Wade Dubielewicz

Snow, Nolan say disagreement a family matter
by Katie Strang, Newsday, June 5, 2008

What had the potential to be a potentially explosive situation between Islanders GM Garth Snow and coach Ted Nolan turned out to be only a slight disagreement and minor miscommunication between the two over backup goaltender Wade Dubielewicz.

In a Newsday story published Sunday, Snow said that Dubielewicz, who the Islanders will not re-sign for next season, reported to training camp last season in poor condition. Because of that, Snow said, the coaching staff did not have much confidence in him to perform at the start of last season.

In Wedneday's Newsday, Nolan disagreed that he had lost confidence in Dubie. Nolan agreed that Dubielewicz was not in good condition heading into last season.

"Any tight-knit family has good debates, and for us, we're a tight-knit organization and I get kind of a chuckle when you hear certain comments," Snow said during an Islanders Business Club event at Nassau Coliseum last night. "It's not as big of a deal as what people are making it out to be."

Nolan, who arrived to the event late because of a delayed flight, downplayed what initially seemed to be conflicting comments and said he planned on speaking with Snow.

"I don't think there's really a disagreement at all," Nolan said. "We agreed on the conditioning. He was hurt in the offseason, so he couldn't come in. Sometimes that's construed as lack of confidence, but it was maybe a lack of communication more than anything."

While Snow reiterated that "everything's great," and said both he and Nolan are on the same page, he also said that the Islanders organization prefers to keep situations such as these inside "the four walls."

"We're a tight-knit family and we like to keep everything within the confines of our home," Snow said.

Nolan said he reached out to Dubielewicz within the past couple days, but missed his call yesterday morning when leaving for his flight to Long Island. Nolan plans on thanking him, wishing him well, and trying to maintain a friendship.

"The business side is one thing but your relationship with players and how you treat them is different," Nolan said, which is why he wanted to let Dubielewicz know he never lost faith in his ability.

"Wade was one of those players and we wanted to make sure he knew. Sometimes things don't work out, but that doesn't mean we didn't have confidence in him," Nolan said.

Nolan disagrees with Snow on Dubie
by Greg Logan, Newsday, June 4, 2008

On a day when All-Star goaltender Rick DiPietro had a minor knee operation, Islanders coach Ted Nolan yesterday expressed his regret about the loss of backup goaltender Wade Dubielewicz to free agency. Nolan took issue with a recent statement by general manager Garth Snow suggesting the coaching staff "lost confidence" in Dubielewicz at the start of last season because of his poor condition.

Speaking yesterday on Sirius satellite radio to a host known as "Bubba the Love Spunge," DiPietro made a surprise announcement that he was having a minor knee operation later in the day. But that was just the beginning of the Isles' communication problems.

In a recent interview, Snow said "there wasn't much confidence in the coaching staff to play [Dubielwicz]" the first half of the season because he wasn't in shape.

When Nolan was contacted for his reaction to the DiPietro situation, he made it clear that while he agreed with Snow about Dubie's initial lack of conditioning, he never lost confidence in his ability.

"It was news to me," Nolan said of Snow's statement. "I never lost confidence in Dubie. It's unfortunate Dubie didn't agree to terms, but for the things he did for this organization the last couple years, I want to thank him more than anything.

"Unfortunately, he's going to go somewhere else, and we wish him well ... As far as his conditioning coming in, he was hurt in the offseason and it took him a little while to get in shape. But as far as his devotion to the organization and the team, we couldn't have asked for any more.

"I was really appreciative of the things Dubie did while he was here. If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have made the playoffs the year before. At the end of this season, we had up to 12 guys injured, and it was a very tough situation. He did everything humanly possible."

DiPietro's new backup is Joey MacDonald, whose contract includes a one-way provision for next season. Players on one-way deals can't go to the minors or return to the NHL without passing through waivers. Snow's multiyear offer to Dubielewicz included a two-way contract the first year that likely would have consigned him to AHL Bridgeport most of the season.

Asked if MacDonald's contract prevented the Isles from retaining Dubielewicz, Nolan said: "I'm not too sure if that had a bearing. But as far as I'm concerned, there was nothing wrong with his play."

Snow and Nolan clashed late last season when the GM disagreed with the coach's decision to start Dubielewicz against the Rangers on March 6 after DiPietro returned from missing two games for personal reasons. Snow was unavailable for comment last night.

DiPietro's backup plays a vital role. During the first two years of DiPietro's landmark 15-year contract, he has suffered two concussions and had surgery on each hip. Yesterday, famed orthopedist Richard Steadman fixed what was described by a team spokesman as a "minor meniscus injury." DiPietro's left knee had been bothering him intermittently since he sprained it Dec. 26 and missed three games.

Isles will let go of Dubie, other free agents
by Greg Logan, Newsday, June 1, 2008

Popular backup goaltender Wade Dubielewicz, who helped the Islanders reach the playoffs two seasons ago, is among a group of unrestricted free agents the club plans to let go. General manager Garth Snow said no offers have been made to forwards Miroslav Satan, Ruslan Fedotenko and Josef Vasicek because of the need for roster space for a youth movement, and "Dubie" rejected the offer he received.

"We made a significant offer that he turned down," Snow said of Dubielewicz, who had a 9-9-1 record last season with a 2.70 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage. "We wish him the best."

Dubielewicz did not return a call yesterday, but it's likely the multiyear offer included a two-way provision in the first year that would have consigned him to AHL Bridgeport most of the season. Joey MacDonald, who was 0-1-1 in his two starts with a 3.00 goals-against mark and a .918 save percentage, has a one-way contract next season that positions him as the logical backup to starter Rick DiPietro.

Although Dubielewicz lost his first three starts, yielding 17 goals in the process, he never allowed more than three goals in his last 14 starts. He finished with a better GAA and save percentage than DiPietro, who missed the last nine games of the season to undergo hip surgery.Snow said Dubielewicz reported to training camp in poor shape, which contributed to the decision to start DiPietro in 33 of the first 35 games. "There wasn't much confidence from our coaching staff to play him," Snow said of Dubielewicz. "That's where we ran into trouble playing Ricky too many nights. We need a backup goalie our coaches will have confidence in from Day 1."

2007-08 Update: May 1, 2008: Wade Dubielewicz posted a record of 1-1-0 in 2 games played for the New York Islanders during the month of April. He defeated the NY Rangers on the road 4-3 in an 8 round shootout in what was the season finale Apr. 4th. The previous night, Dubielewicz lost a 3-0 decision vs. the NY Rangers Apr. 3rd. On the month Dubielewicz gave up 6 goals in 2 games for a 2.88 GAA. His season GAA dropped to 2.70 and record to 9-9-1. Dubielewicz becomes an unrestricted free agent July 1st.

April 1, 2008: Wade Dubielewicz posted a record of 3-4-1 in 8 games played for the New York Islanders during the month of March. With Rick DiPietro on the shelf midway through the month following a hip injury, Wade was given the reigns to finish the season for the Islanders. He posted wins against New Jersey Mar. 21st and a convincing win vs. Pittsburgh Mar. 24th. His other win came in a 4-3 win at MSG against the Rangers in a 12 round shootout victory on Mar. 4th. Dubielewicz also saw action in two memorable games of the month. He lost vs. Florida on Mar. 2nd in the "Core of Four" game after the Islanders peppered Panthers' goaltender Craig Anderson with 53 shots and no results. Dubielewicz then made 51 saves in a shootout loss vs. Philadelphia Mar. 29th. His three other losses on the month: 4-1 vs. NYR Mar. 6th (a controversial start over DiPietro), 3-1 vs. Toronto Mar. 18th, and 3-1 at Pittsburgh Mar. 27th. On the month Dubielewicz gave up 17 goals in 8 games for a 2.10 GAA. He improved his season GAA to 2.68 and record to 8-8-1.

March 1, 2008: Wade Dubielewicz did not make an appearance for the New York Islanders or the Bridgeport Sound Tigers during the month of February.

February 1, 2008: Wade Dubielewicz posted a record of 1-1-0 in 2 games played for the New York Islanders during the month of January. His win came Jan. 22nd in another convincing win at Carolina. Dubielewicz lost a 2-1 defensive battle vs. Los Angeles on Jan. 31st. On the month Dubielewicz gave up 5 goals in 2 games for a 2.52 GAA. He improved his season GAA to 3.22 and record to 5-4-0. Dubielewicz also made a two game conditioning trip to Bridgeport in January. He posted a shootout win at Philadelphia on Jan. 18th and the following night lost 4-3 at Albany Jan. 19th. 

