Top Shelf : Islanders Daily 5/28/13

Apr 26, 2013; Buffalo, NY, USA; New York Islanders defenseman

(3) skates around Buffalo Sabres center

(9) during the first period at the First Niagara Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

Middletown, N. J. – The greatest spectacle in all of sports involves a do-or-die, win or go home, take all scenario involving two teams battling for a chance to take home their respective sports ultimate prize.

After last night, what we have on tap for fans of the National Hockey League are two such scenarios. The San Jose Sharks will take on the Los Angeles Kings tonight at Staples Center and the Chicago Blackhawks will meet the Detroit Red Wings tomorrow night as both of the Western Conference series go the distance. The winners will make up the combatants to determine who will be the West representation in the Stanley Cup final against either the Boston Bruins or Pittsburgh Penguins.

Here at EyesOnIsles, once the West is finished, we will preview each of the respective conference final series. For now, enjoy this mornings version of Top Shelf, along with our Norris Trophy preview later this afternoon and lastly, the beginning of our draft series as we start to take a look at who general manager Garth Snow might be drafting on June 30.

Links

• A preview of the race for the Calder trophy (EyesOnIsles) 
• PGI pokes fun at the Rangers elimination with this parody (Lighthouse Hockey)
• Greg Picker on John Tavares losing the EA Sports cover vote (New York Islanders)
• Andrew Graziano recaps the Rangers season and throws in some player grades (Blueline Station)
• A happy Keith Schultz recaps the Blackhawks game six win (Blackhawk Up)

Around The Twitter-Sphere

• Friedman is a respected Islanders journalist,coming through with good analysis and a fair, balanced approach to the team. His gut feeling here is good enough for me, although I still believe that Isles fans and Kichton himself might be over-valuing his talents.

• We all felt the same thing during this years playoffs Paul and have nothing but confidence oozing from our pores coming into training camp in September. It certainly cannot come soon enough for me.

• Incredible statistic coming out of the West playoffs as the Wings, in their three losses to the Blackhawks, just cannot close the door. A young inexperienced defense will do that to you every time.

• A number of fans feel exactly this as the Sharks and Kings prepare for game seven. Two good hockey teams that play with passion and excitement. Not to mention some sparkling goaltending thrown in. It has been a heck of a series, one that will finally reach its conclusion tonight.

Around The NHL

•  20 minutes from being bounced from the playoffs, the top seeded Chicago Blackhawks rallied for 3 third period goals to defeat the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 at Joe Louis Arena. That sets up a decisive game seven back at United Center on Wednesday night. Michael Handzus started the comeback at 51 seconds flipping a forehand past Jimmy Howard. Bryan Bickell would tally just over 5 minutes later off some nice corner work by captain Jonathan Toews then a controversial penalty shot goal by Michael Frolik would prove to be the game winner. This series has had a little bit of everything in it and has fans not only of the team, but of the league, salivating at what a game seven will produce. Good luck to both but as you all know, I’m rooting Blackhawks!

Frolik’s penalty shot backhand.

Preview of Sharks-Kings game seven.

-AG