Islanders News: Folks at the races support the new arena

I was really hoping the Blues were going to win the damn thing at home so we could see that Stanley Cup starved city of St. Louis relieve 52 years of tension and disappointment in a cathartic celebration. But a Game 7 in the Cup Final is a rarity and a great treat. This series has been excellent, to be sure, and which ever team does win it all will be well-deserving of it. The Bruins will host Game 7 Wednesday night in Boston at 8:00 p.m.

I gotta say, it’s kind of a blessing the Islanders haven’t had much success in my lifetime. They’re the only team in any sport I live and die with, and they’ve obviously disappointed me frequently, but I couldn’t even imagine what Blues and Bruins fans are going through right now. I’m anxious for them — Blues fans especially. The Bruins have won a Cup in the last decade, at least, and the city of Boston has won a pantload of championships in the 21st century. It is undeniably a good problem to have, though, those kind of nerves, and I do hope the Islanders bring me such serious anxiety one day.

For now, let’s get Dom and his Blues that first Cup, shall we?

Islanders News

• The Belmont Stakes was this past Saturday, and many racegoers were enthusiastic about the Islanders future home being across the way. [Newsday]
• The Islanders had success this season by getting back to basics and tapping into Long Island’s blue-collar identity, but questions loom this offseason. [THN]

Thomas Hickey won the #IslesAwards Hit of the Year for crushing Brendan Gallagher at the blue line. Voting for Goal of the Year opens some time today, I’d gather. [Islanders]

Stanley Cup Final

The Blues came into the night with a chance to clinch the franchise’s first Stanley Cup at home to send the city into a frenzy. But the Bruins, and specifically Tuukka Rask, were not about to have any of that. In what has become commonplace in this evenly-matched series, this game mirrored the one before it to a degree. The home team arguably controlled play, but the road team got a goal and kept everything to the outside and the road team’s goalie was there stop anything that did get through. Brad Marchand put Boston up 1-0 in the first on a 5-on-3 opportunity and they held that lead through the third period before blowing it open. Ryan O’Reilly got a goal that it initially looked like Rask had stopped, but his pad was behind the goal line and St. Louis was within two goals at 3-1. David Pastrnak scored a beautiful goal to answer that, though, and Game 6 was finished. Game 7 will be Wednesday night.

• It will be the first time the Bruins have hosted a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Final. [NHL]
• Rask and Marchand were among the best players on the ice last night. [NHL]
• Vladimir Tarasenko was inspired watching Alex Ovechkin lead his team to glory last season, and it may have been the final step in his evolution as a leader for the Blues this season. [The Athletic]
• The Cup run has revitalized the city of St. Louis, in a way. [ESPN]
• A Blues fan tossed a beer onto the ice toward the end of Game 6, which is never a great look, but fans of every team have done it. [Yahoo]
• Last night was the last game in St. Louis this season, of course. But that also means that it was the last game Charles Glenn would sing the anthem before, and when you know the end is nigh, you can prepare for it properly. [NHL]

Jenna Fischer might have jinxed it by tweeting too early, but John Krasinski was ready to fire back. [NHL]

Elsewhere

• Pierre LeBrun reports that the Ducks are contemplating parting ways with Corey Perry. Perry has two years left at a $8.6ish cap hit, so they will try to trade him, but it will be difficult. They’re open to a buyout, as well. That and more rumors in the LeBrun Notebook. [The Athletic]
• The Jeff Skinner extension is the first step in the Sabres plan to end their playoff drought. [NHL]
• The Charlotte Checkers, who were the AHL’s best team all year long, capped off their season with a Calder Cup victory in five games. Forward and leading scorer Andrew Poturalski won the Jack Butterfield Trophy as playoff MVP for the Hurricanes minor league affiliate. [Canes Country | Soundin’ Off]