If you thought some of the Islanders’ wins lately were exciting, general manager Garth Snow’s buzzer beater at the trade deadline topped everything. Snow couldn’t find a taker for his own future unrestricted free agent Jason Blake, but he had no problem paying the price Edmonton asked for 31-year-old forward Ryan Smyth.
Without a doubt, the price was steep. The Islanders gave up 2003 first-round pick Robert Nilsson, 2005 first-round pick Ryan O’Marra and their 2007 first-round pick for Smyth, who leads the Oilers with 31 goals and 22 assists for 53 points in 53 games. But Snow said he wouldn’t surrender the one player everyone wanted, 2006 first-round pick Kyle Okposo, and he stuck to his word.
Obviously, the Islanders have a win-now mentality and a 6-1, 190-pound power forward in Smyth to help them achieve it. Reports out of Edmonton say Smyth is seeking a five-year deal for $5 million per year. That was too much for the Oilers even though Smyth is a four-time 30-goal scorer and has scored at least 20 goals in four other seasons.
Suddenly, the streaking Islanders look like a serious threat in the Eastern Conference even though they enter tonight’s game against Philadelphia at the Coliseum in ninth place, one point out of playoff position. When Smyth gets here and Alexei Yashin returns to the lineup, the Islanders’ top line probably will be Smyth at left wing, Yashin in the middle and Blake at right wing.
Add that to the deal that put Richard Zednik on a line with Viktor Kozlov and Miro Satan, and remember that the third line of Mike Sillinger and wingers Trent Hunter and Andy Hilbert has been the team’s best, and you have a serious contender for the Stanley Cup playoffs.
As for Blake, the Western Conference teams who inquired about him all went a different direction because they were unwilling to give up the picks and prospects Snow demanded. So, Blake will finish this season in an Islanders uniform and then test the free-agent market this summer.
No doubt, some will argue the price for Smyth was too high, but they got a legitimate star for this year’s playoff run. It will be hard for anyone to say Islanders management doesn’t care about the fans.
Just this morning, as we sat around awaiting the outcome of deadline day, MSG Network’s Deb Kauffman asked Peter Botte of the Daily News and myself who, of all the possible trade prospects the Islanders could get, would top your wish list. The unanimous and instantaneous answer was: Ryan Smyth.
Who knew?
Comments (93)
Wow! Big changes... let's get some points!
Great move for this year. Hands down. But I am hoping that there is something going on behind the scenes right now about a contract extension. They could not have made this trade knowing that this guy would be a rental for a few months. They gave up a ton of talent... But, if they have something worked out for an extension, I love it
Let's face it Islander fans, there is a real reason behind this trade: Wang wants to replace Nassau Coliseum and it's hard to justify a new building for a crappy team so he is "all in" for 2007, hoping the fans flock to the rink.
I like the trade though, I hope they sign the guy to a long term deal. What a nice line: Smyth-Yashin-Blake...Almost can't beat that one. Let's hope Yashin is healthy and plays like he did before the knee injury.
While I'm excited about Smythe, we might have given up a little too much. The guy's a free agent this summer.
Great job Greg, you broke it first and it was an exciting day to say the least. We gotta sign Smyth though or this becomes a major blunder.
A deal for either Blake or Smyth is almost a lock at this point. Both are UFAs and the Islanders will have plenty of money and cap room to sign one, and perhaps even both if somehow Snowy can buy Yash out of the Allen Houston-esque millstone of a contract that has been plaguing the Isles for too long!
A laurel, and hearty handshake to Snowy. Now let's beat the piss out of the Flyers tonight!
Hey, so we gave up a lot... you have to gamble in order to win! It sounds like Smyth is set for 5 years as an Islander, so why are you worrying about free agency??
Greg,
You beat everyone out there to it. I have been on the site all day, refreshing the page...
I really hope the resign Smyth before he puts on the uniform...
Chris S, Smyth is not signed for five years. He did not sign a new contract with Edmonton. If he did, he wouldn't have been traded.
It's 4:15 and ESPN doesn't have it. Good work !
Chris S, apparently there is no deal in place for Smyth. He was asking for 5 yrs $25 million and Edmonton said no. His 2-year deal expires at the end of this season and he definitely will be an FA.
However, depending on how he pans out over the last month of the season, I think that's not an unfair price for him. Certainly Blake will be asking other teams for more.
