The Islanders’ chances aren’t good, but the series isn’t over yet.
It’s a good thing I didn’t have to post an article yesterday morning because it would have been despondent. That’s a natural feeling, of course, considering how Game 2 fell apart. But I was done moping by yesterday afternoon.
My expectations were pretty low coming into this series and are even lower now, but this series isn’t over yet. Indeed, it is tough to envision these New York Islanders winning four out of five games against those Carolina Hurricanes. Anything can happen, though.
It sounds like Brett Pesce is done for the series, which means Tony DeAngelo will likely draw in, and the Isles have taken advantage of the headcase before. Carolina could have a goaltending crisis, and the Islanders’ shooters could get hot. Whichever goalie starts for New York could go on a Brian Boucher run. Playoff hockey baby, you can’t predict it.
I’ll be there this week, hopefully to see our team claw back to a 2-2 tie and force Game 6. Perhaps the magic of Patrick Roy makes it happen.
Islanders News
Practice day today. Working hard on something, apparently breakouts.
They’ve been in this huddle for the last 5 minutes-plus:#Isles pic.twitter.com/DvsKF4LQwN
— Joe Pantorno (@JoePantorno) April 24, 2024
#Isles practice lines:
Cizikas-Barzal-Horvat
Fasching-Nelson-Palmieri
Lee-Pageau-Engvall
Iskhakov-MacLean-ClutterbuckPelech-Pulock
Romanov-Dobson
Reilly-Bortuzzo
Bolduc-AhoSorokin/Varlamov
Extras: Holmstrom, Wahlstrom
Missing: Martin— Andrew Fantucchio (@A_Fantucchio) April 24, 2024
- Roy hadn’t decided on tomorrow’s lineup as of yesterday, but these lines offer some clues. Matt Martin is absent, so we await further word on him. I’d love to see Ruslan Iskhakov, though. [THN]
- Even the team site couldn’t sugarcoat Game 2. [3 Takeaways] As many have noted, it was the first time the Islanders have ever lost a playoff game in which they held a three-goal lead, having previously been 81-0. [NYI Skinny]
- Almost the same scenario played out back in November at UBS Arena, but this one stings a lot more, obviously. [NY Post]
- If they’re going to have a chance, they’re going to have to show that resiliency they keep talking about. They’ve shown it in the past, but they’re going to have to be desperate now. [Newsday]
- Immediately after Game 2, they weren’t ready to look ahead just yet. They were in pain, for sure. But I’m sure Roy strictly enforced the Midnight Rule on this one. [The Athletic]
- Now that the B-Isles’ season is done, the Islanders called up five Black Aces. The return of Julien Gauthier. [THN]
- Dan and Mike emergency podcasted, which is usually not a good thing. [LHH]
Elsewhere
Last night’s playoff scores include the Lightning and Capitals joining us in an 0-2 hole and the Avalanche and Predators knotting their series at 1-1.
- Carter Verhaeghe won the game for the Florida Panthers with his fifth career playoff overtime goal, tied for third in NHL history behind Joe Sakic and Maurice Richard, who have played considerably more playoff games than Verhaeghe—I cannot believe we never played that guy in the NHL and traded him for virtually nothing. Also, Sergei Bobrovsky made the save of the year on Matt Dumba. [NHL]
- Gabriel Landeskog still isn’t that close to playing, but he was on the ice with the Colorado Avalanche ahead of Game 2, which was “good for morale.” [NHL]
- The Philadelphia Flyers signed Ivan Fedotov, that large Russian goalie who we thought might end our season in his NHL debut, to a two-year extension. [NHL]
- Timo Meier joined teammate Jack Hughes in getting shoulder surgery. The New Jersey Devils’ best players get hurt a lot, which could prove difficult to overcome. [NHL]