January 1, 2008: Wade Dubielewicz posted a record of 3-2-0 in 5 games played for the New York Islanders during the month of December. He lost 4-0 vs. Atlanta on Dec. 1st, but rebounded in late December with convincing wins vs. New Jersey Dec. 29th and at Carolina Dec. 31st. Dubielewicz was in action for those games after relieving an injured Rick DiPietro vs. Toronto on Dec. 26th. His only other loss came at Ottawa on Dec. 27th. On the month Dubielewicz gave up 13 goals in 5 games for a 2.74 GAA. He improved his season GAA to 3.42 and record to 4-3-0.

December 1, 2007: Wade Dubielewicz posted a record of 1-0-0 in 1 game played for the New York Islanders during the month of November. His one appearance came in relief of Rick DiPietro on Al Arbour Night, Nov. 3rd. DiPietro was struck in the eye by the stick of Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby late in the second period which forced Dubielewicz into the game. The Islanders trailed at the time 2-1 but came back with two third period goals by Miroslav Satan to win the game 3-2 and give Arbour his 1,500th win as Islanders coach. Dubielewicz made 7 saves on 7 shots in 26 minutes of play and was credited with the win. He improved his season GAA to 5.09 and record to 1-1-0.

November 1, 2007: Wade Dubielewicz posted a record of 0-1-0 in 2 games played for the New York Islanders during the month of October. His had a miserable season debut as the Islanders backup when he allowed 8 goals in an 8-1 defeat at Toronto on Oct. 11th. Dubielewicz also relieved Rick DiPietro in an 8-3 loss vs. Carolina on Oct. 27th. He gave up 2 goals in 30 minutes of play. Dubielewicz gave up 10 goals in his 2 appearances for a 6.52 GAA. The Islanders posted a record of 0-2-0 in his 2 appearances.

2007-08 Season Highlights

NHL:
* Named second star with 22 saves in 4-3 win vs. Toronto Maple Leafs December 26, 2007
* Named third star with 27 saves in 5-2 win vs. New Jersey Devils December 29, 2007
* Named third star with 28 saves in 4-1 win at Carolina Hurricanes December 31, 2007
* Named second star with 44 saves in 6-3 win at Carolina Hurricanes January 22, 2008
* Named third star with 29 saves in 1-0 loss vs. Florida Panthers March 2, 2008
* Named third star with 34 saves in 3-1 win at New Jersey Devils March 21, 2008
* Named second star with 28 saves in 4-1 win vs. Pittsburgh Penguins March 24, 2008
* Named second star with 51 saves in 4-3 SO loss vs. Philadelphia Flyers March 29, 2008

AHL:
* Named second star with 29 saves in 2-1 SO win at Philadelphia Phantoms January 18, 2008

SOUND TIGERS 2, PHANTOMS 1 (SO)
soundtigers.com, January 18, 2008

Wade Dubielewicz jumped on the team bus this morning after a quick trip down from Long Island to lead the Sound Tigers to their first victory over the East Division leading Philadelphia Phantoms, 2-1 in a shootout.  Jeff Tambellini's bullet of a shot in the shootout proved the eventual game-winner as Dubielewicz stopped four out of the five shots he faced. 

Pete Zingoni, the only player in the American Hockey League born in Bridgeport, CT, always has a knack for coming back to haunt the Sound Tigers.  About half-way through the first period he broke the scoreless tie.  Zingoni skated into the zone and wristed a shot from the top of the left circle, past Sound Tigers' starting goalie Dubielewicz for the 1-0 lead.  Dubielewicz got a piece of the shot but could not keep Zingoni from collecting his 16th tally of the season.  Ryan Potulny and Stefan Ruzicka assisted on the goal. 

Sound Tigers' head coach Jack Capuano stresses the importance of getting sticks in the passing lanes and bodies in the shooting lanes.  With the Sound Tigers on the penalty-kill after Frans Nielsen took a penalty for holding, Ben Walter took his coach's advice and blocked a Phantoms' slap shot from the point.  The puck caromed out to center-ice where Nielsen was just coming out of the penalty box.  Nielsen skated in alone on Philadelphia starting net-minder, Scott Munroe and snapped the puck through Munroe's legs to tie the score at 1-1.  The goal was Nielsen's ninth of the season. 

Both Dubielewicz and Munroe kept either team off the scoreboard in the third period.  Dubielewicz made nine saves while his counterpart, Munroe, had eight stops in the final period.  A scoreless overtime session did not settle the game so the match went to a shootout. 

In the shootout, Trevor Smith gave the Sound Tigers the 1-0 lead when he made a quick deke and slid a shot past Munroe's right pad on the team's third attempt.  Kyle Greentree would tie the shootout score at one on the Phantoms' next attempt when he backhanded a shot over Dubielewicz's glove.  Old faithful, Tambellini, was the next shooter for the Sound Tigers and he did not disappoint snapping a shot over Munroe's glove for the 2-1 shootout advantage.  David Laliberte would have the final opportunity to tie the score but Dubielewicz stopped his shot when Laliberte tried to beat him over the glove, winning the game for the Sound Tigers in a shootout, 2-1. 

Dubielewicz finished with 29 saves while Munroe had 28.  Both teams finished the man-advantage 0-for-4 in the game.

Islanders Re-sign Dubielewicz
islesinfo.com

May 8, 2007: The Islanders announced today they have re-sign G Wade Dubielewicz, last seasons' playoff stretch hero. He has been signed to a one-year, one-way deal to serve as the backup goaltender next season behind Rick DiPietro. Terms of the deal were not announced, but an NHL source said Dubielewicz will earn the same $500,000 that Mike Dunham received as the backup last season.

"Wade really earned this opportunity," said Islanders general manager Garth Snow. "He has developed steadily with each season in Bridgeport and played well whenever the Islanders needed him. And, of course, Wade's play down the stretch was instrumental in our team making the playoffs. We're very excited that he'll be an Islander next season."

"I've been a part of the Islanders family my entire pro career and I had no interest in going anywhere else," said Dubielewicz. "My family and I are thrilled at the opportunity Garth Snow and Ted Nolan have given me, and I'm very appreciative of that. I'd also like to thank everyone involved with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers for helping me along the way. Although it's a big plus knowing I'll be an Islander next year, my plan is to come to camp in the best shape of my life and be ready for a great season for our team."

Switching to a backup role will be a big change for Dubielewicz, who played in the AHL All-Star game last season. Asked after the season if he could handle long periods of inactivity behind DiPietro, Dubielewicz said, "You have to be ready. I've always been very good at coming into games. It's going to be something new. If Ricky goes on these runs where he plays for six weeks straight, something you might see is me going to Bridgeport to play a couple of games to stay fresh.

"We're definitely going to be prepared. If the schedule works, go down and play a few games and stay fresh."

Wade received $495,000 in 2006-07 on a two-way contract.

2006-07 Update: May 1, 2007: Wade Dubielewicz appeared in 4 games for the New York Islanders during the month of April. He filled in for the injured Rick DiPietro during the Islanders last four games of the regular season. With the Islanders needing 4 straight wins to qualify for the postseason, Dubielewicz defeated the Rangers 3-2 in a shootout Apr. 3rd, Toronto 5-2 on Apr. 5th, and the Flyers in Philadelphia 4-2 on Apr. 7th. The Islanders needed 7 steps to work out for them to qualify and thanks to the Maple Leafs defeating the Montreal Canadiens on Apr. 7th the Islanders had a chance to make the playoffs with a win in New Jersey on Apr. 8th. Dubielewicz backstopped the Islanders to a 2-0 lead, only to see the Devils tie the game with 0.9 seconds remaining in regulation. The game went to overtime and eventually a shootout. Dubielewicz used his patented poke check to foil New Jersey's Sergei Brylin to send the Islanders into the postseason for the first time since 2004. The Islanders diminutive third string goaltender became a hero and will forever be remembered for this April Miracle run to the playoffs for the Islanders. In his 4 straight wins, Dubielewicz posted a 1.92 GAA. His performance could very well earn him the Islanders backup job behind DiPietro in 2007-08. He improved his career record with the Islanders to 7-4-2. Playoffs: Wade Dubielewicz played in game 1 of the Islanders Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Buffalo Sabres. He allowed 4 goals in the Islanders 4-1 loss at the HSBC Arena. Dubielewicz was replaced in game 2 by the returning Rick DiPietro, who finished out the series. The Islanders went on to lose the series 4 games to 1.

