Islanders News: Resilience or salvage?

9 months ago  /  Lighthouse Hockey

A big win? A big win. | Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images


A little choose-your-own-adventure on the blog this morning. There are a couple of ways to frame last night’s game. (1) The New York Islanders gutted out a big win over a division rival who is challenging them in the standings (although maybe not anymore, as detailed below) and got a much-needed two points to keep their playoff embers burning.
Or (2) the New York Islanders followed up blowing a two-goal third-period lead on a massive stage by blowing another two-goal third-period lead on a smaller but arguably more important stage but at least salvaged the extra point this time. Chris King’s excitement tells me to lean toward (1). (Use headphones, and don’t turn them up too loud.)


Ladies and gentlemen…Chris King. Adam Pelech OT winner courtesy of @WRHUSports. #Isles pic.twitter.com/HbAf5hOJc7— Brendan Burke (@brendanmburke) February 21, 2024




Whichever you want to take it—I’m not even sure myself—the Islanders did manage to go into Pittsburgh and come away with two points. They’re still four points back of the Detroit Red Wings for the last wild card and five back of the Philadelphia Flyers with a game in hand for third in the Metro. But they’re also five back of the first wild card Tampa Bay Lightning with two games in hand.
Islanders News
About last night:

Patrick Roy doesn’t understand the lack of focus and is clearly frustrated by it, especially when they’ve been dominating a game. [LHH]
The penalty kill didn’t give up a goal, but they were also going against the league’s worst power play, so... [3 Takeaways | Newsday]
Of the two options I described in the intro, I think I’d go with option (1) because the game clearly meant a lot to the players coming off Sunday’s nightmare. [Newsday]
The room was in a much better spot than the rock bottom they were in on Sunday. [NY Post]
Adam Pelech of all guys, with his first goal of the season, got the game-winner in OT. The other Isles goal-scorers were Brock Nelson, Mathew Barzal, Simon Holmstrom, and Mike Reilly. [NHL]
It was only their fifth win in their last seventeen games. But it came from Pelech’s first career OT goal. [NYI Skinny]

Onward:

Casey Cizikas left the game twice with two separate injuries, the first from colliding with Holmstrom and the second from blocking an Erik Karlsson shot. Stitches repaired the first one, but the second one knocked him out. Kyle MacLean could be on his way back, then. [THN]
Roy overall has been pleased with the progress his team has made one month into his tenure, but he acknowledges they need to win a string of games here. [Newsday]
Scott Mayfield knows he needs to stay out of the box. He did last night, I believe. [Newsday]
More than he admits, he probably is struggling to recover from his injuries—or they at least won’t let him do the things he wants to do. [NY Post]

This Day in Isles History: John Tonelli’s number 27 rose to the rafters (2020).

Elsewhere
Last night’s NHL scores include the Devils getting wiped by the Capitals, so that’s good.

Commissioner Gary Bettman affirmed the five-game suspension for Morgan Rielly, noting the revenge factor. Sit your ass down, Leaf. [NHL]
Among the trade buzz, the New Jersey Devils continue to look for a goalie after the Jacob Markstrom deal fell apart. Also, the Penguins have to make a decision on Jake Guentzel. [NHL]
And it sounds like they’re leaning toward selling. Kyle Dubas listening on everyone except the core three. [TSN]
The consensus all year has been that this trade deadline is going to be more boring than they have been of late, but not everyone feels that way. There are a lot of names who could be on the move. [E$PN+]
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