I don't blame Varly at all for the game. Islanders offense is terrible. There is nobody in front of the net and they pass to much. I was at the game and if I had a dollar for every time the fans said shoot i would be rich.
- Hockeyislife

I could not disagree more... This is the playoffs. Weak goals are the difference between winning and losing. Varly gave up 2 weak goals. He made some good saves too but in general most of the shots on net were from the perimeter b/c that is how the Islanders play. very few were point blank shots.. not a lot of odd man rushes... We lost that game b/c Varly was out of position on that last shot. .. and Rask did not let in any weak goals.

I'm going with Sorokin honestly. He is the clear better goalie in these playoffs and team seems to play better with him.
- ses111

If for no other reason than he doesn't start every playoff game letting in one of the first 2 shots on net in

gave up a first round pick to get Palmieri.. the one shift he was on Barzal's line they scored. This shouldn't be that difficult a decision. It's torture watching Leo out there.. torture.

Dobson was terrible .. his worst game by far in the playoffs.

Pelech was the best player on the ice last night. truly incredible

Fuk Beau twice
- TogaIsles

Gotta finish one of those.. Had Brock trailing on the second one. If he had of stayed away from glove would have been an interesting rebound chance.

gave up a first round pick to get Palmieri.. the one shift he was on Barzal's line they scored. This shouldn't be that difficult a decision. It's torture watching Leo out there.. torture.
- niteislander

Be prepared to be tortured for the rest of the playoffs. Leo isn't going anywhere.

Bailey getting the puck again right between the dots wide open and passing it backwards to no one was just perfect Josh Bailey.

Forward group is fine but so far the last few years they have not been good enough. Takes a little more than fine to win a Cup and it has not been the goaltending and defense that has stopped the Islanders. I have no complaints with the 2nd line but even that 2nd line during big spots has been stopped. I agree the lack of trust in the young players has hurt.
- ses111

Well if NHL GM’s blew up their forward group every time they didn’t win the cup there would be an awful lot of trading going on which I know you’re a big fan of. I think I figured you out

Brock's shot on that late PP that went over the net will haunt me almost as much as his break away short handed last year in game 6 vs Tampa.

Isles were dominating OT and Varly lets that garbage goal in the net... so friggin deflating.

gave up a first round pick to get Palmieri.. the one shift he was on Barzal's line they scored. This shouldn't be that difficult a decision. It's torture watching Leo out there.. torture.
- niteislander

To me, the moment you put a fourth line guy like Leo on the top line it's lke playing not to lose as opposed to playing to win. Its like running an I fomation on all three downs in football and proclaiming it smart because they won't turnover the ball as much.
As many of us said during the regular season, the concern was that once the clamp down defensive play in the playoffs kicked in, that line would disappear due to the offensive handicap. Both Eberle and Barzal are finesse players that need a netfront presence to help them find space and bang in rebounds. Leo isn't that type of player.
Still, that is only one of many issues here. This team is not playing playoff style offense. Getting the puck on net, mucking and grinding etc. They've made it easy on Boston's dmen

I could not disagree more... This is the playoffs. Weak goals are the difference between winning and losing. Varly gave up 2 weak goals. He made some good saves too but in general most of the shots on net were from the perimeter b/c that is how the Islanders play. very few were point blank shots.. not a lot of odd man rushes... We lost that game b/c Varly was out of position on that last shot. .. and Rask did not let in any weak goals.
- niteislander

Varly was fantastic at times last night and made some incredible saves but I agree with you. He wasn’t good enough. He has been good for 1-3 bad goals a game in the playoffs. That’s the difference between winning and losing in the playoffs. Rask was fantastic varlamov was good. To me in the playoffs as a goaltender you’re not going to let in two weak goals and steal a win most of the time. Also, his 1-3 record in the PO’s doesn’t make me overly confident in him I can care less how dead set trotz is on playing him.

I’m also not going to say he played an incredible game because those two weak goals nullified those great saves he made. We lost on a weak shot from the boards right after Rask stopped a bunch of grade A in the slot chances when we hammered him in the first few mins of OT. That was the difference. Period.