April 1, 2007: Wade Dubielewicz appeared in 4 games for the New York Islanders during the month of March. He was first called up on Mar. 14th following an injury (concussion) to Islanders goaltender Rick DiPietro. Dubielewicz relieved Islanders backup goaltender Mike Dunham in the third period Mar. 15th in Ottawa. He played close to 17 minutes and made 8 saves on 8 shots. The Islanders were down 5-0 when Dubielewicz entered the game and the Senators went on to win 5-2. He was re-assigned to Bridgeport on Mar. 19th after DiPietro returned from his injury after missing a week. Dubielewicz was recalled by the Islanders in Mar. 27th after it was learned DiPietro suffered another concussion and would miss more time. Dunham started Mar. 27th vs. New Jersey but Dubielewicz had to enter the game in the third period after Dunham was forced to leave due to dehydration and cramping. He entered the game with the Islanders trailing 3-1 and played almost 13 minutes. Dubielewicz made 4 saves on 4 shots and the Islanders lost the game 3-2. On Mar. 30th in Buffalo Dubielewicz relieved Dunham again after the first period when the Islanders found themselves trailing 5-1. He would go on to allow only 1 goal on 18 shots and the Islanders lost the game 6-4. Dubielewicz started the Islanders game vs. Ottawa Mar. 31st. He made 42 saves on 46 shots on goal in a game the Islanders lost 5-2. With the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Dubielewicz posted a record of 3-2-1 in March. He allowed 19 goals in his 6 appearances and recorded a 3.31 GAA. Dubielewicz posted his 15th career AHL shutout Mar. 24th vs. Portland.

March 1, 2007: Wade Dubielewicz posted a record of 5-6-0 in 11 appearances for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers during the month of February. It was his first sub .500 month since April of 2006 (1-4-0). Dubielewicz's GAA dipped in February from 2.32 to 2.56 on the season. He had a 3.07 GAA during the month of February. Still, he was named a star of the game in all 5 of his victories, which included the first star 4 times. Dubielewicz now has 19 wins on the season which in one shy of his career high of 20 wins accomplished during the 2005-06 and 2003-04 seasons. His 19 wins is tied for 6th most in the AHL. Dubielewicz save percentage of .926 in currently third best in the AHL. He set a Bridgeport record for most saves in a game with 52 in a win vs. Hershey Feb. 9th. Dubielewicz held the previous record of 51 saves set back at Hershey on Jan. 20th.

February 1, 2007: Wade Dubielewicz posted a record of 6-1-1 in 8 appearances for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers during the month of January. He returned to the lineup on Jan. 10th after missing 11 games with a groin injury in December. Dubielewicz went 12 games without a regulation loss going 9-0-3 which started on Nov. 12th and ended on Jan. 24th. He played the entire second period for the Canadian team in the 2007 AHL All-Star Game on Jan. 29th. Planet USA defeated the Canadian All-Stars 7-6. Dubielewicz gave up 2 goals, one to Drew Stafford and another to Brett Sterling. His GAA was 2.04 during the month of January. Dubielewicz's 2.32 GAA on the season and 10 games over .500 are his best numbers since his rookie season of 2003-04 when he finished 12 games over .500 and posted a 1.38 GAA.

January 1, 2007: Wade Dubielewicz posted a 2-0-0 record in 2 appearances for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers during the month of December. Both his wins came in OT by a 3-2 score Dec. 2nd at Lowell and Dec. 6th vs. Binghamton. He also was credited with an assist in the win over Lowell. In between those two starts, Dubielewicz was called up to the Islanders to back up Mike Dunham on Dec. 5th vs. Ottawa. Wade has missed the Sound Tigers last 10 games with a groin injury that has seen Bridgeport go into a bit of a tailspin with a 2-8-0 record. Wade statistically is on pace to have his best season in the AHL since his rookie year of 2003-04.

December 1, 2006: Wade Dubielewicz posted a 4-1-1 record in 7 appearances for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers during the month of November. He allowed 18 goals in that span. His GAA on the month was 2.72, which is also his GAA for the season. He posted the 14th shutout of his AHL career on November 4th.

November 1, 2006: Wade Dubielewicz was hoping this would finally be the season he graduated to the NHL for fulltime backup duty to Rick DiPietro once Garth Snow retired. But prior to training camp the Islanders had other plans and invited Mike Dunham to camp. Eventually they signed Dunham and Dubielewicz excepted to return to Bridgeport for his fourth season. He was called up to backup Dunham on October 13th when it was announced DiPietro would miss the Islanders home opener the next night with a groin injury. Once DiPietro returned to the Islanders lineup, Dubielewicz was returned to the Sound Tigers on October 20th. Wade played in 5 of the Sound Tigers 7 games during the month of October. He re-signed with the Islanders this past summer after becoming an unrestricted free agent. He is slated to become an unrestricted free agent again in the summer of 2007 if he doesn't appear in 20 NHL games during the 2006-07 season. 

2006-07 Highlights

AHL
* Named Second Star in 2-1 shootout loss with 30 saves at Hartford Wolf Pack October 20, 2006
* Named First Star in 5-2 win with 34 saves at Binghamton Senators November 3, 2006.
* Named First Star in 2-0 shutout win with 31 saves at Portland Pirates November 4, 2006.
* Named Second Star in 2-1 SO win with 33 saves vs. Philadelphia Phantoms January 10, 2007.
* Named Third Star in 5-2 win with 38 saves vs. Hershey Bears January 13, 2007.
* Named Second Star in 3-2 SO win with 36 saves at Philadelphia Phantoms January 19, 2007.
* Named First Star in in 4-3 SO win with 51 saves at Hershey Bears January 20, 2007.
* Named Second Star in 4-1 win with 30 saves vs. Binghamton Senators January 24, 2007.
* Named Second Star in 4-1 win with 38 saves vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins January 27, 2007.
* Named Second Star in 2-1 OT win with 29 saves vs. Worcester Sharks February 7, 2007.
* Named First Star in 4-2 win with 52 saves vs. Hershey Bears February 9, 2007.
* Named First Star in 4-3 SO win with 38 saves vs. Lowell Devils February 10, 2007.
* Named First Star in 4-1 win with 30 saves vs. Lowell Devils February 16, 2007.
* Named First Star in 2-1 win with 37 saves vs. Albany River Rats February 20, 2007.
* Named Third Star in 3-2 SO loss with 36 saves vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins March 9, 2007.
* Named First Star in 2-0 shutout win with 36 saves vs. Portland Pirates March 24, 2007.

NHL
* Named First Star in 3-2 SO win with 36 saves vs. New York Rangers April 3, 2007.
* Named First Star in 4-2 win with 28 saves at Philadelphia Flyers April 7, 2007.
* Named Third Star in 3-2 SO win with 22 saves at New Jersey Devils April 8, 2007.

Final 2006-07 AHL SP% Leaders
as of Apr. 16, 2007

Critics who said Wade Dubielewicz was too small to make it as an NHL goaltender were proved wrong yesterday when the Islanders announced his signing to a one-year contract to serve as Rick DiPietro's backup.

Now that he has achieved his goal, the 5-10, 180-pound goalie who led the Islanders into the playoffs by winning the last four regular-season games when DiPietro was out with a concussion, knows he must find another source of motivation. "It means everything, but the one thing I can't get is comfortable," Dubielewicz said yesterday of his new contract. "The second I'm comfortable is the second I lose my edge.

"I believe I've always had that edge because everybody's always telling me I'm too small or I'm not good enough or not big enough. Now that I'm here, I've got to find a way to keep that edge and keep that underdog mentality."

According to an NHL source, Dubielewicz will make $500,000, which is the same amount Mike Dunham received as the backup last season. Dunham played well early in the season, but he faltered after DiPietro suffered two concussions in a 12-day period in March. The Islanders turned to "Dubie," and he responded with shootout wins over the Rangers and the Devils during the four-game win streak that gave the Islanders the eighth seed.

