Isles Gearing Up for Game 7

"It's what you play for."
Sure, the New York Islanders would have preferred to send the Philadelphia Flyers home two games ago when they grasped a 3-1 series lead in their best-of-seven Second-Round matchup. But two tightly-contested overtime losses later, that grip loosened, and the series is now tied 3-3 with Game 7 scheduled for Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. ET at Scotiabank Arena.

It'll be a winner-take-all contest with a trip to the Eastern Conference Final on the line and despite a pair of speedbumps, the Isles are still in control of their own destiny. They didn't expect to just cruise through the postseason without any obstacles.

"We're going through a little adversity," Head Coach Barry Trotz said after Game 6. "I don't think we went through a lot of adversity through Florida or Washington really. This is a very good hockey team. They're the No. 1 seed, there's a reason. We got on them early and they've beaten us three times and they've been in overtime. There are two evenly-matched teams. If you look at the bigger picture, it's probably fitting that it is a Game 7."
The Isles have held a slight edge statistically throughout the series at times, but the Flyers have showcased enough grit that's deservingly kept them in the fight. The Isles held a series in advantage in goals (20-16), shots (210-188), hits (273-249), blocks (129-89), scored four power-play goals on 17 attempts, executed a perfect 11-for-11 penalty kill and evenly matched the Flyers in the faceoff circle, where Philadelphia excelled throughout the regular and postseason, but only holds a minuscule edge over the Isles (186-177, 51%).
All three of the Islanders losses in the series have been delivered in overtime, but the Isles have mounted gutsy comebacks from multi-goal deficits in all three games. And while the Flyers have come out on top in each instance, the outcome has been determined by a margin dependent on inches and timing. The Isles outshot the Flyers 53-31 in Game 6 and are confident that if they play the way they did, they'll have a good chance to change the result.

"We're confident in our team and if we put another effort up like that in Game 7, I like our chances," Matt Martin said after Game 6.
"These moments don't come around often," Martin added. "Game 7s are special and we have a chance to go to the conference final."
There's been no quit for the Isles; not during the regular season, not during the mundane pause and certainly, not during this year's unique Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Isles refuse to lament the back-to-back losses. According to Mathew Barzal, their postgame frustration after Game 6's double overtime heartbreak lasted all of "about 30 seconds" before the Isles redirected and reframed their focus towards their next opportunity, which will either ship them out to Edmonton or send them packing.
"This is what you want as a player," Brock Nelson said. "You've got to win a game. Refocus and reset. Whatever has happened in the past is done. It's about one game and getting ready for that.
"We're here tied up at three now and headed to Game 7," Nelson continued. "You've got to win a hockey game to move on. You can't worry about [the past]. You've got to worry about the next opportunity and the task at hand. When the time comes and you get another shot, you want to take advantage of it."

The Isles recognize these opportunities are few and far between.
They have an ensemble cast of veterans who have gone the distance in former Cup champions: Nick Leddy, Johnny Boychuk, Tom Kuhnhackl, Andrew Ladd and of course, Trotz. They also have a battle-tested bunch in Andy Greene, Derick Brassard and Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who have all played in high-stakes Game 7s and made deep playoff runs. For the Islanders' core group, they're eager for the succeeding step of advancing to the Eastern Conference Final - feat that has not yet been reached in the last 27 years.
Come puck drop on Saturday night, no matter their experience, the Isles know what they must do to get the job done - and are excited for the opportunity to do so.
"It's what you play for," Greene said. "These moments are fun. You shouldn't be nervous, it's easier said than done. But you go out there and trust everything that you've done throughout the year and throughout the series and trust yourself as a hockey player. It comes down to just believing in yourself, waiting for that opportunity and going out and grabbing it."