Islanders News: A pointless trip, a needless sinking

An editorial confession: Every time the Islanders complete a short road trip* without so much as a shootout/OT loss, my first headline thought is “What a pointless trip.”

*Yes, technically it was a three-game trip with a win in D.C. to kick things off. But with them returning home in between D.C. and the weekend, this was its own mini-trip.

That, in turn, leads me to think of the classic WWII propaganda poster, “A Careless Word, A Needless Sinking,” which — not that I was there — always reads a tad hyperbolic in retrospect. Probably weren’t too many ships sunk because an enlisted man told his sister where he was in the Pacific and she happened to share that with a fine stranger in Omaha who just happened to be a spy for the Japanese military.

I’m oversimplifying but, eh, it was a different time. Paranoia was understandable, even if subject to 6 to 8 weeks of delay by snail mail.

The Islanders went 0 for 2 in their weekend road trip to the Lightning and Hurricanes, an outcome that any rational person would think was rather likely, given the status and talent of the teams involved. Now they sit and wait until Thursday for their next game, while the Panthers and Penguins make up some of those games in hand.

I wouldn’t rage about the result, personally; it’s just sports, not war, which carries its own absurdities that make a person question who’s pulling the strings. In the end, we are still rooting on an average team to make a postseason where their reward will be facing a top team in a best-of-seven series.

Islanders News

• Not a lot happening for the Isles last night, though at least we got some good Sebastian Aho Squared photos. [LHH]
• The offense did not, perhaps could not, bring much. [THN]
• Tha makes the wild card race uncomfortable again. [Newsday]
• Pulock: “We just have to regroup.” [Isles, 3 Takeaways]
• Sebastian Aho was back, but he took th eplace of an injured Alex Romanov. [Newsday]

Elsewhere

Last night’s other NHL scores included an unfortunate one, with the Penguins picking up a regulation win over the hapless Flyers. The Kings clinched a playoff spot, while the Jets blitzed the Devils to keep pace in the Western wild card race.

• Steven Stamkos had a sometimes painful road to 1,000 games. [NHL]
• Kris Letang also had a painful road to the same milestone. [NHL]
• The Leafs lost to Detroit and Matt Murray was injured again, after a collision in the crease. [TSN | Sportsnet]
• Now they’re worried that Michael Bunting is being targeted by the refs. [Sporstnet]