On April 7, 2021, Lou Lamoriello and the Islanders made a big splash at the Trade Deadline, acquiring two NHL veterans, Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac, from the New Jersey Devils for a 2021 first-round pick and other assets.

Travis Zajac, before the acquisition, had 550 career points in 1024 career games, and Kyle Palmieri, who is known for his exceptional goal-scoring abilities, had 183 goals in 595 career games.

Both Trade Deadline acquisitions were seen as huge boosts to the Islanders, solidifying an already skilled lineup and adding depth lost due to an injured Anders Lee.

However, the Islanders struggled towards the end of the season, and both Palmieri and Zajac struggled as well. Zajac finished the regular season with the Islanders with two points in 13 games and often was bounced out of the lineup as a healthy scratch. Palmieri struggled, too, with four points in 17 games.

The Islanders entered the Stanley Cup playoffs as the fourth seed, going up against a red hot Penguins team, who clinched the top spot in the division.

To start off Game 1 of round one of the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Penguins came flying out of the gate. The Islanders were flat-footed, getting beat to loose pucks, failing to get the puck out of their own zone and not establishing enough pressure on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Although Kyle Palmieri got a giant monkey off his back, scoring the game’s first goal and beating Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry’s glove side, the Islanders found themselves trailing 2-1 entering the third period.

After tying the game up and then trading goals less than a minute apart, the Islanders and Penguins headed for overtime. In a game where the Islanders mainly were outplayed and did not generate much of an offensive presence or really even find their game until the third period, stealing Game 1 of the series against the division champions would be enormous, giving the team much needed momentum.

In the Barry Trotz era on Long Island, the Islanders have never won a series where they have lost Game 1. Although it is only the Islanders’ third season under Trotz, they have played a combined six series with him as head coach winning all four of the series where they took Game 1 and losing both series where they lost Game 1.

With a little under four minutes left in overtime number one, another Islanders’ trade deadline acquisition from the previous year was able to make a play. Jean-Gabriel Pageau has paid enormous dividends for the Islanders in the playoffs, notching eight goals in 22 playoff games last year. And, in the game, he got the puck to Kyle Palmieri in front of the net where he was able to roof the puck over Tristian Jarry’s head.

Trade Deadline acquisition and Long Island native Kyle Palmieri played hero, netting two goals, including the game-winner as the Islanders defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 1. Hopefully, that can continue.

Ethan Halle

Ethan is an Economics Major at the University of Florida looking to pursue a double major in Sports Management with a minor in political science.