ISLANDERS 2, PANTHERS 1: John Tavares tied it in the final minute of regulation and got the victor at 10:41 of the second overtime, leading host NY past Florida and into the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 1993. The shot sailed past Nick Leddy and over Greiss’ shoulder.Greiss was pulled with about 1:30 left and the Islanders finally tied it on a third-effort goal by Tavares with 53.2 seconds left. But in double overtime, the Panthers took two penalties, and the second one might cost them the series.
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“We want to enjoy tonight, but we want to keep this thing going”, Tavares said.
“I think just throughout the whole year he was disappointed at times”, said linemate and longtime friend Kyle Okposo, who drew the primary assist on the series-clinching goal.
But with less than a minute to play in what was at the time 1-0 game he gave up the game-tying goal in a rather unbelievable way.
Tavares continues to quietly be one not just of the most outstanding players in the National Hockey League, but one of the most clutch as he continues to mature.
While Florida feels it is playing well, the team is a loss away from exiting the playoffs in the first round for the fourth time since last winning a postseason series to advance to the 1996 Stanley Cup Final.
According to oddsmakers at BetDSI, this game is considered even, as each team is getting odds of -105 to win, while the over/under total for the contest is listed at 5 goals.
John Tavares said get on my back and I will lead you to Tampa. “And obviously once you get around the net, make sure it goes in”. Nikolay Kulemin tried to tip it in, but Luongo dived to his left on top of it.
“I thought we were the better team most nights and I don’t think the hockey gods were with us at all”, Florida coach Gerard Gallant said. They beat Washington at home in Game 6 in the first round that year, and then won Game 7 at Pittsburgh in the conference semis before losing in five to Montreal.
Shortly after that sequence, Roberto Luongo came up with big stops on Calvin de Haan and Frans Nielsen to preserve the Panthers’ tenuous one-goal advantage heading into the third.
We will have to watch Game 6 and find out.
Following Panthers forward Jonathan Huberdeau’s goal with just over one minute left in the first period, the Islanders’ attack grew weaker, the home team out-hustled and out-muscled for much of the remainder of the game.
“He played great”, Capuano said.
Jaromir Jagr failed to end his long playoff goal-scoring drought that now stands at a somewhat astounding 37 games.
Vincent Trochek sent a pass to Huberdeau, who spun and fired a shot from the high slot while falling down with the puck going over Greiss’ blocker with 1:02 remaining.
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After losing in the first round previous year to the Washington Capitals, the Isles have done what all great teams need to do, take steps forward even though at times this season it appeared those steps might not be taken.
