It’s now or never.
Maybe the sting of the Game 2 loss has worn off for some, and there’s room for excitement as the Islanders are back on Long Island for their only two home playoff games in their series with the Carolina Hurricanes. After all, you’re not really in trouble until you lose a home game, as the playoff conventional wisdom goes.
For others, it’s a death march, with low expectations and fears of another extinguishing at the hands of the Canes.
Either way, once the music and the crowd buzz starts, even the biggest pessimist has to feel some excitement for Game 3, yeah? No?
Islanders News
- Count the Isles players as excited to be in front of the home crowd. Barzal: “Now we get to come home and play in our building, play in front of our fans who I know are going to be excited. … Try to give them a good show for two games and play our best hockey of the year.” [Isles]
- Previewing tonight. [Isles]
- The Isles’ plan to get back in the series is basically trying to do more of what they did well in Game 1. [Post]
- Ilya Sorokin will start tonight, and Patrick Roy hopes it’s the perfect situation for him and the Isles. [Isles | Newsday | Post]
- Best: The Isles don’t wallow in the collapses like we do. [Newsday]
- Matt Martin will be an afternoon decision, but if he can’t go, does Ruslan Iskhakov get his debut? Or was that just practice lines? Because Hudson Fasching also skated in Simon Holmstrom’s place. [THN]
Elsewhere
Some disruption in the playoffs last night for sure:
- The LTIR Knights won again, putting Dallas in an 0-2 hole as the #1 seed. [NHL]
- That leaves the Stars in a “heap of trouble.” [Sportsnet]
- Edmonton came back to force OT, but Anze Kopitar won it early, evening that series as it heads to L.A. [NHL]
- Brad Marchand did Brad Marchand things, getting away with a can opener on a Bruins goal and then scoring two goals (one ENG) himself as the Bruins beat the Leafs. [NHL]
- He’s “infuriating” the Leafs. But the Bruins love him and his perspective, of course. [Sportsnet]
- The Sharks fired coach David Quinn after forcing him to “lead” their tanking for two seasons. Tough spot for him, and apparently a tough call for his friend and GM, Mike Grier. [NHL]
- Sam Bennett is out “at least a week” for the Panthers after taking a shot off the hand/wrist. Assuming that’s longer than a week. [TSN]