Islanders punish Mat Barzal for being late by scratching him vs. Hurricanes
NY Post
RALEIGH, N.C. — The Islanders laid down a gauntlet on Thursday morning, making Mat Barzal a healthy scratch against the Hurricanes as punishment for being late to the rink.
“That’s the culture of our team,” coach Patrick Roy said. “And we made the decision not to play him tonight. And Barzy’s not happy, he doesn’t feel good about it. He respects the decision, he understands it. He was really good about it.
“Like I said to him, it happened to me when I was in Colorado. Different way, but [I] missed a practice, missed two games. That’s the culture of our team, we believe in it. But he’s good about it. He’s very good about it.”
Barzal will be back in the lineup on Friday against the Capitals with a clean slate, Roy said. The Islanders have yet to announce an anticipated roster move to add a forward for Thursday’s game, but it’s expected that defenseman Marshall Warren will be sent down.
Calum Ritchie, the organization’s top forward prospect who returned from injury in Bridgeport on Wednesday night, would appear to be an option for Thursday; Marc Gatcomb and Matthew Highmore would be two others.
Barzal, who participated in morning skate as usual, was not in the dressing room afterward and reporters were not informed he would be out of the lineup until moments before Roy’s press conference started.
SAN DIEGO — As you may have seen elsewhere in this newspaper (and also if you haven’t deleted me yet from your social media), I have a book coming out Tuesday called “The Bosses of The Bronx.” Much of it details the 37 years’ worth of antics, winning, losing, winning again and overall mania of George Steinbrenner’s time with the Yankees.
Don’t close the curtain on “Mean” Joe Greene.
The Knicks are on a five-game winning streak and flooded with concerns.
Dylan Garand knew the number off the top of his head. He knew that, between the regular season and playoffs, he’d logged over 160 games with AHL Hartford, and he was right. Before the Rangers recalled him Friday, Garand had served as the Wolf Pack’s goaltender 165 times.
SAN DIEGO — As you may have seen elsewhere in this newspaper (and also if you haven’t deleted me yet from your social media), I have a book coming out Tuesday called “The Bosses of The Bronx.” Much of it details the 37 years’ worth of antics, winning, losing, winning again and overall mania of George Steinbrenner’s time with the Yankees.
The Knicks are on a five-game winning streak and flooded with concerns.
Don’t close the curtain on “Mean” Joe Greene.
The hockey world is getting a new TV adaptation of another romance series that helped define the genre.
What is there about Giants edger ushers and their fixation with single-digit jersey numbers?
Cade Cunningham, almost inarguably the best player in the East this season, is likely out for the remainder of the regular season. That’s the word out of Detroit following the depressing news that Cunningham punctured a lung when he took a knee to his side Tuesday from Washington’s Tre Johnson while chasing a loose ball.
Legal problems continue to follow ex-NHLer Billy Tibbetts.
After legendary Mets broadcaster Howie Rose announced his retirement Thursday, he took to social media to send a message to fans in Queens.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The special teams battle was up for grabs Thursday night.