On the Islanders Beat

The game of roster roulette the Islanders are playing as they move players back and forth from Bridgeport to the Coliseum took another turn this morning when there was some doubt about whether they would have a full lineup of 20 bodies for tonight’s game against Philadelphia.

Having dispatched Jeff Tambellini back to Bridgeport, where he scored a goal in his first game back Friday night, and replaced him with Frans Nielsen coming off the injured list, there was some apparent uncertainty about how many Sound Tigers would make the return trip. Defenseman Matthew Spiller and forward Tim Jackman were recalled, but it was only after practice that a decision was made to bring back Steve Regier to fill out the Isles’ roster.

“It’s tough,” Nolan said. “At this morning’s practice, we had two lines and one extra guy, and we had two [injured] guys playing there. The guys who are coming up are not here with us this morning. So, line combinations are a little bit tough. Bridgeport is fighting for a playoff spot, so, they need their players and we need them here. Right now, I know Jackman is coming and Spiller’s coming. We’re going to be short a forward if we don’t have another guy coming. So, we don’t know that yet.”

A few minutes later, Nolan learned that Regier also was returning. But that doesn’t mean the Islanders will necessarily have a full lineup. Forward Trent Hunter left the pre-game skate early because he was feeling ill.

The return of Nielsen means that Miroslav Satan will move back to a wing position on a line with Nielsen at center and Hunter on the other wing if he’s healthy. Nielsen last played on Feb. 28 when he suffered a separated shoulder in Atlanta that caused him to miss the next 13 games.

“He’s been off the ice for a few weeks, so, he’ll be rusty,” Nolan said of Nielsen. “It’s a situation where he has to perform at this level. Usually, you send him down to Bridgeport to get him some conditioning and then get him back. But we have what we have.”

Satan joked this morning that the Islanders’ locker room looks more like a hospital zone with so many guys limping around and walking on crutches. Asked how the team is handling all the lineup changes, he smiled and said, “Well, it’s the morning, and it’s still a mystery. We’re going to find out before the game how the lineup is and who’s playing and who’s not. I just know there’s going to be more changes today from the last game.”

It’s Chris Dey’s job to spin gold from straw as the Islanders’ senior vice-president of sales, marketing and operations, and he says this was a good season despite their failure to make the playoffs because the Isles had their highest paid attendance since the 2002-03 season and rank third in the NHL in paid attendance increase. But when you sift through the numbers, the increase amounted to a little more than 1,000 fans per game and the Islanders currently rank last in the NHL with an average announced attendance of 13,564 while playing in the league’s smallest arena.

And that’s the good news. But Dey, who also happens to be the son-in-law of owner Charles Wang, is nothing if not determined to rebuild the team’s connection to its fan base and, more importantly, to grow the fan base. As general manager Garth Snow and coach Ted Nolan recently have learned, they will combine with Dey in an extraordinary outreach effort to explain to various fan groups exactly how the Islanders intend to build a “consistent contender.”

Like most professional sports organizations, the Islanders have conducted a survey of season-ticket holders. In an interview this week with Newsday, Dey said 50 percent of those who responded said the performance of the team on the ice impacts their decision to buy.

“What you’ll see coming out is that we agree with you,” Dey said, speaking directly to the fans. “Garth can speak more directly to this, but I’m glad to put a little bit behind it. We need to commit to building a consistent contender. That’s going to require a plan, and we’ve got a very strong core of players we’re building around now – the DiPietros, the Hunters, the Okposos, Comeaus, Tambellinis. We’ve got a nucleus to build a consistent contender.

“We need to be a top-eight team in the league. We need to be a team that’s going to earn 100 points a year. Those are the goals and ambitions for our organization. What the fans deserve and what they’re going to see is a plan that’s going to lead us to becoming that type of team.”

Dey admits he is new to hockey this season, but it didn’t take him long to discover the passion of hardcore Islanders fans. Whether or not you agree with his assessment of the Isles’ core, fans have to appreciate the fact he’s listening and shares the same goals.

“What [fans] deserve is they need to see what the plan is,” Dey said. “Once they see where you’re going, then, they’ll embrace it because they’ll see how you’re building on that plan. It might take three years to fully execute the plan. But as long as they know where you’re going and what the plan is, then, they can see how each and every move is getting you closer to that.

“That’s what they haven’t seen from us before that they’re going to see. We’ll open up that dialogue with them, and I’ve spoken with Garth about that. So, you’ll see over the next month and a half Garth and I getting out into the community with Ted and being available and accessible to the fan base so that we can convey what our plan is.”

Needless to say, the goal defined by Dey is an ambitious one for Snow and Nolan to achieve on the personnel side. And next season will be critical in terms of making the right moves to achieve it through the draft and through a few key free-agent signings. Snow has said in the past that the only budget restraint Wang has placed on him is to exercise good judgment in spending.

On the business side, Dey has equally ambitious goals for himself and his sales staff. In addition to the improved attendance figures listed above, the Islanders have gone from six sellouts last season to a shot at 13 this season if they can reach capacity for Saturday’s Flyers game and the Rangers game next Thursday in the home finale. But Dey wants much more.

“We’ve got some real big work ahead of us because we want to grow that season-ticket holder fan base from 6,000 to 10,000, which is an ambitious goal, but I think there’s great opportunity,” he said. “We’ve found that about 65 percent of our season-ticket holder base is families. The Rangers are the complete opposite of that. Probably 80-85 percent of their season-ticket base is owned by corporations based on dialogue I’ve had with them.

“With all the small-to-mid-sized businesses on Long Island, there’s tremendous opportunity because you’re only looking at 35 percent of our season tickets owned by businesses. We’re very optimistic about our ability to grow that season-ticket holder fan base to 10,000. Once you do that, you’re looking at selling out 30 or more games a year, and you’re really cooking along.”

According to the survey conducted by the Islanders, there are 1,902 companies within a 20-mile radius of Nassau Coliseum that have at least 25 employees. They can count on getting a knock on the door or a telephone call from Dey’s sales force.

The Islanders offered a variety of deeply discounted promotions to boost sales this past season in an effort to broaden their audience. They offered cheap upper-deck tickets in “Loudville” for the young adult audience with limited income, and they offered the kids’ season ticket for $10 a seat for children 12 and under accompanied by an adult season-ticket holder. They also offered family fun packs for occasional fans that included discounted seats plus a hot dog, drink and sometimes a souvenir, such as a cap. Now, they’re offering a deeper discount to fans who agree to buy season tickets for two years at a time, including a 12 ½ percent discount on the first of those two seasons, plus free VIP parking, a locked-in rate for both seasons and, best of all, a 14-month payment plan.

Despite all the discounts, Dey said the Islanders’ average ticket price was the same this season as last and that it is only $7 below the league average. But if they really want to grow the fan base, Dey said, then they must concentrate their efforts on reaching Long Island businesses.

