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NYHN Daily: Islanders Dominated by Lightning in Game 5, Barzal Penalty, & More

Published

3 years ago

June 22, 2021

The New York Islanders failed to generate anything in their 8-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 5. Islanders top player Mat Barzal took a frustration penalty, as he was ejected and now may get a hearing with NHL Player Safety. Islanders captain Anders Lee, despite not being able to play, is still a leader in the locker room. These stories and more in today’s daily links!

The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the New York Islanders 8-0 in Game 5 at Amalie Arena. Tampa Bay Leads the best-of-seven series 3-2. The Islanders got some bad breaks early in the game, but undisciplined play did not allow them the chance to climb out of the hole as the Lightning kept scoring. (NYI Hockey Now)

It was a penalty that the New York Islanders didn’t need to take and took their best offensive weapon, Mathew Barzal, out of the game in the midst of a blowout loss. It could also mean Barzal will not play in the crucial Game 6, and possibly last game ever at the Coliseum on Wednesday night. Barzal’s ill-timed crosscheck to the face of Jan Rutta sent the Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman to the ice in pain at the end of the second period in what would be an 8-0 loss in Game 5. Barzal was assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct for the play and his night ended early for the infraction. (NYI Hockey Now)

The New York Islanders may have been hundreds of miles away for Game 5, but there was still plenty of excitement at the Nassau Coliseum, well that was until the game actually started. The Nassau Coliseum hosted roughly 7,200 fans on Monday night for a Game 5 watching party organized by the Islanders and Nassau County. It was the first team-sanctioned event of its kind during the Islanders’ now two runs to the Stanley Cup Semifinals and came after calls from both county executive Laura Curran and the Nassau County Legislature to host one with COVID-19 restrictions lifted in New York State. (NYI Hockey Now)

New York Islanders captain Anders Lee was back out on the ice after the team wrapped up their morning skate on Monday ahead of Game 5 in Tampa Bay. While his presence on the ice was another welcomed sight for the Islanders, it was his appearance in the team dressing room prior to Game 4 that really caught everyone’s eye. A fired-up Lee was seen on a team-produced video reading the lineup card before the Islanders 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Lee reads out the starters’ names before the video cuts to the Islanders injured captain slamming his hand against the door to fire up his teammates as he walked out of the room. (NYI Hockey Now)

A run to the Stanley Cup Semifinals in back-to-back years surely helped the New York Islanders sell season tickets to their new arena at Belmont Park. So much so that the team announced on Monday that they had sold out of season tickets for their inaugural year at UBS Arena. Over 12,000 New York Islanders fans have purchased season subscriptions, according to a press release. Only six of the new arena’s 56 suits are still available and 250 seats are left in UBS Arena’s Dime Club, the release stated. (NYI Hockey Now)

The Isles better recover quickly from Monday’s 8-0 hammering by the Lightning in Game 5 of this year’s semifinals. Game 6, possibly the last game of this season and the last game ever at Nassau Coliseum, comes Wednesday. If the Islanders aren’t ready to blow the roof off the joint, this will be a disappointing end to another thrilling season. Some thoughts on how to put this ugly one behind them and focus on the first win-or-go-home game of this postseason. (The Athletic)

Steven Stamkos had two goals and an assist, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 21 saves for the Tampa Bay Lightning in an 8-0 win against the New York Islanders in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Semifinals at Amalie Arena in Tampa on Monday. It was the third shutout of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for Vasilevskiy, who helped the Lightning take the lead in the best-of-7 series. Tampa Bay has not lost consecutive postseason games since the 2019 Eastern Conference First Round (13-0), the longest such run in NHL history. (NHL)

Barry Trotz’s message to the New York Islanders following their 8-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Semifinals at Amalie Arena in Tampa on Monday was simple. “This wasn’t our best game,” the New York coach said he told his players. “We’re going to need our best game and we’re going to have to earn the right to keep playing now. I’ve been with this group a long time and I know the character of this group, and we’ll be ready.” Following the most lopsided loss in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in their history, the Islanders have no choice. (NHL)

