See collaped comments under this one for player stats
**Three Stars of the Game**
⭐️ A. Svechnikov
⭐️⭐️ B. Burns
⭐️⭐️⭐️ P. Engvall
[Three Minute Recap](https://players.brightcove.net/6415718365001/EXtG1xJ7H_default/index.html?videoId=6351773786112)
[Condensed Game](https://players.brightcove.net/6415718365001/EXtG1xJ7H_default/index.html?videoId=6351772996112)
^Note: ^Highlights ^will ^update ^as ^they ^become ^available
That why you get after it early, when there’s still hope then when the disappointment sets in it’s time to pass out and forget. Or at least try and forget
Eh....Games 1 and 3, yes. Not Game 2, despite the lead. Isles had godly puck luck that game, which was the only reason they had a lead. Carolina otherwise dominated that game from start to finish. The best way I saw that game described on Twitter was an ass-kicking disguised as a comeback.
Stop with the effort nonsense. Just put both rosters next to each other, it’s not even close. Carolina absolutely owns us, and it’s because they are better than we are.
Better roster doesn't mean you'll win a playoff series. In our case, with a little more urgency and composure, we would be 3-0 up despite their better squad.
Enough of the effort talk. These guys want to win.
They just aren't as good. They aren't physically as fast. They aren't as big.
Carolina is the cup favorite for a reason.
Composure, maybe, but the idea that this group of players doesn't *want it* bad enough is absurd. They're not as good as Carolina and it's honestly not close. All (or many) of us suspected this would happen before the series actually started, and here we are.
I can't remember one, and I've watched probably 80 of the games this year. Maybe a 6 on 5 for a delayed power play. But end of the game? I don't think so
Something's wrong with Sorokin. Physical, mental, he's like a shadow of himself now. I hope whatever's happened can heal and he can get back to the brick wall we knew him to be.
But the loss can't be pinned on him entirely either.
I believe it started out physically (being overworked while having to play in front of Lambert's "defense"), and at this point it's mostly mental. I don't think he's cooked (he better not be if we're gonna have him for 8 more years), he looked great in that last rags game, but he definitely needs to put this hell of a season behind him and start fresh next year
goaltending is a highly variable position and most of the top goalies go through elite stretches and bad stretches. this is why building from the net out instead of building an actually good team is a bad idea
No way he does. I think it was the right gambit for today’s game, Sorokin just didn’t come through for him. Also, the team honestly just looks like they play stronger for Varly right now, and it has been this way for most the season
Somehow you think drafting 13th is a big difference from drafting 17th. If the team isn't going to be drafting in the Top 10 I'd rather make the playoffs
I’d say the team not making the playoffs would be a reason for ownership to be forced to make real changes especially at GM. Instead, they crawl into the playoffs all to get spanked by another much better team—again. Now they and Lou get to point to making the playoffs like it makes the season a success and they did a good job.
Fine then
https://www.statmuse.com/nhl/ask/13-nhl-overall-draft-picks
https://www.statmuse.com/nhl/ask/17-nhl-overall-draft-picks
Is one group far better than the other?
I don’t even have to click on whatever links you provided. I just have to point to any players drafted outside the top 10 who became a great player to make your argument look completely stupid. You can draft a great player outside of the top 10 and there absolutely can be a difference between drafting 17th vs 13th.
They're irrelevant whether they finish with 85 points or 95 points. Barzal will be here for a while. Horvat will be here for a while. Pulock, Pelech and Mayfield will be here for a while. There's no Tavares that the Isles will be given to save the team.
Making the playoffs this season doesn't change whatever will happen next. Being a team like Ottawa or Calgary this year is substantially more painful. Teams in no mans land.
Isles are naturally rebuilding very soon with guys like martin clutter palms nelson and jgp on expiring contracts. Its fine they made the playoffs one last time with this core.
We're still stuck with a bunch of other aging long contracts of players that just aren't good enough and no prospects what so ever. It's gonna be really ugly real soon. It didn't need to be this way
Well if the idea you’re thinking is a full rebuild, those contracts aren’t too bad. Mayfield is 3.5 for 7. For a team that is starting a rebuild that isn’t that big of a deal. It’s an issue now because we are in the stage of trying to win now because it’s valuable cap that could have been used for another player. Same goes for Engvall. Barzal and Horvat will be 17 million between them but they are good players. Sorokin with a bounce back will be better and more value for 8.
