5 Takeaways: Islanders Stage Dramatic Comeback in Game 5 2OT Victory

Hey, Mr. Double OT, Josh Bailey!
Fifty-one seconds into double overtime, Bailey completed a dramatic comeback and lifted the New York Islanders to a pivotal 3-2 Game 5 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday night at PPG Paints Arena. With the victory, the Islanders now hold a 3-2 series lead over Pittsburgh with a chance to close the series out on Wednesday night.
While Bailey scored the game-winner and Anthony Beauvillier and Jordan Eberle scored in regulation, Ilya Sorokin stole the show. The rookie netminder was superb for the team as he backstopped the victory with 48 saves on 50 shots and became the first goaltender in franchise history to earn a win in his first three playoff games.

"What I liked about our group was that we pulled together," Islanders Head coach Barry Trotz said. "We got stronger because it wasn't easy, it wasn't going our way and instead of trying to shift the blame or anything we just dug in. That's to me what good teams do, when you're not at your best, you find a way to hang in there, find a way to win and that to me shows a lot of character to our group. I always complement our group on character and that's one of our strengths."
For Pittsburgh, Evgeni Malkin (power play) and Bryan Rust scored in regulation. Tristan Jarry made 25 saves in the loss.
Here are five takeaways from the Islanders' 3-2 double overtime comeback win:

ISLANDERS 'HANG IN,' BUT 'STICK WITH IT' TO COMPLETE COMEBACK

With the series tied 2-2, it was only fitting Game 5 would go into overtime as the chess match between teams has only continued to get more complex as the series has worn on.
Both teams were more reserved in overtime, waiting each other out, but the Islanders capitalized when they got their chance. On the first shift of the second overtime, Jarry came out of the crease to play a puck. Bailey read the miscue as it unfolded and jumped the pass in the high slot, before popping it over Jarry's glove. The playoff overtime winner was the second of Bailey's career, both of which came against the Penguins as he scored the 4-3 OT winner in Game 1 of 2019's First Round series.
"Once we scored that [third period] goal [from Eberle], I felt pretty good about our team," Trotz said. "It was one of those nights, where when we got it tied up and it went to overtime I was thinking that this was going to be our night."

While Pittsburgh came out with a dominant first period with a power-play goal and a 12-10 shot advantage, the Islanders received a timely goal from Beauvillier with 54.4 seconds to tie the game 1-1.
The Pens converted on the first power play of the game as Bailey took a slashing penalty on Kasperi Kapanen 7:47 into the game and Pittsburgh executed some surgical passing from their unit. Atop the left faceoff circle, Malkin took his time and wired a short-sided snapshot over Sorokin's blocker at 8:20, scoring his first of the series.
ISLES PENS GAME 5
ISLANDERS ARTICLES
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Pesky Isles Pull Together
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ISLANDERS PENGUINS VIDEO
Full Highlights
Beauvillier's Individual Effort
Eberle Ties It
Bailey's OT Winner

Pageau and Eberle Postgame
Bailey and Beauvillier Postgame
KINGER'S CALLS
Beau's Individual Effort
Eberle's Tying Goal
Bailey's OT Winner
After giving up a last minute goal in the first intermission, the Pens marched out with an assertive response in the second period to regain the lead 2-1. The dominant effort was supported by a 20-4 shot advantage.
After receiving a pivotal kill on Malkin's hooking penalty at 4:39 - where the Islanders' power play wasn't able to get any rhythm and left trying to recover possession - the Pens capitalized on the momentum.
As Malkin exited the box he joined Sidney Crosby, Rust, Mike Matheson and Kris Letang on the ice. The fivesome worked the Islanders zone. A quick passing sequence from Letang to Crosby prompted Rust's one timer from the right half wall to beat Sorokin far blocker side.
The Pens pushed continued, but Sorokin made some sensational stops to keep it a one-goal game heading into the final period of play.
"After the second intermission, I said, 'Enough is enough boys. We need everybody," Trotz said. "We rallied. We've got good leadership and I thought we got traction in the third"
Pittsburgh looked to lock it down in the third and was playing some solid hockey - with a 9-6 shots edge - but the Islanders made the most of a defensive breakdown as Eberle came through with the equalizer at 8:50.
The Pens received another vital penalty kill from their unit late in the period as Frederick Gaudreau took a tripping penalty on Brock Nelson. And thus, the tied game went to overtime for the second time in the series.

