Islanders prospects daily: Finnish and Swedish playoff updates

Here’s you’re daily New York Islanders prospects report. You’ll find out who played yesterday (and how they did), who’s playing today (and what to look for), and every few updates I’ll tell you how these prospects have moved up (or down) in my prospects rankings.

Prospects in action yesterday (22/4/21)

• Ruslan Iskhakov (TPS)
  • Stats: 3SOG, 62.8 FOW%, 13:30TOI
  • Playoff stats: 3GP, 1A, 58.8 FOW%, 15:49 ATOI
• Matias Rajaniemi (Pelicans)
  • Stats: 13:42TOI
  • Robin Salo (Orebro)
    • Stats: 3SOG, 28:21 TOI
    • Playoff stats: 5GP, 4A, 21:11 ATOI

    Matias Rajaniemi actually played yesterday. It was the first time since April 6 that the Islanders sixth-round pick from. 2020 had seen the ice. And, well, he played. His stats sheet was very Michael Dal Colle-ian, straight zero’s across the board.

    Rajaniemi’s Pelicans side lost 3-2 in game 3 and now holds a 2-1 series deficit in the best of five. It’s been an up-and-down season for Rajaniemi. Winning a Bronze in November and then being a healthy scratch in the final stretch of the regular season and into the playoffs.

    Next year should be different. He turns 19 in September and should have more responsibility for his side.

    Orebro lost their first game in the playoffs 3-2 in double-overtime. Salo played a lot but remember the game went to double OT so he’s not the only one with 25+ minutes in this one. Orebro (and specifically Salo) played well. They were given a big opportunity early when Vaxjo’s starting goalie Viktor Fasth left the game early with what seemed like a pulled groin. Backup Erik Kallgren came in and stopped 30 of 32 shots.

    New York Islanders prospects in action today (23/4/21)

    • Ruslan Iskhakov (TPS)
    • Matias Rajaniemi (Pelicans)
    • Robin Salo (Orebro)

    The same three are in action today. Yes, all three, even Matias Rajaniemi. With a loss today, the Pelicans could be eliminated from the Liiga playoffs. A win would push TPS to the semifinals where they would play Helsinki side HIFK.

    For Robin Salo, his Orebro side can put yesterday’s game 1 loss in double OT with a win of their own to level the series.

    Notes: Golyshev should be on Long Island now to start his quarantine. Assuming he hasn’t been vaccinated already or hasn’t recovered from COVID in the last three months he’ll have to wait seven days.

    If he’s recovered he’ll still have to wait three days and produce negative tests before he can leave quarantine and join the Sound Tigers.

    I also spoke with Sweden’s WJC coach Tomas Monten on Isles prospect Alex Ljungkrantz. Sweden had a mini-camp in April and Ljungkrantz once again played on the top line, but his lack of game time leading up to the mini-camp was apparent according to Monten. He’s still on the list to likely make Sweden’s 2022 WJC squad.