Mike and Dan discuss the Islanders' win over the Sharks on Brent Sutter Ring of Honor Night that, while pleasant enough, did little to change anything about this team or its season. For once, the Islanders took care of business beating a bad, under-the-weather opponent. Too bad it comes more than halfway through a season in which they've been farting around on the ice and with our emotions. A follow-up run against Metro Division opponents who are actually trying only serves to make the victory even more hollow, assuming the Islanders win their customary one or less games this week. We also discuss the warm and welcome Sutter ceremony and bring back for just the second time Master Pens Theater, as the Penguins say goodbye to a guy they shouldn't have said hello to in the first place, and the guy who opened the door doesn't get blamed at all.

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In their first emergency podcast of the year, Mike and Dan react to the Islanders' back-to-back losses to start their homestand and how little fight they have shown all season. Tuesday's 2-0 loss to Ottawa and Thursday's 5-3 loss to Philadelphia represent something of a breaking point. A team that once showed pride in the Islanders logo and in Long Island looks checked out and ineffective. A chance to build upon their three game road winning streak has gone and, once again, it looks as if no one is going to do anything about it. There's no pushback, no excitement, no juice, no nothing. Just a stale roster playing boring games inside a "food court with an ice rink in the middle." If something doesn't change soon, the owners will be looking at a lot of empty seats and canceled season tickets. Because this team looks beyond cooked and needs a change in not just roster players but attitude and philosophy as well.

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The Islanders have finally won three (3!) in a row including impressive victories in Vegas and Utah and Mike and Dan feel satisfied and relieved in a way they haven't all season. An unexpected shutout against the Golden Knights gave way to a gritty win against Utah that could have been "one of those games," were it not for a dogged effort to get the points. Both wins were call backs to more successful times and whether it was Lou Lamoriello's impromptu vote of confidence, healthy players returning to full form or the magic powers of a rubber chicken (?), the Islanders looked and played better than they have in a while. In the second half, we examine the season-long seven game homestand they have coming up that can really vault them back into the playoff picture, as long as they continue to stack wins. We also debut a new PBS-like feature which surely will interest fans of whodunits, detectives or overwritten articles about uninteresting teams from the Midwest - The Michael Russo Mysteries.

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Dan chats with current Rangers and former Islanders beatwriter Colin Stephenson about Brett Lindros, who was expected to be a star but was forced to retire far too soon due to concussions. Following in the footsteps of his brother Eric, who was already a force in the NHL, Brett was a charming, well-spoken boy in a man's body when the Islanders selected him in the first round of the 1994 draft. With a lockout and disastrous previous season draining the customer base, the team put Lindros on the ice immediately, where he was a willing fight combatant but not much of a scorer. By Year Two, a series of head injuries became too much for him to bear, and at the age of just 20, he had to leave the game and the team that had hoped he would lead their next generation. Colin talks about covering this "eventful" Islanders era and about his dealings with Lindros before the "shattered dream" of his career had to be ended. The Islanders made a lot of mistakes back then, mostly off the ice, and a kid with a lot of promise paid the price for them.

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Mike and Dan look back at an exciting overtime win over the Bruins that left them feeling more upset than joyous thanks to the sluggish season the Islanders have had. Following two losses to the Maple Leafs that straddled the new year, neither was looking forward to Sunday's game in Boston. But the Islanders took a lead, blew it, and then won on Bo Horvat's OT breakaway. In a vacuum, the game was an enjoyable back-and-forth affair. But in a season this deflating, it's very difficult to get fully inflated. And with two games out West in Vegas and Utah before a long homestand, the Islanders have the chance to do something they have not in quite a while: take care of business. Too bad we expect them to call in sick. We also discuss the dire state of NHL media in the year 2025, where a simple nightly recap show would be a blessing and getting straightforward information about league goings on feels damn near impossible to find.