“You will see us put increasing emphasis behind our Islanders Business Club,” Dey said. “We’ve been able to develop programs where businesses can utilize the Islanders as what I call a business platform. The membership there continues to grow. Mike Bossy is the executive director. Bob Nystrom and Clark Gillies are on the board of advisors for the Islanders Business Club. We’re looking to increase that membership base, which is about 100, up to about 1,000 members next year. I think that’s where you’ll see a significant increase in our season-ticket holder base. Each member owns on average about four season tickets.”

Although he’s only played five NHL games, fans can expect to see 19-year-old Kyle Okposo featured prominently in future marketing efforts. Of all the young players in the organization, his ability might offer the best hope for the future, especially if Snow can add a little more talent around him to share the burden.

“I spoke with Kyle and Garth after Monday’s game, and we talked about the role he’ll play in the offseason in helping us market the team,” Dey said of Okposo. “He’s got a wonderful personality; he’s got great poise for a young man, and I think he’s a terrific asset for the organization both on and off the ice. Every time I’ve heard him speak, he’s been rock solid. We’re excited about Kyle.”

So, expect the plan to focus on developing the young talent in the organization, stockpiling more talent in a very deep draft this June and then trying to add a veteran forward who can score and maybe a solid defenseman to run the power play. It has to work because the plan Dey expects to articulate really is only Step One.

Step Two goes into action if the Islanders realize their goal of breaking ground in July, 2009 on the Lighthouse Project to renovate the Coliseum as the centerpiece of a development that will include a convention center, hotels, shops, restaurants and condos and townhomes.

What happens if no construction takes place after next season? Dey paused ominously before finally answering, “It’s a good question just because I would say there are a lot of ramifications for that. That’s a big question if you take it for all that it says. In other words, if we don’t get approval by next July, how does that impact the organization?”

More silence. And then: “Fundamentally, the types of things we did this year and the things we’ll do next year, we would continue to follow that on the business side. We would continue to follow the plan we’ve put into place to reach the goals I’ve shared with Charles for the organization as a business. We would continue to execute on that because those things are not dependent upon the new building.

“But then, you have a whole new business plan that’s set up on and off the ice that’s focused on what happens with the new building. So, clearly, it would impact that. That’s a whole other article.”

ISLANDERS INSIDER: The rest of Islanders Insider, including a look at how young players such as Okposo and Sean Bergenheim have provided a boost plus a look at low production from the Isles' centers, is posted on Newsday's sports web site. Click here to read the full Insider.

“The Igloo,” as Mellon Arena is known informally in Pittsburgh, is a landmark for regular travelers to the Steel City. Three Rivers Stadium, which housed the Steelers and Pirates for decades, is gone and has been replaced by two new stadiums, Heinz Field for the Steelers and PNC Park for the Pirates. But the Igloo seemed impervious to progress.

Until now.

On previous visits to Pittsburgh with the Islanders this season, I followed the progress of negotiations for a new downtown arena with some interest and knew a plan finally received approval in December.

Now, there is tangible evidence of progress in Pittsburgh. Upon my arrival last night, I was greeted by the sight of a massive pile of rubble across the street from Mellon Arena, where a hospital used to stand. That is where a new arena will rise in time for the start of the 2010-11 season.

The old Igloo will be replaced by a casino smack dab in the middle of downtown Pittsburgh. That was the bargain city fathers had to make to keep the Penguins, not to mention Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin and the legacy of owner Mario Lemieux, from moving.

The point of mentioning this in an Islanders blog is obvious. When Pittsburgh’s new arena comes online, the only ancient buildings left in the NHL will be Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum and – I’ll use the old names – Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton, the Saddledome in Calgary and Madison Square Garden, which has the unique advantage of being plunked down in the heart of Manhattan. Even the Devils can brag about cavernous, new Prudential Center just a three-block walk from Penn Station in Newark.

As you drive around New York City this summer, you can see Citi Field rising next to Shea Stadium and the new Yankee Stadium taking shape in the Bronx next to the old House That Ruth Built.

Yet, the Islanders’ bid to build the Lighthouse Project, centered around a renovated Coliseum, seems stalled in the approval process in the Town of Hempstead. When you travel around the country and see that Pittsburgh is set to build a third new stadium, Denver has built three stadiums, Cleveland has built three stadiums and you see the positive impact in terms of jobs and invigorating the surrounding areas by providing a social gathering point that attracts new restaurants and shopping, you can’t help but wonder why the Town of Hempstead wouldn’t want to benefit from that same sort of economic engine, one that would add tremendously to the tax base.

I’m sure there’s a mathematical formula to explain the benefits, but I promised “Islander 505” no more math on the blog.

GAME NOTES: The so-called “Taxi Squad,” consisting of forwards Jeremy Colliton, Tim Jackman and Steve Regier and defenseman Matthew Spiller, arrived in Pittsburgh about 3 a.m. this morning after making the four-hour drive from Wilkes-Barre, Pa., where they played in Bridgeport’s 3-2 victory last night. All four will be in the lineup against the Penguins tonight when Crosby returns to the lineup. There’s even a possibility all four players might shuttle back and forth between the Isles and Bridgeport in an effort to play five games in five nights by the end of the weekend. The Sound Tigers are fighting to make the AHL playoffs, but the injury-depleted Islanders need bodies to fill out the lineup. It’s a tough spot, and it’s bound to take a toll physically. But Isles coach Ted Nolan said center Frans Nielsen likely will come off the injury list to play against Philadelphia Saturday at the Coliseum. That would ease the crunch just a bit.

ISLANDERS INSIDER: Coming in Friday’s Islanders Insider, which only appears online at Newsday’s sports website is an interview with Chris Dey, who is the Islanders’ senior vice-president of sales, marketing and operations. He provides an update on what kind of season this has been on the financial and promotional side, but more importantly, he offers a glimpse of the team’s plan for the future and how it will be articulated to the fan base in the coming months.

The crude algebra in the above headline is my belated way of saying the Islanders officially have been eliminated from the playoffs. Although the Associated Press story on the Isles’ 4-1 loss last night in Philadelphia mentioned it, I was uncertain about the formula since the Islanders still can move ahead of eighth-place Boston in the Eastern Conference by winning their last six games if the Bruins lose their remaining seven.

That part of the formula -- (Is x 6W) + (Bo x 7L) -- is correct. If that happens, the Isles would have 85 points to Boston’s 84. But I overlooked the rest of the formula -- 3W(Bu/To), which is my way of saying “three certain wins by either Buffalo or Toronto.” If Boston loses it’s remaining seven games, either Buffalo or Toronto would be assured of at least three wins and six more points because both play Boston twice and they meet each other once. That means the winner of the Buffalo-Toronto game on April 1 would get two points to go with the four it would get for two wins over the Bruins. That would leave Buffalo with 87 points or Toronto with 86 points, thus eliminating the Islanders.

I completed my high school math requirement in the 10th grade and never took another math class because I had what I needed to compute scoring averages, batting averages and the like. Who knew playoff formulas and tiebreakers would require such in-depth study in my future? Oh, well. Guess we’ve known for a while now that the Islanders, as presently constituted after all their injuries, are not a playoff team.

