Good Morning,
The Islanders opened their season in disappointing fashion, falling 6-3 to the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena on Thursday — not the best way to kick off their daunting 13-game road trip. The Isles scored first, but sloppy play in front of the net, a powerless power play, and an overall lack of cohesion did them in against an explosive ‘Canes team.
We’ll catch you up on all the news of the day, including the details of Ryan Pulock’s 8-year contract extension. But first, let’s recap game 1 of 82.
🏒 IN SHORT: The Islanders will not go 82-0 this season, this we now know. Trailing 4-3 midway through the 3rd period, Oliver Wahlstrom took an offensive zone penalty leading to a Teuvo Teravainen power-play goal that seemingly put the game out of reach. 21-year old Andrei Svechnikov scored twice for Carolina, including an empty netter on the power-play in the game’s final minute. Thursday marked the first time in team history the Islanders allowed 2+ goals in each period of a season opener [Box Score].
OFF NIGHT: “Really, the fifth goal took us out of the game. We were sort of hanging around,” said Barry Trotz in the post-game. “We took an offensive zone penalty. We don’t need to do that. But, overall, I didn’t think we had enough guys on their A-game.”
POSITIVES: On the positive side, Mathew Barzal had to wait, but was eventually credited with the first goal of the season, Brock Nelson did what he does in October, and Anders Lee picked up where he left off.
🔑 KEY MOMENT: Ex-Islander Nino Niederreiter was able to cut inside on Zdeno Chara, draw a penalty and slide the puck over the goal line to extend the Hurricanes lead to 4-2. The referee signaled for the penalty as the Canes players celebrated. The play was reviewed, the goal was confirmed and the Isles challenged for goalie interference. Barry Trotz lost the challenge and a two-minute minor was assessed.
3 TAKEAWAYS
❶ THE FOURTH LINE: With Matt Martin unavailable at the start of the season, the fourth line looked out of sync. Ross Johnston is trying to make up for 1/3 of the identity line; however, it’s clear the chemistry wasn’t there Thursday night. Johnston only logged 5:50 of ice-time.
❷ WELCOME BACK: Anders Lee, in his first game since March 11th, looked like Anders Lee netting his first goal of the season. Lee was leading the Islanders with 12 goals in 27 games before his ACL injury that sidelined him for the rest of last season and the playoff run. The top line of Palmieri-Barzal-Lee showed early chemistry. “To get one to go always feels good, especially early in the year,” Lee said. “I think you can build off of that, our line can build off of what we had tonight.”
❸ POWER OUTAGE: The Islanders power play has never been all that great, and last night’s game wasn’t an indication that it has gotten any better (0 for 3). Now, it’s just game one, so there’s plenty of opportunity ahead for change, however, it’s same ol’, same ol’ on the man advantage.
⏭ NEXT UP: The Islanders head to Sunrise, FL to battle the Panthers on Saturday, October 16th at 6:00 pm. Carter Verhaeghe scored two goals for Florida, including the OT winner, in a 5-4 win over Pittsburgh on Thursday.
📊 STANDINGS: The Metropolitan Division got busy last night. Don’t get used to the Isles sitting in the spot below, deep breathes:
📰 NEWS: The contract extension of Ryan Pulock was confirmed during the team’s morning skate. Several outlets also confirmed that the 27-year-old defenseman’s deal will pay him an AAV of $6.15M over the next eight years. There is no signing bonuses in any year, straight salary every season until 2029-30.
EXCITING: Pulock on his deal via amNY: “It's exciting. For me, I just wanted to really be able to focus on this season and clear my head of that and focus on what we need to accomplish here. It's really exciting for me.”
PARTNERS: On being secured with his defense partner Adam Pelech: “We've come up together and we've been able to play with each other the last few years. I think we kind of complement each other and it's a great situation for both of us to be able to play here on the Island as D partners.”
GLAD IT’S DONE: Barry Trotz on Pulock’s extension via NYIHockeyNow: “I think it’s a weight off his mind. I know every player deals with it differently, but I know with Ryan I’m sure he’s very, very thankful that it’s done. … He said he really enjoys this group and where this organization is going and I think that’s the thing that I really enjoy.”
