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NYHN Daily: Islanders Get Much Needed Win Over Rival Rangers & More

Published

3 years ago

April 30, 2021

The Islanders defeated the Rangers last night to gain two pivotal points and move a win closer to clinching a playoff berth. The Islanders desperately needed that win after their three-game skid. With the way the Islanders have played, they should be afraid and should make necessary changes. These stories and more in today’s daily links!

It was a win the New York Islanders desperately needed to come away with, and they did just that on Thursday night against the New York Rangers. (NYI Hockey Now)

This is not the time of the year when you want to be playing not simply bad hockey but your worst hockey writes Andy Graziano. The Islanders are again struggling late in a season and are putting immense pressure on themselves. Things need to change. (NYI Hockey Now)

With time running short for Islanders head coach Barry Trotz to settle on a lineup and find some consistent goal production, he may have found the right combinations in Thursday night’s dominant-in-every-facet, 4-0, win over the Rangers to open the home-and-home series. (Newsday)

For a couple of days there, the local hockey world seemed to be confronted with a timeline-altering, trajectory-reconfiguring, orbit-redirecting plot twist of cosmic proportions. Then the Islanders and Rangers took the ice at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night, and order abruptly was restored. (Newsday)

Thursday marked a big day at UBS Arena at Belmont Park, the future home of the Islanders, as concrete was poured on the arena floor to gear up for its targeted opening in November. (Newsday)

Here are the Talking Points from the Boston Bruins following their solid 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres at TD Garden on Thursday night. (Boston Hockey Now)

Things were tense, but the Penguins rallied to beat the Washington Capitals 5-4 in OT at the Capital One Center. The Capitals forced overtime for the fourth time in seven games against the Penguins, but Jake Guentzel (22) scored the OT winner. (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

The Philadelphia Flyers lost on Thursday night and are now eliminated from playoff contention. This has been a disappointing season and the Flyers aren’t doing anything to change it. They had several uninspiring efforts in April and this one against the New Jersey Devils was no different. (Philly Hockey Now)

Spencer Knight was definitely put to the test in his second NHL start for the Panthers on Thursday night in Chicago, and the 20-year-old rookie came up in a big way. The two saves he made on Chicago in the second period while the Panthers were on a power play were perhaps the biggest ones of his short NHL career. Then came a one-on-one against Patrick Kane in overtime. (Florida Hockey Now)

The Minnesota Wild are now tied with the Colorado Avalanche in points, in the Honda West Division. The Wild caught the Avs in points by getting one in their 5-4 overtime loss at home to St. Louis – a game the Wild trailed at one point 3-0 in the second period. Now would be the time for the Avalanche to wake up. (Colorado Hockey Now)

What will it take for the San Jose Sharks to re-sign Rudolfs Balcers and Alexander Barabanov? It might seem premature to talk about that – especially in the case of the recently-acquired Barabanov, who’s skated just two games in teal – but both wingers present interesting free agency cases with few precedents. (San Jose Hockey Now)

Auston Matthews scored his NHL-leading 36th goal to help the Toronto Maple Leafs defeat the Vancouver Canucks 4-1 at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday. (NHL)

Teuvo Teravainen had a goal and an assist, and the Carolina Hurricanes extended their point streak to nine games with a 3-1 win against the Detroit Red Wings at PNC Arena on Thursday. (NHL)

Jaromir Jagr said he does not plan to retire after completing his 33rd professional hockey season Thursday, even though the 49-year-old forward said his skills have declined. “I expect much more from myself and I don’t have it,” he said. “But I am aware that when I leave, many (business) partners will leave the team too. That’s why I have no choice.” (NHL)

Anaheim Ducks goaltender Ryan Miller announced Thursday he will retire at the end of this season, his 18th in the NHL. (TSN)

Ryan Miller may retire as a member of the Anaheim Ducks, but he is still beloved by Buffalo Sabres fans. When the longtime NHL goalie announced he was going to retire at the end of the season on Thursday, the Sabres celebrated him with a montage of his greatest highlights from his 11 seasons in Buffalo. (NHL)

The 2021 NHL Draft is scheduled to be held July 23-24. Every two weeks, NHL.com will take a closer look at some of the draft-eligible players to watch. Brandt Clarke was able to take some of the skills he developed playing as a forward with him when he was shifted to defenseman and is reaping the benefits as a projected first-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. (NHL)

Carter Hart is out the rest of the regular season for the Philadelphia Flyers because of a sprained MCL in his left knee. The goalie has not played since he was injured during a 2-1 shootout win at the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 15. Hart finished the game but felt soreness in his knee the next day. (NHL)

Insider Trading: Stars weighing 100% capacity for playoffs, NHL Wildcard system in question, Alberta the front-runner for Women’s World (TSN)

When Jesse Puljujarvi left the Edmonton Oilers two years ago for Karpat of SM-liiga, his future was as clear as mud. Now? He’s a key piece of an organization that may have the best shot at dethroning the Toronto Maple Leafs in the North Division. (TSN)

Byron Seaman, one of the founding owners of the Calgary Flames, has died at age 97. Byron James “B.J.” Seaman and his late brother Daryl “Doc” Seaman were among six Calgary men along with Nelson Skalbania who bought the Atlanta Flames and moved the NHL club to Alberta in 1980. (TSN)