NHL Playoffs

New York Islanders: Reviewing heartbreaking Game 2 Loss

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New York Islanders

The New York Islanders recently lost to the Philidelphia Flyers 4-3 in overtime to tie the series up at 1. That game was easily the most exciting game of the entire playoffs. Both sides, at one point, felt frustration and jubilation. The Islanders just weren’t awake early enough in the game, and it ultimately cost them their lead in this series. The Islanders won 40 minutes tonight, but that wasn’t enough. Why wasn’t it enough, and what did they do during the four periods?

1st Period

The Islanders dominated the first couple of minutes after the puck dropped. Semyon Varlamov even set a franchise record for the longest time without allowing a goal (previously held by Billy Smith). This wouldn’t matter though, as Kevin Hayes would bury one past Varlamov just minutes in. Before Isles fans could even process what happened, Kevin Hayes buries another goal short side. And just a couple minutes later, Travis Konecny scores to make it 3-0. Varlamov would get pulled and incomes Thomas Greiss. The rest of this period was just back and forth, and nothing happened.

2nd Period

The Islanders finally get on the board with a power-play goal from captain Anders Lee. This was very surprising considering the Islanders have a terrible power-play. Great pass from Mat Barzal and good use of the body from Lee. The rest of this period went back and forth yet again. There was a play where Ross Johnston got decked, but Brock Nelson made up for it.

3rd Period

This was possibly the most exciting 9 minutes in Islanders Hockey within the last ten years. Anthony Beauvillier had an insane goal, slipped right through the crack in Carter Hart’s stick side. Beauvillier continues to impress the entire NHL, and brings the Isles withing one from tying. The Flyers would continue to chip and chase while playing trap defense. The Flyers did not get any offense at all in the 3rd period. The Islanders continued to forecheck with that amazing “B” line, and it paid off for them. Josh Bailey and Adam Pelech hold the line, JG Pageau gets the puck… waits, fires, goal. Right over Carter Hart’s glove. Alan Vigneault challenges it for offsides, inconclusive evidence, can’t turn it over. Islanders get a power-play that, of course, does nothing, to overtime they go.

Overtime

The Islanders had no chances in overtime to score. The Flyers kept pounding and got lucky. Philippe Myers fires one from the blue line, tips off of Anders Lee, and the game ends. The Islanders clawed back, but it ultimately didn’t change the outcome of this game.

New York Islanders: Who Should be the 3rd Line Left-Winger?

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ross johnston, New York Islanders

The current 3rd line left winger for the New York Islanders is Michael Dal Colle. The Islanders drafted OHL star Michael Dal Colle with the 5th overall pick in the 2014 NHL entry draft. There was no reason to not draft Dal Colle that high. His stats were amazing; Dal Colle recorded 90+ points two years in a row. Somewhere along the road, Dal Colle lost his way. It took him five years to actually make the team and six years to have a real spot. Dal Colle doesn’t provide offense, which is the thing the Isles drafted him for, he just forechecks. Most of the time, it feels like Dal Colle is just skating around out there and not doing anything. There are many other options for the 3rd line left-wingers spot whose names aren’t Michael Dal Colle.

Tom Kuhnhackl

Tom Kuhnhackl was fantastic for the Islanders during their play-in matchup against the Florida Panthers. His forechecking was magnificent, and due to this, Kuhnhackl created countless high scoring chances. JG Pageau’s goal in the first game wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for Kuhnhackl pressuring the defenseman. Kuhnhackl’s passing was on full display during this series too. No Islander fan could forget Kuhnhackl’s through the legs pass to a Matt Martin tap in goal. Kuhnhackl deserves the spot more than anyone else on the team right now. His current play, mixed with his 2 Stanley Cup wins, gives him a leg up on the competition.

Ross Johnston

Who doesn’t love the enforcer, Ross Johnston? Probably not Tom Wilson, but that’s a different story. Johnston does his job, and he does it with maximum effort. He knows he’s there to backcheck, hip-check, forecheck, and then he gets to pick up the paycheck. Johnston is also not a bad skater for a big man. While he doesn’t have amazing speed, Johnston can hop up on the 3v2 rush. If Barry Trotz wants the hits to start coming against the Flyers, Johnston is your man for sure.

