause here: March of Dimes

6:13 - According to Corey Witt, tonight's probably goalie match is Rick DiPietro vs. Martin Biron

6:15 - It's a crowded Box tonight! In the span of two minutes, we've got Jon Jordan, B.D. Gallof, and Ken Dick

6:22 - Should be a good crowd for a Saturday...(Billy Joel fans anyone?) I mean, there's been so much traffic out on the roads today it SHOULD be packed.

6:28 - The Flyers are out led by Martin Biron. And here are the Isles led by Rick DiPietro. It's loud for not many people...I'm starting to like this.

6:30 - Great intro song..."The Pretender" by the Foo Fighters

6:31 - Mike Morrison is wearing #33 tonight

6:39 - Ugh! Had to restart my computer just now! Well the forward combinations are pretty much the same for the past couple of games. Here's your mish-mash-mix-'em-up defensive combinations...

Meyer - Gervas
Berard - Sutton
Bergeron - Johnson

6:42 - Ken Dick was reading some press clippings and just came upon that Jay Pandolfo is not playing because of a pubic bone ligament??? Where the heck is that? And remind me not to hurt it...

6:48 - Should be a fun night tonight...the Coliseum is filling up quickly

6:55 - Steve Downie is starting for the Flyers tonight. Interesting...

7:00 - I'm gonna say about 14,000 here tonight...that's a safe prediction...

7:02 - Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray is due to drop the ceremonial first puck tonight.

7:03 - This crowd does not like the Philadelphia Flyers at all...haven't heard a "Boo! Hiss!" reaction to a team like that since the last time the Rangers were in town.

7:04 - The Isles are making an unusual late entrance tonight. Coming out with 10 seconds left in the countdown.

7:06 - Ricky gets an "All-Star" graphic next to his name for the starting line-up announcements. Fourth line of Jackman - Hilbert - Comeau is starting tonight.

7:09 - Interesting how Ricky stayed in the corner for the line-ups and National Anthem.

7:10 - Scratch my original attendance prediction...looks like a near sell-out tonight.

7:11 - And we're on our way...

7:12 - Good to hear the crowd getting loud early on. This crowd is always a key factor in the enjoyment of a game.

7:13 - Nice pick from Aaron Johnson at the blueline and leading Hunter with a pass. He got a good shot on Biron, to which Marty made a better glove save.

7:14 - Isles seem to want to get shots off whenever they have room. That's a good sign

7:15 - Aaron Johnson with another specatcular play on a Flyers 3-on-1...he's already proving like he's fully healed

7:16 - Thought the Flyers were going to the box...but it's just the opposite. Park for hooking...Ricky was having words with Gagne before...PHI to the PP

7:17 - Oh yeah, the Flyers have the #1 PP in the league

7:18 - Johnson is already getting PK time. Doesn't take much to get into Ted's good graces....but a sloppy play in front of the net leads to a Flyers goal. Too much playing the puck and not much of the body. PHI leads 1-0

7:19 - And the Isles get it RIGHT BACK! Park on a breakaway with a great pass from Berard! DiPietro with the other assist. TIE GAME 1-1

7:23 - NHL.com says that's Ricky's first assist of the year. I'd like to think that's wrong.

7:24 - Isles are putting good pressure in the Flyers zone...great stickhandling and passing. This is getting a good reaction from the crowd and forces the Flyers to take a penalty. Hatcher for tripping. NYI to the PP

7:25 - Park just had to get off the bench to skate some circles for a little bit. I dunno if I should be worried about that.

7:26 - Why pass it at your own blue line when an opposing player is right there?

7:27 - Passing the puck to an actual player helps, right Trent?

7:28 - PP over...and oh boy the Isles had a great chance off a fluky bounce off the boards...but then what a great rush by Miro Satan with an even better feed to Vasicek and the Isles take the lead!! 2-1 NYI

7:29 - TIMEOUT PHI

7:30 - The Isles look like they don't care where they are, they'll just fire the puck at will.

7:33 - Quite the stark improvement by the Isles from their last home game. There's 8:24 left in this period and already 11 shots...make that 12...

7:35 - STUPID move by Guerin...he was asking for that puck to be taken away. Plays like that could really turn the momentum around...

7:37 - Stand up play by Gervais to break up that cross ice pass.

7:39 - The New york Islanders got it right, and put it up on the scoreboard that Rick DiPietro has already set the team record for assists by a goalie in a season with 4

7:42 - Poor Ricky fell over himself while trying to get into the boards...forcing him to literally crawl in. We all gave him a good ovation to which he looked to appreciate. NYI to the PP

7:44 - What a rebound shot by Billy Guerin...as Ken Dick said, "Same as the Devil game" He's right...top corner...NYI leads 3-1

7:46 - And DP just gets leveled with a trip by Upshall...and he doesn't like that so he gets another for unsportsmanlike! NYI to a 4 minute PP

7:48 - END OF PERIOD 1: What a period by the Isles. They did almost everything right, which includes SHOOTING THE PUCK!! The old mantra is "Shoot the puck, and good things will happen" and it sure paid off so far. Keep up the good work...

