The New York Islanders were pushed to the brink of elimination on Wednesday night, falling behind 3-0 in their best-of-seven series to the Carolina Hurricanes. 

Carolina beat the Islanders 5-2 in Game 3, thanks to a pair of empty-netters. In actuality, the Isles and Canes played their third close game of the series, embattled in a 2-2 tie before Justin Williams scored the go-ahead goal with 9:45 to play. 

Barry Trotz called Sunday's 2-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes the "cruel reality" of hockey, that sometimes a team plays good enough to win, but winds up on the wrong side of a result. 

That was the case for the New York Islanders again in Game 2, who hit three posts in the third period, had a goal disallowed for the second straight game and as a result now trail the Hurricanes 2-0 in their best-of-seven second-round series. 

NEW YORK ISLANDERS VS CAROLINA HURRICANES

ROUND 2 GAME 2 | CAR LEAD 1-0

3 PM | BARCLAYS CENTER | BUY TICKETS

WATCH: NBC | CBC | SN | TVA SPORTS

LISTEN: 88.7FM WRHU | 103.9FM LI NEWS | RADIO.COM/ISLANDERS

GAME 1 RECAP:

Carolina took a 1-0 lead in the series with a 1-0 overtime win on Friday night at Barclays Center. Jordan Staal buried the game winner 4:04 into the overtime while Petr Mrazek made 31 saves for the shutout. Robin Lehner made 31 saves for the Isles. Both teams 0-for-4 on the power play. Carolina led shots on net 32-31. 

The New York Islanders suffered their first loss of the 2019 playoffs on Friday, falling 1-0 in overtime to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of their second round series. 

Jordan Staal scored the OT winner at 4:04 of the extra frame, banking in a sharp angled shot off Robin Lehner (31 saves) after a carom off the end boards. Staal scored the game-winning tally, but Hurricanes goaltender Petr Mrazek was the difference in Game 1, stopping all 31 Islanders shots for his second shutout of the playoffs. 

NEW YORK ISLANDERS VS CAROLINA HURRICANES

GAME 1 | SERIES TIED 0-0

7 PM | BARCLAYS CENTER | BUY TICKETS

WATCH: NBCSN | CBC | SN | TVA SPORTS

LISTEN: 88.7FM WRHU | 103.9FM LI NEWS | RADIO.COM/ISLANDERS

MORNING SKATE UPDATES | GAME NOTES

SEASON SERIES RECAP:

The Islanders went 3-1-0 against the Hurricanes in the regular season. The Isles won the first three matchups (Oct. 4, Oct. 28, Nov. 24) and despite being outshot 112-59, they held the Canes to one goal in each contest. Carolina won the final meeting of the season on Jan. 8. 

NEW YORK ISLANDERS AT PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

GAME 4 | NYI LEADS SERIES 3-0

7:30 PM | PPG PAINTS ARENA

WATCH: MSG+ | NBCSN | CBC | TVA | NHL.TV

LISTEN: 88.7FM WRHU | 103.9FM LI NEWS | RADIO.COM/ISLANDERS

GAME 3 RECAP: 

New York took a 3-0 lead in the series with a 4-1 win at Pittsburgh on Sunday afternoon. The Penguins opened the scoring for a second straight game, but Jordan Eberle, who has scored in every game of the series, evened it up 28 seconds later. Brock Nelson doubled the Isles lead 1:02 later with goal on an odd-man rush. Leo Komarov extended New York's lead 3-1 in the third period and Anders Lee added an empty-net goal. 

The New York Islanders lead the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-0 in their First Round series after scoring a 4-1 win at PPG Paints Arena in Game 3 on Sunday afternoon. 

Jordan Eberle, Brock Nelson, Leo Komarov and Anders Lee scored for the Islanders, who can advance to the second round with a win on Tuesday night. Despite now having a stranglehold on the series - their first 3-0 series lead since the 1983 Stanley Cup Final - the Islanders kept a calm demeanor after Sunday's win. 

"Win the fourth one and we can be happy," said Robin Lehner, who made 25 saves in the win. "Right now we have three games. We need to win one more. They are a hell of a hockey team over there, we can't take anything for granted."

For the first time since 1983, the New York Islanders have a 2-0 series lead. 

They did it on their terms as well, playing Islander hockey en route to a 3-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 2 of their First Round series. 

Friday had a lot of the trademarks of the Isles' 2018-19 season. It was a low-scoring, grinding and physical affair, played in front of a rambunctious Nassau Coliseum. They frustrated the Penguins top players and took advantage of their offensive opportunities, and most important, were not fazed when the Penguins took a 1-0 lead.  

NEW YORK ISLANDERS VS PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

GAME 2: NYI LEADS SERIES 1-0

7:30 PM | NASSAU COLISEUM | BUY TICKETS

WATCH: MSG+ | MSG GO | NBCSN | CBC | TVA2 | NHL.TV

LISTEN: 88.7FM WRHU | 103.9FM LI NEWS | RADIO.COM/ISLANDERS

GAME NOTES | MORNING SKATE UPDATES

GAME 1 RECAP: 

Josh Bailey scored the OT winner as the Isles beat the Pens 4-3 in Game 1 on Wednesday night. Jordan Eberle, Brock Nelson and Nick Leddy scored to give the Isles 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 leads, while Phil Kessel, Evgeni Malkin and Justin Schultz scored tying goals for the Penguins. 

Tom Kuhnhackl had two goals disallowed in the contest. Robin Lehner made 41 saves for his first playoff win. Matt Murray made 29 saves in the loss. 

Josh Bailey's OT winner powered the New York Islanders to a 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday night at Nassau Coliseum, giving the Isles a 1-0 series lead in their Eastern Conference First Round series against the Pens. 

Bailey's goal capped what was a thrilling, back and forth opening act between the two-and-three seeds in the Metropolitan Division.

There were twists and turns, leads gained and leads lost, as well as two disallowed Isles goals on the way to Bailey's winner, which came at 4:39 of overtime. That's just playoff hockey, according to Bailey, but also the sign of a resilient team, according to Head Coach Barry Trotz.