Islanders News: Disastrous yet predictable, humbling yet hardly surprising
Should probably go home now. | Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images
Ugly as it was, blowing a 3-0 lead was totally in the probability set. There’s not much more to say about Game 2 that hasn’t already been said. It was a poor, uninspiring performance — though the national broadcast focused on their grit! Their toughness! — masked somewhat by the fact the Isles built a 3-0 lead.
They weren’t horrible up to that point, but aside from cashing in their few chances, they’d been less impressive than in Game 1. Then the Hurricane response to being down 3-0 came...in wave after wave with virtually no answer from the Isles.
I did not see much that I liked, other than Semyon Varlamov and a few forays from the top line, the only one that occasionally gained the offensive zone with some purpose.
Pretty hard to avoid the conclusion that this game was an ass-kicking disguised as a comeback pic.twitter.com/MktPFrhMxF— Ethan Sears (@ethan_sears) April 23, 2024
Judging by fan reactions on Twitter, the one solace is that while that ending was harsh, humiliating and horrific, it was also fairly predictable. That takes a bit of the edge off.
Whatever. New day, new thread.
Islanders News
Recapping the gore of it all. [LHH]
Three Takeaways: You suck, you sucked, you jerks. [Isles]
J-G Pageau returned for Game 2, logging an assist that seemed momentous at the time. [Newsday]
Prospect Report: Some Justin Gill, some Tomas Machu, some Isaiah George. [Isles]
Elsewhere
The Oilers destroyed the Kings in Game 1, 7-4, and it wasn’t really even that close. [NHL]
Of course Mark Stone and Tomas Hertl each scored for Vegas as they beat the Stars in Game 1. [NHL]
The Leafs edged the Bruins to even their series at 1-1. [NHL]
The Lightning are optimistic they can rebound against the Panthers in Game 2. [NHL]
Alexandar Georgiev just aims to “remain positive” after getting torched in Game 1. [NHL]
So it’s for real: Lindy Ruff will again coach the Sabres. [NHL]
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