Stanley Cup Playoffs

Leo Komarov has been one of the Islanders’ unsung heroes of the playoffs so far

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Leo Komarov, New York Islanders

There have been many players who have taken hold of the spotlight for the New York Islanders during their run in the postseason.

You know the usual suspects — Semyon Varlamov, J.G. Pageau, Josh Bailey, Anthony Beauvillier and Adam Pelech.

Then there’s Leo Komarov.

Yes, that Komarov, whose contract is despised by a majority of the fan base. The same Komarov, who only had four goals and 14 points the entire regular season. The Komarov who is more known for his dumb penalties than overall production.

Guess you didn’t expect to hear that name did you.

But lets be honest here, Uncle Leo has been terrific for the Islanders and seems like he only playing bigger as each game becomes more important.

He has especially thrived as one of the players on the club’s third line, which for most of the season, was all but a black hole.

“For me personally, I just keep it simple and try to forecheck and give the puck to my linemates,” the 33-year-old told reporters yesterday via Zoom. “Yesterday I played with Ross and Pager and we had a pretty good game.”

That pretty good game Komarov was referencing included he getting the primary assist on (J.G.) Pageau’s insurance goal early in the third, which truly sealed the Isles’ game one win over the Philadelphia Flyers.

The helper was only Komarov’s second point of the postseason. His point total, though, doesn’t take away how effective he’s been. It goes beyond the stat sheet.

Komarov has been able to contribute in all facets, even though he’s only appeared in seven of the Islanders’ ten games in the bubble. He’s brought that grit, spit and character a team needs to be successful in the postseason, Komarov has also been effective playing the role of pest. He got under the skin of Alexander Ovechkin in the previous round, challenged Tom Wilson,

The Finnish native has also recorded a team-high 32 hits.

“These two guys bring their 110 percent every day, every night, every practice,” Pageau said while praising Komarov and (Ross) Johnston. “It’s fun playing with them.”

What makes his performance in the postseason even more noticeable is he wasn’t guaranteed his regular spot when the Isles began the playoffs a few weeks back. Komarov missed the beginning of camp after taking a puck to the face which required stitches.

“In my mind, originally that was probably his spot to lose,’’ head coach Barry Trotz said during the Caps series. “He was behind the 8-ball a little bit with the injury.”

That comment aside, Komarov has continued to show why he’s a damn good player and a key piece of this group.

The Islanders’ success this postseason can be attributed to a lot of things. One of them is what Leo Komarov has brought to the table.

He’s been an unsung hero, whether people want to believe it or not.

The Islanders have learned to win this postseason where it matters most

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New York Islanders

When Barry Trotz became head coach of the New York Islanders two years ago, he made one thing clear.

His team was going to be the best at closing out games.

Last night, the Isles showed once again that Trotz’s statement wasn’t just smoke.

In another dominant third period, the Islanders defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 4-0 in game one of their second-round matchup.

Up 1-0 going into the final frame, the Islanders exploded again offensively for three goals and didn’t allow the Flyers’ offense any chance to get back into the game.

This wasn’t the first time in the tournament we’ve seen the Isles put on a third period clinic in the tournament. Truly, their strong final frames have become a trademark now this postseason.

“The one thing we really do well is park it,” the Isles head coach said after their game two victory last week over Washington.

It was in that contest where the Islanders just sucked the life out of the Capitals, including a two-minute stretch where they hemmed the Caps in with a relentless forecheck. A couple of nights later, in the closeout game five, they put the hammer down again, not allowing the Caps a shot in the final 12 minutes of the third period.

But those two games have been just the tip of the iceberg.

Through 11 games, the Islanders have scored 14 goals in third periods. They’ve allowed only four. Yes, four. They’ve also outscored their opponent 10-1 in the third since the start of the Caps series—all the while allowing under 30 shots a game nine times in these playoffs, including last night.

They’ve also been opportunistic.

J.G. Pageau’s and Anders Lee’s goals last night came off great forechecking and forcing turnovers. Cal Clutterbuck’s goal last round in game two, along with the team’s markers from game one, all were a result of the right plays being made at the right time.

That’s a formula that translates to winning, and it’s exactly why the Isles are in the position they are now — three wins away from their first Eastern Conference Final in 27 years.

“We’re a team from top to bottom,” said Andy Greene, who got the game-winning goal early in the first when he blasted a shot by Carter Hart. “We need every single guy out there every night, every game, and when we do that, we’re a very good team…It’s just not about one guy.”

