Daily Links
NYHN Daily: Islanders Barzal Fined, Lamoriello Wins GM of Year & More
The New York Islanders look to force a Game 7 tonight as they host the Tampa Bay Lightning down three games to two. After Mat Barzal was given a game misconduct and a major cross-checking penalty, NHL Player Safety gave him the maximum fine meaning he can play tonight. For the first time in NHL history, a general manager has won the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award twice. That general manager is Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello, who has won the award now in back-to-back years. These stories and more in today’s daily links!
New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal escaped any major supplementary discipline from the NHL for his cross-check to the face of Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Jan Rutta. He was assessed only a $5,000, which is the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement Islanders head coach Barry Trotz said that he hadn’t heard anything from the league when he addressed reporters Tuesday afternoon. Trotz indicated that the NHL Department of Player Safety would usually give the team a heads up if any punishment was going to be handed down or if they were looking at the play. (NYI Hockey Now)
Lou Lamoriello became the first general manager to win the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award twice in NHL history. Lamoriello was the recipient of the award in 2020 after the New York Islanders reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 1993. The Hall of Fame executive is in his third season with the Islanders after joining the organization from Toronto. (NYI Hockey Now)
There wasn’t much the Islanders could say Tuesday, a day after the 8-0 thrashing they suffered at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning Monday at Amalie Arena that pushed them to the brink of elimination in the NHL semifinals. Really, the only thing they could say after what was the worst playoff loss in team history, was that they have no doubt they will be better in Game 6 Wednesday at Nassau Coliseum than they were on Monday in Tampa. (Newsday)
All professional athletes have deep wells of pride, or they would not be professional athletes. But there are times those wells must be plumbed more deeply than others. This is one of those times for the Islanders. Look, the odds are against them beating the Lightning twice in a row to advance to the Stanley Cup Final. Tampa Bay has not lost consecutive playoff games since a first-round sweep by the Blue Jackets in 2019. While it is not an impossible task, it is a formidable one. But there will be time for that discussion before a potential Game 7 on Friday. (Newsday)
The New York Islanders are determined to reclaim their identity when they host Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Semifinals against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday. After an out-of-character sloppy performance in an 8-0 loss in Game 5 on Monday left it trailing the best-of-7 series, New York knows it must get back to its defensive structure and total team commitment to force Game 7 at Tampa Bay on Friday. (NHL)
The New York Islanders and if it’s realistic to think they can win two games in a row against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup Semifinals was a big topic of conversation on the latest episode of the “NHL @TheRink” podcast. Brian Compton, who covers the Islanders for NHL.com, joined co-hosts Dan Rosen and Shawn P. Roarke to break down the Islanders and the Lightning, who will play Game 6 of their series at Nassau Coliseum on Wednesday. (NHL)
The Tampa Bay Lightning are approaching Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Semifinals in a similar way as the New York Islanders. Game 5 happened. It was a blowout. Analyze it and move on. “It’s a big win for us, obviously, but 8-0, 2-1, 3-1, it’s still one game,” Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman said Tuesday. “These are tough games. They’re a great team and for sure we’re going to get their best. We’ve got to raise our game to another level once again.” (NHL)
This is the first in an intermittent offseason series of articles looking at impending Boston Bruins free agents and whether they will be “staying or going” when it comes time for the B’s to make a decision. The Case: It’s been a largely successful run for Sean Kuraly as a fourth-liner in Boston over the last four seasons. (Boston Hockey Now)
A rookie has never been named the GM of the Year in NHL and that run continued Tuesday. Despite a rousing first season, Bill Zito of the Florida Panthers finished third in the voting for the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year. Lou Lamoriello, GM of the New York Islanders, won the award for the second consecutive year. (Florida Hockey Now)
The Detroit Red Wings will be looking hard at the NHL’s crop of UFA goalies. They’ll also be pondering when to draft a goalie, perhaps even spending one of their two first-round picks on a netminder. They could also opt to trade for help between the posts. There’s an interesting dynamic at work in the first round of the 2021 NHL entry draft that could set up nicely for a Red Wings-Columbus Blue Jackets deal. (Detroit Hockey Now)
A cloud still hangs over Evgeny Kuznetsov and the Washington Capitals regarding his future, and general manager Brian MacLellan didn’t provide too much reassurance at the end of the season. MacLellan dropped ominous comments during his season-ending press conference after the Boston Bruins handed the Capitals their third consecutive first-round exit. (Washington Hockey Now)
The Montreal Canadiens took a big win on the road at T-Mobile Arena, frustrating the Vegas Golden Knights and pushing the team to the brink of elimination in a 4-1 win Tuesday night. Montreal was smothering from the opening puck drop, negating the Vegas forecheck and preventing the Golden Knights from generating much on the offensive side of the puck. (Vegas Hockey Now)
Sheng Peng was honored to be one of 100 PHWA writers selected to vote for this year’s NHL Awards. We voted on six trophies (Hart, Norris, Calder, Lady Byng, Selke, Masterton) and both the All-Star and All-Rookie Teams. Here’s how I voted for the Lady Byng, Selke, and Masterton — Sheng reveals his Hart, Norris, Calder, All-Star, and All-Rookie picks during the Stanley Cup Finals when those winners will be announced. (San Jose Hockey Now)
Reggie Leach said he hopes Brayden Point breaks his record of goals in 10 straight Stanley Cup Playoff games that he set with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1976. Point extended his goal streak to eight when the Tampa Bay Lightning center scored on the power play at 1:59 of the third period in their 8-0 win against the New York Islanders in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Semifinals at Amalie Arena in Tampa on Monday. (NHL)
The Montreal Canadiens left something behind Tuesday in Las Vegas that you don’t often see in the city they call the Entertainment Capital of the World: a disappointed audience. With their Stanley Cup semifinal series with the Golden Knights knotted at 2, netminder Carey Price and the feisty Habs harassed and frustrated their Vegas rivals — to say nothing of the 17,969 fans in attendance — to a convincing 4-1 win, as well as a 3-2 series lead. (TSN)
The Vegas Golden Knights find themselves facing a must-win Game 6 in Montreal on Thursday after losing 4-1 to the Canadiens on Tuesday night. Golden Knights head coach Peter DeBoer had little by way of explanation for his team’s Game 5 loss, in which they trailed 3-0 after two periods. (TSN)
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Islanders Room: Relief, Pulock’s Big Game
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PODCAST: All Aboard the Islanders W Train!
