Islanders News: Back into a playoff spot

I don’t know about you fine folks, but I, for one, love when the Islanders win games. Sure, we did not see exactly the best Islanders team that we could have seen. But they have two regulation wins in their last two games and now sit in the last playoff spot in the East Division. All is well.

Islanders News

Recaps from Semyon Varlamov’s shutout of the Rangers: LHH | Islanders | Newsday | amNY | NHL | NYI Hockey Now | NYI Skinny

• It was Barry Trotz’s 850th career win, moving him past Ken Hitchcock and into third all-time by himself. [Newsday]
• In this Back & Forth, Dan did not have many games on which to look back, but he had plenty of crap from Canada through which to muddle. Just wait until he reads the LeBrun bit.
• The Isles power play has not received many opportunities of late, but they have capitalized when they do. [Newsday]
• Keep up with the kids. [Islanders Prospect Report]
• Michael Dal Colle has been making his case to stay in the lineup on a regular basis. [Islanders]
• He is fitting in well on the second line with Brock Nelson and Jordan Eberle. [Newsday]
• The Athletic, in this monster piece, tracked every overtime game from last season to look for strategies and stars—Mathew Barzal always figures greatly into 3-on-3 and he and the Islanders are a big part of this article.

Elsewhere

Last night’s NHL scores include the Jackets defeating the Hurricanes and the Leafs topping the Canucks.

• The Canucks cannot seem to do anything right this season. [Nucks Misconduct]
• Only his fourth game with the Blue Jackets and already Patrik Laine has been benched. [NHL]
• That Vincent Trocheck goal that should not have counted resulted from an over-exuberant official-in-training. [The Athletic]
• Ryan Strome found his footing after struggling to start this season. [NY Post]
• Derek Stepan continues to languish in Ottawa, but he wants the Senators to send him home to Minnesota. [Hockey Wilderness]
• The Penguins have quite a few injuries. [Pensburgh]
• Anton Khudobin does not know if he will start tonight when the Stars host Chicago. [NHL]
• And the Maple Leafs will not have Wayne Simmonds for the next six weeks as he recovers from a broken wrist. [NHL]
• How the Wild’s COVID-19 outbreak helped force new protocols for the illness. [The Athletic]
• And GM Bill Guerin expects the situation to worsen. [Hockey Wilderness]
• More games have been postponed. Another story on it here.
• Including two Minnesota games. [The Athletic]
• So it might be time to pause the NHL season. [Japers Rink]
• In which Pierre LeBrun begs the league for a permanent all-Canadian Division.