playoffs: 2020-21 | EDFR | (E1) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (E4) New York Islanders

[Phil]

 

(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

 

 

 

 

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[td]GAME BREAKERS:[/td]

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[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]

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[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]

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[td]GOALTENDING:[/td]

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[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]

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[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]

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[td]X FACTORS:[/td]

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[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]

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[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]

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[td]WILL WIN IF:[/td]

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[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]

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[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]

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More: https://www.nhl.com/news/pittsburgh-penguins-new-york-islanders-series-preview/c-324615204?tid=287339198

 

 

[siddious]

Never thought I’d say this but Let’s go penguins!!!!

 

 

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[Phil]

Let's go absolutely brutal seven game series with multiple double overtimes. I hope the winner of this series limps out of it.

[Sharpshooter]

My hope is a meteor crashes into the stadium during one of the games.

[Karan]

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.

[Stephen]

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).

 

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[Sharpshooter]

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.

[Valriera]

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

[Stephen]

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.

[Keirik]

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

[Sod16]

The Islanders have not looked good, except against us, for a while. We can at least hope that continues into the playoffs.

[BrooksBurner]

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.

[paddynyc]

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 !!!!

[Morphinity 2.0]

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.

[Stephen]

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.

[Sod16]

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.

[Scott]

Yeah I know, whining pu$$y etc. Not sure I've ever seen one like this before. Incredible.

 

 

 

 

Dirty as shit.

 

[Sod16]

Jarry was absolutely terrible today. They cannot win the series with him.

[NYR2711]

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.

[Stephen]

The Islanders beating the Penguins in a postseason overtime game? Smells like shades of David Volek in 1993.

[paddynyc]

Horrible watching the Islanders win yesterday.

[LONG LONG LONG TIME FAN]

YAY ISLANDERS!! KEEP IT GOING!!

[SaveByRichter35]

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:

[Sod16]

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.

[Phil]

Isles already trailing.

 

 

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