Meh I’m still having a hard time believing that was even called it was not a spear. I guess he shouldn’t have done anything that could be misconstrued as one but that’s splitting hairs imo. Is it the players fault when there’s an albatross call? Mayfield has been pretty good last few games there’s a 0% chance he’s getting benched.
- Cptmjl

I mean it was 100% a spear. Lemieux flopped like a fish and should've been given 2min for embellishment but a spear is typically not something the refs leave much of a grey area on. Fair enough about his play, but that was an unbelievably childish thing to do when you pretty much had the game wrapped up. I doubt Greiss was particularly thrilled about losing his shutout because of that.

Barry 100% holds the players accountable and they hold each other accountable. On one wall in the Islanders locker room it says "Accountability" in huge letters. Thats it other than the team logo.First thing he did when he arrived here.

The kid will learn. He's talented as hell but needs manage the puck, play the right way on both sides of the puck, and do it consistently game in game out. Saw this coming a while ago with his play lately, but it was others to blame

Keep it simple stupid.
- nyisles7

So they should bench the team around him because they aren't talented enough? Maybe give him the kovalev and force him to stay on the ice?

This is the point. Bench Barzal but do not let other players off the hook and Barzal cannot complain.
- ses111

If he knows what's good for him he won't complain and spend time with Lambert in the video room.

He currently leads the league in Give-aways at 77 going into last night. Between that and his lack of effort in D-zone it really needed to be addressed. I was getting frustrated at it NOT getting addressed honestly. If you look at the highlights of the last 10 games a very large percentage of our Goals Against or other teams odd man rushes were a result of Barzal trying to do too much instead of making the safe play.
- niteislander

Number 2 in giveaways is pastranek and McDavid is there as well. All the top possession guys also lead in giveaways because they have it so much. It's a bit misleading I think

If he knows what's good for him he won't complain and spend time with Lambert in the video room.
- nyisles7

Barzal has not been good but is hardly the only player not going good. Right or wrong fair or not, Isles do not have players with Barzal's talent growing on trees. In the past you could be a lot harder on players than you can be now. Players have a lot more options.

Meh I’m still having a hard time believing that was even called it was not a spear. I guess he shouldn’t have done anything that could be misconstrued as one but that’s splitting hairs imo. Is it the players fault when there’s an albatross call? Mayfield has been pretty good last few games there’s a 0% chance he’s getting benched.
- Cptmjl

He's played very well lately and there's no way he's getting benched, especially in a game we are trying to close out. He takes a dumb ass penalty and or turns over the puck multiple times a game he would see the presser, However that's not the case with Mayfield. Really not even close for me.

I mean it was 100% a spear. Lemieux flopped like a fish and should've been given 2min for embellishment but a spear is typically not something the refs leave much of a grey area on. Fair enough about his play, but that was an unbelievably childish thing to do when you pretty much had the game wrapped up. I doubt Greiss was particularly thrilled about losing his shutout because of that.
- eichiefs9

Yep, up 4-0 with 7 minutes to go. He can't be that easily baited into a dumb penalty.

Barzal has not been good but is hardly the only player not going good. Right or wrong fair or not, Isles do not have players with Barzal's talent growing on trees. In the past you could be a lot harder on players than you can be now. Players have a lot more options.
- ses111

Difference being, if you're in a scoring slump but getting opportunities and playing the game the right way typically you're not getting benched. If you play like a 18 year old at a rent out and try to do everything by yourself your going to eventually hang yourself with the coaches. It was a perfect time to send a message imho. Kids got the all star game to make his head swell but in the back of his mind he thinking about the reality when he gets back.

it should have never been a 4 minute spear. I get after the guys stopped the pushing a grabbing the ref say that's it and Mayfield gives him one more they typically will call it. I didn't have a problem with that it was stupid on Mayfilds part but again 4 minutes is an absolute (frank)ing joke. They could have also thrown a embellishment penalty on Lemieux in my opinion.
- nyisles7

Any spear is 4 minutes. There is no 2 minute spearing penalty. Lemieux should've gotten 2 for embellishment to offset, no doubt.

Because we needed Defenseman to close out the game. We were down to 5 really with Dobson getting 8 mins. Trotz mentioned it in the post game and I'm sure Mayfield heard about it from Trotz and his teammates.I thought Mayfield other than that stupid penalty was real good last night. Barzal's issues weren't with one play in one game. It's been an on going progression the last 10 or so games of playing a ME game instead of a team game. If Mayfield or anyone else on this team TO the puck as much as Barzal lately then they would get their ass planted on the bench as well maybe sooner than he did.
- nyisles7

Mayfield is 17th in the league in turnovers

I mean it was 100% a spear. Lemieux flopped like a fish and should've been given 2min for embellishment but a spear is typically not something the refs leave much of a grey area on. Fair enough about his play, but that was an unbelievably childish thing to do when you pretty much had the game wrapped up. I doubt Greiss was particularly thrilled about losing his shutout because of that.
- eichiefs9

Stupid penalty 100%.4 minutes, no facking way. Again he heard about it and if he makes a habit of it, he will be a spectator but I don't think it will come to that.