TP, it's been on ESPN's NHL home page for about 15 minutes. ESPN.com's front page does its best to pretend hockey doesn't exist, which is why the most exciting day of the regular season ranks below a hard-hitting expose about Japanese pitchers at spring training.
Getting Ryan Smyth is HUGE, if they know he's going to sign for 3 more years. If not, this was the DUMBEST TRADE EVER MADE BY AN ISLANDER GM... forget Bertuzzi, forget Luongo... forget drafting DP instead of any number of perennial all-stars... THIS ONE TAKES THE CAKE.
If he's an Islander next year I'm dead wrong... but giving up all of that for a player for three months... JESUS!!! A player you could have signed on july 1st anyway... what the hell are you thinking.
Somebody get a rifle... and find Milbury... that's the only way we're going to get him out of the organization.
What a thought... people will remember the dynasty... and the NYI from 02/27/07 - 07/01/07 as the two of the finest teams to ever play the game. What a joke.
and everybody was worried about losing Blake in July.
THE NEW NHL SUCKS!!!!
What will next year's team look like... WHO KNOWS.
This one looks really nice... but when we wake up in the morning it's gonna be the last call pig...
Okay.. I need a valium!
It's 4:20 and it isn't even on SI.com's NHL page. I just hope they resign him to a new deal.
YEAH!!!!
LETS GO ISLANDERS
JP, I totally agree with you and will happily show up in Hempstead with you to scream and yell at Snowy if that all comes to pass. But it won't.
They COULD have signed Smyth on July 1, but where does that put them NOW? They needed one more guy to try and get them over the hump and into this year's playoffs and they did it. Worry about the off-season in the off-season.
And happy 4:20 to you too, Patrick Stephens!
There is a Barry Melrose chat going on right now on ESPN. He keeps praising the Isles. It's nice to see. It's been a long time since the Islanders were praised for anything.
Yes, Bob, and the best part about talking Isles on ESPN.com is that their commenting software filters out the word "Wang."
You guys are absolutely insane. You've been trained to think that the way to the cup is these "prospects". So you've all seen so many Sound Tigers games that you just know Nilsson will be a top line player one day? There are tons of players out there with the "potential" that O'Marra has. It's about time we see this team step up to the plate and take their best shot at it.
Melrose was asked if the Isles could pull a first-round upset? His answer... Definitely. The East is wide open. With the way DiPietro's playing and add the guys they got today. I've said it a million times, it's how you're playing going into the playoffs not your seed.
Greg,
please keep us up to date about signing smyth. i cant believe we'd give up that much just to rent him for a month and a half!? please say it aint so. get it done garth!
Patrick, I totally agree, all season I've been watching Bridgeport and there's really nothing exciting going on there. Bunch of average players. I think there's GOT to be a reason Tambellini got the call-up this year over Nilsson who is Bridgeport's leading scorer. Nilsson had his chance last year and if he was as good as we thought he was in the '03 draft, he would have stayed with the team, not gone back down to the minors.
While Nilsson may become a very exciting player, to me it is quite obvious he's not a Nolan-type player.
This is great news!! TSN interviewed Smyth's agent who claimed that his negotiations with the Oilers fell apart only 20 minutes before the deadline!
I'm not sure they can keep Blake and Smyth (although if Yashin's injury is more debilitating than has been let on, a buyout might be possible). Also, I don't think Smyth wanted to be traded based on what his agent told TSN (his agent hasn't even been in touch with the Islanders yet). We'll see what happens though.
I'm excited about the deal and I don't think the price was too high. This makes the rest of the season seem so exciting and I'm looking forward to going to more games! Thanks Snow!
Next we buy out Yashin this summer and replace him with someone better and cheaper. But if Smyth is not signed long term this is a bad deal.
As a long suffering Islanders Fan who has been there through the good times and bad, I have to say I'm excited about this team. Earlier in the season, when the games were being played to thin crowds, I could see that this team had something that was missing the last several years....a never say die attitude. I've enjoyed the return of the team to the playoffs, and agree that they've played with alot of heart in the recent past. But, for a change, we've got a team that won't quit, and management who knows how to spot talent when they see it. It's good to see that we've gotten a great player in exchange for the players we gave up. Historically, we've given up alot and gotten little in return. THANKS GARTH FOR DISPROVING THE NAYSAYERS!!!!!!! GO ISLES!!!!!!
