Nothing to play for but injury updates and milestones.
The Islanders won a snoozer in Newark Sunday afternoon, giving them two more standings points, which for lottery purposes put them in 21st overall and ensures they will finish somewhere between 20th and 24th.
If there was anything of interest about the afternoon, it was probably that Ilya Sorokin returned healthy — and got a shutout, pulling him into a tie with BIlly Smith for second all-time (22) for the franchise. Meanwhile, Bo Horvat scored the only goal to inch closer to 30, which is an attractive milestone in our base-10 system. And on the bad side, Adam Pelech left the game after another check to the head — one that drew a match penalty on Paul Cotter.
Islanders News
- On Pelech’s injury, and the many available replacements. Also: AHL suspensions for Cole Bardreau (six games), Tyce Thompson (three) and Chris Terry (two) for tomfoolery Saturday against Hartford: Bardreau and Thompson for leaving the bench during a fight, Terry’s for a match penalty for slashing.[Post]
- Sorokin was ready and happy to play. [Post | Newsday]
- Three takeaways: The Isles hit three posts. So really, like, they totally could’ve won 4-0 and we will take that optimism into the offseason. [Isles]
- The Skinny: Sorokin reaches 30 wins for the second time; only Rick DiPietro (the all-time shutout leader) has done that twice for the Isles. [Isles]
- In the interest of getting this season over with sooner, Tuesday’s meeting with the Capitals has been pushed up a half hour to 7:30. (Still have to play the finale two nights later in Columbus, however.) [Isles]
- (Yester)day in Isles History: That John Tonelli Game. [Isles]
Elsewhere
Yesterday’s finals also included Columbus beating the Capitals again to keep their by-a-thread chances alive. The Flames also won to keep their hopes alive in the West.
- The Jets lost to shorthanded Edmonton but won the President’s Trophy anyway thanks to Washington’s loss earlier in the day. It’s Winnipeg (and Atlanta’s) first-ever NHL regular season title, an accomplishment that should be celebrated way more than it is (except when the Rangers do it, in which case it’s a rigged fluke and thin mask of what a crappy team they’ll prove to be in a year’s time). [Sportsnet | Illegal Curve]
- This is the first time all four U.S. members of the “original six” miss the playoffs in the same year. [AP]
- Zee Buium of DU signs his ELC with the Wild, will join them pronto. [ESPN]
- Aaron Ekblad will be ready to help the Panthers’ title defense when his suspension ends after Game 2 of the first round. (Imagine a suspended Islander being allowed to speak to media? You’d sooner find a facial hair on a fifth-liner signed to a seven-year contract.) [NHL]