Islanders News: Capital loss; remembering Jean Potvin

The New York Islanders played a tight one in D.C. Tuesday night but ultimately their unbelievable run of shootout futility continued, and ended their modest win streak.

We have game coverage and other NHL links below, but that’s all secondary and bumped down by the passing of beloved former Islander Jean Potvin, the older brother of Denis and an early franchise fixture on the ice and in the radio booth.

Dan wrote a tribute last night and rounded up some of the coverage: “Jean Potvin was a fan favorite from the beginning and an early mainstay on which the entire franchise was built.”

The Islanders announced the news during the game, and Newsday has a story. Shannon Hogan shared the news with viewers on air in post-game:

Coach Barry Trotz expressed condolences in his post-game:

Islanders-Capitals

• On the shootout loss in D.C.: A close game that turned a couple of times in the third period.
• Alex Ovechkin passed Jaromir Jagr on the all-time goals list, but Anders Lee’s equalizer with a sixth attacker made sure it was not the winner. [LHH]
• Ovechkin is up to 767 goals at age 36, and received a video congrats from Jagr, who wore #68 for a reason. [NHL]
• Three Takeaways: Lee, Palmieri and Nelson stay hot. [Isles]
• In terms of who the Isles are “chasing” for the wild card, that was kind of a must-win that they...did not win. [Newsday]
• Semyon Varlamov was strong in the (shootout) loss; more of the usual or is he getting showcased? [Newsday]

Elsewhere

Last night’s other NHL scores included the Penguins losing to the Predators, and the Smurfs giving the Ducks the ol’ metro sweep.

• In a rare trade between two playoff-bound divisional foes, the Avalanche and Wild swap Tyson Jost and Nico Sturm. [NHL]
• As Claude Giroux reaches 1,000 games, a look at his 10 biggest moments. [BSH]
• Blake Wheeler says Jets fans Bronx-cheering their slow start was the kick they needed to storm past Vegas. [Sportsnet]
• Anton Khudobin needs hip surgery and will miss six months at age 35. That can’t be good. [NHL]
• Erik Kallgren was recalled and got a shutout so naturally the Leafs’ goaltending problems are now solved. [Sportsnet]
• Taking a closer look at the Josh Manson trade for the Avs and the Ducks. [Sportsnet]