There are two games left in it, in Calgary and Detroit.
Considering road trips can be season-altering, the fact that the New York Islanders have gone NHL .500 on this northwest trip with all their injuries has to be viewed as a something of a positive. Where each ‘1’ came from in their 1-1-1 record might surprise you, and they deserved at least a point from the Seattle Kraken. It’s not a ringing endorsement, of course, but here we are.
They have two winnable games left against the Calgary Flames and Detroit Red Wings. They didn’t capitalize on taking three out of four points from the Oilers and Canucks by beating the Kraken, but they can still finish the trip 3-1-1.
Good morning.#Isles will be practicing in Calgary later today ahead of their game Tuesday vs. #Flames.
We’ll see if there are any injury updates.@AGrossNewsday and @ethan_sears are there.
— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) November 18, 2024
Islanders News
Recaps from the Seattle game:
- Great first 50 minutes, less great last ten, and some bad luck. [LHH]
- The point streak was snapped at five games (3-0-2). [Newsday]
- Patrick Roy, coach and legendary former goalie, said the Islanders “got robbed” on the late goalie interference challenge. [THN | Post]
- But it’s still another blown lead resulting in a regulation loss. [Post]
- And it’s a shame they keep blowing leads because they have persevered well otherwise through their injuries. [Post]
- On the bright side, they went 4/4 on the penalty kill and scored a shorthanded goal—specifically, Brock Nelson scored it, his second shortie of the season. [Islanders]
- “It was the first time Isaiah George was in the lineup for an Islander defeat.” Took six games, pretty good pace! [NYI Skinny]
Other notes:
- Anders Lee has been resurgent this season, and it’s due in part to his chemistry with Bo Horvat and J-G Pageau. But much like Horvat has the past few offseasons, Lee also worked with Adam Oates over the summer. [THN]
- Pierre Engvall scored his first two goals of the season in back-to-back games in Vancouver and Seattle and has been more assertive. [THN]
- Noah Dobson trivia with a chance for a prize. [Islanders]
- This (Yester)day in Isles History: Mike Bossy scored a hat trick in a 10-4 win over the Rangers (1984); Pierre Turgeon recorded a natural hat trick in an 8-1 win over the Senators (1993).
Elsewhere
Yesterday’s NHL scores include the Rangers shutting out, of course, the Kraken (who, I choose to believe, were tuckered out by the Islanders the day before) and Alex Ovechkin notching a hat trick to lead the Capitals over the Golden Knights and move to 866 goals, 28 from the record. On Saturday night, twin shutouts in the Sunshine State: the Panthers shut out the Jets and the Lightning shut out the Devils.
- Ryan Reaves caught a match penalty and a five-game suspension for hitting Darnell Nurse in the head. [NHL]
- JT Miller got benched in the Canucks’ loss last night to the Predators. [Sportsnet]
- David Perron returned to the Senators Saturday night against the Hurricanes after leaving the team because of his daughter’s health scares. [NHL]
- Former No. 1 overall pick Erik Johnson hit 1,000 games Saturday night playing for the Flyers. He was drafted 18 years ago and battled injuries his whole career. [NHL]
- Many elite goalies, the ones getting the big contracts, are making around what Ilya Sorokin got, $8.25 million AAV. But Igor Shesterkin is determined to top that number by a wide margin. Like I keep saying, go for it, Igor! [ESPN]
- Latest episode of the 32 Thoughts Podcast.