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Mike and Dan react to another one win, two loss week for the Islanders, who remain consistently inconsistent and with little motivation on or off the ice. We've been frustrated and angry but now, more than anything, we're simply bored by this team, and our relationship with them might need to be reexamined. The team is mediocre or terrible at everything, players talk about playing better but don't for more than one game at a time, the coach thinks they play well after every game including a despicable 7-1 loss to a hopeless squad and the general manager is so calm, it's fair to wonder if he's doing anything at all to fix it. It's a bitter way to close out a year, but after watching the same game over and over, we don't know how else to feel. In the second half, we look back at some of our most listened-to episodes from the past year and Mike reveals the gift he was sent by former Islander Deron Quint. If you don't stick around that long, we don't blame you. But thank you for listening this season and we'll see you in 2025 (aka next week).

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Mike and Dan welcome back Hockey Night in New York host Sean Cuthbert to discuss Robin Lehner, the very rare one season wonder for the Islanders. Brought in by Lou Lamoriello after the exit of John Tavares, Lehner and the Islanders was originally a marriage of necessity. They needed a goalie and he needed a place to play after getting out of the NHL's player assistance program. Despite extremely low expectations, both the team and the player experienced a fairy tale season, racking up over 100 points and a first round sweep, as well as a Mastertron Trophy and third place finish in Vezina voting. But it would be one-and-done on Long Island for Lehner, who would begin a nomadic and extremely strange journey on and off the ice, all while keeping the his former team close to his heart (specifically, on his neck). Thanks again to Sean for coming on and of course, be sure to catch Hockey Night in New York wherever you can (Twitch, YouTube or podcasts).

Note: This episode was recorded during the summer. We decided to run the episode at its originally scheduled time due to our appreciation for the player and his time as an Islander.

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Dan and Mike (and little Emmy Lou) celebrate a solid win over Toronto with new episodes of both Master Leaf Theatre and Ranger Piece Theater. After a disastrous and disappointing shutout loss in Carolina on Tuesday, hopes were low going into Saturday's Hockey Night in Canada tilt against Gord's favored sons. But with a healthy, balanced lineup, some hard work and a first NHL goal by a local product, Islanders fans enjoyed a rare feel good win and maybe the most pure joy they've had all season. The night couldn't have gone better, which makes Monday night's game against a Sabres team that's winless in 13 straight all the more terrifying. But a win over them and the Penguins this weekend might give us a taste of how the second half the season will go. We spend the second half presenting new entries into the Master Leaf Theatre and Ranger Piece Theater canon, including a penalized (and now suspended) player helping their team win even when he's not there, a player enjoying family time being treated like he walked on the moon and another shot at Islanders fans who dare not like someone. It’s a super-duper-sized and slightly early holiday treat from us to you.

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A sample of our Monthly Mail Bag podcast for December of 2024 covers accountability, trade deadline boosts and possible replacement GMs.

To hear the full version, visit Patreon.com/IslandersAnxiety and sign up for our Country Club tier. There, you can hear another hour-plus of questions about potential trade options, both expected and not, the ongoing mystery of the NHL's phantom TV network and whether rooting for another team is the answer (and which teams to root for). We also find time to laugh at Stan Fischler's "Iggy Piggy" tweets and that time the 1979 Islanders let their hearts and mouths sing Christmas classics.

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Mike and Dan have a lot to say after the Islanders' loss to Chicago on Sunday, little of it good. Do these guys even want to win games? After a "normal" loss to the Kings and a "feel bad" win over the same Blackhawks on Thursday, the Islanders faced a bad team they had already seen that was on a back-to-back. So, of course, they lost in brutal fashion, throwing away a power play, needlessly icing the puck, then giving up the game-winning goal with 45 seconds left. It was an inexcusable loss that, somehow, we've seen happen multiple times. Coupled with the post-game comments from captain and coach, it makes us feel like we're being lied to or gaslighted when we can see with our own eyes what's happening. It's not a pretty situation, and if you choose to bail, we don't blame you. In the second half, we look ahead at the tough games coming up, plus we examine the waiving of Oliver "One Shift" Wahlstrom, the role the Islanders media played in it, and the tough messages posted this weekend by former Islander Robin Lehner.

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Our theme is "Morning Haze" by Family Dinner. Hear more of their music on Spotify, including their new album "God Looks Out for Fools."

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