GAME NOTES: Pittsburgh star Sidney Crosby took part in the morning skate at the Coliseum but will not be in the lineup against the Islander tonight and remains questionable for tomorrow night’s game against the Devils in Newark…Note to math majors: Don’t write in with corrections of the headline on this blog. It’s for entertainment purposes only.

At this stage of a season in which the Islanders are out of the playoff hunt, it’s no longer about going with the hot hand. It’s about finding out what you have in the system. So, Joey MacDonald, who spent most of this season at Bridgeport, will make his first start in goal for the Islanders against Philadelphia tonight at Wachovia Center.

Wade Dubielewicz, who played so well in the Isles’ 3-1 win over the Devils Friday night in Newark, likely will be back in goal against high-scoring Pittsburgh on Monday night at the Coliseum. MacDonald came up a couple times earlier this season to back up Dubielewicz when starter Rick DiPietro was out, but he never got off the bench.

“It’s exciting,” MacDonald said following the morning skate today. “Getting a piece of the NHL last year, once you get a taste of it, you want to stay there. I worked hard in Bridgeport this year. You’ve got to get the opportunity, and I’m excited to get one.”

MacDonald appeared in 15 NHL games last season for Detroit and Boston, compiling a 3-7-2 record with a 3.12 goals against average. He’s been solid at Bridgeport with a 13-17-1 record, a 2.78 GAA and two shutouts.

Asked if he has any thoughts on how to play the Flyers, who are 5-1 against the isles so far this season, MacDonald said, “I always look at the roster, and I played against them a couple times last year. So, I kind of know who they are.”

The Islanders have seven games remaining, and they finish with five games in the final nine days. So, it’s possible MacDonald will get at least one more start after this one. But he isn’t looking ahead.

“We’ll see,” MacDonald said regarding future starts. “Dubie is playing well. He worked hard all year up here and deserves to play here at the end. Every game he played, he gave the team a chance to win. That’s what I’m going to try to do here tonight. We’ll take it game by game.”

Okposo’s first goal

Rookie Kyle Okposo’s performance in the 3-1 win over the Devils was about as heartening a development as the Islanders have had all season. His jitters were obvious in his first game against Toronto, but by his second game, he had it under control. That says something about the maturity of a 19-year-old with a confident attitude and the expectation of succeeding.

Okposo’s game-winning goal was a thing of beauty. His helmet had been knocked off by a cross-check, but the kid still got into scoring position out front. The way he ripped his one-timer past Devils goaltending great Martin Brodeur really impressed Islanders coach Ted Nolan, who made the choice to use Okposo on the power play in a critical spot with a little over three minutes left in the game.

“I liked the way he quick-released it,” Nolan said. “He grabbed that thing, and he scored his first goal against one of the best goaltenders in the history of the game. For him to score his first goal against Marty Brodeur is a good sign for him.

“The first game, he was a little bit nervous. The second, he felt much more comfortable out there and started doing some good things with the puck. He was a little more patient with it, he moved it, and to get an assist on the first goal and score the winning goal is a good night for him.”

Okposo was set up for the gamewinner by center Richard Park, who also is flanked by rookie Blake Comeau. “He’s a sharp guy, and he’s really responsible defensively,” Okposo said of Park. “We talk a lot on the ice, which helps me quite a bit. With talk, the game becomes easy. The three of us have really done well.”

Isles lack enforcer

It’s a sad situation when captain and leading goal scorer Bill guerin also has to fill the role of tough guy, which he did admirably against the Devils’ David Clarkson. Guerin landed some solid punches in their second-period fight before Clarkson succeeded in taking him down to the ice. Guerin said he used to fight more in his younger days, but his effort sent a message the Isles’ veterans are going to play hard to the end.

“I think everybody played like they were into it,” Guerin said. “Different guys did different things to show it, but I think everybody had their own way of showing they still care and that we have pride.”

The one-punch knockdown recorded by Devils forward Arron Asham against Isles defenseman Matt Spiller brought back memories of how effective Asham was in that role for the Islanders last season. He’s a free agent again this summer. Certainly, the Islanders have to think about bringing Asham back to add toughness from a player who also can contribute with his skating and scoring.

It’s too late now for Wade Dubielewicz to author a miracle finish comparable to the one last year when the 5-10 goaltender carried the Islanders into the playoffs with four straight victories ending with his shootout poke check against the Devils’ Sergei Brylin. As improbable as that might have been, the task “Dubie” faces now might be even tougher.

With Rick DiPietro recuperating from his second hip surgery in two seasons and the injury-riddled Isles caught in the throes of a six-game losing streak, it’s up to Dubielewicz to keep them competitive and try to salvage some respectability while fighting to hold onto his own job. His challenge starts against the Devils tonight and continues for the final eight games with help from backup Joey McDonald in a spot start or two.

“Without Ricky’s injury, you don’t get that kind of opportunity,” Dubielewicz said. “You don’t really want it to come in this situation, but a guy my stature and my status, you’ve got to take what you get. I just want to show the brass and the guys on the team that I can play at this level, not only in a backup role, but a more prominent role.”

His performance last season was good enough to earn a one-year deal worth $500,000. Although he won a couple of games in relief of DiPietro early this season, Dubie was hung out to dry in his first three starts as the Isles were outscored 17-3. But he has fought back since then to go 4-4 and hasn’t allowed more than three goals in his past eight games while bringing his goals-against average down to 2.91 and improving his save percentage to .906.

He’ll be a free agent on July 1, but he’s hoping to negotiate a new deal with general manager Garth Snow as soon as the season ends. “I’m an Islander at heart,” Dubielewicz said. “If I was given the opportunity to continue to be an Islander, I think I’d probably jump on it.

“I think my value goes up over time. They can see I’m consistent and that my size isn’t a big factor. If I went to another team, I’d probably have to spend a lot of time knocking down those hurdles again.”

The next step with the Islanders is to convince everyone, perhaps including DiPietro, that’s it’s in their best interests to allow him to play more often. DiPietro eats up minutes at a voracious pace, but after two hip surgeries, it seems logical to rest him on a regular basis to keep him fresh rather than allowing him to play 33 of the first 35 games, as he did this season.

“If I play well down the stretch here, maybe Ricky doesn’t have to play 70 games next year,” Dubielewicz said. “The kid’s a machine. I think it’s one of his biggest strengths, but at times, it can be a weakness for him. He’s in peak physical condition. He’s in better shape than any player, let alone goalie, that I’ve ever met. He plays the game at a high pace, and you’ve got to take into consideration he’s out playing the puck and he has more touches than most players in a game.

“So, you look at him compared to maybe [Vancouver’s Roberto] Luongo, who plays a lot of minutes. Well, Ricky is putting much more energy into each and every game, and I think that might have something to do with him getting worn down a little bit. His role is much larger than other guys who play the same amount of games because he’s got so many touches and he brings so much more to the table.”

DiPietro often has been described as a “third defenseman,” but while his puckhandling ability saves wear and tear on the defense in front of him, it actually exposes him to more contact and places greater demands on his body. As DiPietro’s backup, Dubielewicz was tuned in to the physical condition of the Islanders’ franchise player. He recognized signs of DiPietro’s physical problems in the second half.

