HNLI at Special Time with Special Guest Chris Botta

In order to accommodate those planning to watch the NFL's wildcard playoff game between the Jets and the Bengals, HNLI will be bumped up by a half hour to 3 PM EST this Saturday. Joining us for the first portion of the episode will be Chris Botta (aka the Blogfather) of Islanders Point Blank. As most Isles fans know by now, Mr. Botta is the premiere source for Islanders news, commentary, and analysis and it is a very special opportunity to have him on the show. Along with Mr. Botta, hosts Alex and Steve will discuss the Islanders' recent win streak, the team's west coast swing, the return of Rick DiPietro, and much more. As always, listeners are encouraged to interact by calling, IMing, and chatting in the HNLI chatroom. Remember that if you get your calls in early enough, you will have the chance to talk with Chris Botta himself. So, don't miss a special HNLI at a special time: this Saturday at 3 PM EST

Sutton Recognizes Importance of Home Stretch

As I wrote on Thursday, the Islanders' attitude about being fortunate to survive the recent roadtrip must shift to an attitude of dominance at home.

Per Chris Botta's Islanders Point Blank, Andy Sutton clearly sees things the same way.

Andy, who told reporters that he was completely miserable missing the last two weeks, said playing 8 of 10 at home is huge. “We weathered the storm half-decent on the road,” said Sutton. “Now it’s time to dominate at home.”

Good to see that Sutton, and presumably the rest of the team, recognizes the cruciality of being extremely successful in this upcoming home stand. Hopefully, with a few days off before taking the Coliseum ice on Saturday, the team prepares itself for a make-or-break type run.

Survival on the Road Must Shift to Dominance at Home

After just about every Islanders game, my HNLI co-host Steve and I make it a priority to have a few minutes of discussion on the game. As I whined after last night's 6-2 loss against the Flyers about the Islanders' inconsistency and failure to show up for every game, Steve snapped right back saying that after playing 14 of 17 games on the road, it says something that the Islanders are still even hanging around the .500 mark and the (admittedly early) playoff race. Now, the Islanders will have the luxury of coming back to Long Island and sleeping in their own beds for the next three weeks. The team's only two "road" tilts in their next ten games are a short ride away at Madison Square Garden.

Now, with the Isles' return to the Coliseum, the attitude must change drastically. Showing up every other night and hanging around the playoff race may be considered a blessing on an extended road trip, but over the course of the next three weeks, the Isles must make a major surge in the right direction. For better or for worse, this home stand will determine the direction of the Islanders' season. A .500 showing won't be enough over the next 10 games, as this block of games needs to set the pace for the second half of the season. While the competition isn't particulary easy, the team needs to take advantage of playing at home and produce an effort similar to February home stand of 2007.

So, whether the Islanders win or lose tonight in Toronto, the most crucial stretch of the season begins Saturday at the Coliseum.


SAT DEC 12, 2009 BRUINS @ ISLANDERS

MON DEC 14, 2009 PANTHERS @ ISLANDERS

WED DEC 16, 2009 ISLANDERS @ RANGERS

THU DEC 17, 2009 RANGERS @ ISLANDERS

SAT DEC 19, 2009 CANADIENS @ ISLANDERS

MON DEC 21, 2009 LIGHTNING @ ISLANDERS

WED DEC 23, 2009 MAPLE LEAFS @ ISLANDERS

SAT DEC 26, 2009 ISLANDERS @ RANGERS

SUN DEC 27, 2009 FLYERS @ ISLANDERS

TUE DEC 29, 2009 BLUE JACKETS @ ISLANDERS