GAME 6: ISLANDERS VS HURRICANES
CAR LEADS BEST-OF-SEVEN SERIES 3-2
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The New York Islanders will look to keep their season alive for a second-straight game, as they face off against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Six on Friday of their best-of-seven series. The Hurricanes currently lead the series three games to two.
The Islanders are coming off a critical 3-2 win on Tuesday night at PNC Arena to keep their season alive. Pierre Engvall and Brock Nelson had a goal and an assist each, while Mathew Barzal netted the game-winner in the middle frame. Ilya Sorokin made 34 saves between the pipes.
"The other night was a big win for us," Kyle Palmieri said. "We know what we have to do to be successful, we just have to go out there and execute that."
The Islanders trailed 3-1 in the series prior to Tuesday's Game Five win to pull within one, completing the critical first step in making a comeback in the series. The Islanders have a franchise record of 2-13 when trailing 3-1 in a best-of-seven series, climbing out of 3-1 holes in 1975 and 1987.
After the Islanders fought hard to bring the series back home to Long Island, the stage is set for the Islanders to play in front of an energized home crowd for Game Six.
"Excited to have the fans out there," Hudson Fasching said. "They're going to be rowdy, and we're going to need them, we're going to need that energy."
A win on Friday night would even the series at three games apiece and force the series to go the distance.
"We have a great opportunity to try and win a game at home and force a game seven," Dobson said. Our fans have been awesome all year, I think they're really going to bring the energy on Friday. We're excited to hopefully get a big one."
ONE GAME AT A TIME
Throughout the season, the Islanders maintained a laser-focused mindset on the next game. They'll need to bring a do-or-die mentality to Friday's matchup as they face elimination for the second consecutive game."We focused on Game Five and now our focus is on Game Six," Ryan Pulock said. "We're not looking ahead. We just have to find a way to bear down and put together good efforts tomorrow."
Part of that one-game-at-a-time mentality involves focusing on ways to improve from the previous game. The Islanders have done that by cleaning up their penalty kill, going a perfect 4-for-4 on Tuesday after allowing two power-play goals in Game Four on Sunday.
Scott Mayfield played a major role in the Islanders' penalty kill on Tuesday, containing the puck against the boards for over 30 seconds in a late kill in the final frame to hold a narrow 3-2 lead.
"I feel physical in the corners, I feel strong," Mayfield said. "That's where I like to play, so for me it's just kind of part of it. It probably seems a little bit longer than it actually is, a lot of energy going into kind of nothing, but it just worked out and we were able to get the kill and then get that power play out of it."
The Islanders and Hurricanes are acclimated to intense, tight games at this point in the series, as three matchups were decided by a single goal. Neither team has the overall edge in goals over the span of five games, the Islanders and Hurricanes are 14-14.
"You have to remain focused regardless of what happens out there," Zach Parise said. "But as an athlete and as a competitor you love that atmosphere and that thrill of being in a tight game. That's why playoff hockey is so great."
The Islanders saw the return of Mathew Barzal just in time for the most important games of the year, and it didn't take long for him to produce and contribute on the scoresheet.
Barzal missed the last 23 games of the regular season after a lower-body injury sidelined him on Feb. 18. He netted a pair of goals through five games of the series, including his third career postseason game-winner on Tuesday night.
"The game can happen fast when you get back," Pulock said of Barzal. "You can see him starting to settle in a little bit more. [He's] making some plays and had that big goal for us the other night."
Over the span of five games, Barzal has taken 12 shots, recorded three hits and three blocked shots.
"Ever since Game One he's looked great," Palmieri said of Barzal. "He had a couple practices but no game action for two months or so. He continues to make an impact, he's such a big piece of this team."
The Islanders also received defensive reinforcements in the return of Alexander Romanov, who missed the last seven games with a lower-body injury and returned for Game Three. The 22-year-old defenseman brought his hard-hitting style of play to the lineup against the Hurricanes, primarily paired with Pulock (33:20 TOI), who mirrors a similar physical style.
PULOCK RAISES HIS GAME IN PLAYOFFS
Having not played since Apr. 1, Romanov stepped into the playoffs for Game Three, recording nine hits and six blocked shots through three playoff appearances.
"It's not easy to miss games and come back in the regular season," Noah Dobson said. "Especially where everything is more amplified and has more intensity. [Romanov] plays a physical brand of hockey so it's nice to see him back. He's a big part of our team."
CANES UPDATES
The Hurricanes might shake things up ahead of Game Six.Head Coach Rod Brind'Amour might make a change in the crease, as he told reporters there's a chance Frederik Andersen will start on Friday, as the veteran netminder practiced in the starter's net in Thursday's practice in Carolina. Andersen has not made a playoff appearance for the Hurricanes in his two seasons with the team.
Antti Raanta has started the previous five games for the Hurricanes, sporting a .906 SV% and 13 goals allowed. Raanta typically doesn't start for long stretches and five-straight games (from Dec. 22 to Jan. 1) marked his season high.
On the injury front, Jack Drury practiced with the Hurricanes, but will not travel to Long Island for Game Six, per Brind'Amour. Drury left Game Four early after taking a hit from Ryan Pulock and he did not dress for Game Five.
Both teams had an unconventional two-day break in the playoffs, which gives players on both teams an opportunity to rejuvenate ahead of Game Six.
"It gives guys a chance to get some rest, to just prepare mentally and physically," Pulock said. "We got a practice in today to get our minds and bodies in the right place to go tomorrow."
ISLES UTILIZE EXTRA DAY BETWEEN GAMES
The Islanders went 12-9-4 in the regular season in games following two days' rest.
"You don't get it too often in the playoffs," Palmieri said. "At this point of the series, we can use them to reset and refocus. It's a unique opportunity with two days off."
Game 6 Preview: Islanders vs Hurricanes | New York Islanders
The Islanders look to even best-of-seven series with Hurricanes on Friday night at UBS Arena
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