Barry Trotz should have left Semyon Varlamov in the game and pulled everyone else. The NHL might have frowned upon such an arrangement, but really, how much worse could it have been? The Islanders’ skaters were ghosts on Monday night — technically present but largely invisible. The Lightning’s 8-0 victory in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup semifinal was more than thorough. It was thoroughly embarrassing for the visiting team, the most lopsided playoff loss in the Islanders’ nearly half-century history. (Newsday)

“Man up.” In short, that’s coach Barry Trotz’s message with the Islanders’ season on the brink. They suffered an embarrassing total team breakdown Monday night — a parade of errors in every facet of the game, including potential NHL supplemental discipline for an undisciplined Mathew Barzal — as the Lightning earned an 8-0 victory at Amalie Arena to take a 3-2 lead in the NHL semifinal series. (Newsday)

On the latest “Off The Record” the Buffalo Sabres want four to six components for Jack Eichel, the Arizona Coyotes are looking to move Oliver Ekman-Larson, and Dougie Hamilton will not be reuniting with the Boston Bruins. (NYHN+)

It was like found money—ground score. The Pittsburgh Penguins hoped defenseman Mike Matheson could reverse his career course. And they signed bargain-basement free agent Cody Ceci to eat some minutes and provide depth. Injuries and merit paired Ceci and Matheson together in February. Both were Twitter pariahs prior to their Penguins tenure. There was no shortage of complaints about Ceci’s signing after the Toronto Maple Leafs fandom got done with him, and plenty of criticism of the Penguins trade that brought Matheson to Pittsburgh for the very popular Patric Hornqvist. And then things clicked. (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

Detroit Red Wings prospect Lucas Raymond wasn’t left off Sweden’s summer U-20 roster because he was coming off surgery. He didn’t get a spot because the Swedes believe he could be in the NHL. “Both Raymond and (New Jersey Devils prospect) Alexander Holtz have already played two WJC and are going to NHL training camps in the fall,” said a source familiar with the Swedish team. “We don’t know if they will be available for the WJC in Red Deer in December, so we don’t bring them along on this camp.” (Detroit Hockey Now)

With the Vegas Golden Knights and Montreal Canadiens tied at 2-2 and heading back to T-Mobile Arena for Game Five Tuesday night, today was an off day for both teams. After a big overtime win in Game Four the Golden Knights have regained home ice advantage in the series. Here’s a look at a crazy last 36 hours in the series. (Vegas Hockey Now)

The San Jose Sharks have re-signed Matt Nieto for two years and $850,000 per season. It’s a deal that makes sense on many fronts. The 28-year-old winger proved to be a reliable bottom-six option last season, even playing credible top-six minutes at times. (San Jose Hockey Now)

The Montreal Canadiens said they aren’t feeling any pressure entering Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Semifinals against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday. In fact, they said they are fine with where things stand with the best-of-7 series tied, even though they are coming off a loss and would have to play two of the potential final three games on the road. (NHL)

Tom Kurvers, assistant general manager of the Minnesota Wild who played 11 NHL seasons as a defenseman, died Monday. He was 58. “The Minnesota Wild organization is heartbroken to announce that Tom Kurvers passed away this morning after a courageous battle with lung cancer,” the Wild said in a statement. “We extend our deepest sympathies and prayers to Tom’s family and loved ones, including his wife, Heather, daughters Madison and Rose, and sons Weston and Roman.” (NHL)

JT Brown was named the first television color analyst for the Seattle Kraken on Monday. Brown will be paired with veteran play-by-play announcer John Forslund on ROOT Sports Northwest in the Kraken’s inaugural season in 2021-22. He joins a small but growing group of Black former NHL players working as broadcasters on the local and national levels. (NHL)