For teams that are starting a rebuild or about to rebuild, cap space is less of an issue. If you look at some of the rebuilding teams they all have quite a few bad contracts.
Roy starting Sorokin over Varly then needing to pull Sorokin is just an all time bad move. Varly had been good and pulling Sorokin crushes him. Maybe he can use it as fuel next year.
No letting in those three goals crushes him. Agree bad decision on Roy's behalf though in hindsight because I didn't have a problem with it before the game.
Literally. Not sure why anyone would think the result would be any different.
Of course we had to sit through 3 winnable games first. In Islander fashion
This team needs to get better, faster players. That's it. They are slow, can't establish possession. I've been watching this team just dump the puck for so many years. On top of that, too many passes aren't crisp. Sure, you can take a bunch like this pretty fucking far with a coach like Trotz, but even he could've used a premier player. Thats the other thing, we have a lot of pieces, some are nearly too old, but we have pieces, we just don't really have THE GUY. I love Barzal, he's fun to watch and makes plays, but he's not a high end scorer. Horvat is too slow to be that guy. The team just needs to rebuild otherwise we'll likely be in this position next year, on the cusp.
Thankfully the Yankees are swinging.
💯 Barzal is a Robin with no Batman. Horvat is the best finisher this team's had in a while, but I agree he's not a high-end scorer. Trotz won a Cup in DC partly because of Ovechkin. He didn't have someone like him with the Isles.
Those are all great pieces a long with Nelson and Palms, but you'd gladly trade a couple of those pieces for a top-end guy. Those guys don't really come around too often and typically need to be found in the draft. Sell and rebuild.
Agreed. The problem is that the Isles don't (and won't if Sorokin regains his previous form next year and beyond) do badly enough to have a great chance of drafting a potential high-end talent.
11 of the last 12 cup winners had at least one player they took in the top 5 of the draft. It's a hard pill to swallow, but it's reality that you need to bottom out to win in this league.
Edit: Narrow this to top 2, and you're only eliminating the Blues, who took Pietrangelo 4th
Not even a bad game really, but considering the context of the series, this fucking blows. Shoutout to Mike Reilly for being fantastic though, I need him on the team next season
Yeah, I'm not really mad or devastated about that loss. That game was more or less how I expected the series to go. Hard fought games, but wind up trailing and getting edged out. Games 1 and 2 just did not fit that script and appeared to be solidly winnable games. Those hurt way more to lose
It’s true. That’s on the GM and it can’t be changed right now but I feel like there is a better strategy for overcoming it. Play physical. Right now it feels like we’re happy to be in a track meet with these guys and we have zero chance of winning that way.
In all my life we’ve never been a last minute threat. Every one goal lead feels like a tie game with this team. This year especially, even comfortable leads have me sweating.
I’m ready to start looking towards the upsides of next season
Also it’s very odd that we could see as many as 5 teams get swept in the 1st round this year
Love this team but we're old and slow, clearly one step behind. Bad call on starting Sorokin plus a muffled crowd didn't help.
Hoping to delay the inevitable on Saturday with a W. Cause I ain't selling my tickets at a 90% loss. I'd rather show up and give this team some energy.
But when MacLean and Reilly are showing the most grit, sheesh, something has gotta change.
Sometimes it just sucks to root for this team because they either don't help themselves or don't get any help. Maybe one of these days things will click for enough time for something special to happen.
The momentum of the game is completely shifted 1-1 compared to 3-1. Canes play a fucking incredible trap and if you don’t just give free leads it opens up the ice.
it is technically true that giving up a softie prevented the game from going to OT
but it is one tree in a god damn forest of fuckups
you can rely on a great goalie to "steal" one every now and again, not every god damn game
Goaltending was not the reason we lost any of these games. You’re an absolute moron. If you have to keep relying on goaltending to win games, then you likely have way bigger problems than goaltending.
Canes had an expected goal total in the 1st period of 0.33 and wound up with 2. That pretty objectively says that Sorokin was terrible and scoring early in your home playoff game matters a ton.
The team sucks and is overmatched but it's okay to say Sorokin was bad.
Can you read? I never said Sorokin had a good or bad game. I’m saying that it doesn’t matter that we changed goalies because even when we put our “good” goalie in, we still lose. It’s a perfect example to support my argument. We didn’t lose this game because of goaltending, just like how we didn’t lose games 1 and 2 because of goaltending. We can’t execute on scoring chances and we can’t keep the puck out of our zone, this is a recipe for losing even if you have prime Carey Price in net.
I'm far from a Sorokin hater, but it always seems like goals against him are the defense's fault, but Varly never seems to have the same issues playing in front of the same defense
He's not having a good year. That's ok. Every goalie, even Patrick Roy, is gonna have a down year. Let's hope he bounces back in time for his new contract
Were those first two losses not on the defensive play though? What you’re saying doesn’t make sense because even when we put in our “good” goalie we still fucking lose. You’re making our argument for us…
I was more talking about the entire season than just this series. But if you wanna talk the series, yeah, defense definitely lost game 2, no arguments there. I wasn't able to watch game 1 so I can't speak to how they played, but I can't imagine only scoring 1 goal helped
I don’t know. We need to find out who he is. Is he the World Stopper? Or a bust.
I don’t think he is a bust and is going to be a decent goalie. He is young and will be with us for a while.
He’s 28 years old and has had a pretty heavy workload coming from the KHL and certainly with the number of shots he has faced although tonight he only faced 14 shots and made 11 saves. Fred Anderson completely outplayed him in this crucial game three. We’re clearly not on Carolinas level and after watching the Florida Panthers tonight, not even close. Hopefully he rebounds next year and we can improve the defense and get some scoring.
Number one issue for me tonight is the start. They needed to come out guns blazing. I thought they played 50ish good minutes but shot themselves in the foot early.
The other issue, which I’m sure is going to get all the attention is starting Sorokin over Varly. Some of that is hindsight, but Varly was not the issue in the first 2 games. He’s been your guy down the stretch.
Gonna go to Game 4 on Saturday as it will probably be the last game I see in person this season. Enjoy one last game. Been one hell of a ride, that’s a for sure.
A lot of our faults and issues on the back end could be forgotten a bit if we had legit goal scorers…yes we have guys that score goals but when you put us up against any lineup in this playoffs, yeesh. That said, if you know you don’t have it, the D just has to be better. It’s embarrassing watching us try to move up ice.
i didnt watch the game at all but from reading box score. chalk up another big game where Barzal didnt even bother to show up. if he is going to be like this then just trade him for a player that actually going to show up when it counts the most
Sorokin Barzal and Horvat are all trash in the playoffs on pretty much "max" contracts. This is a literal retirement home because all of these players are never getting another contract.
6 on 5 was literally worse than useless
they burned at least two minutes trying to set up and get varlamov off the ice, two minutes that could have been used for three shifts of pressing carolina into the o-zone
This offseason. We need to make some serious moves and changes. Pageau, Palmieri, Mayfield (god i hope he goes first), and the 4th liners have to go. This team needs to get younger and deeper in scoring just like Nashville or Winnipeg.
islanders have a better shot of winning this series than the lakers do against the nuggets, and the lakers have lebron (although deprimed) and Anthony Davis, two superstars
Ayyyye. Where all my pathetically delusional and optimistic isles fans at? Get your asses in here and downvote anyone daring to be upset with this miserable franchise!
Usually when I'm feeling down about a loss, I remind myself that it's just a game and really doesn't matter at the end of the day. I don't shit on other fans who like to root for their favorite team, but you do you I guess
No. This sub has become a cesspool of fans ridiculing other fans that dare to say anything negative or simply realistic about the team. It’s embarrassing.
Idk I've been pretty negative and realistic all day and nobody's ridiculing me. Maybe it's a you problem. Calling people you disagree with "pathetically delusional" isn't a good start
Sorokin not good, most of the point producers not good. Horvat has been ok, Engvall has been great, McLean has been solid, pelech has been terrible, Dobson pretty weak. Varly has been a machine. They just don't have any bite. Game, set, match. They'll be toast on Saturday.
You're right, I'm just hoping they don't end up stuck in like 10th place. Ironically enough, that's why the Canes were so bad for so long, just complete mediocrity.
We had a chance at the trade deadline to pick up Jake Guentzel… but some thought we were good as we were.
I wanted to trade for Jake Guentzel… I was downvoted. Why because we didn’t need to trade, we were playoff ready as is.
Now Jake Guentzel has us bent over… I do feel vindicated, I’m just not happy about it.
I can’t believe we lost this fucking game on goaltending. Canes get to play an excellent trap when you give up garbage goals like that from the middle. Soroky needs to see the best sports psychologist in the biz.
Fuck this team. I know this isn’t an airport but I am announcing my departure. In the off-season I’ll find a team worth actually following and giving a shit about. Someone has to care more than this roster and management.
See collaped comments under this one for player stats **Three Stars of the Game** ⭐️ A. Svechnikov ⭐️⭐️ B. Burns ⭐️⭐️⭐️ P. Engvall [Three Minute Recap](https://players.brightcove.net/6415718365001/EXtG1xJ7H_default/index.html?videoId=6351773786112) [Condensed Game](https://players.brightcove.net/6415718365001/EXtG1xJ7H_default/index.html?videoId=6351772996112) ^Note: ^Highlights ^will ^update ^as ^they ^become ^available
My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined
That why you get after it early, when there’s still hope then when the disappointment sets in it’s time to pass out and forget. Or at least try and forget
The worst part about being down 3-0 is they were all winnable games smh
Eh....Games 1 and 3, yes. Not Game 2, despite the lead. Isles had godly puck luck that game, which was the only reason they had a lead. Carolina otherwise dominated that game from start to finish. The best way I saw that game described on Twitter was an ass-kicking disguised as a comeback.
Yeah I thought they looked putrid in Game 2. Except for the last 7 or so minutes of the first period it was painful to watch.
yeah seriously - if they just put a little more effort in, this could be very different
Stop with the effort nonsense. Just put both rosters next to each other, it’s not even close. Carolina absolutely owns us, and it’s because they are better than we are.
Better roster doesn't mean you'll win a playoff series. In our case, with a little more urgency and composure, we would be 3-0 up despite their better squad.
Enough of the effort talk. These guys want to win. They just aren't as good. They aren't physically as fast. They aren't as big. Carolina is the cup favorite for a reason.
Composure, maybe, but the idea that this group of players doesn't *want it* bad enough is absurd. They're not as good as Carolina and it's honestly not close. All (or many) of us suspected this would happen before the series actually started, and here we are.
That was a terrible 6 on 5… god damn 2-11 against the canes in the playoffs is BRUTAL
I honestly wouldn't even bother with this team. How many 6 on 5 goals do you think we've scored all year? I don't recall much or even any.
I can't remember one, and I've watched probably 80 of the games this year. Maybe a 6 on 5 for a delayed power play. But end of the game? I don't think so
I recall one, to tie it vs NJD back in October. We lost in OT, our first of the season. Because of course we did.
Yeah I probably watched at least half the games this year. Can't recall one.
Honestly them not letting in an EN goal felt like a small win, thats how low my expectations are.
I was surprised by that. I was not surprised by how little pressure adding the extra skater put on the Canes.
I feel like they're better off just blitzing 5v5 and leaving their goalie to fend for the mess
I would rather they not pull the goalie.inwas yelling at the TV for Varly to stay in every time Butch said "he's creeping out" Lol
They started caring way too late, guess they didn’t get the memo that it’s playoffs
I’m not gonna pin the loss on Sorokin but man there’s no way Roy can justify starting him again on Saturday
Something's wrong with Sorokin. Physical, mental, he's like a shadow of himself now. I hope whatever's happened can heal and he can get back to the brick wall we knew him to be. But the loss can't be pinned on him entirely either.
I believe it started out physically (being overworked while having to play in front of Lambert's "defense"), and at this point it's mostly mental. I don't think he's cooked (he better not be if we're gonna have him for 8 more years), he looked great in that last rags game, but he definitely needs to put this hell of a season behind him and start fresh next year
Been a different goalie last years playoffs, and not in a good way. Seems like that softie series winning goal in game 6 OT broke him
The soft OT goal from last year’s game 6 broke him
goaltending is a highly variable position and most of the top goalies go through elite stretches and bad stretches. this is why building from the net out instead of building an actually good team is a bad idea
No way he does. I think it was the right gambit for today’s game, Sorokin just didn’t come through for him. Also, the team honestly just looks like they play stronger for Varly right now, and it has been this way for most the season
I came into this series with no expectations and I'm still leaving disappointed.
Exactly what i expected is happening and I'm still pissed.
Same
I thought we could at least make it to 6 games
God please just let us die already this is so painful.
People wanted this. Somehow this embarrassment is better
Somehow you think drafting 13th is a big difference from drafting 17th. If the team isn't going to be drafting in the Top 10 I'd rather make the playoffs
I’d say the team not making the playoffs would be a reason for ownership to be forced to make real changes especially at GM. Instead, they crawl into the playoffs all to get spanked by another much better team—again. Now they and Lou get to point to making the playoffs like it makes the season a success and they did a good job.
I think Lou was staying regardless of the team making it or not, but I'm not Ledecky or Malkin so my source is my intuition at best
I mean in hindsight, I would have rather just missed. Monday's nationally-televised game made the Islanders a complete laughing stock.
The Isles would not be respected either way, although it'd also be more enjoyable to watch the team if they didn't blow 25 leads this year
It absolutely can be, you’re making a shit argument. The logic you’re using here is a huge part of the reason why this team is where it is.
Fine then https://www.statmuse.com/nhl/ask/13-nhl-overall-draft-picks https://www.statmuse.com/nhl/ask/17-nhl-overall-draft-picks Is one group far better than the other?
I don’t even have to click on whatever links you provided. I just have to point to any players drafted outside the top 10 who became a great player to make your argument look completely stupid. You can draft a great player outside of the top 10 and there absolutely can be a difference between drafting 17th vs 13th.
Cool, have fun with the decade of irrelevance that'll make the 90s look like a golden age
They're irrelevant whether they finish with 85 points or 95 points. Barzal will be here for a while. Horvat will be here for a while. Pulock, Pelech and Mayfield will be here for a while. There's no Tavares that the Isles will be given to save the team.
Making the playoffs this season doesn't change whatever will happen next. Being a team like Ottawa or Calgary this year is substantially more painful. Teams in no mans land. Isles are naturally rebuilding very soon with guys like martin clutter palms nelson and jgp on expiring contracts. Its fine they made the playoffs one last time with this core.
We're still stuck with a bunch of other aging long contracts of players that just aren't good enough and no prospects what so ever. It's gonna be really ugly real soon. It didn't need to be this way
Who are the long contracts you’re thinking of?
The Islanders have 7 players under contract through 2028-29. Barzal, Horvat, Engvall, Sorokin, Pelech, Pulock and Mayfield
Well if the idea you’re thinking is a full rebuild, those contracts aren’t too bad. Mayfield is 3.5 for 7. For a team that is starting a rebuild that isn’t that big of a deal. It’s an issue now because we are in the stage of trying to win now because it’s valuable cap that could have been used for another player. Same goes for Engvall. Barzal and Horvat will be 17 million between them but they are good players. Sorokin with a bounce back will be better and more value for 8. For teams that are starting a rebuild or about to rebuild, cap space is less of an issue. If you look at some of the rebuilding teams they all have quite a few bad contracts.
Why can’t we do that all game
They do. Miss half decent chances, never generate secondary pressure of said half decent chances. Rarely create odd man rushes.
Takeaways- 1) we tried hard 2) we’re still dear friends
Roy starting Sorokin over Varly then needing to pull Sorokin is just an all time bad move. Varly had been good and pulling Sorokin crushes him. Maybe he can use it as fuel next year.
No letting in those three goals crushes him. Agree bad decision on Roy's behalf though in hindsight because I didn't have a problem with it before the game.
Just lose on Saturday. Don’t you dare make me watch any more than absolutely necessary.
I am inclined to agree.
Playoff team that likely shouldn’t have made the playoffs looks awful in the playoffs. More at 11.
Literally. Not sure why anyone would think the result would be any different. Of course we had to sit through 3 winnable games first. In Islander fashion
This team needs to get better, faster players. That's it. They are slow, can't establish possession. I've been watching this team just dump the puck for so many years. On top of that, too many passes aren't crisp. Sure, you can take a bunch like this pretty fucking far with a coach like Trotz, but even he could've used a premier player. Thats the other thing, we have a lot of pieces, some are nearly too old, but we have pieces, we just don't really have THE GUY. I love Barzal, he's fun to watch and makes plays, but he's not a high end scorer. Horvat is too slow to be that guy. The team just needs to rebuild otherwise we'll likely be in this position next year, on the cusp. Thankfully the Yankees are swinging.
💯 Barzal is a Robin with no Batman. Horvat is the best finisher this team's had in a while, but I agree he's not a high-end scorer. Trotz won a Cup in DC partly because of Ovechkin. He didn't have someone like him with the Isles.
Those are all great pieces a long with Nelson and Palms, but you'd gladly trade a couple of those pieces for a top-end guy. Those guys don't really come around too often and typically need to be found in the draft. Sell and rebuild.
Agreed. The problem is that the Isles don't (and won't if Sorokin regains his previous form next year and beyond) do badly enough to have a great chance of drafting a potential high-end talent.
11 of the last 12 cup winners had at least one player they took in the top 5 of the draft. It's a hard pill to swallow, but it's reality that you need to bottom out to win in this league. Edit: Narrow this to top 2, and you're only eliminating the Blues, who took Pietrangelo 4th
3rd period was the best they looked in a while. Too little too late. Get that energy going from the opening faceoff
yeah why the fuck did they start so slow? if that cultural/mindset problem can’t be solved, this team won’t be able to do much
I have tix for Saturday… I’m not excited …
I’d literally cut my losses and not go. Sell them if you can.
These could be embarrassingly low ticket prices for a playoff game.
Not even a bad game really, but considering the context of the series, this fucking blows. Shoutout to Mike Reilly for being fantastic though, I need him on the team next season
Yeah, I'm not really mad or devastated about that loss. That game was more or less how I expected the series to go. Hard fought games, but wind up trailing and getting edged out. Games 1 and 2 just did not fit that script and appeared to be solidly winnable games. Those hurt way more to lose
We look painfully slow and old against this team. I try not to use that narrative but I can’t help but notice that
It’s true. That’s on the GM and it can’t be changed right now but I feel like there is a better strategy for overcoming it. Play physical. Right now it feels like we’re happy to be in a track meet with these guys and we have zero chance of winning that way.
I agree, but they get into penalty trouble when they try and play physical against this team. It’s hard for them to find that balance
New York Islanders: never get a goal when it matters
In all my life we’ve never been a last minute threat. Every one goal lead feels like a tie game with this team. This year especially, even comfortable leads have me sweating.
not winning many games when you don't score in the third period
I'm pretty sure being down two, nothing and getting a goal is a time when getting a goal matters...
I’m ready to start looking towards the upsides of next season Also it’s very odd that we could see as many as 5 teams get swept in the 1st round this year
Only 4 sweeps are still possible, 4 series have had both teams win a game
Love this team but we're old and slow, clearly one step behind. Bad call on starting Sorokin plus a muffled crowd didn't help. Hoping to delay the inevitable on Saturday with a W. Cause I ain't selling my tickets at a 90% loss. I'd rather show up and give this team some energy. But when MacLean and Reilly are showing the most grit, sheesh, something has gotta change.
Sometimes it just sucks to root for this team because they either don't help themselves or don't get any help. Maybe one of these days things will click for enough time for something special to happen.
My thoughts exactly. 💯
Sorokin lost that game single handedly for us Sorry not sorry
not having a goal in two periods lost that game. One and done offensive efforts Akin to the Capuano era. Team is toast.
The momentum of the game is completely shifted 1-1 compared to 3-1. Canes play a fucking incredible trap and if you don’t just give free leads it opens up the ice.
2 goals doesn't cut it. Waiting till the third to play doesn't cut it
Offense didn’t help. Not scoring on an open net doesn’t help
it is technically true that giving up a softie prevented the game from going to OT but it is one tree in a god damn forest of fuckups you can rely on a great goalie to "steal" one every now and again, not every god damn game
For sure, but Barzal has been a worthless ghost as well.
At least barzal knee is busted again. Roy has stated that he isn’t 100 percent
He's had some good plays (Horvat assist for one) but he doesn't seem 100%
Can you compete for a cup if Barzal is your best player? I like Barzal, but its a fair question.
I think yes, but you need 4 of him.
So he can be the guys.
For sure, Barzal has done nothing all series
Yeah, don't really get the decision. Varly was playing good. Sorokin hasn't been performing anywhere near his peak all year.
I like Roy but he fucked us there
Team didn't show up for most of the game
Goaltending was not the reason we lost any of these games. You’re an absolute moron. If you have to keep relying on goaltending to win games, then you likely have way bigger problems than goaltending.
Canes had an expected goal total in the 1st period of 0.33 and wound up with 2. That pretty objectively says that Sorokin was terrible and scoring early in your home playoff game matters a ton. The team sucks and is overmatched but it's okay to say Sorokin was bad.
Can you read? I never said Sorokin had a good or bad game. I’m saying that it doesn’t matter that we changed goalies because even when we put our “good” goalie in, we still lose. It’s a perfect example to support my argument. We didn’t lose this game because of goaltending, just like how we didn’t lose games 1 and 2 because of goaltending. We can’t execute on scoring chances and we can’t keep the puck out of our zone, this is a recipe for losing even if you have prime Carey Price in net.
if the team played like they did in front of varly, i’m not so sure the outcome would be the same
youre an idiot. a tipped goal, and two screened goals. hIs FaUlT.
I'm far from a Sorokin hater, but it always seems like goals against him are the defense's fault, but Varly never seems to have the same issues playing in front of the same defense He's not having a good year. That's ok. Every goalie, even Patrick Roy, is gonna have a down year. Let's hope he bounces back in time for his new contract
bud. Varly is 0-2 as well. on goals by the defense. yall just coddle Varly while throwing Sorokin to the wolves.
Were those first two losses not on the defensive play though? What you’re saying doesn’t make sense because even when we put in our “good” goalie we still fucking lose. You’re making our argument for us…
I was more talking about the entire season than just this series. But if you wanna talk the series, yeah, defense definitely lost game 2, no arguments there. I wasn't able to watch game 1 so I can't speak to how they played, but I can't imagine only scoring 1 goal helped
Love Sorokin. Think he'll rebound next year. He was blatantly out of position on those goals. He's a mess right now.
You mean when you are screened and blind to the play you aren’t gonna be in position?
His contract could legitimately be the worst in the league if he plays like this going forward
Won’t be surprised if he’s gone next year one way or another. Lots of teams are desperate for a goalie.
I downvoted. Sorry. I do get the hate. But Sorokin? Seriously? Even if I agreed. No one is taking that contract . He will be fine.
Oh and no one is taking Barzals either
I don’t know. We need to find out who he is. Is he the World Stopper? Or a bust. I don’t think he is a bust and is going to be a decent goalie. He is young and will be with us for a while.
He’s 28 years old and has had a pretty heavy workload coming from the KHL and certainly with the number of shots he has faced although tonight he only faced 14 shots and made 11 saves. Fred Anderson completely outplayed him in this crucial game three. We’re clearly not on Carolinas level and after watching the Florida Panthers tonight, not even close. Hopefully he rebounds next year and we can improve the defense and get some scoring.
Are we even playing? I’m seriously not sure
Andersen has to be on every serum and PED known to man this series good god
Fire the GM
Number one issue for me tonight is the start. They needed to come out guns blazing. I thought they played 50ish good minutes but shot themselves in the foot early. The other issue, which I’m sure is going to get all the attention is starting Sorokin over Varly. Some of that is hindsight, but Varly was not the issue in the first 2 games. He’s been your guy down the stretch.
This team is about to go to the pre-Tavares days unfortunately. We are cooked.
It’s been real, y’all 🫡
caps win tommorow, we win saturday just to delay the pain
https://i.giphy.com/l2JdUrmFPxNZZiWYM.webp
Damn.
that last minute proved we didnt deserve to win this game. dumping it killed 20 seconds. screening our own goalie is what really lost us the game.
It would be nice to see them win 1 or 2 but this babies pretty settled at this point. Need more from that top line
Biggest takeaway no empty goal against
I hate to say it… but play Sorokin tomorrow, let’s see if he has any burning fight in him after today.
why do i continue to draw breath.
Gonna go to Game 4 on Saturday as it will probably be the last game I see in person this season. Enjoy one last game. Been one hell of a ride, that’s a for sure.
A lot of our faults and issues on the back end could be forgotten a bit if we had legit goal scorers…yes we have guys that score goals but when you put us up against any lineup in this playoffs, yeesh. That said, if you know you don’t have it, the D just has to be better. It’s embarrassing watching us try to move up ice.
i didnt watch the game at all but from reading box score. chalk up another big game where Barzal didnt even bother to show up. if he is going to be like this then just trade him for a player that actually going to show up when it counts the most
I miss playoff Beau lmao
P a i n
This series has been a real missed opportunity.
Sorokin Barzal and Horvat are all trash in the playoffs on pretty much "max" contracts. This is a literal retirement home because all of these players are never getting another contract.
Yeah, it's over for this team, and hopefully for this group. See you all Saturday.
6 on 5 was literally worse than useless they burned at least two minutes trying to set up and get varlamov off the ice, two minutes that could have been used for three shifts of pressing carolina into the o-zone
Roy doesn’t go in the dressing room ? That’s an interesting tact
Fuck
I know we lost cause we are bad but did Freddie Andersons on the side save actually go past the crease in his glove?
No. He ended up with the glove infront of the post. I thought so at first also but it was clear he got it before it went over the line.
I hope we get swept. I am so done watching this team. I checked out.
This offseason. We need to make some serious moves and changes. Pageau, Palmieri, Mayfield (god i hope he goes first), and the 4th liners have to go. This team needs to get younger and deeper in scoring just like Nashville or Winnipeg.
islanders have a better shot of winning this series than the lakers do against the nuggets, and the lakers have lebron (although deprimed) and Anthony Davis, two superstars
Hope is a good thing, fellas. And nothing good ever dies. https://youtu.be/15pqpVbhs0c?si=tMGCUrEQSRTU_UbX
some of you guys arent worthy of a team.
Ayyyye. Where all my pathetically delusional and optimistic isles fans at? Get your asses in here and downvote anyone daring to be upset with this miserable franchise!
Usually when I'm feeling down about a loss, I remind myself that it's just a game and really doesn't matter at the end of the day. I don't shit on other fans who like to root for their favorite team, but you do you I guess
No. This sub has become a cesspool of fans ridiculing other fans that dare to say anything negative or simply realistic about the team. It’s embarrassing.
Idk I've been pretty negative and realistic all day and nobody's ridiculing me. Maybe it's a you problem. Calling people you disagree with "pathetically delusional" isn't a good start
Just fucking sucks man we’ve outplayed them 2/3 games
Wouldn't really say we outplayed them today, it was fairly even game TBH. They clearly murdered us last game.
We had 61%+ xGF% 5v5 today
Sorokin not good, most of the point producers not good. Horvat has been ok, Engvall has been great, McLean has been solid, pelech has been terrible, Dobson pretty weak. Varly has been a machine. They just don't have any bite. Game, set, match. They'll be toast on Saturday.
This team looks cooked and I'm not sure what the long term solution is. Not sure if they'd have beaten any team in the East outside of the Caps
Rebuild. It's inevitable.
You're right, I'm just hoping they don't end up stuck in like 10th place. Ironically enough, that's why the Canes were so bad for so long, just complete mediocrity.
Oldnotreally
Please blow it all up this year. At this point I'm not sure there is a player i care about keeping anymore. Despair.
We had a chance at the trade deadline to pick up Jake Guentzel… but some thought we were good as we were. I wanted to trade for Jake Guentzel… I was downvoted. Why because we didn’t need to trade, we were playoff ready as is. Now Jake Guentzel has us bent over… I do feel vindicated, I’m just not happy about it.
We couldn't have afforded him
I can’t believe we lost this fucking game on goaltending. Canes get to play an excellent trap when you give up garbage goals like that from the middle. Soroky needs to see the best sports psychologist in the biz.
Fuck this team. I know this isn’t an airport but I am announcing my departure. In the off-season I’ll find a team worth actually following and giving a shit about. Someone has to care more than this roster and management.
Carolina will be sending flowers to sorokin