Dubielewicz was named the NHL's first star for his heroics in the final week of the regular season. In eight appearances for the Islanders, including three mop-up situations, he compiled a 4-1 record with a 2.06 goals-against average and an outstanding .934 save percentage. In their season-ending meeting, general manager Garth Snow and coach Ted Nolan told Dubielewicz he had earned the backup job over Dunham.

Money wasn't the major issue for Dubielewicz, who spent most of the past four seasons playing for the Islanders' AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. "The fact they stepped up and gave me a one-way contract meant everything to me," said Dubielewicz, who is thrilled the team cannot send him to the minors without his permission but still could accept a conditioning assignment at Bridgeport if necessary to stay sharp. "I don't have a heck of a lot of experience at [the NHL] level.

"But if I prove myself this year, then, maybe we can talk about more than one year and maybe some more money. They're giving me an opportunity to prove myself on a long-term scale at the NHL level. That's great. That's all a guy can ask for in my situation."

Undoubtedly, the signing will be popular with Islanders fans. "It's kind of funny, but they've loved me from Day One and I appreciate that more than you'll ever know," Dubielewicz said. "They have a voice. I feel like they almost had a little something to do with me getting this contract, too."

Islanders re-sign Dubielewicz as DP's backup
by Greg Logan, Newsday.com, May 8, 2007

No one can call Wade Dubielewicz a "career minor-leaguer" anymore. The goaltender who saved the Islanders' playoff berth with four straight wins at the end of the regular season has been signed to a one-year, one-way deal to serve as the backup goaltender next season behind Rick DiPietro.

Terms of the deal were not announced, but an NHL source said Dubielewicz will earn the same $500,000 that Mike Dunham received as the backup last season. When Dunham suffered through some rough outings after DiPietro suffered two concussions in a 12-day span in March, Dubielewicz, who spent most of the past four seasons playing for Bridgeport in the AHL, got his chance.

In his first start, "Dubie" played well while facing 46 shots in a loss to Ottawa. With four games left, the Isles had to win them all and get some help from other teams to reach the playoffs. Dubielewicz won all four, including shootout wins over the Rangers and then against the Devils on the last day of the regular season to make the playoffs. Dubielewicz lost Game 1 of the Islanders' first-round series to Buffalo before giving way to DiPietro in goal for the remainder of the series.

Although he is undersized for an NHL goaltender at 5-10 and 180 pounds, Dubielewicz showed he could perform in confidence-inspiring fashion in the pressure of a playoff race to earn the backup job. In eight appearances for the Islanders, including three mop-up situations, Dubielewicz compiled a 4-1 record with a 2.06 goals-against average and a terrific .934 save percentage.

Switching to a backup role will be a big change for Dubielewicz, who played in the AHL All-Star game last season. Asked after the season if he could handle long periods of inactivity behind DiPietro, Dubielewicz said, "You have to be ready. I've always been very good at coming into games. It's going to be something new. If Ricky goes on these runs where he plays for six weeks straight, something you might see is me going to Bridgeport to play a couple of games to stay fresh.

"We're definitely going to be prepared. If the schedule works, go down and play a few games and stay fresh."

Dubie takes seat gracefully
by Greg Logan, Newsday.com, Apr. 15, 2007

BUFFALO - If the past couple of weeks represented his 15 minutes of fame, Islanders backup goaltender Wade Dubielewicz made the most of it. He led the Isles to the playoffs with four straight wins and played well in their Game 1 loss to Buffalo, but Dubie stepped aside gracefully yesterday when Rick DiPietro returned.

"I feel like I was trying to keep us alive in the series as long as they needed me," Dubielewicz said. "Now that Rick's back, he's almost like your wild card. He can steal games. He's a world-class goalie. He gives this team that edge. To have him back is good for this team."

Although he did not give up a bad goal in the Isles' 4-1 loss in Game 1, Dubielewicz called his performance "average. I wouldn't say the goals were my fault, but I wasn't snappy and bang-on. There were a couple screened shots and a bad bounce. On a great night, you find a way to keep the puck out. I played fine, but that's not good enough at this time of year."

Dubielewicz was up from Bridgeport on an emergency basis, but the Islanders made it a full recall yesterday so he can remain the backup ahead of Mike Dunham. Asked if he might have earned a shot at the backup job next season, Dubie said, "I hope so. I have no idea what the organization has in store, but I did my best to make a name for myself and, most of all, to give these guys a chance to get in the playoffs."

Dubie stands up to Sabres’ onslaught
by Arthur Staple, Newsday.com, Apr. 13, 2007

BUFFALO -- The Islanders' game plan was clear during the first few minutes of last night's Game 1. They let the speedier, more talented Sabres take the game to them in hopes of creating chances or power plays on turnovers.

That only works if your goaltender makes all the saves he must. Wade Dubielewicz nearly made that plan stand up.

Dubielewicz did not stand on his head in his NHL playoff debut, but he wasn't shaky, either. The 28-year-old did all he could in the face of the Sabres' superiority, making 31 saves in the 4-1 loss.

"I felt pretty good," he said, "but at the same time, 'pretty good' doesn't cut it in the playoffs in the No. 1 seed's home rink. That third period starts and your goaltender has to make a couple saves to make the difference. We didn't get that tonight."

Dubielewicz might not get another chance. Rick DiPietro will practice today and, surprisingly, could play tomorrow in Game 2. But this loss was hard to pin on the goaltender, especially with the Sabres firing shots through traffic in front of the net on their two power-play goals; in addition, Chris Drury's second goal came after he one-timed a cross-ice pass just after a Sabres power play expired. Dubielewicz had no chance on that one, which gave Buffalo a 3-1 lead and all the momentum.

"We've got to make them earn their goals rather than giving them screened shots," Dubielewicz said. "That's not good enough."

There was only one uncertain moment in the game's opening minutes for "Dubie," who heard boos from the HSBC Arena crowd, though they sounded exactly the same as the supportive "Dooob" chants he gets from the Nassau Coliseum fans. Sabres forward Derek Roy took a sharp-angle shot that Dubielewicz stopped but didn't cover; the puck lay behind him in the crease for a second before Trent Hunter dived in to sweep it away.

The Islanders managed to carry more of the play in the second period, but by opening up a bit, they exposed their goalie to better scoring chances. Dubielewicz made two good saves during an 80-second stretch of five-on-five play, the first a right-arm stop on Roy, then another save sliding across the crease to stop Thomas Vanek on a wrap-around try. Vanek, the Sabres' leading goal-scorer with 43, scored on a similar shot against Mike Dunham on March 30 in Buffalo's 6-4 win.

That Sabres victory 14 days ago was the last time Dunham played. He gave up five first-period goals and was replaced by Dubielewicz, whose strong play was the main reason the Islanders got to face the powerful Sabres.

Dubielewicz did his part last night, but clearly, that won't be good enough if his teammates don't do theirs.

"He definitely gave us a chance to win," Tom Poti said.

Dubielewicz doesn’t wilt in spotlight
by Greg Logan, Newsday.com, Apr. 11, 2007

Just say, "Dubie." Feels good, doesn't it? Maybe brings a smile to your face?

For most of his 28 years, size, or his lack thereof, has mattered tremendously to Islanders goaltender Wade Dubielewicz. He's listed at 5-10 and 180 pounds, but it's hard not to wonder if those measurements were taken standing on his skates with all his gear on. He doesn't fill out the net the way many NHL goaltenders do, which is a big reason Dubielewicz has spent most of the past four seasons at the Isles' Bridgeport farm club in the AHL.

But in the last week of the NHL regular season, no one stood taller than Dubie, who was named the league's No. 1 star after four straight wins, including two shootouts, to get the Islanders into the Stanley Cup playoffs. With starter Rick DiPietro sidelined by a concussion and backup Mike Dunham fighting the puck, the Isles were forced to turn to Dubielewicz when they were on the brink of elimination.

Suddenly, he has become an inspiration with his play, the size of his heart and his sunnyside-up personality. The only hint of irritation he's shown since being thrust into the Islanders' spotlight came after the 3-2 shootout win over the Devils on Sunday that clinched a first-round playoff berth against top-seeded Buffalo.

Someone asked how much it meant to a guy who was supposed to be in Bridgeport, and Dubielewicz said: "If you guys would quit writing that I'm a career minor-leaguer, it wouldn't be so bad. Really, I'm only four years out of college, and I've never really had the opportunity to do anything at this level. So when this chance came, I wanted to make the most of it. For personal reasons, no question, but mostly for this team. I hope this is the start of something special, but who knows?"