To me, the moment you put a fourth line guy like Leo on the top line it's lke playing not to lose as opposed to playing to win. Its like running an I fomation on all three downs in football and proclaiming it smart because they won't turnover the ball as much.
As many of us said during the regular season, the concern was that once the clamp down defensive play in the playoffs kicked in, that line would disappear due to the offensive handicap. Both Eberle and Barzal are finesse players that need a netfront presence to help them find space and bang in rebounds. Leo isn't that type of player.
Still, that is only one of many issues here. This team is not playing playoff style offense. Getting the puck on net, mucking and grinding etc. They've made it easy on Boston's dmen
- keaner17

Ding ding ding 🛎

Varly was fantastic at times last night and made some incredible saves but I agree with you. He wasn’t good enough. He has been good for 1-3 bad goals a game in the playoffs. That’s the difference between winning and losing in the playoffs. Rask was fantastic varlamov was good. To me in the playoffs as a goaltender you’re not going to let in two weak goals and steal a win most of the time.

I’m also not going to say he played an incredible game because those two weak goals nullified those great saves he made. We lost on a weak shot from the boards right after Rask stopped a bunch of grade A in the slot chances when we hammered him in the first few mins of OT. That was the difference. Period.
- Cptmjl

Exactly.. we didn't get outplayed last night. We got out goalied.. their goalie was better than ours. It's the Playoffs for crying out loud.. Stop letting one of the first 2 shots on net in your fken goal.

Isles were dominating OT and Varly lets that garbage goal in the net... so friggin deflating.
- niteislander

An NHL goalie giving up a farside over the glove shot to a left handed shooter below the hashes on the boards in playoff OT is brutal. While Varly has made some great saves, he has overall been bad these playoffs due to those constant soft goals

Well if NHL GM’s blew up their forward group every time they didn’t win the cup there would be an awful lot of trading going on which I know you’re a big fan of. I think I figured you out
- Cptmjl

I was willing to try Bellows on the 1st line when Lee got hurt. I was not looking for an immediate trade. See I can be flexible.

I was willing to try Bellows on the 1st line when Lee got hurt. I was not looking for an immediate trade. See I can be flexible.
- ses111

There ya go

I was willing to try Bellows on the 1st line when Lee got hurt. I was not looking for an immediate trade. See I can be flexible.
- ses111

They did try it. He scored 3 goals in four games and then got sent back down so Leo could make his triumphant return

If for no other reason than he doesn't start every playoff game letting in one of the first 2 shots on net in
- niteislander

Sorokin has been the clear better goalie these playoffs. Varly is not close to last years Varly in the playoffs.

Exactly.. we didn't get outplayed last night. We got out goalied.. their goalie was better than ours. It's the Playoffs for crying out loud.. Stop letting one of the first 2 shots on net in your fken goal.
- niteislander

Well to be fair the Bruins were taking it to us more then we were them. You can attribute that to us playing our game keeping them to the outside but without looking at some fancy stats charts it certainly seemed like they had a helluva lot more high danger chances then us. Like I said varlamov made some great stops but let in two weak goals. Anyone can put whatever label they want on that but that was the difference between winning and losing last night.

They did try it. He scored 3 goals in four games and then got sent back down so Leo could make his triumphant return
- keaner17

Yeah the next game the entire team played terrible and lost to the devils(I believe) and bellows got benched for it and never returned

I could not disagree more... This is the playoffs. Weak goals are the difference between winning and losing. Varly gave up 2 weak goals. He made some good saves too but in general most of the shots on net were from the perimeter b/c that is how the Islanders play. very few were point blank shots.. not a lot of odd man rushes... We lost that game b/c Varly was out of position on that last shot. .. and Rask did not let in any weak goals.
- niteislander

When your fighting for every inch on the ice you have to shoot the puck from anywhere and look for rebounds and have players in front. Not look for a highlight reel goal everytime. Boston had over 40 shots on goal and won the game buy shooting the puck.

They did try it. He scored 3 goals in four games and then got sent back down so Leo could make his triumphant return
- keaner17

Bellows obviously does not have Barry's trust and it could be for very valid reasons then Bellows needs to move on.

Yeah the next game the entire team played terrible and lost to the devils(I believe) and bellows got benched for it and never returned
- Cptmjl

Not easy to be young players with the Isles and especially young forwards. Not to say Bellows is a star and Isles have top young forward prospects outside of Wally.

There ya go
- Cptmjl

Lou has done very well with trades with the Isles. Darn you Lou I'm going to get hooked on trades again.