Islanders & NHL News: Cats push Canes to the brink; 4th-line musing; LOLeafs

Man, people who complained about blowouts and a (debatable) poor second round would have lots more to say about how the third round has gone so far. One team is up 3-0 in the east, and in the west a similar situation could happen depending on how tonight goes as the Knights-Stars series shifts to Dallas.

Islanders Things

• In their latest Islanders Anxiety podcast, Dan and Mike reflect on how no one really knows what the Lane Lambert approach and report card is, why it’s a bad idea to put Kate Murray in a photo with Sparky no matter the cause, and they express empathy for Coyotes fans. Then they continue to mock and enjoy “The Unhinging,” the fallout and media water carrying in Leafsland, because that circus just won’t stop. [Islanders Anxiety via LHH]
• What will become of the Islanders fourth line? They’ve been together for almost a decade, but injuries and age, and replacements, are piling up. [Newsday]
• Taking on that nagging “what if?” about if Kyle Dubas and Lou Lamoriello would want to reunite on Long Island in an episode of Succession. [Athletic]
• Even more surreal than that one? NHL teams should see the Team Garth Built and “call Garth Snow for front-office openings.” [Athletic]

Elsewhere

• Sergei Bobrovsky’s playoff dream run continues as the Panthers needed only one goal to pull into a 3-0 series lead over the Hurricanes. Hard to believe, it was Bob’s first career postseason shutout. [NHL]
• The Hurricanes are “frustrated” and Rod Brind’Amour is complaining about officiating, as he is wont to do. [ESPN]
• Some bad news for the Panthers though: Aleksander Barkov left the game with a lower-body injury and did not return. [Sportsnet]
• Could Dave Nonis and Jarome Iginla be joining Craig Conroy in the Flames front office? [Flames Nation]

There are more links in the Islanders Anxiety reference above, but the following may help understand just how that whole Leafs thing is going:

• “Now those remaining in the organization are taking sides. Some on the Dubas side are preparing, like Spezza, to leave. Others are hopeful of moving up in the new world order.”[Athletic]
• In which LeBrun follows Mirtle in manufacturing “Maybe the Leafs should/will approach the [very under contract] Doug Armstrong for their GM role?” stories. [Athletic]
• More Leafs writers going on and on and on about why the timing and firing of Kyle Dubas makes no sense and Brendan Shanahan is an unreasonable meany who stood in the way of infallible genius. [Athletic]
• The Penguins are “believed to have been granted permission to speak with Dubas.” [TSN | Sportsnet]
• Former disgruntled Smurf and short-time Canuck Vitali Kravtsov has reportedly signed a two-year deal in the KHL. [Canucks Army]
• At the World Championship, Joe Veleno was suspended five games for stomping “on Nino Niederreiter’s leg — or area around the foot — with his skate as the pair fought for possession along the boards.” [Post]
• Musing on the shape of potential Marner or Nylander trades. [Sportsnet]