Islanders News: Sweepin’ the Sabres, stylin’ Sorokin, A-ha Barzal

Even when you have a shattered team reeling into town, hockey is still a weighted coin flip of a game so anything can happen to disrupt what should’ve been a perfect, three-for-three weekend.

Thankfully, the Islanders stayed steady and in control throughout three games with the Sabres at the Coliseum, beginning Thursday night and carrying through the Saturday-Sunday back-to-back mid-day games.

It was a very “trust the process” weekend as they took all six points and logged three regulation wins while making things seem utterly hopeless for the visitors.

Also look for a new Islanders Anxiety podcast today, and Dan’s weekly Back and Forth.

Islanders News

• About yesterday afternoon, a delightful conclusion to the sweep: [LHH | Isles 5 Takeways | Newsday | NHL] Jeff Skinner finally scoring doesn’t mask continued Sabre mistakes. [Buffalo News]
• Ilya Sorokin has seized the opportunity to rack up four consecutive wins. [Newsday]
• NHL.com’s Dan Rosen joins Hockey Night in NY to chat the latest. [Twitch]

Thus Spake Trotzathustra

It was perhaps the biggest test of the three games, and Barry Strotz liked how the Isles handled the Sabres’ pushes:

This is pretty sweet. A-ha, however you may need to be of a certain age.

(By the way, if you’ve never encountered the “shitty flute” series, well this version of “Take on Me” may blow you away.)

Elsewhere

Yesterday’s other NHL scores include the Devils shutting out the Bruins, the Capitals beating the Flyers, and the Penguins beating the Rangers, all in regulation.

• Tom Wilson was suspended seven games for being about as Tom Wilson as you can be. That’s one-eighth of the season. [NHL] His latest victim, Brandon Carlo, is “week to week.” [Sportsnet] Wilson will not appeal, and Alex Ovechkin goes with the “you have to know who’s on the ice” defense. [Sportsnet]
• The Flames hope that sixth coach is a charm, with Darryl Sutter. [TSN]
• Kailer Yamamoto gets the max fine for a dangerous trip. Grateful Dead not involved. [NHL]
• The Maple Leafs have to “look in the mirror,” because not even the Toronto media will pump their tires after losing two games to the Pettersson-less Canucks. [Sportsnet]
• Brent Seabrook takes out an ad to thank Blackhawks fans as he calls it a career. [NHL]
• A sad end gets worse: Barry Beck lambasted the Rangers and USA Hockey for Mark Pavelich’s descent, even essentially threatening his former teammate and current president John Davidson should they ever cross paths. [Post] Davidson reached out to speak with him to clear the air a bit. [Post]