Islanders Leafs do It again, Blake thoughts.

You can count on it as sure as the sun will rise. As sure as the ocean churns. As sure as Jason Blake coughing up the puck resulting in a goal against. The Islanders and Leafs put on an entertaining as anything game at the Coliseum. It could not have ended in a more poetic manner. Richard Park, who works just as hard every shift as Blake did when he was here, strips Blake of the puck puts a puck on net that is hammered home by Comrie sending the 15 thousand + in attendance into a frenzy. Such a gaffe is nothing new for Blake, but it will be magnified ten fold up n Toronto.

Jason Blake bolted for the great white north, the millions of dollars and media scrutiny that will make anyone not named Sundin wonder if it is worth it. Not all fans share my view point on Jason Blake, but from the sound of it last night, I am not alone. I heard cheers for his video, and then boos when he touched the puck. Not the kind of boos that greet Miro Satan by the insane glass banging fans up in Buffalo, but boos none the less. Largely rendered in-effective by Toronto's system of not revolving the entire offense around him being a puck hog, Blake is plodding through his toughest season goal scoring wise in 6 years. Maybe that 3 year 10 million dollar deal doesn't look so bad now. Ah.. who am I kidding right?

Blake=Park? I am very proud of Richard Park and the parallels of his career with Jason Blake are obvious. Smaller in stature he is making his mark now with a team that has afforded him the opportunity to do so. The Islanders have given Park what has to be his 1st multi year extension of his career and he is making the most of it. Park probably will never broach the 30 or 40 goal mark, but I can see him netting 20. Park is 31 years old at this point and I would not be shocked to see his offensive output increase in the next few years. The Islander have put together a nice little stretch after floundering through most of December. Next up is Ottawa. If they can get a point out of there I will take it. Maybe Ottawa will be tired after beating up on the rest of the league the last few weeks. Hey after what I saw last night I can dream right?

FCT