Islanders Anxiety - Episode 184 - Short End of the Stick

Mike and Dan talk about a good win and two frustrating loses for the Islanders, and are joined by The Athletic’s Arthur Staple to hear stories of his decade on the team’s beat.

The hosts recap a rare lazy loss in Detroit followed by a quality win over a depleted Bruins team and then a bothersome shootout loss to Robin Lehner and the Vegas Golden Knights. They look at some of the mental mistakes that have cost the Islanders points and how the starts and stops of the season have been exhausting for all involved. They also talk about Lehner’s hero’s welcome and its perception around the hockey world.

Later, friend of the show Staple joins to give some intel on the current Islanders team and talk about some of what he’s seen over the last 10 years covering the team. Which Islanders were the most fun to talk to, which player confronted him but forgot to pack an actual beef and how the team and the attention that they get (or don’t get) has transformed over his time on the beat? Finally, we end on a music question that actually stumps Art, the master of game day mixes.

Spoiler: Dylan Reese’s name comes up twice!

REFERENCES

• The latest episode of Art’s No Sleep Til Belmont is the final one with former Islanders coach Scott Gordon, who’s been a very illuminating guest.
• Kevin Kurz’s first couple of Islanders articles have been very good including this one about Anthony Beauvillier’s scratch and wake up call.
• Forgot to mention this but good on Dylan Larkin. This was before the Islanders-Red Wings game last week.

PLUGS!

• Make sure to follow @LhhPodcasts on Twitter for all Lighthouse Hockey audio releases, news and announcements.
• Vintage Ice Hockey.com has t-shirts, hoodies, mugs and more featuring over 100 classic hockey logos Each top quality item is shipped fast, and the product pages have trivia notes you can get lost in. Vintage Ice Hockey also carries our Al Arbour tribute shirts, and our portion of the sales are donated directly to the Center for Dementia Research in the name of the coach. Use the code LIGHTHOUSE15 at checkout to save 15% on your order.
• Betway is the official betting partner of the NHL. Play Big Pick for free or play for real (residents in NJ, PA, CO, ID, IA only). Please play responsibly.
• Try wines from The Pinot Project. Delicious Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio and Rose, all under $15. Available at local wine shops and at UBS Arena.

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Theme song: "Sports" by Josh Spacek.

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