Bruins vs Red Wings

UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- Less than 24 hours after the New York Islanders failed to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-7 Eastern Conference First Round against the Washington Capitals, they were trying to figure out how to replace another veteran defenseman.

The Islanders could be without Lubomir Visnovsky for Game 5 at Verizon Center on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; CNBC, SN, TVA Sports 2, MSG+, CSN-DC). Visnovsky was hit hard behind the Islanders net by Capitals forward Tom Wilson and did not return to the 2-1 overtime loss.

The Islanders played the first four games of the series without veteran defenseman Travis Hamonic because of an undisclosed injury.

Islanders coach Jack Capuano did not have an update on Visnovsky's condition when he spoke with reporters Wednesday morning but was hoping to know more later in the day. He said he did not know if Visnovsky would be able to make the trip to Washington.

UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- Nicklas Backstrom said the Washington Capitals' top players, himself included, needed to produce offensively for them to get back into their Eastern Conference First Round series against the New York Islanders.

That's exactly what happened Tuesday at Nassau Coliseum.

Alex Ovechkin scored in regulation and Backstrom scored the winning goal in overtime of Game 4 to give Washington a series-tying 2-1 victory.

Game 5 in the best-of-7 series is at Verizon Center on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; CNBC, SN, TVA2, MSG+, CSN-DC).

UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- When defenseman Travis Hamonic sustained an undisclosed injury in the second-to-last game of the regular season, the rest of the New York Islanders blue line knew it would have to step it up a notch in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Brian Strait, who was shuffled in and out of the lineup during the season, has arguably been one of the Islanders' best defensemen through the first three games of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Washington Capitals, which continues Tuesday with Game 4 at Nassau Coliseum (7:30 p.m. ET; USA, SN360, TVA Sports 2, CSN-DC, MSG+).

The Islanders lead the best-of-7 series 2-1.

Strait was playing alongside Hamonic at the time of the injury and has since been paired with Calvin de Haan. Strait doesn't have a point in the series but he's helped limit a potent Capitals offense to one goal in two of the three games.

There is no timetable for Hamonic's return.

"It's tough because I was playing with him at the time and we were playing really well together," Strait said Tuesday. "More from a team standpoint, the things that he does physically and against top players, it's something that we miss. But I think everybody's stepped up pretty well and done a pretty decent job so far. I think we've got to keep progressing and getting better."

UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- Cars began entering the parking lot at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum not long after dawn Sunday, with fans eager to take full advantage of a beautiful spring morning before heading into one of the few remaining Stanley Cup Playoff games this 43-year-old facility will ever host.

Bill Torrey, the architect of the New York Islanders' four consecutive Stanley Cup championships from 1980-83, was in the building. He joined 16,169 other fans who are hoping for a few more Coliseum memories before the Islanders begin play at Barclays Center in Brooklyn this fall.

They got one when John Tavares, the face of the franchise, scored 15 seconds into overtime to give the Islanders a 2-1 win against the Washington Capitals in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference First Round.

It's the first time the Islanders have been ahead 2-1 in a best-of-7 series since 1993. They'll bring it to the Coliseum for Game 4 on Tuesday (7:30 p.m. ET; USA, SN360, TVA Sports 2, CSN-DC, MSG+).

UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- Nassau Coliseum won't be the home of the New York Islanders for much longer, but they're hoping to make the most of the time they have left there. 

The Islanders failed to protect a two-goal lead in Game 2 on Friday at Verizon Center and lost 4-3, but they are presented with an opportunity to put a stranglehold on the series with a couple of wins on home ice.

"We're looking forward to it," New York captain John Tavares said. "I think we know what it's been like here all year. It's certainly been very special. It's going to be great. We want to use it to our advantage, but at the same time we've got to stay composed, stay disciplined like we have been and control our emotions. There's a lot of ups and downs in the game and we've got to make sure we play hard and do the right things from start to finish."

WASHINGTON -- For the third time in the Washington Capitals' past six trips to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, they needed a second goaltender during Game 2 of their first-round series

Philipp Grubauer was preparing for the final weekend of the regular season in the American Hockey League on Thursday, but his plans changed because Washington goaltender Braden Holtby was sick. Grubauer made his NHL playoff debut Friday, stopping 18 shots to help the Capitals rally for a 4-3 win and tie their best-of-7 Eastern Conference First Round series with the New York Islanders at 1-1.

Holtby led NHL goaltenders in games played this season, but he was not on the ice Thursday and Grubauer was officially recalled Friday morning. Coach Barry Trotz said after the morning skate the plan was for Holtby to participate in warm-ups, but that never materialized.

WASHINGTON — The New York Islanders had a two-goal lead in the second period Friday and a chance to return home with a commanding lead in their Eastern Conference First Round series.

"We had a 3-1 lead, so there is an opportunity but only half the game is done," Islanders captain John Tavares said. "There’s 60 minutes, and we just weren’t as aggressive. There are ups and downs and you’ve got to overcome challenges and adversity. We would have loved to take this one as well. That was our mindset, and obviously after we took the lead, but now we’ve got to bounce back at home."

WASHINGTON -- Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby will not start Friday in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round against the New York Islanders (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN, TVA Sports 2, MSG+, CSN-DC).

Philipp Grubauer will start for Washington.

Holtby is listed as day-to-day with an illness. Washington coach Barry Trotz told reporters Friday morning that Holtby felt ill prior to Game 1 on Wednesday and would take warm-ups before his starting status was decided.

Grubauer will make his Stanley Cup Playoff debut. He was recalled from the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League on Friday morning.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- During the first half of the 2013-14 season, Ryan Strome had to watch and wait for his NHL dream to come true.

Every other player selected in the top 10 of the 2011 NHL Draft had reached the League. The New York Islanders preached patience and sent Strome, the No. 5 pick, to Bridgeport, Conn., for further development in the American Hockey League.

No player's path to the NHL and success at the highest level is ever the same. Strome may have had to wait a little longer than some of his peers, but he's now a top-line forward for a 101-point team and a key contributor for a franchise on the rise.

"It feels like my road was a little longer," Strome said. "I just wanted to do the right thing and they wanted to do the right thing for me. It was frustrating at times, watching the other guys play in the NHL, but all in all it is about the big picture and our team is in the playoffs my first full year. I think things have worked out pretty well.

"I took a little bit of time to develop. I don't think I was quite ready. It was frustrating to see at the time, but looking back at it, it was probably the best thing."

WASHINGTON -- Nicklas Backstrom surveyed his options but when he was ready to distribute the puck near the offensive blue line, it disappeared on him. He whiffed, and it floated into the neutral zone.

Alex Ovechkin crept in from his typical spot on the power play and the puck came right to him, in a broken play no less. The goaltender scrambled, but the puck tumbled and Ovechkin wasn't able to snap off a shot before Jaroslav Halak was ready.

It was two moments in a game that featured many more, but the two best players for the Washington Capitals having their world-class skills elude them at an inopportune time because of unfortunate luck or an unpredictable hop by the puck was symbolic of the rest of this night.

Washington turned over the puck too much, missed connections on too many passes, and flubbed away too many opportunities in a 4-1 defeat against the New York Islanders on Wednesday in Game 1 of this best-of-7 Eastern Conference First Round series at Verizon Center.