It's very special now. Islanders coach Ted Nolan yesterday said Dubielewicz is the likely starter for Game 1 against the Sabres tomorrow night at HSBC Arena in Buffalo. Asked what he can tell Dubielewicz to make sure he's not overwhelmed by the occasion, Nolan laughed and said: "Dubie's just got to make sure he stays Dubie. Just enjoy what he's doing."

See? Dubie has charmed the locker room, as well as the fans and media. Of course, he wouldn't be so charming if he couldn't play. But since he's proven himself, his light-hearted approach has infiltrated a team that sees itself as fitting the same underdog role that Dubielewicz has worn so well his whole life.

"The guy has nothing to lose," forward Ryan Smyth said. "He just goes out and plays. He's not a very big goalie, but he's very flexible and gives us that chance to win. He's gotten us this far with what's gone on. Obviously, Ricky is a huge part of the Islanders with what he's done in the regular season. It's all about the chances and opportunities, and he's taken full advantage of it."

After only 17 career NHL appearances, Dubielewicz now has the job of trying to shut down the NHL's highest-scoring team. It means a lot to a guy from Invermere, British Columbia, who was signed only because an Islanders scout who went to the University of Denver to check out defenseman Ryan Caldwell couldn't overlook the little goaltender.

"I don't know how many guys actually get to start a game in the Stanley Cup playoffs," Dubielewicz said. "So I'm going to cherish it, and I'm going to try to take full advantage of it. Hopefully, we can compete and get a win. Anything can happen after that."

The Islanders' goaltending situation could become a bit awkward over the next few days because DiPietro skated on his own yesterday and is hoping to be cleared to play before this series is very old. Game 2 on Saturday is not out of the question, though Game 3 on Monday is a more likely target.

Dubielewicz understands the situation, especially where a goaltender with a 15-year contract is concerned. "Let's be real," he said yesterday after practice. "He's the franchise player. He's a world-class goalie, and when he's in the net, we've got a better chance to win."

Recalling the Islanders' last playoff series in 2004 against eventual champion Tampa Bay, Dubie said he thought DiPietro played as well as any goaltender in the playoffs except for the Lightning's Nikolai Khabibulin, who recorded three shutouts in that series to one by DiPietro. So Dubielewicz's ego is in proportion to the rest of his body.

But until someone tells him to step aside, Dubielewicz will do everything in his power to come up big against the Sabres. Explaining how he makes up for his small body, Dubielewicz said: "I play fairly aggressive. A guy that's two or three inches taller can play three or four inches deeper in the net. At the same time, it makes sense that I'm a little bit quicker than a big guy.

"And I've always been told by coaches that I do an excellent job of reading the play. The brain between my ears is probably my best asset. I've really got to think the game and be ahead of the play somewhat."

Dubielewicz has one advantage in that he faced the Sabres just 12 days ago. The score was 5-1 after the first period when he replaced Dunham, who had been the victim of a series of atrocious defensive breakdowns. "I was scared," said Dubielewicz, who gave up just one more goal in two periods. "I didn't want to go in. It looked like a summer shinny game. That was almost rock-bottom for us."

Dubielewicz started the next night in a 5-2 loss to Ottawa in which he saved 42 of the 46 shots he faced. Then he played brilliantly in a 3-2 shootout win over the Rangers, stopping Jaromir Jagr at the end of the shootout with the same poke check he used to stop the Devils' Sergei Brylin on Sunday to put the Islanders in the playoffs. Throughout the Islanders' late charge to the playoffs, Dubie maintained his sense of humor and seemed utterly unflappable in the face of the pressure.

He admitted to having a case of nerves before the final game against the Devils, but it was interesting to watch him skating around in his own end during stoppages, checking the crowd and generally looking as if he didn't have a care in the world.

"It keeps you in a good mood and happy," Dubielewicz said. "You see kids smiling, and it's fun."

Why are they smiling? Can't help it. Everyone pulls for the little guy.

Dubie who?

Name: Wade Dubielewicz.

Height: 5-10. Weight: 180.

Uniform number: 34.

Age: 28.

Born: Invermere, British Columbia.

Acquired: Signed by the Islanders as an undrafted free agent out of the U. of Denver on May 25, 2003.

Career record: 7-4-1 with a 2.34 goals against average.

Finest moment: Stopping Devils forward Sergei Brylin in a shootout to give the Islanders a 3-2 victory and send his team to the playoffs.

Worst moment: Allowing a goal to Devils forward John Madden with nine-tenths of a second left that nearly cost his team a playoff berth.

Postseason record: None.

Strange but true: Made his NHL debut for the Isles on March 24, 2005, when he replaced an injured Garth Snow, who is now the general manager.

Basking in the Mask

The goalie mask worn by Wade Dubielewicz has attracted considerable attention since he won four straight games to lead the Islanders into the Stanley Cup playoffs. It was designed by Sweedish artist David Gunnarsson and is titled "Magic Moments of Islanders."

1) Two historic Islanders scenes are depicted on either side. One is a rendition of a Paul J. Bereswill's Newsday Photograph of Denis Potvin hoisting the Cup.

2) The other is a likeness of David L. Pokress' photo of Bobby Nystrom after he scored the overtime goal to beat the Flyers for the Islanders' first Cup in 1980. The lower part of the mask protecting the jaw has "Dubie" written across it.

3) The most controversial aspect for many Islanders fans might be the picture on top of the "Fisherman" logo that was dropped after an outcry of protest. Referring to the traditional Long Island landmark, Dubielewicz explained, "I was tired of lighthouses." But he wished the Fisherman had come out looking a little meaner.

4) On the plate in back is a picture of the "Star Wars" character Yoda. "I don't really look like a goalie," said the 5-10 Dubielewicz, "and Yoda doesn't look like a Jedi Warrior." Also on the back are the initials of Dubielewicz's wife and child. - GREG LOGAN

DiPietro Starts Workouts, but Dubielewicz Will Start
by Dave Caldwell, NY Times, April 10, 2007

SYOSSET, N.Y., April 10 — Islanders goaltender Rick DiPietro practiced Tuesday, but not with the team. He was signing autographs when his teammates took the ice to prepare for their first-round playoff series against the Buffalo Sabres.

DiPietro was encouraged by his half-hour workout, saying he felt no symptoms from the concussion that has sidelined him since March 25. He said he did not know when he would play again, or if he would even accompany the team to Buffalo on Wednesday.

Coach Ted Nolan sounded prepared to stick with Plan B: using Wade Dubielewicz, the stubby, self-deprecating goaltender who led the Islanders to four straight must-win victories in the final six days of the regular season.

“Rick’s not in our pattern right now,” Nolan said.

Nolan said it was more than likely that Dubielewicz would start the series opener Thursday. Dubielewicz spent most of the season with Bridgeport, the Islanders’ American Hockey League affiliate, and he said he knew he was not the team’s first choice.

“He’s a franchise player, a world-class goaltender,” Dubielewicz said of DiPietro, “and when he’s in net, we have a better chance to win.”

Dubielewicz’s N.H.L. experience spans 17 games over three seasons. But he will be facing the speedy, swarming Sabres, who finished with the league’s best record, 53-22-7.

“Dubie’s just got to make sure he stays Dubie,” Nolan said.

DiPietro said Tuesday that he had not recovered to the point of even devising a timetable for his return. He rode a stationary bicycle Thursday. On Tuesday, he faced shots from the injured forward Shawn Bates and the Islanders’ goaltender coach, Gilles Lefebvre.

“If you’re a competitor, you want to get back,” DiPietro said, “but I don’t want to do anything to jeopardize my health.”

DiPietro said he would need to pass a neuropsychological test to resume practicing with the team. He said he had been symptom-free since Thursday and would need to be symptom-free for a full week before he could take the test.

He said he was trying to be patient while he awaited word from Dr. Elliot Pellman, the Islanders’ medical director. (Islanders General Manager Garth Snow would not comment.)

“When they give me the go-ahead and say to take the test, I’ll take it,” DiPietro said.

DiPietro sustained a concussion when Montreal forward Steve Bégin collided with him in the first period of a game March 13. He left the game, missed the next two, then returned for two games without any apparent symptoms.

