N.Y. Islanders Take Out Penguins In Six

From the desk: THE LONG ISLAND NOMADS

NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

ROUND TWO

GAME ONE

ISLANDERS

vs.

BRUINS

FROM

Causeway Street Ice Hut

Isles Find Balance in the Force

Hear that..?

That's the sound of a window slamming shut.  

Time is running short for the Penguins.  For several years now, they've suffered poor goaltending and defensive depth.  Far too often, their top two defensemen average 28 and 29 minutes a night.  On this night, Chris Letang registers over 28 minutes.  Four Penguins defensemen finished with a minus-two.  Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust were minus-three, and Jake Guentzel was a minus-four.

Game Six starts on a down note.  Jeff Carter, there's that name again, scores just 1:27 into the game.  The Isles answer just under four minutes later.  Anthony Beauvillier nets his third of the series on feeds from Brock Nelson and Josh Bailey. 

Scott Mayfield gets whistled at 9:58 of the first for cross-checking Evgeni Malkin.  It served its purpose, but Jake Guentzel made Long Island pay at 11:12 with his first goal of the series.  Then roughly one minute later, Kyle Palmieri ties the game at two off a feed from Jean-Gabriel Pageau.

The Islanders commit their second cardinal sin of the evening when at 1:53 of the second period, Jason Zucker gives the Penguins a 3-2 lead.

After which, the Penguins fall apart like wet toilet paper.

Brock Nelson scores at 8:35, and Ryan Pulock scores 13 seconds later on feeds from Travis Zajac and Jean-Gabriel Pageau.  Just under three minutes later, Brock Nelson nets his second goal of the game for a 5-3 lead and the final margin of victory.   

Ilya Sorokin stops 34 of 37 shots on goal and all shots over the final 38:07 minutes of play.

Anthony Beauvillier and Brock Nelson register three points each.  Islanders trade acquisitions: Kyle Palmieri scores three goals in six games, and Travis Zajac, who has played infrequently, finished with a plus-two.

• ICE COLD: Mathew Barzal registers just three assists and a minus-two through six games. 

Long Island wins the series in six.  After being down two games to one, the Isles win three in a row.  Once they toned down the physicality, their overall game synced up.  They will now take on the Boston Bruins, who easily defeated the Washington Capitals in five.  I'm curious to see how they approach this easily more physical match-up.