Sebastian Aho spent his first season in North American making a name for himself - or rather, separating himself from the other Sebastian Aho. 

The focus in his second season? Becoming a steadier pro.  

Having seen Ken Morrow enough times I came away convinced, that he was born with a beard! -- Rich Torrey, son of GM Bill Torrey.

Although you won't find it in the National Hockey League Record Book there is ample evidence that the Islanders invented the "playoff beard" tradition.

Bryan Trottier suggested that the playoff beard tradition originally began in 1975 when the club rebounded from 0-3 deficits against both the Penguins and Flyers. Fair enough but nothing like a beard bonanza was ignited at that time.

Between Head Coach Barry Trotz, General Manager Lou Lamoriello, and players Valtteri Filppula, Tom Kuhnhackl, Johnny Boychuk, Andrew Ladd and Nick Leddy, the New York Islanders have an experienced group of former Stanley Cup champions available to probe as they deepen their playoff run. 

This group of former champions had success with different teams, during different eras and under different circumstances, but they share something else in common; the hunger to repeat. 

After taking a pair of maintenance days last week, both Cal Clutterbuck and Scott Mayfield returned to practice on Monday morning. 

Both players were given a break to help heal up after a physical first-round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Clutterbuck left Game 4 in the second period and did not return, while Mayfield was given a couple of days to heal up an undisclosed issue. Mayfield was previously given a maintenance day between Games 3 and 4 in Pittsburgh. 

SOROKIN WINS KHL TITLE, NAMED PLAYOFF MVP

Ilya Sorokin won the Gagarin Cup - the KHL championship - on Friday, as CSKA Moscow swept Avangard four games to none. Sorokin was also named the KHL playoff MVP in the process. 

Sorokin had a marvelous playoffs, going 16-4-0 with a 1.20 GAA, a .956 SV% and five shutouts for CSKA. The Islanders' 2014 third-round pick (78th overall) recorded a pair of shutouts in the Gagarin Cup Final, the first goalie in KHL history to do so. 

Add another chapter to Robin Lehner's inspirational 2018-19 season. 

Lehner was named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy on Saturday, a height that even the Islanders goalie said seemed far off during a tumultuous 2017-18 season in Buffalo. 

The National Hockey League announced that Robin Lehner is a finalist for the 2019 Vezina Trophy, given annually to the National Hockey League's best goaltender. The winner is selected by the 31 General Managers of the NHL. 

Lehner is one of three finalists for the award, alongside Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ben Bishop of the Dallas Stars. The winner will be announced at the 2019 NHL Awards presented by Bridgestone at the Mandalay Bay Events Center sports and entertainment complex in Las Vegas on June 19, 2019.

Ilya Sorokin won the Gagarin Cup - the KHL championship - on Friday, as CSKA Moscow swept Avangard four games to none. Sorokin was also named the KHL playoff MVP in the process. 

Sorokin had a marvelous playoffs, going 16-4-0 with a 1.20 GAA, a .956 SV% and five shutouts for CSKA. The Islanders' 2014 third-round pick (78th overall) recorded a pair of shutouts in the Gagarin Cup Final, the first goalie in KHL history to do so. 

In 1980, the Islanders trail to the Stanley Cup went through Buffalo.

Leading the Sabres two games to none in the semi-final round, coach Al Arbour's skaters sat just two wins away from entering the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in franchise history.

Two springs ago, in 1978, the trail went through Toronto and the Maple Leafs proved an effective roadblock. In 1979, it was the Rangers who threw up the wall.

The Islanders have earned themselves a rather rare position after cleanly sweeping the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs - they will wind up having a week off until the next puck is dropped for the second round. 

Rest in the playoffs is a luxury and the Isles are ensuring they take advantage of the time to prepare, get healthy and remain sharp.