Top Shelf : Islanders Daily 6/2/2013

Jun 1, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Blackhawks goalie

(50) makes a save in front of Los Angeles Kings center

(28) during the second period in game one of the Western Conference finals of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

Middletown, N. J. – After a two day break in the NHL playoffs, action finally resumed yesterday with both conference finals kicking off in earnest. The goaltending was spectacular, there were mostly good hits and some bad ones and a renewal of a rivalry between the Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins.

In Islander country, we begin our report card series today with Josh Bailey coming up at 1pm. We will feature a different player each day throughout the month of June and cover everyone on the active roster. There is a little college feel as we didn’t want to toe too close to the line of being stuffy and let’s be realistic, in the dog days of summer, everyone should be smiling and enjoying themselves. Us included. ?

As far as the big club is concerned, the rumor that just won’t die is Roberto Luongo possibly heading back to the Island. More to come on this over the next coming days, whether it comes to fruition or not, but I truly believe if you have a chance to get a player of that caliber at a minimal cost, you have to make the move. Salary wise it obviously does not concern or constrain the Isles at all and there are two distinct ways of thinking about the potential move. If he works out, the team will go farther than they would have without him. If he doesn’t they still have two amnesty buyouts to exercise. In yesterday’s Top Shelf we asked you, the reader, what you thought of the potential move and  67% would rather see the Isles let Vancouver use their amnesty and sign Bobby Lu at a reduced cap cost.

Links

• Series previews were posted yesterday and you can find them here. Hawks-Kings | Pens-Bruins (EyesOnIsles)
• Enter for your chance to win a 42′ TV from Fansided (EyesOnIsles)
• LHH continues their series of top 25 under 25 with Anders Nilsson (Lighthouse Hockey)
• Anatoliy Metter wonders if  Luongo would be a good fit (The Hockey Writers)
• Oh Sid, why can’t you just keep quiet and be the best player in the game. (SportsJabber)

Around The Twitter-Sphere

• Ah….just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in. The story of the Islanders goaltending in the first round continues and in my honest opinion, the BIGGEST reason we did not advance against a team that was clearly there for the taking.

• Islanders fans continue to make up their wish lists for the summer free agency period and Horton would be a good fit but one has to wonder about the concussion history.

• Agree Vernon. Sid just does not seem content being arguably the best player in the world. By shoving Rask then thinking he was tough enough to challenge Chara might have been a David v Golaith moment or an even more accurate comparison, a yorkie barking at a St.Bernard.

• Exactly on the mark here Adam. The old adage in sports almost never fails to materialize.

Around The NHL

•  Conference final action got underway and in the first game of the day, the Chicago Blackhawks peppered the Los Angeles Kings and goaltender Jonathan Quick in a 2-1 victory at United Center to take a one game to none lead in the series. Patrick Sharp scored on a rebound and Marian Hossa added a delicious deflection as Quick would not be beaten clean on this day. Corey Crawford held up his end of the bargin, making 21 saves and would have likely had a shutout had it not been for an errant Dave Bolland clearance attempt from the crease. Speaking of Bolland, a borderline hit on Mike Richards will not face any additional discipline from the NHL. You be the judge. Leave your thoughts below in the comments section. In the dizzying inconsistent world of Brendan Shanahan, I fail to see how that is not leaving your feet to launch into a hit and possibly targeting the head also. But what do I know? ………

• In the second matchup of the evening, the Boston Bruins shutout the Pittsburgh Penguins at Consol Energy Center 3-0 behind 2 goals by David Krejci. Boston played an all around solid game and the Pens high risk style bit them, especially on the goal by Nathan Horton that put the game out of reach. Also rearing its ugly head was frustration on the Pittsburgh side. The one thing they do not want to see is Evgeni Malkin fighting, Sidney Crosby jabbing and trash talking with goaltenders or even worse, thinking he is tough enough to engage Zdeno Chara in any kind of battle…….

-AG