Islanders News: Pretty hard to win when you go down 5–0

The New York Islanders did not look their best last night in losing 6–3 to the Pittsburgh Penguins. But the final score masked what looked to be a complete blowout.

Generally, it is not a good idea to spot the other team five goals before you start scoring on your own—even if you spot them five goals early enough in the game that an unlikely comeback is possible. Also, perhaps I’m misremembering, but I feel like Bryan Rust has a hat-trick every time we play the Penguins. He definitely scores every time. Let’s maybe mark him off tomorrow night, yeah?

Islanders News

Recaps: Jenny for us at LHH | Islanders 5 Takeaways, including Mathew Barzal getting off the schneid and Anthony Beauvillier extending his goals streak | Newsday on Ilya Sorokin getting yanked for the first time in his NHL career | NHL | NYI Skinny includes their domination of teams in the first and third periods and their wilting in the second period

• LISTEN: To Barry Trotz, who said that the first period was good—the Pens scored two goals on their only two shots—and then the Isles got loose.

• Michael Dal Colle missed last night’s contest and will miss Monday’s as well. He is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury and was placed on IR retroactive to Thursday. [Islanders]
• That gave Kieffer Bellows a chance to return to the lineup. But given that Bellows only saw the ice twice in the third period with the Isles trailing and in need of offense, I do not think that he made the best impression on coach Barry Trotz. [Newsday]
• Josh Bailey might be the most low-key player to hit 900 games, which he did last night. I feel like they bomb in every one of his milestone games, though. [Newsday]
• We all knew this already but it bears repeating: Andrew Gross says to expect GM Lou Lamoriello to look for a rental before the Trade Deadline. [Newsday]
• Cole Bardreau scored twice, but they were Bridgeport’s only goals in the Sound Tigers’ 5–2 loss to the Hartford Wolf Pack. [Sound Tigers]
• The organization hosted New York Islanders Girls Hockey Weekend yesterday. Seven NWHL and PWHPA coaches led over 50 girls through a clinic at Northwell Health Ice Center.

Elsewhere

Yesterday’s NHL scores include the Boston Bruins just barely squeaking by the Buffalo Sabres to push the latter’s winless streak to a shootout-era record 17 games. Also, the Philadelphia Flyers just barely squeaked by the New York Rangers to end their own skid and to get some revenge on the team that keeps embarrassing them.

• Brad Marchand missed the game for Boston because he made the COVID-19 protocol list. I hope that does not affect the Islanders, since they just played him. [NHL Buzz]
• I would not call this shocking, but certainly surprising: the Rangers shipped Brendan Lemieux to the Los Angeles Kings for a fourth-round pick. Probably making room for Vitali Kravstov. Either way, I’m glad that guy is out of the East Division. [NHL]
• Kirby Dach suffered a wrist injury at the World Junior Championships. The injury required surgery that should have kept him out four or five months; he returned to the Chicago Blackhawks last night just under the three-month mark. [NHL]
• WATCH: Elliotte Friedman lets us know that the Sabres are fielding calls on Taylor Hall. [Sportsnet]