Islanders News: Sound Tigers conclude, Barzal advances

Things looked decently promising a week ago, but the Bridgeport Sound Tigers finished their season this weekend by missing the playoffs. They suffered losses Friday and Saturday, but it turns out none of it mattered; “destiny,” as they say, was no longer in their control.

Islanders-Related Reading

• After a loss to Wilkes-Barrie/Scranton, 92 points are the fifth-highest in Sound Tigers history. Yet still not enough. [CT Post | BST]
• That game was academic after the Sound Tigers were officially eliminated Friday after an ugly 7-0 loss to Springfield. [CT Post | BST]
• Michael Fornabaio with his annual historical context for Bridgeport, which hasn’t won a playoff series in 14 years. [Soundin’ Off]
• Meanwhile, up top, this may shock you but the Islanders ownership’s top summer objective is to re-sign John Tavares. (That’s the headline, but there’s good overall analysis from Staple.) [Newsday]
• In praise of Mathew Barzal, whose Thunderbirds advanced in a sweep. [Seattle Times]
• They’ll face Kelowna in the WHL Western Conference final. [Seattle Times]
• Pat LaFontaine talkin’ hockey. [Schwartz on Sports podcast]

Elsewhere

Three of the East’s four series are now knotted at 1-1.

• From Friday, the Canadiens tied the Smurfs with an overtime winner by Alex Radulov, complete with chaotic celebration. [HEOTP | Blueshirt Banter blames coaching]
• The Senators rallied from a 3-1 third-period deficit to tie the Bruins and beat them in overtime on a Dion Phaneuf winner. [Silver Seven | SCOC]
• The Capitals lost to the Leafs in double-overtime, evening that series at 1-1. [Japers’ Rink | Pension Plan Puppets]
• Leafs D-man Roman Polak was lost for the rest of the year, however, in this ugly landing. [SB Nation]
• Harry Zolnierczyk scored as the Predators destroyed the Blackhawks, 5-0, taking a 2-0 lead in that series with Pekka Rinne’s second straight shutout. [On the Forecheck | Second City Hockey]

There was a Leafs fan guy with a mohawk shaped like a Stanley Cup and he appeared on a lot of social media posts:

Easter Sunday games begin today at 3 p.m. EDT with the Blues (up 2-0) at home to the Wild.

Later, the Penguins go for 3-0 on the Blue Jackets, the Canadiens resume with the Smurfs, and then the Oilers and Sharks fill the late game.