Islanders vs. Lightning Gameday: Another sad playoff rematch [Game #64]
That hardly seems fair. | Photo by Andrew Bershaw/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It’s a weekend of back-to-backs against 2021 playoff foes who are still going places. After really blah Saturday afternoon in Boston, the New York Islanders are back home today for another Sunday matinee, 2 p.m. EDT and on TNT in the U.S.
The Tampa Bay Lightning are visiting after a 2-1 overtime victory in Detroit yesterday, concluding a road trip that has included regulation losses to the Hurricanes and Bruins. Steve Stamkos scored his 29th, as he quietly continues a better than point-per-game season.
Lke yesterday, this is another rematch of last year’s playoffs, although the Islanders are going nowhere while the opponents are jockeying for another playoff run. The Isles also look different with Scott Mayfield and Cal Clutterbuck hurt, and — yesterday at least — Zdeno Chara and Andy Greene dragging us through a two-minute, painful-to-watch shift of misery ending in a goal.
Leave First Islanders Goal picks here. This post will double as our game thread.
More matinee hockey today. pic.twitter.com/Ylz55QQP4C— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) March 27, 2022
Islanders News
About yesterday’s bland lunch:
A very mediocre matinee. [LHH]
What a difference a season and a couple roster changes make: This season, the playoff-bound Bruins are too much for the Isles. [Newsday]
Hard to overcome four goals against in the second period. [Post]
Barry Trotz on the Bruins: “They’re a good hockey team, they’re legit. They’ve added a little bit bigger than they were last year.” [Isles]
The Skinny: Brock Nelson and Anders lee, who each scored their 11th goals of March yesterday, are the first Islander teammates since Matt Moulson and Michael Grabner (February 2011) to reach double figures in the same month. [NYI Skinny]
#Isles were outchanced 80-38 in 6-3 loss to the Bruins.— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) March 26, 2022
Also:
Preview/notes for today’s game. [Isles]
With Nelson reaching 30, Lee says let’s get him to 40. [Newsday]
Brooks on deadline deals, everybody valuing third-liners, and “Lamoriello does realize the group he intends to bring back next year never actually won a championship even when at its best, correct?” [Post]
Bridgeport rolled over Toronto, though they remain in 7th place in their division. [BP Isles]
Elsewhere
Saturday’s NHL scores featured lots of Hockey Night in Canada matchups, with the Canadiens dumping the Leafs and the Flames beating the Oilers in a goalfest.
The Flames’ 9-5 win in the Battle of Alberta was marked by some Jacob Markstrom heroics. [TSN]
Evgenii Dadonov scored the OT winner for the team that tried to dump him. [NHL]
Defensive mistakes “have been piling up for that line for a while,” which is why Sheldon Keefe split William Nylander and John Tavares after a Nylander gaffe. [Sportsnet]
Two young Red Wings lead the Calder race and show promise for the team’s future. [WIIM]
Marc-Andre Fleury won his Wild debut, thanks to an OT winner by Jared Spurgeon. [NHL]
The Leafs have signed Nick Abruzzese, their draft pick who was on the Olympic team and captained Harvard, to a two-year ELC. [TSN]
The Canadiens have signed Jordan Harris out of NCAA Northeastern U. [TSN]
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