After being tied for most of the game, a late four-goal frenzy from the New York Islanders earned them their first win of their series with the Carolina Hurricanes. Their four goals in just over two minutes at the end of the third period were the fastest four goals by one team in Stanley Cup Playoffs history, and lead to a lopsided 5-1 loss for the Canes.
In the first two games, the Hurricanes were able to squeak out two one-goal wins in Raleigh and looked to take a commanding 3-0 series lead when they walked into UBS Arena in Long Island on Friday night. The two brutal losses in the first two games certainly inspired the win-hungry Islanders as they cut the lead in the series back to one.
Pumped up by their fans, the Islanders came out firing on all cylinders and caught Carolina on the back foot in the early minutes of the first period. However, the Hurricanes were able to dig their heels in and shift momentum in their favor by creating a flurry of opportunities on offense.
Despite the best efforts of both teams, goaltenders Ilya Sorokin and Antti Raanta stood tall, suppressing all the shots that came their way, sending the game to the first intermission scoreless. It took almost thirteen minutes into the second period for a goal to be scored and Islanders center Casey Cizikas found himself all alone in front of the goal where he sneaked one past Raanta’s glove.
With the crowd reinvigorated, the Islanders were quick to find another grade-A chance that saw them only inches away from going up 2-0 in a matter of seconds. After a shot by Isles right wing Hudson Fasching hit the inside of the post, center Seth Jarvis made a diving save to swipe the puck from trickling across the goal line. It wasn’t Jarvis’ only impressive defensive play of the night, though. In the first period, Jarvis was able to keep pace with the shifty center Mathew Barzal, proving his worth as a forward who can backcheck.
In desperate need of a goal, the Canes found themselves on the penalty-kill trying to keep their heads above water and not go down two goals. Center Jordan Staal stripped Barzal of the puck and with his quick thinking, created a two-on-one opportunity with who else but right-wing Jesper Fast. In deja vu fashion from game two, the pair tallied an assist and goal respectively, making it two playoff goals in as many games for Fast. The short-handed goal silenced the crowd and the Canes looked ready to score another.
For much of the third period, Carolina was working against themselves by taking three penalties. Over the course of the game, the Hurricanes were on the PK 5 times and despite being the third-best PK unit on the road this season, the fifth and final power play for the Islanders hit pay dirt as center Kyle Palmieri scored after tipping the puck out front.
If you missed the game and just checked the score sheet, Raanta’s four goals given up and 0.889 save percentage would look awful, but in reality, he was the Canes’ best player on the ice. Throughout the game when the Islanders were trapping the Hurricanes in their zone and piling on shots, Raanta was everywhere he needed to be, stopping every puck that came his way. Assuming injury risk or fatigue is not a factor, Raanta deserves the nod in game four as he had little chance to save all four goals given up.
If the series wasn’t already chippy enough, four 10-minute misconduct penalties occurred at the conclusion of the third period as the teams were going at it near the benches. The entire game the Hurricanes looked like they were more focused on dodging hits from the likes of left wing Matt Martin than anything else. Playoff series are not won by absorbing and turning from hits, at some point the Canes will retaliate so expect a highly physical game four on Sunday, April 23.
Puck drop for game four is set for 1 p.m. in Long Island.
