I really feel uncomfortable making tonight’s game the Game of the Month with the record it has this season (1-3-2)… but it has to be done.

Here we are and the Islanders are in the same exact spot as they were in back in April 2019, up 3-0 in the first round series. They were able to complete the sweep last season, but will they be able to do the same this time around?

The Islanders have done a really good job all series keeping the Capitals from playing their game. The players have bought into Barry Trotz’s system and it’s forcing the Capitals to try and play around Islander hockey, rather than the super offensive game that they like to play.

A Look Back

Sunday’s Game 3 had a lot of back and forth action, and it was a game that put everyone on the edge of their seats. It was a huge game for both teams, for the Capitals so they can try and get back into the series, and for the Isles so they can continue to burry the Capitals hopes.

Anders Lee got the party started for the Isles, as he put home a backdoor tap-in off of a pass from the birthday boy, Adam Pelech. Then, a few failed power play’s and missed chances later, the Capitals went to the power play and capitalized on it with a lazer from Evgeny Kuznetsov to tie the game.

The two teams would then have to battle it out in overtime, where Jakub Vrana had two huge chances to win the game for the Capitals, but Semyon Varlamov was a brick wall. A few seconds later, Jordan Eberle found Mat Barzal, who snuck behind John Carlson and Brenden Dillon, and he potted the overtime winner.

What to Expect

They say the fourth win is always the hardest to get in a series, and this one will definitely be the hardest for the Isles. The Capitals have progressively played better as the series went on, however they still struggle to get by the steady, solid Islanders defense. Tonight, expect the Capitals to play their best game, and a desperate one.

When a team plays desperate, it’s hard to make crisp plays because they sacrifice the body on every single play.  There is one thing that the Isles need to look for, and that is capitalizing on the Capitals’ overzealous plays, because that is another thing that desperate teams tend to do, they do too much with the puck.

Game of the Month Record

1-3-2