“I don’t regret coming back at all,” he said Tuesday. “It was a decision we made that we felt comfortable with.”

But on March 24 against the Philadelphia Flyers — his third game back — DiPietro said he was elbowed in the back of the head. The next day, he was jostled in a game against the Rangers at Nassau Coliseum, and he said he felt nauseous.

The Islanders said March 27 that he would be out indefinitely, and they called up Dubielewicz to back up Mike Dunham. The Islanders lost their next two games; Dubielewicz replaced Dunham after the first period of the second loss.

Dubielewicz made his first start of the season March 31 against Ottawa, and the Islanders lost, 5-2. Nolan chastised his team after that loss.

The Islanders have not lost since. Dubielewicz led them to the first of four straight victories, a 3-2 shootout victory over the Rangers, on April 3.

Although his teammates have credited Dubielewicz with playing exceptionally well, he has attempted to pass all of the credit back to them, saying that they have been particularly attentive to playing tough defense.

“We’ve got to play the same way against Buffalo,” left wing Ryan Smyth said. “Dubie’s played well, and he’s made some key saves at the right times. But we’ve got to play with confidence. We’ve got to make sure we do what we do best.”

Dubielewicz has clearly been enjoying the moment. He admitted to being nervous before the Islanders played the Devils in their season finale Sunday — a game that went to a shootout. But he has done well because he has tried to stay loose.

“I don’t know him very well,” Islanders center Mike Sillinger said, “but the kid says to himself, What do I have to lose?”

Dubielewicz was asked Tuesday if any long-lost coaches, teammates or friends had contacted him in the past week. He said his sudden brush with fame had actually given him an excuse to get back in touch with them.

Dubielewicz faced Buffalo for two periods on March 30, facing 18 shots and allowing one goal after he replaced Dunham. He played in seven playoff games for Bridgeport last season and three in 2004.

He grinned when he was asked if his experience in the earlier Buffalo game or in the American Hockey League’s Calder Cup playoffs would help.

“This is the Stanley Cup playoffs — this is it,” Dubielewicz said. “Let’s be realistic. It’s not really the same. It’s the N.H.L.”

But he has taken an N.H.L. team to an unlikely playoff berth, becoming a known quantity in the process. As he said, “Who doesn’t like attention?”

Dubielewicz Earns NHL Star of the Week Honors
islesinfo.com

April 9, 2007: The Islanders playoff run hero Wade Dubielewicz has been named first star of the week starting April 8th by the NHL. Dubie went 4-0-0 last week with wins over the Rangers, Toronto, Philadelphia and New Jersey. He made 114 saves on 122 shots in those four wins. In those four wins Wade posted a 1.92 GAA and a .934 save percentage. He restored confidence to his team in a time of desperation while the Islanders backs were up against the wall. With his play Dubielewicz has helped cement this period as one of the most memorable in Islander history.

Dubielewicz made 36 saves through overtime and three in the shootout as the Islanders defeated the New York Rangers 3-2, April 3. On April 5, he made 28 saves in a 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs and stopped 28 of 30 shots in a 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers, April 7. On April 8, he blocked 22 of 24 shots and then two of three in the shootout as the Islanders clinched a playoff position with a 3-2 win over the New Jersey Devils.

"It's an honor to receive this recognition from the league," said Dubielewicz. "I'm just happy to be here helping the team reach the playoffs. I give full credit to the guys in front of me who played their hearts out."

Dubielewicz beat out Colorado's Joe Sakic and Minnesota goaltender Nicklas Backstrom for the honor.

Back home, the Dubielewicz family celebrates
Wade's parents are local celebrities in wake of son's triumph
by Jim Baumbach, Newsday.com, Apr. 9, 2007

For all you Islanders fans who could barely bring yourself to watch the shootout against the Devils yesterday in fear of what horror might take place next, just think of what was going through the minds of Wade Dubielewicz's parents.

Watching via satellite television back home in Invermere, British Columbia, the goaltender's parents were absolutely silent, going what felt like hours without saying a word to each other.

"Oh my," Wade's mother, Phyllis, said this morning. "You wonder if you're going to live through it. I've never had a hockey game feel like it lasted that long."

After the Devils tied the score in the final second and the teams got ready for the shootout, Phyllis couldn't stop moving, releasing her nervous energy by walking around the kitchen. "I'm a goaltender's mother," she said. "I pace the floor."

Her husband, Roger, was the opposite. He sat stoicly in his chair, his eyes locked on the television. "He was saying prayers, I suppose," Phyllis said.

It was an awful stretch, when time seemed to stand still. But it was certainly worth the agony, with Wade coming up big by stopping the Devils' Sergei Brylin to clinch the shootout victory, not to mention the Islanders' berth in the playoffs.

Anyone with a connection to Wade felt the same way, it seemed. So many people have called him over the past 24 hours, and everyone wants to tell him how they reacted to the roller coaster ride. When Wade turned on his cell phone after the game, he had 35 new text messages.

"One of my friends was watching the game as he was fixing his truck in his garage, and he said he tore apart his garage," Wade said, laughing. "Most people said they felt like they played the game, too."

Anyone who couldn't get through to him tried calling his parents.

"We probably heard from 15, 20 people," Phyllis said. "And those were only the ones who could get through."

She said the most bizarre call they got was from a former teammate of Wade who now lives in Las Vegas.

With the Islanders given off today, Wade drove back to his Connecticut home last night to celebrate with his wife and five-week-old son. He spent the entire drive on his cell phone. "I'm not going to lie to you," Wade said. "This has been pretty crazy. It's pretty fun to take it in."

That also goes for the people back home in Invermere. This town is so small -- check out this Webcam of downtown -- that when Wade's parents leave the house they almost always bump into someone they know. And everyone these days wants to talk about Wade.

"You can't go anywhere," Phyllis said. "It takes you 10 minutes to do anything."

The local elementary school even has a billboard up promoting Wade, which is courtesy of his best friend's mother-in-law, who is a teacher at the school. When someone from a small town makes it big, it doesn't matter how thin your connection is to him. You celebrate it.

When the Islanders open their first-round series in top-seeded Buffalo on Thursday, Wade's parents will be back in their familiar spots in their home, watching the television and staying silent. But before then, they need to recover from yesterday. Phyllis said, "I took today off."

Wade also said he needs to recover. He is enjoying the ride, but realizes the Islanders won't be putting up a banner for finishing in eighth place. So soon the celebrating will cease. Said Wade, "Tonight I'm going to give myself a bit of a reality check."

Dubie's the man in shootout
The backup goalie's poke check completes Isles' trip to playoffs
by Greg Logan, Newsday.com, Apr. 9, 2007

What is this? "Angels in the Goal Crease?"

You can't make this stuff up. The Wade Dubielewicz fairy tale was in danger of turning into a tragedy of Shakespearean proportions. For nearly 56 minutes yesterday afternoon, little "Dubie" was perfect in net, and two goals by fourth-line hustler Richard Park had the visiting Islanders ahead of the Devils and on their way to the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Then pesky John Madden deflected a shot out of the air, off the ice and inside the far post to make it a one-goal game with 4:13 left in regulation. Cue the ominous music.

With 1:17 left, the Devils pulled goaltender Scott Clemmensen - Martin Brodeur was rested after starting 78 previous games - and put six forwards on the ice, and that man Madden again got to a rebound and scored over a fallen Dubielewicz to tie the game with 0.9 seconds showing in regulation.

Somehow, both goaltenders survived overtime, and the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference came down to a shootout. Win it and the Isles were in, lose it and Toronto would face top-seeded Buffalo in the first round.

"I thought of that between the overtime and the shootout: 'Gee, this is tough to swallow if we don't make it,'" Dubielewicz said with a smile.

Miro Satan and Viktor Kozlov beat Clemmensen for the Isles, but Zach Parise was the only one of the Devils' first two shooters to score when he made a clever move to swing right and go to his backhand.

It all came down to Sergei Brylin to send the shootout to sudden death, but before he could shoot off his rush, Dubielewicz was out in a flash to make a season-saving poke check and give the Islanders a 3-2 victory.

Suddenly, it was a feel-good story again. "The Little Goaltender That Could" and "The Team the NHL Forgot."

Describing the poke check to stop Brylin, Dubielewicz said: "It was always in the back of my mind. After how bad Parise burned me, I thought because [Brylin] is a lefty, he might try to do the same thing. So if he faked the shot and was going to make the move, I was going to poke it."

