I don’t think the Refs had an influence in the outcome of this one in any way honestly.
Coop’s their coach and he’s going to skew it Tampa’s way in the PO’s and try to get some traction from the refs. It’s a best of 7 and there’s a lot of hockey to be played. I agree Islanders executed their game plan and were the better team today. Tampa will reset and come out hard the next game and the Islanders will need to be even better than they were tonight to win game 2. This will be a very hard fought series between 2 great teams with really great staffs behind them. No one should think this will be easy for either team.
- nyisles7

Agreed. I really didn't expect Tampa to win both games to start the series. They've done it on the road against, but almost always drop one of the first two at home. I mean, Bolts fans wanna win that first game, but the Isles had a score to settle and they drew first blood. It was good playoff hockey and might be the continued growth of a budding rivalry - an unlikely one, but here we are two years in a row.

If the Bolts don't come out like a steamroller tomorrow, then I'll get start getting worried.

Isles were the better team by far imho tonight. Again Cooper’s team will be ready to go Tuesday night. That said, so will Trotz’s team. Take your stretch pass and stick it
Let’s go Islanders!
- nyisles7

Stick it in vasileskys 5 hole byatch

Agreed. I really didn't expect Tampa to win both games to start the series. They've done it on the road against, but almost always drop one of the first two at home. I mean, Bolts fans wanna win that first game, but the Isles had a score to settle and they drew first blood. It was good playoff hockey and might be the continued growth of a budding rivalry - an unlikely one, but here we are two years in a row.

If the Bolts don't come out like a steamroller tomorrow, then I'll get start getting worried.
- GalacticStone

Agree, The Bolts have a statement to make in game #2. If they don’t take game 2, it will be a lot harder series for them to win obviously.

I thought we were friends pig!

Friends off! (frank) the Habs and especially that female genitalia Gallagher.
- TurdFergeson

We are friends!

But Gallagher is a fave of mine. The exact sorta winger the Islanders (and Oilers for that matter) would love to have. So I’ll wish him the best till he meets the Islanders.

Stick it in vasileskys 5 hole byatch
- Upstate_isles

I don’t have to, Barzal already did on goal #1 ass!

Just curious if the narrative that barzal is good but not a star still applies? 4 goals in 5 games and he's playing a 200 foot game and drawing penalties like he normally does.

Just curious if the narrative that barzal is good but not a star still applies? 4 goals in 5 games and he's playing a 200 foot game and drawing penalties like he normally does.
- Upstate_isles

Did they take Leo off his wing those last 5 games?????

Just curious if the narrative that barzal is good but not a star still applies? 4 goals in 5 games and he's playing a 200 foot game and drawing penalties like he normally does.
- Upstate_isles

How many of those goals were with Leo on the ice?

How many of those goals were with Leo on the ice?
- JimmyP

The 2nd for sure

The 2nd for sure
- Upstate_isles

I think we should change the lines fir game 2 then what do you fantasy HB GM’s think?

How many of those goals were with Leo on the ice?
- JimmyP

I believe one....

I believe one....
- keaner17

Well we won yesterday’s game cuz Komarov of course. So much stupid. Not sure who is worse our own internal moron or the idiots from other fan bases?

Well we won yesterday’s game cuz Komarov of course. So much stupid. Not sure who is worse our own internal moron or the idiots from other fan bases?
- Cptmjl

Good thing Lee has not been playing during these playoffs.

The fact Barzal can do any of this with Leo on his wing shows how special Barzal is as a player.

barry trotz is a helluva coach...how washington could ever let him go, especially after their first cup win, is beyond me

Well we won yesterday’s game cuz Komarov of course. So much stupid. Not sure who is worse our own internal moron or the idiots from other fan bases?
- Cptmjl

For a guy who claims he's sick of everyone talking about Leo, he sure loves to bring him up

barry trotz is a helluva coach...how washington could ever let him go, especially after their first cup win, is beyond me
- Michael Pachla

If he ever manages to win a cup with us, Caps fans are going to lose their poop. The guy is brilliant

If he ever manages to win a cup with us, Caps fans are going to lose their poop. The guy is brilliant
- keaner17

absolutely brilliant...haters don't get it when it comes to him and what he's doing with the isles...i love it

If he ever manages to win a cup with us, Caps fans are going to lose their poop. The guy is brilliant
- keaner17

Barry even gets this Islander team to a Cup he will need a special wing in the Hall.

The Islannders have 12 players who were drafted in the first round on the current roster.. Varly, Pulock, Beau, Barzal, Bailey, Brock, Leddy, Eberle, Palmieri, Zajac, Dobson, and Wahlstrom... (4 more if you included the scratches in Bellows, Hickey, MDC, and dare I say it.. Ladd).

they gave up a first for JGP.. and Mayfield was pretty close to a first round pick 33rd ?

they have 8 or 9 guys who have scored 20-30 goals in a season.

My point is the "experts" who are shocked by this team's "No Name" talent winning is beyond absurd. They are Big, Fast, and very well coached. It's not a trap.. it's 4 lines of big fast talent forechecking, hitting and playing responsible defensively responsible hockey.

