Islanders’ Anthony Duclair clearly still hampered by injury
On Thursday morning, Anthony Duclair repeatedly described his condition as “good enough to play.” And now, nearly a full month after his return from a suspected groin injury, the results confirm what anyone watching could already tell. Duclair, who was signed as the Islanders' marquee player on July 1, is not himself. He's not skating […]
Islanders’ power play problems reaching historically bad levels
Which is worse for the Islanders right now: the lack of power play production or the lack of power play opportunities? Both are at a historically bad pace. At just 10.5 percent, including a scoreless streak that extended to no points in 25 games in Tuesday's 2-0 loss to the Senators, the Islanders are the […]
Islanders’ Marc Gatcomb makes NHL debut in place of ailing Jean-Gabriel Pageau
Mark Gacom was pulled from the ice in Bridgeport Tuesday morning and told he was headed to Long Island. With bugs in the Islanders' locker room and Jean-Gabriel Pageau sick, the 25-year-old Gacom was scheduled to line up for his NHL debut. He took advantage of the 90-minute trip from Bridgeport to Long Island to […]
Islanders fall to Senators as three-game win streak ends
This first game of a seven-game homestand was like the Islanders' first day back from vacation, and not in a good way. In many ways, that was the three-game road trip leading up to Tuesday, a clean sweep. A break from the rest of a disappointing season. Out of nowhere, the Islanders were riding into […]
Islanders have chance to prove themselves right about playoffs
Even when the Islanders claimed they were still in playoff contention, it often sounded more like a pipe dream than anything resembling reality. Well, if they're going to prove themselves right, this is their chance. They swept a trip of three or more games for the first time since October 2018 and are suddenly playing […]
Mathew Barzal finally resembling old self in needed Islanders boon
To say the first half of the season was a disappointment for Matthew Barzal would be an understatement. This comes after he missed six weeks with an injury and is coming off his best season in years, but he hasn't produced results when healthy, struggled before the injury, and has made a full recovery since […]
Islanders’ Marcus Hogberg comes up big in place of ailing Ilya Sorokin
SALT LAKE CITY — The Islanders had a disaster in the crease on Saturday, but Marcus Hogberg got through it. Hogberg, the organization's third-string netminder, had been on reserve since early December when Semyon Varlamov was injured, but he was called back for just the second time after Ilya Sorokin became ill and missed the […]
Mathew Barzal’s game-winner propels Islanders to third straight
SALT LAKE CITY — Finally a come-from-behind victory. It's finally a winning streak. Finally, there is real hope that Islanders can address this issue. Matthew Barzal celebrates with his parents in attendance as he scores the game-winning goal late in the third period of the Islanders' 2-1 win over Utah Hockey Club on January 11, […]
Alexander Romanov’s offense emerging as Islanders X factor
SALT LAKE CITY — Patrick Roy knew Alexander Romanov was in his element when he saw the defenseman lay down after a check. So by the time Romanov took down Jonas Lombjorg with an old-fashioned hip check during the second period of Thursday's 4-0 win over Las Vegas, it wasn't already clear that this was […]
Islanders show spark but still searching for consistent identity
SALT LAKE CITY — Lou Lamoriello said Thursday morning when reporters entered the Islanders' locker room and found a rubber chicken toy in Anders Lee's stall, the team was still unidentified. He had just admitted that he was looking for one. The captain found it unclaimed inside T-Mobile Arena. “It’s coming to us, too,” he […]