The Skinny: Isles 4, Washington 0. Isles win series, 4 games to 1.

"The Skinny"

By Eric Hornick

Eastern Conference Round 1 Game 5

Isles 4, Washington 0

Isles win best-of-7 series 4-1

Anthony Beauvillier scored twice and Semyon Varlamov made 21 saves for his 3rd career playoff shutout as the Islanders advance to Round 2 of the playoffs with a 4-0 win over the Washington Capitals at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.  

Nick Leddy and Josh Bailey added empty-net goals for the final margin of the series.

The Isles will face either Philadelphia or Boston in Round 2 in Toronto.  The winner of that series will head to Edmonton for the Conference Final.

The Scoring: 

1st Period

Anthony Beauvillier (5) Brock Nelson (4), Josh Bailey (7) 10:19 NYI 1,WSH 0 PPG

2nd Period

Anthony Beauvillier (6) Josh Bailey (6) 09:33 NYI 2,WSH 0

3rd Period

Nick Leddy (2)EN 17:47 NYI 3,WSH 0

Josh Bailey (2)EN 18:31 NYI 4,WSH 0 

The Series (Isles win 4-1)

Game 1: Isles 4 Washington 2

Game 2: Isles 5 Washington 2

Game 3: Isles 2, Washington 1 (OT)

Game 4: Washington 3, Isles 2

Game 5: Isles 4 Washington 0

The Skinny

The Isles are 2-2 in potential clinching games this summer (and 3-2 under Barry Trotz)… The "road" team is 12-1 in Isles-Caps games (regular season and playoffs) since Trotz became the Isles coach… The Isles outscored the Caps 8-1 in the third period and overtime; the Isles have allowed only one third period goal in their six wins this post-season… Nick Leddy played his 35th playoff game as an Islander without being penalized, extending his own club record...Josh Bailey had three points (1-2-3) and went +3; JG Pageau was on-ice for all four Islander goals and was +3… The Isles had points in this series from 16 different players; the Capital goals came from just three players (Ovechkin 4, Kutznetsov 2 Oshie 2) … The Capitals scored just two first period goals in the Bubble (8 games)…Norris Finalist John Carlson earned assists on six of the eight Washington goals in the series but finished -11 in the five  games… Michael Dal Colle appeared in his 2nd career playoff game, and his first game of any type since March 7th…Ross Johnson appeared in his first career playoff game; his last regular season game was on February 27th…Anthony Beauvillier is now tied for the Stanley Cup lead with six goals.

First Times in a Long Time (Playoff Only)

• The Isles have allowed fewer than 30 shots in all nine games this season, tying a club record set in 1981 and matched in 1982 (both times in a single year). When you include Game 4 last year vs. Carolina, the Isles have gone franchise-record ten straight games allowing fewer than 30 shots.

• The Isles recorded a shutout for the first time since April 10, 2004 (Rick DiPietro vs. Tampa Bay) and recorded a shutout in a clincher for the first time April 12, 1980 (Billy Smith vs. Los Angeles, in the first series of the Stanley Cup era).

• Anthony Beauvillier has the game-winning goal in the series clinchers vs. both Florida and Washington.  He is the first Isle with two series-clinching goals since Mike Bossy, who did it in both 1981 and 1983.

• Beauvillier also joins Bossy (1983) as the only Islander to record multi-goal games in two series-clinchers in the same year.

• Beauvillier is the first 23-year-old (or younger) to record six goals in one playoff year for the Isles since Pierre Turgeon had six in 1993.

• Semyon Varlamov recorded his first shutout since April 24, 2009 (for Washington vs. Rangers).

• Josh Bailey is the first Islander with a three-point playoff game since John Tavares (April 14, 2016 vs. Florida) and the first to do so in a series-clinching win since Patrick Flatley (April 14, 1984 vs. Washington).

• J-G Pageau is the first Islander forward to go at least +3 without recording a point since Butch Goring did so in the dramatic game 5 win vs. Pittsburgh in 1982.

• The Isles scored two empty-net goals in a game for the first time since April 24, 1975 vs. Pittsburgh (Game 6)

• This was the first time since the 1981 Final vs. Minnesota that the Isles have won a series in five games after failing to complete the sweep in game four.

Great 8 to Elite 8

The Isles have advanced to Round 2 for the second straight season and third time in the last five years.  In those five years, no Eastern Conference team has advanced to Round 2 more than the Isles.  Tampa Bay, Boston, Pittsburgh, and Washington have also appeared in the Elite 8 three times.