First year on the gig and Greg Logan breaks a HUGE story...Gotta give a lot of credit to Logan for breaking this before everyone else....
I know this year didn't start great for either the Isles or Greg Logan, but both have come a looooooooong way!!!
Go Isles!!!!!
Matt I was just stating a time (4:20 pm) and not insinuating anything else.
GO ISLES!!!!
Nilsson and O'Marra was a lot to give up....but I would have to think that Garth has every intention of giving Smyth the $5 million he wants and deserves.
Remember folks...there is nothing like playoff hockey at the Nassau Coliseum...
To all the Garth Snow and Charles Wang critics...
SHHHHHHH!
It's not about giving up Nilsson, or O'Marra, or the 2007 first rounder... it's about giving it ALL UP. That is DEPTH. There is no price tag on that. This organization is thinner than Kate Moss on Dexatrim.
I'd still be okay with the deal if it came with a 5 year deal... anybody rememeber where Kirk Muller left us.
Talent passes through the Islanders like bad refried beans.
Nilsson wasn't going to play for Nolan.
Who even knows if O'marra would pan out as a Nolan type guy.
A late first rounder in the age of the 18 year old draftees is no guarentee.
THE KEY IS THREE MONTHS... ALL THAT FOR A PLAYER WE HAVE FOR THREE MONTHS....
I HAVE SUCH A HEADACHE RIGHT NOW.
I can't wait until Nilsson turns out to be a 30 goal guy, O'marra right behind him... and who even cares who next year's first rounder is (no excitement about a second rounder)... but we'll be able to say we won a playoff round, maybe even got to the conference championships or the cup finals...then we hit the our head on every step down to the basement floor for 14 more years.
It's like finding out that Jennifer Aniston is staying at your house for three months... let's hope she doesn't have a yeast infection.
Before anyone says anything how many times do Isles fans remember being sellers every single year? This is a trade for a player with some heart and soul who captained an 8th place team last year all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals. Koodos to Garth Snow and Islander management for thinking of the present with a team that is on a hot streak geared to make a drive in the east for a postseason birth and a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals! It's time to think of now instead of later it's time to add cup number 5!
The Isles did not make the playoffs last year and that is a no-no in NY. Wang wants to win bad and may not think before he acts sometimes (see a 15-year contract for RDP - insane). But no one can question his desire to win. This was a bold move, but giving up prospects is not a terrible thing. Most people think Nielsen is a 3rd line player at best. O'Marra apparently has some attitude issues and that soured the Isles on him. Garth pounced to show the fans that he and management are committed to winning. Even is Smyth is a rental player, this shows other players in the league that the team is willing to make bold moves. Let's see what happens.... sign one of Blake or Smyth (both are too old to sign long term) and use the rest of the money on some good free agents in the summer. By the way, hiring Ted Nolan looks like a great decision now when everyone scoffed in the offseason... who will get the last laugh?
JP I love your similes and metaphors but come on man! Live for today! Are you old enough to remember the Cup years? If not, let me tell you that this is now the best team since 1984. The '93 squad that beat Pittsburgh came close but didn't have as much grit as this team does, and grit wins Cups. So don't worry about next year until this year's over with. The Islanders will likely be saying goodbye to a lot of players this off-season but other players, hopefully better ones, will replace them. Particularly on the blue line.
It all comes down to whether or not Smyth resigns. There are still a handful of teams better than the Isles after this deal but who knows what a hot team with a hot goalie can do? Hopefully we will be able to sign him to a new contract and add one or two more pieces to be a top team again.
SUPPORT your team, You BUMS!!
Good Job snowwy!! Way to re-load and show the NHL we ready to play with the big boys!!
Wang has done a terrific job with this team and snowy traded with confidence.
Look at the 07 draft, its terrible, when the two kids traded become all-stars, i won't care, because we going to the PLAYOFFS!!
The Islanders organization continues to do the unpopular under Wang yet they are having great success!
And if you are complaining about giving up so much for smyth, then why are you not complaining for recieving nothing for Blake!!
LETS GO ISLANDERS!!!!
'93 - Super Dave Volek!