Derick Brassard

I don’t believe Brassard did anything wrong vs the Capitals. He isn’t the same player he once was, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a solid winger. He can also win the faceoff when Pageau gets kicked from the center position. Brassard just doesn’t give as much offense as Kuhnhackl or Johnston, but he gives a lot more than Dal Colle.

Conclusion

There are a plethora of wingers that should take Dal Colle’s spot, and for good reason. The Isles are real contenders for the first time in decades, and cannot put people like Dal Colle out there. There’s only so much room for error, and the Isles cannot make mistakes.

New York Islanders: The Adam Pelech Effect

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Adam Pelech, New York Islanders

New York Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech has been absolutely sensational these playoffs. Pelech originally was having a great year during the regular season but ended up going down with an Achilles injury. This injury would sideline him for six months. Pelech would miraculously return for the play-in round and dominate. The Islanders are a totally different team with Pelech.

Pelech’s Impact on the New York Islanders

The Islanders were lacking without their top-line defenseman. It was apparent in their four-goal blown lead against the Capitals in January and all the way through the last seven games of the season. Pelech possesses amazing stick skills. The Islanders fans like to call it “The Pelech Poke.” Pelech is a huge part of the Islanders’ success. Not only does he create turnovers in the defensive zone, but he creates offense by his neutral zone play. When the Isles were without Adam Pelech, they let up 3.2 GAA and went 10-13-7. When the Islanders were with Pelech, they let up 2.61 GAA and went 25-10-3. This is not a coincidence. Pelech is an unsung hero of the Isles defense, and one of the most underrated defensemen in the league.

Playoff Pelech

Adam Pelech is arguably a 3 star of the game player every night. From body slamming Panthers to stopping Ovechkin, Pelech does it all. Not to gloss over Pelech shutting down Sidney Crosby last year. Pelech most recently had a beautiful assist to the Captain Anders Lee in game three vs. the Capitals. The pass somehow found its way to the far post after sneaking its way through 4 players. It was just another example of how Pelech isn’t just a defensive defenseman.

Conclusion

Adam Pelech is one of the unknown weapons of the Islanders. If it wasn’t for Pelech, the Islanders probably wouldn’t be in the second round right now. Pelech should be in the running for the Norris trophy very soon.

New York Islanders: Did Losing Game 4 Benefit the Islanders?

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New York Islanders

Last year the New York Islanders got swept by the Carolina Hurricanes after sweeping the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Islanders were a game away from sweeping the Capitals this year. If the Isles won game 4, they would be the first team to officially make the second round. The first round is still going on, it either ends today or on Sunday. Rest is the enemy of a team that’s hot. The Islanders would’ve had at least five days of rest in between rounds if they swept. Isles fans saw how sloppy the team was after their elongated rest. I believe the Islanders will benefit from winning in 5 games.

The Benefits

This Islanders team is hot right now. Hotter than they’ve been in a while. For the first time in years, the Islanders are finally cup contenders. Players like Anthony Beauvillier, Josh Bailey, and Semyon Varlamov are on fire. Beauvillier has six goals and three assists during the playoffs.

Josh Bailey has recorded two goals and eight assists during the playoffs. These are some impressive performances for some unsung heroes. Speaking of unsung heroes, Semyon Varlamov is boasting a 1.59 GAA, and a .935 save percentage and most recently pitched a shutout. These players will continue to stay hot. Players like Anders Lee, Jordan Eberle, and Mat Barzal will be able to find their rhythm. The Islanders need that first line to get hot. There’s a ton of benefits to lack of rest.

The Negatives

This team isn’t currently beaten up. Cal Clutterbuck is the only Islander with a confirmed injury, and he was a game-time decision yesterday. Just because there isn’t a confirmed injury doesn’t mean everyone is 100%. The playoffs are tough on everyone, especially the old bodies like Andy Greene. The Islanders will only have around three days to rest and recover. It’s not a long time, but it’s not a short time either. Three days should be enough for everyone to get healthy and ready to eliminate the Flyers/Bruins.

Conclusion

The Islanders will benefit from losing game 4. They still have enough time to rest and recover, but they haven’t been off the ice long enough to lose their hot streak.