Just one week ago, the Islanders looked dead after a lifeless loss to Ottawa. They were without their main man, goaltender Rick DiPietro, who was out with his second concussion in 12 days, and they were looking at a murderous schedule.

But Dubielewicz beat the Rangers in a shootout and then Toronto and Philadelphia before overcoming the odds against a Devils team that had beaten the Isles six straight times.

Now the Islanders have a date with coach Ted Nolan's old team Thursday night in Buffalo.

"I've been waiting for an opportunity like this my whole life, and I wanted to make the most of it," said Dubielewicz, who made 22 saves. "I've done that to this point. If I'm fortunate enough to get the start [Game 1], if Ricky's not ready or what have you, hopefully, I can continue to do the same thing."

They have to be disappointed in Toronto that Brodeur didn't play, but no one seriously can fault Clemmensen's goaltending or the effort of a proud Devils team that refused to go quietly.

When Madden scored the tying goal, the Islanders were close to clearing the puck, but Jamie Langenbrunner knocked it out of the air and fired a shot into Dubielewicz. The goalie accidentally tripped when Isles defenseman Brendan Witt was shoved into his right skate, giving Madden a chance to reach the rebound.

"We could have easily thought 'it's not meant to be,'" Witt said. "But guys battled hard in overtime and got it done in the shootout. A lot of people counted us out because we were injured. The big thing is we didn't quit. Dubie played phenomenal the last four games. It's sweet to get in, and now we've got to focus on a good Buffalo team."

Dubie's got his home cookin'
by Greg Logan, Newsday.com, Apr. 5, 2007

For one night at least, Wade Dubielewicz had what he always wanted - a chance to prove himself. And the 5-10 goaltender made the most of it, coming through to stop the Rangers' Michael Nylander, Brendan Shanahan and Jaromir Jagr in the shootout to give the Islanders a 3-2 win Tuesday night and keep their playoff hopes alive for tonight's game against Toronto at the Coliseum.

Yesterday, Dubielewicz's cell phone was alive with messages from friends and family back home in Invermere, British Columbia, a town of around 3,000 people deep in the interior of the province. His mother managed the local ice hockey rink when Dubielewicz was growing up.

"The whole town was watching the game," Dubielewicz said. "So that's pretty awesome. I got a lot of phone calls and text messages, saying, 'Great job,' and 'Keep it up.' It's nice to know you've got support back home."

Tonight, the Wade Dubielewicz story will be seen on a grand scale in Canada because the Maple Leafs and Islanders are fighting to catch Montreal as the eighth playoff seed in the Eastern Conference. "It's great," Dubielewicz said. "The more people watching, the more fun. All my friends and family won't have to head to the nearest pub to watch the game. They can catch it on local TV."

You would think the pressure of the situation might be tough to bear for a player who has spent most of the past four seasons playing for the Islanders' top farm team in Bridgeport without much hope of being more than an emergency callup. But Dubielewicz said, "I keep telling you guys there's no pressure on me. I've got nothing to lose.

"As a team, our backs are against the wall. Nobody expects us to win the next three games, but we'll go into [tonight's] game with the same kind of attitude and, hopefully, the same kind of effort."

Since starting goaltender Rick DiPietro suffered his second concussion on March 25 against the Rangers, the Islanders had lost three straight games to go with the three they lost after his first concussion 12 days earlier.

Dubielewicz was solid in stopping 42 of 46 shots he faced in his first start against the Devils in the previous game, and he was even better against the Rangers, saving 36 of 38 shots.

It gave the Islanders a much-needed confidence boost, knowing they need to win the remaining three games to have a chance of making the playoffs. "We were bleeding pretty profusely, I think," Dubielewicz said. "This stops the bleeding and kind of gets guys back in a positive mind-set."

Although the Isles have two shootout wins over the Leafs in three meetings this season, Toronto's big forwards have created problems with their size and strength. Dubielewicz said the Islanders must take the same physical approach with the Leafs that they used to beat the Rangers.

"The games we've been successful, we're quick and physical right away in the defensive zone," Dubielewicz said. "When teams get time to set up and get more than 15 seconds of zone time, we're in trouble. When they do gain possession, we have to be physical."

A reporter in early from Toronto asked to see the colorful mask "Dubie" wears showing historic Islanders scenes and the much-reviled former "fisherman" logo - "I was tired of lighthouses," he explained. Noticing the picture of Yoda from "Star Wars" on the back, the visiting scribe asked if "Yoda" is his nickname.

"No," Dubielewicz said. "But I don't really look like a goalie, and Yoda doesn't look like a Jedi Warrior."

Who knows? Maybe the force is with the Islanders.

Dubielewicz, Isles Survive, Beat Rangers
AP, April 3, 2007

UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- The New York Islanders are hoping their third-string goaltender can get them to the playoffs. Wade Dubielewicz, playing because of Rick DiPietro's concussion, helped the New York Islanders stave off playoff elimination by stopping 36 shots, plus three more in the shootout to lead the Islanders to a 3-2 win over the New York Rangers on Tuesday night.

"I'm not going to lie -- I'm very excited right now," Dubielewicz said. "At the same time, I know I have to bring myself right back down to Earth, because we have to do this all over again in 48 hours. Don't feel too good about yourself, because you can't afford to be relaxed in this situation. I'll enjoy this one for a couple of hours, and then I'll put it behind me and get ready for the next one."

Dubielewicz stopped Michael Nylander, Brendan Shanahan and Jaromir Jagr in the shootout. The save on Jagr's shot was the best. Dubielewicz made a diving save as the puck just fell short of the goal line.

"I saw Nylander was going to his backhand, and I like using my stick when I can, so I had the chance to poke it away," Dubielewicz said. "On Jagr, it seemed like he bobbled it at the last second and he didn't get off a real good shot like he wanted to. I still had to make sure to get on it before it snuck over the line."

Islanders coach Ted Nolan was impressed with his goalie's performance.

"He played a great game," Nolan said. "When you look at the three shooters, those are three world-class shooters. The way Dubielewicz played throughout the whole game, plus the shootout, he was sensational."

The 28-year-old Dubielewicz was able to handle the pressure-filled game.

"You know, it probably worked to my advantage that I wasn't here all year," he said. "I didn't have a week to build up to this game. If I had time to think about the build up, I probably would have been nervous."

Miroslav Satan had the only shootout goal. He beat Henrik Lundqvist with a backhand in close in the first round.

Arron Asham and Alexei Yashin scored for the Islanders, who won the season series from their rivals, five games to three.

The Islanders needed a win because Montreal and Toronto won. They are four points behind the Canadiens and three behind the Maple Leafs, with a game in hand on both.

Shanahan and Nylander scored for the Rangers in regulation. The Rangers would have clinched a playoff spot with a win, and wound up falling into seventh place as Tampa Bay won. Both teams have 92 points, but the Lightning have more victories (44-41).

"We're disappointed we didn't do it tonight," Shanahan said.

Nolan used the Rangers clinching possibility as a rallying point for his team.

"We talked about that," Nolan said, "and if they're going to clinch, let them do it somewhere else. We had to keep our chances alive and get two points."

Lundqvist stopped 32 shots.

The teams played their fourth straight one-goal game. The Rangers won the previous three, all by 2-1 scores, and two of them in overtime.

Asham gave the Islanders an early lead with his 10th goal of the season, and first goal in 30 games at 2:52 of the opening period. Moving down the left boards, Randy Robitaille threw a centering pass toward the net that hit Rangers forward Blair Betts and bounced right to Asham, who tucked it in the net.

Asham last scored on Jan. 27 when he had a pair of goals in a 5-3 home victory over Buffalo.

Dubielewicz was busy in the first period, stopping 17 shots. He had to be sharp to stop Ryan Callahan, who poked the puck off Marc-Andre Bergeron's stick and in one motion tried to stuff it between the goalie's pads with 5:50 left. He also made a big pad save at the left post on Martin Straka with two minutes left after Straka stripped defenseman Chris Campoli of the puck in the Islanders zone and went in alone. Just after that, he made a big save on Shanahan.

"Those were two of my bigger saves," Dubielewicz said of Straka's and Shanahan's attempts. "But being around this team now for a while, I notice that our worst period is the first period, and if we can make it through that, we seem to be okay. So I thought about that before the game and knew I'd have to be ready to go right off the bat."

