Eastern Conference Round 1, Game 5

Isles 3, Carolina 2

Carolina Leads Series 3-2

Pierre Engvall and Brock Nelson each scored a goal and had a primary assist as the Islanders extended their season with a 3-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes before a sellout crowd of 18,680 at PNC Arena.

Mathew Barzal converted a 2-on-1 late in the second period to give the Isles a 3-1 lead and Ilya Sorokin made 34 saves to protect the lead and force Game 6 at UBS Arena on Friday.

Paul Stastny and Sebastian Aho scored for Carolina as the Canes failed to close out a series that they led 3-1 in game 5 for the first time in their history (4-1).

Eastern Conference Round 1, Game 4

Carolina 5, Isles 2

Carolina Leads Series 3-1

Seth Jarvis scored twice, and Sebastian Aho added three points as the Carolina Hurricanes grabbed a three game to one lead in the series with 5-2 victory over the Islanders before a sellout crowd of 17,255 at UBS Arena.

For the second time in the series, Carolina grabbed a 2-0 lead with a pair of power play goals; however, this time the Isles could not get back in the game as the Canes had leads of 4-0 and 5-1 in the third period.

The Isles will look to stave off elimination in game five on Tuesday in Raleigh. If they do so, the series would return to UBS Arena on Friday.

Eastern Conference Round 1, Game 3

Isles 5, Carolina 1

Carolina Leads Series 2-1

The Islanders wanted a new building for themselves and for Long Island. So, it was fitting that Long Island native Kyle Palmieri broke a 1-1 tie with a power play goal late in the third period, keying the fastest four goals by one team ever in the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the Islanders earned a 5-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 of their series. A sellout crowd of 17,255 at the first playoff game ever at UBS Arena witnessed the Isles cutting the 'Canes lead in the series to two games to one.

After a scoreless first period, Casey Cizikas scored the first playoff goal in the new arena to give the Isles the lead; however, Jesper Fast tied the score with a shorthanded goal. The game stayed that way until the final four minutes when Palmieri, Matt Martin, Scott Mayfield (empty net) and Anders Lee all scored in a 2:18 span to rewrite the Stanley Cup record book.

Game 4 will be at 1pm on Sunday at UBS Arena; game five will be Tuesday in Raleigh. 

Eastern Conference Round 1, Game 1

Carolina 2, Isles 1.

Carolina Leads Series 1-0.

Sebastian Aho and Stefan Noesen scored power play goals in the first 22:27 and that was all the Carolina Hurricanes needed to defeat the Islanders 2-1 in Game 1 of their series before a sellout crowd of 18,680 at PNC Arena.

Ryan Pulock got the Islanders within one goal 24 seconds after Noesen scored but the Isles could not get even.

Game 2 of this series will be in Raleigh on Wednesday before UBS Arena hosts the first playoff game in the building's history on Friday.

Game 82

Isles 4, Montreal 2

(With apologies to Brendan Burke) Game 82 to the Island!

Brock Nelson scored twice, including the eventual game-winner, and Hudson Fasching and Anders Lee also scored as the Islanders clinched a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 4-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens before a sellout crowd of 17,255 at UBS Arena.

Fasching's goal, his second in two games, broke a 1-1 tie just 1:19 after Rem Pitlick tied the score; the Canadiens would not catch the Islanders again as the Isles qualified for the playoffs for the fourth time in the last five seasons by eliminating the Pittsburgh Penguins, who had made the playoffs in sixteen straight seasons.

The Isles finish the regular season with a 42-31-9 record (93 points) as they edge one point ahead of Florida for the two wild cards; the Panthers host Carolina in their season finale tomorrow and will finish ahead of the Islanders with a win of any type.

The Isles will open the Stanley Cup Playoffs on the road on either Monday or Tuesday.

Game 81

Washington 5, Isles 2

Dylan Strome and Rasmus Sandin scored in the first 1:03 of the game as the Washington Capitals built a 3-0 lead 13:13 into play and defeated the Islanders 5-2 before a sellout crowd of 18,573 at Capital One Arena.

Hudson Fasching and Casey Cizikas (the latter with a 6th attacker) scored 1:51 apart in the third period, but each goal was offset by a Capital empty-net tally and the defeat cost the Islanders control of their own destiny in the wild card race.

The Isles fall to 41-31-9 as they drop one point behind Florida for the two wild cards(with each team having just one game to play); Pittsburgh is just one point behind the Isles (and has two games to play). Buffalo remains alive in the playoff race after their shootout win over the Rangers tonight.

The Isles conclude the regular season by hosting Montreal on Wednesday.

Game 79

Isles 6, Tampa Bay 1

Brock Nelson scored a goal and added two assists as part of a four-goal second period as the Islanders avenged a 5-0 loss to Tampa Bay on Saturday by defeating the Lightning 6-1 before a sellout crowd of 17,255 at UBS Arena.  

Adam Pelech scored the game's first goal (a career-high 6th) and had a +26 Corsi rating as he was on-ice for 30 Islander attempts at 5-on-5 and only four Tampa Bay attempts.

The Isles improve to 40-30-9 and remain tied in points with Florida for the two wild cards, with Pittsburgh just one point behind. The Isles have one fewer regulation win than Florida and are currently the second Wild Card; all three teams have just three games to play. Their magic number to clinch a playoff spot drops to 5 (over Pittsburgh). The Isles will host Philadelphia on Saturday night.

Game 78

Carolina 2, Isles 1

Jordan Martinook scored 2:31 into the third period to break a 1-1 tie as the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Islanders 2-1 before a crowd of 18,725 at PNC Arena.

Jean Gabriel Pageau's first period goal was all the Isles could manage against Frederik Andersen as the Isles dropped both halves of their final back-to-back of the season.

The Isles fall to 39-30-9 and head home for three of their final four games of the season, beginning on Thursday with Tampa Bay. The Isles remain in the first Wild Card; however, they are now one point ahead of Pittsburgh and two points ahead of Florida. Pittsburgh and Florida each have five games to play, while the Isles also have four. Their magic number to clinch a playoff spot remains 9 (over both Buffalo and Florida). 

Game 75

Isles 5, New Jersey 1

Kyle Palmier scored twice and added an assist and Ilya Sorokin made 30 saves as the Islanders defeated the New Jersey Devils 5-1 before a sellout crowd of 17,255 at UBS Arena.

Bo Horvat and Zach Parise (the latter shorthanded) each hit the empty net in the final 1:02 to hand the Devils their first loss by at least four goals all season.

The Isles improve to 38-28-9 as they begin a stretch of three road games in Washington on Wednesday. The Isles remain in the first Wild Card; they are three points ahead of Pittsburgh and six points ahead of Florida. Pittsburgh has nine games to play, Florida has eight games left and the Isles have seven. Their magic number to clinch a playoff spot is now 11 (over both Buffalo and Florida).

Game 74
Buffalo 2, Isles 0

For the second time this month, Kyle Okposo scored a big third period goal at UBS Arena. This time it broke a scoreless tie with 6:29 to play and turned out to be the winner as the Buffalo Sabres blanked the Islanders before a sellout crowd of 17,255.

Jeff Skinner hit the empty net for the final margin as Eric Comrie earned his first shutout of the season and second of his career.

The Isles fell to 37-28-9 as they prepare to host New Jersey on Monday. The Isles remain in the first Wild Card; they are just one point ahead of Pittsburgh and four points ahead of Florida. Both of those teams have nine games to play; the Isles have eight.