Playoffs 2021 Opening Round: NY Islanders vs Pittsburgh Penguins (NYI Win 4-2)

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

 

Grinders or Scorers?
Who takes the series?

Any and all discussion of the Pens and Isles right here.

Edited May 27, 2021 by TropicalFruitGirl26

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Wow...Isles score the go-ahead with 4 minutes to go.
Pens say "not so fast" and come right back to re-tie the game at 3

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Isles draw first blood....coming back in a game they were down 2-1 entering the 3rd.
Take in OT by a 4-3 count.

[SaucyJack]

Seriously...luck or skill on Kyle Palmieri’s OT winner?  (Here you can see the puck grazing the goalie’s head; what a tiny target to shoot for.)

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

7 minutes ago, SaucyJack said:

Seriously...luck or skill on Kyle Palmieri’s OT winner?  (Here you can see the puck grazing the goalie’s head; what a tiny target to shoot for.)

 

A bit of both.

Palmieri is savvy enough to know to just put the puck on net.
The Islanders are tenacious enough to smother when they have to, push when they have to, and know that ANY luck they get is a by-product of hard work.

I thought Sorokin in net instead of Varly would be a problem, and initially it looked like it (not because Sorokin isn't good, but only because the stage is bigger and lights brighter, and I like Varly better in that situation)....but as it turns out, Barry Trotz' system works for ANY good goalie equally, and Sorokin's teammates were sure to not let him down.

Sorokin made some big stops when he needed to down the stretch, setting up this opportunity for Palmieri.

Series far from over, but the Islanders got it off to a good start for themselves and their fans.

[SaucyJack]

5 hours ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

A bit of both.

Yes.  Palmieri hit that puck mid-air very quickly.   It takes some skill to hit it cleanly at all.  But lucky it went where it did.  But hockey is all about creating a 3% chance now, a 2% chance later, etc and eventually you’ll hit the jackpot.  

Good thing these aren’t single-game showdowns.

[mojo1917]

I thought Malkinstein was ready to go?

This is a series where if this Pens team is healthy they will win.

If they can't go Crosby, Malkin, Carter...then there's going to be problems. 

They can still win some rounds, but I don't think the run will be all the way to skating the cup.

With a healthy 71, I really thought this team would be untested, until Tampa or Carolina. 

 

There is just not a lot of room against the Islanders, though the Pens speed was making the very mobile defense of NYI look like Keystone cops at times.

Pelech in particular looked not great. but made up for getting beat because of his stinking monkey arm reach.

 

I really thought the game turned in the second period when the Pens were buzzing at 2-2 but couldn't cash in on their momentum, which was substantial.

Against non-Trotz coached teams a stretch like that usually winds up with 2 goals against, and a team wondering wtf just happened. 

Also the Pens should shelve those yellow sweaters for the rest of the year. Bad luck follows the bad look.

 

Edited May 19, 2021 by mojo1917

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Pens are flying in this one so far.

Isles are fortunate to be only down 1-0, but Varly gave up that soft goal and looks far from confident to this point.

[OccamsRazor]

On 5/17/2021 at 2:56 PM, mojo1917 said:

Carter

 

Wins it with his first playoff goal since.....2015.

 

Damn it's been a minute....

 

[FD19372]

The Pens played an uptempo, hard checking game tonight without Malkin. I still think the Islanders win the next 3, but the Pens played well with a shorthanded lineup.

Edited May 19, 2021 by FD19372

[mojo1917]

I will take Brandon Tanev on my team any day.

that guy was out Islanders the Islanders almost by himself.

He was pushing the pace, hitting anyone in a white sweater, I loved that he tried to fight all the Islanders after colliding with the goal cage.

 

[mojo1917]

This 3 deep Pens team is too good for this Islanders team. Carter- that's the difference, a competent 3rd line center.

If 71 is back, they're going to win this series- and people will be shocked that it wasn't "closer".

They don't get pushed until they play either Tampa or Carolina.

They're going to beat the Islanders and then beat the hell out of either the Bruins or the Caps.

 

 

[mkscrewy]

I don't want either team to win. I will never forgive Crater for reasons that we all understand.

 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

For those thinking the Pens were gonna breeze through the Islanders, think again.

NY wins today and did it not only in typical Islander stifling style, but got to Evgeni Malkin, causing him to do silly Malkinstein things out there, making him more of a liability to the Pens as opposed to being a boon.

