Islanders aware trips to Stanley Cup Final are few and far between
Andy Greene #4 and Semyon Varlamov #40 of the Islanders celebrate a 2-1 victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game One of the Stanley Cup Semifinals during the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena on June 13, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. Credit: Getty Images/Mike Carlson
TAMPA, Fla. — The Islanders have reached the NHL’s final four two years in a row and have qualified for the postseason three straight times.
And they knew that type of yearly success can’t be taken for granted.
The Islanders faced the Lightning in Game 7 of their NHL semifinal series on Friday night at Amalie Arena with a chance to advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1984. The Lightning beat the Islanders in six games in last season’s Eastern Conference final.
Defenseman Andy Greene and Travis Zajac both played for the Devils in 2012 when they lost a six-game Cup Final to the Kings. The Devils then did not make the playoffs again until 2018.
They understand when coach Barry Trotz says embrace the moment.
"Like Trotzy said, it’s about the moment," Greene said. "You have to make sure you enjoy these moments. After 2012 you think you’ll get there right again but you never know what’s going to happen."
Defenseman Nick Leddy was the lone Islander who dressed for Game 7 who has won the Cup, doing so in 2013 with Chicago. Defenseman Braydon Coburn won the Cup with the Lightning last season but played just three regular-season games and none in the postseason since being acquired from the Senators on April 12.
Cory Schneider, who has served as the Islanders’ third goalie this season without logging a minute, worked in a tandem with Roberto Luongo as the Canucks lost a seven-game Cup Final to the Bruins in 2011.
Andrew Ladd won the Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006 and again in 2010 with Chicago, but he played in just one game for the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport this season.
Cup Final schedule
The NHL announced on Friday the Stanley Cup Final will open on Monday night at 8 p.m. at either Nassau Coliseum or Amalie Arena.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
More Islanders
