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This is the last break of two days or more for the Islanders until the regular season ends. After today, they will not go more than a day between games. It’s really going to be crunch time. And, if that wasn’t enough to ramp up the tension, the Islanders woke up this morning outside of the playoffs. Let’s see how they respond on this trip.
Personally, I wonder if they flew to Vancouver yesterday or if they’re going today. Either way, they play the Canucks tomorrow night at 10:00 p.m. ET.
Islanders News
- Yesterday was International Women’s Day and both AJ Mleczko and Jennifer Botterill were part of the first-ever all-female broadcast team for last night’s nationally-televised Blues-Blackhawks game. [Islanders]
“Everybody given the opportunity can do it.”
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) March 8, 2020
We’re proud to support #InternationalWomensDay, the #NHL’s Gender Equality Month and celebrate all the women who make hockey happen every day! https://t.co/9IXRVtPXrs pic.twitter.com/5xpS2Vhke0
- This published yesterday, before the Blue Jackets won, but the Islanders hope to tighten their fragile grip on a playoff spot out west. [Newsday]
- The Sound Tigers trailed the Phantoms all afternoon, including 5-2 at one point, but came back and won 6-5 in the shootout. [Sound Tigers]
- VIDEO: Watch Sparky the Dragon try the 50 Puck Challenge. [Islanders]
Elsewhere
Yesterday’s NHL scores include the Hurricanes beating the Penguins in Pittsburgh and the Blue Jackets taking a 2-1 decision from Vancouver. Thanks, ‘Nucks!
- So yeah, Columbus is in the first wild card spot and Carolina is in the second. The Islanders are tied in points with the ‘Canes at 79, but Carolina has two more regulation wins. The Jackets are at 81 points, but have played three more games than both the Islanders and Hurricanes. [ESPN]
- The Canucks hope to have Brock Boeser back from a fractured rib cartilage injury soon. He participated in the morning skate yesterday. [NHL]
- The Predators’ Roman Josi was fined $5,000 for cross-checking Stars forward Corey Perry. Without having seen the incident, I can say quite confidently it was probably worth the fine. [NHL]
- Fact or Fiction: is Pekka Rinne done? He is getting up there. [Sportsnet]
- Justin Williams came back to Carolina because he knows he’ll never be able to do this again. This is probably his last season. [The Athletic]