Greene is 100 percent on the mark. The Isles need everyone to pull the rope for them to be successful. They’ve done it now all postseason.

But it’s been in the third period alone where we’ve seen this team take a ginormous foot forward.

These playoffs so far have shown us the Islanders have learned to win where it matters most.

So, yeah, Trotz was right. They have become the best team at closing out games.

And because of it, everyone should be on notice.

The Islanders need to put the hammer down tonight

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New York Islanders

The plan is simple tonight for the New York Islanders.

Put the hammer down.

Two nights ago, they let their opponent — the Washington Capitals — off the mat after taking a commanding 3-0 lead in the series. Mistakes were made, there were missed opportunities, and the team stopped skating after the Caps seized the momentum.

“The playoffs are all about momentum, they’re all about adjustments, they’re all about those moments and how you react to them. I didn’t think we reacted very good [Tuesday] night,” head coach Barry Trotz told the media Wednesday. “We didn’t have enough push. We didn’t have enough will to beat a good, desperate team.

The Isles can’t have that happen again if they want to move on. What that entails is not leaving anything for chance tonight. They’re still in a very favorable position up 3-1 and played strong enough to win, but they can’t give the Capitals any more life.

Alex Ovechkin and Co. are awake now. And as history tells us, they can be a runaway freight train when they get going.

In their run to the Cup two years ago, the Caps went down 2-0 in their first-round series against Columbus, only to win the next four straight games. They also back from 3-2 in the Conference Finals to win the series against Tampa.

So yeah, the Caps are battle-tested and have the heart, pride of a champion. It was on display in game four and could happen again if the Isles aren’t careful. 

“I know a lot about that core, they have obviously some real strong character there, and they weren’t going away,” Trotz added.

From their perspective, all the Islanders need to do is take their first three games of the series combined with their performance in the closeout game from last round against Florida and put it all together. What they can also do is
take notice of what happened in the Flyers-Canadiens game last night.

Philadelphia let the Habs hang around and ended up losing 5-3. Now they have to try to close them out again on Saturday.

Montreal now has a little hope. The Islanders cannot go down the same path with Washington in any sense of the word. The angst is already there that the Isles couldn’t close it out last game. If this series needs another game or ends up going seven…I don’t even want to think about that possibility.

“I think if we do the right things and we play the way we want to play … and play the Islander way and make it hard on them and just play like we play when we have success, I think that’s the thing we have to focus on,” forward Anthony Beauvillier said.

“It’s not really about them. It’s about us getting the job done next game.”

Beauvillier is spot on.

They can get that job done tonight will come down to them putting the hammer down on the Capitals from the get-go this evening.

Familiar mistakes cost Islanders a chance at a sweep

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Derick Brassard, New York Islanders

It looked like it was going to be smooth sailing this time around for the New York Islanders.

Last night, the Isles — with a chance to sweep the Washington Capitals out of the bubble and move on to the second round of the postseason for the second consecutive year — got off to a fast start.

J.G. Pageau and Mathew Barzal scored in the first 9:16 of the game for an early 2-0 lead. At one point even, the chances were 16-1 in favor of the home team.

Then it went downhill from there.

And just as it was the culprit in the previous round — against the Florida Panthers in another possible closeout game — special teams were what doomed the Islanders last night in a 3-2 loss.

Let’s start with the power play, which went a dismal 0-for-5 in the defeat.

The Isles’ man-advantage deserves some credit, though, as they looked much more aggressive for the last night as compared to Sunday and really the rest of the series. They accounted for 12 of the 26 shots the team mustered.

But with a chance to bury the Caps early in the contest, they once again failed to convert. Even scoring on one of those five opportunities and this blog is probably about the Isles strolling into the next round.

“We had looks tonight,” Barzal said after the game. “We gotta find a way to put one into the back of the net. Coming into the series, we knew special teams was going to be the deciding factor in some games. We just have to make an adjustment.”

Now the Islanders a dreadful 1-for-24 when they are man up in this series and only converted five of 35 times in the playoffs thus far.

“We need production from it,” head coach Barry Trotz added. “I thought our power play was better than it was Sunday.”

To add to the struggles on the power play, taking bad penalties ended up costing the Isles dearly.

Three uncharacteristic minors in the first 3:46 of the second period allowed Washington right back into the game. Once Alex Ovechkin’s rocket from his office evened the score, the Islanders were on their heels the rest of the night and honestly, the first time the entire series.

The series now takes on a whole new dynamic as the teams get set for a pivotal game five tomorrow night.