“I don’t think we ever talked about it, but I knew that he was battling through something,” Dubielewicz said. “I can tell just by watching him and seeing that he wasn’t fully comfortable in the net. It was little subtle things. In Montreal, he made a save on [Chris] Higgins coming down on a two-on-one. He kicked out his blocker-side pad, caught it with the toe and he was wincing with his hip the rest of the game. I’m looking for that because I’m waiting to see whether I’m going in the game. It’s been an ongoing thing. It’s too bad his season had to end this way.”

Reflecting on the first half of the season, Dubielewicz can understand why coach Ted Nolan rode DiPietro so heavily. And given DiPietro’s desire to play as many games as possible, there’s no guarantee Nolan and Snow will rein him in next season.

“Here’s the funny thing,” Dubielewicz said. “If we stay healthier as a team, I don’t think Ricky’s going to be put through a 12-round boxing match every game. There were a lot of times pre-All-Star break where, if it wasn’t for Ricky, we’d have lost a game 10-0, but we’re winning 2-1. So, I think he expended a lot of energy in the first half of the season because, at times, we were struggling defensively and he was our backbone. Depending on the team he has in front of him, it’s going to be interesting to see what they decide to do.”

ISLANDERS INSIDER: The rest of the Islanders Insider, including segments on Kyle Okposo's friendly rivalry with the Devils' Zach Parise and Ted Nolan's role in the Chris Simon trade, has been posted. Please click here to read it.

Now that the Islanders are all but mathematically eliminated from playoff contention thanks to an epidemic of injuries, it almost seems as if they have an excuse to extend their six-game losing streak to put the franchise in position for the highest possible pick it can get in a very deep draft. But don’t tell that to coach Ted Nolan.

“If anybody ever suggested to me not to do what I do and try to win hockey games, that’s unacceptable,” Nolan said yesterday. “I’m going to coach this team, and if we win the last eight games and get the No. 18 pick versus the No. 3 pick, that’s what we do. As players, we never ever take it any other way. That’s important. Once you let losing creep into any facet of an organization, it’s bad news.”

Following the Isles’ 3-1 loss to Toronto on Tuesday, Nolan expressed his disappointment in the effort put forth by some of his veteran leaders. He reinforced the message with a “bag skate” yesterday at practice that had tongues hanging out when it finally ended.

With two practice days before the Isles’ next game against the Devils Friday night in Newark, it was a convenient place for Nolan to push his players. But if the effort doesn’t improve in the final eight games, it could become a regular thing.

“I was embarrassed, and they should be, too,” Nolan said of the loss to the Maple Leafs. “The way we played was inexcusable. Today was just a taste if we’re going to perform the way we performed [against Toronto]. If they want to waste our time, we’ll waste their time. We’ll skate every day. In pre-game skates, we’ll skate for an hour. I don’t care. What we’ve got to do is get a strong message that non-competitive performances are not acceptable.”

Nolan’s signature always has been his ability to get his team to play hard and make life as difficult as possible for the opponent. He’s not about to change his approach to get more tickets in the Steve Stamkos lottery. He’ll maintain his commitment to building a winning attitude and let the chips fall where they may in the draft.

DIPIETRO UPDATE: Late last night, the Islanders announced that surgery performed on goaltender Rick DiPietro's right hip by Dr. Marc Philippon was a complete success. According to Philippon, DiPietro "will have no trouble at all being fully ready when training camp opens in September."

Ending the first two seasons of his 15-year contract with matching surgical procedures on each hip does not bode well for the future of goaltender Rick DiPietro or the Islanders’ plans to build a Stanley Cup champion around him. In case you haven’t heard, please click here for the details of DiPietro’s season-ending surgery on his right hip today.

Once you have digested the grisly news, consider how fragile the underpinning suddenly seems for the organization. There’s every reason to believe that the surgery Dr. Marc Philippon is scheduled to perform on DiPietro’s right hip today at the Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colo. Will be just as successful as the operation he performed on DiPietro’s left hip last spring.

When DiPietro showed up for training camp last September in Moncton, he was one of the two best-conditioned athletes in the physical testing along with Jeff Tambellini, and the goaltender was able to do everything required of him during camp and the exhibition season to help the Islanders come out of the gate quickly. His personal record after 11 games was 8-3, and since he will only be 27 when next season begins, DiPietro likely should have no problem coming back from this surgery.

But with so much riding on DiPietro, the Islanders have to learn they can’t ride him game after game. As much as he admires Devils workhorse Martin Brodeur, it just might be that DiPietro isn’t built to maintain the ironman pace of a Brodeur, who played 78 games last season and has been between the pipes for 68 of the Devils’ 74 games so far this season.

DiPietro appeared in 63 of the Islanders’ first 73 games, and only four of the games he missed were planned and not related to injury or the recent death of his grandmother. He played 33 of the Islanders’ first 35 games of the season before suffering a slightly sprained knee and sitting out three games. DiPietro then returned to play 26 of the next 28 before missing the next three at the time of his grandmother’s death. Had it been left to DiPietro, he only would have sat out one game the day before her funeral.

DiPietro then returned to the lineup for four more games before it became evident that the Islanders were well out of playoff contention and he would be better served getting a head start on repairing the hip he injured on Jan. 26 during the All-Star Game skills competition. Although he played well during a six-game winning streak at one point, DiPietro was 7-11-1 after the All-Star break and 10-15-5 after spraining his knee the day after Christmas. For the season, he finished 26-28-7.

The decline was obvious statistically as his goals-against average climbed and his save percentage fell. Meanwhile, backup Wade Dubielewicz, who helped the Islanders make a stirring playoff run last season when DiPietro was sidelined by a concussion, barely saw a puck the first three months of the season. It was almost unfair to him when he did play after sitting idle so long.

But he has performed capably in place of DiPietro during the second half, going 5-5 since Dec. 26, and that record might be even better if the team in front of him wasn’t so banged up right now. Dubie has allowed two goals or fewer in six of those 10 decisions and has given up more than three just one time.

Whether the Islanders re-sign Dubielewicz, who will be a free agent, or bring someone else in as DiPietro’s backup, it’s time the coaching staff made it clear to the franchise goaltender that he is going to be rested on a regular basis. No more riding him into the ground. The thing is that he needs the mental break as much as the physical break, and if he gets it, DiPietro might attain a level of consistency that is necessary for him and the franchise to take the next step toward true contender status.

The Islanders’ mathematical focus just shifted from making the playoffs to maintaining a top-five position in an NHL draft touted as the deepest in years. At least, that’s how I interpret the organization’s decision to send goaltender Rick DiPietro for an MRI examination today of the hip injury he suffered in the All-Star Game skills competition on Jan. 26.

It’s an injury that DiPietro knew would linger the rest of the season and that hasn’t prevented him from playing to this point. But the 13th-place Islanders are nine points out of a playoff spot with nine games left, including tonight’s match with Toronto at the Coliseum. Unlike last season, when they made a miracle run to qualify while DiPietro was sidelined by a concussion, they have a team totally decimated by injuries.