I’m a right leaning Libertarian but he’s an idiot. There’s no correlation between Republicans and a lack of intelligence. That’s a media driven talking point to make a particular voting base feel better about themselves that far too many easily manipulated people believe. He is not a representation of Republicans as a whole nor a representation of your fan base. He’s just an idiot.
- Cptmjl

love this

The Islannders have 12 players who were drafted in the first round on the current roster.. Varly, Pulock, Beau, Barzal, Bailey, Brock, Leddy, Eberle, Palmieri, Zajac, Dobson, and Wahlstrom... (4 more if you included the scratches in Bellows, Hickey, MDC, and dare I say it.. Ladd).

they gave up a first for JGP.. and Mayfield was pretty close to a first round pick 33rd ?

they have 8 or 9 guys who have scored 20-30 goals in a season.

My point is the "experts" who are shocked by this team's "No Name" talent winning is beyond absurd. They are Big, Fast, and very well coached. It's not a trap.. it's 4 lines of big fast talent forechecking, hitting and playing responsible defensively responsible hockey.
- niteislander

Isles do not have star power talent like teams like Tampa and Colorado but the Isles have good talent. Many of us were saying for years Nelson and Bailey and Eberle have the talent and Barry has been able to bring it out of them and this team. Coaching was clearly the biggest issue for years. Many HB posters and even hockey experts only mentioned the Isles need for a goalie and never a mention about coaching. Lou has done a great job adding to the talent but much of the talent was already here and this team never had a decent coach. Now they have an all time great. The Isles have a huge edge in the coaching department and maybe this will push the Isles over the top?

Unlike the Bruins the Lightning will push back against the Islanders if they try to hammer and target one of their players. Watching Boston let McAvoy get eaten alive was a sight to behold to be honest, I could not believe they would not stand up for him though I also think McAvoy is somewhat soft he turtled in last years playoffs when both Cernak and Bogosian went with him. The Lightning will not allow that to happen, the targeted player himself or other guys the team has will keep that in check.

The Lightning can muck it up with the best of them and still win. What makes them so dangerous is the fact they can play any style and still win. I expect a hard checking, hard fought series, what I don't want to see is cheap shots like Palmeri did on McAvoy or Palat did to Pesce. I want to see the best players play against each other not and get knocked out with petty bullcrap. Hopefully the officials are fair and call it both ways. Going to be a great series just like last year.

Also last year the Lightning had no Stamkos, Point missed two games and played injured, Killorn missed a game, McDonagh was hurt, Kucherov was hurt, etc. I agree with you 100% we can't use last year as a gauge for this year based on who played and who did not. Its a whole new series, I am sure each coach has tweaked their game plan and this series is going to be a long hard fought battle. I feel the Lightning will win but would not shock me at all if the Islanders pull it off. Going to be fun to watch.
- stammerman

This is such a joke of a take.. I love every time the Islander's hit anyone it's characterized as "going after" or "took a run at" .. but when the other team hits, tackles, or cross checks Pelech or Barzal it's always... "finished his check".

It's honestly an absurd theme by bitter idiots. the Moron on NBC started that nonsens within the first 8 seconds. Savard dumped the puck in and Martin barely bumped him.... "Matt Martin took a run at Savard" .. when u watch one of the 87 replays today watch that first hit. It's comical.

Isles do not have star power talent like teams like Tampa and Colorado but the Isles have good talent. Many of us were saying for years Nelson and Bailey and Eberle have the talent and Barry has been able to bring it out of them and this team. Coaching was clearly the biggest issue for years. Many HB posters and even hockey experts only mentioned the Isles need for a goalie and never a mention about coaching. Lou has done a great job adding to the talent but much of the talent was already here and this team never had a decent coach. Now they have an all time great. The Isles have a huge edge in the coaching department and maybe this will push the Isles over the top?
- ses111

They don't have the "Super Star" talent.. but instead they have 4 lines of very very good talent.

Here we go.

Let's keep it clean.

May the refs be consistent.

The last one is probably a pipe dream.
- GalacticStone

We are always clean.. don't believe the Bruins and Pens idiots.

I've never been a fan of Cooper. I dialed back my criticisms of him after the Bolts won the Cup, but I still don't like his smug face and lawyer-influenced way of handling questions and making statements. He sounds like a phucking politician when he talks.

The calls were fair. First one was blatant. I forget who it was, but he got beat and he had to haul the guy down to prevent him from walking in. You have to call that.

Second one was less blatant, but still valid.

I missed the third one - I was cooking spaghetti.

Calls looked even to me. I saw a couple noncalls against the Bolts, but nothing blatant, just some ticky tack stuff that could go either way. Nothing to have butthurt about. I've seen far worse officiating.

Bolts got beat. No way around it. Isles wanted it more.
- GalacticStone

First call on us was pretty light to say the least. Second was foolish of Brock but Kucherov certainly helped it out making believe he got hit in the face. 3 pp to 2.. and u scored a PP goal so not sure what He was complaining about frankly.