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Good Morning, Islanders Country.
They say a playoff series doesn’t start until the home team loses a game, but for the road team, it can feel like the series is over if that doesn’t happen in the first two games. After last night six of the eight road teams already ensured a split as only two home teams - Carolina and Boston won Game 1. If the Canes go up 2-0 on the Islanders, it’ll mean they have won the last five meetings between the teams and six straight in the postseason. Yikes.
A split is the difference between UBS Arena being really loud compared to blowing off the purposely low roof ahead of the opening face-off on Friday night after multiple hours of parking lot festivities. Coming home even is also the difference between fans believing an upset is in the works and that the inconsistent and underwhelming Isles just were never good enough to compete with the better teams in the Eastern Conference.
The Islanders will need Ilya Sorokin to perform as he did in Game 1 and perhaps just a little bit better. The power play will have to be a lot more than a little bit better, and someone is going to have to make a play against the stingy Canes defense that won’t give up much because they rarely do.
The Isles didn’t get overmatched like the Devils and didn’t come apart like the Leafs. They didn’t blow a late lead in the final minute or lose a 2OT heartbreaker. They lost a really tough, really tight game that, with a little luck, could’ve broken their way. They know they can compete with Carolina, but tonight they need to prove that they are good enough to do more than that and come home with a W.
Coming up, Alexander Romanov isn’t ruled out, and Mathew Barzal’s lungs and legs were feeling good after Game 1. Plus, Boomer backs the Isles over the refs, Kelly Hrudey’s 73 saves, Ryan Pulock’s physical play was a hit, and Doc Emrick with hair.
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