(St. Louis would become the only NHL team to appear in Round 2 four times in the last five years if they rally to defeat Vancouver)

Familiar Foes

This was the 8th meeting of the Isles and Washington in the playoffs (Isles are 6-2 and have won 25 of 42 games):

• 1983 Patrick Division Semi-Finals  Isles won series 3-1

• 1984 Patrick Division Finals  Isles won series 4-1

• 1985 Patrick Division Semi-Finals  Isles won series 3-2

• 1986 Patrick Division Semi-Finals Caps won series 3-0 (Arbour retired thereafter)

• 1987 Patrick Division Semi-Finals  Isles won series 4-3 (LaFontaine 4 OT)

• 1993 Patrick Division Semi-Finals  Isles won series 4-2

• 2015 Eastern Conference First Round  Caps won series 4-3

• 2020 Eastern Conference First Round  Isles won series 4-1

Joining Radar

Barry Trotz is only the 2nd coach to lead the Isles to multiple series wins, joining Al Arbour.  Terry Simpson and Jack Capuano are the only other coaches to lead the Isles to a playoff series victory.

Lou and Bill

Lou Lamoriello has won 28 playoff series as a General Manager, tying Bill Torrey for second place on the all-time list. Glen Sather has 41 wins.

Overtime is Our Time

The Isles are 35-17 (.673) all-time in overtime, including 19-10 (.655) at home. The .673 overall percentage is 2nd to Tampa Bay (17-8 .680) while the .655 home percentages is the best in NHL history. The Isles are 1-0 in overtime this season; they have gone 6-4 in ten overtime games since 2015.

Overtime is Our Time vs. Washington

The Isles are 7-3 all-time in playoff overtime games vs. Washington:

• 04/13/84 Vs Anders Kallur W Wsh 07:35 

• 04/10/85 @ Alan Haworth L Wsh 02:28 

• 04/11/85 @ Mike Gartner L Wsh 21:23 

• 04/18/87 @ Pat LaFontaine W Wsh 68:47 

• 04/20/93 @ Brian Mullen W Wsh 34:50

• 04/22/93 Vs Ray Ferraro W Wsh 04:46 

• 04/24/93 Vs Ray Ferraro W Wsh 25:40 

• 04/19/15 Vs John Tavares W Wsh 00:15

• 04/21/15 Vs Nicklas Backstrom  L Wsh 11:09

• 08/16/20 Vs Mathew Barzal W Wsh 04:28

Lead/Tie/Trailed

Game 1: Led: 13:08, Tied: 31:28,  Trailed: 15:24 

Game 2: Led: 34:44, Tied: 3:16, Trailed: 22:00

Game 3: Led 11:00, Tied: 53:28, Trailed: 0:00

Game 4: Led: 21:39, Tied: 22:01, Trailed: 16:20

Game 5: Led: 49:41, Tied: 10:19, Trailed: 0:00

Series:   Led  130:12, Tied 120:32, Trailed: 53:44

Vs Florida:  Led: 120:01, Tied: 58:56,  Trailed 61:03

Playoffs All-Time

The Isles improve to 155-126 in 281 all-time playoff games.  They are 87-47 at home (including 2-5 at Barclays and 3-1 in Toronto) and 68-79 on the road. In this year's playoffs, the Isles are 3-1 when they are the home team and 4-1 when they are the road team.

A Winning Summer

With a record of 7-2 in the first two series, the Isles are guaranteed a winning record for this year's playoffs.  It is the first time in the post-Cup era that the Isles have won more games than they lost.

Coach Trotz

Barry Trotz is second among active coaches, trailing only Joel Quenneville, in both wins and games. Trotz' NHL record is 845-618-60-151 in 1,674 games and will begin next season just five wins shy of supplanting Ken Hitchcock as the 3rd-winningest coach in NHL history.

Most Coaching Wins

1. Scotty Bowman  1,244

2. Joel Quenneville  925

3. Ken Hitchcock    849

4. Barry Trotz    845

5. Al Arbour    782

Most Games Coached

1. Scotty Bowman   2,141

2. Joel Quenneville 1,705

3. Barry Trotz        1,674

4. Al Arbour 1,607 

Coach Trotz (Playoffs)

Barry Trotz has now coached 130 playoff games (66-64).  His 66 wins are tied-15 all-time  with Lindy Ruff and Claude Julien.  Trotz won the Stanley Cup with Washington in 2018; Joel Quenneville (3) and Mike Sullivan (2) are the only active coaches with multiple Stanley Cups.

Trotz is the 2nd coach in Islander playoff history to coach the Isles against a team he formerly coached; Ted Nolan did that in 2007 vs. Buffalo.  Trotz is the first to coach against the Isles and then coach the Isles against that same opponent.

