TAMPA — There’s a form of irony within the reality a shorthanded purpose ended the Islanders’ season.
When the joke of the season was that the NHL ought to implement a brand new rule that permits groups to say no energy performs as a result of the Islanders would certainly benefit from it, a power-play breakdown costing them a win in a Sport 7 of the Stanley Cup semifinals was nearly too good.
After the Islanders began off robust of their second-period energy play Friday evening, Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh gained possession of the puck and killed a while earlier than discovering Blake Coleman at middle ice. Anthony Cirelli then carried the puck into the nook of the Islanders’ zone, drawing Nick Leddy, Kyle Palmieri and Josh Bailey with him.
Whereas the three Islanders have been preoccupied with Cirelli, Yanni Gourde got here off Tampa Bay’s bench. He skated in unnoticed earlier than one-timing a feed from Cirelli previous goalie Semyon Varlamov at 1:49 of the center body.
“I don’t know if it’s extra irritating,” head coach Barry Trotz stated after the season-ending loss. “It’s disappointing as a result of it was a possibility for us to hopefully do one thing towards them. Just a bit little bit of consciousness. Gourde got here off the bench actual fast, they made a play, we form of weren’t paying sufficient consideration and it ended up at the back of the online.”
By means of 19 video games this postseason, the Islanders went 10-for-49 on the facility play, a 20.4 proportion. Gourde’s purpose was the second shorthanded tally the Islanders allowed within the playoffs, though the primary was not practically as lethal.
After the Islanders have been the one group within the league to not permit a shorthanded purpose in the course of the common season, they gave one up in Sport 4 of the first-round collection towards the Penguins. Zach Aston-Reese ended goalie Ilya Sorokin’s bid for a shutout at 17:25 of the third interval whereas killing a Jake Guentzel cross-checking penalty.
The Islanders ranked within the backside 10 of the league in power-play targets in the course of the common season, going 27-for-144 (18.8 %). There have been loads of occasions when the Islanders had the person benefit, however didn’t look as in the event that they did. Friday evening was definitely a kind of occasions.
The Lightning owned one of many deadliest energy performs within the common season and playoffs, combining to go 60-for-233 (25.7 %). However, the Islanders significantly struggled with the man-advantage within the semifinal collection towards Tampa Bay, going 1-for-17. The Islanders’ lone energy play got here from Brock Nelson of their 4-2 loss in Sport 2.
So the Islanders’ particular playoff run was in the end reduce quick by considered one of their few weaknesses. That possible doesn’t make it any simpler to just accept.
“It hurts it doesn’t matter what,” Josh Bailey stated of the Gourde purpose, his voice quivering. “That’s a scenario we definitely want to have again.”
