Islanders Dominate Panthers in Game 4 and Advance

The Islanders advance! Before the season being cut short, the Islanders struggled to win games but they have sparked since the return. After the back to back games on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Isles hoped to come out with two wins but ended up falling to the Panthers on Wednesday in Game 3.

During the first period, Ryan Pulock tripped Noel Acciari to give the Panthers a man-advantage. The penalty kill had been brutal all series, and cost them in Game 3. The Islanders successfully killed it off and weathered the early Panther storm.

About ten minutes into the hockey game, Anthony Beauvillier threw the puck at the inside of Bobrovsky’s pad and got the Islanders on the board. This is exactly what the Islanders needed, shots on net that will trickle in. Five minutes later, Mat Barzal dished a cross ice pass to Anthony Beauvillier who put his second of the night past Bobrovsky. It started with a gorgeous stretch pass from Ryan Pulock and the Islanders took a 2-0 lead.

Late in the period, the Panthers got a power play and Mike Hoffman ripped a one timer from the circle and scored. Hoffman had been lethal all series from that spot, and cut the Islander lead in half before the end of the first. About midway through the second period, Florida was soon gifted a too many men penalty served by Evengii Dadonov. Brock Nelson received a beautiful pass from Josh Bailey seconds after a face-off and went upstairs to put the Islanders up 3-1. Shortly after, Aleksander Barkov was cutting through the slot and seemed to have a wide-open net. Ryan Pulock dove with his stick and blocked what would be a goal and saved the day. The Islanders have accumulated 31 shots in the first two periods and the Panthers had 14. In the third, the Panthers would have to give everything they had.

John Smark