SOROKIN STEALS THE SHOW

In three appearances this postseason, Sorokin has shut down Pittsburgh. In doing so, he gave his team a chance.
"Outstanding, I could use all of the ones you want to write," Trotz said. "They all will apply. He was outstanding and he gave us a chance. The first two periods were not pretty and he allowed us to hang around. In the third we got better. In the overtime we got better and then we were able to get a goal. It all goes up front on Ilya. We don't have a chance if he doesn't have an outstanding game in the first two periods for sure."
In regulation, Sorokin was solid and denied a flurry of Grade A chances from the Penguins who were much more aggressive with getting looks on net and following up the effort with traffic around the crease. The Russian netminder made first-period stops on a sequence of plays from the Crosby line, including a Rust chance on the doorstep and made a high-blocker save on a Blueger wrist shot from the low slot.
The Islanders were fortunate to only have relinquished one goal in the second period, as Sorokin stood on his head in the middle period after facing 20 shots. He denied a two-on-rush with Teddy Blueger and Brandon Tanev, sliding across the crease to make a backdoor pad save and held off Pittsburgh's lethal power play.
His head-shaking performance only continued through the remainder of the third period, robbing Jeff Carter with a pokecheck in tight and into overtime, notably coming up with a key blocker save on a Letang slapper.
"We can't stress enough how well Ilya played tonight," Bailey said. "He really gave us confidence."

HEATING UP

With goals in Game 5, both Beauvillier and Eberle are beginning to heat up.
It seemed as though the Islanders would trail the game heading into the first intermission, but a persistent play by Beauvillier got them on the board. From the neutral zone, Bailey sprung Beauvillier for a one-on-one with Pens winger Guentzel. Beauvillier used his speed to weave past Guentzel before lifting his shot over Jarry's blocker.
The 23-year-old winger now has three points (2G, 1A) in as many games as he scored his second goal of the postseason on Monday night.
Eberle sent the game into overtime with his third-period strike. Pageau ignited the play with a hit down low to create a turnover. Leo Komarov fed the puck to Eberle on the doorstep. Eberle whiffed on the first attempt, but beat Jarry with the second attempt to tie the score 2-2.
The veteran winger now has goals in back-to-back games and points in three-straight with as many points (2G, 1A) in that stretch.

WAHLSTROM UPDATE

Oliver Wahlstrom left the game with just under eight minutes remaining in the third period after a collision along the boards with Matheson in Pittsburgh's zone.
Trotz did not have an immediate update on the rookie winger.
"I don't [have an update] right now, I'd say he's day-to-day," Trotz said. "Hopefully, when we come back and see where he is tomorrow, we'll have a better idea."

THREE HORSEMEN GET GALLOPING

When it comes to Pittsburgh's 'big guns' or as Trotz likes to call them, the 'three horsemen' when referencing Crosby, Malkin and Letang, the Islanders have acknowledged the importance of defending them by committee and 'managing them damage.'
While the Islanders had been pretty effective through four previous games, holding the trio to just six points (2G, 4A) - and keeping Crosby off the scoresheet for three-straight games - the accomplished threesome all had an impact in Game 5 combining for four points (1G, 3A).
Malkin scored his second goal of the postseason, Crosby posted an assist and Letang recorded two assists in Game 5.

NEXT GAME:

The Islanders have a chance to close out the series on home ice as the series shifts back to Nassau Coliseum for Game 6 on Wednesday night. Puck drop is TBD.