N.Y. Islanders: Garth Snow's Seat Getting Hotter

From the desks of: 

FIVE FOR FLATBUSH  and  RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

THE RIVALRY - III

Islanders lead series 3-0

I - NYI 4; NYR 3*

II - NYI 7; NYR 2

III - NYI 3; NYR 0

*shootout

I read in Friday's Newsday how the Islanders are now 10-1-0 in their last eleven games against the Rangers, and that Jaroslav Halak is 13-1-0 in his last 14 head-to-head match-ups against Henrik Lundqvist.

There you go ...

Look what the Islanders did to the Rangers ... again!

Josh Bailey scored on a power play less than five minutes into the opening period of Thursday's game at Barclays.  Jordan Eberle and Thomas Hickey added goals in the second and third periods respectively.

Halak, meanwhile, turned away all fifty Rangers shots on goal to best Henrik Lindqvist, whom faced 35 shots but only made 32 saves.

The Islanders have now outscored the Rangers this season by a 13-5 margin through nine periods of regulation hockey.

Flatbush blew into Carolina like a hurricane the very next night.  The Islanders equaled Thursday's output with another three goals against Cam Ward and the Canes.  But the eye of this storm was goalie Thomas Greiss.  He followed Halak's golden effort with a 44-save effort of his own.

Playing in his fifth game back after missing all of January, the sorely missed Johnny Boychuk opened the scoring in the second period with his fourth goal of the season.  Second year winger Anthony Beauvillier scored his fourteenth goal of the season midway through the third (he scored nine goals in 66 games last season as a rookie).

John Tavares capped off the scoring with an empty-netter in the closing minute of regulation.  It was his 30th of the season, marking the fourth time in his nine year career in which he's achieved thirty or more goals.  The number one overall selection of the 2009 entry draft, Tavares notched the 600th point of his career on Feb. 13 against the Blue Jackets.

JOHN TAVARES

600 POINTS

That makes four huge points when they needed them most.  The Isles leveled their record in February to 4-3-1, but more importantly temporarily elevated themselves back into the playoff picture.  As of Saturday night, the Islanders are eighth in the conference standings, one point ahead of Columbus and Carolina, and four points behind the New Jersey Devils.  The Islanders and Devils face off next Saturday at Newark.

MATHEW BARZAL

60 games; 16 goals; 46 assists; 62 points

Joins Mike Bossy and Brian Trottier 

as only NYI rookies to achieve 60 points

Snow Must Go ... is now an official movement.

In his twelfth season as general manager, Garth Snow's seat is getting hotter by the day.

Fans are pretty fed up with the team's defense; their two-headed goalie situation is what it is; and even head coach Doug Weight has his detractors.  But fans want Snow active as the trade deadline draws near and being sellers is strictly out of the question. 

They're already riddled with anxiety over the seeming lack of progress in the John Tavares contract negotiations.  Snow arguably has the Islanders well positioned for the near future.  He has a couple of extra picks in the first two rounds of the June draft.  I would stay the course, though, and ensure Tavares gets signed. 

Otherwise, Garth Snow is in a real bind.  If he fails to upgrade the team by the deadline, fans may light his chair on fire (not that I'm trying to give them ideas).

I'm a Rangers fan ... what would I know.

The "rebuilding" Rangers, continue skating in the opposite direction.  They have now lost seven of their last nine games - outright (no overtime; no shootout).  After recent losses against the Wild and Islanders, they got scrubbed again on Saturday by the Ottawa Senators.

Good!

ICYMI: Read This!

Ryan McDonagh was a scratch for the fifth straight game.  I'm not buying this crap he's suffering an upper body injury.  But I also think it's pure coincidence that he hasn't played since Feb. 7 after infamously lashing out at team mates fresh after sustaining a 6-1 drubbing against the Bruins.  I simply believe a trade for McDonagh is being negotiated and the Rangers are not risking injury.

In the meantime, the Rangers continue getting poor two-way play; they don't hit; they don't pick up the hangers; and Alain Vigneault continues letting teams take point blank shots at Henrik Lundqvist.

I was beginning to rant ... sorry.

There's just something about losing 6-3 against the fourth worst team in hockey.

Watching Derick Brassard playing for Ottawa also reminds me of this team's piss-poor cap management.  I'm just saying ... Brassard was a salary cap hit same as Keith Yandle; Carl Hagelin; Brandon Prust; even Colton Orr!  The list goes on - all in the name to shave a buck.

I'm still shaking my head over Yandle.

The Rangers are firmly anchored to last place of the Metropolitan Division, and have fallen to eleventh in the conference standings.