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Islanders News: A nice, comfortable start to the season

No tense moments last night, really.

By Steven E. Smith

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New York Islanders v New York Rangers
I love that Mathew Barzal swiped that puck from Adam Fox. Talking to Rangers fans, you would think Fox is the second coming of Brian Leetch.
Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

As starts to the season go, it does not get much better than last night. The Islanders thoroughly dominated the Rangers, pretty much from beginning-to-end.

I do not expect such a lopsided affair on Saturday night when these two rivals meet again. But I felt the same confidence watching the Isles last night as I did watching them in the bubble.

Islanders News

Recaps from last night: LHH | Newsday | NHL | NHL GC | NYI Skinny | Newsday Photos

Hear from Barry Trotz, who liked everything except that little stretch in the second where the Islanders fell asleep a little bit:

  • Neil Best is right—Islanders vs. Rangers lands among the NHL’s best rivalries. [Newsday]
  • Among the five takeaways from last night that the team site identified: fast start, special teams, and Semyon Varlamov in mid-season form. [Islanders]
  • Anders Lee claims that the Isles’ focus is peaking right now. [Newsday]
  • Not so coincidentally, the top line played like a top line. They completely controlled the ice when they stepped onto it. [Islanders]
  • Meanwhile, the team’s two youngest players, Kieffer Bellows and Noah Dobson, looked like veterans; like they belonged. [Newsday]
  • They began the new season in style. But they cannot expect the Rangers to roll over and die again on Saturday. They must remain prepared. [The Athletic]
  • AJ Mleczko spoke with IslesBlog to discuss the Islanders ahead of this wacky season.
  • On this (yester)day in Isles history: Denis Potvin became the first defenseman to tally 300 goals (1988) and goalie Evgeni Nabokov notches his 300th career win (2012).

Waking up that way, too!

Elsewhere

Last night’s NHL scores. The Capitals topped the Sabres 6–4, while the Bruins beat the Devils in a shootout. Also, Connor McDavid had a pretty hat trick as his Oilers defeated the Canucks.

  • The Blues’ Sammy Blais had a hearing for his head shot of our old pal Devon Toews, who was in the middle of his first shift as an Avalanche. [NHL] Blais got two games. [NHL | Sportsnet]
  • Scott Burnside has some bold predictions for this season, including that the Kings will find a taker for Jonathan Quick. I guess we can call that bold, politely. [The Athletic]

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