New York Islanders: How to Fix the Power Play

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New York Islanders, Devon Toews

The New York Islanders are currently 5/30 on the power play during the playoffs. This makes them 7th in power-play playoff rankings. Now, this isn’t a terrible ranking, but only converting on 16.7% of your 5v4 opportunities is not going to win you a cup. The Islanders have to clean up three problems to fix their power play for the playoffs, and hopefully for many years to come.

Zone Entries

The way the Islanders enter the zone on power plays is flat out annoying. It always starts with a drop pass from Devon Toews to Mat Barzal; Barzal then makes two moves and loses possession. The Islanders need to cut out the drop pass first of all. The number of times the penalty killers have intercepted the drop pass is countless. Also, why wouldn’t the Isles just chip and chase? It’s a 5v4, and you have the fastest player in the league. Also, you have Anders Lee, who is a huge body. There’s no reason to not chip and chase. If anything, it’ll lead to more offensive zone time and more penalty killers out of position.

Faceoffs

If you win the faceoff that’s in the offensive zone when you’re up a man, chances are you’ll have a good opportunity to score. The Islanders almost never win the offensive zone faceoff. How are you going to lose a faceoff to Lars Eller? I don’t know why Trotz won’t let JG Pageau take the faceoff; it makes no sense, he’s the best faceoff guy on the team. Also, why is Anders Lee taking faceoffs? I understand you don’t want Barzal to take faceoffs from his non-dominant side, but you have more than one center on the ice during the PP.

Personnel

Here is something I’ve never understood, why does the first PP line have five left-handed players? That means everyone is catching passes on their backhand and not facing towards the net. In what world does having five left-handed players on the ice benefit this team? Trotz needs to put someone like Eberle and Pulock on the first line PP so that shots will actually go on the net. The first line PP doesn’t even get one-timers, they have to switch back to forehand before they even shoot. Something needs to change in the personnel department.

Conclusion

The Islanders could be one of the most dangerous teams in the league if they fixed their power play problems. Can’t make a deep run if you can’t take advantage of mistakes.

New York Islanders: Has Ilya Sorokin Improved Varlamov’s Game?

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Semyon Varlamov, New York Islanders

New York Islanders‘ goalie Semyon Varlamov has been nothing short of sensational during the playoffs. Varlamov is currently boasting a 1.71 GAA with a .932 save percentage. Not only that, but Varlamov also has only allowed five even-strength goals in 7 games. The powerplay goals are not his fault normally, but even counting those goals, Varlamov has only allowed 12 goals in 7 games.

The Capitals have astounding goal scorers like Alex Ovechkin, T.J. Oshie, and Jacob Vrana. The Panthers have studs like Alexander Barkov, Mike Hoffman, and Jonathan Huberdeau. Varlamov has been shutting down top goal scorers this entire playoff run. This play has differentiated from the normal Varlamov Islander fans all know. Varlamov had a 2.62 GAA, and a .914 save percentage during this season. There could be a reason why his play has drastically changed, and his name is Ilya Sorokin.

Ilya Sorokin

The Islanders signed Ilya Sorokin on July 13th, 2020. Sorokin is the best goalie outside of the NHL; his stats only back that up. For the last six years, Sorokin has had a GAA under 2.00, and 5/6 years he’s had a save percentage over .930. Most recently, Sorokin boasted a .73 GAA with a .966 save percentage during the KHL playoffs. Even though the KHL playoffs ended after the first round, it’s undeniable how dominant Sorokin was. Sorokin is now bringing his talents to the Island and putting Varlamov in competition.

Competition

Varlamov being the competitor he always has been, will not go down without a fight. “Varly” has fought against good goalies all his life. Braden Holtby, Michael Neuvirth, Philipp Grubauer, and Thomas Greiss. This competition is nothing new for the longtime NHL goalie. Varlamov, as previously stated, has been standing on his head this entire playoff run. If Varlamov continues this play into next season, it will be very hard to replace him as the starter. However, if Sorokin has been creating this pressure in practice, Sorokin could be the starter next year.

Conclusion

Seymon Varlamov is one of the best goalies in the playoffs right now. If everything is clicking in between the pipes and the forwards are scoring gritty goals, the Islanders are a hard team to beat.

New York Islanders: Islanders take Game 3

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New York Islanders

The New York Islanders defeat the Washington Capitals in overtime with a score of 2-1 to make the series 3-0. The Islanders made the Capitals play their style of Hockey today, and it worked. No team in the NHL can beat the Islanders in a defensive matchup. The only way to beat the Isles is to outscore them. But, if Seymon Varlamov has a game like he did today, they’re pretty much unbeatable.

The Islanders are in a great position to sweep the Capitals on Tuesday night. The mindset for the Isles right now is: “We’re up 3-0, we’re dominating board play, playing great defense, Varlamov is standing on his head, let’s just play our game.”

This team is a system team, without Trotz who knows where the Isles would be. But, the only way the system works is if everyone buys in. That’s why in the post-game press conference Mat Barzal said “the 4th game is the hardest, but we just gotta buy into the system”. The system is an easy, yet complicated one. All Trotz asks is for his players to forecheck hard, play tough in the neutral zone, and make smart passes. This system doesn’t lead to 30 goal goal-scorers, but it leads to championships if you buy-in.

The Islanders have very little work to do to win game 4. Especially if Nicklas Backstrom is still out with a concussion. The Islanders need to stay on their toes, don’t take any stupid penalties, and wait for their opportunity to arise.

None of these players are true “snipers,” but you don’t need snipers if you can get gritty goals. The Islanders play within the dots, real rough and tough Hockey, so they don’t necessarily need a sniper. If the Islanders play their game again and buy into the system, there will be a sweep coming.

Takeaways from the Islanders’ 2-0 win over the Captials

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New York Islanders, Cal Clutterbuck

The New York Islanders beat the Washington Capitals 5-2 to take a 2-0 lead in the series. This was one of the best Islander playoff games in recent memory. The Islanders were firing on all cylinders, and for a team who “can’t score,” they scored a lot. The Isles definitely had some rough spots during this game, but that’s expected when playing a great Hockey team like the Capitals. The Islanders won 40 minutes of Hockey last night, but how, and why didn’t they win all 60?

First Period

The Capitals basically pressured the Islanders into giving up a terrible goal in the first period. Alex Ovechkin forechecked, and he was rewarded when he scored off of a slow backhander. Not even a minute in, and the Isles are one down. The rest of this period was really just good pressure by the Isles and some breaks for the Caps.

Second Period

The Islanders came to play in this period. Nic Dowd commits a penalty, and this leads to something the Islanders never do. They scored on the powerplay. Nick Leddy scores with an accurate slapshot from the point. Not even 2 minutes later, Cal Clutterbuck forechecks which leads to a Scott Mayfield pass to the crease, Matt Martin scores a tap in. A minute later, Derick Brassard leads a rush with Leo Komarov. Brassard passes it to Komarov, and he hits it off the post. Komarov missed a wide-open net. Ovechkin would take advantage of this and tie up the game once again. Finally, Brock Nelson steals the puck from Jakub Vrana and has a 1v1 with Braden Holtby. Fifteen seconds after Ovechkin ties the game up, the Islanders lead by one again.

Third Period

The last 7 minutes of this period was the best 7 minutes in recent Isles Hockey. Before that, the refs call a silly tripping penalty on Andy Greene, which leads to a blown empty-net chance by Ovechkin. Ovie had the hattrick and the game on his stick and whiffed on it. Greene comes out of the box, and then the Isles dominate 5v5 play. The Islanders at one point got two forward shifts of forechecking off before the Caps could even leave the zone. All this pressure led to JG Pageau wide open, and it was blocked, but it hit Clutterbuck’s hand and the Isles score, 4-2. Finally, after some tremendous 6v5 defense, the Islanders get the puck out, and Anders Lee scores the empty netter.

Conclusion

This was just a really solid effort from the Islanders. The Capitals are the better team on paper, but that will never stop a well-coached, determined team from winning. Game 3 is on at 12 pm EST tomorrow.

