Islanders Olympic Round Up

For the first time since 1980, the United States of America earned gold at the Olympic Games. The U.S. defeated the Canadians 2-1 in overtime in the gold medal game led by a 41 save performance from Connor Hellebuyck. Jack Hughes scored the game-winning goal in overtime for the red, white and, blue. Now the stars and stripes have gone gold.

Former Islander and now gold medalist Brock Nelson matched the feat of his grandfather, Bill Christian, who won Gold at the 1960 Squaw Valley Olympics, and his uncle, Dave Christian, who won Gold at Lake Placid in 1980. There are now three gold medals to the United States' name, all with a Christian-Nelson seal.

Brock played 15 and a half minutes in the gold medal game on Sunday morning. He finished the tournament appearing in all six American games, netting two goals and a helper. An impressive Olympic debut for Nelson, silencing the doubters.

For a winner to be crowned, there must be a loser. That was Islanders center, Bo Horvat, who was on the losing end of the Gold medal game. Horvat, similar to Nelson, was also skating in his Olympic Debut this February. Horvat played 10:21 in the final game, wrapping up a six game, two goal Olympic effort. Horvat saw himself play in many different roles under Jon Cooper's Canadian bench and flourished. He continues his outstanding play this season.

Ondrej Palat had a solid tournament wearing his Czech colors. Playing top six minutes alongside the likes of Marty Necas saw the Czechs give the Canadians all they could handle in the quarterfinal game. Palat beat Jordan Binnington and scored his first of the tournament 16:12 into the third period. Nick Suzuki's late game-tying goal allowed Mitch Marner to hold off the Czech upset in overtime ending Palat's tournament. In five outings in Milan, Palat tallied a goal and an assist while contributing on both Czech special teams.

With the Milano Cortina Olympics now in the rearview mirror, both Bo Horvat and Ondrej Palat are expected to rejoin the Islanders Tuesday back on Long Island. Horvat and Team Canada's return flights were forced to land in Miami instead of New York because of the snowstorm. While other teams have been notified of player injuries in Milan, it appears Horvat ad Palat will be available for the Islanders on Thursday night when they resume their season in Montreal.

It will be the first time the Islanders have played against Noah Dobson since the trade in June. It will also be Emil Heineman's return to the Bell Centre. The Isles open up out of the break with a good one.