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A game the Islanders had in reasonable position to win looked like it would be a Devils comeback win before it became an Islanders comeback win. Ahhh, hockey.
Somehow after playing three games in four days in three different locations, the Islanders escaped with a refreshing but not comfortable two wins...and now no games until Saturday.
Islanders News
- About last night: So many things! They scored goals (four, even!), they tied it up late after giving up a deflating go-ahead goal, they survived some mistakes in the third and OT to somehow win, Anders Lee scored off the rush for the second game in a row, and Ryan Pulock took out the goalie’s teeth with a slapper. [LHH | Newsday | NHL | Isles | Post | Islanders Insight | All About the Jersey]
- Nick Leddy is back to using his elite mobility wisely and dangerously. [Isles]
- This sounds weird out of context but is legit: The day after the Predators fired Peter Laviolette, Barry Trotz lauded how Nashville under David Poile stays loyal to the people they hire. [Newsday]
- Kieffer Bellows and Sebastian Aho are doing quite well. [Bridgeport Report]
- The cutest and sweetest Islanders fan story you’ll see today, surely. [NHL]
- Listen up: Catching up with Anders Lee on Star Wars, his Kancer Jam, and more. [THN]
- You’ve seen a few versions of this, probably, but grizzled veteran Johnny Boychuk has been a help to now-20-year-old rookie Noah Dobson. [Post]
“This is crazy, this is crazy, this is crazy...”
Barry Trotz agreed with all of us: Overtime was a bit of a chaotic (yet entertaining) mess. The team’s disciplined resilience was nice, though. Down a goal late, they did not force plays, they stuck to the system and got rewarded:
"They get it tied up and go ahead and you think you can see what your resiliency level is and we stayed resilient and got it tied up. Overtime was crazy. We’ll take the two points. It was well-needed." - Barry Trotz pic.twitter.com/nfg4nKsquL
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) January 8, 2020
No But Seriously, the Goalie Lost Some Teeth
I don’t know how a goalie continues and concentrates under what I imagine is considerable pain:
Blackwood was unable to speak to the media (shocker) after the game. In fact, he was seeing a dentist, according to Devils PR. https://t.co/Ag0CW3ARJO
— Mike Morreale (@mikemorrealeNHL) January 8, 2020
Elsewhere
Last night’s other NHL scores include another win for the Capitals, and another loss for the Predators with their new coach.
- The Predators announced John Hynes, recently of the Devils, as their replacement for Laviolette. Hmm. [NHL | On The Forecheck]
- Former Sound Tiger and Grabner trade piece Carter Verhaeghe scored a hat trick as the Lightning put up nine on the Canucks. [Sportsnet]
- Justin Williams has ended his fall sabbatical to re-sign with the Hurricanes. [NHL | Canes]
- Dustin Byfuglien’s cap hit and uncertain status hangs over the Jets’ ability to make any moves. [NHL]
- Ermehgrd, the Rangers calling up a goalie to have three on the roster is totally a disaster reminiscent of the Isles’ J-F Berube days, right? (He won his debut against the Avalanche.) [Post]
- Old friend and idol Frans Nielsen had a couple of goals — yikes, just his second and third of the season — last night for the Wings. [NHL]