Should the MRI reveal an injury of any magnitude to DiPietro, which it likely will do, the club can be expected to shut him down for the season rather than hang him out to dry behind a patchwork lineup for the final eight games. They’re not going to allow the franchise goaltender to be abused like a piñata.

That’s the job of backup Wade Dubielewicz, who has been hung out to dry a few times this season. “Dubie” starts tonight against the Maple Leafs, and Joey Morrison has been called up from Bridgeport to serve as the backup for the foreseeable future.

Islanders coach Ted Nolan acknowledged DiPietro’s absence from the lineup at the morning skate today and said results of the MRI will be evaluated tomorrow. “He’s been having it for a while,” Nolan said of DiPietro’s hip injury. “It’s the same as our team. We have nine guys out of the lineup, and we have two guys that probably shouldn’t be playing tonight. It’s one of those things where the injury bug hit us, and unfortunately, it hit Ricky.”

Of course, anyone familiar with Dubielewicz knows he has no intention of dumping games to improve the Islanders’ draft status. Certainly, the Toronto media had no trouble recalling his play in a 5-2 Isles win over the Leafs in the final week of last season. Dubie won four straight games in that stretch, including a shootout win at New Jersey on the last day to put the Islanders into the playoffs.

“Yeah, that game was fun, and I’m quite sure Toronto fans watched his heroics in the New Jersey game, too,” Nolan said. “That put us in the playoffs and knocked Toronto out. So, Dubielewicz is very capable, and that’s why you have two goaltenders…Wade’s a great story within himself. This guy is a battler, and I wouldn’t put anything past him. He’s a treat to watch compete, and the players are going to play hard for him.”

If the Islanders had a serious chance of making the playoffs, the MRI for DiPietro could have waited, and a few other players on the injured list would be pushing themselves to get back in the lineup. But why should anyone risk further injury under the current circumstances when they can use the extra time now to get healthy for next season?

Fans still are likely to see a good effort from a team featuring the NHL debut of top 2006 draft pick Kyle Okposo tonight and a roster full of young players who are auditioning for spots on next season’s team. Nolan was supportive of Okposo’s decision to leave the University of Minnesota in January and he likes the reports he’s received from Bridgeport coach Jack Capuano, but he cautioned against expecting too much too soon.

“Any time you have a good young player coming in your organization, there’s always that optimism,” Nolan said. “Here’s a good young kid, similar to Ricky coming into our lineup years ago. But you don’t want to put too much expectation on a kid early. You’ve got to let him get his feet wet and let him develop a little bit. People start comparing him to certain players in this league, and it’s an unfair judgment. He’s got to be who he is, and his skill will dictate that.”

From here on out this season, it’s all about the future.

The emergence of new video has confirmed the obvious for the NHL. Anaheim defenseman Chris Pronger definitely stomped down with his skateblade on the leg of Vancouver’s Ryan Kesler in much the same fashion as former Islander Chris Simon did to Pittsburgh’s Jarkko Ruutu earlier this season.

As explained by NHL director of hockey operations Colin Campbell, the severity of Simon’s record 30-game suspension for his actions in December stemmed from his history as a recidivist. Well, Pronger had seven previous career suspensions on his rap sheet, the same number as Simon, and the list includes an incident in which he hit an opponent in the throat with his stick similar to Simon’s stick-swinging attack on the Rangers’ Ryan Hollweg last season.

But the NHL announced this afternoon that Pronger will receive only an eight-game suspension. Since Anaheim has nine regular-season games remaining, Pronger even will get back in time for a warmup game going into the playoffs.

Last season, Simon received an open-ended suspension for the stick-swinging incident that called for a minimum 25-game suspension but banned him from taking part in the playoffs for as long as the Islanders were in them. None of Pronger’s previous suspensions has been longer than two games. While his latest suspension represents a personal record in terms of length, it's obvious the NHL wasn't going to give a key player on the defending Stanley Cup champions anything comparable to what Simon got.

Anything less than 30 games for Pronger reinforces the belief of Islanders coach Ted Nolan that there’s a double-standard at work in the NHL. Asked yesterday if Pronger deserved a similar punishment to Simon’s, Nolan said, “Yeah, a crime’s a crime whether it’s the first time or not. A crime’s a crime.”

At the time Nolan spoke, he was under the impression Pronger might not receive any league discipline. Claiming that the original video of the incident was too grainy to see Pronger’s actions clearly, the NHL had declined to act and was prepared to move on. But the original video wasn’t so grainy that you couldn’t see Pronger lift his right foot and come down with his skateblade on Kesler’s leg.

“Well, sometimes people see what they want to see,” Nolan said. “If it’s not as clear where everybody knows that it was the same type of thing, it’s not for me to say. The league handles suspensions.

“Should they do the same punishment for the same crime? The bar has been set, and they’re the ones who do it. I’m not a guy who handles suspensions, but they’ve got a tough one here.”

Indeed, Campbell is the one who set the bar. Now that the NHL has lowered the bar significantly for Pronger, Simon’s agent, Larry Kelly, should file suit to reclaim the difference his client lost in salary compared to Pronger. And the fact that Pronger won't be forced to miss any playoff time means the Islanders could make a case they were unfairly punished, although it’s not likely they will pursue any action against the league.

When Simon’s last penalty was handed down, Nolan said it was too harsh. He was especially offended when Campbell made reference to Simon going for counseling about an alcohol problem. That was untrue, and it smacked of stereotyping in reference to a member of Canada’s First Nation, a heritage shared by Simon and Nolan. But the roles are reversed now. Considering that Pronger's penalty fell far short of Simon's, you have to wonder, as Nolan will, exactly why that is.

Eight players who have dressed for a game in Bridgeport this season are on the Islanders’ current roster. But not the one on whom Islanders fans are pinning their hopes for the future.

That’s about to change. No official announcement has been made, but all indications suggest Kyle Okposo, the seventh overall pick in the 2006 draft, likely will make his Islanders debut against Toronto Tuesday night at Nassau Coliseum.

Okposo left the University of Minnesota in January to sign a three-year entry level deal with the Isles. If he plays 10 NHL games, that deal begins this season. If he plays nine or less, next season is considered the first year of his contract. After the Isles’ game tomorrow night in Montreal, they will have only nine games left on the schedule, and since they are 13th in the Eastern Conference playoff race, it makes sense to evaluate Okposo against NHL competition to aid planning for next season.

Coach Ted Nolan said it’s up to general manager Garth Snow to make the decision, but his smile said it all when asked if he would like to see Okposo come up. “Definitely,” Nolan said. “Why not? But he’s playing pretty well down there, and maybe a good finish down there [would be best]. He could just ride it out and try to get that team in the playoffs and give him a little taste. But here, it would also be good.”

Golden Gophers coach Don Lucia claimed the Islanders pressured Okposo to go pro at the time of his signing. Snow fired back sharply, saying the 6-1, 203-pound right wing could get better coaching and speed his development in the Isles’ organization.

