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Islanders Puck Talk – Weekly Review

As the season winds down, it’s safe to say that the Islanders are all but eliminated from playoff contention.  It’s not official but they realistically eliminated months ago.  Now all there is to do is wait on this dreadful season and see what changes come from it.  This should have been the season where the Islanders took the next step and John Tavares re-signed before the playoffs.  Instead, everyone in the organization from GM down should be fired or let go, including most of the players.  Let’s take a look at another disappointing week.

Tuesday, March 20, 2018 – vs Pittsburgh Penguins

The Islanders decided to show up for a game and looked pretty good in doing so.  It’s disappointing that if they had just played this tenacious in half of their blowout losses maybe this season would have a different ending.  Either way, Mat Barzal and Adam Pelech got the party started early with two goals in the first period.

Pittsburgh was pushing hard throughout the entire second period, and finally slipped one past Jaroslav Halak with a few minutes to go in the second.  It looked to be another typical Islander meltdown but the Isles actually hunkered down in the third period.

Anders Lee added a PP goal early in the third to essentially seal it and Jordan Eberle made sure to leave no doubt with a late goal.  It seems even when the Islanders are up four or five goals they can’t hold a lead.  It was a great effort but it’s WAY too little, too late.

Islanders 4, Penguins 1

Thursday, March 22, 2018 – vs Tampa Bay Lightning

This was an ugly game.  Even though the final score shows 7-6, the Islanders looked completely lifeless in the first two periods.  They gave up two goals to Anthony Cirelli and Tyler Johnson within the first three minutes of the game.  Ryan Pulock made it 2-1 but Victor Hedman made it 3-1 shortly afterwards.

The second period was some of the worst defense anyone has seen in the NHL this year.  Brayden point made it 4-1, Pulock and Anders Lee pulled the Islanders back to within one goal, then a string of goals that included two by J.T. Miller and one by Mikhail Sergachev gave Tampa a 7-3 lead.

Anders Lee would not go quietly into the night, with another PPG to bring his total up to 38.  Anthony Beauvillier was masterful in this game, giving his all and scoring back to back goals to pull within one goal again.  Unfortunately, the Lightning played good defense the rest of the way and held off the Islanders.  It was a sad scene to say the least.

Lightning 7, Islanders 6

Saturday, March 24, 2018 – vs Chicago Blackhawks

The Islanders have had most of their recent games at home, but it doesn’t seem to matter.  They don’t get up at all for these games, and this latest game against the Blackhawks makes me wonder if Doug Weight has completely lost the locker room.

No goals in the first period but Patrick Kane and Brandon Saad opened it up for Chicago in the second period.  Jaroslav Halak looked lost in net as his three years as the Islanders’ netminder hasn’t prepared him for the weird bounces at Barclays Center.

John Tavares tried to get the Isles back into the game with a late goal in the third but Brent Seabrook added an empty netter to close out the game.  It was quite honestly a pathetic effort and a game the Islanders should be ashamed of.

Blackhawks 3, Islanders 1

High Tide

Realistically, the only player that’s been playing well lately has been Anders Lee.  If I had to choose someone else, Anthony Beauvillier has somewhat caught fire again.  He had two goals against the Lightning and has been one of the few competent players on the Islanders over the past few weeks.  He’s a good complimentary piece to Mathew Barzal and they can make a dynamic duo just like Barzal & Eberle did.

Low Tide

Andrew Ladd is out-Nelsoning Brock Nelson.  Ladd has scored one goal in 20+ games and his seven year contract is looking worse and worse as the games wear on.  He’s a good glue guy, but he just doesn’t have that scoring touch he had earlier in his career.  At one point yesterday, he was on the most expensive fourth line of all time with Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck.  At what point do the Isles just buy Ladd out?  He hasn’t done anything for them.

 

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