Most playoff wins by Islander coaches:

• Al Arbour 119

• Barry Trotz 11

• Jack Capuano 10

• Terry Simpson 9

• Peter Laviolette 4

• Ted Nolan 1

• Steve Stirling 1

Most playoff games coached (Islanders):

• Al Arbour 198

• Jack Capuano 24

• Terry Simpson 20

• Barry Trotz 17

• Peter Laviolette 12

• Steve Stirling 5

• Ted Nolan 5

Most overtime wins/overtime record:

• Al Arbour 26 (26-9)

• Jack Capuano 4 (4-5)

• Terry Simpson 3 (3-0)

• Barry Trotz 2 (2-1)

• Peter Laviolette 0 (0-1)

• Steve Stirling 0 (0-1)

Most playoff series wins:

• Al Arbour 29

• Barry Trotz 3

• Jack Capuano 1

• Terry Simpson 1

First Things First

The Isles are 4-1 when scoring first and are 3-1 when allowing the first goal in the playoffs.

The Shots

Isles         6-7-4=17

Washington  8-6-7=21

Shots by Game

• Game 1: Isles 27, Washington 26

• Game 2: Isles 32, Washington 25 

• Game 3: Isles 34, Washington 23 

• Game 4: Isles 26, Washington 29

• Game 5: Isles 17, Washington 21

• Series: Isles 136, Washington 124

• Vs. Florida: Isles 122, Florida 103

• Playoffs: Isles 258, Opponents 227

The Isles are 5-0 when they outshoot their opponents, 1-1 when the shots are even and 1-1 when they are outshot. 

In the Nets

Semyon Varlamov made 21 saves to improve to 7-2 this summer and 20-15 all-time in the playoffs.  

Braden Holtby made 13 saves but falls to 2-5-1 this summer and 50-46-1 all-time in the playoffs.  (The "1" is a shootout loss in the Round Robin) 

Power Plays

The Isles were 1-3 on the power play in 2:34 of PP time; Washington was 0-2 on the power play in 2:17 of PP time.

Power Plays by Game

• Game 1: Isles 0-4 (5:17; 3 shots), Washington 2-7 (11:05, 12 shots)

• Game 2: Isles 1-5 (8:18, 5 shots), Washington 0-2 (4:00, 1 shot)

• Game 3: Isles 0-5 (10:00, 6 shots), Washington 1-2 (2:40, 1 shot)

• Game 4: Isles 0-5 (8:17, 12 shots), Washington 1-5 (4:55, 5 shots)

• Game 5: Isles 1-3 (2:34, 3 shots), Washington 0-2 (2:17, 1 shot)

• Series: Isles 2-22 (34:26, 29 shots), Washington 4-18 (24:57, 20 shots)

• Vs. Florida: Isles 4-13 (23:55; 15 shots), Florida 4-14 (16:51, 21 shots)

• Playoffs:  Power Play: 6-35 (58:21, 44 shots), Penalty Kill 8-32 (41:48, 41 shots)

Three is a Magic Number

The Isles are 5-0 in the playoffs when they score at least three goals and 2-2 when they do not.  Last season the Isles scored at least three goals in each of their four wins and two or fewer in each of their four losses.

One Goal Games

The Isles are 2-2 in the playoffs in one-goal games (1-2 in regulation and 1-0 in overtime). The Isles are 0-0  in playoff games where an empty-net goal turns a 1-goal game into a 2-goal game.

Ice-time Leaders

Isles: Adam Pelech (22:59);  Washington: John Carlson (23:29)

Mathew Barzal led Isles forwards with 17:30 of ice-time 

Isles record by ice-time leader: Scott Mayfield (1-0), Adam Pelech (3-0), Mathew Barzal (2-0), Nick Leddy (1-1), Devon Toews (0-1)

Face-offs

Isles 23, Washington 22 (51%).

Brock Nelson won 14 of 21 and Casey Cizikas won 6 of 10for the Isles; Nicklas Backstrom won 7 of 9 for Washington.  

Face-offs by Game

• Game 1: Isles 36, Washington 20 (64%).  

• Game 2: Isles 36, Washington 30 (55%)

• Game 3: Isles 30, Washington 26 (54%)

• Game 4: Isles 31, Washington 24 (55%)

• Game 5: Isles 23, Washington 22 (51%)

• Series: Isles 156, Washington 122 (56%)

•

• Vs. Florida  Isles 106, Florida 127 (45%)

• Playoffs: Isles 262, Opponents 249 (51%)

Hit Count

Isles 46 (Adam Pelech and Matt Martin -6)

Washington 34 (Brenden Dillon -6)

Hits Game by Game:

• Game 1: Isles 39, Washington 36

• Game 2: Isles 38, Washington 36

• Game 3: Isles 31, Washington 36

• Game 4: Isles 40, Washington 35

• Game 5: Isles 46, Washington 34

• Series: Isles 194, Washington 177

•

• Vs. Florida:  Isles 128, Florida 124

• Playoffs: Isles 322, Opponents 301

Fights

There were no fights. Playoff total -1  (Lee -1)

