Islanders News: That’ll probably do it, for real this time

8 months ago  /  Lighthouse Hockey

Good night. | Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images


I’m at the point where I almost don’t even want the miracle to happen. About a month and 12 games ago, after the afternoon no-show against the Tampa Bay Lightning in The Biggest Game of the Season Thus Far—a title usurped by basically every game since—I wrote this Bits piece in which I called the season. The fact that the New York Islanders knew the stakes of that game and then looked like they didn’t give a shit until the last 10 minutes of the game showed me that they didn’t belong, and the points deficit seemed insurmountable.
Then the Islanders ripped off six straight wins while the teams in the chase stumbled, and the door swung wide open. They even landed in a playoff spot at one point. And now they have fallen on their faces again. They have now completely undone their six-game winning streak with a six-game losing streak, earning only a single point and now falling five points behind the playoff picture with just 13 games left.
It’s not impossible that they make it given how bad all the teams around them are, but it’s once again far from likely, and it would take yet another miracle. But the problem is they used up their miracle already and failed to take advantage of their opportunity, just as they have done all season long with how many games they led and lost. You almost have to give them credit for how well-scripted they are—very consistent characters created by the writers on this show.
I’m not sure I even want them to make it anymore. I think I’d rather them lose and get the best draft pick and/or lottery odds as possible. If they make the playoffs, they would get swept. Maybe Ilya Sorokin steals them a game, but he can only do so much, and he hasn’t been in game-stealing mode of late. And making it might signal to management and/or ownership that this group doesn’t need changes. But it does, and really badly. It’s time to perform some surgery on this roster. It’s not just the on-ice play; the vibes just seem bad. They exude loser energy. They have no confidence in one another as a group, and it seems like it is irreparable. They need a new mix around Mathew Barzal, Bo Horvat, Brock Nelson, Noah Dobson, and Sorokin.
Given how much of the roster is locked in, they can realistically only remove one or two of the other guys. A high draft pick would infuse much-needed talent. And then this summer and in camp, give the guys in Bridgeport a chance. If Ruslan Iskhakov, Matt Maggio, or William Dufour beat someone out—and frankly, I think all three could play better than some of the detritus currently on the roster—play them over the veterans. Loyalty is a two-way street. I’m sorry if it is age and ability that explains why the players haven’t held up their end of the bargain, but you can’t just let that slide indefinitely in professional sports.
Islanders News
Recaps: LHH | Islanders | Newsday | NY Post | THN | NYI Skinny (outscored 26-8 on this losing streak, big yikes)

Patrick Roy thought the Islanders deserved to win. They didn’t play as badly as they have at other points during this streak, but it wasn’t good enough. Shannon Hogan and Thomas Hickey were befuddled by Roy’s comments. [THN]
Barzal was back at center. [Newsday] But the experiment of separating Barzal and Horvat needs to end. The whole team looks like shit when they are not together eating tough minutes, especially if Hudson Fasching is one of Barzal’s wingers. [THN]
They needed to play “connected hockey.” I think they did in the first period, and if Horvat puts that puck into a wide-open net, maybe we’re having a different conversation. But he didn’t, and as soon as they gave up a goal, they started missing their passes again. Very fragile. [Newsday]
Not to mention how often they give up multiple goals in quick succession. They all say they should be prepared for it, and yet, it keeps happening. Playing Like Assholes.



#Isles D Mike Reilly says start of third period, as Red Wings stretched lead from 3-1 to 5-1 by 6:22, was "unacceptable.""We obviously should have been prepared for that way better."— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) March 22, 2024





It wasn’t the only or even main reason they lost, but Sorokin gave up five goals on 23 shots. If this mediocre roster was going to make the playoffs, they needed their best player to be their best player, and he unfortunately has not been himself. [NY Post]
The fans are frustrated parking in the Emerald Lot. [Newsday]
Another spectacularly timed article from The Athletic: How Patrick Roy got them back in the playoff race.

Elsewhere
Last night’s NHL scores include the Flyers getting a point out of the Hurricanes, who toyed with the Islanders. At least the Oilers thumped the Sabres.

In the written 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman wonders what’s next for the Arizona Coyotes. [Sportsnet]
In the auditory 32 Thoughts, Friedman and Jeff Marek talk about the Islanders just as Islanders Anxiety joked about talking about the Islanders: by talking about other teams. [Sportsnet]
Team Canada’s roster might look different between the 2025 4 Nations Faceoff and 2026 Olympics. [NHL]
The Predators weren’t allowed to go to U2 in early February. They haven’t lost in regulation since. 16-game point streak now. [ESPN]

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