Phil Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 (E1) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (E4) New York Islanders REGULAR SEASON RECORDS: Penguins: 37-16-3, 77 points Islanders: 32-17-7, 71 points SEASON SERIES: PIT 6-2-0; NYI 2-4-2 [table=width: 650, align: center] [tr] [td]GAME BREAKERS:[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Penguins: Sidney Crosby remains one of the more dominant players in the NHL; the 33-year-old center led Pittsburgh with 24 goals and 62 points. He scored nine points (three goals, six assists) against the Islanders during the regular season, increasing his career total to 122 (39 goals, 83 assists) in 75 games against them. Crosby has more points against the Islanders than any other team in his NHL career.[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Islanders: Center Mathew Barzal remains New York's most dangerous offensive player and led the Islanders during the regular season with 45 points (17 goals, 28 assists) in 55 games; six of those points (three goals, three assists) were scored against the Penguins. Barzal scored 17 points (five goals, 12 assists) in the 2020 postseason, helping the Islanders reach the Eastern Conference Final for the first time since 1993. He has 24 points (seven goals, 17 assists) in 30 Stanley Cup Playoff games.[/td] [/tr] [/table] [table=width: 650, align: center] [tr] [td]GOALTENDING:[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Penguins: Tristan Jarry missed the final game of the regular season on May 8 because of an upper-body injury but has since returned to practice and is expected to be the Game 1 starter. Jarry made 38 starts in the regular season and went 25-9-3 with a 2.75 goals-against average, a .909 save percentage and two shutouts, but he was 14-2-2 and had a .918 save percentage over his last 20 games. Casey DeSmith won eight of his final 12 starts but was injured May 3 and missed the final three games of the regular season. He is expected to be healthy by the start of the playoffs. Jarry won five of six starts against the Islanders during the regular season.[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Islanders: Semyon Varlamov could be in the running for the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goalie after he went 19-11-4 with a 2.04 GAA, a .929 save percentage and a League-leading seven shutouts, highlighted by a streak that lasted 248 minutes without allowing a goal. He started 19 games during New York's playoff run last season and had a 2.14 GAA, a .921 save percentage and two shutouts. Varlamov will be backed up by 25-year-old rookie Ilya Sorokin, who allowed two goals or fewer in seven of his last nine starts. Sorokin finished 13-6-3 with a 2.17 GAA, a .918 save percentage and three shutouts.[/td] [/tr] [/table] [table=width: 650, align: center] [tr] [td]X FACTORS:[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Penguins: Evgeni Malkin is healthy enough to play after the center missed 23 games because of a lower-body injury sustained March 16. Pittsburgh went 16-5-2 while Malkin was out, but there's no disputing what the 34-year-old brings when on top of his game. Despite his extended absence, Malkin scored 28 points (eight goals, 20 assists) in 33 games. [/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Islanders: Oliver Wahlstrom bounced in and out of the lineup over the course of the regular season, but the 20-year-old rookie forward displayed an elite NHL shot and scored 21 points (12 goals, nine assists) in 44 games. Wahlstrom could be a difference-maker for New York in this series on the man-advantage; he led Islanders forwards with 10 power-play points despite being on the taxi squad for the first two weeks of the season.[/td] [/tr] [/table] [table=width: 650, align: center] [tr] [td]WILL WIN IF:[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Penguins: When they met two years ago in the playoffs, Crosby had no answers for New York's top defense pair of Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock and finished with one assist and a minus-4 during the four-game sweep. It is imperative the Pittsburgh captain breaks through this time if the Penguins hope to advance to the second round for the first time since 2018.[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Islanders: They can continue to receive the goaltending Varlamov provided during the regular season. Given its struggles over the second half of the season -- New York was 13-11-3 over the final 27 games after a 19-6-4 start -- it may require a heist from the Islanders' best player this season in order to reach the second round.[/td] [/tr] [/table] More: https://www.nhl.com/news/pittsburgh-penguins-new-york-islanders-series-preview/c-324615204?tid=287339198 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siddious Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 Never thought I’d say this but Let’s go penguins!!!! Sent from my iPhone using Blueshirts Brotherhood mobile app powered by Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted May 13, 2021 Author Share Posted May 13, 2021 Let's go absolutely brutal seven game series with multiple double overtimes. I hope the winner of this series limps out of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharpshooter Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 My hope is a meteor crashes into the stadium during one of the games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karan Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 Let's go absolutely brutal seven game series with multiple double overtimes. I hope the winner of this series limps out of it. This. I want this (and the BOS-WAS series) to be nothing short of a blood bath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 