The New York Islanders proved Monday night that they could hang with the Carolina Hurricanes, but their lack of discipline and abundance of mental mistakes led to a 2-1 defeat in Game 1.
RALEIGH, NC -- The New York Islanders proved Monday night that they could hang with the Carolina Hurricanes, but their lack of discipline and abundance of mental mistakes led to a 2-1 defeat in Game 1.
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
Sebastian Aho-Ryan Pulock
Samuel Bolduc-Noah Dobson
Ilya Sorokin
Semyon Varlamov
RAPID RECAP:
Although the New York Islanders' fourth line got in on the ever-important forecheck from the opening puck drop, the Carolina Hurricanes dictated play early.
Sebastian Aho made the Islanders pay for a Hudson Fasching tripping penalty under four minutes into the first, blasting home a power-play goal just five seconds into their man advantage to give Carolina a 1-0 lead.
The Islanders got a power-play chance of their own under five minutes later.
For the first time in quite some time, the top unit was rather dangerous.
Bo Horvat won all three of his draws, while Mathew Barzal led the charge through the neutral zone and over the Hurricanes' blue line.
Anders Lee had a prime opportunity seconds into the power play but could not get a quality shot off in the slot, where he was all alone. Later, Barzal whiffed on a puck at the back post, where he garnered inside position.
The Islanders earned another power play with under a minute to play in the opening frame after Canes' defenseman Brady Skjei interfered with Kyle Palmieri.
Before the period ended, Lee had another strong chance in front but couldn't connect on a bouncing puck that laid right in front of Raanta.
The first period was one that the Hurricanes dominated, and the Islanders did not help themselves out with more than their fair share of turnovers.
Let the record be known that The Hockey News disagreed with the statisticians' three turnovers counted in the opening frame.
The Islanders got in on the forecheck but failed to connect on passes after winning board battles.
Islanders nemtinder Ilya Sorokin was sharp, stopping 13 of 14, all 12 shots he saw at five-on-five, allowing just the power-play one-timer.
The Islanders gave the Hurricanes an early power play in the second, and Stefan Noesen made them pay as he deflected a Brent Burns point shot.
Twenty-seven seconds after Noesen's tally, Ryan Pulock got the Islanders on the board as his shot from inside the right dot, a whiff if you will, got passed Raanta.
The Islanders then took another two penalties, limiting the momentum they had been building earlier in the frame. Both were killed off to keep the Islanders down just a goal.
Fasching drew a penalty with 12:52 to go in the middle frame, but the Islanders failed to get a shot off as the Hurricanes were tenacious.
The Hurricanes almost extended their lead to 3-1 in the final 10 seconds of the second, but Adam Pelech's stick denied the chance.
Sorokin continued to do what he's done all season, bailing New York out, as he stopped 14 of 15 in the middle frame.
The Islanders had two grade-A chances to even the score early in the third as Raanta stoned Lee on the backhand before saving a Pierre Engvall shot.
The Islanders struggled to muster much as the period went on.
Cal Clutterbuck had the Islanders' next best chance with 7:30 to play in the final frame, missing the net point-blank from the slot.
With 4:59 to play in the third, Barzal's stick was snapped in half by Burns as the Islanders headed to their fourth power play of the game.
They failed to get a shot, ultimately losing 2-1 after a few chances with the empty net.
Sorokin finished with 35 saves, as he was New York’s best player, as he’s been all season.
WHAT'S NEXT: The New York Islanders face the Carolina Hurricanes for Game 2 of the First Round on Wednesday night at 7 PM ET at PNC Arena.