New York Islanders vs. Washington Capitals [Conf. Quarterfinal Game 3 Thread feat. Bits]

With the noon start today, I figured that making a long Bits post would not prove fruitful—no one would see them!

So instead, I’m posting the game thread a little early and throwing some relevant Bits into the mix for you to read at your leisure.

For the lineup, I’d imagine that Barry Trotz is not going to change anything up. What he’s had in has been working and the Caps weren’t gooning it up so much last time that Ross Johnston’s presence seemed necessary. I’d also guess Semyon Varlamov would be in goal.

For the Caps, we know it has to be Braden Holtby in the pipes. I wonder if Todd Reirden has any surprise scratches up his sleeve, though, and whether Nicklas Backstrom will be available to them.

Islanders-Capitals News

• The team site’s official preview notes that when Barry Trotz led the Capitals to a Stanley Cup in 2018, they fell behind 0-2 in their First Round series with the Blue Jackets (friendly reminder that both those games went to OT and were much closer than the first two games of this series), but Trotz offered it as a reminder to his team to not let up. [Islanders]
• It’s a good reason for the Isles to keep up that level of desperation—that and it wins them games. [Newsday]
• The Capitals’ offense has won them many important games, but it is sputtering against the Islanders. [Washington Post]
• There’s definitely no love lost between these two teams. The rivalry that built up in 2015 is still simmering. [Islanders]

Well look-ee here: the Islanders have the best odds of any team in the East to make the Conference Finals, thanks in large part to their 2-0 series lead.

This is not news, but: Jack Edwards is a Jack Ass. Ray Ferraro agrees: