Thursday night in the NHL playoffs was a mixed bag. Colorado and Dallas were in a wild shootout (not the breakaway drill kind that follows the 3-on-3 exhibition), with the Avalanche eventually prevailing on a crazy fluke goal (plus two empty netters) to force a Game 7. Good job, Colorado.
Not so, the Kings, who were eliminated by the Oilers for the fourth consecutive time, completing a collapse after getting off to a 2-0 series lead. Bad job, Anchorman’s team. Now the Oilers feel all confident and stuff.
Same for the Wild, who gave Vegas a good run but that was all for them, and Marc-Andre Fleury. (In a bizarre decision, ESPN cut away from Fleury in the playoff handshake line for the final time in his career to show…the national anthem in Edmonton.)
The Senators at least can hold their heads high after taking the Leafs to OT in three games and giving them a scare by tying Game 6 late before Toronto ultimately advanced.
Islanders News
- More people news, but someone dear in Islanders Country: Brian Compton pens an essay about his MS diagnosis and journey. Walk with him or contribute to his walk May 17. [NHL]
- In a different turn on Weird Islanders, the guys talk to outstanding hockey scribe Allan Kreda about his Ken Morrow book and several of the characters encountered along the way. [LHH]
- Confirmed now: Bo Horvat and Noah Dobson will represent Canada in Simon’s country. [Isles]
- Probably too nice a guy for team management and threatening to fight other GMs in a barn, Kyle Okposo will join NHLPA staff. [AP]
- Joe Micheletti — he was an Isles broadcaster for a while before switching to the lesser side — calls it quits, too. [Post]
Elsewhere
- Tonight, the Jets have a chance to cast away some demons and knock off the Blues. They’ll have to do it without, and rally for, #1 Josh Bailey fan Mark Scheifele. [NHL]
- Jim Montgomery and Scott Arniel, at least very respecting colleagues if not outright friends, trade barbs over the Scheifele injury. [Sportsnet]
- The Jets have recalled from the WHL prospect Brayden Yager, who could make his NHL debut in a critical playoff game. They acquired him in that Roarty Toarty McGroarty trade with the Penguins. [TSN]
- Blue shirts, red pants, there’s a new Papa Smurf in town: Longtime Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan wastes no time in joining the Rangers as head coach, where he’ll get to face the Penguins on the regular. [NHL]
- Other coaching carousel rumors, and how the Canucks gig is filled with questions. [Sportsnet]
- The Utah Mammoth will not confirm that Mammoth is the new name of their Mammoth Hockey Club. [ESPN]
- The Gaudreau family channels some of its immense grief into a special playground. [Sportsnet]
- Jon Cooper concedes it’s now the Panthers’ time. [ESPN] His boss says he’ll stay on as Lightning coach though. [TSN]
- Speaking of which: Two Selke finalists from the same team? All three from the same state/rivalry? What’s going on? [TSN]
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