It was well-known in Minneapolis that Okposo was unhappy playing for Lucia and was languishing. But in 27 games with Bridgeport, Okposo is off to a solid start with eight goals and 15 assists for a total of 23 points. He might not be the finisher the Islanders need at this point, but his playmaking abilities have been impressive and he requires a lot of defensive attention.

Snow brushed off any suggestion the Islanders might be rushing Okposo or putting him into a situation that could harm the self-confidence of a player who doesn’t turn 20 until April 18. “It would be foolish to think we’re rushing him in any way,” Snow said. “He’s been one of the best forwards in Bridgeport averaging just under a point a game.

“He’s earned a chance to put on an Islanders uniform and play at the NHL level. At the end of the day, it will be a good opportunity for him to compete. In no way are we rushing him. He’s proven he’s capable of playing in the NHL.”

When his nine-game NHL stint is over, Okposo still can return to Bridgeport in time for the last five or six regular-season games to help the Sound Tigers compete for an AHL playoff berth. In the meantime, Islanders fans can get a first-hand glimpse of their future in the final five home games.

ISLANDERS INSIDER: The remaining portion of today's Islanders Insider, including a discussion of the Islanders’ chances of taking part in a Winter Classic against the Rangers at Yankee Stadium next season and coach Ted Nolan’s perspective on goaltender Rick DiPietro’s playing style, is available. To read the full Insider, please click here.

Rick DiPietro will be back in goal against Florida tonight at BankAtlantic Center, which is as it should be. There’s no sense in letting him stew in his own juices for three days before Saturday’s game in Montreal after giving up a career-high eight goals in the Islanders’ 8-4 blowout loss last night in Tampa.

At the same time, Ted Nolan was well within his rights and even his obligation as a coach to hold DiPietro accountable for his undisciplined play against the Lightning. Rather than sweep an obvious mess under the rug, Nolan expressed his frustration with DiPietro’s insistence on overhandling the puck to the point where he leaves himself out of position to cover the goal.

“We ask him over and over again not to play the puck as much,” Nolan said. “He’s one of the best puckhandlers in the league, but you just can’t overhandle it. When you overhandle it, you get yourself in trouble a little bit.”

DiPietro got himself in trouble on Tampa Bay’s first and third goals with his puckhandling decisions. In the previous game at Philadelphia, he hurt himself and the team with a penalty that set up a five-on-three power-play goal by the Flyers for the game’s first goal.

All season long, DiPietro has cited the “smart, patient game” played by the Devils as the example of how the Islanders should be playing. And he was exactly right. That’s how an offensively challenged team that is utterly dependent on its All-Star goaltender should play, and when the Isles and DiPietro have done that, they’ve enjoyed their greatest success.

But as much as DiPietro can help his defense with his puckhandling ability, he also can hurt when he starts running around too much. It’s confusing, and when opponents recognize it, they turn up the pressure around the net to force the chaos that often ensues.

If DiPietro is the franchise player – and there’s no arguing that – then, he has to set the example for discipline. Everyone knows he has the skill and creativity to play the puck like few goaltenders before him, but does he have the ability to settle his team and play that “smart, patient game” on a consistent basis?

“Ricky is a competitor,” Islanders captain Bill Guerin said. “He just tries to do whatever he can to make the team better. Nobody can really tell him…I mean, what are you going to do? He’s one of the best puckhandlers in the league for goaltenders. You don’t want to take his competitiveness away from him. You’ve got to be patient.”

Nolan also expressed his frustration over the injury situation, saying “I don’t know if we’re the New York Islanders or the Bridgeport Sound Tigers right now. There’s so many guys out, so many new guys.”

Maybe DiPietro feels a little bit of that, too, having played behind so many defensive combinations, but to his credit, he steadfastly has refused to blame the team’s injuries. When asked if he might be trying to do too much to compensate, DiPietro just shrugged wordlessly.

When DiPietro returned last week from attending to family duties surrounding his grandmother’s funeral, general manager Garth Snow held him out of a game against the Rangers in order not to rush him back without practice. After backup Wade Dubielewicz won that game, Nolan stuck with him over DiPietro for the Rangers rematch two nights later in what turned into a loss.

Asked if Nolan’s decision unsettled him, DiPietro said, “No.”

You have to take him at his word even if it seems as though he’s trying very hard to display all the weapons in his arsenal as if to make a point. Perhaps DiPietro needs to be reminded that he earned his All-Star selection by playing with greater self-discipline and control over the first half of the season. As Nolan often has said, “Sometimes, less is more.”

ISLES FILES: Maybe Nolan really is coaching the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Three reinforcements arrived from the Islanders’ AHL affiliate to fill out the lineup tonight. Defenseman Matthew Spiller has the biggest shoes to fill. He’s in for Brendan Witt, who no longer can play effectively on his sprained knee. Forwards Steve Regier and Tim Jackman also will play in place of injured Ruslan Fedotenko and Andy Hilbert. Josef Vasicek, who missed the Tampa Bay game because of the flu, returns to the lineup, replacing Jeremy Colliton, who was returned to Bridgeport. Jackman and Spiller should add a physical element that has been missing since Chris Simon was traded. Certainly, Spiller’s callup might be a reaction to the way defenseman Rob Davison was handled last night in his second fight as an Islander.

The injury bug has troubled the Islanders all season, but coach Ted Nolan at least thought his team was past the flu bug. Yet, here they are in sunny Tampa, and center Josef Vasicek was forced to sit out the morning skate because of illness before tonight’s match with the Lightning at the St. Pete Times Forum.

Nolan announced that center Ben Walter has been called up from Bridgeport on an emergency basis in case Vasicek can’t go. “We have two other guys that are flu-bitten,” Nolan said without specifying which players. “I don’t know how you get the flu [at this time of year], but we’ve got a couple that have it.”

Defenseman Bruno Gervais is back on the ice skating, although he will not play tonight. His concussion symptoms returned last week after he skated, but his condition is much improved now and it’s possible he will return tomorrow night at Florida.

“Bruno has been talking normal the past couple of days,” Nolan said. “We’ll just see how he responds. With a concussion, you have to go through a series of steps. Now, he’s made it through two or three steps. We’re hoping he’ll be in there within the next 24 hours.”

The 12th-place Isles now are seven points behind Philadelphia for the eighth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, so, there has been a lot of talk about the mathematics of their situation with 12 games remaining. The Flyers are in Toronto tonight, and seventh-place Boston, which is nine points in front of the Isles, is at Ottawa.

“Everyone remains positive,” goaltender Rick DiPietro said. “We realize the task at hand is going to be tough. We haven’t had that one long period where we’ve won games. We had that six-game streak, but we need something better. This is the time for a 10-game winning streak if we’re going to get one. That’s what we need coming down to the wire.”

