UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) — The New York Islanders don’t plan to spend too much time thinking about their blowout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning that’s put them on the verge of being ousted from the Stanley Cup semifinals. The 8-0 loss on Monday night has the Islanders in a 3-2 series hole heading into Game 6 at home tonight, facing elimination for the first time this postseason. The Islanders have managed to bounce back several times this postseason as they’ve trailed after three games in each of their three series. Now, they return to Nassau Coliseum, where they were 21-4-3 during the regular season and are 5-3 so far in the playoffs.
UNDATED (AP) — Rene Robert (roh-BEHR’), a member of the Buffalo Sabres’ famed “French Connection Line,” has died at a Florida hospital less than a week after suffering a heart attack. He was 72. The Sabres confirmed Robert’s death yesterday in a statement released by the team. Robert was acquired by the Sabres in a trade in 1972, and went on to round out one of the most productive lines in NHL history. He played right wing, alongside Rick Martin and Hockey Hall of Fame center Gilbert Perreault (zhihl-BEHR’ peh-ROH’). The line earned its nickname because all three were from Quebec.