NYHN Daily: Bad Beat in Boston, Islanders Defensive Growth & More

After a disappointing loss to the Bruins last night, the Islanders have a chance to right the ship tonight against Boston in the second of the back-to-back. A missed odd-man rush early in the third period by the Islanders translated into a Taylor Hall goal which sealed the Islanders fate. This season, the Islanders have found a way to elevate their defensive play to an even higher level in year three of Barry Trotz. These stories and more in today’s daily links!

In a twist of fate, the Islanders played a strong second period after a recent stretch where the middle 20 minutes had been their kryptonite. But missed chances and a goal by Taylor Hall sealed their fate. (NYI Hockey Now)

Since the arrival of Barry Trotz in 2018, the Islanders defense has taken strides into becoming an elite force in the NHL. In year three of Trotz at the helm, the defense has played better than ever. (NYI Hockey Now)

Three days of rest and practice yielded a rust-filled horrendous first period against the Bruins from which the Islanders could not recover. The Bruins beat the Islanders for the first time in six tries, 4-1, on Thursday night before a crowd of 2,191 at TD Garden. It opened a three-game road trip, including another game in Boston tonight. (Newsday)

Barry Trotz kept his lineup intact for Thursday night’s 4-1 loss to the Bruins. But the Islanders’ coach is not likely to do the same for Friday night’s rematch at TD Garden. In fact, Trotz anticipated altering his lineup in the second game of the back-to-back set even before second-line right wing Josh Bailey exited midway through the second period with an undisclosed issue, with his status for Friday uncertain. (Newsday)

On Thursday, the Islanders announced that over 90% of season tickets for the team’s inaugural season at UBS Arena are sold out.  The entire Upper and Terrace Levels as well as eight sections in the lower level and one of the marquee clubs are also sold out.  What this means is that the Islanders are now inching closer to selling out every game for their first season at UBS Arena. And this comes as we’re still navigating through the COVID-19 pandemic six and a half months before the scheduled opening of the building. (NY Sportsday)

After a Boston Bruins debut where Taylor Hall got better as the game went along, the new left winger waited until his second game to get on the score sheet. The 29-year-old forward scored the third-period insurance goal in a 4-1 win over the New York Islanders at TD Garden and showcased a bit of what he can bring to the Black and Gold as a top-6 winger with true offensive upside. (Boston Hockey Now)

The Philadelphia Flyers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins in a shootout on Thursday night. It’s always good to beat the Penguins. The Flyers played pretty well overall. Carter Hart made 31 saves on 32 shots and Jakub Voracek scored to tie the game in the third period. Both teams had some chances, but the goaltenders were strong in this one. Claude Giroux and Sean Couturier scored filthy goals in the shootout to win it for the Flyers. (Philly Hockey Now)

Today there are a dozen “Jeff Carter” stories across a half dozen Pittsburgh Penguins media outlets. Most will be friendly because Carter played well enough to earn praise for succeeding in a tough situation. The Penguins lost 2-1 in a shootout to the Philadelphia Flyers, but the Penguins’ mood didn’t seem to be too stressed over yielding an extra point. PHN will join the chorus of Carter reviews, but we’ll add a little video, too. (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

Aside from sharing the same southern state and being born a year apart, the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning don’t have a lot in common. The two are rivals, sure, but nothing like some of the great in-state/province rivalries the NHL has been built on. Perhaps this is the year that changes a bit. (Florida Hockey Now)

Within the ranks of the Colorado Avalanche’s past, you’ll find several players who made waves both in the classroom and on the ice. Here’s a list of the top five most educated Avs ever (Colorado Hockey Now)

When an athlete gets hurt, you can sometimes tell how badly he or she is hurt by their reaction when they get back to the bench. Based on that premise, Evander Kane and the San Jose Sharks looked like they were in big trouble when Kane took a Brent Burns’s blast off the ankle.But lucky enough, Kane hobbled out of the locker room to begin the second period and managed to finish the game. It got me thinking though: When it comes to injuries, the San Jose Sharks have been pretty fortunate this season. (San Jose Hockey Now)