Two of DiPietro’s three shutouts have come against the Lightning this season, but they are a different team now after trading center Brad Richards to Dallas in a deal that brought goaltender Mike Smith to Tampa Bay. “It’s a good place to play,” DiPietro said. Thinking of all the New Yorkers down here with the Yankees conducting spring training here, DiPietro added, “We have a lot of fans down here. That always gets you motivated. Every game from here on in will be a playoff type game.”

Following the Islanders’ practice this morning, I had the pleasure of informing defenseman Brendan Witt that he is the Islanders’ nominee for the Masterton Trophy for perseverance and dedication to hockey. The award is sponsored by the Professional Hockey Writers Association, and while it has been perceived as an award for a player coming back from injury, the plan this season is to emphasize the contributions of players who have maintained a high standard of play over a long period.

Witt fits that description perfectly, and he also has maintained a community service commitment that the PHWA takes into consideration in determining the eventual winner out of the 29 players nominated (the Rangers chapter chose not to submit a nominee this season). There will be a story in tomorrow’s Newsday that includes Witt’s reaction to the nomination and coach Ted Nolan’s comments praising one of his alternate captains, but since the full interview couldn’t be contained in the newspaper story, I’ll include more of Witt’s comments here.

Naturally, Witt had to be called out of the trainer’s room for the interview because that’s where he lives at this stage of a long season. He came back from a sprained right knee in 18 days rather than waiting the full four weeks, and Witt aggravated it in a collision with teammate Bill Guerin near the end of Thursday’s Rangers game at the Coliseum.

“Yeah, that hurt,” Witt said of the incident. “I didn’t see it coming. When that happens, you don’t have time to brace yourself. I’ve got a brace on protecting it, but you’re still going to get torqued.” Explaining why he came back early, Witt added, “It’s that time of year, and you’ve got to make sacrifices. We still have a chance. Until we’re mathematically eliminated, that’s when I’ll look at my options for still playing.”

After running into Guerin, Witt said he expected to keep playing and joked that situations like his are what they make pain pills for. He’s famous for his ability to play through injuries that might keep others off the ice.

“It’s a fine line,” Witt said of the decision about when to play hurt. “When you have that sharp, knife pain, it’s not good. If it’s an achy type of pain…They use the rating 1 to 10 with 10 being the worst. I always look at it as, if I can still do my job and play competitively, I’m not pulling myself out of the lineup.”

Coming off a loss Saturday in Philadelphia that left the Islanders seven points behind the Flyers for the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot, the Islanders have only 12 games left to make up that ground starting with their game against Tampa Bay tomorrow night at the St. Pete Times Forum. “Right now, we’re playing desperate hockey, like the other night being in the penalty box all the time,” Witt said, referring to penalties that led to a season-high four power-play goals against by the Flyers. “It just seems like we’re finding ways to beat ourselves and not give ourselves a chance. But we’re still in it. This team is not going to quit until we’re mathematically eliminated.”

ISLES FILES: The Isles announced the signing today of Jesse Joensuu, the Finnish forward they selected in the second round (60th overall) of the 2006 draft. Joensuu signed a three-year entry-level deal that begins with the 2008-09 season.

This has been something of a breakout season for the 20-year-old Joensuu, who is a 6-4, 207-pound winger for Assat Pori in the Finnish Elite League. He has scored 17 goals and totaled 35 points in 56 games.

Give Ted Nolan some credit for his nerve. The franchise goaltender is the one with the 15-year contract, but Nolan refused to base his decision on that when he chose to play backup Wade Dubielewicz ahead of Rick DiPietro against the Rangers Thursday night at Nassau Coliseum.

The Islanders suffered a 4-1 loss, but the score included an empty-netter, and in the end, the defense broke down and the power play went kaput, leaving Dubielewicz to fend for himself just as DiPietro has been forced to do much of this season. Nolan risked messing with the head of the goaltender the Islanders are built around, but he reinforced the chain of command and his coaching prerogative to act in the best interests of the team.

DiPietro’s mediocre stats since the All-Star break suggested he needed an extended rest to refresh mind and body. He made 14 straight starts until the unfortunate death of his grandmother necessarily forced him to take time off to grieve with his family and to attend the wake and the funeral.

The way it works out now, DiPietro will have had a full week off plus two full practices and a pre-game skate to work out the kinks before he returns to net tomorrow night in Philadelphia. And to listen to Nolan after the Rangers loss, the last 13 games belong to DiPietro, barring injury or poor performance.

“Now, he’s got two practices,” Nolan said, including today’s session, “and he’ll run with it from here on in.”

DiPietro felt he was ready to go Thursday against the Rangers, but he handled it well when Nolan let him know what to expect Wednesday morning. “I don’t think Ricky’s self-confidence is ever in question,” Islanders goaltender coach Mike Dunham said that day. “He’s proven he’s one of the top goalies in the league. He wants to be out there every game, but this just gives Ricky a couple more days of practice.

“Ricky went out there to practice [Wednesday] knowing, and he worked hard. That’s a sign of maturity.”

Not only has DiPietro looked sharp, but he sounds good, chirping at his teammates in an upbeat manner. “The biggest thing was seeing him fresh mentally,” Dunham said. “When you’ve played so many games, sometimes, a mental break is all you need.”

As Dunham noted, DiPietro’s All-Star game start for the Eastern Conference might have been an honor he coveted, but it didn’t afford him any time away from hockey. The Islanders were coming off a loss at Boston before the break, and when the season resumed, their losing streak grew to seven games. Dubielewicz gave up two goals in the one game he played in that stretch, and DiPietro allowed four goals in five of his six losses.

“Every goalie goes through a period where you’re not at 100 percent,” Dunham said, referring simply to DiPietro’s effectiveness. “Ricky’s played a lot of games for us, and sometimes, the best thing to do is to go back to keeping things simple, getting out on top of the crease and just tracking the puck.”

During his break, DiPietro has been reviewing tape with Dunham and working on the basics. Asked if the time off might be good for him physically, DiPietro said, “You can look at it two ways. I mean, we’re kind of getting down here to the nitty-gritty. This isn’t a time I want to take a rest.”

Reminded how well he usually plays after a break, DiPietro said, “I guess. I’ve been in the All-Star game, and I really haven’t had a chance to get much time off. I’m just trying to stay sharp. Maybe at the end of the day, it will be good that I was away from the rink for a couple days. We’ll find out.”

If DiPietro’s stats don’t improve, it will be a big surprise. At the same time, Dunham said goalies can’t be judged by stats alone. Sometimes, there’s no accounting for the unpredictable bounces that take place, and sometimes, their job is to serve as the last line of defense for a team that has given up 14 short-handed goals, which is four more than the next-worst team in the NHL and plays havoc with a goaltender’s numbers.

Despite sitting out the past three games, DiPietro has made 59 starts and should easily surpass his previous high of 63 set two years ago. Injuries limited him to 62 last season. DiPietro is a superbly conditioned athlete, but he underwent hip surgery last spring and has overcome a sprained knee and a minor injury to the other hip this season.