This series will be interesting. Every time in the playoffs, the Islanders have been a thorn in the side of the Penguins (ex: David Volek in 1993). Sent from my SM-S367VL using Blueshirts Brotherhood mobile app powered by Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharpshooter Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 This is setting up to be a pretty fantastic postseason. These are some great matchups here. I think the Islanders have another deep run in them. This is what they're built for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valriera Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 i hate the islanders but you gotta hope they win a cup at some point here they play such consistent and hard working hockey that i wish my beer league team would figure out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 I hate the islanders but you gotta hope they win a cup at some point where they play such consistent and hard-working hockey that I wish my beer league team would figure out It all starts with structure in the front office (Lamoriello) and on the bench (Trotz), just like with Bill Torrey (GM) and Al Arbour (HC) for the Islanders all those years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keirik Posted May 14, 2021 Share Posted May 14, 2021 i hate the islanders but you gotta hope they win a cup at some point here they play such consistent and hard working hockey that i wish my beer league team would figure out God no. Are you a Rangers fan? Lol I hope the Islanders never ever ever win another cup in the franchise of that low life toothless inbred fan base 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sod16 Posted May 14, 2021 Share Posted May 14, 2021 The Islanders have not looked good, except against us, for a while. We can at least hope that continues into the playoffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrooksBurner Posted May 14, 2021 Share Posted May 14, 2021 God no. Are you a Rangers fan? Lol I hope the Islanders never ever ever win another cup in the franchise of that low life toothless inbred fan base This is the appropriate response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paddynyc Posted May 14, 2021 Share Posted May 14, 2021 God no. Are you a Rangers fan? Lol I hope the Islanders never ever ever win another cup in the franchise of that low life toothless inbred fan base LOL !!! well said K !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morphinity 2.0 Posted May 14, 2021 Share Posted May 14, 2021 Pains me, but I've learned my lesson - don't bet against the Islanders in the playoffs. They were close to going to the SCF last year. They're not going to be a pushover by any means and I just don't understand how the Penguins are so good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Posted May 15, 2021 Share Posted May 15, 2021 Pains me, but I've learned my lesson - don't bet against the Islanders in the playoffs. They were close to going to the SCF last year. They're not going to be a pushover by any means and I just don't understand how the Penguins are so good. Getting their scoring depth back (Zucker, Malkin) and getting more playoff experience at the Deadline (Carter). Will be an intriguing series, no matter who wins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sod16 Posted May 16, 2021 Share Posted May 16, 2021 i hate the islanders but you gotta hope they win a cup at some point here they play such consistent and hard working hockey that i wish my beer league team would figure out The most off base post I've ever seen on this board. Tell us you were just kidding so we can be friends again and we don't have to sentence you to wind sprints on Barclay's ice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted May 16, 2021 Share Posted May 16, 2021 Yeah I know, whining pu$$y etc. Not sure I've ever seen one like this before. Incredible. Dirty as shit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sod16 Posted May 16, 2021 Share Posted May 16, 2021 Jarry was absolutely terrible today. They cannot win the series with him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYR2711 Posted May 16, 2021 Share Posted May 16, 2021 God no. Are you a Rangers fan? Lol I hope the Islanders never ever ever win another cup in the franchise of that low life toothless inbred fan base This 1000%. I will never root for the Piles to win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Posted May 16, 2021 Share Posted May 16, 2021 The Islanders beating the Penguins in a postseason overtime game? Smells like shades of David Volek in 1993. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paddynyc Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 Horrible watching the Islanders win yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LONG LONG LONG TIME FAN Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 YAY ISLANDERS!! KEEP IT GOING!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaveByRichter35 Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 i hate the islanders but you gotta hope they win a cup at some point here they play such consistent and hard working hockey that i wish my beer league team would figure out :puke: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sod16 Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 The last time I rooted for the Islanders was when they played the Soviet Wings in 1975. I won't be rooting for them again until North Korea gets a team and tours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted May 20, 2021 Author Share Posted May 20, 2021 Isles already trailing. Sent from my iPhone using Blueshirts Brotherhood mobile app powered by Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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