The New York Islanders stuck with it on Friday night and were rewarded en route to a 5-1 in Game 3. Here's the latest from the Islanders locker room.
The New York Islanders entered the third period tied at one with so much on the line on Friday night.
A loss would have meant a 3-0 series deficit. A win had them right back in the series.
Offense had been hard to come by as the Carolina Hurricanes played to their identity, but the Islanders kept with it, and finally, the goals game.
Four in 2:18, to be exact, as the momentum grew along with the cheers from the UBS Arena crowd.
"One of those games you just had to stick with it," Islanders captain Anders Lee said following the 5-1 win. "I thought our guys did a phenomenal job of that. Especially responding after the end of the second there. But we played our game the whole way through."
Pulock added: "You gotta keep working until you get your moment, and I thought we had a lot of really good looks. A lot of scramble plays we couldn't find, and we didn't get discouraged by that. We just stuck with it, and we found one. Then we just kept going."
Palmieri scored the go-ahead goal with under four minutes to play, and the foot stayed on the gas, with Matt Martin, Scott Mayfield (ENG), and Anders Lee getting in on the fun.
"That was a battle," Palmieri said. "We knew every game was gonna be a battle, whether it's here or in Carolina, but it felt good to take care of business at home, and now we'll prepare ourselves for Sunday."
The power play had yet to have a goal through eight power-play opportunities this series, and while no one really cared how the goals were scored, getting the go-ahead marker on the power play was big for this group.
"We just had to stick with it and found a way to come through at the end there," Palmieri said.
The Islanders' penalty kill was dominant, going four-for-five, including three massive kills in the second period with too many blocks to count.
The game may not have been won there, but it certainly could have been lost there.
"Especially after the first game, giving up those two goals on the power play, that doesn't sit well with us as killers," Cizikas said. "We want to be better than that. And, we've talked a lot. We've worked on it a lot going into these last two games, so it's definitely a big momentum shift."
Cizikas, who got the contest's first goal, the first playoff goal ever at UBS Arena, would not take credit for the tally.
"I can't really take too much credit. That pass from Pulock was unbelievable," Cizikas said. "I didn't even think he saw me, but he made a beautiful pass, and I was able to just get it over his shoulder and into the net."
The Islanders now have the job of holding serve Sunday afternoon, as the ability to even the series is on the horizon.
"We got to stay focused. Sunday's a new day, a new game, and we're not out of the woods yet. Obviously, it's 2-1 series, favoring them, and we got to hold court at home, and then we'll worry about the next game after that," Martin said. "But tonight was a special night for everybody, and for us to be able to get a couple goals, that one feels good."