New York Islanders head coach Barry Trotz is anticipating a significant bounce-back effort from his club versus the Tampa Bay Lightning in Wednesday's Game 6.

"You'll get our best. Whatever we got left, you're going to get our best," Trotz said, per Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.

The Lightning handed the Islanders their worst playoff defeat in franchise history in Game 5 - an emphatic 8-0 drubbing to push New York's back against the wall.

"Hopefully it's only a 24-hour thing and just like a 24-hour flu we can get over it and move on," Trotz said.

Despite coming off a discouraging loss, the underdog Islanders have played the defending champions nearly even in several metrics to this point in the series.

Five-on-five stats through five games

Advanced stats courtesy: Natural Stat Trick

Trotz has faced this situation before. As the Washington Capitals coach in 2018, his club erased a 3-2 series deficit - against the Lightning - in the Eastern Conference Final and went on to capture the Stanley Cup.

The veteran bench boss plans to relay that message to his troops ahead of Game 6.

"How much do you want to commit to have one shot to go to the Stanley Cup Final? How much are you willing to commit? That’s really the message," Trotz said. "Go after it, guys, because you only get so many cracks at this."

The Islanders are 5-3 at Nassau Coliseum so far in the postseason. If they're able to win Wednesday, a decisive Game 7 would be held in Tampa on Friday.

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The Vegas Golden Knights turned back to Marc-Andre Fleury for Game 5 versus the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night.

In addition, top-line center Chandler Stephenson was also back in Vegas' lineup after missing Games 2-4. He was sidelined with an upper-body injury but returned to his usual spot between Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone.

Fleury had started eight consecutive contests but was benched in favor of Robin Lehner for Game 4.

Lehner was fantastic in his only showing of the series, turning aside 27 of 28 shots as the Golden Knights evened the series.

Fleury is 9-6 this postseason with a .921 save percentage and 1.97 goals against average.

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New York Islanders star Mathew Barzal has been fined $5,000 for cross-checking Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Jan Rutta in the face during Game 5 on Monday, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced Tuesday.

The fine is the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement.

Barzal was assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct on the play, which occurred at the end of the second period.

Rutta was down on the ice for several minutes before heading to the locker room. His status for Wednesday's Game 6 is unclear.

After the 8-0 blowout loss, Islanders head coach Barry Trotz said he was disappointed in Barzal's decision-making.

Barzal led the Islanders with 45 points this season, and he's recorded 12 points over 17 playoff games so far.

The Lightning lead the series 3-2.

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Minnesota Wild assistant general manager and former NHL defenseman Tom Kurvers has died after a battle with lung cancer, the team announced Monday. He was 58.

The Wild hired Kurvers in 2018. He previously worked in the Tampa Bay Lightning's front office.

"Tom's kindness and enthusiasm will be greatly missed by the countless number of people on whom he had a positive influence throughout his life," the Wild's statement read. "We join the State of Hockey in mourning the loss of a great hockey player and an even better person."

Kurvers, a Minnesota native, had a prolific collegiate career with the University of Minnesota-Duluth. He won the Hobey Baker Award as the nation's top player in 1983-84 after notching 76 points in 43 games.

The Montreal Canadiens drafted Kurvers in 1981. He won the Stanley Cup with the franchise in 1986. Kurvers also played for the Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, New York Islanders, and then-Anaheim Mighty Ducks.

He had 421 points in 659 NHL games.

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The Dallas Stars signed veteran winger Blake Comeau to a one-year contract worth $1 million, the team announced Monday.

The 35-year-old has spent the last three seasons with the club and notched 14 points in 51 games in 2020-21 while averaging over 15 minutes per contest.

Comeau was drafted 47th overall by the New York Islanders in 2004 and has played 903 career contests to date.

The Stars have nearly $16 million in cap space after Comeau's new deal, but have five unrestricted and four restricted free agents currently on their roster, according to Cap Friendly.

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Vegas Golden Knights head coach Pete DeBoer believes Marc-Andre Fleury's gaffe leading to the Montreal Canadiens' late third-period equalizer in Game 3 had an effect on his club in overtime.

Fleury mishandled a dump-in behind his goal and Habs forward Josh Anderson deposited the loose puck into the empty net, evening the score at 2-2 with 1:55 remaining in the final frame. Anderson then buried his second of the night in overtime.

"Those type of events are tough to recover from," DeBoer said postgame, according to NHL.com's Danny Webster. "I didn't think we were poor in overtime but there's no doubt that carried over."

Golden Knights captain Mark Stone came to the defense of his goalie.

"It was an unfortunate bounce, there's nothing you can do about it," Stone said, according to The Athletic's Jesse Granger. "Fleury has been great all year. It was one mistake and we needed to bail him out, and we didn't."

Fleury is up for the Vezina Trophy as the league's top goaltender of 2020-21 after posting a 26-10 record in the regular season along with a .928 save percentage and 1.98 goals-against average. Coming into Friday's clash with Montreal, the 36-year-old had a .923 clip in 14 playoff games this spring.

Vegas thoroughly controlled play throughout the game, outshooting the Canadiens 45-27 while commanding 59.18% of scoring chances and 53.95% of expected goals at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.

Montreal leads the series 2-1 with Game 4 set for Sunday night.

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Aleksander Barkov of the Florida Panthers has been named the 2020-21 recipient of the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the NHL's top defensive forward, the league announced Friday.

Mark Stone of the Vegas Golden Knights and Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins were the other finalists.

More to come.

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Rod Brind'Amour of the Carolina Hurricanes won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's top coach of the 2020-21 season, the league announced Thursday.

Dean Evason of the Minnesota Wild, and Joel Quenneville of the Florida Panthers were the other finalists.

More to come.

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New York Islanders head coach Barry Trotz bemoaned a missed too-many-men call that led to a go-ahead goal for the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 2 on Tuesday night.

Ondrej Palat scored in the second period to give Tampa Bay a 2-1 lead, but replay showed the Lightning had extra players on the ice at the time. Trotz was predictably incensed on the bench afterward.

Trotz addressed the missed call postgame.

"The second goal hurt quite a bit," Trotz said, according to ESPN's Greg Wyshynki. "Obviously you guys know there was too many men on the ice there. They had seven guys."

Palat's tally wasn't the only debated goal in the high-octane affair. The Islanders scored on a power play in the first period after a controversial goaltender interference penalty on Lightning forward Brayden Point.

The Islanders were penalized five times in the contest to the Lightning's four.

Tampa Bay went on to win 4-2 and even the third-round series at 1-1. Game 3 goes Thursday in New York.

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Nashville Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne is the 2021 recipient of the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, the league announced Monday.

The award is given annually to the player who exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice, and who has made a significant humanitarian contribution to his community.

Rinne edged out San Jose Sharks forward Kurtis Gabriel and New Jersey Devils defenseman P.K. Subban to earn the honor.

"After spending 15 years with the same organization and in the same city, and with the opportunities I've had through local charities in my community - this is very special to me," Rinne said. "At the same time, I was to congratulate P.K. and Kurtis on their nomination and for everything they do for their communities. I want to thank the Predators and the Predators Foundation for letting us players get involved and help in our community."

Rinne has raised over $3 million for cancer research at a children's hospital in Tennessee through his 365 Pediatric Fund. He also works with Best Buddies, a nonprofit advocating for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and Make-A-Wish, among others.

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