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NYHN Daily: Islanders Look to Close Out Series on Home Ice & More

Published

3 years ago

May 26, 2021

The New York Islanders are back on Long Island for Game 6 as they look to send the Pittsburgh Penguins home. After taking a nasty fall in Game 5, Oliver Wahlstrom is day-to-day and may not play tonight. If that is the case, Travis Zajac will likely be penciled in.

The Islanders would turn to Travis Zajac in Game 6 against the Pittsburgh Penguins should Oliver Wahlstrom be unable to play in Game 6 on Wednesday. The Isles’ rookie left Monday’s Game 5 win after being driven hard into the boards in a way that saw him violently hit the ice and whiplash his head back and forth. (NYI Hockey Now)

If 6,800 fans were loud during Game 3 and Game 4 at Nassau Coliseum, imagine the decibel level for Game 6 when 9,000 fans will be allowed in, according to a report from Newsday’s Andrew Gross. Capacity will be increased to 9,000 spectators for Wednesday’s Game 6 as the New York Islanders look to close out their series with the Pittsburgh Penguins. It would be the first time since 1993 that the Islanders could close out a series on Nassau Coliseum ice. (NYI Hockey Now)

It’s been 28 years since the Islanders clinched a playoff series at Nassau Coliseum. That’s the opportunity they have Wednesday night in Game 6 of their first-round matchup against the Penguins before an even larger crowd than the first two playoff games in the building. (Newsday)

Barry Trotz was a big fan of Ilya Sorokin’s 48-save performance in the Islanders’ 3-2 double-overtime victory over the Penguins on Monday night. But the coach was very much not a fan of a series of postgame questions from reporters regarding the goaltender that got a tad too laudatory for his taste. It was the hockey equivalent of Bill Parcells’ old line, “Let’s not put him in Canton yet, fellas.” Said Trotz: “I’ll just put it this way: You guys pump your tires a little bit. He’s played well in this series. To me, greatness is about longevity. (Newsday)

It was a big morning after for Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry. But anyone expecting him to have a mental hangover or be downtrodden Tuesday – much less rattled or even broken – would be mistaken. Speaking publicly for the first time since his misplay led to the Penguins’ 3-2 loss to the New York Islanders in double overtime Monday and put the Penguins on the brink of playoff elimination, Jarry was as steady and, frankly, monotone as ever. (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

Do David Krejci and Tuukka Rask want to finish their respective careers as Boston Bruins? Boston Bruins team President Cam Neely certainly thinks so. Both Rask and Krejci are on expiring contracts and while contract talks between the team and the camps for both players have mutually been put on hold until after the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Neely told the media Tuesday that he would expect both longtime Boston Bruins to want to remain Bruins if they choose to keep playing. (Boston Hockey Now)

With the Panthers’ season on the line against the visiting Lightning, coach Joel Quenneville figured “we’ve got nothing to lose.” So, he bet everything on 20-year-old rookie goalie Spencer Knight with four games of NHL experience and none in the playoffs. Jackpot! (Florida Hockey Now)

At just 18-years-old, Jean-Luc Foudy has no business playing in the American Hockey League. Quite literally. But due to COVID, and the CHL leagues struggling to agree to, and execute, a return-to-play plan, a lot of these young NHL prospects had no place to play. So the leagues—the NHL and CHL—put their heads together and agreed to allow prospects to play in the American League until their respective CHL club was able to resume playing. (Colorado Hockey Now)

This is a surprise: The City of San Jose announced tonight that the city, Google, and the San Jose Sharks have reached an agreement over the tech giant’s downtown development plans. (San Jose Hockey Now)

William Nylander scored for a fourth straight game, and the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-0 in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup First Round at Bell Centre on Tuesday. They are now up 3-1 in the series. (NHL)

Jordan Staal scored 2:03 into overtime, and the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Nashville Predators 3-2 in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup First Round at PNC Arena on Tuesday. The Hurricanes now have a 3-2 series lead. (NHL)

As we pause to reflect on this past year — a year for everyone of uncertainty, anxiety, fear and hope from the collision of once-in-a-generation health and racial justice crises — I’ve come to more deeply understand areas for growth on an individual level as well as for the game of hockey writes Commisioner Gary Bettman. (NHL)

Alex Ovechkin on Tuesday reiterated his desire to stay and finish his NHL career with the Washington Capitals and said he is optimistic they will agree on a contract soon.The 35-year-old forward can become an unrestricted free agent July 28. Washington’s season ended Sunday with a 3-1 loss to the Boston Bruins in Game 5 of the best-of-7 Stanley Cup First Round. (NHL)

T.J. Oshie said Tuesday he would rather stay with the Washington Capitals than possibly become captain of the Seattle Kraken when the expansion team begins play in his home state. “I guess I’ve given thought to the possibility (of playing in Seattle), but my allegiance is here,” Oshie said. (NHL)

The Tampa Bay Lightning are hoping to put a poor performance behind them and close out their Stanley Cup First Round series when they host the Florida Panthers in Game 6 on Wednesday. The Lightning felt they were not competitive enough in a 4-1 loss in Game 5 at Florida on Monday when they had a chance to win the best-of-7 series, and said their response will be telling for how serious the defending Stanley Cup champions are about going on another long run. (NHL)

Connor McDavid said Tuesday that he thinks the best is yet to come for him and the Edmonton Oilers, one day after they were swept from the best-of-7 Stanley Cup First Round by the Winnipeg Jets.”I’m only 24 years old,” McDavid said. “I’ve got lots left. I’ve got lots of ways to continue to grow my game in different areas, find different ways to have success. Like I said, I’m only 24 years old and it feels like I’ve been in the League a long time, but ultimately I’m still a young guy in this league and have lots of good years ahead of me.” (NHL)

Wayne Gretzky resigned from his role as a partner and vice chairman with the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday.”The Oilers, their fans, and the city of Edmonton have meant the world to me and my family for over four decades, and that will never end,” Gretzky wrote on Twitter. “Given the pandemic and other life changes, I realize I will not be able to dedicate the time nor effort needed to support this world-class organization.” (NHL)

Ottawa Senators forward Vitaly Abramov signed a two-year deal Wednesday with the KHL’s Traktor Chelyabinsk.Abramov, who was held without a point in two games with the Senators this season, was scheduled to be a restricted free agent this summer. The 23-year-old had seven goals and 19 points in 23 games with the AHL’s Belleville Senators this season. (TSN)

J.T. Miller’s agent Brian Bartlett put an end to rumours that his client had requested a trade on Monday, telling the Vancouver Province that he and Miller have “never discussed (the forward) wanting out” of Vancouver .A fake quote attributed to Miller on Twitter helped fuel speculation that the 28-year-old was looking for a move from the Canucks, who acquired him from the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2019. (TSN)