He aspires to match Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur as the Cal Ripken Jr. of goaltenders, but you have to wonder if Nolan and the Islanders need to take a more conservative approach with DiPietro’s mind and body. On an emotional level, DiPietro runs more hot and cold than the even-tempered Brodeur, so, more regular rest might prove beneficial in helping him maintain a high level of play.

A 65-game season sounds about right. But try telling that to DiPietro.

“Marty’s not a good role model,” Dunham said with a laugh. “He plays 75 games a year. He sets the bar very high. Having said that, I like to see Ricky in there all the time.

“Ricky is so competitive that he never wants to say he wants a night off. He wants to be the guy. That’s what makes the great goaltenders. They want to be out there every night and give their team a chance to win. Circumstances, with him having to go back home, provided that [break]. Whether he wanted that or not, he got it. The biggest thing for us now is to turn that to our advantage.”

ISLANDERS INSIDER: For the full-page version of Islanders Insider, including a segment about the development of prospects from Bridgeport and an injury update on Jonathan Sim and Mike Sillinger along with other entertaining tidbits, please click here.

Islanders coach Ted Nolan made the boldest decision of his two-season tenure this morning when he announced backup Wade Dubielewicz will be in net against the Rangers tonight at Nassau Coliseum with franchise player Rick DiPietro fresh and ready to go on the bench.

Asked if he has a schedule for DiPietro’s return after a break to tend to family matters or simply plans to go with the hot hand, Nolan smiled and said, “That’s the million-dollar question: Do you ride the hot hand, or do you go with the guy who’s your No. 1? It’s one of those things that we put in a lot of thought and consideration into it, and we’ll let the other team guess a little bit. We basically know what we want from it.”

When a reporter suggested it must have been a tough decision, Nolan shrugged and said, “Actually, it’s a good decision. You want tough decisions to make. If it’s easy, the competition isn’t there. So, a hard decision is better for the team. It’s a great position for us to be in deciding which goaltender should go because they’re both very adequate.”

Oddly, Dubielewicz said Nolan told him to “stay ready” to play tonight and said it would be a game-time decision. So, there’s still a measure of doubt in his mind, but the coach seemed clear enough with reporters.

“I want to play,” Dubielewicz said. “I’m looking forward to, hopefully, getting the start. If I do get the call, I’ll be ready. If I don’t then, definitely disappointed.”

DiPietro and the Islanders recently bounced back from a seven-game losing streak with a six-game winning streak before the trade deadline that included a stretch of four wins in which DiPietro gave up a total of five goals. But they lost three of the next four, and DiPietro allowed a total of 15 goals.

The last two of those games were played after DiPietro learned of the death of his grandmother and was excused to be with his family in Boston for her funeral on Monday. Rather than rush DiPietro back into action without practice the next night against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden, general manager Garth Snow suggested sticking with Dubielewicz, who played very well in a 1-0 loss to Florida in DiPietro’s absence. When “Dubie” had another strong game in the Isles’ 4-3 shootout win at the Garden, Nolan decided to stick with him.

“The game against Florida, he stood tall for us, and he doesn’t seem to be rattled in there in pressure situations,” Nolan said. “He goes right into Madison Square Garden, and especially with all the shooters against him in the shootout, it didn’t seem to faze him. He just wants to play, and he played great.”

DiPietro had a good idea on Wednesday that he probably would miss a second straight Rangers game, and he’s handled it professionally the past two days. “I was told I wasn’t playing tonight, so, I’ll just get some extra work and be ready to go,” DiPietro said today after the morning skate.

Asked why he’s not playing, DiPietro sounded as if he hadn’t received a detailed explanation of the reasons. “I’m not sure,” DiPietro said in a matter-of-fact tone. “Obviously, at the end of the day, it’s a coach’s decision. Dubie played well last game and got us that win in the shootout.”

Under the circumstances, DiPietro might be wondering how he could lose the starting job because of missing a couple of games related to his grandmother’s funeral. “It was unfortunate I had to be away for a couple days and miss some time, but I came back yesterday and felt good and got some extra work with [goaltending coach Mike Dunham],” DiPietro said. “I had a good practice today, so, I feel good. Whatever I have to do to support the team, it’s a good opportunity to sit back and watch from the bench and just be with the boys.”

Everyone familiar with DiPietro knows how much he hates to sit out any game, but he’s usually at an emotional peak for the Rangers. He commended Dubielewicz for his performance Tuesday night but admitted it will be tough to be a spectator tonight.

“Whenever I don’t play, it’s disappointing,” DiPietro said. “I don’t like to do too much sitting on the bench. But under the circumstances at this time with a death in the family, I had to go back and support my dad and family. It’s tough sitting out any game, but the Rangers games are especially difficult.”

Nolan didn’t spell it out, but he might be reacting to the decline in DiPietro’s save percentage to .886 over his past 16 starts. The Islanders’ defense, which has allowed a league-high 14 short-handed goals this season was a contributing factor, but they gave up a shortie in front of Dubielewicz Tuesday night and he still limited the Rangers to three goals.

Asked if he felt DiPietro might have lost some focus recently, Nolan said, “There’s a lot of things going on in people’s minds, especially with what happened to Ricky’s family. I’m not too sure it was focus, but the puck hasn’t been bouncing quite our way. As far as goals going in is concerned, sometimes it hits shin pads and just goes in. I think it’s not so much focus, it’s more that we haven’t been getting the breaks.”

No matter what happens tonight, it challenges the imagination to think Nolan won’t go back to his franchise goaltender soon. DiPietro will have a second full practice tomorrow in addition to the skate today, and he will have had a full week off by the time the Islanders play Saturday night in Philadelphia. But apparently, no promises have been made.

DiPietro said he’s just trying to stay sharp and hasn’t been told anything about the Flyers game. “I’m not really thinking that far in advance right now,” DiPietro said. “Tonight’s a big one.”

Rick DiPietro said he felt great after practice today. He even went out there early to take extra shots. Normally, that would be all the Islanders needed to see. But having seen Wade Dubielewicz galvanize the team at Madison Square Garden last night, coach Ted Nolan isn't so sure.

Nolan wouldn't name a starter for the back end of the home-and-home against the Rangers for tomorrow night at the Coliseum. The odd thing was each goalie thought the other would be the choice.

DiPietro, asked specifically if he felt he would start after having missed two games because he was in New England attending his grandmother's wake and funeral, said: "No, I don't think so. I'm not sure. That's his decision, obviously." Of course, "his" meant "Nolan's."

Dubielewicz, who was strong at the start when the Rangers came out strongly and better at the finish as he won a shootout, was asked whom he thought would get the nod. "Dubie" also referred to Nolan, saying, "He hasn’t said a word. Your guess is as good as mine. Obviously, I want to play, but right now Rick is our guy. Rickie’s the guy we have to rely on. So I’m going to guess he’s going to get the shot."

Nolan wasn't saying, either way. But just the fact that he didn't automatically name DiPietro seemed to say plenty. And the coach sure did have a lot of nice things to say about Dubielewicz, who rarely plays during the course of a season.

"One thing with hockey, nothing is carved in stone," Nolan said. "You miss four or five days of ice time, it’s going to take a little time to g