📚 SOUND SMART: Brocktober is real! Per Eric Hornick, Brock Nelson’s second-period goal is his 28th in 72 October games. Only Pat LaFontaine (38 goals, 67 games) and Mike Bossy (80 goals, 89 games) have been more prolific during the month.
📈 VALUE BUY: Sportico released their NHL franchise valuation list for 2021 with the Islanders ranking 13th at $865 million. When Jon Ledecky and Scott Malkin bought the team in 2014, the reported sale price was $485 million. Forbes had valued the franchise as being worth as low as $195 million in November 2013.
According to their calculations, the average NHL team is worth $934 million, and the combined fair market value of the NHL’s 32 clubs, including ownership’s stakes in real estate, regional sports networks, and additional team-related holdings, is $30 billion.
❄️ ICE INSTALLED: The ice has now been officially laid down at UBS Arena. Pictures and video swirled around social media of the workers painting the Isles logo at center ice. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?
🚨 LIGHT EM UP: Nassau County Executive Laura Curran lit the County Dome orange and blue to honor the start of the Islanders’ season.
🎬 LOYALTY: Actress and Islanders fan Chloe Grace Moretz was in attendance wearing her Islanders jersey and rightfully refused to wear a Hurricanes T-shirt when pressured by Stormy, the Canes ice hog mascot.
🗓 ISLE REMEMBER: Mike Sillinger played with 12 NHL teams, but he only made history with one of them - the Islanders, becoming the first player to score for 12 franchises in a 4-1 win over the Boston Bruins.
🔗 Why the New York Islanders will win the Stanley Cup, by Greg Wyshynski, ESPN: “I called Daneyko to bounce a theory off him. The more I looked at the 2021-22 New York Islanders, the more I thought about another team that general manager Lou Lamoriello constructed: the 1995 New Jersey Devils, a team on which Daneyko played.”
🔗One New York Islanders Fan’s Quest to Honor Father & Former Equipment Manager, by Christian Arnold, NYIHockeyNow: “Joe and Terry’s bond over their love of the New York Islanders was similar to that of many fathers and sons across Long Island, save for one thing. Most kids’ dads didn’t work for the team they loved. Terry had been part of the Islanders equipment staff, first as a stick boy for the visiting locker room at 18 years old and he worked his way up to assistant equipment manager in 1988.”
🔗 Why Ryan Pulock’s contract extension is the Islanders’ first big win of 2021-22, by Arthur Staple, The Athletic: “The Islanders will have some room to operate under the 2022-23 cap, but not a ton. Johnny Boychuk’s contract, currently used for long-term injured reserve cap relief, will be off the books; so will Leo Komarov, Thomas Hickey and Cal Clutterbuck. But even if none of those players return, the Isles are already using up $66.5 million of the presumed $82.5-million cap for 2022-23 and will need one or two defensemen and one or two forwards.”
🔗 Can the Islanders break through? by James Duffy, Gotham Sports Network: “The Isles have taken their lumps and checked off, more or less, every hockey cliche box necessary to be a bona fide championship team. Past deep runs and a core with extensive playoff experience? Check. Top-tier coaching, elite goaltending, and stalwart defense? Check, check, check. And the offense, the Islanders’ Achilles heel since Trotz took over, looks better than any time in recent memory. So now’s the time, right?”
🎧 Hockey Press Podcast - Bonus Episode: Islanders Forecheck. The “Oh, No…People Are Picking Them to Win the Stanley Cup…This is Weird,” by Chris Botta and Pat Boyle: “A bonus series, “Islanders Forecheck” takes the long view of the 2021-22 season of the New York Islanders – one that many experts have predicted will end with a Stanley Cup. In this first edition, we address the breaking news from that Ryan Pulock has signed a contract extension, predict the outcome of the team’s opening road games, and discuss UBS Arena, Jack Eichel, Barry Trotz’s next deal, Oliver Wahlstrom, the Islanders Hall of Fame, and much more.”
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