Shanahan said the Rangers weren't sure about Dubielewicz, since they never faced him prior to Tuesday night.

"He seemed to have more of a book on us than we had on him," Shanahan said.

It turns out Rangers coach Tom Renney is no stranger to Dubielewicz.

"He played great; played really well," Renney said. "From a personal perspective, I've known him from a long time ago. He was a little guy who played in my hockey school. I'm happy for him, and give credit to the Islanders -- they played hard."

The Islanders took a 2-0 lead at 5:02 of the second period when, on a delayed penalty call, Yashin broke in with Satan on a two-on-one. Yashin's cross-ice pass was deflected in by Rangers defenseman Jason Strudwick.

Shanahan got the Rangers within 2-1 at 9:02 on their 24th shot with a short-handed goal. Shanahan worked a two-on-one with Straka, and Dubielewicz made the initial save. Shanahan retrieved the puck behind the net and banked it off the back of the goalie's leg and into the net.

Sloppy defensive communication between Sean Hill and Brendan Witt in their own zone led to Nylander's tying goal at 12:52. Jagr picked up the loose puck and quickly crossed it over to Nylander, who quickly flipped the puck high into the net.

The Islanders face Toronto on Thursday night in their final game at home. Forward Ryan Smyth said that the team has to do the same thing they did against the Rangers all over again.

"Our backs are up against the wall, and will be the next three games," Smyth said. "We put ourselves in this situation, and tonight, we got ourselves out of it. We left it all on the ice tonight, and Dubie won us the game. He always gives you that extra added confidence, and we have confidence in him. We've just got to protect the house to -- to give him a chance. We battled hard for him, and he battled hard for us tonight."

Nolan said the Islanders get to fight on.

"It means we live another day," Nolan said.

Sound Tigers Riding Dubielewicz to Victory
by Micheal Fornabaio, connpost.com, Mar. 25, 2007

BRIDGEPORT — The fate of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers has often risen and fallen on the shoulders of goalie Wade Dubielewicz for the past four seasons. In the final dozen games of this season, their playoff hopes may rest on him.

Saturday's performance shows why that's a comfortable feeling.

Dubielewicz put the Sound Tigers back in sole possession of fourth place Saturday night with 36 saves, shutting out Portland 2-0 at the Arena at Harbor Yard.

"We came out in the first and controlled the game," said Dubielewicz, whose 22 wins are a career high despite his missing a month due to injury. "We got the lead, and did what we needed to keep it."

Dubielewicz made 12 saves in the first 15 minutes of the third period to preserve his second shutout of the season and the 15th of his four-year Sound Tigers career.

Most of the last five minutes for Bridgeport was simple, chip-it-in, chip-it-out hockey; they held the Pirates without a shot in that span. Had the Sound Tigers done more of that in the previous 55, Dubielewicz might have had an easier night.

"The third period was tight," Dubielewicz said. "We closed up the neutral zone, got pucks deep and made them come 200 feet."

Bridgeport moved two points ahead of Albany with the River Rats' 3-2 loss at Syracuse. Bridgeport plays its game in hand today, a rematch here against Portland.

Scout Night attendance Saturday was 6,718.

The Sound Tigers goalie was strong throughout, particularly in the second period. Portland peppered him with shots in bunches, 14 for the period.

Allan Rourke cleared one puck notably out of trouble early in the period.

"On a bad night, it's 2-2," Dubielewicz said. "They had a couple of three-on-twos, two-on-twos, one-on-ones where they lost the puck. Any time you get a shutout, there are bounces."

Goaltender Wade Dubielewicz stopped all 36 shots he faced as the Bridgeport Sound Tigers blanked the visiting Portland Pirates 2-0 before 6, 718 fans at the Arena at Harbor Yard on Saturday night. The Sound Tigers improved to 33-29-1-5 and the Pirates dropped to 30-27-3-9. Bridgeport's win coupled with Albany's loss in Syracuse moved the Sound Tigers two points ahead of Albany and into sole possession of the fourth and final playoff spot in the East Division.

Rick Berry and Masi Marjamaki scored first period goals on back-to-back shots just 1:44 apart as the Sound Tigers won their second straight game. Berry opened the scoring with his third goal of the year when he beat Portland goalie Gerald Coleman from the left point at 12:50 of the opening period. Cam McCaffrey and Lance Galbraith assisted Berry's goal. Marjamaki made it 2-0 when he scored his fourth from a tough angle at the 14:34 mark. Gregg Johnson had the primary assist after he forced a turnover and Mark Wotton also had an assist on the goal.

Dubielewicz earned his second 2-0 shutout win over the Pirates of the season - he blanked the Pirates in Portland by the same score back in November. The Sound Tigers are 2-1 against the Pirates this season and the teams will meet for the final time Sunday afternoon at the Arena.

The Sound Tigers were outshot 36-24. Coleman made 22 saves including one on a Johnson breakaway when Ken Magowan connected with Johnson on a long pass as Johnson came out of the penalty box in the second period.

The Sound Tigers were 0-for-3 on the power play and the Pirates were scoreless on five man advantages thanks to the goaltending of Dubielewicz and strong penalty killing led by Jason Pitton.

Dubie's ready to go
by Greg Logan, newsday.com, Mar. 19, 2007

TAMPA, Fla. -- If Rick DiPietro's head injury hasn't cleared up in time for him to return for tomorrow night's game against the Lightning at the St. Pete Times Forum, Bridgeport veteran Wade Dubielewicz almost certainly will be the one trying to hold the fort in goal and rescue the Islanders' endangered playoff chances.

Coach Ted Nolan said as much after the Islanders' 8-5 loss to the Panthers Saturday night. The 18 goals allowed since DiPietro was injured Tuesday in Montreal weren't all the fault of backup Mike Dunham by a long shot, but he was far off the spectacular form he showed earlier this season in wins at Anaheim and Florida.

Listed generously at 5-10, Dubielewicz doesn't exactly fill the net. But once you get past his smurf-like appearance, you find a player who has been very tenacious in his past four seasons with the Sound Tigers and in brief appearances with the Islanders.

Told that Nolan said he's "leaning" toward playing him if DiPietro can't go, Dubielewicz sounded psyched up. "You know, you try to get to this level, and you want to be part of games that mean something," Dubielewicz said. "If he made that decision, I'd be ready to go."

After Dunham allowed three goals in 76 seconds in the third period Thursday in Ottawa, Dubielewicz mopped up and stopped all eight shots he faced. "I felt fine," he said. "It was nice to get a little bite, get a little taste of the NHL again. It's pretty much been a year since I had any [NHL exposure]. If I do end up playing in Tampa, that was a good little sniff before I actually get to start."

Having watched the past two jailbreaks up close, Dubielewicz is under no illusions about saving the day by himself. The odd-man rushes have been coming in waves, and Nolan admitted that DiPietro's outstanding play in those situations all season might have caused him to turn a "blind eye" to coverage problems.

"We had a breakdown in the neutral zone somewhere because they were hitting our blue line with a lot of speed, and it was all on our defense to hold the line," Dubielewicz said of the Florida game.

"There were a lot of three-on-twos, and at this time of year, you can't allow that. Players at this level are going to put pucks away if they get plenty of opportunities, and we just gave them too many."

SOUND TIGERS SET RECORD IN 2-1 WIN
soundtigers.com, Feb. 20, 2007

The Bridgeport Sound Tigers set a franchise record with their ninth consecutive home win and in doing so pulled nine points ahead of the Albany River Rats in the East Division standings, with a 2-1 win over the Rats on Tuesday night.

Eric Boguniecki extended his points streak to seven games with a goal and an assist as the Sound Tigers continued their winning ways before an Arena at Harbor Yard crowd of 2,808. Boguniecki's 17th tally of the season was the game-winner. Bridgeport goaltender Wade Dubielewicz stopped 37 shots as the Sound Tigers improved to 28-21-1-4. Albany fell to 14-25-2-2, nine points behind the fourth-place Sound Tigers who currently hold the division's final playoff spot.

Boguniecki broke a 1-1 tie when he crossed the high slot, shot across his body and put the puck inside the post to the right of Albany goaltender Tyler Weiman 2:19 into the third period. Dubielewicz made the lead stand up with several big saves, including one on Albany's Cody McCormick