NEW YORK ISLANDERS VS. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
Islanders: 48-27-7, 103 points, second in
Metropolitan
Penguins: 44-26-12, 100 points, third in Metropolitan
Season series: NYI 2-1-1; PIT 2-1-1
THE SKINNY
The New York Islanders shocked most of the hockey world with
their return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Not only are they in the postseason for the first time in
three seasons, they have not had home-ice advantage since 1988. But they face
an enormous test in the Eastern Conference First Round against the Pittsburgh
Penguins, who are in the playoffs for a 13th straight year.
It will be a new situation for most of the Islanders, but
their coach has seen his share of the Penguins in the playoffs. Barry Trotz,
who guided the Washington Capitals to their first Stanley Cup championship last
season, faced the Penguins in each of his last three seasons as Capitals coach.
Game 1 will the first time the Islanders and Penguins have
played against each other since Pittsburgh's 2-1 shootout win at Nassau
Coliseum on Dec. 10, 2018.
The Penguins are coming off an admirable regular season that
saw them nearly secure home-ice advantage in the first round despite a myriad
of injuries, including Malkin and defenseman Kris Letang.
GAME BREAKERS
Islanders: This will be center Mathew Barzal's
first NHL postseason experience. The 21-year-old saw his production dip in
Trotz's system (he won the Calder Trophy last season as the top rookie in the
NHL with 85 points) but led New York in scoring again (62 points in 82 games)
and became a more responsible two-way player. But Barzal scored one goal over
the final 24 games of the regular season, a trend that will need to be reversed
if the Islanders hope to advance.
Penguins: Crosby is coming off yet another
stellar regular season. The 31-year-old reached 100 points for the sixth time
in his NHL career, finishing with 35 goals and 65 assists in 79 games. He has
been dominant against the Islanders since entering the NHL in 2005 with 113
points (36 goals, 77 assists) in 66 games.
GOALTENDING
Islanders: Winners of the William M. Jennings Trophy
for allowing the fewest goals in the NHL (191), Lehner and Thomas Greiss essentially
split the duties right down the middle combined for 11 shutouts and had near-identical
results. Lehner played 46 games and finished with 25 wins, a 2.13 goals-against
average and .930 save percentage; Greiss, who helped New York defeat the
Florida Panthers in the 2016 first round, won 23 games with a 2.28 GAA and .927
save percentage. It's likely Lehner will start Game 1, but the Islanders are
still in good hands should he falter.
Penguins: Matt Murray is
Pittsburgh's clear-cut No. 1 goalie and has 44 games of NHL playoff experience,
highlighted by a Stanley Cup championship in 2016. The 24-year-old has a 2.08
GAA and .923 save percentage in the postseason. Murray will be backed up
by Casey DeSmith,
who has never played in an NHL playoff game but made 22 saves in a 6-2 win
against the Islanders at PPG Paints Arena on Dec. 6.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
Islanders: It's the first time in 100 years
(Ottawa Senators, 1918-19) a team has gone from allowing the most goals in the
NHL (293 in 2017-18) to the fewest the following season. How good was New York
defensively? It was 38-2-2 when scoring at least three goals (including
shootout goals).
Penguins: Given the number of offensive weapons
at their disposal, it was no surprise the Penguins finished in the top five on
the power play (24.6 percent). Crosby and Kessel each scored 12 goals with the
man-advantage, and 36 of Kessel's 82 points came via the power play.
INJURY REPORT
Islanders: Center Valtteri
Filppula was initially expected to be out four weeks after he
hyperextended his elbow during a 5-0 loss to the Boston Bruins on March 19, but
the 35-year-old was back for New York's regular-season finale and scored two
goals in a 3-0 win at the Capitals on Saturday. Filppula has been a key player
on special teams, especially on the penalty kill, and will play a huge role
over the course of this series. Forward Andrew Ladd, however, is
out for the season with a knee injury.
Penguins: The hope is defenseman Brian
Dumoulin will be able to return in time for Game 1 after
missing the final three games of the regular season with a lower-body injury.
Malkin returned for the final two regular-season games after missing eight
games because of a rib injury, and Letang has recovered from an upper-body
injury but has played five games since Feb. 23. Forward Zach
Aston-Reese (lower body) and defenseman Chad Ruhwedel (upper
body) are skating.
WILL WIN IF...
Islanders: They produce enough offensively. New
York was shut out five times during the regular season, including three in its
final 10 games. If the Islanders stick to their system they will limit the
Penguins' scoring chances, but they must capitalize when they get theirs.
Penguins: They can win at least once in what
promises to be a rocking atmosphere at Nassau Coliseum, which will host playoff
games for the first time since 2015. Regardless of how the Islanders fare in
the playoffs, the first-round games will be the only ones at the Coliseum (any
remaining home games will be played at Barclays Center), so Pittsburgh must
find ways to take the crowd out of the equation.
HOW THEY LOOK
ISLANDERS PROJECTED LINEUP
Anders Lee -- Mathew Barzal -- Jordan Eberle
Josh Bailey -- Brock Nelson -- Tom Kuhnhackl
Anthony
Beauvillier -- Valtteri Filppula -- Leo Komarov
Matt Martin -- Casey Cizikas -- Cal
Clutterbuck
Nick Leddy -- Johnny
Boychuk
Adam Pelech -- Ryan Pulock
Devon Toews -- Scott
Mayfield
Robin Lehner
Thomas Greiss
Scratched: Thomas Hickey, Luca Sbisa, Dennis
Seidenberg, Michael Dal
Colle, Ross Johnston
PENGUINS PROJECTED LINEUP
Jared McCann --
Sidney Crosby -- Jake Guentzel
Bryan Rust -- Evgeni Malkin -- Phil Kessel
Dominik Simon -- Nick Bjugstad -- Patric
Hornqvist
Teddy Blueger -- Matt Cullen -- Garrett
Wilson
Brian Dumoulin -- Kris Letang
Olli Maatta -- Justin
Schultz
Jack Johnson -- Erik
Gudbranson
Matt Murray
Casey DeSmith
Scratched: Marcus
Pettersson, Zach Trotman
No comments:
Post a Comment