Regarding the 2003 draft-
Let's go over some of the other players beside Robert Nilsson who were drafted in 2003. Dion Phaneuf, Marc-Andre Fleury, Eric Staal, Zach Parise, Ryan Getzlaf...if Nilsson were any good he'd be with the team now. Heck, Maxim LaPierre from the Habs went in the SECOND round in '03. Obviously Nilsson wasn't going to pan out here, so let's not act like we just gave away two superstars here.
ESQNWC, there was no need for the Isles to do anything to prove to the league that they were willing to make bold moves. They've been king of the bold move since Mad Mike entered the picture.
I'm just glad that the last few bold moves have been shrewd ones, and might really improve rather than cut salary.
As I mentioned earlier, this trade was made to lay the ground work for a new arena. The Islanders, Mr. Wang in particular, will not let both Blake and Smyth walk, after he mortgaged the future so that he can build a new building and find it empty every night. One of these guys will sign, and I bet it's Smyth. They will make him the face of the team because they figure they've already lost Blake.
I think the general consensus here is that it's a great trade for the Isles if Smyth is signed for at least 3 years, right? Losing the prospects doesn't bother me because in the 30 years I've watched hockey the knockout prospects don't take a long time to develop, they produce almost immediately and Nilsson has been good, but not spectacular. I'd take an established NHL player (of reasonable age) over a prospect any day.
Bob, David Volek was my hero for one...entire...summer. Today's equivalent would be Andy Hilbert with Sillinger coming back down the ice to beat a screened Ryan Miller :)
I'm going to be honest I wasn't able to read all of the posts so if this is repeating then I apologize ....
The isles went from aquiring a bunch of young talent to trading a lot of it away. This regime was obviously never a fan of Nilsson so I understand him and the 2007 pick going, but I think O'marra will be added on the list of former Isles prospects that go on to play well else where ...wasn't Nolan just talking about building aroung youth??
If the Isles sign Smyth then I'm going to feel better about this deal, but if he walks and the Isles gave away all of those guys then I'll think Snow will be approaching MM status ...
ALSO, keeping Blake was stupid, now you have Blake AND Smyth to resign ...what happens if they both leave??
Snow better know what he's doing
My question, is when will the Islanders be talk of the town!!
When can i listen to 660 or other talk show's and hear about my Islanders and not that garbage team in the city!!
We deserve to win! and damnit WIN NOW!!
So Nilsson and O'Marra re gone, it doesn't matter. We have Tambellini, Nielsen, Okposo, Rhakshani, Comeau, Nokelainen, Guthrie, Colliton, etc. Nilsson may put up some points, but I've watch O'Marra, and while he is a real character guy, he will not be any more than a third line guy.
This is a great deal, this is what playoffs teams do. We're just not used to it. Enjoy this folks.
Jim A., I entirely agree...people need to actually look at the list of Islanders first-rounders over the years. Early drafts were great--laid the foundation for the Cups. LaFontaine in '83 and then nothing...absolute junk...until Bertuzzi in '92 or '93. Really, DiPietro has been the most successful first-rounder the Islanders chose since Bertuzzi...competing with Wade Redden and Roberto Luongo (not as good as DP in my opinion).
Nice work Isles. Ryan Smyth is a great addition and this team now seems poised as a true contender. The Rangers have given up. Just do us sad Ranger folks a favor and beat the piss out of those Devils. We can't seem to know how to do that. Godspeed and good luck in the playoffs. Cheers.
This deal makes sense. I am tired of hearing about prospects. Lets not forget we still have Bergenheim, Nokelanin and Okposo so there is still plenty of top prospects for the future. The Islanders will now make the playoffs and if they win a round or two I would think Yashin could be convinced to renegotiate to get some cap room to keep both smyghe and blake. Great job SNOW. Lets go ISLANDERS!!
What about Sean Bergenheim. He'll be back next year too, right?
Funny - its 5:18 and there is absolutely no mention of Ryan Smyth on the Isles website even though they posted a NYI/Philly preview.
We've been fleeced.
Unbelievable.
Three first round picks? Are u kidding? He's a nice player, not a superstar. I knew it was too good to last.
Signing both Blake and Smyth is not possible with the cap (unless we buy out the stiff Yashin). One or the other will leave via free agency for nothing.
This team has completely turned over in one single year...and that's a good thing... new coach... core players.. and a solid ethic.