New York Islanders: Thomas Greiss’s Future

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Thomas Greiss, New York Islanders

New York Islanders‘ goalie Thomas Greiss is a fan favorite. It’s not hard to see why either, every time he makes a big save, the whole fanbase shouts “Greisser.” Greiss had an average year in net this year. Nothing in his performances really wowed anyone, but he is still the reliable 1b starter the Islanders fans all love dearly. Thomas Greiss, who has been on four different teams, is an unrestricted free agent this year. With the Islanders already having minimal cap space and having to resign Mat Barzal, Ryan Pulock, and Devon Toews, there’s a big possibility that Greiss’s 5-year tenure ends with the Islanders.

Projected Contract

Thomas Greiss isn’t going to be looking for big money in free agency. Also, he may give the Islanders a little discount when it comes time to resign him. Currently, Greiss is making $3.3 million a year; this number will most likely decline. Greiss, who isn’t declining in play, is just getting old now. Normally old players don’t get as much money as younger ones. I project around a 2.2-2.5 million dollar contract for Greiss. Now, it’s not a huge number, but it’s a number that respects his play. This still might be way too much money for the Islanders. The Islanders are looking at around 12.3 million dollars this offseason, and again have that big three they have to resign.

Ilya Sorokin

Ilya Sorokin will take Thomas Greiss’s job either now or really soon. I don’t expect the Islanders to let Sorokin rot in the AHL with Brent Thompson. Also, Sorokin is the best goalie outside of the NHL. His stats, which are insane, still don’t do the man justice. The Islanders aren’t going to let Sorokin waste time, as he’s already 25. Sorokin’s development will spell the end for Greiss.

Future Teams

A lot of teams need a new goalie. The Penguins will need one when they make Murray leave. The Leafs might need one to be a backup. The Red Wings obviously need a new goalie. The Capitals could use a goalie if they let Holtby walk. Greiss is good enough to play 30 games a year still, and contending teams need that. I wouldn’t be surprised if Greiss wins a cup within the next 2-3 years with another team. He’s still a solid goalie, but there’s not enough room for him on the Islanders. There are other teams that will pay better and feature him every other night.

New York Islanders: Analysis of the Game 1 Win vs the Capitals

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New York Islanders, Islanders

Game 1 to the Island, as the immortal Brennan Burke call goes. The New York Islanders defeat the Washington Capitals with a score of 4-2 to take a 1-0 lead in the series. The Capitals played a solid 40 minutes of Hockey, but the Islanders played an excellent final 20 minutes to take the game. The Islanders looked sloppy most of the night. There were a bunch of bad penalties, mishandled passes, bad breakout attempts, and more. Despite this, it all came down to who wanted the win more. This is how the Islanders won.

More Shots

The Islanders are notorious for taking minimal shots on goal during games. This seemed to be the case during today’s game, as they only had two shots in the first period. The Islanders started to pick up the pace after TJ Oshie’s second powerplay goal. This would ultimately lead to a Jordan Eberle wrister that would somehow sneak in over Braden Holtby’s left shoulder. As the 3rd period started, Islanders fans saw a spark in their team’s play. The Islanders began to dictate the pace of the game, and make it an all Islanders period. The Islanders would end up scoring three more goals during the 3rd period and seal the win. You can’t score without shooting.

A Quicker Pace

The Islanders have some of the fastest players in the league, like Mat Barzal and Anthony Beauvillier. If a game breaks down into a fastbreak opportunity galore, the Islanders will win that game. The Capitals are a good team, but they’re not fast enough to keep up with the Islanders’ young guns. The Islanders kept the pressure on in the 3rd period, and it led them to many great high percentage scoring chances. The Islanders would make the best of those chances and score three goals, as previously stated.

5v5 Play

I don’t know what it is about Barry Trotz’s system, but it is insanely hard to outplay the Islanders when they’re at full strength. Especially recently, the New York Islanders haven’t been outplayed 5v5. If the Capitals weren’t gifted seven powerplays, there could’ve been a shutout in the works. The Islanders look very strong in all facets of the game and didn’t let up any easy chances.

Conclusion

Winning game 1 of any series is a huge victory. It takes the pressure of off game 2, and it allows you to be more aggressive in your approach. Islanders fans certainly feel relief with a 1-0 series lead.