RALEIGH, N.C. — This was an ugly Game 1 that felt right at home for the Islanders, a tie game of sorts going into the final period for this team in a season where seemingly every game was a contest. It just became natural. wire.
So even if the Islanders didn’t get the A-game on Saturday night, their 3-1 loss to Carolina in the series opener was a missed opportunity that they’ll regret later.
A year ago, six straight games between the teams were close, with the Islanders losing two games in overtime and losing the third by one point, but Carolina once again proved its dominance on Saturday night. was here.
Neither team’s offensive momentum went into the final period with a one-point tie, but after a struggling start to the night, the Islanders settled in very well and, as we all know, defeated our favorite Hurricanes team. Did a great job of holding it down. To shoot the puck.
Through 40 minutes, Carolina had just 13 shots on goal, and the Islanders did what they expected in terms of keeping them off the middle of the ice. There’s a lot of talk about the Islanders needing a goaltender to take the series, but Semyon Varlamov didn’t have to do much.
But just 3:43 into the third period, minutes earlier Frederik Andersen had saved a great chance from Noah Dobson, Stefan Noesen had stepped in after the puck fell off a deflection by Brady Skjei. – Norsen put Carolina ahead and converted.
This goal came just as a result of multiple changes of sustained pressure after the Islanders spent the second period preventing the Hurricanes from gaining a foothold in the offensive zone.
The Islanders started pressing from there, and Kyle Palmieri nearly found the back of the net on a power play diving wraparound, but it bounced harmlessly off the post.
When they pulled Varlamov as an extra attacker, all that happened was Martin Necas finding an empty net.
A few inches here, a few inches there and the Islanders could look pretty good right now. But there are no trophies for it.
Just 1:35 into the game, Evgeny Kuznetsov scored on a power play following a holding penalty by Anders Lee, beating Semyon Varlamov high from a faceoff that appeared to be confused by the Islanders’ penalty. It seemed like the battle would be resolved quickly.
Kyle MacLean, playing on the third line due to Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s absence, got on Lee’s rebound from Alexander Romanov’s chip shot to tie the game at the 8:20 mark. It turned out to be a much-needed lifeline for the Islanders, who looked overwhelmed in the first five minutes.
Unfortunately for the Islanders, that was close to 100 percent of the offense they would get in this game.
Although the Islanders were well inside their own zone, they struggled to establish a forecheck or put sustained pressure on Frederik Andersen.
On a rare occasion, Andersen appeared to struggle with tracking the puck and controlling rebounds, but the Isles were never in a position to take advantage.
And the power play, which stuck to its trend line going into the series, failed to produce a goal despite two chances.
If there’s a blueprint for winning this series, the Islanders may have found a piece of it Saturday. Sure, they can make things interesting by replicating their defensive efforts.
However, given their inferior position, it is difficult to see this game as anything other than a missed opportunity.
The Islanders had a chance to put the Stanley Cup favorites on the back foot. they didn’t accept it. And who knows if there will be a next time.