7:54 - SOUND TIGERS UPDATE: 2-1 Albany after one period of play. Wade Dubielewicz has given up 2 goals on 13 shots. Tambellini continues his torrid scoring with another assist.

7:59 - NHL.com still has DiPietro's assist total at 1...fix it!!

8:00 - Remember that Flyers fan I mentioned during the pre-game? Managed to lighten it up a bit...

8:06 - Start of the second period...and the Isles got 2:10 of PP left...

8:07 - Not much it seems like is going on on this PP...

8:09 - Upshall is out of the box...and that was a good kill for the Flyers...everything seemed to be coming to them

8:10 - Wow, what a move by Park!!

8:12 - Hunter in a fight?!?!?! Ohhh he's got Hatcher on him ... I applaud his efforts, but not the guy to start with...

8:13 - That's gotta be Hunter's first professional fight

8:14 - And I as I was looking it up, the Flyers got on the board. Judging by the replay it looked to be again too much playing the puck and not much playing the body. Oh well...NYI LEADS 3-2

8:15 - My favorite Flyer Steve Downie gets credited for the goal.

8:16 - SOUND TIGERS UPDATE: Drew Fata ties that game with his 3rd of the season. Ben Walter and Frans Nielsen with the assists. TIED 2-2

8:19 - Gotta say the Isles have lost a lot of momentum ever since the failed 4 minute powerplay. Only 2 shots on goal through 8 minutes of the second period

8:20 - King Frederick IV goes off for tripping, or as Ken Rosenblatt says "Looked like he travelled there." PHI to the PP

8:22 - It looked like to me that Brion just skated right through that little corner where you can't handle the puck by the trapezoid. It could've been my eyes though.

8:23 - The King is out and had a nice offensive rush before getting taken out of the play. Play foes to the other end and it looked like Ricky still felt slighted about not scoring that goal the other night and tried to take the puck end to end.

8:27 - Upon further inspection, Mike Comrie looks to be wearing the "A" tonight. And a great defensive play by the King!!

8:28 - Bruno's going for a hook...PHI to the PP

8:29 - I have my head turned for one second and the Flyers score...looked to be a bad clearing attempt...TIE GAME 3-3

8:31 - Oy, the Isles aren't looking good...too many chances are being given up. And is it me, or did Daniel Briere show up tonight? I almost forgot he's playing...

8:34 - Ohhh a decent scoring chance!

8:35 - Guerin just went off to the locker room...I hope that's equipment related...

8:36 - I'm very uneasy with the Isles playing end-to-end hockey with the Flyers

8:37 - Fourth line showed some great energy...and then get called for a WEAK interference penalty. Jackman is going off...PHI to ANOTHER PP

8:40 - Penalty over and thank god no goals...and another penalty to finish off the period...Sutton for holding...wonderful...PHI to the PP

8:41 - END OF PERIOD 2: Sloppy, sloppy period by the Islanders. The seemed to have no discipline, no defense, and no drive. Philly wanted the period more and we have a new hockey game because of it.

8:46 - SOUND TIGERS UPDATE: Brandon Nolan scored his 17th of the season and have put the River Rats back up on top for a 3-2 lead.

8:56 - Stat of the night...Bruno Gervais leads all Isles so far in time on ice with 16:39

8:58 - flyers start with 1:57 of PP time...

8:59 - Another BAD bounce screws Ricky up...4-3 PHI

9:01- Looking at the scoresheet...that's Hartnell's third of the game

9:02 - Silly was right in front of the net witha glorious opportunity...just that the Flyer's defense showed up tonight...I wonder where the Isles D is

9:04 - Isles are going to the PP now for once...Smith for hooking. NYI to the PP

9:06 - Berard looks like his knee is wobbly..

9:09 - The way the Isles are playing is just zapping the life out of me quite honestly...this headache isn't helping either

9:12 - 8 shots since the first intermission for the Isles...

9:16 - 9:53 left in the thid period. Isles have now gotten 10 shots since the first intermission

9:18 - Looks to be a little altercation right above us involving some Flyer fans (surprise, surprise)

9:20 - I think the Isles spent more time in the Flyers zone on that rush than in the whole second period combined...

9:21 - Richards just blasted one by Ricky...nothing he could do about it...Pretty poor defensive effort again...5-3 PHI

9:23 - Good thing Ricky didn't go out there for the clear in attempt....he already got burned on two already...

9:27 - Johnson off for hooking...and I may be off right now. There's not much of a headache, but enough where it's zapping the life out of me...Thanks for reading all :)