Islanders News: Clutterbuck, Mayfield easing in, Sound Tigers prep Game 3

Tonight there are two Games 7, the hockey gods’ way of paying off the neutrals for those two unexpected Metro sweeps.

Toronto returns to the scene of horrors in Boston, while San Jose hosts the Knights.

Islanders News

• Carey expanded ont he challenge — which has arguably grown in today’s faster-paced NHL — of having defensive pairings with two lefties, for example. Thomas Hickey will need to adapt and maybe Nick Leddy will need to turn into Hickey’s new Lubo. [LHH]
• In a great one-on-one with Arthur Staple, Robin Lehner makes clear he knows his personal battle has only just begun, and he is determined to help others, such as military veterans, who are left behind by the U.S., um, healthcare system. [Athletic]
• Since there aren’t many starter openings this summer...maybe re-signing Lehner will be easier than his pending hardware might indicate. [Post]
• Meanwhile, Thomas Greiss is fine with being the backup who doesn’t play as long as the team keeps winning. [Newsday]
• Cal Clutterbuck, Scott Mayfield and others are recovering from their injuries as they wait for Raleigh and D.C. to sort this whole thing out. [NHL | Post]
• The Isles are happy to be practicing, but getting antsy. [Newsday]
• And they’re happy to lean on their Cup winners’ own personal experience. [Isles]
• Bridgeport has Game 3 in Hershey tonight, when they’ll welcome back Travis St. Denis from his one-game suspension for the incident that sent Aaron Ness to the hospital. [CT Post]
• Nothing too crazy looming for the Sound Tigers’ lineup. [Soundin’ Off]
• Mark Parrish talking the Islanders’ run. [Isles Faithful podcast]
• Isles Prospect Report: Led by Ilya Sorokin, KHL playoff MVP and champion. [Isles]

Elsewhere

Last night’s NHL scores featured two more classics. The Capitals could not close out the Hurricanes. There will be a Game 7 in D.C. [NHL | Japers’ Rink | Canes Country]

The Stars did close out the Predators in Dallas, in OT. So no Game 7 for Nashville:

• Everyone in Torontoland says this is why they signed Tavares, who they think has been “real good” (Babcock phrasing) despite the lack of scoresheet success. (Me? If he were in San Jose I’d probably be rooting for him, but now he’s just another great player who I hope chokes. Cue: “It starts with me...”) [NHL]
• The Leafs are trying hard to convince themselves and everyone that this year will be different. [NHL]
• Like Isles fans, Blues fans find themselves cursing the oddsmakers who keep putting their team in a favored position to go all the way. [STL Game Time]
• What went wrong with the Flames? Kind of everything. [M&G]
• What’s up with Mike Milbury...(you can stop the sentence there, but in this instance they’re wondering about him ripping Marcus Johansson). [SCOC]

Scott Stevens had some things to say about the Predators’ defense. (Personally, I didn’t see the whole series by any means but thought Subban had a pretty awful series on the defensive side):