The Islanders bring their ever-growing Minnesota contingent for a visit home.
The Islanders enter the 4 Nations break with a final game in Minnesota, where the Wild will get one last look at Brock Nelson before acquiring him later this month/signing him next summer, in accordance with the Buccigross ‘Worst-Kept Secret’ Prophecies.
They’re coming off a slightly heartbreaking loss last night in Winnipeg — they hung with the West-leading Jets and led 2-1, were undone by a poor three-goal second period, but then showed quite a bit of fight in pulling back to within one and pressing for an equalizer till the end of a 19-shot third period.
Their final power play was eye-openingly good (granted, by their low bar), as they moved the puck around really swiftly and smartly under the pressure of an aggressive Jets penalty kill. They kept the puck in the zone for nearly two full minutes, tiring the Jets PKers to the point their aggression let up. It’s the kind of movement that hints to at least theoretical progress on that front.
Anyway, tonight they’ll aim to ride Ilya Sorokin for both nights of the back-to-back before he can rest during the international tournament, on the account of his country of origin’s authoritarian leader invading and bombing a neighbor for imperialist sport.
First Islanders Goal picks go here.
Islanders News
- About last night: Eight in a row for the Jets, with Hellebuyck preserving the win. [NHL | Game stats | Newsday | Isles | Post]
- Previewing tonight. The Wild and the Predators are the only teams they’ve yet to face this season. They went 0-2 against the Wild lastyear. [Isles]
- “It feels like a brotherhood.” The three new Isles defensemen have had no trouble fitting in, even with the team’s affinity for old game shows and chess. [Isles]
- With a daunting task to climb back into wild card contention, the Islanders are “staying in the moment.” [Newsday]
- Devon Toews’ long late-blooming road to a prime spot on Team Canada. It will always sting, what a failure it was to ship him off — but this article implies the Isles weren’t willing to sign him at RFA, when it was more cap-crunched asset mismanagement. [NHL]
Elsewhere
Friday night in the NHL, the Smurfs lost to a Crosby-less Penguins.
- The Rangers have also lost Igor Shesterkin for 1-2 weeks (upper body). [NHL]
- Long Island made: How top 2025 prospect James Hagens became and continues to be an Islanders fan, at least for a few more months. [Athletic]
- For the Jets as they continue to roll, it’s contributions from everyone. [Sportsnet]
- Alex Ovechkin’s first NHL coach gave up Wayne Gretzky’s first NHL goal, which somehow eluded the ol’ two-pad stack. [NHL]
- Classic Taranna media approach: Should the Leafs just acquire everyone? and various other thoughts. [Sportsnet]