The New York Islanders staved off elimination on Tuesday night as they defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 to force a Game Six at UBS Arena.
RALEIGH, NC -- The New York Islanders staved off elimination on Tuesday night as they defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 to force a Game Six at UBS Arena.
New York needed a fast start as they stared down elimination, but that didn't happen. The Carolina Hurricanes controlled play from the opening face-off, and an Islanders' failed power play gave them even more momentum.
But after Ilya Sorokin stood tall early, the Islanders took the lead at the 10:27 mark.
After Brock Nelson won a board battle along the Hurricane half-wall, he found Pierre Engvall all alone in the slot.
After corraling the puck, Engvall slid the puck past the left pad of Antti Raanta for his first of the postseason.
That was the Islanders first first-period playoff goal in 10 games.
With 2:28 to play in the opening frame, the Islanders took their first penalty, as Alexander Romanov went off for interference.
The Hurricanes took advantage, with Stefan Noesen potting the tying tally rather quickly, but after an Islanders challenge, the goal was deemed offside as the Islanders kept their 1-0 lead.
Thanks to Sorokin, who stopped all 11 shots that came his way, the Islanders headed to the first intermission up 1-0 for the first time in 25 playoff games.
The Islanders got off to a strong start to the second, as they suffocated the Hurricanes early.
After Canes' Sebastian Aho took an Engvall shot to the face, Nelson knocked a puck out of the air to give New York a 2-0 lead 3:16 into the second, for his second of the postseason.
The Hurricanes got one back with 6:50 to play in the second as Paul Stastny deflected a Jalen Chatfield point shot to cut the Islanders' lead to 2-1 as New York stopped playing for a bit and got burned.
Mathew Barzal sniped Raanta glove side on a two-on-1 with Bo Horvat (four-on-four) as the Islanders reclaimed their two-goal lead with 1:55 to play in the second.
That was Barzal's second goal of the series and second snipe.
Sorokin stopped 12 of 13 in the frame, as he continued to be square to shots and control his rebounds.
The Islanders played smart hockey in the third, chipping the puck out of their zone when possible, while transitioning when the Hurricanes allowed for it.
When the Islanders did make mistakes, Sorokin stayed ready and sharp to deny the chances, which were slim.
After the Islanders got caught in their own zone, Seth Jarvis found Sebastian Aho in the low slot to make this a 3-2 game at 10:28 of the third period.
Just 1:23 after the goal, Islanders' Sebastian Aho took a holding penalty allowing the Hurricanes their fourth power play of the game.
Canes' Sebastian Aho bailed the Islanders out as he high-sticked Horvat along Islanders' end boards to end their power play.
The Islanders did nothing with their power play but also didn't try anything risky with a one-goal lead.
The Islanders, somehow, held on as they staved off elimination to force a Game Six, winning 3-2.
LINES:
Anders Lee-Bo Horvat-Simon Holmstrom
Pierre Engvall-Brock Nelson-Kyle Palmieri
Zach Parise-Jean-Gabriel Pageau-Hudson Fasching
Matt Martin-Casey Cizikas-Cal Clutterbuck
Adam Pelech-Scott Mayfield
Alexander Romanov-Ryan Pulock
Sebastian Aho-Noah Dobson
Ilya Sorokin
Semyon Varlamov
WHAT'S NEXT: The New York Islanders host the Carolina Hurricanes Friday night for Game 6, with puck drop at 7 PM ET.