Game 7 Preview: Islanders at Flyers

NEW YORK ISLANDERS AT PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
GM 7 | SEPT. 5 | 7:30 PM | SCOTIABANK ARENA
BEST-OF-SEVEN SERIES TIED 3-3
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Six games weren't enough, the best-of-seven Second-Round series between the New York Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers is going the distance. The Metropolitan Division foes will meet on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. ET at Scotiabank Arena for their finale with a trip to the Eastern Conference Final on the line.

The Flyers won their second-straight game with a 5-4 result in double overtime to force Game 7. They weren't the only ones. Dallas beat Colorado 5-4 in OT in the first of three Game 7s to be played in the Second Round. Tampa Bay was the only team to advance in five games as they did 4-1 over the Boston Bruins on Monday. The Isles had previously led the series 3-1.
"The journey to these Game 7 or the journey in any series, isn't always one team wins one and it goes back-and-forth," Head Coach Barry Trotz said. "Very seldom does that happen. It's more of what you're seeing. You've seen all three series where a team had that opportunity to close a team out, that fourth [win] is hard to get. Now, you have three Game 7s happening. We've lost our three games in a couple of overtimes and double overtimes. We've had opportunities to close out the series and it hasn't happened. Tomorrow, at the end of the night, this series will be closed. The great thing is, it's a Game 7."

GAME 6 RECAP:

For the second-straight game, 60 minutes wasn't enough to determine the outcome between the Isles and Flyers and Game 6 required a second overtime. Ivan Provorov sent Philadelphia to Game 7 with 4:57 left in the second OT. The Flyers countered on a rush as Scott
Mayfield's stick broke at Philadelphia's blueline and a low-to-high pass from Kevin Hayes found Provorov up top with a shooting lane, which he wired for the 5-4 game-clinching goal.
Semyon Varlamov made 26 saves in the Isles loss, while Philadelphia's 22-year-old netminder Carter Hart turned aside 49 shots. The Isles had held a skewed 53-31 shot advantage.
"Our shots were there, our chances were there, we just couldn't get one to go," Anders Lee said postgame. "We played some pretty good hockey to create those chances. At some point you've got to bury one...When you drop two [games] in OT, you've just got to move on. You can't dwell on these too much."
In regulation, the Isles made it a 2-1 game heading into the first intermission as Derick Brassard scored his second goal in as many games to put the Isles on the board during the final five minutes of play. For the Flyers, Kevin Hayes opened up scoring in the first period at 10:16, while James Van Riemsdyk doubled their lead 1:36 later.
All within the span of 20 minutes in the second period, the Isles took their first lead of the game, lost it and then recovered it. Matt Martin evened the score 2-2 just 1:24 into the middle frame, while Lee scored his fourth goal of the series on the power play to give the Isles a 3-2 lead 3:06 into the period. The Flyers countered at 13:21 with a strike from Michael Raffl and with 30 seconds left in the period, Mathew Barzal created a highlight-reel sequence to make it 4-3.
Midway through the third period, Scott Laughton evened the score and sent the game into overtime.

GAME 7 APPROACH:

The Game 6 loss undoubtedly stung for the Isles, but even 10 minutes after leaving the ice and addressing the media, they'd already moved on and concentrated their focus onto the ever-important opportunity presented in Game 7.
"We'll just approach this next game," Martin said. "Obviously, our season is on the line. If we put forth the effort that we put out there tonight, I like our chances."
The Isles hold themselves to standards emblematic of their disciplined play and detailed structure. Relinquishing a 3-1 lead was frustrating, but the Isles are approaching Game 7 with optimism. Afterall, they still have the precious chance to return to the Eastern Conference Final for the first time in a whopping 27 years.
"It's fun and it's an opportunity that you cherish," Brock Nelson said. "You want to have and make the most of it. You're playing to move on.
That's all that needs to be said. You can't go out there and overthink it or be nervous. There's a lot of guys who would be happy to be where we are right now. You just want to take advantage of it."
Saturday marks the ninth Game 7 in franchise history and the Isles are 3-5. Their last Game 7 came in 2015, when they lost 2-1 to Trotz's Capitals.
Per Eric Hornick
, this will be the first game seven in a series the Isles led 3-1 and only the second in a series the Isles led 3-2, having gone 10-1 in previous game 6 clinching opportunities.
The Isles are 26-21 when facing elimination, with their last win coming in Game 6 vs. Washington in 2015.
The Flyers are 9-7 all-time in Game 7s, including wins over the Islanders in both 1975 and 1987.
ISLES-FLYERS GAME 7
ISLES-FLYERS ARTICLES
Isles Gearing Up For Game 7
Game 6 Notebook
Islanders Playoff Hub
ISLES-FLYERS VIDEO
Game 6 Highlights
Isles Availability 9/4: Trotz
Isles Player Availability 9/4
ISLES PLAYOFF PROMOS
Play Fan Faceoff
Playoff Auction
Playoff Getup Challenge
Playoff Beard Challenge