Blocked Shots

Isles 31 (Scott Mayfield -6)

Washington 7 (Two with 2)

For the Analytics Crowd 

Corsi: All situations: Isles 32, Washington 66

Corsi: 5-on-5 Isles 23, Washington 52

5-on-5 leaders:

Isles:  JG Pageau EVEN

Washington: Dmitry Orlov +18

Corsi Game by Game:

• Game 1 (All) Isles 47, Washington 54;  (5-on-5) Isles 37, Washington 26

• Game 2:(All) Isles 59, Washington 55;  (5-on-5) Isles 45, Washington 43

• Game 3:(All) Isles 69, Washington 55;  (5-on-5) Isles 58, Washington 43

• Game 4:(All) Isles 53, Washington 64;  (5-on-5) Isles 27, Washington 48

• Game 5:(All) Isles 32, Washington 66;  (5-on-5) Isles 23, Washington 52

• Series: (All) Isles 260, Washington 294; (5-on-5) Isles 190, Washington 212

•

• Vs Florida (All) Isles 226, Florida 224;  (5-on-5) Isles 174, Florida 168

• Playoffs (All)  Isles 486, Opponent 518; (5-on-5) Isles 364, Opponent 380

Scratches

(Cal Clutterbuck), Derek Brassard, Johnny Boychuk, Tom Kuhnhackl, Noah Dobson, Andrew Ladd, Otto Koivula, Thomas Hickey, Sebastian Aho, Christopher Gibson

Playoff games lost: 5. 

Post-Season Late Heroes (Final Two Minutes of Regulation, or Overtime)

None

Post-Season Late Goals Allowed

None

Playoff Challenges

None

Active Islander Playoff Leaders: (As NYI)

Games:

Casey Cizikas 41

Matt Martin 41

Josh Bailey 39

Goals:

Brock Nelson 10 

Josh Bailey 10 

Jordan Eberle 7

Anthony Beauvillier 7

Mathew Barzal 5

Cal Clutterbuck 5

Assists:

Josh Bailey 17

Mathew Barzal 9

Nick Leddy 9

Devon Toews 8

Ryan Pulock 8

Brock Nelson 8

Jordan Eberle 7

Points:

Josh Bailey 27

Brock Nelson 18 

Jordan Eberle 14

Mathew Barzal 14

Nick Leddy 13

Penalty Minutes:

Matt Martin 46

Cal Clutterbuck 42

Casey Cizikas 38

PP Goals

Mathew Barzal 2

Josh Bailey 2 

Anthony Beauvillier 2

Brock Nelson 2 

Ryan Pulock 2

Devon Toews 1

Jordan Eberle 1

Nick Leddy 1

SH Goals

Josh Bailey 1

 

GW Goals

Brock Nelson 3

Anthony Beauvillier 3

Jordan Eberle 2

Josh Bailey 2

Thomas Hickey 1

Mathew Barzal 1

OT Goals 

Josh Bailey 1

Mathew Barzal 1

Thomas Hickey 1

Goaltending

Thomas Greiss  5-6  2.49 GAA, .920 save percentage

Semyon Varlamov 7-2 1.60 GAA, .934 save percentage

Up Next

ROUND 2- GAME 1 – DATE TBA  -  ISLANDERS VS TBD (AT TORONTO)  

[NBCSN(or NBC), 88.7 WRHU-FM, WRCN 103.9FM, ESPN-1050]

 

The Isles will face the Philadelphia Flyers (if they eliminate Montreal) or the Boston Bruins in the next round, with the winner earning a trip to Edmonton and the Conference Finals.

The Isles are 1-3 all-time in series vs. the Flyers, defeating Philadelphia to win the 1980 Stanley Cup, and losing in 7 games in both 1975 and 1987 and in 5 games in 1985.

The Isles swept the 2019-20 regular season series from Philadelphia, winning 5-3 at the Coliseum, 4-3 in Philadelphia (in overtime) and 5-3 in Brooklyn. 

The Isles are 2-0 all-time in series vs. the Bruins, defeating Boston in the Quarterfinals in 1980 and in the Conference Finals in 1983. These were the 2nd and 15th series wins, respectively, in the Islanders' dynasty.

The Isles were 1-1-1 vs. Boston (winning a shootout in Boston, losing in overtime in Brooklyn and losing on Butch Goring Day at the Coliseum) in the 2019-20 regular season.

Eric Hornick has been the statistician on Islander home game telecasts since January 21, 1982. Information contained in "The Skinny" has been gathered from various sources.  Follow Eric @ehornick on Twitter & on his blog www.nyiskinny.com.

Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home telecasts since January 21, 1982. Visit my blog: NYISkinny.com and follow me on Twitter @ehornick