Islanders Notebook: Capitals No Easy Task, Parise's Masterton Nomination, Maggio Inks ATO

The New York Islanders are two wins away, three points away, from clinching a postseason berth. 

Ahad of their Monday night matchup against the Washington Capitals, Stan Fischer shares his thoughts. Zach Parise is a Masterton nominee, and the Bridgeport Islanders ink prospect Matthew Maggio to an amateur tryout.

An Avid New York Islanders fan (also a pal of mine) walked away from UBS Arena after Saturday night's win over Philadelphia and blurted, "I don't know how much more of this excitement I can take."

Presumably, that state of high anxiety stretches throughout Islanders country as Lane Lambert's stick handlers prepare for tonight's encounter at Capital One Arena in Downtown Washington, D.C.

For starters, let's not kid ourselves, Washington still is a tough team; one which for years had been a regular playoff club until potholes disrupted the Capitals' march to another postseason.

It's a team distinctly different from the previously beaten Philadelphia Flyers. Exhibit A would have been Alex Ovechkin whose howitzer blazed through another record season. He and several teammates were Stanley Cup rings, but he will not play due to injury. 

So Exhibit A becomes Masterton nominee John Carlson, who remains one of the most threatening offensive defensemen in the National Hockey League. Carlson is a major catalyst while simultaneously still able to take care of business in his own end of the pond.

Let's not forget Exhibit B, who was not around for a significant bloc of the early season; the ever dangerous -- in many physical ways as well -- Tom Wilson.

And that's just for starters.

Had Wilson not been on a long-term sabbatical and had Ovi not had to spend significant mourning time after his father's passing in Russia, this would be a playoff team as we speak. Thus, there is absolutely no reason for Lambert's skaters to enter the arena is a state of overconfidence.

No question -- make that absolutely no question -- that the pressure in this game is all on the Islanders and, more so, because the Caps home fans are going to be roaring for their favorites to be spoilers.

Which means that the specific pressure is on the Islanders leadership bloc -- from Lambert to captain Anders Lee and notable other veterans -- to win the mental game; and this of course is part and parcel of the Wild Card challenge.

Then there's that annoying matter of the Law of Averages. Washington has lost six games in a row; a highly unlikely figure for this particular Capitals club. They are going to want to finally win one for their loyalists who'll pack the ice palace.

All hands must be on deck and prepared to play this one as if it were Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Final.

The Masterton Trophy is awarded to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey as voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, which Stan Fischler and Stefen Rosner are members of.

The Islanders nominee is none other than 38-year-old Zach Parise, who embodies what this award is all about.

He will play in all 82 games for a second consecutive season with New York and has been phenomenal this season with 21 goals and 12 assists in 80 games. 

We caught up with Parise following Islanders' morning skate to see what this nomination meant to him. 

"I don't know. I like playing the game. I've enjoyed my time, especially here. It's easy to come to the rink and be around these guys and this group of players, especially in an important time of the year," Parise said. "But I've always enjoyed playing, enjoyed working on the game, trying to get better."

Hudson Fasching did receive second-place votes, while Cal Clutterbuck finished third.

Here's the list of nominees: PHWA UNVEILS NHL'S 2022-23 BILL MASTERTON TROPHY NOMINEES

The New York Islanders used their fifth-round selection in 2022 to draft forward Matthew Maggio, a player who went undrafted the year prior.

He attended Islanders development and training camp shortly after showing off a strong shot as well as a high hockey IQ.

Maggio returned to the OHL for his final season with the Windsor Spitfires and had an incredible season, with 54 goals and 57 assists (111 points) in 67 games as their captain.

After one goal and one assist in four playoff games, Maggio now joins the Bridgeport Islanders who inked him to an amateur tryout on Apr 10.

The Bridgeport Islanders have three games remaining and will be missing the playoffs so it's possible he suits up before their season concludes.