Islanders, NHL Playoffs News: Crosby hurt in chaotic overtime loss

Good morning. Anyone target you with cheapshots last night? No? Then you weren’t in the sole NHL playoff game.

Islanders Reading

• Longtime Islanders broadcast stat man Eric Hornick talks the season that was, and the future. [THW]
• A bit more on Mathew Barzal’s Seattle Thunderbirds clinching their second consecutive conference championship. [My Northwest]

NHL Playoffs

Only one game in the playoffs last night, but so, so, so much going on in that one. Only thing missing amid all the drama was a good, long, blurry offside video review.

Sidney Crosby was injured on a brutal but quite possibly inadvertent crosscheck to the head by former teammate Mats Niskanen right after Alex Ovechkin hit him in the head with a stick. [That, and a disputed goaltender interference call that overturned a goal after two reviews, captured here.]

That seems to have set things on edge. But noted cheapshot artist Patric Hornqvist took out his own teammate:

Chris Kunitz took out many, including TJ Oshie away from the play:

After allowing only three even strength shots in the third, the Caps blew a 2-0 lead in spectacular fashion with the Penguins goalie pulled.

(Which is funny, because a lot of Penswagoners had given up already:

But then...Kevin Shattenkirk chose a heck of a time to finally show up, giving the Capitals the win and making this a truly perfect game for anyone who hates both teams.

Amusingly, Barry Trotz was asked about Shattenkirk’s play in the game: “Well obviously he got the big goal for us...from that standpoint he was good.” Trotz was also asked, after unfortunately describing the Niskanen-Crosby moment as “a hockey play,” if Ovechkin’s slash just before it was a hockey play:

(Mike Sullivan, when asked, said he’d prefer not to share his thoughts on the crosscheck.)

Staying in the East: Senators coach Guy Boucher is an intense spirit molder. [NY Times]

Elsewhere

• The Nashville paper asked Mike Milbury about his “clown” comments regarding P.K. Subban, and his defense was basically: the studio analysts in the playoffs do long hours with little time to prep so they end up saying stupid shit just for discussion purposes. For the record, he regrets his choice of words. This is an interesting Q&A. [Tennesseean]
• Crosby, Connor McDavid and Sergei Bobrovsky are your Hart (MVP) Trophy finalists. [NHL]
• Tre lives: The Flames reached agreement with GM Brad Treliving on an extension. [TSN | Matchsticks & Gasoline]
• Meanwhile, a look at the Sabres’ finalists (a bunch of former players, basically) to lead their team. [Buffalo News]
• Bob McKenzie explains very logical rationale for why he thinks Jonathan Drouin will be trade bait in Tampa Bay. [TSN Video]
• ...on that note, here are some of Lightning GM Steve Yzerman’s best trades, and two bad ones. [Raw Charge]
• BickellBrave t-shirts for sale benefit their foundation to fight M.S. [Amanda Bickell]
• Toronto’s gavel-wielding, puck-shooting madam justice. [NY Times]