Series tied now at 2, so now it simply comes down to a best of 3, and while the Pens may still end up winning, "testing" them shouldn't be a problem.
In fact, Islanders may end up coming out of this series after all.

I personally had NY winning in 6, but each side keeps one upping the other, it may take all 7 to determine a winner.

[mojo1917]

Pens had a bad day.

They win the next 2 while the Islanders wonder wtf just happened to them.

Worst possible draw for this Isles team. Which is good, just unlucky this year.

[GratefulFlyers]

I'm not sure Mojo..."had a bad day" is putting it mildly. In any case I would not put it that way. It wasn't like the Pens just didn't have their legs, or they had bad puck luck or Jarry was bad. They were skating hard, they had some chances.

 

But that was a convincing Isles' win. They gave the Pens nothing uncontested. They pressured the puck relentlessly - I don't think the Pens had 2 strong shifts in a row all day.

 

It was a lot of fun to watch and the best game in the series so far. G5 should be even better...unless you're right and the Pens can score a few early, force the Isles to make mistakes chasing the game. But the Isles look tough yesterday and it didn't feel to me like it was temporary.

[GratefulFlyers]

wow what a move by Beauvillier...all Pens in the 1st till that highlight reel goal. 1-1 after 1.

 

soft goal Sororkin early in the 2nd 2-1...Isles don't look nearly as good as they did in G4. Give Pitt some credit but I think it's more the Isles are playing sloppy. Sorokin letting Rust score from 40' doesn't help.

 

 

Edited May 25, 2021 by GratefulFlyers

[GratefulFlyers]

what a great game 2-2 start of OT... Sorokin made up for his earlier goof with some great goaltending in the 3rd...poke checked at least 2 that were going in for sure.

 

screw the Leafs game this is some great PO hockey!

Edited May 25, 2021 by GratefulFlyers

[musky]

In Ilya Sorokin we trust.

The new SoroKing of New York was unbelievable tonight, making 48 saves on 50 shots. The Isles skaters... well, it wasn’t their best night tonight, but they made the most of their 28 shots on goal, climbing back into the game after going down 1-0 and then 2-1.

 

https://www.nhl.com/islanders/video/nhl-tonight-islanders-vs-penguin/t-277437420/c-8458146

 

 

https://twitter.com/i/status/1396976244294627329

Edited May 25, 2021 by musky

[MaineFlyFan]

Is it weird that I kind of want the Pens to win the next game so I can keep rooting for them to loose.

 

I want a game 7 deflating come from behnd win by the isles where the whole Pens team collapses and Cindy reverts to his "2010 self" and acts like a petulant bitch in the presser....

 

Is that wrong?

[mkscrewy]

has he ever acted like that to a team that isn't the Flyers? i know he punched that guy's sac when the guy was busy fighting someone else...

 

 

 

[lynxrattle]

9 hours ago, MaineFlyFan said:

Is it weird that I kind of want the Pens to win the next game so I can keep rooting for them to loose.

 

I want a game 7 deflating come from behnd win by the isles where the whole Pens team collapses and Cindy reverts to his "2010 self" and acts like a petulant bitch in the presser....

 

Is that wrong?

For sure it is wrong, but who could resist wishing it to go exactly like that? Let's hope and pray for the 7th game loss petulant presser re-run

[GratefulFlyers]

I’ll be perfectly happy to see Crosby and Malkin eliminated tonight...G7s are so unpredictable but I have to give the Pens a huge edge if this goes 7.

Announcer just said it’s the first time the Isles can advance at home since 1993. They’re due...get it done boys!

 

ugh not the way the Isles wanted to start...Carter beats Sorokin early...nice shot.

Edited May 26, 2021 by GratefulFlyers

[FD19372]

The Islanders are shooting at Jarry's glovehand more frequently, and getting open shots. He's athletic but that is definitely a question mark. One more reason to hate the Penguins as if I need it. They have the one LA King and Philadelphia Flyer I hate, High and Wide. I wonder if golfs high and wide, as well. The Islanders will send them packing tonight.

[GratefulFlyers]

Wow 4-min Isles PP and it's the obvious call - Martin got whacked and he's bleeding down his chin. Coupe great chances! holyshit Barzal what a move... OMG open net and Nelson misses for the HT - oh my goodness! you can't make this stuff up.

 

Bye bye Penguins...Isles were the better team this series - not every game but tonight for sure. Good for them, good to see Barzal and Sorokin get to play more hockey

Edited May 27, 2021 by GratefulFlyers