Then they say "we are going to build a solid foundation". EXCELLENT. Blake has some value, so they shop him for young talent and draft picks.
I'm not crazy about it, but it is a move towards the future without killing the present.
then snow makes another shrewd move picking up zednik for a bag of pucks. Excellent rent-a-player, and makes the Satan line the top line without costing a dime.
Now garth is starting to get morning wood, when a pretty girl says hello to mr snow and BLAM... he drops a load in his pants.
They didn't give up much for one of the best all around guys in hockey... but for a rent-a-player.
Snowy... come on man...the honeymoon is over.
Let's enjoy it while it lasts. the CBA... the trade deadline... a carousel of new players every year..
Yes, I'm old enough to remember the great teams, and the teams of the mid 70's... because it's easy. There were no more than 4 player changes in any year during that time. now.. You'll be watching the columbus blue sweaters or the nashville first daters and see the guy who you were cheering for only five months earlier as they hoisted a rent-a-cup.
I'll get over it, I'm sure... but this is a sad day for me.
LET'S GO ISLANDERS!!!!
JP is right ...it's not about Smyth because he's a great player, it's about the fact that he's a UFA ...I wouldn't be shocked if he resigns with Edmonton ...he's been there forever ...I hope the Isles sign him because they'll look sooooo stupid if they don't
Who let the dawgs out!!!
LETS GO ISLANDERS!!
It's 5:36 and ESPN still hasn't added this trade to their "tracker" even though it's probably the biggest of the day. Way to go ESPN, they hate to admit when they're wrong for picking the Isles to be total duds this year. Okay, so did most of us, but we're scorned fans, we're allowed to.
Here's a thought.
The Islanders win the cup this year... and next year we watch the the big screen to see a video of the cup with Blake (GONE), he hands it to Smyth (GONE), who hands it to Zednik (Gone), to Hill (gone), to Park (gone), to Bates (gone)... and finally to Yahsin, who, much like herpes is with us forever!
Stewart Smalley
Waste waste waste==Smth's agent confirmed they have not spoken to Isles AT ALL! His family wants to stay in Canada---hes a gonner this summer. desperate, dumb move. Schmuck City.
OK! LET THIS FRANCHISE MAKE SOME NOISE!!! The more I think about it, the more excited I get. We still have good young players in our system (I'm not upset with losing O'marra and Nilsson) good young D mixed in with our solid vets, what is turning out to be (despite what all the Rag$ fans and every NHL critic had to say) one HELL of a young goalie who has grown tremedously this year, our 3rd line which has been arguably our best in the last month, Jason Blake for the stretch, Yashin coming back, and now Ryan Smyth to play with them. Our second line gets some more punch with the deal yesterday. We make the deal which shows other teams and future UFA's that we're going to make the deals to win. This is huge!!!
LET'S GO ISLANDERS!!!
no offense but JP you are way overboard. Prospects are just that, (potential) Smyth is the real deal. I know we have been burned too many times in the past but dare i say this franchise is starting to get it right ? Agreed that they MUST sign Smyth for any of this to make sense. In my heart i believe they will sign him and put a nice big C on his chest.
It's hard to understand how the Isles could give up 2 rookies they were so high on and a first round pick for a rental player... I don't know what other deals are made in a trade like this if we cannot sign Smyth but I didn't see any other team give up as much as we did as respects tkachuk,bertuzzi,gerin ??????????????
Express your dipleasure with ESPN here:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?page=contact/espntv
I hope Smyth doesn't pull a Kirk Muller
LET'S GO ISLANDERS!!!
In addition we did unload york and zhitnik and save 5 mil....we could potentially sign both blake and smyth if yashin is not around....Also i think nillson was making decent $$$$.....
of course you will think our prospects are great, you are familiar with them. Other clubs fans probably feel the same about their prospects.
Also they have soured on Nilsson since training camp. Nolan didnt like his work ethic and his def play. So to say that they were high on Nilsson is wrong. O'marra is another story. i think he will be good. But I love the deal.
