The New York Islanders knew their effort would have to be better to avoid a repeat performance in Game 1 when they were whitewashed in a 5-0 Penguins victory.
Playing against Sidney Crosby looked like it was going to be an uphill battle ten minutes into the first period. But the Islanders settled down and chipped away at a 3-1 Pittsburgh lead to come back and win Game 2.
The Penguins looked a lot like the team that lost in six games to the Philadelphia Flyers a year ago. They turned the puck over, gave up plenty of scoring chances and took several bad penalties to aid the New York comeback.
The Penguins got on top right out of the gate. Evgeni Malkin batted at a puck during a net-mouth scramble and was able to poke past Evgeni Nabokov for the goal just 43 seconds into the game.
Sidney Crosby added to the lead with a power play goal less than three minutes later. Evgeni Malkin’s slap shot from the point was stopped but Iginla found the puck and then found Crosby who tucked the puck into a wide open cage.
The Islanders stormed right back and earned a power play of their own. Matt Moulson took the puck down low and threw it in front. The puck deflected off a leg and just slid past the right leg of Marc-Andre Fleury.
New York couldn’t celebrate for long as Sidney Crosby came right back and scored again to extend the Pittsburgh lead back to two. Nabokov knocked down a long shot and handed the puck to Crosby who was coming from behind the net. Crosby took a shot from the goal line and the puck beat Nabokov on the far side.
Despite heading into the locker room with a two goal lead, the Islanders seemed to dominate the first period out shooting the Penguins 20-12. The momentum carried over in the second period as the Islanders were able to score two goals to tie the game.
Keith Aucoin dumped the puck in and Colin McDonald was able to bat it past the goaltender, short side.
Five minutes later, Matt Martin scored to tie the game midway through the period. Josh Bailey’s wrist shot from the high slot missed the net but the puck bounced off the end boards and came in front of the net where Martin was waiting. Martin’s quick shot beat a sprawling Fleury.
The Penguins earned a four minute power play when John Tavares took a high-sticking penalty on Brenden Morrow. Pittsburgh had several scoring chances, none greater than Crosby’s. Sidney Crosby had a wide open net in front of the net and shot the puck through the goal mouth. The power play carried over in the third period but the Islanders killed the remaining time on Tavares’s penalty.
Pittsburgh appeared to be gaining momentum in the third period but it would be the Islanders who scored the eventual game-winning goal. Kyle Okposo took a shot that missed the net but, again, the puck bounced off the end boards and came back to Fleury. Fleury’s hurried attempt to stop the puck resulted in a goal when the puck bounced off his right arm and behind him.
The Penguins pulled the goalie with less than a minute remaining but the Islanders locked down in front of Nabokov to preserve the win and leave Pittsburgh with a series split.
- The Penguins are 2-7 in their last 9 games with Crosby and Malkin playing at the same time.
- The Penguins haven’t taken a 2-0 lead in a playoff series since 2009 against the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals.
- All four Islander goal scorers tallied their first career playoff goals.
Three Stars
- Matt Moulson
- Sidney Crosby
- Kyle Okposo
Photo courtesy of NHL.com
