Game 5 was do or die for the Islanders. Down 3-1 in their Eastern Conference Final series with the Tampa Bay Lightning, they had to win to extend their season. Ryan Pulock got the scoring started with a power-play blast in the first period but Victor Hedman tied it in the second. The score remained 1-1 through the third period and first overtime, but late in the second overtime, Jordan Eberle beat Andrei Vasilevskiy on a two-on-one rush to keep the Islanders playoff hopes alive. Let’s break it down.

This play started with a Tampa Bay face-off win in New York’s zone. This was not necessarily your typical start to an Islanders goal, but this isn’t your typical postseason. Kevin Shattenkirk fanned on the ensuing shot, allowing Anders Lee to breakout with Eberle charging up the right wing.

Lee didn’t get control of the puck until he reached the Tampa Bay blueline, leading to Mikhail Sergachev gambling that he could win the race to the puck. He got caught when Lee got the puck and the Lightning defender had no choice but to sell out to block the pass. The Isles’ captain slid the pass through Sergachev and to a wide-open Eberle. From there, it was basically a tap-in with no chance for Vasilevskiy.

This goal was the epitome of Islanders hockey. They took advantage, capitalizing off of a miscue with hustle and hard work. Lee beat the typically faster Sergachev with a burst of speed while Eberle turned on the jets to keep up with the play.

The Islanders will need more hard work and determination to keep their season alive in Game 6 on Thursday. But with an effort like this, the future is bright and the positivity has never been more contagious.

John Smark