The Isles are still in a very favorable position up 3-1. But cause for concern about the special teams is now staring them dead in the face.

They need to be better, not only if they want to finish this series off, but if they’re going to have any chance at going much deeper into the summer.

Last night it was their undoing again. An all too familiar sight this postseason

An Islanders win tonight would signal one thing — they’re legit Stanley Cup contenders

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Mathew Barzal, New York Islanders

Stanley Cup contenders.

For as long as I can remember, the words New York Islanders and Stanley Cup never sounded right together.

After all, it’s been 36 years since the last time the franchise played for the silver chalice; the fifth time in a row too.

But since then, the Islanders have not come close to possibly playing for the Cup beyond their renaissance season of 1993. That year the Isles went on a magical run to the Eastern Conference Finals, disposing of their same opponent this round — the Washington Capitals — in the opening series and upsetting the defending two-time champs — the Pittsburgh Penguins — before bowing out in five to the eventual Cup winners, the Montreal Canadiens.

And that brings us to now and the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs taking place.

A victory tonight, which clinches a sweep of those Caps, would signal that the Isles are indeed a legit threat to win it all this summer.

Say it with me again.

STANLEY. CUP. CONTENDER.

I know what you’re thinking too: How is this possible after the team was on the brink of missing the postseason before the NHL paused its season? Don’t worry, you’re not the only one.

What’s gonna happen when they still have to go through Boston, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, Carolina, or even Columbus, depending on how the rest of the series plays out this round?

Those questions will most likely be answered.

But let’s be honest here: With how the Islanders are playing right now, they can play and beat anybody.

Head coach Barry Trotz has this team clicking on all cylinders. Power play and penalty kill aside, they have dominated at 5-on-5, gotten numerous contributions from up and down the lineup, received fabulous goaltending from Semyon Varlamov, and been rolling all four lines which have sucked the life out of the opposition.

Just take it from Mathew Barzal, who scored a beautiful game-winner on Sunday in overtime to give the Isles a stranglehold on their series. After the game, Barzal said he and the team “love it in the bubble” and that they are “having a blast.”

Barzal’s not blowing smoke either.

The Isles are 6-1 since arriving in Toronto. If not for some boneheaded decisions in game three of the qualifying round against Florida, they’d probably be undefeated.

They’ve been able to win several different ways — comebacks, overtime, etc. Their level of play is exceeding almost everyone’s expectations other than Islanders fans themselves. The opposition has literally had no response to their devastating forecheck and sturdy defensive structure.

“We’re just focused on ourselves mostly. With our leadership group, we understand what’s at stake, and we don’t look too far ahead,” Trotz said yesterday.

Trotz is right. Don’t look too far ahead.

Truthfully though, it’s hard not to because it feels like there is something special with this group.

This team is deep. They are healthy. They play for one another. And it feels like they’re never out of a game.

The confidence level is at an all-time high, even more than probably when they swept the Penguins in the first round last spring.

Only a small amount of times over the past 35-plus years can the fans of this team say that. And by god does this fanbase deserve it after all the hell they’ve gone through in that time.

Things have gone nearly perfectly for the Islanders in the postseason to this point. But a win tonight, they can prove something that has been missing for too long for the franchise.

That they are legit, and they should be recognized as a Stanley Cup contender.

The Islanders’ offense has come through in waves so far in the postseason

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New York Islanders

Better late than never. That should be the moniker to describe what has unfolded for the New York Islanders in their postseason run thus far.

Mainly, their offense.

Amid the struggles, all season long leading to when the coronavirus pandemic forced the league to shut down, the Isles’ attack has really hit their stride and have shown there is no quit in them.

Take yesterday, for example.

The Islanders found themselves down 2-0 to the Washington Capitals as a result of penalties and a bad bounce. Jordan Eberle — who continues to come up huge in the postseason — got a cheap one past Braden Holtby just before the second period ended.

Then the floodgates opened.

What followed was a barrage from the rest of the offense, which led to three more unanswered goals in a 7:55 span of the third and ultimately them coming away with a 4-2 win and a 1-0 series lead.

“Honestly we knew how the game was going, we felt like we were generating chances that just hadn’t gone in at that point,” captain Anders Lee told reporters after the win. “Going into the third was that same mentality. Keep the foot on the gas and keep getting pucks to the net, but just as a group, we all settled in and played a really smart period and got some phenomenal plays from Nelly, Barzy and Bails and Beau.”

Yesterday’s comeback though, seems to have become a recurring theme, one which has made the Isles one of the most intriguing teams still playing.

