Are they back? Is this the real team? It’s only one game, but man was Tuesday’s effort from the New York Islanders overdue.
It was their first truly 60-minute performance since they theoretically reinforced with the deadline additions of Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac.
They came out flying, but — this being hockey — I had a sense of dread when they couldn’t solve Igor The Goalie for most of the first period. It had the feel of one of those games where their best period would go unrewarded, then the opponent would pull away with the counterpunch.