Mathew Barzal sets high standards for Islanders’ new top line
BUFFALO — On Thursday morning, Matthew Barzal talked about the Islanders’ budding superstar-filled top line, naming Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point as a bar for himself, Bo Horvat and Brock Nelson to aim for. , citing Steven Stamkos’ Lightning Trio. arrival. “That line is tough, it’s tough to play against,” Barzal said before the Islanders’ […]
Islanders vow to fix ‘slow’ power play
BUFFALO — One of the only things that went wrong during the Islanders’ six-game winning streak was on the power play. Monday night, I finally caught up. A 0-for-5 performance in a 5-for-4 game led to a 3-0 loss to the Kings — the Isles’ first loss since Feb. 24 — but the struggles continued. […]
Islanders’ Kyle Palmieri having strong season thanks to staying healthy
BUFFALO — The secret to a good season is getting through the little climaxes. Sometimes it’s not about eating better or different habits, but something as innocuous as not taking a bad hit and going in the wrong direction. As much as we might all like to pretend otherwise, dumb luck has a pretty big […]
Islanders vs. Rangers playoff showdown suddenly a possibility
BUFFALO — It’s still too early to start thinking seriously about the Battle of New York returning to the playoffs for the first time since 1994, but it’s still a possibility. After the Islanders rocketed back into playoff contention over the past two weeks, there are two ways they could face the Rangers in the […]
Islanders’ cracks show as six-game win streak ends with loss to Kings
LOS ANGELES — If the Islanders found cause for frustration after Sunday’s big win, they’ll have plenty more to work on after Monday night. The cracks in the game that were evident in some of the wins over San Jose and Anaheim turned into cracks against the Kings, who won 3-0 and ended the Islanders’ […]
Islanders drop Ducks to move into playoff spot with sixth straight win
ANAHEIM, Calif. — For the first time in nearly two months, the Islanders will wake up Monday morning in a playoff spot. After losing at home to the Lightning two weeks ago, the Islanders’ only obvious path to the postseason was to continue their winning streak as soon as possible. They took that literally and […]
Semyon Varlamov earns rare win after Ilya Sorokinsits for Islanders
ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Islanders are in playoff contention, which means they could look to Ilya Sorokin to start in net almost every night. On Sunday, coach Semyon Varlamov gave Sorokin a rare night off on the front lines of back-to-back games, a rare violation of that rule and the first time Sorokin had sat […]
Lou Lamoriello shifts to neutral at quiet Islanders trade deadline
A minute or two ago, when Lou Lamoriello was in the midst of a missed championship at the Meadowlands, “El Excigente” was following the natural sequence of free agency, rental trades, and talent cycling through the four-year college cycle. I accepted it as not much different. life. So I guess I just don’t understand how […]
Islanders have plenty of contract extensions questions to answer
ANAHEIM, Calif. — After the trade deadline came and went quietly for the Islanders, the next crux of roster construction comes four months later when free agency begins. That’s not only because seven players on the roster have expiring contracts, but also four who will be eligible for contract extensions on July 1st, and the […]
Lou Lamoriello, Islanders stand pat as NHL trade deadline passes
ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Islanders, under the guidance of coach Lou Lamoriello, generally took one of two paths at the trade deadline. Lamoriello got the job done before deadline day, like the Bo Horvat and Pierre Engvall trades a year ago and the Kyle Palmieri trade in 2021. Or, like in 2022 or 2024 after […]