Their goal totals so far in the postseason reads as: 2, 4, 2, 5, 4. Granted, those games with just the two goals happened to be their game one win to start the playoffs, where they shut it down defensively and suffocated the Panthers’ forwards, the other being their only loss on in the postseason.

Still, the rest of the goal totals have been somewhat remarkable. A great deal of that can also be contributed to how dominant they’ve been at even strength.

Playing at 5-on-5 in the playoffs, the Islanders have scored 12 times. They’ve given up only three goals when at events strength.

That’s exactly the game head coach Barry Trotz wants his team to play. Trotz has repeated time and time again that he would take his team at 5-on-5 against any other team in the league.

What’s even more impressive thing from the Isles’ offense breaking out is that everyone has gotten into the mix. It’s a far cry from where they were before the season was postponed; the Isles depended on one line — the first line — to keep them in games.

Now that no longer seems to be the case.

After Eberle’s tally yesterday it Anders Lee, who finally got on the board, and it was the combination of Mathew Barzal, Josh Bailey, and Brock Nelson, who led the charge. That trio combined for seven, yes SEVEN points in the third period. In the previous round —  the production came from Anthony Beauvillier, who scored again in the victory, J.G. Pageau, Tom Kuhnhackl, Ryan Pulock, Devon Toews, among many others.

All the talk before the playoffs began was whether or not the Islanders would get back to their defensive structure. Well, they have. But it’s been their offensive output that has been a welcoming addition to their success.

The offense has come in waves, and one can only hope it continues as the team fights on the rest of the postseason.

 

Details Emerge as to What the New York Rangers Can Expect at Toronto Hub

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Recently, information about what the New York Rangers will experience in Toronto as the NHL unveiled details for its hub cities and in-game presentation as it approaches the resumption of play. The league revealed its plan for health and safety, along with information about television broadcasts and player amenities during a period in which no fans will be allowed in the arenas.

New York Ranger “sounds” will be part of the game

The league is promising a unique look and feel to every game played, including the local goal horns and songs of each team participating, which of course will include the Rangers.

Fans of each of the 24 teams participating have replicated chants that will be played in the arena, so expect some “Let’s Go Rangers” chants to be pumped in. These in-game sounds will be combined on the broadcast with supplemented crowd noise provided by EA Sports. The broadcasts will also be on a five-second delay, due to the possibility that some of the language used by the players may be a bit “R” rated and not family-friendly.

Steve Mayer, the league’s chief content officer, said fans will see unique camera angles because arenas will be empty, as well as many extras. “We’re going to open up in both hubs with a significant and a powerful opening evening,” Mayer said

The NHL releases the logistics for the New York Rangers stay in Toronto

The Toronto secure zone will be made up of two distinct areas, one at Exhibition Place and one in downtown Toronto.

Downtown Toronto’s zone will be situated at the Fairmont Royal York hotel, where the Rangers will call home while in the playoffs. A secure walking path connecting the Fairmont to Scotiabank Arena to be used exclusively by authorized people will allow for travel between the two locations while maximizing safety.

BMO Field in Toronto, normally the home of Toronto FC of the MLS, is part of the bubble, is serving as an outdoor recreation facility.

At the downtown zone, players will be able to partake in activities like pickleball and tennis.

The NHL said it is setting up a concierge service, in conjunction with local delivery companies, that will allow players and staff to order items from pharmacies, department stores, grocery stores, and food from restaurants in Toronto.

Part of the NHL’s stated focal point is ensuring the safety of its players and staff during the restart. For example, in Toronto, there will be 64 walking and hotel security guards, as well as 33 health ambassadors at Scotiabank Arena.

When games are taking place, players who are not participating will be able to watch and attend games.

Asked if there’s a sense of accomplishment knowing the league is on the verge of resuming its season, Bettman, who along with deputy commissioner Bill Daly won’t initially travel to the bubbles because require a mandatory 14-day quarantine after arriving from the United States, said there’s still a long way to go before he can fully exhale.

“I don’t sit back and try and dislocate my shoulder trying to either pat myself or anybody else on the back,” Bettman said. “If there’s any point where I’m going to feel substantial emotion, it’ll be a sense of relief when I get the present the Stanley Cup.”

 

Lack of Playoff Experience for the New York Rangers is an Overblown Factor

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Much has and will be written and said about how the lack of playoff experience for the New York Rangers will be a hindrance for them when they start to play on Aug 1. While not exactly “fake news” it is something that makes for good copy to fill pages and the airwaves. The reality is, their experience is less of a factor in this type of playoff.

