The Islanders invariably embrace the underdog role. The Elmonters squeezed into the playoffs and now want to prove that they can pull off a major upset by winning tomorrow and then in Game Seven down South.
The winning pendulum has swung in the Islanders favor.
They will approach Game Six against the Hurricanes tomorrow night at UBS Arena with the right boxes checked off.
HEALTH: Carolina's lineup is pockmarked with injuries. By contrast -- and especially with Mathew Barzal and Alexander Romanov -- the Isles are enjoying returning good health.
OFFENSE: Minus crack left wing Andrei Svechnikov and ace right wing Teuvo Teravainen, the Canes attacking unit is limited. New York has four well-balanced lines intact.
PRESSURE: The Hockey News Yearbook -- The Bible of Hockey -- picked Carolina to win the 2023 Stanley Cup. The onus is heavy on the Canes to win Game Six because they surely don't want to go back to Raleigh for a win-or-else finale like the one they lost to the Rangers at home last year
MOTIVATION: The Islanders invariably embrace the underdog role. The Elmonters squeezed into the playoffs and now want to prove that they can pull off a major upset by winning tomorrow and then in Game Seven down South.
PHYSICALITY: Over the past five games the Nassaumen have maintained a hitting edge. In the last match at PNC Arena the home team was outhit, 33-27.
GOALTENDING: At age 27, Isles starter, Ilya Sorokin, is four years younger than Canes backup Antti Raanta. Sorokin is a Vezina Trophy candidate; Raanta, not!
Add to that the fact that Ilya enjoys some of his best games at home.
Or, as Barzal accurately put it about Sorokin: "He's our backbone."
Barzy's two-on-one goal in Game Five -- with Bo Horvat -- indicates that Matty has rounded into the form that made him the club's offensive balance wheel. He figures to be aces tomorrow night and be Bo On The Go.
The emergence of left wing Pierre Engvall as a positive addition has enhanced his line's effectiveness along with Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri. The trio tatalled five points in Game Five.
Meanwhile, the veteran Zach Parise has maintained speed as his asset along with an uncanny shot-blocking aptitude.
During the 3-2 victory on Tuesday night, the club -- as a whole -- blocked 22 of 77 shot attempts and went four-for-four killing penalties.
No question, the Hurricanes hung tough and threatened to tie the game several times in the third period.
On one penalty kill, defenseman Scott Mayfield courageously pinned the puck along the boards for 20-plus seconds which was enough to at least temporarily put the brakes on a Canes' rush.
"That's old-time hockey," said captain Anders Lee.
They'll need a lot more of that tomorrow.
The Five Bottom Lines for victory are 20-20 clear:
1. Keep it simple; 2. Play smart; not like last Sunday; 3. Play your positions; don't needlessly stray; 4. Stay out of the penalty box; 5. Harness the crowd in a positive way; in other words no dumb penalties and unnecessary fights.
It would be redundant to say, "Fix the power play." But there's still time to get it right. Do that and we'll really be flying South for Game Seven!