Islanders News: Isles streak ends, Sound Tigers win

For a moment, another exhilarating Devon Toews rush looked to have set the Islanders up for another win Tuesday night.

But a coach’s challenge for offside wiped out Cal Clutterbuck’s go-ahead goal, a mis-called sequence gave the Isles a four-minute power play instead of a two-minute five-on-three, a blatant missed too many men infraction (which would’ve put the Isles up by two men) and the Bruins ended up getting the next goal and riding to victory. They didn’t play great by any means, but it was another one that could’ve gone either way, which is good.

Points streak over, but a little dose of humility never hurt anyone.

Islanders News

• About last night: [LHH | Newsday | Isles | NHL | SCOC | NYI Skinny]
• Bridgeport rolled its lines, rolled its lines to a victory vs. Hartford via shootout. [BST | CT Post | Soundin’ Off]
• The Sound Tigers have some injuries, and Josh Ho-Sang was scratched for the second consecutive, though this one was declared for “upper body soreness” reasons by the coach. [Soundin’ Off]
• I mean, it’s a theory: Maybe having the Patriots (that’s an American football team) championship parade go past the Islanders hotel will inspire them. [Newsday]
• ICYMI: Arthur Staple on the Hockey Night in New York podcast. [BlogTalk]
• Why the Islanders should (be allowed to?) play playoff games at the Coliseum. [Islanders Insight]
• In which Thomas Hickey and Andrew Ladd are “like a new signing,” in the parlance of Arsene Wenger. [NHL Dan Rosen mailbag]
• Another bit with Nick Hirshon, author of “We Want Fishsticks.” [History Author]
• Thus Spaketh Barry: “Our mistakes cost us.”

Elsewhere

Last night’s NHL scores include the Hurricanes blanking the Penguins and the Capitals squeaking by the Canucks.

• Auston Matthews’ five-year contract extension was announced, and it only buys out one UFA year and pays him much more like a franchise player rather than a leverage-restricted RFA. So, generally viewed as a paradigm shift. [Sportsnet | Fourth Period | NHL]
• Elliotte Friedman on that and other topics. [31 Thoughts]
• Meanwhile, Matt Duchene is discussing terms with the Senators, but understandably isn’t ready to commit (yet?). [TSN]
• Ilya Kovalchuk is ready for boos in New Jersey after “retiring” from the Devils... [NHL]
• ...he’s also reportedly ready to consider a trade to a contender. No thanks. [Fourth Period]
• Black History Month spotlight: Bryce Salvador. [NHL]
• John Gibson can probably only carry the underperforming Ducks for so long, and recent pulls may be a sign of the workload catching up to him. [THN]
• A girls team in Manitoba seeks to win a contest to build a homeless shelter. [Winnipeg Free Press]