If the Islanders had lost on Saturday, a third-period penalty taken by Robert Bortuzzo would have been the main reason.
Bortuzzo’s Jakob Slavin hook looked like it was needed for a moment, but Slavin escaped and the Islanders held a 2-1 lead.
But Kyle Palmieri came in to take out Slavin’s angle, and a penalty set up Stefan Noesen to score on the power play, sending Game 4 into overtime.
So when Matt Barzal tipped a shot from the blue line in double overtime to extend the Islanders’ season into Game 5, the 35-year-old veteran became one of the heroes of the day. The relief was palpable.
“Obviously it’s disappointing that we got a penalty at such an important moment,” Bortuzzo said after the 3-2 win. “We got caught up in a little bit of a weird change. Anyway, it stings, but this is a resilient group. When we all make mistakes, we’re here to give each other a pep talk and we get a chance to contribute to each other. , somebody finds the net. Just stick to it and try not to get too high or too low.”
The assist marked Bortuzzo’s first goal of the 2023-24 season, starting as an Islander or with the Blues. Since being traded to the Islanders in December, Bortuzzo has been in and out of action, suffering a high ankle sprain in January and suffering occasional healthy scrapes upon his return.
In the playoffs, coach Patrick Roy trusts Bortuzzo more than Sebastian Aho because he plays more defensively, even though the numbers don’t really reflect his impact.
It finally paid off on Saturday.
“What I like about him is he brings us the stability that we need,” Roy said. “He’s a big man, he’s tough to play against, and it’s nice to see someone rewarded for his play. I thought he had a strong game. Sometimes it’s a plus or a minus, but it’s not always fair. I mean, I was happy for him when I saw him get on the ice and score the winning goal and put the puck in the net.”
With a five-game series, manager Lou Lamoriello is certain to break Glenn Saser’s record for playoff appearances as a GM, with Tuesday being his 325th game.
The Islanders had two middle days between Games 4 and 5, and did not practice on Sunday.