SHINING SPECIAL TEAMS:

Throughout this series, the Isles have a statistical edge across goals, shots, hits and blocks, but have made an impact with their success in special teams. The Isles have scored four power play goals on 17 attempts and executed a perfect 11-for-11 penalty kill.
Lee's power play goal in Game 6 was pivotal as Flyers Head Coach Alain Vigneault had previously lost a challenge for goaltender interference on Martin's goal. Upon review, the goal stood, and the Flyers served their consequence in the penalty box, while Lee and the Isles power play delivered the ultimate sting.
Thus far in the postseason, the Isles have scored 10 power play goals and own a 18.2% conversion rate. Their penalty kill has killed 35-of-43 attempts for an 81.4% kill percentage.

OFFENSE HEATING UP:

Nelson orchestrated the play that led to Brassard's goal as he slyly threaded a pass from behind the net to Devon Toews at the point. Toews aimed his shot towards Brassard's stick for the redirect goal.
With the assist on Brassard's goal, Nelson extended his point streak to three games with four points (3G, 1A) during that span. Throughout the entirety of the postseason, Nelson has compiled 12 points (6G, 6A) in 15 games.
Brassard's goal was his second in as many games and garnering attention towards his old nickname of, 'Big Game Brass.' Brassard was scratched for three-straight games as the Isles opted to add some physicality to their lineup for Game 5 against Washington and Games 1 and 2 against the Flyers. Since rejoining the lineup, the veteran forward has been surefire.
During this postseason run, Brassard has registered seven points (2G, 5A) in 12 games.
Martin's goal was his fourth of the postseason. The winger put forth a solid effort with his physical presence and game-high 12 hits.
The Isles line of Lee, Barzal and Jordan Eberle were buzzing. As a line, the trio combined for 21 of the Isles 53 shots in Game 6. Barzal's status was questionable heading to the game after leaving and not returning in the third period of Game 5 where he was cut near his right eye by Claude Giroux's errant stick.
The dazzling center scored his second goal in as many games in Game 6, recorded an assist and fired off a game-high nine shots. Lee also struck twine for the second time in as many games to tie the team lead in goals at seven with Anthony Beauvillier and Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Eberle picked up a secondary assist on Lee's goal and generated a few Grade A chances he was unable to convert on.
"[Barzal's] line created quite a bit," Trotz said. "[Barzal] had his legs, he was dangerous, he scored a big goal. After two periods that [goal] was a huge one for us."
The Islanders have scored at least three goals in every game this series and in seven straight games overall.

POSSIBLE LINEUP CHANGES

Trotz didn't divulge precisely what changes he's looking at, but rather emphasized that he and the coaching staff are evaluating every position and seeking possible adjustments.
Prior to overtime, Varlamov allowed four goals on 14 shots. When questioned about a potential swap in net, Trotz assured that he's confident in either Varlamov or Thomas Greiss.
"Both of them are really good options for me at goal," Trotz said. "We're actually going through our roster right now; going through our defense, going through our forwards and going through our goaltenders. We're blessed with two pretty good goaltenders. Any decision that we decide on, we have both trust with our players and with our goaltenders in that situation."
UPDATE:
Ahead of Game 7, Trotz spoke with the media and confirmed that there will be a lineup change. Trotz did not elaborate any further on what that change will be.

FLYERS NOTES

• Hayes extended his point streak to three games with four points (1G, 3A) and has three goals in this series.
• Van Riemsdyk and Scott Laughton each scored their second goal in as many games.
• Giroux and Travis Konecny each are heating up. Giroux, the Flyers captain, has three points (1G, 2A) in his last two games. Konency has three assists in the last two games.
• Provorov scored the game-winner and his second goal of the series. The Flyers defense recorded four points (1G, 3A) in Game 6. The blueline has contributed to 13 of the Flyers 16 goals in this series with 15 points (4G, 11A) through six games.
• Sean Couturier and Joel Farabee did not dress for Game 6. Couturier left Game 5 after colliding with Barzal. Farabee was sidelined with an undisclosed injury. Vigneault has not provided an update on either Couturier or Farabee.
• Oskar Lindblom returned to Game 6 for the Flyers and played for the first time since he was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma last December. The 24-year-old winger completed his last cancer treatments in July.
• Vigneault is 0-for-3 on challenges in the series.