Yes, the 3-2 victory over the stubborn Hurricanes last night in Raleigh was nerve wracking...
Comeback-Ability.
Goaltending.
Mathew Barzal
Those are the Big Three reasons why the Islanders are alive, well and confident in their ability to tie the series at three-three on Friday in Elmont.
Yes, the 3-2 victory over the stubborn Hurricanes last night in Raleigh was nerve wracking, pulsatingly close and enough to cause every Islanders fan to go, well:
WHEW!
And that's an understatement, Yet, the "We're Still Alive!" sextet seems to take these breathless games for granted, especially Anders Lee.
"Our road just to get in was not easy," the captain explained. "We had to pull ourselves out of holes after tough stretches. But we believe in one another and this group. And what we can do and how we can play."
Right off the bat, they had to pull themselves out of a two-minute "hole" when the home team intensely came at New York -- well -- like a Hurricane. And that's where the Isles trademark rebound-ability was evident.
Thanks to Ilya Sorokin -- talk about a rebounder -- the Visitors got the early four saves they needed to regain their composure -- and the game.
Then the Elmonters pulled off a novelty act; they actually scored the game's first goal. One of boss Lou Lamoriello's prize "gets," Pierre Envall beat Antti Raanta at 10:27 of the opening period with a sweet pass from big brother Brock Nelson.
"Pierre knows how to protect the puck and make nice, little plays," Nelson explained. "He generates chances with his speed."
Nelson returned the favor early in the second period with a rather strange -- now you see it, now you don't -- goal after Engvall and Palmieri did the early leg work. So, at 3:16 the Isles were feeling a big jaunty with a 2-0 lead.
Make no mistake; the Canes were playing well and, if you don't believe The Maven, ask Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour who endorsed his team's effort.
No, the home team wasn't going to go away and, actually, got within a goal in the middle frame for a 2-1 scary score.
Here, at last, we saw the game we wanted from Big-Game Barzal. Just when it seemed that the period would end with the Isles leading by a skimpy goal, Madcap Mat relieved Stefan Noesen of the biscuit and galloped goalward.
On Maty's right was Bo Horvat, keeping pace with the two-on-one while Canes D-man Brent Burns desperately backpedalled.
Barzal: "Burns pretty well had Bo taken care of so I decided to shoot,"
The flashing red light confirmed the wisdom of Mathew and enabled the Isles to exit with a 3-1 edge and 20 minutes left to protect it.
Brother, Sister, did our guys ever need that cushion. At 10:26 of the final period,
Sabastian Aho beat Sorokin and the lead was down to a fragile one. Which meant that the final nine minutes would be a matter of holding the fort, or else!
"Sorokin was exceptional," said coach Lambert. "He had to make some saves -- and he did."
The biggest stop of all came off Jesperi Kotkaniemi's shot from the face-off circle with 1:56 remaining and the Canes maintaining enormous pressure.
"We played good defense," Ilya maintained.
The fort was held; the game was won and when the "Three Stars Selection" was announced Engvall and Nelson ranked one-two with the Canes Aho third.
Personally, I would have squeezed Barzal in as 3A for the pure and simple reason that he got the game-winner on a nifty shot against Raanta.
Those shots had to be golden because Sorokin was blitzed with 36 shots and, come to think of it, Ilya, could have been 1-A in my book.
What does this all mean?
For starters, the still hill-climbing Nassaumen breathed a new life in a series that appeared all but lost after the Sunday afternoon debacle.
New York's victory means that Lambert's sextet have another day to regroup, review the winning game plan and employ it for Game Six at UBS Arena on Friday night.
A win at home then would tie the series and send it back to the Southland for a deciding Game Seven.
Plus the Isles now are secure in the knowledge that they can win at the previously impenetrable PNC Arena.
What Lambert's Lads have to do next is make sure that the Canes do not win another playoff game in Elmont.
The Comeback kids, led by Sorokin, Barzal, Engvall and Nelson -- among many solid citizens -- should be able to handle that challenge!