First of all, as a wise man once said, sometimes the best trades are the ones you don't make. Keeping Blake was good, although it definitely wasn't for lack of effort by Snow, but rather him running out of suitors as the teams in the running picked up other players. As for the Smyth deal, I'm a bit shocked. My initial reaction is they gave up entirely too much for someone who might walk away as a free agent over the summer. I don't think they'd give up so much for a rental, so they must have had a strong inclination of being able to re-sign him in the summer. Of course, that means they'll be giving Blake's money to Smyth, unless of course, they buy out Yashin, which would free up some cash. There's no question Smyth is one of the true character players in the league and there's no telling how good Nilsson and O'Marra will be down the road. However, these are the kinds of moves you have to make sometimes to elevate yourself from being an average team to a contender.
Also, it would be nice to have heard from Snow giving some info on his thought process ...
Nicely put Scott Akanewich
"No balls, No bluechips"
BOTTOM LINE.....AS AN ISLANDER FAN FOR 3O + YEARS IS i AM 100% FINE AND EXCITED ABOUT THE TRADE. SMYTH WILL BE SIGNED....NOT IF WE SIGN HIM.....GARTH WILL GET IT DONE ASAP....SMYTH IS EXACTLY WHAT NOLAN AND THE ISLANDER FANS HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR.....
it sort of sucks that we make the biggest trade of the deadline and the sports page has a picture of Aaron Ward for it's trade day coverage
and just as i type my comment looks like they switched the picture, should be great trade. Even if we can't resign him at least it let's other potential UFA know the Islanders mean business
How about those METS!!
Umm...hello? McFly?
Smyth is a top three winger/pf in the entire league. Top three.
Shhhhhh. Just watch as respect continues to flow back to the Island. Enjoy it. Nolan + Smyth = a real hockey team. This is how you build fan loyalty and a winning franchise.
2007 UFAs
Jason Blake
Chris Simon
Arron ASham
Viktor Kozlov
Randy Roibtaille
Tom Poti
Sean Hill
Joel Bouchard
Mike Dunham
Why fret over this deal, the whole team may be different next year.
:-(
I know Kirk Muller's name comes to mind when a trade like this is made...but remember...Muller was coming into a rebuilding situation...Smyth is coming into a situation that has us one of the favorites in the East.
IF we can resign Ryan Smyth beyond this year , this will be our best trade in ages. Smyth spills more grit and give more effort than any Islander in years. He'll be THE player to rebuild the franchise around. The ability to resign Ryan to a long term deal IS make or break for the Islanders.
Dont know if this point has been made or not so... If Smyth wants 5mill a year, I'm sure $5mill american is more appetizing than 5M canadien currency. something to keep in mind.
Wow, can't believe some of the sky-is-falling kookery being posted here. I'm not completely in love with this deal, and it will be a travesty if Smyth is not re-signed after what was given up, but let's not delude ourselves here. Nilsson has plenty of talent but has shown little in the way of effort (not something that'll get you in Nolan's good graces), and O'Marra is a player cut from the Peca mold - grit and leadership, but not a big-time scoring threat.
Nilsson and O'Marra are potentially very good players, but NOT blue-chip prospects by any stretch of the imagination. Smyth, on the other hand, was arguably the best player available today and the Islanders were able to get him without giving up a single roster player or Okposo (arguably the only blue-chip prospect in the system).
Make no mistake, I agree that this deal completely sucks if Smyth walks come July, especially if the Islanders don't do much in the playoffs (or worse, don't even make the playoffs). But adding him and Zednik instantly give this team three solid scoring lines, and even the fourth line has been putting pucks in the net lately. If Yashin comes back healthy and playing like he did early in the season, this team not only has the potential to not only make noise in the playoffs, but to go all the way. Whine all you want about trading prospects, but the reality is you gotta give to get, and as a long-suffering fan I'll gladly give up a little of the unknown and uncertain future for a big-time difference maker.
For ONCE my team is rolling some dice to win now. For ONCE we get the established NHL player for "prospects." For ONCE my team got better on the ice at the NHL level at the deadline. Let's Go Isles!
Hey WAKEUP people!!! this is IT!! Islanders Hockey is BACK!!!
Whooooaaa!!!! You dummy's!!! go watch the game and stop crying!!!
Who care's about UFA's!!! we got DP for 15yr's!!!
Stop crying, my heart can't take it anymore!! The Islanders are Back!!! They are back!!!!!
BLAKE HATRICK IN FIRST PERIOD... WHAT'S UP HATERS?
Nice first period Isles, 2 goals from Blake and a 4-1 lead. Can't wait 'til the man with the mullet (Smyth) arrives.