Game 6 Notebook: Isles Fall 5-4 in Double-OT, Series Tied 3-3

It's going seven.
The New York Islanders missed their second chance to advance to the Eastern Conference Final, as they fell 5-4 in double overtime to the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 6 on Thursday night. After leading the series 3-1, it's now tied 3-3 and Game 7 will go on Saturday.
Ivan Provorov delivered the dagger at 15:03 of the second overtime, beating Semyon Varlamov with a wrist shot through a maze of bodies in front of the net. The winner wasn't the prettiest of plays and the initial rush started when Scott Mayfield's stick snapped in half at the Flyers' blueline, but it was the type of sequence that defines the randomness and tension of playoff overtime.

"I didn't like a couple of our decisions they capitalized on, but we had lots of chances to win that hockey game," Head Coach Barry Trotz said. "That's the tough part about the game and the playoffs, it can change, you can dominate and get lots of chances. We win a draw, we get it back, we break a stick and they come down and score. That's playoff hockey. There's stuff that isn't in our control and you have to battle through. There's nothing better than a great Game 7."

The Isles had plenty of chances to win in the extra frames and held a sizable shot advantage on the night. Provorov's OT winner came on the Flyers' 31st shot of the game. The Isles had 53.
"We're just focused on the next one here. We liked our game tonight," Matt Martin said. "We're confident in our team and if we put another effort up like that in Game 7, I like our chances."
Game 6 was a wild one from the drop of the puck. The Isles found themselves in a 2-0 hole early in the first period, as Kevin Hayes and James van Riemsdyk scored goals 1:36 apart to give the Flyers a first period lead. The Flyers took advantage of an Islanders turnover and with the team changing, Hayes finished off an odd-man rush for the game's first goal at 10:16. Van Riemsdyk followed up less than two minutes later, blasting a slap shot through Varlamov off the rush at 11:52.
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The early deficit didn't faze the Islanders, who had rallied out of a three-goal hole in Game 2 and a two-goal deficit in Game 5. They outshot the Flyers 10-5 in the opening frame and were rewarded near the end of the period, as Derick Brassard scored his second goal in as many games at the 16:33 mark.
Brassard got credit for the goal - his second of the postseason - but the play was made possible by a fantastic feed from Brock Nelson, who threaded a pass from behind the net to Devon Toews at the point. With an Isles power play expiring, Toews shot for Brassard's stick in front of the net, scoring a deflection goal and cutting the lead to one.
The momentum carried over into the second period, as the Isles scored a pair of quick goals to take a 3-2 lead. Martin netted his fourth goal of the playoffs at 1:24 of the second, snapping a Cal Clutterbuck feed five-hole with Casey Cizikas sliding into the net. Flyers Head Coach Alain Vigneault challenged for goalie interference - his third challenge of the series - but the goal stood and proved costly for the Flyers, as the Isles scored on the ensuing power play.
Mathew Barzal, who was a game-time decision on Thursday, shot for a rebound off Carter Hart's pads, with the puck kicking right out to Anders Lee, who deposited his seventh goal of the playoffs at 3:06.
The Isles' first lead of the game lasted about 10 minutes, as Michael Raffl knocked in a Nicolas Aube-Kubel rebound at 13:21 to tie the score 3-3. The Islanders snatched it back before the period was out, as Barzal beat Hart with a wicked wrister with 30 seconds to play in the second. Twenty minutes stood between the Isles and the Eastern Conference Final, but despite outshooting Philly 14-4, the Flyers managed to tie it up.

Hayes ripped a shot off the crossbar early in the third and while that didn't officially count as a shot on goal, Scott Laughton buried on the Flyers first official shot of the third period, beating Varlamov on a breakaway at 9:53. The Flyers' fourth goal came on their 14th shot of the game.
The game script continued into overtime, with the Isles outshooting the Flyers 9-6 in the first OT. Philadelphia had a pair of power plays, but the Isles had the better of the chances overall in the extra frame. Lee had the Isles' best opportunity, but couldn't backhand a rebound past Hart, who lunged out for a pad save.
Philly had the best chance of the second overtime, as Hayes and Scott Laughton put the puck into a scramble in the crease. The puck bounced loose in the confusion and wound up standing on the goal line, only stopped by the toe of Varlamov's pad.
When the Grade-A chances didn't drop, Provorov's hopeful wrister found a way. While the loss stung in the moment, the Isles said they're already looking forward by the time they hit the postgame podium.
"Game 6 is over now and we've moved on," Barzal said. "It was an unfortunate play there at the end, but it happens. Now it's winner take all Game 7, so we've turned the page."

Video: PHI@NYI, Gm6: Barzal roofs gorgeous wrist shot

BARZAL IN:

Mathew Barzal was sporting some bandages and bruising around his right eye, but the Isles forward was good to go in Game 6 after initially being declared a game-time decision. Barzal was struck by a Claude Giroux high stick in Game 5, causing him to leave the game in the third period.
Barzal said he thinks he could have returned in Game 5, had the game gone to a second overtime, but said his vision was back to 100% for Game 6.
Barzal finished the game with a goal, an assist and a game-high nine shots.

Video: PHI@NYI, Gm6: Martin banks goal off defender

MARTIN'S BIG GAME:

Matt Martin was all over the ice in Game 6, leaving his mark as a physical presence with a game-high 12 hits. Martin was hitting with a purpose, levelling Jake Voracek and Travis Konecny, but he also hit the scoresheet with a second-period goal, his fourth tally of the playoffs. The Isles forward also finished the game with a pair of blocked shots, in perhaps his best game of the postseason.

COUTURIER, FARABEE OUT, LINDBLOM IN:

Sean Couturier and Joel Farabee both sat out Game 6 for the Flyers. Couturier, a Selke finalist, left Game 5 after a second-period collision with Barzal, while Farabee missed the game with an undisclosed injury.
While two pieces of the Flyers top-six were out, Game 6 saw the return of Oskar Lindblom, the Flyers forward who missed the second half of the season due to a bone cancer diagnosis and treatment. Lindblom, who was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma in December, completed his chemotherapy treatment in July and played his first game since Dec. 7.

NEXT GAME:

The Islanders will take on the Flyers in Game 7 on Saturday night.