Mayfield is 17th in the league in turnovers
- eichiefs9

Mayfield is not exactly a top pair shutdown dman the team cannot do without to close out a game.

Any spear is 4 minutes. There is no 2 minute spearing penalty. Lemieux should've gotten 2 for embellishment to offset, no doubt.
- eichiefs9

I know that, I don't think it should have been a spear. Unsportsmanlike like ok, spear was an absolute joke for me. ref has discretion on a call like that.

Mayfield is 17th in the league in turnovers
- eichiefs9

Trade him. Let Dob and Aho play.

Trade him. Let Dob and Aho play.
- nyisles7

Ho Sang would be a good puck moving defenseman

Mayfield is not exactly a top pair shutdown dman the team cannot do without to close out a game.
- ses111

Thats true they should have played Leddy and or Boychuck and Pulock for the final period

Ho Sang would be a good puck moving defenseman
- eichiefs9

I hope he turns it around this year so talented and if he were on the team Barzal wouldn't be number 1 in tO's

Thats true they should have played Leddy and or Boychuck and Pulock for the final period
- nyisles7

It's the Rangers not the 80's Oilers and the Rangers without Panarin. Teams have played 4 dmen for long periods in the playoffs. The Isles could not close out a game without Mayfield?

Trade him. Let Dob and Aho play.
- nyisles7

Jokes aside, Dobson has really elevated his game over the last few. He's obviously not perfect and is going to make mistakes and get out-muscled...but I thought he had an excellent game last night. He's smart enough to pick his spots to jump into the rush without being reckless and he's improved in his own end. Once he builds some strength and gets some more experience I think he's going to be a special player.

it should have never been a 4 minute spear. I get after the guys stopped the pushing a grabbing the ref say that's it and Mayfield gives him one more they typically will call it. I didn't have a problem with that it was stupid on Mayfilds part but again 4 minutes is an absolute (frank)ing joke. They could have also thrown a embellishment penalty on Lemieux in my opinion.
- nyisles7

Agreed. I’ll say sometimes players can’t be held responsible for some of the ridiculous crap these refs are calling lately IMO.

Jokes aside, Dobson has really elevated his game over the last few. He's obviously not perfect and is going to make mistakes and get out-muscled...but I thought he had an excellent game last night. He's smart enough to pick his spots to jump into the rush without being reckless and he's improved in his own end. Once he builds some strength and gets some more experience I think he's going to be a special player.
- eichiefs9

He can skate, is smart but 100% needs to thicken up a bit and get stronger. He's gonna be a player for sure. Just a shame he couldn't have had the first part of the year in BP until the Pelech injury.
I don't think Aho would be as good as Dobson is right now in the NHL.

Just my opinion.

I mean it was 100% a spear. Lemieux flopped like a fish and should've been given 2min for embellishment but a spear is typically not something the refs leave much of a grey area on. Fair enough about his play, but that was an unbelievably childish thing to do when you pretty much had the game wrapped up. I doubt Greiss was particularly thrilled about losing his shutout because of that.
- eichiefs9

I rewatched that five times to try and see something that could be defined as a spear. If a spear can be defined as tapping an opposing player in the stomach gently with your stick then yeah it was. Im not a ref but that doesn’t fit my definition.

Agreed. I’ll say sometimes players can’t be held responsible for some of the ridiculous crap these refs are calling lately IMO.
- Cptmjl

You know i'm not one to piss and moan about penalty's and Ref's but i just can't believe the calls they are making against the Islanders at key moments and The Islanders don't get those calls going the other way. Again, never pays off to piss and moan about the ref's but i have to think Lou has made a call.

He can skate, is smart but 100% needs to thicken up a bit and get stronger. He's gonna be a player for sure. Just a shame he couldn't have had the first part of the year in BP until the Pelech injury.
I don't think Aho would be as good as Dobson is right now in the NHL.

Just my opinion.
- nyisles7

There's a pretty good chance that Aho's career tops out at the level of Thomas Hickey's, more or less. I think he's probably a surefire NHL'er but unless he can bring the same level of offense he does in the AHL I think he's probably a 4-6 guy that can chip in a respectable number of points and be versatile but unspectacular. There's value in that for sure, but I don't think he's going to be a difference maker.

I rewatched that five times to try and see something that could be defined as a spear. If a spear can be defined as tapping an opposing player in the stomach gently with your stick then yeah it was. Im not a ref but that doesn’t fit my definition.
- Cptmjl

I'm not going to debate the minutia of what happened. In my opinion, putting himself in the situation to even take any sort of penalty after the whistle against an irrelevant sewer rat like Lemieux when you're up 4-0 with 7 minutes is selfish and painfully dumb. The Rangers have a top-10 PP in the league and it's still really good even without Panarin in the lineup. He's gotta just point at the scoreboard and skate away there.