A unique experience for the New York Rangers and everyone else in the playoffs

Ask yourself, “when is the last time the NHL conducted a playoff after a four-month break, played at a neutral site, without fans, living in a bubble and having blood tests and/or nasal swabs stuck up their noses on a frequent basis?

The correct answer is: Never

So when you see things like “fourteen of the players on the roster, and not including the entire taxi squad, have played zero Stanley Cup playoff games”, and “Coach Quinn has never coached a playoff game”, it sounds like good analysis, but this year, it has a lot less meaning than in previous years.

In reality, if they think about it, most of the players are probably used to playing big, stand-alone tournaments, even in the summer.

For those who have not experienced youth hockey or any other youth sports, top-level hockey players will frequently play some tournaments in the summer. After their travel season is over, most teams will take a break so that their players have a chance to pick up a baseball bat or lacrosse stick. Then at times, teams will get together and play some big tournaments, usually in Canada.

Good teams come from far and wide to play in these tournaments. It was not unusual to see the Florida Junior Panthers or the Washington Little Caps play in them.

The nice thing about the summer tournaments is that the parents usually get to see more of the sights of the places they are visiting, something that playing in the harsh northern winters doesn’t usually allow for. Plus you can run into some people you would not normally see, like when we ran into former Chicago Blackhawk and Detroit Red Wing Chris Chelios, who was coaching his son’s summer team.

Hopefully, the bubble will allow the players some of this experience, like playing at some of the Toronto areas fine golf courses, something that would not be able to do in February.

These tournaments usually start around Thursday and Friday and usually guarantee a team will get to play three or four games. So like these Stanley playoffs, one loss won’t hurt too much, two losses are tough, but three losses mean that you are thinking about what to get at the duty-free shop before you cross back over the border.

Even if they didn’t play in the summer, most of these players have competed in large tournaments before, whether it was in international competition, or the Syracuse Youth Hockey Thanksgiving Spectacular.

That is really what this year’s Stanley Cup tournament is like.

The biggest issue for the youth of the Blueshirts is the maturity level of the players, and how they can handle how the issues of today. It is a lot for an 18 or 19-year-old to deal with the fact that there is a virus out there that could potentially cause them a great deal of harm. That is more of a factor than “playoff experience”.

It is also going to be more of a testament of how Quinn and other coaching staffs handle their players, who probably did not skate much while being quarantined during the pandemic.

After all, this season of hockey is most likely destined for a Twilight Zone episode versus being added to “Great Stanley Cup Moments.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s Official: the NHL Includes the New York Rangers for Post-Season Play

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New York Rangers, Brendan Lemieux

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman made an announcement on Tuesday afternoon regarding the return-to-play format. The format announcement includes the New York Rangers as part of the play-in round for the 24 team tournament.

In his announcement that was covered on several networks in the United States and Canada, Bettman stated the health and safety of the players and staff were the utmost of his concern. Bettman also stated that the season will not continue unless they have clearance from Civil and Medical authorities.

Bettman has stated the regular season is over, and 24 teams will compete in a tournament. As expected, the top 12 teams in each conference will play, and seeding based on points percentage. He also stated that the tournament will play in two hubs that will be named later. Bettman also noted that each team will be limited to 50 personnel, with a small number of team staff allowed in an event.

As expected, the top four teams will play for a first-round seeding, while the remaining eight teams will play a best-of- series to advance to the first round. Once the round-robin and playoffs are finished, the league will conduct the tournament in a traditional bracket format, with match-ups based on seeding. Bettman also said the length of round two is still being considered. He also stated that he expects the Stanley Cup will played in one of the hub cities.

The New York Rangers have officially been scheduled to play the Carolina Hurricanes.

Bettman also discussed the phase policies, noting that the phase 3 procedure that would allow formal training camps will not happen until July 1 at the earliest.

Bettman listed the Hub cities that are under consideration, and they include Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Pittsburgh, Toronto, and Vancouver.

It was also announced that the NHL draft would take place after the season concludes. There had been some speculation that the league may try to hold the lottery and draft at the end of June. The NHL Draft Lottery will be on Friday, June 26. The numbers 1, 2, and 3 picks will be up for grabs. Fifteen teams, the seven who are no longer playing plus 8 more currently identified as Teams A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, will be in the lottery. The league will have the same lottery odds as prior years. This process is quite complicated and will be covered in detail in a later article.